FEBRUARY • MARCH 2021
Feeding The World
Westfield company is a leader in Ag Tech
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• Pandemic Advice for the Service Industry • Norman Norell-Noblesville’s Fashion Icon
Paul Nselel President and CEO, AgReliant
Letter from the Editor February • March 2021
We knew this was going to be a marathon…but that doesn’t make it any easier. I’m not the most social person. Not one to spend a lot of time talking on the phone, exchanging pleasantries, hobnobbing in social circles. My avocation is writing, which lends itself to solitude, which requires I spend hours in front of computer screen without social stimulation. I’m OK with that. But this is different.
Mike Corbett Editor and Publisher
It’s not just that the world is demanding that we stay separate from each other when we seem to most need some togetherness. Or that everyone walks around with face coverings to shield themselves from everyone else, or that we all could harbor a germ in ourselves that is potentially lethal to another person, a sort of loaded gun that mysteriously fires on occasion without warning. All of that is bad enough. But the isolation is what gets to me. I don’t mind working from home, spending hours tapping a keyboard and interacting with a screen. But I do crave the personal connection, something more than the zoom image and the voice on the phone. Chamber events and non-profit meetings were my social life and I miss them. Others do too. I can hear it in their voices as they sign off yet another zoom meeting. That awkward silence when the agenda is covered and its time to click LEAVE MEETING, and in the small talk are little hints of people seeking a connection that just isn’t there. Instead there’s a kind of sadness and resignation to the curse that seems to have no end. But, of course, there will be an end. Eventually all of our numbers will come up and we’ll all get the shots and things will get better. We’ll all be members of the vast, immune herd. We won’t need to fear our neighbors any longer and months of pent up demand will unleash the economic expansion that follows many global calamities. The trick, of course, is to hang on as we trudge through the valley of death on our way to that glorious expansion. If your business is being impacted by the pandemic, I feel your pain. Hang in there. Things won’t be the same postpandemic but they will hopefully be just as good, or better, than they were. Here’s hoping we are all among those left standing. We are, once again, publishing this edition digitally. I don’t want this to become routine but it is a reasonable accommodation to reduced revenue. I find myself occasionally reaching for the most recent edition, only to remember that I have to click to find it. We were launched as a print product and I fervently hope we can eventually return as one. Until then, please enjoy this edition and…. See you (virtually) around the county,
Editor and Publisher mcorbett@hamiltoncountybusiness.com 317-774-7747
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February • March 2021 • 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 mcorbett@hamiltoncountybusiness.com CREATIVE DIRECTOR
Bridget Gurtowsky bridget@gurtowskygraphics.com
AgReliant
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Columns 2
Editors Letter
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Working from Home Judith Wright
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History David Heighway
Ann Craig-Cinnamon jandacinnamon@aol.com John Cinnamon jlcinnamon@aol.com Samantha Hyde samantharhyde@gmail.com Patricia Pickett pickettwrites@gmail.com CONTRIBUTORS
David Heighway heighwayd@earthlink.net Judith Wright jw3@iupui.edu Please send news items and photos to news@hamiltoncountybusiness.com Submission does not guarantee publication
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February • March 2021 • Hamilton County Business Magazine
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February • March 2021 • Hamilton County Business Magazine
5
Working from Home
Judith Wright
Staying open, safe and staffed Advice for the beleaguered service industry Everyone has had to make tough choices in the last pandemic-centered year. But perhaps some of the most difficult choices have been those faced by small business owners in America. And among small businesses, some of the hardest hit are restaurants and bars.
providing some income for employees was better than none. When the long-term gravity of the situation soon became apparent, most small businesses shifted focus toward how to evolve to remain open safely. They were among the earliest adopters of social distancing standards, capacity restrictions, sanitizer stations and new cleaning protocols.
