Imagination + Innovation

Who We Are

From the beginning, the Starke County Economic Development Foundation has had many successes in attracting new industries to the County, the development of industrial parks in Knox, Hamlet, and North Judson, assisting in the extension of needed infrastructure to those industrial parks, assistance in training the local workforce, and assistance in the expansion of companies growing their operations in Starke County.

The Foundation was originally established to provide jobs for the residents of Starke County so that more people could work in the County instead of having to drive elsewhere for work. It is so much more than that now. With the establishment of the Starke County Initiative for Lifelong Learning (SCILL) in 1996, which offers high-quality vocational training in automotive technology, welding, emergency medical training programs and adult programs, SCILL continues to strive to ensure a skilled workforce.

The Foundation has been instrumental in quality of place efforts in Starke County leading the charge through the Stellar Communities initiative where they were finalists in 2019. They assisted in the establishment of the Starke County Young Professionals organization. They are working closely with the City of Knox on their Mainstreet Designation Project, the Starke County Park Board in their quest for kayak launches along the Yellow River, and with the Town of North Judson on their Ball State Studio Preservation project.

We invite you to discover this special kind of economic development welcome we offer to every business looking to locate in Starke County. Some key advantages demonstrate that we are not your average LEDO.

You will be welcomed with cooperation at all levels of government. You will be treated with respect and special consideration by local governments that value your company’s presence and by an organization that will not only work for you but is respected by all levels of government.

Your welcome will continue long after your company locates in Starke County. Business retention is always our priority.

We get the job done, down to the finest detail. Contact us and ask us to prove it. I will personally see to that.

Lisa Dan
Executive Director