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February • March 2020 • Hamilton County Business Magazine
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www.hamiltoncountybusiness.com Published six times per year by the Hamilton County Media Group PO Box 502, Noblesville, IN 46061 317-774-7747
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Mike Corbett
Features
11
CREATIVE DIRECTOR
Bridget Gurtowsky
bridget@gurtowskygraphics.com
16 Dining Out: Texy Mexy
Columns 6
Management Dr. Charles Waldo
8
Ethics Charlotte Westerhaus-Renfrow
9
Legal Craig Siebe
10
Technology J. David Shinn
17 Chamber Pages
22
4
CORRESPONDENTS Ann Craig-Cinnamon jandacinnamon@aol.com John Cinnamon jlcinnamon@aol.com Samantha Hyde samantharhyde@gmail.com Patricia Pickett pickettwrites@gmail.com Lynn Spencer
Why Hamilton County?
14 Roundabout
mcorbett@hamiltoncountybusiness.com
History David Heighway
CONTRIBUTORS David Heighway heighwayd@earthlink.net J. David Shinn david@shinntechnology.com Craig C. Siebe craig@nickloybarry.com Robby Slaughter rslaughter@accelawork.com Dr. Charles Waldo cnwaldo@comcast.net Charlotte Westerhaus-Renfrow cfwester@iupui.edu
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February • March 2020 • Hamilton County Business Magazine
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February • March 2020 • Hamilton County Business Magazine
5
Management Charles Waldo
Make the Right Hire The stakes are very high. Try following these fundamental steps. When a large organization such as Telemon or Riverview Hospital makes a hiring mistake, except at the highest executive level, it seldom results in a severe disruption of total operations. However, most readers of this magazine either own or are employed by small organizations where every employee usually plays a vital role. When there are only a relatively few employees one “bad apple” can indeed “spoil the whole basket.” It is essential to make the right hire.
peers they would recommend. Because employees won’t want to smear their own reputations, they generally only recommend potential winners. Contact your network—the “Who do you know?” process. For some organizations, 50% to 75% of new hires come via recommendations from current employees or personal contacts.
•
When evaluating a potential new employee, the organization needs to answer five questions:
•
Does this candidate have the necessary skills, experience and knowledge to do the job?
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Does the candidate seem to have the potential to take on more and advance?
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Does the candidate have the right personality, work style, and “chemistry?”
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Will the candidate “stick” for a while or be gone too soon?
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Is the information on the resume or application true? Is the candidate really “who he says he is?”
Clearly define the job responsibilities and the knowledge, experience and skills needed to do the current job.
•
Is there a current employee doing a great job who has the potential to take on the new position? Promote the known and cut risks.
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Can the job be divided up among current employees?
•
If there are no inside candidates, ask employees if they have friends, acquaintances, or former
6
If you don’t already know the potential candidate, do a screening phone interview first to try to determine if you want to invite her in. Better yet, do a Skype or Facebook interview to get a better personal impression.
•
Be wary of the “halo effect”—the initial, positive impact of an attractive, well-groomed, charming candidate that can cloud objectivity. Some believe the decision to hire or not is made in the first thirty seconds (or less) of the interview, based solely on the first impression of the candidate. But lots of very skilled people don’t possess movie star good looks or a sparkling personality. If the person’s resume and phone screen were good enough to bring him in for an interview, give him a fair chance to “tell his story.”
The past usually predicts the future. Follow the principle that a person’s past track record pretty well predicts that person’s future track record, especially in the short run. Past “job hopping” suggests future movement. And the
For some organizations, 50% to 75% of new hires come via
recommendations from current
employees or personal contacts. more this job resembles jobs she has been successful at, the more successful she likely will be with you. “Zebras don’t change their stripes” is generally true.
Answer these questions to improve your chances of making the right hire:
•
•
•
Allow plenty of time in a quiet, confidential setting—two to three hours or more for an important position could be appropriate. Ask qualitative, behaviorally oriented questions such as “Why did you…?,“ “How did you…?,” “Please tell me more about…?,” etc. Use a conversational manner as opposed to “grilling.” Give her time to ask her questions which can give insights into what’s important to her in a job and company.
•
Check references, preferably yourself if you will be the boss. No one puts enemies down as references; they usually are friends, often unrelated to the candidate’s past jobs.
Almost all hiring is done only after one or more personal interviews. Here are interviewing principles that work:
•
Be very careful with the questions asked of both a candidate and their references as the general legal rule of thumb is ask only questions that pertain to the candidate’s ability to do the job. Don’t ask about the person’s national origin, age, marital status, plans to start a family, religion, sexual orientation, etc. If the candidate volunteers such information, fine.
February • March 2020 • Hamilton County Business Magazine
Push for the names of previous bosses, peers, and others who can provide on-the-job insights. Again, ask behaviorally oriented, neutral, open-ended questions: “Tell me about Becky’s work style. What really motivates her to do her best work?” “What are Jim’s work
Some believe the decision to hire or not
After the first round If there is mutual interest in pursuing the situation, allow at least several days for “cooling off and reflection.” If both parties still want to move forward, proceed with another round of personal interviews and visits. This two-phase approach takes longer but, again, making the right hiring decision is so important —sometimes critical—to the success of the smaller organization that it always is “better to be safe than sorry.”
No matter how well the above points are done, eventually the hire/don’t hire decision is a judgment call and only time will tell how it works out. But do these correctly and your odds of success will go way up. HCBM
Charles Waldo, Ph.D., is Professor of Marketing (ret.) in Anderson University’s Falls School of Business. He can be reached at cnwaldo@comcast.net.
is made in the first thirty seconds (or less) of the interview, based solely on the
A nother Done DeAl.
first impression of the candidate.
•
Give candidates being seriously considered time with their likely co-workers. Get their impression of his “fit.” Depending on the importance of the position ask a board member or two, another department or division head, good customer or supplier, industrial psychologist, and so on to spend time with the candidate to get outside perspectives.
February • March 2020 • Hamilton County Business Magazine
NBI
For “finalists,” get a professional background check (criminal history, bankruptcies, lawsuits, divorces, employment history, etc.), especially if you or others do not know the candidate well. Don’t take chances.
Client/Filename:
•
8993 Another Done Deal_4.96x7.45
strengths as you know them?” “What kind of position or work setting would Jennifer do best in?” If the person is presently employed, stay away from trying to talk to persons there who the candidate has not listed so as to not endanger her present job. Contact the registrar at any college(s) listed to be sure he actually graduated and with the major claimed. Check various social media sites for additional insights to the candidate.
