Business

By Indiana Michigan Power— FORT WAYNE, Ind., Feb. 2, 2022, 12 p.m. – The first wave of a winter storm is hitting Indiana Michigan Power’s (I&M) service area this morning and will continue through tomorrow evening with heavy snowfall, light ice and rain. I&M crews are prepared and ready to safely respond in the event a power outage occurs.  AEP’s full staff of Meteorologists are monitoring the storm and informing I&M employees of the impacts. I&M also closely monitors forecasts from the National Weather Service and other reputable organizations. All of I&M’s service area is on track to receive heavy…

By TWG— MUNCIE, Ind. – TWG (www.twgdev.com), a national real estate development company specializing in commercial, market rate, affordable and senior housing developments, has announced the construction of River Bend Flats, a $12 million affordable, multifamily project on the southeast side of Muncie, Indiana. Located at 1800 Burlington Drive, River Bend Flats will be a three-story, 60-unit development, situated at the intersection of Burlington and Memorial at the former Marsh and Family Dollar site. The affordable housing complex offers two-bedroom and three-bedroom apartment layouts, and units will be reserved for residents earning up to 60% of the area median income…

By First Merchants— MUNCIE, Ind.—First Merchants Corporation (NASDAQ – FRME) has reported fourth quarter 2021 net income of $47.7 million compared to $45.1 million during the same period in 2020.  Earnings per share for the period totaled $.89 per share compared to the fourth quarter 2020 result of $.83 per share.  Net income for the year ended December 31, 2021 totaled $205.5 million, compared to $148.6 million during the same period in 2020.  Year-to-date earnings per share totaled $3.81 compared to $2.74 in 2020. Total assets equaled $15.5 billion as of year-end and loans totaled $9.3 billion.  The Corporation experienced…

By Northwest— COLUMBUS, Ohio—Northwest Bancshares, Inc., (the “Company”), (NasdaqGS: NWBI) announced net income for the quarter ended December 31, 2021 of $30.1 million, or $0.24 per diluted share.  This represents a decrease of $5.0 million, or 14.3%, compared to the same quarter last year when net income was $35.1 million, or $0.28 per diluted share.  The annualized returns on average shareholders’ equity and average assets for the quarter ended December 31, 2021 were 7.65% and 0.82% compared to 9.00% and 1.01% for the same quarter last year. The Company also announced that its Board of Directors declared a quarterly cash dividend of…

By James Mitchell— MUNCIE, Ind. – The East Central Indiana Human Resources Association (ECIHRA) activated new leadership during their January membership meeting. Elected at the group’s final meeting in 2021, a new slate of officers will support the organization’s efforts to prepare local HR leaders for the current and future realities of the world of work through professional development and networking. “ECIHRA is a great place to network with other professionals in HR, or who handle HR type responsibilities. We discuss great topics every month that impact our day-to-day roles and is a great source for professional development. It is…

By The Muncie-Delaware County Indiana Chamber of Commerce— MUNCIE, Ind.—The Boards of Directors of the Muncie-Delaware County Chamber of Commerce and the Delaware Advancement Corporation have announced that Elizabeth Rowray has accepted the position as the next President and CEO of the Chamber of Commerce and the Chief Economic Development Officer of the Delaware Advancement Corporation. Rowray is currently the Executive Director of Ivy Tech’s Career Coaching and Connections program for the Delaware and Henry County locations. She is also the District 35 Representative to the Indiana House of Representatives, elected in 2020. Rowray has previously worked for the Delaware Advancement Corporation,…

By Muncie-Delaware County Chamber of Commerce— MUNCIE, Ind.—The 2022 Muncie-Delaware County Chamber of Commerce Legacy Gala was held Thursday, January 20, at the Horizon Convention Center honoring Mr. Carl E. Kizer, Jr., owner of Kizer’s Carpet Care. Among those who paid tribute to the legacy of Mr. Kizer were Pat Bowen, Internet Sales Manager for Stoops Automotive; Cassandra Maxwell, Transfer Manager for Muncie Indiana Transfer System; local attorney Frank Brinkman; and Loretta Parsons, Executive Director of The Soup Kitchen of Muncie. “The Chamber was very pleased to award the Legacy Award to Carl Kizer for the many contributions he has…

By Melissa Jones— MUNCIE, Ind. — Two of East Central Indiana’s premier marketing and branding agencies, Intersection and Whitinger Strategic Services, have merged, combining the talents of both teams and growing their services and portfolio. Intersection and Whitinger were two of the most awarded agencies in the region. Intersection took home six international Hermes Creative Awards in 2021, and Whitinger stole the show at the 2020 American Advertising Awards (ADDYs) of East Central Indiana. The merger, effective October 1, 2021, was made possible by an unlikely partner: Accutech Systems Corporation, which provides innovative trust and wealth management technology solutions. Accutech is…