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Four inducted into region business hall of fame
March 22, 2013 7:00 pm PhotosPhotos
Lugar honored for lifetime of service
March 22, 2013 3:17 pm PhotosPhotos
Latest News
NWI economy takes only baby steps out of recession
Northwest Indiana's economic performance remained largely flat in March, but observers are taking heart in gains in individual business sectors and overall in the last 12 months.
NWI economy may finally catch recovery wave
Northwest Indiana could begin to feel the effects of the national economic recovery in six months, with the NWI Leading Index forecasting weak but positive growth ahead, according to Micah Pollak, an assistant professor of economics at IU Northwest.
Four inducted into region business hall of fame
MERRILLVILLE | Four company leaders received the region's most prestigious business honor Friday: induction into the Northwest Indiana Business and Industry Hall of Fame.
March 22, 2013 7:00 pm PhotosPhotos
Lugar honored for lifetime of service
MERRILLVILLE | Former U.S. Sen. Dick Lugar attributes his four decades of negotiating success with national and international leaders in part to the skills he learned on his earliest campaign trips to Northwest Indiana.
March 22, 2013 3:17 pm PhotosPhotos
The Times selects NWI business hall of fame Class of 2013
Celebrated for their business acumen and community involvement, four local business leaders will be inducted into the Northwest Indiana BusINess and Industry Hall of Fame later this month.
March 03, 2013 12:00 am PhotosPhotos
Richard Lugar's next chapter: A Q&A with Indiana's longest-serving U.S. senator
WASHINGTON | Richard Lugar takes a seat at a well-worn circular conference table. In an office filled with shiny, new fixtures, it's a notable relic from his 36-year career in the Senate.
March 03, 2013 12:00 am PhotosPhotos
Following and leading: Luke Oil CEO credits others for company’s success
He’s the chief executive office of a company that has grown to $1 billion in annual sales, but Tom Collins Sr. gives others the credit for that accomplishment.
March 03, 2013 12:00 am PhotosPhotos
HALL OF FAME: Stephen Teibel serves up success
Stephen Teibel is the third generation of his family to own and manage the successful Schererville restaurant that first opened at the corner of U.S. 30 and U.S. 41 in 1929.
March 03, 2013 12:00 am PhotosPhotos
Edgewater Systems leader helps organization, youth reach place of growth, change
At first, Danita Johnson Hughes was a bit hesitant to take the lead at Edgewater Systems for Balanced Living in Gary.
March 03, 2013 12:00 am PhotosPhotos
An inside look at cabin revival
A number of vehicles on display at this year’s Chicago Auto Show will find their way onto perspective buyers’ shopping lists. But like a pair of shoes, not all cars are a good fit for everyone.
February 08, 2013 12:00 am PhotosPhotos
Midsize cars go mainstream
Midsize cars are back in vogue - represented by nearly all manufacturers at the 2013 Chicago Auto Show.
February 08, 2013 12:00 am PhotosPhotos
Small cars champion 40 mpg
The United States once held the auto industry in the palm of its hand, setting the world standard with brand loyalty that stretched across family generations.
February 08, 2013 12:00 am PhotosPhotos
Ford F-Series Super Duty hauls capacity
Pull more, haul more, and do so with confidence. Trade professionals searching for these Triple Crown attributes will like what Ford has engineered into their 2013 F-Series Super Duty truck line.
Classic American Muscle – Born in the U.S.A.
Last year there were major concerns regarding the future of high performance motors as the U.S. Department of Transportation and Environmental Protection Agency announced requirements for all vehicles to reach a fuel economy criteria of 54.5 …
February 08, 2013 12:00 am PhotosPhotos
Utility vehicles carry lifestyle flexibility
Today’s active lifestyle consumer demands the flexibility of the crossover utility vehicle and sport utility vehicle segment.
February 08, 2013 12:00 am PhotosPhotos
2013 Auto Show: If you go
The 2013 Chicago Auto Show: If you go
Merging into future transportation
If you feel the sense of déjà vu walking into Chicago's McCormick Place South during the next 10 days, you're not alone.
February 08, 2013 12:00 am PhotosPhotos
Chicago showcases North America’s award winners
Putting your best foot forward comes in pairs, as the Chicago Auto Show displays the 2013 Cadillac ATS sedan and 2013 Ram 1500 pickup as this year’s winners of the North American Car and Truck of the Year.
