Greater Lafayette Commerce's Annual Report 2025

2025 Annual Report

Mission

To advance economic & community prosperity for a superior quality of life

Message from Our Board Chair

Jody Hamilton Chair of the Board of Directors

Dear members and investors,

We started the year with change. As our former CEO stepped down, the entire team at Greater Lafayette Commerce stepped up, and I mean really stepped up. Their dedication and professionalism kept our programs strong and our mission focused.

In a year of transition, we grew. The chamber added more than 100 new members, reaching a total of 1,066 members and a 92 percent retention rate. That speaks to the value members find in this organization and to what it represents.

With your support, we hosted more than 100 events this year, attracting more than 9,000 attendees. Each event gives local businesses tools, connections and opportunities to grow.

In August, we welcomed a new leader to Greater Lafayette Commerce: Mikel Berger, our president and CEO. Mikel stepped into an organization in motion and brings a deep love for this community and a fresh vision for what’s next. With Mikel, we’ll continue to strengthen our businesses, prepare our workforce and drive economic growth across our region.

A cornerstone of that growth is READI. As the regional convener and fiduciary, GLC is helping direct $65 million into housing, childcare, workforce and infrastructure across seven counties. Every READI 1.0 project is complete or under construction, and READI 2.0 will fund more than 25 additional projects, now including Montgomery County.

GLC continues to advance economic development, supporting major projects with SK hynix, Caterpillar, Sustainea and Primient – the result of long-term strategy and regional collaboration.

Workforce development remains central. Through Career+ Pathways and partnerships with schools, higher education and employers, students completed nearly 60,000 career-connected learning sessions, 7,000 hours of work-based learning experience and 186 Career+ graduation pathways, years ahead of state mandate.

Employers are also partnering with us on targeted recruitment efforts, supported by regional branding that highlights Greater Lafayette as a place to build both a career and a life.

Our inaugural Greater Lafayette Summer Internship Experience brought nearly 300 interns from 64 universities to our community, giving them meaningful connections and a firsthand look at opportunities here. It was the type of experience that can turn short-term internships into long-term careers.

1,066 Members events

112 New Members

9k+ Attendees 100+ 92% retentioN Rate

The Lafayette Farmers Market celebrated a record-breaking season with 100 vendors, and coming in January 2026 we’ll launch a new indoor Winter Market in the Lahr Atrium giving 20 local vendors the opportunity to operate year-round.

We also strengthened global relationships, including welcoming students from our sister city, Óta City, Japan; ties that support both cultural exchange and long-term economic partnership.

Through all of this, one theme stands out: partnership. Your involvement, along with guidance from a board representing business, education and local government, ensures that our work reflects the needs of the entire region.

This has been a year of change, yes. But it’s also been one of continuity. The work of Greater Lafayette Commerce has always been about helping businesses grow and making sure the success of this region can be felt in daily life. That hasn’t changed. What’s changing is the pace and scale of what we’ll achieve together.

So, as we look ahead, I’m excited. And I’m grateful to serve alongside all of you. On behalf of the entire Board of Directors, thank you – for your support, your partnership and your confidence.

With gratitude,

Jody Hamilton | Chair of the Board of Directors

Greater Lafayette Commerce

we’ll continue to strengthen our businesses, prepare our workforce and drive economic growth across our region.

2025 Board of Directors

Executive Committee

Chair

Jody Hamilton | Tipmont/Wintek

Vice Chair

Dave Martin | Allison Transmission

Treasurer

Tim Schooler | Centier Bank

Secretary & General Counsel

Jim Olds | Stuart & Branigin

Board Members

Rachel Hazaray | Subaru of Indiana Automotive (Immediate Past Chair)

Kim Allen | Purdue Research Foundation

Dr. Aaron Baute | Ivy Tech Community College

Dan Campion | Caterpillar

Dr. Mung Chiang | Purdue University

Lisa Decker | Franciscan Health

Mayor Erin Easter | City of West Lafayette

Janet Fox | First Merchants Bank

Roberto Gallardo | Purdue University

Stacy Grove | @properties - The Russell Company

Stuart Gutwein | Gutwein Law

Joe Hart | Kirby Risk Corporation

Gary Lehman | Oerlikon Fairfield Manufacturing (retired)

Tom Murtaugh | Tippecanoe County Commissioner

Alpen Patel | Caterpillar

Mayor Tony Roswarski | City of Lafayette

Heather Thompson | Old National Bank

Art Vasquez | Indiana University Health, WCR

Todd Wetli | Evonik

Elizabeth WhittakeR | Whittaker Inn

Donte Wilburn | Premier Indiana

Brent Yeagy | Wabash

Message from Our President & CEO

Mikel Berger President & CEO

Dear members and investors, It’s a privilege to serve as the new president and CEO of Greater Lafayette Commerce.