Striking a balance this year has been one huge, ethical dilemma for business owners in the service industry. An instinct to do whatever it takes to stay For many small businesses, the ability open is weighed against the need to to stay open was directly attributable to make hard decisions for the benefit of availability of Paycheck Protection Proemployees. After finding ways to keep gram loans sponsored by the U.S. Small workers employed, the harsh reality is that incomes are significantly down. Maintaining a hospitality atmosphere is “Create the best challenging when it’s restricted by new regulations that environment possible limit customer behaviors. And dealing with harsh criticism for customers to enjoy and accusations of irresponfood and beverage on sible practices has led owners to feel as though they must site while earnestly defend business interests visà-vis the public good.
encouraging them to
By nature, these service businesses must have direct follow state guidelines interactions with customers. By tradition, these service for safety.” businesses rely on tips as a critical component of employee pay. Add to this a public Business Administration. So-called that is widely polarized and we see the PPP funds were available through local stressful dilemmas faced by small busibanks to provide cash to meet payroll ness owners. expenses. Most importantly, the program realigned the interests of business Tips Take a Beating owners with their employees by funding Initially the question was whether to employers’ ability to call back workers try to stay open or hunker down and with an assurance of income. weather the storm. While the early For many service businesses, the focus instinct was to forge ahead, plummeting has been on staying open so staff can sales forced many service businesses remain employed. But even working a to make the difficult decision to furregular schedule, many service workers lough employees. Without workers, the have taken the brunt of the pandemic’s ability to serve customers was crippled, economic impact. Fewer customers and but furloughs meant employees could sales mean lower tips. qualify for unemployment benefits. Local business owner Jesse Rice of For some, the interest of employees Black Circle Brewing Co. estimates tips outweighed those of the business, and 6
are down 40% for his employees. That equates to an annual reduction in income of $10,000-15,000. Nationally, the average service worker makes just under $12 an hour, according to PayScale.com. Cut that by 40% and that worker will bring home less than $300 per week (pretax).
Regulation Compliance While owners are well aware of the reduction in their employees’ earnings, they’re strapped to offer additional pay. Rents have not gone down, business loan payments have not been reduced, liquor license fees and property taxes remain at pre-pandemic levels. Luckily, PPP funds can help cover those costs, but extra money for employees is simply hard to come by. And raising prices right now is out of the question. Complying with evolving government restrictions has added another challenging layer of stress, particularly since businesses receive little notice prior to announcements about mask enforcements and social distancing requirements that they must then regulate. Wait staff are expected to monitor proper placement of masks, how many people can sit at a table and whether customers are standing too close to one another. Such behavior puts the service staff in a whole new role, but businesses have tried to comply for the simple goal of staying open. Business owners by and large don’t have a problem with added sanitary requirements because they have always complied with the health code as a regular part of operations. But some customers don’t share in the state’s insistence on mask-wearing and social distancing. And therein lies a dilemma: how do you encourage customers to enjoy themselves and have a good time while trusting them to follow the guidelines you’re accountable for when county inspectors arrive? After all this, some businesses have been blindsided when the shaming
February • March 2021 • Hamilton County Business Magazine
begins. Some concerned and likely wellmeaning members of the public have taken to social media to harshly criticize businesses for staying open for on-site customers. While it’s easy to drive by a business and assume it looks overcrowded, the location may actually be well within state guidelines. However, once those opinions are posted online, they take on a semblance of fact. So, what’s a service business owner to do? Stay open and keep valued employees working and paid. Create the best environment possible for customers to enjoy food and beverage on site while earnestly encouraging them to follow state guidelines for safety. Incentivize customers to make enough purchases to retain valued employees and meet the financial realities. Steel themselves in the face of criticism, knowing in the end, the business has a chance to survive and valued employees still have a place to work. HCBM
Judith Wright is a clinical assistant professor of business law at Indiana University Kelley School of Business at IUPUI
Matt Maher
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February • March 2021 • Hamilton County Business Magazine
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Cover Story
Heritage Westfield Seed Company is Big Player in Farming By Ann Craig-Cinnamon
“The name of the game is diversity, because just like with humans, you want to cross a lot of different paths because if you cross the same thing you lose vigor, you lose the best characters of the human being. The same with seeds.� -Paul Nselel AgReliant President and CEO
f you have driven along East 169th Street around US 31 in Westfield you may have passed the AgReliant Genetics building. You might have even noticed the sign saying it is the “corporate headquarters.” But what you probably did not realize is that this quiet campus setting in Westfield, Indiana is the home to a farm industry giant.
AgReliant President and CEO Paul Nselel, who worked many years for Monsanto, says the goal of his company is to help farmers. “Our view of the world is this: when farmers do well we do well, so it is in our interest to do the best we can to make them successful or to help them be successful,” he says.
AgReliant Genetics is in the seed business. They develop, manufacture and sell four seeds in North America which includes the U.S. and Canada. They are the third largest corn seed company, the fourth largest soybean seed company and in the top five agriculture research programs in North America. Additionally they are big players in sorghum and alfalfa as well.