To get the deal done, call 317-267-1696. ©2020 The National Bank of Indianapolis
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7
Ethics Charlotte Westerhaus-Renfrow
Practicing Good and Ethical Judgment
These Strategies Can Help You Make the Tough Calls You are the CEO of your company. You just received several well-validated, but inconsistent alternatives and recommendations from your senior leaders to solve a crucial problem. You are now called on to use your good and ethical judgment to make the ultimate and final decision on behalf of your stakeholders and customers. The Marine Corps’ Leadership Traits and Principles define judgment as “the ability to weigh facts and possible courses of action in order to make sound decisions.” Warren Bennis and Noel Tichey, authors of “Judgment: How Winning Leaders Make Great Calls,” say good judgment is the ability to make well-informed, wise decisions that produce desired outcomes and is an “essential job of a leader.” The Psychology Dictionary defines ethical judgment as “the moral decision made by a person in a dilemma.”
Avoid Indecisiveness Successful CEOs are not expected to be Superman (or Superwoman) in order to implement always powerful and perfect decisions. Everyone makes mistakes, but to remain a successful CEO, your good and ethical judgment must be right more often than not. If you are an ardent Superman comic strip fan, you know that the one thing that rendered Superman ineffective was Kryptonite. Likewise, the vise-like grip of indecisiveness can act just like Kryptonite and deplete your ability to make good and ethical judgments. Worse yet, perhaps you proverbially “shoot the messenger” and punish people who raise concerns or disagree with you. For example, as reported in Financial News, fallen Theranos executives Elizabeth Holmes and Sunny Balwani believed that anyone who spoke up and told them
8
things they didn’t want to hear “were usually marginalized or fired, while sycophants were promoted.” Good and ethical judgment is exhausted by indecisiveness, and when you depend on the advice of people-pleasing advisors who feel obligated to tell you only what they think you want to hear.
Develop An Inner Circle Effective CEOs recognize that that they have blind spots, so they seek and accept critical feedback from an “inner circle” of trusted advisors in order to maintain a balanced perspective. Susan Tardanico, CEO of the Authentic Leadership Counsel, suggests that an inner circle of the following people can enhance good and ethical judgment by providing effective and diverse “need to know” advice rather than “want to hear” validation: 1. The Contrarian pushes you to think differently by taking opposite views; constantly questions, using worst-case and “what if” scenarios to challenge your thinking. 2. The Everyman is plugged into the lower levels of the organization and can help you understand the impact of your actions from that perspective. 3. The Optimist provides best-case scenarios and positive energy during difficult times. 4. The Voice of the Customer is an advocate for your clients and helps you stay aware of their needs, perspectives, expectations, and competitive choices. 5. The Bleeding Heart is the empathetic member of your circle and keeps you aware of the potential impact of your decisions and actions on people.
6. The Sage (think Yoda) is hard to come by. If you’re lucky enough to have one, a sage helps you stay calm amid the storm; is a thoughtful strategist; plays the role of coach; and has the most impartial point of view of all.
Move Fast and Make the Tough Call Having the courage to act on your ethical standards is an integral part of what it takes to exercise good judgment and be a good leader. Bennis and Tichey put it this way, “Courageous leaders often get their courage from the fear about what will happen if they don’t boldly step up.” In best case scenarios, you will have ample time to thoroughly and thoughtfully weigh the reasons for and against a course of action. However, you may need to move fast on a tough decision when the stakes are high and information is scant. For example, in April 2018, Starbuck’s CEO Kevin Johnson responded quickly to a social media uproar and call for a national boycott after thousands of patrons viewed an on-line video of two African American men being arrested in a Philadelphia cafe after asking to use a Starbucks bathroom. The result—Starbuck’s sales during the month of the incident were not adversely affected, and Johnson was praised for his swift response. Simply put, good and ethical judgment is your ability to make the right decision weighing differing factors in an often hostile environment. It is an indispensable element of business leadership. HCBM Charlotte Westerhaus-Renfrow teaches management and business law at IU’s Kelley School of Business and is President of ChangePro LLC, a leadership development consultancy.
February • March 2020 • Hamilton County Business Magazine
Legal
Keeping Your Family Business in the Family
Craig Siebe
A Guide to Premarital Agreements It is the dream of most family business owners to pass their business down to the next generation. Many business owners, however, do not account for how marriage can impact this goal. Without proper planning, marriage risks the severance, or even dissolution, of your business in the event of death or divorce. Premarital agreements (commonly referred to as prenuptial agreements or prenups) allow business owners to mitigate this risk by dictating how their business interests will be treated in these instances.
assets outside of the business or be in a position to pay property settlement payments to the other spouse. If the business constitutes more than half of the value of the marital estate, the business owner may be in a position where he or she has to sell all or a portion of his or her business interest in order to pay the other spouse for his or her share of the property settlement.
ers. The business itself can be the most highly valued asset in the marital estate. This means that in order for a court to divide the assets between the spouses, the business owner may be left with few
Premarital Agreements
Indiana Estate Law
law specifically permits couples to enter into premarital agreements which control how property will be divided in the event of death or divorce. Indiana considers these agreements to be beneficial because they improve marital harmony by allowing couples to make their own decisions on important financial matters before marriage. Because they are considered beneficial, Indiana courts have a history of enforcing premarital agreements so long as they are not unconscionable or otherwise invalid.