For those I haven’t met yet, I’ve called Greater Lafayette home for many years. I’ve raised a family here. I’ve built businesses here. And I’ve seen time and again what makes this community exceptional: the way people lean in, collaborate and create something bigger than themselves.

And what a year to be stepping in. The City of Lafayette celebrated it’s bicentennial in 2025. Two hundred years of hard work, innovation and collaboration. Those same qualities continue to define who we are today.

You can see it in the people who choose to make this place their home, you can see it in the companies that keep investing in Greater Lafayette and you can sense it in the pride that fills this community.

Anyone who has ever started something knows this: progress doesn’t happen all at once. It happens in small, determined steps, fueled by belief, hard work and a community of people who show up and build together.

And this past year, Greater Lafayette showed up. We strengthened our position as Indiana’s most innovative manufacturing economy. We welcomed new business growth, supported entrepreneurs and saw our talent initiatives take off.

But what inspires me most is this: It wasn’t luck. It wasn’t one big headline. It was all of us — public and private partners, educators and employers, investors and dreamers — choosing to move forward together.

This region has the people, the skill and the drive to compete with anyone, anywhere.

Because our strength lies not just in what we build, but in how we build it: collaboratively.

And Greater Lafayette Commerce exists to make that collaboration work — operating at the intersection of economic development, workforce readiness and civic partnership, bringing the right people and resources together at the right time.

As an entrepreneur, I’ve learned that vision only matters when it becomes action. And action only scales when people believe in it. What we’re building here isn’t just an economy, it’s momentum. It’s confidence. It’s belief in who we are and who we can be.

All that said, I hope we can set our sights on the future, to accelerate, to sharpen our collective focus and to continue positioning Greater Lafayette as a place where ingenuity meets opportunity. This region has the people, the skill and the drive to compete with anyone, anywhere.

Thank you for believing in this community. Thank you for investing in its future. And thank you for being part of the momentum that will carry us into 2026 and far beyond.

Sincerely,

Mikel Berger | President & CEO Greater Lafayette Commerce

Meet Our Team

About

Greater lafayette commerce

Founded in 1927, Greater Lafayette Commerce (GLC) is a not-for-profit chamber of commerce and lead economic development organization working across Lafayette, West Lafayette, Tippecanoe County and the surrounding region. Our members range from small businesses with a handful of employees to global manufacturers, nonprofits and institutions that anchor the local economy.

We help recruit and retain businesses, support workforce pipelines, convene business and government leaders, advocate for our members and market the region to companies and workers deciding where to locate next.

Our Mission

To advance economic and community prosperity for a superior quality of life. Our Vision

Greater Lafayette is a vibrant community, where people, industry and businesses come to thrive and be greater.

Our Goal

Greater Lafayette is a vibrant hub of progress that sustains the legacy of collaboration, growth and success for the region.

1,066 Members 112 new Members 92% retentioN Rate

135 Nonprofit Members

50 Latino-Owned Members

3K Member Representatives

432 Members of 10+ Years

42 President’s Circle Members $10K+ Investment

Business Advocacy

We’re Your Advocates

Greater Lafayette Commerce serves as the voice for our member businesses, working as a constructive partner and convener in the policymaking process. We also provide members with key resources, including legislative updates and policy insights, to help them stay informed and prepared.

This forum strengthens government-business collaboration by giving our members direct access to state legislators, while also offering opportunities to engage in discussions about emerging issues affecting their operations and the region’s economic landscape.

Our advocacy efforts are shaped by member-driven priorities, ensuring the needs of Greater Lafayette’s business community always guide our work.