One of the things AgReliant focuses on heavily is Research and Development. Nselel says they do a great deal of research on the seed to make sure they have the right genetic diversity. “So once we have chosen the right genetics, and you think about it like an athlete, we want to multiply a bunch of those to be able to have a lot of them to sell them. But the name of the game is diversity, because just like with humans you want to cross a lot of different paths because if you cross the same thing you lose vigor, you lose the best characters of the human being. The same with seeds,” he says.
With one thousand employees across thirty locations in North America, AgReliant is also one of the fastest growing independent seed companies in the industry with two brands in the U.S. and one in Canada. But their roots are pure Hamilton County.
Paul Nselel, AgReliant President and CEO
Although AgReliant was established in 2000, it is the result of the mergers of several companies, including Westfield’s own Callahan seeds, which was a family-owned business that dates back to the 1960’s and was housed at the same location in Westfield. Callahan was at the forefront of hybrid seed corn and soybeans and has a deep heritage which AgReliant is carrying on.
February • March 2021 • Hamilton County Business Magazine
Taking the Guesswork out of Farming
From R&D, the next step is manufacturing, packaging and sending to retail locations, which sell directly to farmers. AgReliant has 75 retail location partners around the country. But the commitment doesn’t end at selling farmers the seed. Nselel says they work with them, using modern technology, all the way through harvesting. Such things as pest pressure that may reduce yield, soil type, weather conditions, fertilization and even at what depth to plant the seed are all issues that AgReliant advises farmers on. “A lot of our interactions are done face-to-face so you go meet the farmer, sit at their kitchen table and work with them through their crop plan. Some of this is done digitally but a lot in-person. We send them information on what they should plant. For instance, 9
plant this hybrid in this specific location on your farm at this specific density and their machinery will plant that in their field,” he says adding, “we are very close to our farmers.”
According to Nselel, the average U.S. farmer feeds 200 people and they are doing it more and more efficiently. Because of technology fewer seeds go to waste. “There is more food being grown on less land today because now we have the ability to do more with less, so we can use less ground, have higher yield per acre and produce an increasing amount of food from a reducing amount of land,” he says.
Covid-19 Puts Pressure on Industry Few industries have escaped the effects of COVID-19 and farming is no exception. Nselel points out that 40% of corn that is grown in the United States goes to ethanol as a biofuel. As the pandemic has brought about less mobility in the U.S. that translates into less fuel being used. “It is a pressure on the industry to be more creative and thoughtful about how we do things with COVID-19,” he says.
The Future of Farming Farming has benefitted greatly from technology. Farm machines such as tractors and combines have advanced to the point of being driver-less. Nselel says the most recent advancements in technology involve genetics and plant pathology. “There is a lot of work being done in the background to understand the corn and soybean seed and mapping its genome in which part of the genealogy of corn is responsible for which characteristics,” he says, adding that more recently data analytics has become key.
AgReliant evolved from Westfield’s Callahan Seeds 10
“I think a lot of the technology that is going to be important to us is going to be data analytics. How do you help the farmer position the seed in the right place at the right density? I think that science is going to continue to evolve so farmers do better.” February • March 2021 • Hamilton County Business Magazine
Why Westfield? How did Westfield get chosen as the corporate headquarters for such a large and up and coming company? Nselel says part of the reason is because this is where it all started. But he says Westfield and Hamilton County have a lot to offer. “Today Westfield makes a lot of sense because honestly both the city and the county have a very pro-business environment,” he says. “That is one piece. I think the second piece is that the area in general is very good for families.