Another event in which marriage may jeopardize a family business is the death Premarital agreements are an invaluable Indiana Divorce Law of the business owner. This is especially tool for family business owners. A preMarriage can have an irreversible impact true when the business owner wishes marital agreement can mitigate the risks to leave the business to the children of on rights to a business. Indiana utilizes that marriage and subsequent divorce a “one pot” theory of property division in his or her first marriage and is currently poses to a family business by designata divorce. Under this theory, all property married to a subsequent spouse. ing the business as the separate property acquired or brought into the marriage by A valid will is usually sufficient to of the owner, not subject to division at each spouse is included in the “marital death or divorce. control to whom your business will pass pot,” which is then divided between the after your death. One notable exception Given the impact that marriage has on spouses in a divorce. All property, includ- to this rule is spouses. Under Indiana business assets, premarital agreements ing business interests, are includare an essential element ed in the marital estate regardless of business planning. of who obtained the property, how Without proper planning, marriage If your goal is for your it was obtained, how it is titled, family business to stay risks the severance, or even and when it was obtained. in the family, there is no In a dissolution, a court divides substitute for a thorough dissolution, of your business in the marital assets between the and well drafted premaridivorcing spouses. Indiana law tal agreement. To take the the event of death or divorce. presumes an equal division of the necessary steps to protect marital estate, but a court may your family business, talk deviate from an equal property to an experienced family law, a spouse can elect to take one-third division under certain circumstances. For of the deceased spouse’s assets if he or law attorney and talk to your children instance, a court may give more assets to she is not satisfied with the provisions about the importance of having a prea spouse that left the workforce in order of the will. In instances where a busimarital agreement. HCBM to raise children or be a homemaker as ness constitutes most of the value of the this spouse reduced his or her earning estate, this could mean that a subsequent capacity by leaving the workforce. spouse can take a share of the business Craig C. Siebe is an attorney with Nickloy These property division rules often have that the owner intended to pass on to his & Barry LLP in Noblesville. Reach him at complex consequences for business own- or her children. craig@nickloybarry.com. This article is
A well drafted premarital agreement can help reduce much of the risk that marriage poses to a family business. Indiana
February • March 2020 • Hamilton County Business Magazine
intended for informational purposes only and should not be considered legal advice or the formation of an attorney-client relationship. Always consult an attorney before executing a contract. 9
Technology
Reducing your Footprint to Cyber Crime
J. David Shinn
Here’s how I cleaned up my exposure online The setup We have all trusted personal information to online vendors—none of your data is safe! Data breaches are uncovered daily, exposing your information to include name, address, email address, credit card numbers, social security number and other sensitive information. SelfKey reports that over 5.3 billion personal records were breached in 2019. In addition, as reported by Experian, 14.2 million credit card and 158 million social security numbers were exposed. You might recognize a partial list of companies that were exposed: Facebook, Microsoft, T-Mobile, 7-Eleven, Capital One, Georgia-Tech, FEMA, Dow Jones and Dunkin’ Donuts. You have given your personal information to just about every company/organization/ retailer/healthcare provider that you’ve done business with in the past 10 years. Are they keeping your data safe? No. Below is a link to a 2019 report on data breaches. It’s interesting to see the target data compromised and how the attacker used the information. https://selfkey.org/ data-breaches-in-2019
Online Accounts After going through “the setup” above, the remainder of this article is a review of a personal journey that I had in 2019. I had a week that business was slow, so I thought I would go through my accounts list and remove online accounts that I no longer use. Four days later, I finished up. I removed over 90 accounts that I had created. Some of the accounts I deleted by logging into the account and finding the “remove account” option. Some I had to call and go through an email exchange to authenticate myself before the account would be deleted by the vendor. 10
I developed a new scheme that I will share with you: Utility and credit accounts I purchased a second PO Box at a different post office than I normally use. I updated all credit card and utility accounts to use this new address. I also added a verbal password to all accounts that must be authenticated when calling a vendor. Credit card note: I only have two online accounts now that have a credit card attached—Amazon and iTunes. The majority of my online purchases now go through Amazon.com.
Email Accounts I created multiple Gmail accounts. Each email account is configured to redirect incoming mail to an account I check frequently, so that I can see any hack attempts made on the Gmail accounts. I updated all my remaining online accounts to use one of the new Gmail accounts for login/contact and implemented a new password.
Passwords I changed all my accounts to use a unique complex password. Don’t use any personal information in a password scheme (child names, birth date, address, etc.) An example of a complex password might be: &Indian@1Pasers! or ##Indy18Coltz! The whole idea of the above conventions is to make it difficult for a hacker. If they acquire my personal information from a breached vendor, my login information will not work on any other account. The first thing a hacker will do after a breach is to visit major sites to try your username and password credentials.
Malware & virus attacks Make sure to have good Malware software installed that runs daily scans. Any malware that gets loaded can strip personal information from your computer and report it back to the hack source.
Password management Consider using an online password manager. https://www.dashlane.com is highly rated and has a free account option to manage up to 50 passwords.
Searching for your information A new site, https://www.fastpeoplesearch.com, has gathered a ton of personal information. Search for your info by name, address or phone. You can request that your profile be removed here: https://www.fastpeoplesearch. com/removal
Google Search I also search for my name, home address and phone numbers on a regular basis to see where personal information may be listed. I then contact the resource to remove the listings. Home note: Your home address may show up in Zillow, Realtor.com and Trulia. Make sure there is not a virtual tour of interior photos included. You can request the inside photos be removed based on a “security and privacy hazard to your family.” HCBM
J. David Shinn is President of Shinn Technology Services Corp specializing in technology consulting and support for small business. Shinn is also an author and technical editor.
February • March 2020 • Hamilton County Business Magazine
Cover Story
Groundbreaking for Stanley Security in Fishers
What Attracts Businesses to Hamilton County? By Ann Craig-Cinnamon f it seems like barely a week goes by that there isn’t an announcement of a new company moving into Hamilton County, it’s not your imagination or much of an exaggeration either. According to the Indiana Economic Development Corporation, in the last three years, from 2017 through 2019, 93 companies moved here either from outside the state or from within Indiana. That’s an average of almost three per month. This migration translated into almost 10,000 new jobs and an investment of a
whopping $850 million over that three year period. Hamilton County has established itself as having an entrepreneurial climate. It doesn’t hurt that both Carmel and Fishers have won national acclaim several times in recent years, landing in top spots on Money Magazine’s annual list of the best places to live and work in the whole country. Additionally, both cities are aggressive in their approach to luring new business and it has paid off. Noblesville and Westfield have also landed big companies recently. Here’s a sampling.
February • March 2020 • Hamilton County Business Magazine
Stanley Security Stanley Security moved just up the road from Indianapolis to Fishers in 2017. Stanley is a world leader in commercial electronic security with 300,000 customers in North America alone, providing security for high profile retailers, schools, hospitals, airports, governments and more. Stanley Security President Matthew Kushner says their office on Sunlight Drive in Fishers is now the company’s global headquarters. He says they studied their site options for about a year 11
among the company’s 200 operating facilities around the world. Jim Hallett, KAR Global chairman and CEO, says the city of Carmel and the state of Indiana provided more than $11 million in economic incentives without which the project would not have been possible. He points to Carmel’s business climate, quality of life strategies and low local property taxes as reasons to build the headquarters in the community.