Legislative Update Sessions

During the Indiana General Assembly session, our Legislative Update programming brings state lawmakers into the room with GLC members as policy proposals move through the Statehouse. It keeps government and business in conversation while decisions are being made.

Economic Development

Collaboration fuels growth

Greater Lafayette Commerce serves as the region’s lead economic development organization (LEDO), working with employers, site consultants and public-sector partners to support business recruitment and expansion across Greater Lafayette. The team responds to RFPs and works directly with companies, consultants and regional partners to advance projects from initial inquiry through implementation. Workforce planning is integrated into that work, with GLC assisting employers as they identify and secure the talent needed to grow.

Investment Highlights

Business Investment, Expansion and Growth

This year, Greater Lafayette Commerce began laying the groundwork for a stronger focus on business attraction in 2026, while continuing to support expansion and reinvestment by existing employers. That planning coincided with a year of significant capital investment across advanced manufacturing, energy and emerging technologies in Greater Lafayette.

GE Aerospace – Lafayette

A $5 million investment in facility upgrades, tooling and equipment to support increased aircraft engine assembly and overhaul demand.

Subaru of Indiana Automotive (SIA)

Continued multi-year reinvestment, including retooling for next-generation hybrid vehicle production and installation of a 204-kilowatt rooftop solar array to reduce long-term energy costs.

Caterpillar – Lafayette Large Engine Center

A $725 million expansion, one of the largest manufacturing investments in Caterpillar’s history, to increase engine production capacity and invest in workforce training tied to growing global power demand.

Sustainea Bioglycols

A large-scale bio-industrial manufacturing project continued to advance through approvals, positioning Lafayette in the growing plant-based materials sector.

Economic Development

Site Selection

Greater Lafayette Commerce economic development team delivers confidential, customized support for companies exploring new investment opportunities. From real estate and infrastructure research to project coordination and site due diligence, to convening the right partners to highlight our region’s strengths, we streamline every step of the selection process.

Our goal is simple: to attract, retain and grow high-quality employers while showcasing Greater Lafayette as a global hub for advanced manufacturing, hard tech and innovation.

Tax Abatements

Tax abatements are one of the region’s primary tools for attracting new business investment, supporting expansion and bringing jobs to the region.

Tippecanoe County and the cities of Lafayette and West Lafayette use them to phase in new property taxes tied to construction, equipment and facility upgrades, which ease upfront project costs and boost demand for local suppliers and service providers.

Greater Lafayette Commerce handles the technical and administrative work tied to the abatements, explaining eligibility requirements, walking businesses through applications, negotiating terms, tracking deadlines and managing the compliance reporting throughout the life of the abatement.

Tippecanoe County Job Growth

In 2025, the Lafayette Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA) remained steady overall, though education and government employment softened. Inflation, high interest rates and trade uncertainty influenced hiring decisions, but health care, construction and business services continued to add jobs, supported by new medical facilities, housing development and ongoing private investment. Data source: Lightcast

Sister City Student Exchange

Greater Lafayette Commerce runs a biennial student exchange with Óta City, Japan, which is home to Subaru of Indiana Automotive. The program deepens the cultural and civic relationship between Greater Lafayette and, Ōta City, reinforcing the partnership with one of the region’s largest employers.

In August, 12 students with two chaperones from Ōta City, spent 10 days in Greater Lafayette. During the visit, they toured Subaru of Indiana Automotive and Purdue University, met with City of Lafayette Mayor Tony Roswarski, City of West Lafayette Mayor Erin Easter, Tippecanoe County Council and County Commissioners and visited the West Lafayette Fire Department, Lafayette Public Safety Center, Jefferson High School, Wolf Park, Loeb Stadium and Columbian Park Zoo. The group also sampled local favorites including McCord Candies, Dog ‘N Suds and The Original Frozen Custard. The exchange has run since 1989.

WORKFORCE Development

Career+ Ecosystem

Through Greater Lafayette Commerce’s Career+ Pathways program, more than 30,000 students across the region are getting a clearer view of the jobs available in Greater Lafayette and the skills those jobs require. Built with schools, Skyepack and regional employers, the program is designed to help students graduate with experience and credentials that translate into local jobs, including the roles companies are hiring for now and will need in the years ahead.

