Client News
EVANSVILLE – Looking for entrepreneurial opportunities? A broad spectrum of diverse demand for a wide variety of professionals and professional services exists in southern Indiana, representing an array of actionable growth opportunities and potential market development. These opportunities were recently strategically documented in a comprehensive report funded by the Community Foundation Alliance and the Harrison County Community Foundation.
The planning report, conducted in partnership with the Indiana First READI region, profiles and pinpoints specific growth opportunities for entrepreneurs in several categories, according to Jill Carpenter, President and CEO of the Community Foundation Alliance here.
“Based on direct primary research conducted across multiple counties, the Indiana First Quality of Life Economic Impact Analysis report reveals market potential and entrepreneurial gaps on a county-by-county basis, demonstrating areas of real demand,” said Carpenter. “A careful review of key areas can yield some significant potential market growth for the right companies, professionals, and entrepreneurs.”
February is officially heart health month. But in reality, why should anyone pay attention?
The reasons are many, especially to raise awareness about what you can personally do to promote the health of your heart today. The health of your heart figures high in the quality of your life, both now and in the future.
Higher quality of life
Healthy hearts and circulatory systems can directly contribute to higher levels of energy and general enjoyment of life, especially as one grows older.
But in my many years as a family physician in southern Indiana, I find that people can too often take the health of their heart for granted, regardless of their age. What’s not good about that? Not taking care of business in eating balanced meals, getting reasonable and regular exercise, and adopting other health steps can take an alarming toll over time.
(This column by Dr. Curtis Thill of Southern Indiana Community Health Care appeared in a number of newspapers in southern Indiana during February 2025. The month also included National Wear Red Day, which helped raise awareness of the No. 1 killer of women, cardiovascular disease. Dr. Thill’s column is also accessible on the SICHC website)
What’s on deck for 2025? While short-term recession fears for the United States have abated, local, and regional economic development continue to face alternating challenges and opportunities. Adopting a thoughtful, well-rounded economic development strategy can build resilience and growth in our economies.
What does that look like? To build and sustain a competitive, attractive and dynamic regional economy, consider three strategic areas of focus : business retention and expansion, business attraction, and a strong focus on enabling and fostering entrepreneurship. While they all fit together, they each require their own set of development tactics.
Business retention and expansion – This may seem obvious, but it’s sometimes neglected in certain regions, much to the peril of sustained economic prosperity and stability. Business retention and expansion – often called BR&E – represents a critically important, relationship-building, after-the-sale strategic effort.
As we reach the midpoint of the second decade of the 21st century, general talk and discussion of emerging quantum computing seems to be the stuff of science fiction, perhaps crowded out by AI expectations. But no more, even as the United Nations has declared 2025 to be the International Year of Quantum Science and Technology.
Perhaps mirroring its quantum state, quantum computing is simultaneously closer to reality than many think, but several years from mainstream commercial use. Today, many marketers sometimes use the phrase or words “quantum computing” in conjunction with high-speed computing or transactions. But apart from techspeak and brand association, there indeed exists a new era of revolutionizing technology in development.
What can we expect? While the current focus of industry-changing technology rightly concerns AI advancements, quantum computing will likely make its initial commercial foray in perhaps five or so years, becoming operational reality in the next 12 to 15 years. With that kind of timeframe, why should we pay any attention to quantum computing now?
(This content, authored by Cullen McCarty, CEO of Smithville Telecom, also appeared on Inside Indiana Business)
PAOLI, Indiana – Nancy Radcliff, CEO of Southern Indiana Community Health Care, was nationally recognized together with Ann Lundy, CEO of Indiana Health Centers and Larry Bailey, COO of IU Health Bedford Hospital, as a Community Star of rural health care for Indiana. The honor was conferred by the National Organization of State Offices of Rural Health (NOSORH) and will be formally made on National Rural Health Day Nov. 21.
When Ascension Health closed its hospital in Bedford in 2022, Ms. Radcliff worked directly with Larry Bailey, COO of IU Health Bedford and Ann Lundy, CEO of Indiana Health Centers (IHC) to fill the healthcare gap left by the closure. Several other area healthcare and elected officials supported the effort. In later media coverage, SICHC was recognized for its work in providing critical obstetrics and well-baby healthcare services for the greater Lawrence County region.
WASHINGTON (Indiana) – City, county and regional officials set the stage for continued revitalization and renewal of the Daviess County region with the official ribbon-cutting of the $3.1 million Commons facility in downtown Washington November 8. “The city of Washington has already taken several steps toward an energized downtown and this formal ribbon-cutting will accelerate that movement right in the heart of the city,” said Washington Mayor David Rhoads.
The multi-purpose venue, located south of Main Street in downtown Washington, includes the German-American Stage for concerts and special events, the TrueScripts Market Pavilion along Main Street, and the Knights of Columbus Event Pavilion east of the lawn seating space in front of the German-American stage.