KAR Global, Carmel
before making Fishers home. “Having the opportunity to build this state-ofthe-art headquarters has provided us a powerful new springboard from which to grow our business and develop the innovative security technologies of the future,” he says adding that access to top technical talent from nearby RoseHulman, Purdue University and Indiana University was an important factor.
“We have found that Hamilton County fosters a business-friendly environment with a robust talent pipeline from top-notch Indiana colleges and universities. Communities in Hamilton County often appear on “Best Places to Live” lists thanks to great schools, low cost of living, diverse cultural options, a thriving sports and entertainment scene and proximity to nationally-recognized health care providers,” says Hallett, adding that their location along the Meridian Street corridor provides easy access to highways and a 30 minute drive to Indianapolis, which is a benefit as well. “Our employ-
Jim Hallett, KAR Global chairman and CEO
ees value working in a community that is also a great place to live,” he says.
Borg Warner When Borg Warner, a global leader in clean and efficient technology solutions for combustion, hybrid and electric vehicles, decided to combine its Anderson and Pendleton technical centers into one central location, Noblesville came out the winner. In June of 2018 Borg Warner officially opened its state-ofthe-art 100,000 square foot technical center at 141st and Olio Road. Borg Warner Power Drive Systems President and General Manager Dr. Stefan Demmerle says his company considered many municipalities for the facility and all showed strong interest. But, he says after reviewing the needs of their current workforce, Noblesville was determined to be the most centrally located. “In addition, Noblesville offered the best mix of infrastructure, amenities, access
“We are more than happy with our decision to bring so many of our Indianapolis employees together in one location in Fishers, as this community continues to offer easy access in a great location and a talented workforce,” says Kushner.
KAR Global KAR Global has been in Hamilton County for decades, but in 2018 recommitted itself by building a new worldwide headquarters in Carmel. KAR describes itself as a technology, analytics and auction company in the global wholesale used vehicle industry. It sold nearly 3.5 million vehicles valued at over $40 billion through its auctions and generated $2.44 billion in revenue in 2018. There are 900 employees at the Carmel headquarters and 15,000 total, scattered 12
Borg Warner headquarters, Noblesville
February • March 2020 • Hamilton County Business Magazine
to a skilled, technical workforce and incentives,” says Dr. Demmerle.
BraunAbility
Chris Carlisle, Vice President of Marketing for BraunAbility says the global headquarters were moved to Car-
Photo credit photographer Susan Fleck
Operating in Indiana since 1963, BraunAbility is the world’s largest manufacturer of wheelchair-accessible vehicles and lifts with nearly $700 million in revenue as of 2018. When the company decided to open a global center of innovation and Research and Development to support its manufacturing operations in Winamac, Indiana, they chose Carmel and opened its doors at 645 West Carmel Drive in October. CEDIA headquarters, Fishers
Abbott Laboratories There was celebration in Westfield recently when it was announced that global medical device maker and healthcare giant Abbott Laboratories would invest $37.6 million in a new facility here. The 120,000 square foot facility should be operational by 2021, employing 450 people, and will manufacture Abbott’s MitraClip mitral valve repair system, which the company describes as a key, first-of-its-kind product within Abbott’s cardiovascular product portfolio. Abbott says Westfield was chosen because it offers a central location to manufacture and distribute MitraClip that will help the company optimize the product’s availability both in the U.S. and abroad.
CEDIA
BraunAbility, Carmel
He also credits Hamilton County’s strong, supportive climate for business as a main reason that BraunAbility chose to locate here. “Our early recruitment efforts have been successful and reinforce the decision to move,” he says.
In November 2018, Fishers became the headquarters of CEDIA, an international trade association for companies that design, manufacture, and install technology in the home. It is the only certifying organization in the home technology industry and has called Indiana home for
Photo courtesy of the city of Westfield
mel for better access to transportation, infrastructure and talent. “The new headquarters office will help stage our company’s recruiting and retention efforts for the next phase of our journey. Hamilton County met the goals of having a large talent pool that is experienced and diverse,” says Carlisle.
30 years from a leased property on the West side of Indianapolis. CEDIA CEO and President Tabatha O’Connor says the site selection process began in late 2015. Tabatha O’Connor, CEDIA After previewing sites around CEO and President Indianapolis and surrounding areas, Fishers was chosen for both location and parcel size. She says they are very happy with the decision. “There is an incredible energy around the business community. We look forward to seeing what other companies join us in the years to come.”
Takeaways An increase in jobs is one of the biggest indications of economic health and of new business moving to an area. According to Carol Sergi, the Director of Workforce Strategy with the Hamilton County Economic Development Corporation, jobs were up above the national average over the past 5 years. “From 2013 to 2018 jobs in Hamilton County increased 17.4%, reflecting the continued interest in companies finding this a great place to bring or grow their companies. This is over a 10% increase in the national average, emphasizing the need to attract a talented workforce to Hamilton County to fill those positions.” HCBM
Abbott Laboratories rendering, Westfield
February • March 2020 • Hamilton County Business Magazine
13
Roundabout
A Summary of Recent Retail Activity
By Samantha Hyde
NORTHERN HAMILTON COUNTY The new 15,000 SF Little Huskies Learning Center has opened at Hamilton Heights Primary School at 25350 SR 19 in Arcadia. Cicero Print & Design opened at 1180 S. Peru St. in Cicero in December.
Tuchman Cleaners space at 8936 E. 96th St. The 140,000 SF Crosspoint Plaza One building, which formerly housed publishing company John Wiley & Sons Associates, has been purchased by Tempus Realty Partners. Naf Naf Middle Eastern Grill
store are all new additions to Clay Terrace at 14390 Clay Terrace Blvd.
Former Hedgehog Music Showcase
White River Christian Church has purchased the former Hedgehog Music Showcase in Arcadia and plans to turn it into coffeehouse/co-working space that will also serve as a church.
Next summer, a third location of farmto-table restaurant Rize will open in the Gateway Plaza retail center at 12955 Old Meridian St. The veterinary clinic chain Pet Wellness Clinic is opening a new location at 13080 Grand Blvd.
Smoke’n Barrel
Dark Side Roasters
Dark Side Roasters, a Cicero-based coffee roasting company, operated a pop-up drive through coffee shop in Alexander’s Ice Cream building over the winter to test the market. Business was good and they will likely open at 110 W. Jackson sometime after February.
