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Innovation Awards • November 2014 • fwbusiness.com • ©KPC Media Group Inc.

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GREATER FORT WAYNE

Business Weekly 3306 Independence Drive Fort Wayne, IN 46808 (260) 426-2640

LETTER FROM THE EDITOR

INNOVATION

AWARDS

Fax: (260) 426-2503 www.fwbusiness.com

Terry Housholder thousholder@kpcmedia.com Publisher

Lucretia Cardenas lcardenas@kpcmedia.com Editor

Linda Lipp

Northeast Indiana innovators inspire

llipp@kpcmedia.com Associate Editor/Reporter

Peter Ambrose pambrose@kpcmedia.com Reporter

Doug LeDuc dleduc@kpcmedia.com Reporter

Ann Saggars asaggars@kpcmedia.com Creative Manager

Tracey Robideau trobideau@kpcmedia.com Graphic Designer

ACCOUNT EXECUTIVES

Wendy Krzyanowski Nate Woenker

George O. Witwer Publisher Emeritus

Each year, the Greater Fort Wayne Business Weekly’s Innovation Awards introduces us to a handful of local companies performing amazing work. This year is no different. The organizations being honored are exuding the inventive, adaptable and hard-working spirit of which the northeast Indiana region is proud. Whether the company is inventing a new product or simply improving an old standard, businesses Lucretia are successful when they Cardenas innovate. Some companies, such as Adaptek Systems and Advanced Media Integration, have a long history of innovation as they work to remain relevant year to year. Innovation is even built into the Adaptek business model as it crafts an assembly machine for each client’s new product. Companies like 3BG Supply Co. and

Indicator applied new technologies to inefficiencies the owners saw in their respective industries. Their quests to improve their own work experiences is leading them to build a customer base that recognizes how technology can simplify processes. Other organizations, such as Fleet Feet Sports, MKM Architecture + Design, Memories of You and the League for the Blind and Disabled, built upon successful business plans and models to capture new markets and improve customer outreach. These organizations showed that innovation does not necessarily mean inventing a new product or concept but can simply be improving quality and offerings. Take time to read each of the organizations’ stories and learn about the amazing work that is being performed in the region. Hopefully, this will not only provide readers a sense of regional pride, but also inspire a few to find innovations in their own line of work.

Terry Housholder President, CEO

Terry Ward Chief Operating Officer

S. Rick Mitchell

2014

Chief Financial Officer

Lynette Donley Advertising Director

INNOVATION

AWARDS Greater Fort Wayne Business Weekly i s a publication of KPC Media Group Inc.

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Innovation Awards • November 2014 • fwbusiness.com • ©KPC Media Group Inc.

INNOVATION

TABLE OF CONTENTS

AWARDS

Letter from the editor ........................................ 2

Customer Service: League for the Blind & Disabled ................................................ 10

Innovation Awards judges................................ 4 Emerging Company: 3BG Supply Company ... 5 Technology: Adaptek Systems Inc. ................. 6

Sales/Marketing: Fleet Feet Sports Fort Wayne .............................................. 11 Professional Services: Advanced Media Integration............................................... 12

Health Care: Indicator ....................................... 7 Retail: Memories of You ................................... 8

Real Estate/Construction/Design: MKM Architecture + Design ....................................... 13 Innovation Hall of Fame ............................... 14-15

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Innovation Awards • November 2014 • fwbusiness.com • ©KPC Media Group Inc.

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INNOVATION

AWARDS Judging for the ninth annual Innovation Award competition was divided into two rounds. In the first round, judges went through the applications that had been received. Applications were submitted in one of the nine Innovation Awards categories: Emerging Company, Health Care/Bioscience, Retail, Manufacturing, Logistics Distribution/Supply Chain, Professional Services, Technology, Real Estate/Construction/Design, Sales/ Marketing and Customer Service. Cardenas The judges tried to determine if the company truly was innovative, and they used a broad definition of innova-

INNOVATION AWARDS JUDGES

tion. It could be an entirely new business concept. It could be a business concept new to this region, but one that exists elsewhere. It could be Yoquelet a new product, service or business process within an existing company. It could come from a startup venture or a large corporation, as long as it was located within the region. Category winners Schenkel then appeared before the judges. Each category winner gave a short presentation about the innovation and then

answered questions from the panel. The judges remarked how impressed they were with the category winners and to learn about some of the exciting innovation going on in northeast Indiana. This year’s judges were: Tiffany Yoquelet Project Administrator 3Rivers Federal Credit Union Sam Schenkel Senior vice president NAI Bradley Lucretia Cardenas Editor, Greater Fort Wayne Business Weekly KPC Media Group

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Innovation Awards • November 2014 • fwbusiness.com • ©KPC Media Group Inc.