More than 100 regional employers participated in Career+ programming, including manufacturers, health care providers and construction firms. Employers such as Caterpillar, Subaru of Indiana Automotive, GE Aerospace, Indiana University Health and Nucor participated.

2025 Career+ Experiences

HireMe!

Regional juniors and seniors participated in the second annual Career+ HireME! event, where they connected with hiring managers from companies like Subaru, Wabash, Kirby Risk, IU Health and Caterpillar. Students explored career paths, secured internships and even landed full-time positions, with a focus on manufacturing and healthcare. The event continues to connect education and employment in our community.

Hiring partners

Adecco, Air National Guard/Air Force, Allison Transmission, Alloy Custom Products LLC, Arni’s Restaurants, BAC Local 4 IN/KY, Bane-Welker Equipment, Bauer Family Resources, Bricklayers and Allied Craftworkers Local 4 IN/KY, Caterpillar Inc, Chuys Tex MeX, CityBus-GLPTC, CTI Personnel, Evonik Tippecanoe Laboratories, Express Employment Professionals, Exterior View, Franciscan Alliance, Freddy’s Frozen Custard & Steakburgers, Gaylor Electric, GE Aerospace, Indiana Packers Corporation, Indiana Veterans’ Home, Indiana Wesleyan University, Ironworkers, IU Health Arnett, Ivy Tech Community College, Kentland Bank, Kirby Risk, Kona Ice, Koorsen Fire & Security, Laborers International Union, Lafayette Drill & Co, Lafayette Electrical Apprenticeship, Magna-Dry, Midwest Rentals Inc, Milestone Contractors, Momax Marble & Granite, Mulhaupts, Nucor, On Demand Staffing, Pro Resources Staffing, Purdue Dining & Culinary, Purdue Federal Credit Union, Rea Magnet Wire Co Inc, Regions Bank, ResourceMFG, Right Steps Child Development Centers, Steiner Enterprises Inc, Subaru of Indiana Automotive, Inc., The Outpost Catering and Banquet Facility, This Old Farm, Inc, Tippecanoe Building and Construction Trades Council, Titan Construction & Engineering Services, Trilogy Health Services, U.S. Navy, Valley Oaks, Versiti Blood Center of Indiana, Wabash, Wallenius Wilhelmsen

Workforce 2023 Council

The Workforce 2030 Council led by Greater Lafayette Commerce, is a regional partnership of employers, schools and higher education leaders working to address workforce shortages. The council focuses on building and scaling programs that strengthen the talent pipeline — from early career awareness to training and job readiness — to meet the needs of employers.

CoderDojo & Technology Access for Local Classrooms

In April, Greater Lafayette Commerce concluded CoderDojo, its free computer science club for K–12 students. The technology used in that program is now being made available to local educators through our new technology lending initiative. It supports hands-on instruction tied to coding and problem-solving and digital skills, extending access to tools that may not otherwise be available.

Robotics in Manufacturing Camp

Robotics in Manufacturing Camp ran for seven weeks over summer break. The summer camp-style program introduces K-8 students to coding, robotics, electronics and problemsolving through hands-on activities tied to manufacturing concepts. The program, which was launched in 2019, is designed to build early interest in manufacturing and technical careers.

WORKFORCE Development

Manufacturing Week

Manufacturing Week is held the first week of October and gives students across the nine-county region a way inside one of Greater Lafayette’s biggest industries. The program is free and open to all K-12 students, with hands-on experiences focused on advanced manufacturing and logistics.

Students attended from the following schools

Attica Elementary, Attica Jr.-Sr. High School, Benton Central Jr.-Sr. High School, Carroll Elementary, Carroll Senior High School, Central Catholic Jr.–Sr. High School, Dayton Elementary, Glen Acres Elementary, James Cole Elementary, Jefferson High School, Ladoga Elementary, McCutcheon High School, Miami Elementary, Murdock Elementary, New Market Elementary, St. Boniface, Sunnyside Intermediate School, Tecumseh Junior High School, Tri-County Jr./Sr. High School, TSC SOAR Alternative School, Walnut Elementary, West Lafayette Intermediate School, West Lafayette Jr.–Sr. High School