CARMEL Freddy’s Frozen Custard & Steakburgers is now open at 9703 N. Michigan Rd. A new Valvoline Instant Oil Change shop is slated for construction at 9835 N. Michigan Rd. Bibibop Asian Grill is moving into the former Naked Tchopstix space in The Bridges development at 365 W. 116th St. Chicago-based Naf Naf Middle Eastern Grill is opening its first Indiana location at 12751 N. Pennsylvania Ave. Beauty retailer Sephora, clothing store Dry Goods, and an OmniWall retail 14
Mudbugs Cajun Café closed in December after a 13-year run at 20 W. Main St. The space will be filled by a new Mediterranean restaurant called Little Cairo. Another new restaurant, Smoke’n Barrel, is replacing Bub’s Café at 220 Second St. SW. Hyperbaric Oxygen Clinic has moved into Boardwalk Shops at 726 Adams St. Real Mechanical Inc. at 475 Gradle Dr. was recently purchased by Indy-based Gemco Constructors LLC. Carmel Clay Schools is planning a new 112,000 SF elementary school at 101 4th Ave. SE. Incycle Strength Training is moving into 800 S. Range Line Rd. Hot Diggity Dog Grooming has moved into the former 9Round space at 1434 Keystone Way. Clay Nails is moving into 12540 N. Gray Rd. Fast-casual restaurant Bae Latin Food opened in January at 14580 River Rd.
FISHERS Fitness center chain F45 is set to open a new location in the former
Crosspoint Plaza One
Hub & Spoke is set to open this winter at 8100 E. 106th St. with six initial tenants: Plumbers Supply Co., home remodeler ACo, marketing firm Haven, real estate office Keller Williams – The Forney Group, Digital Light & Sound, and Battersby Danielson Azbell & Associates. Indiana’s first biosound therapy provider, The Anxiety Relief Center, recently opened at 11083 Village Square Ln. Indy-based developer Strongbox is demolishing part of the former Marsh building at 96th St. and Lantern Rd. to make room for a new 10,000 SF retail building. Jason’s Deli closed in November at 11621 Fishers Station Dr. Hotel Nickel Plate, a 116-unit Hilton Tapestry Collection hotel complete with first-floor restaurant, is slated to open in 2021 on the south side of 116th St. adjacent to the Nickel Plate Trail. CME Lending has moved into Ultimate Automation’s former space in the Depot
Hammer & Stain
at Nickel Plate at 8594 E. 116th St. DIY workshop Hammer & Stain held its grand opening in December at 11508 Lantern Rd. The 17-acre Fishers District at 116th Street and IKEA Way is now home to
February • March 2020 • Hamilton County Business Magazine
Indiana’s fifth Tropical Smoothie Café and a new Verizon Wireless store. Downtown Fishers clothing store Blue Peppermint Boutique also recently relocated to the Fishers District. Planned tenants of the 105,000 SF mixed-use development The Mark include Bibibop Asian Grill, Pier 48 Fish House & Oyster Bar, yoga studio The Hot Room, and CPR Cell Phone Repair. Zips Dry Cleaning is also opening a new pick-up and drop-off location at 9711 E. 116th St.
Capitol Seniors Housing is building a 172-unit senior living apartment complex at the corner of Harrel Pkwy. and Norrell Rd. Handels Homemade Ice Cream is opening a new location at 14165 Cabela Pkwy. Clothing retailer Journeys is moving into 13901 Town Center Blvd.
Tucanos Brazilian Grill at 13325 Levinson Ln. closed in December. Indy’s popular Livery restaurant is planning to open its third location in the building. In January, Earth Fare closed its store at Autonomous driving tech company Per- 13145 Levinson Ln. ceptIn is moving its headquarters from The former Payless Shoe Source at 14002 Santa Clara, California, to the Indiana Hoard Dr. is being renovated for use as a IoT Lab at 9059 Technology Ln. A new new America’s Best Contacts and EyeState Farm Insurance office is coming glasses location. Nexxt Spine LLC has to 12244 E. 116th St. Carmel’s White’s purchased Northparke One at Saxony at Ace Hardware has purchased Fishers 14425 Bergen Rd. with plans to double Do It Center on Allisonville Rd. the size of its existing headquarters by expanding into a neighboring suite.
NOBLESVILLE
Domino’s is opening a new pizza parlor at 770 Westfield Rd. CleanSlate Outpatient Addiction Medicine has opened a treatment center at 18051 River Rd. RISE Commercial District is under construction on 13 acres at 605 Sheridan Rd. and will include 14 buildings for private office, storage, and warehouse space.
WESTFIELD Joella’s Hot Chicken is moving into the former Beauty Brands space at 2554 E. 146th St. Phenix Salon Suites is also scheduled to open in that shopping center. NewPro Containers is growing
Joella’s Hot Chicken
has purchased the Logan Street Sanctuary at 1274 Logan St. for use as its new headquarters, dubbing the space Preservation Hall. Perfect Nails is moving into 16625 Mercantile Rd., filling space that’s been vacant since all Bentley’s Pet Stuff locations in Indiana closed last spring. A new Athletico location is coming to 14765 Hazel Dell Crossing. Ashlin Haddin Insurance and CBD retailer Re-Leaf are both opening soon at 10911 Greenfield Ave. A new 16,000 SF Bierman ABA Autism Center is planned for land at 9580 E. 150th St.
Misson Statement: To inspire hope and improve the quality of life for heart patients and their families through ongoing peer-to-peer support, education and advocacy.