INNOVATOR OF THE YEAR 3BG SUPPLY CO.

INNOVATION

AWARDS

Using technology to find industry niche BY DOUG LEDUC dleduc@kpcmedia.com

A young Fort Wayne business is saving manufacturers a lot of money by changing the way they order production system components. “The difference between us and the average distributor is we exclusively drop ship close to all of our products, almost 99 percent,” said Shane Araujo, who owns 3BG Supply Co., a Panzit Company, with Alex Smith. “Instead of us ordering large stock inventory and putting it in a warehouse and shipping from there, we send purchase orders to the (production parts) manufacturers and they ship products directly to our customers.” The approach works great for next day shipping orders, which makes 3BG “the best bet for a company that has planned purchasing and is looking to save money on that purchasing,” he said. Customers browse an extensive online parts catalog at the 3BG website, www. panzit.com, where they can find information in seconds about power transmission components, including chain, v-belts, bearings and electric motors from a variety of manufacturers. They also can place orders directly through the website. “People love it; you’re seeing obvious savings,” Araujo said. “It depends on the product. You might only see 5 percent savings, but even 5 percent savings is great. … It varies; sometimes you can see outrageous savings.” The company pitches the convenience of ordering online in an explanation of 3BG services on its website. “No more calling around for price quotes and waiting for salesmen to get back to you,” it says. “Panzit.com delivers price quotes instantly from all of our vendors side by side so you can make the best decision on what will suit your needs.” Results start appearing as soon as a product search begins at the site and the

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3BG Supply co-owners Alex Smith and Shane Araujo.

results are adjusted automatically as terms used in the search become more descriptive. Account pages display recent orders for one-click re-ordering. The company is beta testing a redesigned website with a catalog it has expanded tenfold. It will roll out the new version of its website during the first quarter of 2015, which will be an important step for 3BG as it establishes itself as an industry leader in catalog consolidation and drop shipping. The improvements are expected to increase business and 3BG is looking to add at least five employees by the end of next year to its work force of five employees and four outside sales reps. Araujo began becoming thoroughly familiar with the types of products 3BG distributes years ago by installing them at various customer sites for a former employer. After working on installations, “I was brought inside the office where I got to learn the business side of everything and

started to see the (industry-wide) inefficiencies in this model,” he said. “I went to high school with Alex and, the way his brain works and the way I work, I knew he would be a great business partner to have. I’m more of the visionary and he’s more of the integrator to make things go.” The two graduated from Bishop Dwenger High School in Fort Wayne in 2005, and began working on the 3BG startup in 2011. “It was a lot of work; we were doing 16- and 18-hour days,” Araujo said. To get enough order volume to convince manufacturers to do the drop shipping, “we did a lot of cold calling and made a lot of appointments with customers.” The company’s name stands for “Three Bald Guys” and has its origins in a moment of levity with the first strategic hire, Araujo said. “That hire we made brought it up as a joke, and Alex and I looked at each other and that light bulb went on,” he said.

Innovation Awards • November 2014 • fwbusiness.com • ©KPC Media Group Inc.

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INNOVATOR OF THE YEAR ADAPTEK SYSTEMS INC.

Innovating the optimal for 25 years BY DOUG LEDUC dleduc@kpcmedia.com

With 25 years of experience finding the optimal approach to production improvement over the course of 3,000 projects, AdapTek Systems built a reputation as the source of innovation for clients throughout northeast Indiana and around the world. The production automation specialist has a headquarters at 14224 Plank St. in Fort Wayne and a staff of about 40, which includes mechanical and tool design engineers, advanced systems programming engineers and electrical control designers. Its clients range from aerospace and automotive to electronics and medical manufacturers in need of a full service engineering design and build firm that can help them make the most of the latest advances in manufacturing technologies such as automated inspection, inline testing, motion control and robotics. From lights out automation lines to simple lean cells with attending operators, at any given time AdapTek engineers are likely to be found designing at both ends of the spectrum for a wide range of clients, with the company generally managing 15 to 20 contracts at a time. “The very large fully automated lines are typically only desired where volumes are very high and the product design is expected to have a long term projected production life to offset the cost,” said Joseph DePrisco, president. “If the cost justification is required to be short, or the product life may only be a couple of years, the semi-automated approaches or lean cell automation seem to gain traction.” Multi-axis robotic and high energy, high precision laser technologies are among the more promising manufacturing automation advances AdapTek clients are adopting with the company’s help. “Beyond specific technologies, one of the areas our team specifically focuses on is the future adaptability of the solution,” DePrisco said. “It is very Page 6

