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Flagship
Achieves Full Occupancy
As of
September 1st, the Flagship
Enterprise Center has achieved
full occupancy. The incubator’s
10,000 square feet of space is
now leased to a total of nine
clients with a diverse range of
products and services. After
being open for less than two
years, the ABI has attracted
some of Anderson’s most
promising and unique businesses.
“The concept
for Anderson’s business
incubator was the result of a
study commissioned in 2004 in
response to General Motors
exodus from the community,”
states Linda Dawson, Director of
Economic and Community
Development for the City of
Anderson. “The study found that
one of the strongest growth
areas for Anderson would be
small, entrepreneurial
businesses. ABI’s full occupancy
proves that this study hit the
nail on the head.”
Opening its
doors in October 2006 and
welcoming its first tenant on
January 1, 2007, the incubator
has proven to be a valuable
resource to the businesses it
houses. “Our first client was
the screen printing company ID
Graphics,” remembers Flagship
Enterprise Center Executive
Director DeWayne Landwehr. “They
moved in on the 1st of January
and two days later they had sent
out their first shipment and
were generating revenue. I
always think of that as an
example of the great potential
the incubator can offer its
clients.” By October 2007, the
ABI was ready to hold a
community open house to display
its first six tenants.
“It was an
exciting event”, remembers
Charles Staley, CEO of Flagship
Enterprise Center, “because in
just over 6 months, we were able
to reach 70% of capacity, with
some very promising companies.
It has also been rewarding to
note that all of these companies
are homegrown. The owners live
and work here, and have a vested
interest in helping the greater
community to grow.”
Nearly a year
later, the incubator now
features nine tenants, each with
their own reasons for choosing
to set up shop inside the ABI.
“Since our move in date of April
1, 2008, we have been able to
hire 3 new employees and house
our own graphics department,”
says Tammy Rimer, Director of
Operations at advertising
company College Displays. “We
love the downtown location, it
puts us close to the vendors we
use every day and makes for such
a quaint and beautiful area to
work.”
Freelance
writer Tim Kern found the
Anderson area and the ABI
especially attractive when
looking for a home for his
public relations company, Tim
Kern INK. The appeal was strong
enough to cause Kern to relocate
from his home in Florida. “I've
been in Anderson just a year
now, and I've found that my
reasons for coming to Indiana
from Florida were justified,”
says Kern. “Since coming here,
I've started an additional new
business, and I've hired two
part-time workers. I couldn't
have done it without the climate
in Indiana or the help and
encouragement that come with the
ABI.”
One of the
most unique and successful
businesses within the incubator
is Personal Service Limousine.
“When Randy Willis came to me
and said he wanted to start a
limousine company in Anderson, I
have to admit, I was a little
hesitant,” says Landwehr. “He
has proven me wrong over and
over and continues to set new
sales records every month. I
think that attests to the
quality of business that is
coming out of here.” Owner Randy
Willis echoes many of the
sentiments of other ABI clients.
“Our whole experience at the ABI
has been more than we could have
hoped for,” says Willis. “It has
made it possible for us to bring
a first class limousine service
to Anderson, as well as creating
nine new jobs.”
The success of
the ABI and its clients, says
Landwehr, wouldn’t be possible
without the help of the City of
Anderson and local government.
“The new administration has
continued to support the
Flagship Center and the
Incubator more than we could
have imagined,” he remarks. “I
don’t know where we’d be without
such supportive individuals in
our local government.”
Anderson Mayor
Kris Ockomon shares his
excitement for the Incubator’s
success. “ABI’s full occupancy
is an indication of the
community’s future,” says
Ockomon, “a signal that there
are small businesses growing in
place that have faith in our
community. It shows that there
is every reason for downtown
Anderson to once again become a
thriving commercial center
filled with independent
businesses.”
Created
through a partnership between
Anderson University and the City
of Anderson, the Flagship
Enterprise Center serves as a
small business incubator and
growth stage business
accelerator, in additional to
providing managerial and
technical support the Anderson
Business Incubator. Through its
client-specific Client Support
Program, the FEC helps emerging
companies to become
independently viable. Located at
I-69 and (exit 22) in Anderson,
the FEC provides ongoing contact
with management consultants,
university researchers, student
mentoring opportunities and
access to capital. For more
information, contact DeWayne
Landwehr at (765) 622-0800 or
visit the FEC Web site at
www.flagshipenterprise.org.
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