Employers

529

HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS

Toured manufacturing facilities

Aidex Educational Systems, Allison Transmission, Ball Corporation, Birck Nanotechnology Center, Caterpillar, Evonik, GE Aerospace, Ivy Tech Community College, Kirby Risk Precision Machining, Kirby Risk Service Center, LifeLyfts by Life Essentials, Mind Labs by Explore Interactive, Nucor, Subaru of Indiana Automotive, Tipmont, Wabash, Wildcat Creek Winery

1,363

MIDDLE SCHOOL STUDENTS

Participated in career exploration activities with regional manufacturers

745

ELEMENTARY SCHOOL STUDENTS

Participated in manufacturing awareness activities with regional manufacturers

2,637 TOTAL STUDENTS IMPACTED

TALENT Retention

Greater Lafayette Summer Internship Experience

Greater Lafayette Commerce launched the Greater Lafayette Summer Internship Experience this year with inaugural support from the Indiana Destination Development Corporation and a $5,000 grant from Duke Energy. The program is a regional talent attraction and retention effort that participating employers use to engage their interns beyond the workplace.

Forty regional employers took part, giving their interns access to seven curated events that showcased Greater Lafayette beyond the workplace through networking, professional development, and community engagement. Each event drew an average of 58 interns.

Talent

Attraction

EMPLOYERS PARTICIPATED

REGISTERED INTERNS

UNIVERSITIES REPRESENTED 64

CURATED EVENTS 7 UNFORGETTABLE SUMMER

Greater Lafayette Young Professionals

Greater Lafayette Young Professionals (GLYP) gives early-career professionals a place to plug in. It’s where people under the age of 40 meet peers outside their workplace, build connections across industries and start getting involved in the community, which is exactly the kind of thing that makes it easier to stay and grow a career in Greater Lafayette.

2025 GLYP Events

February Financial Lunch & Learn with Madren Financial

March Volunteering at Food Finders Food Bank

April Turn Your Passion into Profit

August Leadership Workshop with Lucas Woody

September Bowling Social at Malibu Jack’s

October Volunteer Social & Lunch

Evonik & Caterpillar

Greater Lafayette Commerce partnered with Evonik and Caterpillar on experimental talent attraction campaigns to recruit for indemand open positions and bring more skilled workers into the Lafayette labor market. Launched in early 2025, the campaign targeted nearby Midwest markets and paired career opportunities with quality-of-life messaging.

READI is a statewide effort to strengthen quality of life, place and opportunity in communities across Indiana. Greater Lafayette secured $65 million through READI 1.0 + 2.0 to support projects that move the region forward.

In READI 1.0, the Greater Lafayette region secured $30 million to advance 19 projects across Benton, Carroll, Fountain, Tippecanoe, Warren and White counties. The initiative focused on strengthening quality of place and economic opportunity through strategic investments in housing, broadband and utility infrastructure, workforce support, regional amenities, and catalytic economic assets—positioning the region for long-term growth and talent attraction.

In 2024, the Greater Lafayette region was awarded $35 million through the state’s second round of READI funding. READI 2.0 focuses on growth strategies to improve quality of life, quality of place and quality of opportunities through projects focused on capital investment, housing units developed, childcare capacity and rural communities. With over 25 projects proposed for the READI region, now including Montgomery county, Greater Lafayette Commerce continues to provide ongoing support to project owners through rigorous submission reviews and comprehensive grant management.

RECOGNIZING OUR MEMBERS

Chamber of commerce

At its core, Greater Lafayette Commerce is a member organization. Our chamber work focuses on helping businesses build visibility, form relationships and stay engaged in the regional business community, from small, first-year companies to employers marking decades of growth.

Milestone Celebrations

Milestone events are one of the most visible ways Greater Lafayette Commerce supports its members. Ribbon cuttings for grand openings, anniversaries and groundbreakings bring organizations into the spotlight at key moments, helping businesses build awareness and signal growth, while reinforcing the investment taking place across Greater Lafayette.