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AdapTek’s Mike Rudd, engineering manager, and Joe DePrisco, owner and president.

important to have a level of flexibility designed into the solution.” When a production system is flexible, “if products change or as new products are introduced, the selected automation is not scrapped for new, but the same equipment can be quickly and economically retooled and reprogrammed,” he said. With AdapTek’s help, many clients use automation to improve output and productivity and reduce scrap and labor costs. Clients also call on the company to help them accomplish things through automation that are not possible with manual production methods. “By a wide margin, most of our revenue is generated with repeat business from existing customers or recommendations from others,” DePrisco said. “Some of these customers or relationships have spanned almost 20 years of continued service.” The company primarily completed international work before deciding in 2008 to focus on U.S.-based clients producing goods in the U.S. Almost all of its clients and projects are now domestic. “Even more interesting are the companies we assist that are trying to bring production back (to the U.S.),” DePrisco said. “Automation costs are

looking very attractive for several common reasons due to the offshore solution being less than desirable for some, to say the least.” Many area manufacturers moved manufacturing to lower wage countries during the past decade in an effort to reduce costs. Some of the companies eventually regretted the decision. A study published in 2011 for the Northeast Indiana Fund found advanced manufacturing employed 38,000 in the region at the time, after the sector had shed 15,000 jobs during the previous seven years. Some production relocation to foreign countries has worked out well in the long term for companies that found ways to adapt to conditions where the business climate is much more challenging than it is in the U.S., he said. “But our focus is to work with customers that want to be competitive and control or eliminate other critical factors affecting their final product costs,” he said. “We want our clients to be profitable and reactive in their overall business plans, not just focus on low cost labor. With our ability to tailor the automation solution to specific customer goals we make production work, otherwise we couldn’t stay in this business.”

Innovation Awards • November 2014 • fwbusiness.com • ©KPC Media Group Inc.

INDICATOR

INNOVATION

AWARDS

Finding a better way for patients BY LINDA LIPP llipp@kpcmedia.com

As an employee of Parkview Health for the past three years, Max Maile has often encountered people struggling to navigate its hospitals, medical offices and other facilities. “All Parkview employees are trained to help people find their way,” he said during a recent interview at the mammoth Parkview Regional Medical Center. “You see lots of people who are lost or looking at way-finding signs. People stand there looking confused or maybe the sign doesn’t match what they’re looking for, or maybe they’re trying to get back to the entrance they came from or where they parked.” That issue is not unique to large hospitals, noted Jim Read, vice president of finance for Parkview Physicians Group. “I’ve also been in small community hospitals, even a local hospital in a community of 10,000, where I couldn’t figure out where I was going,” he said. A lot of hospitals have evolved over the years — adding on, renovating and rearranging service areas — and not always with a floor plan that makes sense to those who visit infrequently, Read and Maile agreed. So when Apple introduced iBeacon in mid-2013, it started Maile thinking. The iBeacon technology was designed primarily for advertising purposes. Through Bluetooth, an iBeacon in a large department store, for example, can pick up the location of a smart phone or other device and trigger a notification to that phone of items nearby available for purchase. “If it can show an advertisement, it can show something else and that something else could be a map of where you’re standing,” Maile said. Although his background is in business, not technology, Maile started playing around with an app that a hospital could employ to help visitors, through their smart phones, find their way more easily. He approached Read, whom he met at his day job, with the idea.