If you think about it you have good education; whether it be elementary and high school or Purdue and IU.” He points out that Hamilton County is safe, has good infrastructure, a solid economy and a government that is really working well with good public-private cooperation. “So it’s safe; it’s pro-family; good education; I think from a tax standpoint it is reasonable; and we also have a good pool of talent. So it totally makes sense for us to be here.” HCBM
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A Message from Jack Russell While taking some time to reflect on the past year I could not help but think about the quote from Albert Einstein, “In the middle of every difficulty lies opportunity.” I am proud of our business community and their abilities to find opportunity through such a difficult time. Our business community found innovative and creative ways to strengthen their business while continuing to provide value and customer service to their clients. They found that each day brought new challenges and took them head on. As we head into 2021, the challenges still exist, but even through the challenges our businesses continue to make their people and their business better. I am so proud to serve OneZone. Our team continues to work hard each and every day for our business community, because our membership is the core of who we are as an organization. Our businesses are what make our communities what they are today. I will end with this… To all the businesses in our organization and those that are not… Thank you. Thank you for the tireless hours you have taken to improve the livelihoods of others. Thank you for your hard work and relentlessness to provide services we sometimes take for granted. Thank you for being there for our community. We look forward to supporting your goals and initiatives in the coming year. Thank you from all of us at OneZone. Jack Russell President and CEO of OneZone
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February • March 2021 • Hamilton County Business Magazine
THANK THANK THANK THANK YOU YOU YOU YOU TO TO TO TO OUR OUR OUR OUR LEGACY LEGACY LEGACY LEGACY SPONSORS: SPONSORS: SPONSORS: SPONSORS:
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A Arecent AArecent recent recent American American American American Express Express Express Express study study study study reaffirmed reaffirmed reaffirmed reaffirmed that that that that two-thirds two-thirds two-thirds two-thirds ofofof of www.freedommortgage.com www.sherfickcompanies.com every every every every dollar dollar dollar dollar spent spent spent spent atataat atasmall aasmall small small business business business business ininthe ininthe the the U.S. U.S. U.S. U.S. stays stays stays stays ininthe ininthe the the local local local local community. community. community. community. For For For For every every every every dollar dollar dollar dollar spent spent spent spent atat aat ata small aasmall small small business, business, business, business, anan an additional anadditional additional additional 5050 50 cents 50cents cents cents inin direct inindirect direct direct local local local local economic economic economic economic activity activity activity activity isis generated. isis generated. generated. generated. T-Mobile Friends Home Decor 17237 Mercantile Blvd. 16810 Hazel Dell Road With With With With the the the the holiday holiday holiday holiday shopping shopping shopping shopping season season season season fast fast fast fast approaching, approaching, approaching, approaching, many many many many of ofof us ofus us are us are are are thinking thinking thinking thinking Noblesville, IN 46060 Noblesville, IN 46062 about about about about how how how how totosafely to tosafely safely safely shop. shop. shop. shop. For For For For most, most, most, most, the the the the holiday holiday holiday holiday shopping shopping shopping shopping season season season season begins begins begins begins onon on the onthe the the 317.219.5924 317.219.7490 weekend weekend weekend weekend ofofThanksgiving, of ofThanksgiving, Thanksgiving, Thanksgiving, Black Black Black Black Friday Friday Friday Friday forfor for for some some some some and and and and Small Small Small Small Business Business Business Business Saturday Saturday Saturday Saturday www.t-mobile.com www.friendshomedecor.com forfor for others. for others. others. others. 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February • March 2021 of • of Hamilton County Business Magazine 13 Noblesville Noblesville Noblesville Noblesville Chamber Chamber Chamber Chamber Commerce of of Commerce Commerce Commerce | |P.O. ||P.O. P.O. P.O. Box Box Box Box 2015 2015 2015 2015 | |Noblesville, ||Noblesville, Noblesville, Noblesville, ININ IN 46061 IN 46061 46061 46061 | |(317) ||(317) (317) (317) 773-0086 773-0086 773-0086 773-0086 | |noblesvillechamber.com ||noblesvillechamber.com noblesvillechamber.com noblesvillechamber.com
NORTHERN HAMILTON COUNTY
CHAMBER OF COMMERCE Communities Working Together
SERVING NORTHERN HAMILTON COUNTY ARCADIA • AROMA • ATLANTA • BAKERS CORNER • BOXLEY • CICERO • DEMING • MILLERSBURG • OMEGA • SHERIDAN • STRAWTOWN • WALNUT GROVE
Working together to create a strong local economy by promoting business through marketing, networking and educational opportunities.
2021: Creativity is King The Northern Hamilton County Chamber of Commerce has set sail on its strategic plan for the new year that included rolling out its new website and continued support for promoting its membership. Continuing to build upon long-term partnerships are the hallmark of the plan with focus placed on working closely with local town government bodies, school districts, hospitals, and other local groups and organizations to provide business, retail, agriculture and tourism opportunities, and growth in the year ahead. Expect more innovation and creativity throughout 2021 as we continue to meet the moment. Grow with us! Get involved today!
— WELCOME — Denny Miller, AVP Business Development and Branch Manager, and staff at the new First Farmers Bank & Trust in Cicero.