“The community now has a multi-use venue that can function as a convenient location for convening local gatherings and hosting events that could attract visitors from throughout the Midwest,” said Bob Grewe, Executive Director of the Daviess County Economic Development Corporation. “This signals that Washington and Daviess County are serious about developing quality of life amenities that are essential to retaining and attracting families to our community.”
(Related coverage from this release appeared in Inside Indiana Business, WTHI-TV, Washington Times-Herald, Southern Indiana Business Report, Regional Opportunities Initiative news, WAMW, and more)
PAOLI, Indiana – Southern Indiana Community Health Care (SICHC) was recognized by the American Heart Association and American Medical Association in October for its commitment to improving blood pressure (BP) control rates, earning Silver-level recognition as part of Target: BP™.
The Silver award recognizes practices that have demonstrated a commitment to improving blood pressure control through measurement accuracy. “Donna Charles, a Chronic Care Nurse Manager with SICHC, and her team have done an excellent job in helping SICHC patients appropriately address and manage SICHC hypertension patients,” said Yolanda Yoder, M.D., Chief Medical Officer of SICHC. “This national award is a direct result of their important work for our patients and their families in Southern Indiana.”
High blood pressure, or hypertension, is a leading risk factor for heart attacks, strokes and preventable death in the U.S. According to the American Heart Association, there are 122.4 million U.S. adults living with hypertension. This is nearly half of all adults in the country. Unfortunately, just a quarter of them have their BP under control, making both diagnosis and effective management critical. In the U.S., heart disease and stroke are the No. 1 and No. 5 causes of death, respectively, and stroke is a leading cause of disability.
“Addressing blood pressure management is key for better cardiovascular health – and critical today, when heart disease and stroke continue to be leading causes of death for adults in the U.S.,” Dr. Yoder said. “High blood pressure is a leading risk factor of heart disease and stroke that can often be prevented or managed if diagnosed and treated properly.”
SICHC staff followed the 5 pillars of 30 Evidence Based activities set by Target BP initiative. Of those:
- Calibrate and validate b/p devices and have gone through training of “How to properly take a patient’s b/p”
- Adopt a protocol for repeat b/p measurements when readings are out of range
- Act rapidly to incoming abnormal b/p patient readings
- Partner with our patients on adopting a modifiable lifestyle change, while providing education on nutrition, physical activity & weight
- And ultimately gather data that can turn into actions of improvement and sustainability.
Target: BP is a national initiative formed by the American Heart Association and American Medical Association in response to the high prevalence of uncontrolled blood pressure. The initiative aims to help health care organizations and care teams, at no cost, improve blood pressure control rates through an evidence-based quality improvement program and recognizes organizations, like Southern Indiana Community Health Care, which are committed to improving blood pressure control.
“By committing to helping more people in Southern Indiana control their blood pressure and reduce their risks for future heart disease and stroke, SICHC is taking a key step to helping more people live longer, healthier lives,” said Yvonne Commodore-Mensah, PhD, MHS, RN, FAHA, Target: BP advisory group volunteer and associate professor at Johns Hopkins School of Nursing. “SICHC’s participation in the Target: BP initiative shows its dedication to turning clinical guidelines into lifelines for patients and their families.”
Learn more at TargetBP.org.
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About the Southern Indiana Community Health Care nonprofit organization
Well-known as a high-impact health care provider committed to continuity of care, the nonprofit Southern Indiana Community Health Care (SICHC) organization is committed to providing high-quality, comprehensive, community-sensitive health care utilizing Christ-centered principles to medically underserved, rural communities. As a Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC), SICHC serves as a “safety net” provider for vulnerable populations and focuses on increasing access to primary care services for Medicaid and Medicare patients in rural communities. SICHC offers medical care in medically underserved areas of Crawford, Lawrence, Orange, and Washington counties. Southern Indiana Community Health Care is a member of the National Health Services Corps and receives program funding from the Health Resources and Services. For more information, please visit: https://sichc.org/
About Target: BPTM
Target: BP™ is a national initiative formed by the American Heart Association and the American Medical Association in response to the high prevalence of uncontrolled blood pressure. Target: BP helps health care organizations and care teams, at no cost, improve BP control rates through an evidence-based quality improvement program and recognizes organizations committed to improving BP control.
Media inquires: Michael Snyder MEK 317-805-4870
INDIANAPOLIS – Publicly confirming that the U.S.-Japan Alliance is a “cornerstone of peace, prosperity and freedom” in the Asia-Pacific region, Vice President Mike Pence will review current threats to democracy from China, Russia, North Korea and others at the Japan-America Society of Indiana Gala Oct. 17. The Vice President, who also served as the 50th Governor of Indiana, will share his insights on the heightened importance of the Japan-U.S. relationship and global alliances to meet and counter increasing geopolitical challenges (view the Vice President’s remarks on YouTube).
“Given his continued leadership role in international and national affairs, Vice President Pence holds a unique vantage of the U.S.-Japan relationship and its critical economic and political importance to both the nation and our state,” said Theresa Kulczak, JASI Executive Director. “The United States and Japan jointly face many new developments from shifts in global and regional power balances, and we look forward to hearing Vice President Pence’s insights and perspectives.”