SUPPORT GROUP MEETING TIMES 3RD WEDNESDAY OF EVERY MONTH 1:30am - 2:00pm
The new 16,000 SF Noblesville Schools Community Center is slated for construction at 1775 Field Dr. The Noblesville Preservation Alliance
Preservation Hall
Hamilton County Mended Hearts Chapter 350
with a 10,000 SF addition to its facility at 16460 Southpark Dr. Luxury pet resort chain Barkefellers plans to build a new facility on the northwest corner of SR 32 and Dartown Rd. A new nail salon is coming to 833 E SR 32. EdgeRock Development LLC plans to develop 68 acres east of Grand Park that would include a planetarium and space science center dubbed Grand Universe, a jump park, indoor/outdoor go-karting, a laser tag facility, a bowling alley, and a driving school. Abbott Laboratories’ new 72,000 SF Project Heartland medical device manufacturing center is slated for construction at 1820 Bastian Ct. Fuel Church opened in November at its new location at 18686 Eagletown Rd. HCBM
February • March 2020 • Hamilton County Business Magazine
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15
Dining Out
By Lynn Spencer Photos by Stan Gurka hey say love is at the root of many things we do in life. For Sophie Abell, that couldn’t be truer. The native Texan moved to Indiana 13 years ago to get married. Among the items packed away in her moving boxes was a salsa recipe she’s had for more than 30 years. “It was given to me by a woman from Mexico and I’ve tweaked it and added to it over the years. I had a home-based business and sold the salsa mainly to friends and families,” Abell said. “It was something I could do when the kids were growing up. It was very successful there, but I’ve had huge success with the salsa here.” That success started at area farmer’s markets.
Started with Salsa “I came here and discovered farmer’s markets and knew I’d love to be a vendor. It’s a place where everyone is passionate about their product,” Abell said. “No one gets up in morning and says ‘Oh, I have to go to the farmer’s market.’ Everyone loves it and loves the atmosphere.”
She set up shop at the Westfield Farmer’s Market, named her business Texy Mexy, and started selling her salsa—appropriately named Sophie’s Salsa. “Day one started in Westfield and we were sampling the salsa and it was just flying out. My husband (Gerry) and I looked at each other and knew we were on to something. We transitioned to the Noblesville farmer’s market, evolved to two tents with salsa and tamales and then readymade food and had lines and were running out of food,” she said. “We entertained starting a food truck for a little bit but decided it just wasn’t a direction we thought business wise would be a good decision.” So, after nine years at the farmer’s market, and customers asking when they’d open up a restaurant, the couple decided to take the plunge. They lucked into a location on the square in downtown Noblesville and, in October 2018, opened their doors at 818 Logan St. The design prominently features the original brick walls, which had been covered in plaster for 50 years. “With the (brick) walls we don’t have a lot of art because they are the art of the space and I wanted to highlight that,” Abell said. “We have an open concept kitchen so when you come in you can see us cooking, and a small bar. It’s not a typical Mexican restaurant design—it has more of a modern feel in here.”
Squash Tacos
Gerry and Sophie Abell, owners
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The Texy Mexy menu has evolved, Abell said, because she doesn’t have the limitations of the farmer’s market. Customer favorites—besides her award winning salsa (2006 at the Noblesville Farmer’s Market and 2018 at the Salsa for Salsa competi-
tion at Federal Hills Commons)—include handcrafted tacos. “We are doing a squash taco that everyone is loving—it’s gone over really well,” she said. “We roast everything in house, everything is prepped fresh daily so when you come in you get fresh product.” Then, there are the tamales, which Sophie’s mom taught her to make when she was 13. “Tamale making is a skill because it’s not easy to do but I’ve taken it on and continued her legacy,” Abell said. “The tamales you get here are a true Texas tamale, which can be different depending on the region of the country they’re made.”
Taco vs Tech Customer service is extremely important to Abell. To that end, she started Taco vs. Technology nights on Wednesdays as a way to encourage families to put away their devices and spend the evening talking. “We take a container to the table and everyone puts their devices in it and there are cards to use as conversation starters. The goal is no one picks up their devices during the entire meal and at the end of the night we give free ice cream,” Abell said. “The kids love it and are loving the conversation—which is really more of the goal instead of being on a device to keep them entertained.” Despite the steady flow of customers, Abell continues to be surprised at Texy Mexy’s success. “It’s absolutely humbling and surreal that people actually come in and eat my food and keep coming back,” she said. “You just don’t take it for granted.” HCBM
February • March 2020 • Hamilton County Business Magazine
THANK YOU TO OUR LEGACY SPONSORS: NOBLESVILLE’S LARGEST B2B & B2C SHOW OF THE YEAR
FEBRUARY CHAMBER LUNCHEON:
WEDNESDAY, MARCH 11, 2020 4:00 - 7:30 P.M.
STATE OF THE CITY
Embassy Suites by Hilton Noblesville-Indianapolis Conference Center
THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 27 11:00 A.M. - 1:00 P.M.
PRESENTED BY
with Mayor Chris Jensen
Embassy Suites by Hilton Noblesville-Indianapolis Conference Center
WELCOME NEW MEMBERS Register at noblesvillechamber.com
UPCOMING EVENTS FEBRUARY
MARCH
WIN Coffee & Connect Wednesday, February 12
Young Professionals Coffee Roasters Wednesday, March 11
8:00 - 9:30 a.m. Smith House 444 Lafayette Rd, Noblesville
Young Professionals (YP) Coffee Roasters Wednesday, February 12 8:00 - 9:30 a.m. Edward Jones - Ryan Hiatt 5855 E 211th St Suite 21, Noblesville
Legislative Breakfast Friday, February 14 7:30 - 9:00 a.m. Conner Prairie Interactive History Park, Fishers
February Luncheon: State of the City with Mayor Chris Jensen
Thursday, February 27
11:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m. Embassy Suites, 13700 Conference Center Drive South, Noblesville
YP Networking Lunch Friday, February 28 Noon - 1:00 p.m. Location TBD, Noblesville
8:00 - 9:30 a.m. Embassy Suites, 13700 Conference Center Drive South, Noblesville