Kevin Smith, Partner with Church Church Hittle + Antrim, to the Northern Hamilton County Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors.
Gretchen Pennington, a Hamilton County Deputy Prosecuting Attorney, to the Hamilton Heights School Corporation School Board. White River Township Seat.
John Hunt, Testing Manager, Beck’s Superior Hybrids, Inc., to the Sheridan Community Schools Board of Trustees, Marion Township, Boone County Seat.
New Members
The Northern Hamilton County Chamber of Commerce is pleased to introduce our newest Chamber members. Please welcome them by visiting their website, sending an email, or stopping by to introduce yourself. Christ Covenant Orthodox Presbyterian Church Pastor Tim McClymonds 6070 N. 900 E. (Northwest corner of State Road 47 (Strawtown Rd) and County Road 900 E.) Sheridan, Indiana 46069 (479) 799-2227 www.facebook.com/CCOPC6070 www.cc-opc.org Selective Intelligence Mike Harding, Owner 12400 N Meridian St, Ste 150 Carmel, IN 46032 317-937-6562 mike@selectiveintelligence.com www.selectiveintelligence.com/services www.linkedin.com/company/selectiveintelligence
— CALENDAR — 11
FEBRUARY NHCCC Meeting HHSC and SCS Business Students The Remnant Coffee Shop, Arcadia, IN 11:30 a.m.
11
MARCH NHCCC Meeting CCH+A on Taxes and Insurance Sheridan Public Library, Sheridan, IN 11:30 a.m.
18
APRIL NHCCC Meeting Swayzee Communications Corp. Embassy Suites, Noblesville, IN
— ADVOCATE MEMBERS —
70 Byron Street, Cicero, IN 46034 • (317) 984-4079 • www.northernhamiltoncountychamber.com
February 9 Young Professionals Happy Hour 5:00-7:00pm Wolfies Grill February 10 Chamber Happy Hour 4:00-6:00pm Greek’s Pizza February 12 All County Legislative Breakfast Series 8:00-9:00am VIRTUAL EVENT February 18 February Luncheon 11:00-1:00pm The Club at Chatham Hills
MARCH 2021 EVENTS
March 4 Coffee with the Chamber 8:00-9:00am Student Impact
WESTFIELD
FEBRUARY 2021 EVENTS
February 4 Coffee with the Chamber 8:00-9:00am Field Brewing
www.westfield-chamber.org
2021 UPCOMING EVENTS & HAPPENINGS
March 9 Chamber Happy Hour 4:00-6:00pm Pasto Italiano March 12 All County Legislative Breakfast Series 8:00-9:00am VIRTUAL EVENT March 18 March Luncheon 11:00-1:00pm The Bridgewater Club March 30 Virtual Education 12:00-1:00pm VIRTUAL EVENT
Follow Us:
For details and online registration, please click and visit: www.westfield-chamber.org or call 317.804.3030
NEW MEMBERS BenchMark Physical Therapy www.benchmark.urpt.com Flats at Spring Mill www.flatsatspringmill.com Pat-a-Cakes and Cookies Too www.patacakesandcookiestoo.com 1205 Distillery www.1205distillery.com
Westfield Chamber of Commerce 116 E. Main St. Westfield, IN 46074 317.804.3030
To visit the company’s website, please click on the bolded company name. All images on this page have hyperlinks.
February • March 2021 • Hamilton County Business Magazine
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Hamilton County History
David Heighway
Noblesville’s Fashionable Favorite Son — Norman Norell —
In April of 2021, Hamilton County will be getting a new official state historical marker for the person who could be considered Hamilton county’s only “A-List” celebrity—Norman Norell. He would be known as the “dean of American fashion design” later in life and was recognized internationally, but he was born as Norman David Levinson in Noblesville. While he left the area when he was young, he was always attached to his hometown, and came back to be buried here when he died. He recognized his family’s roots in the community. This article will focus mostly on his father’s side of the family, the Levinsons, because of their unique story in central Indiana. N.D. Levinson
The Grand It begins in 1848, a year of revolution and upheaval in the group of countries that would eventually form Germany. Seeking to escape the trouble and following the example of reformer Carl Schurz, many people left for America. Among them was the family of 18-yearold Neuman David Levinson, usually called by his initials, N.D. The family stayed at first in Cincinnati, where N.D.