Milestone Events in 2025

Grand Openings

Capo Wine Bar

Brookshire Learning Center

McDonald’s

Proxurve Solutions

Franciscan WorkingWell

Element 26

Christopher B. Burke Engineering, LLC

Crossroads Cigars

Los Potrillos

Penguin Liquor

El Charro

ServiceMaster by Crossroads Restoration

Don Baraton 2

Responsive Mortgage

Wildcat Creek Winery

Azzip Pizza

HMH Contractors

Back in Motion Chiropractic

Jump Start Coffee

Ghost Coffee Roaster

Nor-Nic Place

- La Tradicional Mexican Bakery - El Centro Holistico

Carniceria La Regia

Blade Ink and Beauty Studio

Judith Beauty Supply

Local

BIBIBOP Asian Grill

Abstract Technology Group

The Jeffersonian

Small businesses remain a steady driver of Greater Lafayette’s economy, and Greater Lafayette Commerce recognizes that impact through its Small Business of the Month and Small Business of the Year Awards. The program highlights companies that are growing, adapting and contributing to the community.

2025 Winners

January

This Old Butcher Shoppe

February

Budget Blinds OF KOKOMO AND LAFAYETTE

March

Flora Candle Company

April

Gibson Painting Group

May

The Outpost Catering and Banquet Facility

June

The Spinning AXE

July

Coors remodeling

August

Generation NA

September

Garcia insurance agency

October

Camflo Heating & Cooling

Winners are recognized during a public presentation attended by community members and elected officials. The recognition is paired with a feature story and digital coverage, extending visibility beyond the event itself and documenting the role small businesses play in the regional economy. The program has been sponsored by Old National Bank for over 20 years.

2025

Trish’s Red Bird Cafe

Trish’s Red Bird Café was named Small Business of the Month in May 2023, making the eatery eligible for the Small Business of the Year Award.

Latino Business Engagement

Latino-owned businesses continued to play a visible and vital role across Greater Lafayette Commerce membership and programming this year.

GLC closed 2025 with 50 Latinoowned businesses as active members, maintaining nearly full retention from the previous year. The consistency reflects a stable base of businesses that continue to see value in staying connected to the chamber and to one another.

Latino Pioneros

Latino Pioneros represent the core of longstanding Latino-owned member businesses within Greater Lafayette Commerce, spanning nearly every industry.

Many Latino Pioneros have maintained membership for multiple years, participated regularly in chamber events and contributed to regional projects and philanthropic initiatives. Collectively, they form a steady presence within GLC and serve as an anchor for newer Latino-owned member businesses.

Conexiones

Conexiones (Connections) is a quarterly networking series providing Latino business owners with a regular setting to meet, compare experiences and stay connected to Greater Lafayette Commerce. Conducted primarily in Spanish, each session pairs open conversation with focused presentations from local professionals.

2025 Events & Topics

April

Conexiones networking event

June

Business Financial Planning

Presented by Diego De Los Santos

September

Business Insurance

Presented by Diana Garcia and David Zarate

November

Latino Pioneros Dinner, our end-of-year gathering

Conexiones Discussion Themes

– Supporting One Another as Business Owners

– Smart Investments and Financial Decision-Making

– Understanding Business Insurance

New This Year: Webinars

– Empowering Small Businesses: Exploring Financing Alternatives

– AI in Business Made Easy

LAtino Business Expo

Greater Lafayette Commerce hosted its second Latino Business Expo this year, sponsored by Garcia Insurance Agency and held at the Tippecanoe County Fairgrounds. The business-to-consumer event featured 66 exhibitors, an increase from the previous year and drew businesses from across multiple sectors.

For many participants, the Expo offered a chance to step outside familiar networks, connect directly with customers and build brand recognition. Increased exhibitor participation reflected growing interest in the event as a platform for visibility and engagement.

The Campeones Fund: Supporting Latino Entrepreneurs

The Campeones Fund reflects Greater Lafayette Commerce’s commitment to ensuring Latinoowned businesses are able to participate fully in the region’s business community as they grow. The fund is designed to support entrepreneurs in the early stages of building their companies, when access to networks, visibility and capital often matters most.

By reducing the cost of membership and participation, the Campeones Fund helps Latino-owned businesses establish a foothold within GLC and remain engaged as their operations expand.

What the Scholarships Provide

Discounted Membership

Eligible Latino-owned businesses receive 50% off their first year of GLC membership, making it easier to access networking, advocacy and business resources.

Event Support

Scholarships also help offset the costs of milestone events and booth fees at the Latino Business Expo, allowing businesses to increase visibility and reach new audiences.