Made in Noblesville / Taste of Business 2020 Wednesday, March 11
4:00 - 7:30 p.m. Embassy Suites, 13700 Conference Center Drive South, Noblesville
WIN Coffee & Connect Wednesday, March 18
8:00 - 9:30 a.m. Smith House 444 Lafayette Rd, Noblesville
Young Professionals March Mayhem Thursday, March 19 Location TBD, Noblesville
March Luncheon: Topic TBD Wednesday, March 25 11:30 a.m. - 1:00 p.m. Location TBD, Noblesville
FirePoint Creations 15484 Herriman Blvd Noblesville, Indiana 46060 (317) 440-6520 firepointcreations.com Partnership For A Healthy Hamilton County P.O. Box 1052 Noblesville, IN 46061 (317) 548-8695 hamiltoncountyphhc.com OfficeWorks 12000 Exit 5 Parkway Fishers, IN 46037 (317) 577-3510 officeworks.net The Whitted Group 935 Conner St., Suite 201 Noblesville, IN 46060 (317) 372-2267 thewhittedgroup.com Ford’s Garage 13193 Levinson Ln Noblesville, IN 46060 (317) 878-3673 fordsgarageusa.com Noblesville Rotary Club P.O. Box 22 Noblesville, IN 46061 (574) 298-3926 noblesvillerotaryclub.org Morse Moving and Storage 1720 E Pleasant Street Noblesville, IN 46060 (317) 856-1700 morsemoving.com Noble Eyes 13398 Tegler Drive, Suite 110 Noblesville, IN 46060 (317) 922-0202 mynobleeyes.com
Noblesville Chamber of Commerce | P.O. Box 2015 | Noblesville, IN 46061 | (317) 773-0086 | noblesvillechamber.com February • March 2020 • Hamilton County Business Magazine
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February
March
YP Leadership Series Luncheon
Networking Breakfast
Wednesday, February 5th 11:30am to 1:30pm
Legislative Breakfast Friday, February 7th 7:30am to 9am Conner Prairie
Lunch Break with OneZone Wednesday, February 12th 11:30am to 1pm 502 East Event Centre
Caffeinated Conversation Tuesday, February 18th 8am to 9am Serendipity Labs
Wednesday, March 4th 7:30am to 9am Ritz Charles
Legislative Breakfast Friday, March 6th 7:30am to 9am Conner Prairie
Lunch Break with OneZone Wednesday, March 11th 11:30am to 1pm Ritz Charles
Young Professionals Meet Up Wednesday, March 12th 5pm to 7pm
Chamber 101
Wednesday, March 12th
Leadership Investors
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8:30am to 9:30am The Hagerman Group
February • March 2020 • Hamilton County Business Magazine
Welcome all of our New Members! Best Friends Pet Hotel The Brookfield Group Conley Insurance Culligan Water CycleBar Fishers McFarling Foods Monumental Wedding & Events - Geist Orchard Software Corp. Premier Designs Jewelry Romine Divorce Mediation LLC Sitel Group The Plaid Agency Tried & True Alehouse YogaSix Carmel Allstate Insurance Company AV Innovations
Board & Brush Chipotle Mexican Grill - Fishers Chipotle Mexican Grill - Carmel Duckworth.Design Ella Bardo & The Imperial Spa F45 Training Fishers/Geist Hammer & Stain Central Indiana The Hot Room Koola Logistics Platinum Recruiting Group State Farm - Adesola Kuyoro Texas Roadhouse - Carmel Thrivent Financial Cetera Investors krM Architecture+ Without Borders Boutique
Congratualtions to our 2019 Business Excellence Award Winners Young Professional of the Year Erik Braden Braden Business Systems Volunteer of the Year Adam Aasen Donatello's Italian Restaurant Difference Maker Achievement Award Mike Reuter Hamilton Southeastern Schools Harold Kaiser Lifetime Achievement Award Mark Westermeier Carmel Clay Parks & Recreation
February • March 2020 • Hamilton County Business Magazine
Small Business of the Year Four Day Ray Large Business of the Year Merchants Bank of Indiana New Construction Award KAR Global Renovation Award Conner Prairie Green Award Hamilton Southeastern Schools
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NORTHERN HAMILTON COUNTY 20
2020 EVENTS & HAPPENINGS SERVING NORTHERN HAMILTON COUNTY ATLANTA • ARCADIA • CICERO • SHERIDAN
Sheridan Historical Society Turns 51 The Sheridan Historical Society, founded in 1969, turns 51 this year. Members brought 2019 to a close with a holiday celebration at their December meeting. Pictured here (L to R) are: Front Row: Mary Reynolds, Pat Adams, Brenda Bush, Wilma Bush, Roberta Huff, Donna Jessup, Connie Mossburg and Steve Martin. Middle Row: David Ogle, Suzie Browning, Vicki Remsen, Jeanna Nesbit, Phil Pearson, Bess Coppess, Connie Pearson, Rex Nesbit, and Nancy Viehe. Back Row: Ron Stone, Ed Spear, Dane Jessup, Judy Langdon, Mary Stone, Roy Langdon, Jean Hadley and Jim Pickett. The historical society and museum are located at 315 S. Main Street. The museum houses collections and genealogy services as well as features heritage exhibits and family archive services. More information can be found at www.sheridanhistoricalsociety.net. Look for their newly updated website coming soon!
New Coffee Shop Co-owner Vanessa Emery serves up a hot latte at Dark Side Roasters at the new Pop Up Coffee Shop located at Alexander’s on the Water at 369 W. Jackson Street. Dark Side Roasters is a specialty coffee roaster in Cicero. Customers can enjoy a variety of specialty hot and cold beverages and food on the go through the convenient drive thru. Winter hours are: M-F 6am–4pm and Saturdays 7am–3pm. More information can be found at www.darksideroasters.com.
Hamilton Heights School Corporation recently hosted a special community open house and ribbon cutting ceremony to celebrate the completion of the North Wing Addition to the Primary Building. Pictured (L to R): Christi McDonald (LHLC), Julie Calvin (LHLC), Arnett Cooper (HHSC School Board), Nikki Mellinger (LHLC), Dr. Derek Arrowood (Superintendent), Angela Meister (LHLC), Sara Cox (LHLC), Wade Wiley, (Northern Hamilton County Chamber of Commerce), Donna Gentry (HH School Building Corporation Member), Erika Collins (LHLC), Doug Ozolins (HHSC School Board), Laura Reuter (HHSC School Board), Julie Griffey (HHPS/HHES Principal), Julie Davis (HHSC School Board), Dr. Kevin Cavanaugh (HHSC School Board), Kristin McCarty (HHSC Business Manager), Rex McKinney (former HHSC School Board), Dori Hochstedler (HHSC Project Vision Director), Ken Watson (HHES Assistant Principal), and Gwen Hunter (former HHSC School Board). To stay up to date with the latest Project Vision updates at Hamilton Heights go to www. hhschuskies.org/domain/316.
— CHAMPION MEMBER —
New Superintendent The Northern Hamilton County Chamber of Commerce is pleased to welcome Mary Roberson, the new superintendent for Sheridan Community Schools, to the community. Roberson retired from her position at Perry Central at the end of December and officially began her duties at Sheridan on February 1.
