Client News
More than 5,000 family members, coaches, 10-year-old players from across America and international areas expected to take part in the August 7-16 World Series competition in 2025.
VINCENNES – Top youth baseball players will take the field here next year in the 2025 Cal Ripken 10-Year-Old World Series, one of the largest youth sporting events in America. Organized by the Babe Ruth League, 24 teams will be drawn from eight U.S. regions and seven countries through progressive tournaments to compete
for the World Series title. The Babe Ruth League confirmed the Vincennes selection following its 2024 tournaments.
Representing the league’s 24 top teams, more than 5,000 players, coaches, families and friends are expected to travel to Indiana’s historic First City next summer, which has previously played host since 1994 to seven Babe Ruth World Series and 35 Ohio Valley Regional Tournaments for the youth sport.
“The World Series event is pretty significant for our community and region in terms of economic impact,” said Kirk Bouchie, General Manager of Vincennes Water Utilities, who is serving as the World Series Host President and as President of the Vincennes Cub League. “As we know from past experience, the World Series has a major positive tourism and cultural effect on Knox County and the region, and many families form lasting friendships with the visiting teams and families.”
New senior executive will spearhead a Smithville initiative to cultivate a best-in-class Learning and Development and Talent program that aligns with Smithville’s strategic objectives and values. The new initiative underscores Smithville’s unwavering commitment to nurturing talent, promoting safety, and fostering a culture of continuous learning and development.
ELLETTSVILLE, IN — Further advancing its Learning and Development and Talent initiatives, Smithville named Kendall Glavash as the company’s new Vice President of Human Resources. Coming to Smithville from a position as a Senior Organizational Development Consultant with Indiana University Health, Glavash earlier joined the company as Vice President of Learning and Development and Talent.
“Kendall’s position in our company reflects Smithville’s commitment to our most valuable asset: our people,” said Darby McCarty, Smithville Chairman and CEO. “Kendall brings a wealth of experience and a proven track record in driving learning and development, which is expected to help our company improve organizational effectiveness and employee engagement.”
Indiana is on an innovation roll. Reflecting a new dynamic of entrepreneurial expansion, Gov. Eric Holcomb and Elevate Ventures recently announced the creation of a new $100 million growth fund, a powerful addition to Indiana’s expanding innovation arsenal. A key question: where do the one-third of Hoosiers living in small cities and rural areas – some one million people – fit into this emerging entrepreneurial ecosystem?
Rural innovation represents key advancement opportunities for Indiana, especially in the realms of agribusiness and related fields. Forbes recently scored Indiana as a top place to start a business. In our competitive era, how can rural entrepreneurs thrive and create new opportunities and talent development?
Think smoking a pack of cigarettes a day is bad for you? Teenagers in Indiana vaping nicotine and other harmful substances through a disposable vaping device can inhale the equivalent of nearly 600 cigarettes a day. While there exist less than 30 legal vaping devices and e-cigarettes, teenagers and middle school children can access more than 55,000 types of vaping flavors, types and devices through a high-impact black market.
In addition to toxic levels of nicotine, teenagers and others who vape or consume e-cigarettes and related substances can consume or be exposed to many dangerous ingredients commonly found in vaping e-cigarettes, cartridges, tanks or mods. These include propylene glycol and diethylene glycol, which is used in antifreeze; formaldehyde and acetaldehyde, substances known to cause cancer; the weed killer acrolein; and numerous other toxic substances.
[This thought leadership piece appeared in social media throughout southern Indiana. It is part of a series of informational healthcare topics MEK produces for Southern Indiana Community Health Care]
VINCENNES – A $35 million housing project to support local talent attraction and retention has entered into the final stages of planning and approval. After final details are wrapped up later this summer, the project will begin building 240 new apartment units in Vincennes, according to Chris Pfaff, CEO of Knox County Indiana Economic Development. Details of the project, which has been more than a year in planning, were cleared by the Vincennes Redevelopment Commission in June and will now go to the Vincennes City Council for final consideration of key elements.
The new market rate apartments, which will include one-, two-, and three-bedroom options, are being designed and built by Simplified Developments, LLC and will be located on Bierhouse Boulevard in Vincennes. Simplified Developments and its general contracting arm Elite Construction Services have designed and built multiple new housing units (both apartments and single-family homes) in Gibson and Daviess counties.
“This new development comes at an opportune time with high local demand for market rate housing from expected talent attraction and workforce expansion associated with the $83 million construction of AgroRenew and other Knox County company expansions,” said Pfaff. “This is a strong strategic match for the needs of the community and county.”
[Coverage from this release appeared on Inside Indiana Business, WTHI-TV and other media outlets]
Fifth generation co-owner and industry leader set to drive next stage of growth at top one hundred broadband company.
ELLETTSVILLE, IND., July 1, 2024— Long-time telecommunications industry leader Cullen McCarty was formally appointed today as CEO of Smithville Telecom, LLC, a sister company to Smithville Communications, Indiana’s largest privately held telecommunications firm. Fourth-generation Smithville owner Darby A. McCarty will continue to serve as board chairman for Smithville Telecom and Smithville Communications. Ms. McCarty will also continue to serve as CEO of Smithville Communications while Mr. McCarty retains his active position as executive vice president of Smithville Communications.
The appointment of Mr. McCarty as Smithville Telecom CEO marks the first phase of a meticulously planned succession, co-architected by both Ms. McCarty and Mr. McCarty in 2021. The two senior executives, a mother-and-son team, prepared and established the plan to ensure a seamless leadership transition, maintain business continuity, and set clear long-range strategic aims for the 102-year-old firm.
[This release also appeared in coverage on Inside Indiana Business.]
Following is media information for AgroRenew’s $83 million bioplastics manufacturing facility in Knox County Indiana.
AgroRenew Founder and CEO Brian Southern outlined Knox County plans for growing the new bioplastics company on Inside Indiana Business – watch the pre-event statewide coverage here. MEK privileged to support through Knox County Indiana Economic Development.
AgroRenew set to break ground on Vincennes facility that will transform Knox County watermelon into 100% biodegradable plastic First recruiting wave to begin in July
Vincennes, Ind. – Vincennes-grown bioplastic startup AgroRenew is pleased to announce a Groundbreaking Ceremony on Wednesday, June 19, 2024 at 10:00 a.m. (EDT) at 701 E. Elkhorn Rd. in Vincennes, IN 47591, marking the commencement of construction for its first manufacturing facility where advanced technology will transform crop waste from Knox County fields into fully biodegradable plastics.
Lessons of foundational innovation: a number of years ago officials from the Indiana Department of Education joined local and regional representatives in rural Ellettsville. The occasion reflected the latest in broadband connectivity technology at the time. Smithville had partnered with Indiana Bell and other entities to create a then-exciting distance learning capacity for rural high school students – possibly then the first in Indiana – which was considered groundbreaking innovation.
Today, at first glance, this achievement may seem pedestrian, even basic by 21st century standards. But there exists a key point: the focus and commitment that combined to produce that-then major advancement represent the same risk-taking and pioneering thinking that is producing dramatic innovations across the plains in Indiana.