Campeones Fund Contributors

Geenex (Rainbow Trout Solar)

Programming & Events

The Quarterly Development Series (QDS) is GLC’s main stage for regional business matters. The event draws on average 372 attendees/members per session. Each quarter, we bring in experts and local/regional decision-makers to inform our members about the policies, developments, innovation and research that impact business.

2025 Golf Outing

With nearly 300 professionals from more than 65 businesses out at Battle Ground Golf Club, our ‘Home on the Range’ theme brought big energy and even bigger cowboy hats. The event provides businesses with networking opportunities and chances to connect in a more casual setting.

Proceeds support the work of Greater Lafayette Commerce, helping us serve local businesses through programs, resources and regional initiatives.

GLC Connectors is a group focused on helping businesses raise their visibility, build referral networks and grow. These speed networking sessions offer members a chance to connect with fellow GLC members, uncover opportunities to broaden their customer base and expand their professional network. They are held at different member business locations throughout the year.

Locations

January - Regions Bank

February - Pink Team Cleaning Services

March - Art Museum of Greater Lafayette

April - Imagination Station

May – The Springs at Lafayette

June – The Outpost Catering and Banquet Facility

July – The Convergence Center for Innovation & Collaboration

Aug – West Lafayette Assisted Living

Sept - ARCEM

Oct – Mama Inés Mexican Bakery

Nov – Junior Achievement

President’s Circle

The President’s Circle is Greater Lafayette Commerce’s premier investor level, a group of member businesses who make a $10K financial commitment to support our mission and drive regional economic growth. President’s Circle members engage year-round through exclusive monthly luncheons featuring timely updates, executive-level speakers and candid conversations on issues impacting business and the community.

This year, Greater Lafayette Commerce expanded its programming with Membership 101, a new orientation that shows the value of their membership. The session covers GLC’s online tools, events and programs, followed by a meet-and-greet with the GLC team and an office tour.

Strategic Insights

Strategic Insights is a Greater Lafayette Commerce program featuring peer-led educational sessions on business topics that vary month to month. It is free and open to members and non-members.

Marketing Myths and Mindset

Human Resources

Conflict Management and Resolution

Why Have Systems

Taking Control of Success

What to Know About Medicare

PC+Luncheons

Four times a year, President’s Circle and Developer members meet for briefings on economic development, policy changes and regional projects. These quarterly luncheons are designed to connect members, encourage the exchange of insights and strengthen professional networks through engaging presentations, facilitated discussion and peer-to-peer interaction.

2025 Programming & Events

The Annual Celebration dinner and awards ceremony highlights our shared successes at GLC and across the region while honoring outstanding award recipients. This year, 800 people attended the event at the Tippecanoe County Fairgrounds, marking the largest turnout in its history.

Stephanie White, head coach of the Indiana Fever and Boilermaker legend, delivered the keynote on building teams and sustaining performance. Before taking the stage, she met with student-athletes from six local high schools and Legacy Courts, who formed a lighted tunnel as she entered.

The event raised $6,100 for Food Finders Food Bank, with matching funds from Cube & Company.

2025 Award recipients

Rise & Shine puts a casual spin on the traditional chamber breakfast. Held monthly, the program combines fast-moving segments and time built in for networking before the workday starts.

Top 10 Under 40 Award

Our annual Business Expo returned in September with 100+ brands, live demos, food trucks and a whole lot more. This year’s event added breakout sessions, with Iris Goldfeder of GasStoveCreative and Nikeytha Ramsey, founder of Junobie, leading workshops on social media strategies and pitching a business. Presented by Old National Bank, the Business Expo is the region’s largest business-to-business expo, driving leads, networking and visibility for participating members.

QUALITY OF LIFE

LAFAYETTE FARMERS MARKET

The Lafayette Farmers Market marked a record year in 2025, completing its 186th season with the highest vendor and attendee turnout in its history. The market featured over 100 vendors, including 26 new businesses. To accommodate growth, Greater Lafayette Commerce expanded the market’s downtown footprint.

Vendor participation included 21 produce vendors, over 60 makers/ artisians and 23 food trucks/vendors. In addition to its role as a community gathering place, the market functions as an economic driver, providing entrepreneurs with a direct sales outlet and drawing consistent foot traffic downtown.