The Grand was located in this building, most of which still stands on Noblesville Courthouse Square.
met and married Mariah Newman, commonly known as Minnie. Eventually, N.D. decided to find a territory for his own business. We don’t know what motivated his choices, but he came to Indiana. In 1851, the first railroad heading north from Indianapolis had been built, which led to Hamilton County, and the town of Noblesville. Levinson arrived in 1857, after the community had been incorporated as a town for only six years.
Minnie was greatly admired for her work with the Ladies Aid Society and the Library and her general charity work. Her kindness and generosity made her genuinely loved. Years later, in the 1940’s, when a reporter did a story about the family, a bartender in the rough part of town told the reporter that he would “knock his block off” if the reporter was disrespectful of Mrs. Levinson. Another rough character said, “No better woman ever lived than Minnie Levinson.”
The family continued with local charity work after Neuman’s death He established a tailor Salmon Oliver in 1899 and Minnie’s shop and lived above death in 1901. They had it, but was soon into two sons, Salmon Oliver, clothing sales and purchased a house known as Sol, and Harry. to raise his family. He moved the store Sol started by donating Harry Levinson into one section of a building built in money to Noblesville 1866 on Conner Street. He was very successful and eventually purchased the High School for a scholarship prize entire building, enlarging it in 1884 and call the “Levinson Award.” This was first given out in 1906 and continues to renaming it “the Grand.” be awarded today. Both sons contribThe Levinsons were one of the few Jew- uted substantial funds for the Masonic ish families in town. N.D. would close temple in 1915. Their father had been a the store for religious holidays, and a member of the group for many years. traveling rabbi from Indianapolis would In 1916, the high school was officially attend to their spiritual needs. After named Levinson High School in honor their deaths, most of the family memof Neuman and Minnie. This name was bers were buried in a Jewish cemetery used for over 30 years and the school in Chicago. newspaper was called the Levin-Sun. Both brothers were sports fans and gave Levinson High School money for a new high school gymnasiN.D. was highly respectum in 1924, and money to create Forest ed in the community, Park and its golf course in 1927. This and was involved in was the first city park in Noblesville. The politics and local 8th Street site of the family home was fraternal organizations. given to the city in 1932 for a city buildHe contributed letters to ing. The spot is presently part of the site the newspaper under of the new five-story Levinson Building. the pen name of Citizen. Minnie Levinson
February • March 2021 • Hamilton County Business Magazine
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Much of this generosity was due to Salmon’s success. He was a graduate of Yale and became a very prominent Chicago lawyer. He was nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize in 1929 for his anti-war work.
Extra L for Looks Harry ran the clothing business after the death of his father. He married local woman Nettie Kinsey in 1891, at a ceremony presided over by the Methodist minister. Her family were farmers that Norell in 1944 had moved to the county just after the Civil War, and created a community called “Kinsey’s Corners” south of Noblesville. Harry and Nettie’s first son, Frank, was born in 1894. Their second son, Norman David Levinson, was born on April 20, 1900, in a modest duplex home on the corner of Cherry and 8th Streets in Noblesville, now demolished. Norman would later say that his fashion interest started early. He would tell a story about riding in a baby carriage on courthouse square, and throwing a fit until his mother had bought herself a new hat with cherries which he had seen in the window of Sowerwine Dry Goods. Norman spent his first years in Noblesville, and was precocious enough to remember them. However, in 1906, Harry wanted to expand the business, and moved to Indianapolis. Harry was a serious baseball fan and had followed the Indianapolis team on a tour of cities to look at possible sites. The Harry Levinson stores were successful and the company lasted for nearly a century. Norman attended Benjamin Harrison Elementary and Shortridge High School. He loved theater and since the clothing store got a free pass for advertising in the programs, he went to Norman Levinson all the shows that he could. After a short stint in military school and at the Herron Art School, Norman decided that he wanted something bigger. In 1919, he left Indianapo-
lis and went to Parsons School of Design and Pratt Institute in New York to learn costume design, graduating in 1922. At that time, he decided to change his business name to Norell. As he said, it was Nor for Norman, L for Levinson, and an extra L for looks. He never legally changed his name.