— ADVOCATE MEMBERS —
Cicero Clerk-Treasurer Retires NHCCC extends a special thank you to Jan Unger (L) for her dedication and contributions as Clerk-Treasurer for the Town of Cicero during her 20-year tenure. Unger retired from her post in December. We extend a warm welcome to Rhonda Gary (R) who was elected to the role in November and officially began her duties in January.
CHAMBER OF COMMERCE
New Member The Northern Hamilton County Chamber of Commerce is pleased to welcome one of its newest members, Cicero Print & Design. Owners Jerry and Mary Cremoni opened their shop in December. The business is a one-stop shop for office supplies, self-serve copy service, graphic art and web design, and printing services. Hours are Monday through Friday from 8am–7pm and Saturdays from 9am– 1pm. Closed on Sundays. Stop by 1180 S. Peru Street or check out the other amenities this specialty shop offers online at www.ciceroprintdesign.com. Pictured (L to R): Dan Strong (Hamilton North Chamber of Commerce), Bill Turner, owners Mary and Jerry Cremoni, and Wade Wiley (Northern Hamilton County Chamber of Commerce).
NORTHERN HAMILTON COUNTY
CHAMBER OF COMMERCE Communities Working Together Working together to create a strong local economy by promoting business through marketing, networking and educational opportunities.
70 Byron Street, Cicero, IN 46034 (317) 984-4079
February • March 2020 • Hamilton County Business Magazine
FEBRUARY 2020 EVENTS February 6 Westfield Young Professionals 5:30pm-7:30pm Westfield Washington Public Library February 7 All County Legislative Breakfast 7:30am-9:00am Conner Prairie February 11 Coffee with the Chamber 8:00am-9:00am Hampton Inn February 20 Luncheon 11:00am-1:00pm IMMI Conference Center February 27 Business After Hours 5:00pm-7:00pm Julie Jones F.C. Tucker
TBC ActionCOACH of Indiana 15373 Dunrobin Drive Noblesville, 46062
Want to add your name to this list? To learn more, contact info@westfield-chamber.org
WESTFIELD
NEW MEMBERS
www.westfield-chamber.org
2020 UPCOMING EVENTS & HAPPENINGS
MARCH 2020 EVENTS March 5 Westfield Young Professionals 5:30pm-7:30pm TBD March 6 All County Legislative Breakfast 7:30am-9:00am Conner Prairie March 10 Coffee with the Chamber 8:00am-9:00am Wellbrooke of Westfield March 19 Luncheon 11:00am-1:00pm Chatham Hills March 26 Business After Hours 5:00pm-7:00pm J.C. Hart - Union Street Flats For details and online registration, please visit: www.westfield-chamber.org or call 317.804.3030
February • March 2020 • Hamilton County Business Magazine
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Westfield Chamber of Commerce 116 E. Main St. Westfield, IN 46074 317.804.3030
21
Hamilton County History David Heighway
County has always been fascinated by aerial theatrics antastic fiction, like that written by Jules Verne, has always been popular with the residents of Hamilton County. In 1882, the Noblesville Ledger ran the novel Around the World in 80 Days as a serial. A key feature in many of the stories is the idea of airships, giant gas-filled balloons or dirigibles that could travel for miles. In the 1890’s, airships were considered a real possibility and a topic of much local discussion. It began with extensive coverage of the 1891 E. J. Pennington airship in Chicago, (which turned out to be a fraud). The airship was so popular that when the Wallace circus visited Noblesville in October of 1892, it had a thirty-foot replica of the craft (probably non-flying). Interest in the replica ended locally when Pennington himself conducted an electric railway fraud in Noblesville in 1893. (This incident was featured in Kurt Meyer’s 2014 novel Noblesville.) Another part of the Wallace show involved actual flight. Lorella Monntrose and her horse Montgolfier did a balloon ascension. Balloon ascensions were a common sight at fairs and festivals, where aeronauts—usually young women— would ascend to a height of 1,000 feet and then parachute to earth. This was very dangerous and there are many reports of fatal falls.
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Unlike today’s hot air or helium-filled balloons, (like the one at Conner Prairie), the balloons for the ascensions were hydrogen filled, a practice that continued until the Hindenburg disaster in 1937.
Hoaxes and Errors The fascination with airships reached a peak in 1897 and led to one notable hoax. The Ledger did a front-page story on May 25, 1897 about a flying machine cruising over the Courthouse Square and included an illustration. The tone of the report and the reactions from prominent citizens were all done tonguein-cheek and should have tipped people off to the joke. However, the newspaper had to confess to the hoax after people kept reporting signs of the ship.
race was organized in Indianapolis by the Aero Club of America, which included a “free-for-all”—a race for smaller balloons that were not members of the club. The smallest balloon in the free-forall was the “Luzerne” flown by Dr. L. E. Custer of Dayton, Ohio, which had 24,000 cubic feet of hydrogen.
An Unexpected Aerial Visitor
missing from that time, so we aren’t able to find out what the local reaction was.
In the early days of aviation, balloon racing was a popular sport. In October of 1907, five balloons racing for the James Gordon Bennett Cup passed over Sheridan and got a great deal of attention. In September of 1910, Hamilton County accidentally became the destination of one racer. A national balloon championship
With the development of the airplane, lighter-than-air aircraft became obsolete and eventually were relegated to recreation and advertising. The only airships likely to be seen in Hamilton County in the future are hot air balloons and the occasional Goodyear blimp. HCBM
The weatherman had said that there would be favorable conditions for the race, but soon the weather changed and rain began falling. Custer had been in a bad storm in May, when In August of 1909, the a balloon race had been Noblesville Enterprise part of the 500 mile auto reported on a huge race. That time, as the glowing object hangballoon was being tossed ing in the sky over the around, Custer let out a west side of Noblesrope to catch on someville. As it seemed to be thing and stop. However, over the area known what he managed to catch as ‘’Johnstown’’ (which were telephone and was the neighborhood electrical lines, which then knocked out that had most of the city’s brothels), there power to half the city of Indianapolis. were comments about Sodom and Gomorrah and divine retribution. However, This time, Custer didn’t want to fly when an Indianapolis astronomer soon ashe couldn’t see the moon. He slowly beserted that it was the planet Mars, which gan to descend until he landed safely six happened to be in a close conjunction and one half miles northeast of Nobleswith Earth. ville. Unfortunately, the local papers are
February • March 2020 • Hamilton County Business Magazine
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February • March 2020 • Hamilton County Business Magazine
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