“He’s got the entrepreneurial bug,” Read said. “I’ve got it too, so we kind of hit it off. As we’ve gone down this path and become friends and earned each others’ trust, he came to me with the app, and we kind of talked through the concept and it makes a lot of sense to me.” Through Indicator, a company he formed from his Warsaw home, Maile has been working to develop and refine the app for commercial use. “It’s not like the GPS on your phone where you’re getting a live signal, updating that way, because in a hospital there isn’t a lot of cell phone signal in a lot of areas,” Maile explained. And a smartphone GPS wouldn’t be very useful anyway, because it’s only accurate to within two or three football fields – not precise enough to navigate a hospital or other large structure. The app could be tied to way-finding signs in the hospital and would include special quick feature buttons such as “find the nearest restroom, find the nearest elevator, find the nearest heart defibrillator, that the hospital wants programmed in,” Maile said. The app would be released and branded through each hospital partner, powered through Indicator. People could find it at app stores or perhaps by scanning a code and downloading it at the hospital itself. About 70 percent of people with cellphones have smart phones and could use the technology, Maile said. Read thinks the benefits of the app are obvious. “I am a person who is pretty forward,” he said. “I’m not afraid to just start walking. I’ll just go until I find something that looks right and I’ll make it happen, but that’s not the norm for people. How intimidating that is. I just think an app like this takes a lot of that fear away. You create some familiarity immediately,” he said. In his nomination of Maile and Indicator for a Business Weekly Innovation Award in health care, Read wrote, “By focusing on the experiences of our patients, Max has created a system that

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Indicator’s owner Max Maile.

will help to reduce the anxiety of the thousands of families who enter our doors.” “Way-finding is always at the top of health-care executives minds in wanting to make large buildings less intimidating,” echoed Ryan Loeffler, of Panoramic Corp., who also nominated Maile and Indicator. Maile’s next step is to market the app to hospitals, and he’s also looking at developing other products and ventures within the health care sector. Beyond that, there also could be applications that could help people find their way around zoos, shopping malls and even giant grocery stores, he said. “Any application where you are searching for something, this could be applied,” he said.

Innovation Awards • November 2014 • fwbusiness.com • ©KPC Media Group Inc.

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MEMORIES OF YOU

INNOVATION

AWARDS

Keeping memories alive BY PETER AMBROSE pambrose@kpcmedia.com

Death may not seem like a popular idea for a store in a strip-mall setting, but Memories of You in Fort Wayne finds success because it doesn’t dwell on death. It exalts life. The company sells keepsakes, many unique and customized, to help patrons keep alive the memory of loved ones who have passed away. From a storefront near the Meijer supermarket off Lima Road, Dawn Blomeke’s shop has a contemporary retail look with a variety of memorial products on display. An area resembling a living room set up on one side provides a quiet, comfortable atmosphere. Customers can purchase items such as picture frames, jewelry and decorative urns, or they can work with the staff to create personalized mementos. That service ranges from simple engravings to crafting more ornate pieces depending on what a customer wants, Blomeke said. Some families request memorials created around objects significant to their lost loved one’s life. Blomeke recalled one widow who had her and her late husband’s wedding rings interlocked and hung with different charms under a glass dome. The glass could be opened so the woman could take the rings out if she wanted. “We’re very sensitive to not only what the customer wants, but the access they have to it later – if they want to change it, if they want to take it out and hold it,” she said. Memories of You opened in November 2013 after Blomeke and her company spent a few years developing a new approach to serve grieving people in a setting that wasn’t surrounded by a heavy-handed aura of death. “What we realized is that a lot of people are not going to enter a store if Page 8

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Memories of You owner Dawn Blomeke.

there’s a casket visible,” she said. The company also conducted market research for ideal locations. Blomeke said local malls and other spaces were considered, but some were uncomfortable with that type of business. The Lima Road location gives the store good visibility, since it sits along one of Fort Wayne’s busiest streets. The business has slowly caught on with customers in its first year. She said word-of-mouth has spread thanks to patrons who appreciate the service they receive. Jewelry ranks among the top-selling items, including what she described as cremation jewelry. By incorporating sentimental items, such as a fragment of

hair, ash, burial site dirt or dried flowers, the jewelry allows customers to carry memories with them. Pet memorials also represent a significant part of the business, since losing a pet for many can be every bit as difficult as losing a human family member. “It’s quite different than what people are accustomed to in the funeral industry,” she said. Blomeke seeks to keep prices at reasonable levels, saying jewelry can cost as low as $40. Higher-end items, such as sterling silver memorials, can range from $85 to $125, while urns can sell for $100 to $300. The goal is to help customers avoid astronomical costs as much as possible.

Innovation Awards • November 2014 • fwbusiness.com • ©KPC Media Group Inc.