SPECTATORS 20k

Past, Present, Future

Greater Lafayette Commerce helps carry forward a tradition nearly as old as the city itself each year with the Greater Lafayette Christmas Parade. This year, the community marked two centuries of holiday tradition with the theme, Christmases Past, Present, Future, in honor of Lafayette’s bicentennial.

The parade draws more than 20,000 spectators to downtown Lafayette yearly. This year’s lineup included nearly 200 entries — schools, businesses, service organizations and community leaders — and featured lighted floats, decorated vehicles, marching bands and Santa Claus.

In its fourth and final year, Greater Lafayette Restaurant Week continued to showcase Greater Lafayette’s diverse local dining scene and attract new customers to local eateries. Spanning 12 days, the event featured 40 restaurants offering prix-fixe menus at discounted prices.

Through its continued growth, the Lafayette Farmers Market advanced Greater Lafayette Commerce’s mission to support entrepreneurship while contributing to the region’s quality of life.

Market Momentum

Golden Apple Awards

The Golden Apple Awards have honored 185 outstanding teachers since 1987, recognizing excellence in the classroom through nominations from students, colleagues, principals and parents. Greater Lafayette Commerce, and a selected committee, award five teachers yearly with surprise Golden Apple presentations and $1,000 checks. The winners are honored during a ceremony at the Greater Lafayette Career Academy.

Diann Vernon Greater Lafayette Career Academy

Amy Freeman Edgelea Elementary School

Ellen DeFreese James Cole Elementary School

Carolyn Howard Dayton Elementary School

Angela Marks James Cole Elementary School

Marketing & Communications

GREATER LAFAYETTE, IND

Greater Lafayette Commerce works to expand the region’s talent pipeline and economic vitality by attracting and retaining skilled professionals while showcasing a high quality of life and a strong, resilient economy. Through strategic marketing initiatives across digital, social and print platforms, the organization elevates Greater Lafayette’s visibility to prospective residents, employers and investors. These efforts support corporate investment, strengthen regional pride and reinforce a unified community brand that positions Greater Lafayette competitively on a broader stage. Learn more at greaterlafayetteind.com.

Digital Presence

Much of Greater Lafayette Commerce’s work shows up in real time on social media, from business openings and expansions, to member news and events. In 2025, that visibility continued to grow, reaching more than 20,000 followers across platforms. Facebook remained the largest channel, while Instagram saw steady gains from last year.

GREATER LAFAYETTE MAGAZINE

Each issue of Greater Lafayette Magazine offers a thoughtful portrait of a region in motion, where innovation meets opportunity and quality of life is shaped as much by culture and community as by commerce.

Through in-depth reporting, compelling photography and careful attention to the people behind the progress, the magazine captures what it means to live, work and thrive in Greater Lafayette. Published quarterly since 2020, each member business receives a copy, with additional copies available for purchase online at greaterlafayettecommerce.com.

To advertise in our magazine, please contact Amy Sundell at amy.sundell@greaterlafayettecommerce.com

For story ideas and other inquiries, please contact Chelsie Freeman at cfreeman@greaterlafayettecommerce.com

Thank you to our

Highest-level Investors

President’s Circle Investors

Allison Transmission

Arconic

Candoor Payroll & HCM

Caterpillar

Centier Bank

City of Lafayette

City of West Lafayette

CityBus-GLPTC

Copper Moon Coffee Office & Roasting Plant

Duke Energy

Evonik Corporation, Tippecanoe Laboratories

First Farmers Bank & Trust

First Merchants Bank

Franciscan Health

Freitag-Weinhardt Inc

Horizon Bank

Huth Thompson LLP

INOK Investments LLC

Indiana University Health Arnett

Ivy Tech Community College

Kettelhut Construction Inc

Kirby Risk Corporation

Old National Bank

Primient

Purdue Federal Credit Union

Purdue Research Foundation

Purdue University

SAAB - West Lafayette

SDI Innovations

Southwire

State Bank

Stuart & Branigin LLP

Subaru of Indiana Automotive Inc.

Tate & Lyle

Tempest Homes

Tipmont/Wintek

Tippecanoe County Government

Trinitas Ventures

Twin City Chariot Automotive Group

Wabash

Wabash Valley Power Alliance

A special thank you to