Show Business He had shown promise in school and almost immediately after graduation, was hired to do costumes for the Gloria Swanson film “Zaza,” released in 1923. Swanson told a story in her 1980 autobiography that she had accepted the role because Norell was doing the costumes. However, she had forgotten that in 1923, Norman was just fresh out of college and unknown. He did other silent films and stage shows, and then went to work for Hattie Carnegie in 1928. His father Harry died in 1930 when he had a stroke while sitting at a baseball game. The Levinsons built a mausoleum in Crownland Cemetery in Noblesville, and Harry was the first of the family to be laid to rest in Indiana. Frank took over the clothing business. Norman split with Hattie CarnOriginal store egie in 1941 after a disagreement over costumes he had created for the Broadway show “Lady in the Dark.” He was looking for more credit for his work. He teamed up with Anthony Traina to create a brand, and became a much more public figure. He began receiving awards, and was the first person admitted to Fashion Hall of Fame in 1956. He still kept his Indiana connections—it was around this time that he created a dress for a cousin in the Kinsey family. He also helped Evelyn Repp, a Noblesville woman and graduate of the Parsons School of Design, get started on a career in New York as a designer. After Traina retired in 1960, Norell started his solo company. He was doing high profile work for people like Jaqueline Kennedy, who was encourag-
February • March 2021 • Hamilton County Business Magazine
ing American women to use American designers. It helped that when she wore a dress, it quickly became popular. 1962 was a year of contrasts for him. He did a dress for Marilyn Monroe to wear to the Golden Globes award on March 5, and his mother died on March 13. He could not attend the funeral because he was ill at the hospital himself.
Precious Memories Later that year, in November, he had an opportunity to express his fond remembrances of his birthplace. In a November article about him, a fashion writer named Agnes McCoy referred to Noblesville as “obscure” and said that it was a surprise that someone as sophisticated as Norell had come from there. This was reprinted in the Noblesville Ledger, which Frank sent to Norman. Norman immediately wrote this to the Ledger: “I must say I resent Agnes McCoy saying Noblesville isn’t important! However, it may be my fault because when someone asks me where I was born, I always say, ‘a very small town, Noblesville, Indiana.’ I always see it the same size it was when I was born there in 1900. It is quite willful because my memories of Noblesville are very precious to me. I still see the courthouse square with horses and buggies tied up around— Caylor’s, Sowerwine’s, Lowther’s, the corner drug store, were all on the square (that was the town). Hare’s Buggy store and John Dold’s candy store were around the corner. Band concerts were held on Thursday night. The covered bridge was north of the square. So many wonderful happy memories. This is the way I think of Noblesville. I know perfectly well it isn’t like this now. Maybe I do not like the passing of time. Whatever it is, my Noblesville is very important to me, whether Agnes McCoy thinks so or not.” That same year, Hollywood came calling again when he was asked to supply some outfits for the film “That Touch of Mink,” starring Doris Day and Cary Grant. His contribution is listed very prominently in the credits. There is a story that it was Grant’s idea to take Day to Norell’s studio and choose three 17
ensembles. Unfortunately, it’s not clear in the film which outfits were actually created by Norell. The connection is much clearer in the next film that he did—“Wheeler-Dealers,” a 1963 Wall Street comedy starring Lee Remick and James Garner. Again, he was mentioned prominently in the credits. He created an extensive collection of outfits for Lee Remick to wear. However, the film was not a success, and it may have had an impact on his continuing with film work. Norell had been Lauren Bacall’s favorite designer for some time, so in 1965 she asked him to do costumes for the Broadway play “Cactus Flower.” She claimed in her 1978 autobiography that she was the first to bring his work to the stage. However, because of the lack of credit he had received during his time with Hattie Carnegie, Bacall didn’t realize that he had done Broadway shows decades before. She changed it in a later edition.
Coming Home During the rest of the 1960’s he continued to design for both the general
public and celebrities such as President Lyndon Johnson’s wife and family. He also did other work, like designing dresses for the female musicians of the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra in 1971. However, he had health issues all of his life and, as he reached his 70’s, they became more pronounced. In 1972, the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York prepared to do a retrospective of his work in October. Sadly, on October 15th, the night before the show opened, Norman Norell died of a stroke. His body was returned to Noblesville and interred in the family mausoleum in Crownland Cemetery. The Levinson family had a huge impact on Hamilton County, and Norman Norell was part of that. It’s interesting to note that while most celebrities downplay or even deny Midwestern small town roots, particularly in someplace like New York, Norman always claimed Noblesville as his hometown. That is why it’s important for Noblesville and Hamilton County to return the favor and to be happy to claim Norman Norell. HCBM
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