LEAGUE FOR THE BLIND AND DISABLED

INNOVATION

AWARDS

Starting with the customer Nonprofit puts emphasis on clients in its service BY LUCRETIA CARDENAS lcardenas@kpcmedia.com

When she first called the League for the Blind and Disabled, Fort Wayne resident Shannon Clark did not expect to have her assumptions challenged. As the mother of a son with cerebral palsy, she contacted the nonprofit organization to learn more about the group’s advertised offer to pay for summer camp. While on the phone with Youth Services Coordinator Kevin Showalter, she learned the League would pay for her two daughters to attend the camp as well. That initial year, Clark remained hesitant about sending her young son, who uses a wheelchair. The League does not send children such as her son to an exclusive camp for disabled children; it sends the children to all-inclusive camps. But, the next year, Showalter, who also uses a wheelchair, encouraged Clark to give her son, 7 years old at the time, the opportunity to experience camp. “He challenged my assumptions and addressed those vulnerable places in a mother’s heart,” Clark said. “He didn’t pressure me … but helped me have a wider perspective.” Clark dropped her son off at camp and then was consumed with worry the next five days. Each day went by without a call and, when she picked him up, her son told her how much he enjoyed the camp. “It’s been such a rich experience I could never afford to give my kids,” Clark said. Her son attended his third camp session this past summer. The experience all began with the customer service she received and Clark is “so grateful for that.” Her story is one example of the innovative customer care and service the League provides. The Youth Services department was formed under the leadership of the League’s CEO David Nelson, whose mantra is: “The customers are the experts

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The League for the Blind and Disabled’s CEO David Nelson.

and we are just the help.” Abiding by this, he helped innovate services by hiring “top-notch people,” said Judi Loomis, director of marketing and resource development for the League. Loomis nominated Nelson and the League in the customer service category. “David is always looking for new ways for the League to be more resourceful, more technologically wise and investing time and available dollars in the people we serve – our customers,” Loomis said. “This is called superior customer service.” Demonstrating this, to several departments within the League, Nelson added professionals who work purely as advocates for the disabled, she said. He also regularly follows up with scheduled reviews of each department to ensure performance is continually and consistently assessed. As a result of the customer service, clients such as Rod McCreery, who is blind, are receiving assistance so they can remain independent and live at home.

“I don’t know what my life would be without a service like this,” McCreery said. Nelson is delighted that he, on behalf of the League, won its Innovation Awards category the first year, entered. The recognition adds support for the League’s path as it continues to increase its services, he said. The next step for the League is to expand its home care services to include home health care as it looks to serve an aging baby boomer population in northeast Indiana, Nelson said. The mission of the services will be to assist customers so that they can remain in their homes. “When they (customers) access us, they receive individual advocacy; … it’s more of a full-service approach.” Nelson said. He added that, unlike a private company, as a nonprofit, the League provides resources for customers such as special, subsidized equipment and assistance accessing other community services.

Innovation Awards • November 2014 • fwbusiness.com • ©KPC Media Group Inc.

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FLEET FEET SPORTS FORT WAYNE

INNOVATION

AWARDS

Running into new promotion ideas BY PETER AMBROSE pambrose@kpcmedia.com

Kevin Croy took a chance at running his own store after decades of managing another business. Thus far, the Fleet Feet Sports venture he owns with his wife is keeping a profitable pace. Part of the credit comes from Croy’s marketing approach. He relies less on traditional methods and more on generating word-of-mouth by keeping the store active in the community, either by participating in or creating new running events in and around Fort Wayne. He seeks to create an inclusive environment that inspires more people to get up and exercise. “We’re more for the average runner, not the elite runner,” Croy said. The Fleet Feet Sports franchise store, at 5661 Coventry Lane, is a running specialty retailer, selling various brands of running shoes, apparel and other athletic products. Croy and his staff also offer programs which include yoga classes, weekly group runs and training for half-marathons and 5Ks. The training and yoga programs require a fee. Unique public running events help propel the business forward and bring in new customers, he said. Recently, the store hosted the Vineyard Trail 5K run at Two EE’s Winery in Huntington on Oct. 4. The new event drew 420 runners, that is a good turnout for a first-time race, Croy said. When it comes to marketing the store and events, Croy found success by hiring a couple of local, independent marketers to build up Fleet Feet’s brand awareness and social media presence. The demographics among male and younger customers grew as a result, he said. Sales have increased steadily since the store opened in Aug. 2013, he said. The first-year sales, he estimated, reached about $400,000 and sales for the second year are on track to break the $500,000 mark. That’s on target with corporate Page 10

