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Flagship 2nd biggest incubator in state

The Flagship Enterprise Center may have been second on the list of largest Hoosier business incubators when ranked by size by a recent publication, but it is No. 1 in job creation by far.

The Indianapolis Business Journal recently released the list of the largest Indiana business incubators. Flagship was second with a 237,600-square foot facility while the Purdue Research Park of West Lafayette had 285,878 square feet.

But the Flagship has created 835 jobs since opening in 2002 while the research park has created 44. The other nine in the top 10 combined had created 922 new jobs. The next highest on the list had created less than half as many as the Flagship — Northeast Indiana Innovation Center with 412 jobs.

“It is important for the community to know that we are more than a pretty facade at the entrance to Anderson,” said Flagship director DeWayne Landwehr. “We have become a well known place for businesses to grow. The city, the county, central Indiana can be very proud at having the Flagship Enterprise Center here. We are proud of the opportunity the cent has had to bring the community back from the brink of disaster with General Motors departure.”

Flagship CEO Chuck Staley said with the center’s distinction by the U.S. Department of Commerce as a center of excellence means it is responsible for serving communities in a 30 mile radius including Madison, Delaware, Hancock, Hamilton and Grant counties.

“We have reasons to be happy,” Staley said of the announcement. “We have done a good job. We would be amiss not to mention the presence of the Chamber of Commerce, the Corporation for Economic Development and the city’s economic development department. They have all contributed to the overall success of the Flagship.”

Anderson University President James Edwards said the announcement was great news for both the community and the university, in their role as partners with the city and other economic development entities via the Flagship.

“This community could have stayed on its back when we began to lose so much economic presence,” Edwards said. “And in this process, we’ve learned so much about community partnership and what it takes to bring a lot of elements together to produce economic strength for the community.”

Edwards pointed out that every “win” like the ranking produces one more reason for another company to consider Anderson when it is looking for a place to relocate.

Contact Abbey Doyle, 640-4805, abbey.doyle@heraldbulletin.com.