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Fleet Feet Sports Fort Wayne owners Jeanice and Kevin Croy.

expectations. The goal is to reach $1 million in sales in a five-year period, he said. Before starting the franchise, Croy left his job as general manager at what was the Marriott Hotel on Washington Center Road – now Hotel Fort Wayne – after Marriott pulled its affiliation from the facility. Faced with the prospect of looking for work in a new city, Croy knew what he wanted. “I didn’t want to move, but I wanted to find a new job,” he said, adding that his wife, Jeanice Croy’s, career as president of the local Tuthill Corp. plant

was one of the top factors in his deciding to stay. Somewhere in his more than 30 years in the hotel industry, he found running to be a great stress-reliever, he said. With that as his guide, Croy said he and his wife worked with the Carrboro, N.C.-based Fleet Feet Sports’ corporate office to purchase and set up the local store – the fourth such franchise in Indiana. As the owner, Croy finds fulfillment in the store’s efforts to reach out to casual runners and those wanting to get into exercising as a way to promote fitness in the community.

Innovation Awards • November 2014 • fwbusiness.com • ©KPC Media Group Inc.

ADVANCED MEDIA INTEGRATION

INNOVATION

AWARDS

Keeping pace with the technological times

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Advanced Media Integration’s Rob Henry, marketing director, and Martin Smazenko, sales manager.

BY LUCRETIA CARDENAS lcardenas@kpcmedia.com

Offering a one-stop shop for “everything media and marketing,” Advanced Media Integration continues to evolve with the times to provide customers with creative solutions, said Martin Smazenko, the company’s sales manager. Since 1976, the company has added new technologies to its lists of services to meet customer demands. Now the company, owned by Tippmann and Associates, has the “technological experience with anything media related.” “Over the last 38 years, we have advanced along with technology, as we found many clients would prefer working with someone who provides all of the services in one location rather than shopping around for everything,” Smazenko said. The company’s services include duplication and replication for film, video and audio. It also offers graphic design, video production and

web design. One example of Advanced Media Integration’s work is a DVD folder the company produced for the National Park Service. The folder illustrates the company’s ability to creatively design a cover for a DVD it edited. “While there are other companies that offer some or most of our services, we are the only ones that provide everything in one place,” Smazenko said. But Advanced Media Integration does typically focus on two specific areas of its business – video production and websites, he said. The company has the ability to fulfill the majority of services in-house, while many companies outsource or hire freelancers he said. The company has about 10 employees. Although it does utilize local freelance photographers and videographers to shoot footage, the editing is completed by the company so that its “creative touch” is at the center of each project. “Additionally, after the website, photos or video production is complete,

we can produce or provide the marketing materials that would go along with whatever they were trying to do,” Smazenko said. “We have a lot of clients that need to hand out materials at tradeshows or to clients. After we produce the video or make their website, we can produce any type of packaged media they might require.” The company also specializes in serving the local music scene in Fort Wayne and throughout northeast Indiana. Many musicians turn to Advanced Media Integration to produce their CDs and design the covers. It’s the customization that attracts the local businesses and musicians year after year, he said. In addition, the company works to be as environmentally friendly as possible by using recyclable materials and vegetable-based inks. Everything the company does points back to keeping up with the latest technology to meet customers’ diverse needs and wants.

Innovation Awards • November 2014 • fwbusiness.com • ©KPC Media Group Inc.

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INNOVATION

AWARDS

MKM ARCHITECTURE + DESIGN

Refitting a city for a lifetime BY LINDA LIPP llipp@kpcmedia.com

Indiana is getting older faster than any other state in the nation. While the state’s population is only projected to grow about 15 percent from 2004 to 2040, its population of residents 65 and older is expected to increase by 90 percent. MKM Architecture + Design used funding from the Pfizer Foundation to work with the Center for Aging and Community at Indiana University to create a framework for what is known as a “lifetime community district” in IU’s hometown, Bloomington. The 200-acre area is not designed as strictly a development for seniors — it would engage individuals of all abilities and ages — but is based on the concept that the growing elderly population can be a catalyst for urban renewal. “If it was perceived by anyone as a place where old people live, it would be a massive failure,” said architect Zachary Benedict, a partner at MKM. Only a tiny fraction of the aging population will live on senior-only campuses, Benedict noted. “When you hear all the scary projections of how this country is going to age, a majority of that will happen in urban areas and they won’t be accessing the services of a senior living facility,” he said. Pfizer’s grants funded studies in four other areas, all larger metros. The IU grant covered work in Huntington’s Drovertown historic area and a neighborhood on the north side of Indianapolis as well as Bloomington. The three target areas were in different stages of the thought and planning process: the Indianapolis neighborhood had never given any consideration to the idea; Huntington had thought about it but wasn’t sure what it could do with it; and Bloomington had thought a lot about it but didn’t have a vision for how it would unfold, Benedict said. In Bloomington, MKM helped pull together a conceptual idea, “a pattern book, a set of requirements a developer would have to do, to incentivize a Page 12

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MKM Architecture + Design architect Zachery Benedict.

development in a defined area that would ensure the ability of people of all ages to thrive for a generation,” Benedict said. The community within a community was created along Bloomington’s B-Line Trail, which passes through the downtown and is anchored on both sides of the plan area by older, vacant and underused industrial sites and related parking. The goal was not to replace a single building — except those that had been condemned — but focus on adding new buildings to create a walkable residential community. While the ideas MKM developed would work in a metro area, smaller towns are more nimble, Benedict said. “Two or three people can effect change faster, if they’re the right people,” he said. Small and rural areas also have a higher proportion of seniors in their populations, but little or nothing in the way of resources and planning staff. “They have everything against them in this discussion, which is why we find it interesting and where we might be able to help,” Benedict said. “What developers are finding is older adults

have a preferance for small communities, and they are starting to develop there. What we’re finding out is the walkability and the livability built into these historic downtowns, these dense kind of urban villages, now offer a really interesting asset you can market and include in your economic development strategy.” The Bloomington lifetime community district plan was substantially completed in 2013. The actual design and development of the district would most likely occur over a period of years and through the work of a number of different developers rather than all at once, he said. Benedict believes the southern Indiana city could become a Midwest poster child for this kind of development, because of the presence and influence of IU and because the community’s leaders are more progressive. “They have a lot of things in their favor and some people who actually understand what this could mean,” he said. “From an economic standpoint, they could become a mecca for migrating empty nesters. “

Innovation Awards • November 2014 • fwbusiness.com • ©KPC Media Group Inc.

PAID CONTENT

Turning Ideas into Business BY MARK RICHTER Executive director, Center for Creative Collaboration – The C3

carry the client’s business forward in serving customers.

Being an entrepreneur can be difficult and challenging, yet rewarding in a wide variety of ways. Many times, the difference between success and failure is measured in the help you receive along the way. Indiana Tech has started a new service for entrepreneurs to make such a difference in their ventures – the Center for Creative Collaboration, also known Richter as the C3. Perhaps you have a great idea for a new product or service. Or, you’re wondering how to take an existing business to the next level of success. You might even be looking for innovative ways of conducting your business to replace old, outdated modes of operation. The C3 was created to help by offering rapid, targeted assistance to clients through an experienced network of university faculty and staff, and community business experts and mentors.

Who are our clients?

How does it work? The C3 assists clients by matching their needs with an experienced team of Indiana Tech faculty and staff from across our university, along with business mentors from around the region. The process starts with an assessment of the business concept and its potential for success and growth in its particular marketplace. From there, the C3 project team and the client collaborate on developing and implementing the plan that will

C3 clients are people seeking to leverage ideas along with technology to provide products and services in new ways. There are many kinds of companies and ideas that fall into this category, so we encourage all interested entrepreneurs to apply and have an initial conversation with us about your business.

I don’t have a current business, but I have a good idea for one. Can I become a C3 client? Yes. Some clients may have an existing business; others may only have an idea for a new product or service.

How do I apply to become a client of the C3? Potential clients are asked to fill out an application form (available on our website at www.theC3.com) and provide information in a face-to-face interview.

Will the C3 require entrepreneurs to transfer equity in exchange for services provided?

No. Thanks to a grant from the Lilly Endowment, we are able to provide our services at no cost through 2016. Eventually, the C3 will charge a modest project fee to clients who utilize our services.

Will the C3 have an investment fund available? Yes. We have a new venture fund that can invest in C3 clients on a case-by-case basis.

Who owns intellectual property that might be developed from working with the C3? We will not assert any rights to intellectual property (IP) that might result from client engagements. Our IP policy states that any IP created by its faculty or staff belongs to the university and we will agree to transfer these rights to the client when they work on a C3 project.

What happens after I become a client of the C3? Once a client is accepted into the C3, our project team, working with the client, identifies the top priorities for assistance. The goal is to identify an issue or problem that, if handled effectively, can dramatically increase the probability for the client’s success. Another important part of our mission is to introduce clients to other valuable resources in the start-up ecosystem in northeast Indiana (including venture capitalists).

No. Clients will not be expected to give up equity in order to work with the C3.

How do I get more information about the C3?

Does the C3 charge for the services it provides?

Visit our website at www. theC3.com or call me directly at 260.399.2816. Contact the C3 today to get started!

Innovation Awards • November 2014 • fwbusiness.com • ©KPC Media Group Inc.

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INNOVATION HALL OF FAME

INNOVATION

AWARDS 2014 marks the ninth year the Greater Fort Wayne Business Weekly has recognized companies and organizations from across the region for their innovative ideas, products and services. Past winners are:

2006 Emerging company — SensoryCritters.com Financial services — BeniComp Group Inc.; Bank of Geneva Health care — Schwartz Biomedical Manufacturing and distribution — Rubber Innovators LLC Nonprofit — Foundation for Art and Music in Elementary Education; Science Central Professional services — Digital AV

Real estate, construction and design — RealtyFlex Corporate LLC Retail — Stop & Shred Technology — Zoom Information Systems Innovator of the Year — Rubber Innovators LLC

design — NAI Harding Dahm Retail — Crazy Pinz Technology — Effect Web Media Innovator of the Year — LacPro Industries LLC

2007

Emerging company — NewsMogul LLC Health care — Solstice Medical LLC Manufacturing and distribution — Tippmann Industrial Products Inc. Professional services — Star Financial Bank Real estate, construction and design — Basic Elements Design LLC Retail — Fort Wayne Outfitters and Bike Depot Technology — Intrasect Technologies Innovator of the Year — Solstice Medical LLC

Emerging company — Sorbashock LLC Financial services — HomeFree Systems LLC; Wells Fargo Health care — LacPro Industries LLC Manufacturing and distribution — Superior Manufacturing, a division of Magnatech Corp. Professional services — DeSoto Translation & Marketing Inc. Real estate, construction and

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2009

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2008

Emerging company — DigitalHydraulic LLC Health care — StrokeCareNow Network Manufacturing and distribution — USCombatGear Professional services — Financial Education Solutions Real estate, construction and design — MSKTD & Associates Inc. Retail — Build A Computer Technology — TrustBearer Labs Innovator of the Year — DigitalHydraulic LLC

2010 Emerging company — Honor Education LLC Health care — OrthoPediatrics Manufacturing and distribu-

INNOVATION HALL OF FAME

INNOVATION

AWARDS

tion — Whitley Steel Products & Fabrication Professional services — Summer’s Sky LLC Real estate, construction and design — Pathfinder Services Inc. Retail — The Green ABC’s Technology — Indiana Metropolitan Area Network Inc. Innovator of the Year — Honor Education LLC

2011 Emerging company — PYPline LLC Health care — Be Adaptive Equipment LLC Manufacturing and distribution — Tippmann Engineering Professional services — Cirrus ABS

Automated Production Cells

Real estate, construction and design — Commercial Filter Service Inc. Retail — Average Joe Artisan Bread LLC Technology — Group Dekko Innovator of the Year — Be Adaptive Equipment LLC

2012 Emerging company — OFabz Swimwear Health care — Rusher Medical LLC Manufacturing and distribution — Mudd-Ox Inc. Professional services — Lendingahand.net Real estate, construction and design — The Summit Retail — Annie Oakley

Perfumery & Studio Technology — Allied Payment Network Innovator of the Year — Annie Oakley Perfumery & Studio

2013 Emerging company — Engine Research Associates Health care — Harbour Assisted Living Manufacturing and distribution — Tuthill Corp. Professional services — GMS Distribution Real estate, construction and design — 3Rivers Federal Credit Union Retail — Rudy’sTechnology — Transwork Innovator of the Year —Engine Research Associates

2014 TECHNOLOGY INNOVATOR AWARDEE

INNOVATIVE AUTOMATION SYSTEMS AND EQUIPMENT, ENGINEERED FOR MANUFACTURING SUCCESS.

Page 15

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