February 08, 2013 12:00 am PhotosPhotos
Chevrolet and GMC trucks haul future appeal
Like a race horse owner with two new untested thoroughbreds in the stable, General Motors’ Chevrolet and GMC truck divisions are chomping at the bit to trot out the all-new 2014 Silverado and 2014 Sierra 1500 pickups expected at this year’s C…
Concept vehicles drive future design
Vehicle sales in 2012 showed a 13.4 percent increase over the previous year, resulting in 14.5 million cars and light trucks sold in the United States. Manufacturers anticipate this sales trend to continue in 2013.
February 08, 2013 12:00 am PhotosPhotos
Hybrid-electric vehicles power up
Gasoline prices topped out over $4 per gallon across the nation last year, gaining the attention of Chicago consumers, which accelerated sales of Hybrid-Electric vehicles.
February 08, 2013 12:00 am PhotosPhotos
Technology accelerates Chicago show
Today’s automotive technology comes in all shapes and forms. Its innovation continues to accelerate and plays a major role in providing consumers with many new safety and convenience features.
February 08, 2013 12:00 am PhotosPhotos
Apps, technology drive industry changes at Chicago Auto Show
CHICAGO | Siri is set to move from the phone in your pocket to the dashboard of your car.
February 07, 2013 5:18 pm PhotosPhotos
NWI economic forecast sees better days ahead
A Northwest Indiana economy that has been idling along in neutral for the past year could finally shift into gear within six months, according to the most recent reading from the NWI Leading Index.
THE TIMES BOARD OF ECONOMISTS: No economic tonic for uncertainty
Northwest Indiana business executives are seeing the signs of a sustained -- yet slow -- economic recovery in the region this year. But the 22-member Times Board of Economists is split on how quickly challenges such as elevated unemployment w…
COMMERCE: Porter County still reaping development interest from hospital
The location of Porter Regional Hospital in Liberty Township has spurred development interest in other businesses in the area, said Valparaiso economic development official Rex Richards.
Cashless purchases push past greenbacks at checkouts
Consumers' use of credit and debit cards continues to increase at Northwest Indiana shops, gas stations and restaurants.
January 27, 2013 12:00 am PhotosPhotos
Hold the fries: Obamacare may drive up fast-food costs
Next year's order of a burger, fries and pop could cost more, as the fast food industry braces for the impact of the Affordable Care Act.
AUTOMOTIVE: Auto sales reflecting boost in economic activity
Light vehicle sales in the United States rising 13.4 percent in 2012 from a year earlier shows that the industry continues to show improvements from the depths of the recession, said automobile dealership owner Tim Roper.
RETAIL: See-saw sales patterns define 2012
Retail performance during the 2012 holiday shopping season was largely disappointing because of expectations formed based on sales early in the year, Joshua Halpern said.
MANUFACTURING: Choppy recovery causing turbulence in sector
Manufacturing activity in the United States is following a similarly volatile pattern as it continues to recover from the impact of the Great Recession.
INVESTMENTS: Stay in it for the long term
Sticking to your goals and thinking long term remain more important than ever, as the panicked din of the media and pundits grows louder and louder.
FUEL: Gas prices press consumers
Record high average gasoline prices nationally in 2012 following on record prices the year before have big implications for retailers and the U.S. economy.
EDUCATION: Enrollments roll with economy
Enrollments remain strong at local colleges as the economy recovers ever so slowly, with large uncertainties such as the fiscal cliff still looming, according to Micah Pollak, Indiana University Northwest assistant professor of economics.
MEDIA: NWI market strong, national not so much
The media market in Northwest Indiana has proven resilient, with revenues generally up over 2012, according to Leigh Ellis, president of Radio One Communications.
RESTAURANTS: Unknowns give industry the jitters
Restaurants throughout the nation are dealing with higher food costs and the uncertainties surrounding Obamacare, which are expected to hit the industry particularly hard.
GOVERNMENT: Challenges loom on all fronts
Local governments across the state cut expenditures and tightened their belts in response to the recession and due to Indiana's tax caps, so operating margins are now razor thin.
SMALL RETAIL: Better times have yet to take hold
Retailers saw a 2012 holiday shopping season in line with expectations, which have been taken down a notch ever since the 2008 recession and remain that way.
REAL ESTATE: Buyers starting to "move up"
There is again interest in building new homes, and buyers of both new and existing homes are again looking to "move up" to something better.
ENERGY: New discoveries shifting energy landscape
Shifts in how and where the United States gets its energy is driving big changes in the utility industry and the national economy as a whole.
CASINOS: Gaming boats withstand cross-border competition
Northwest Indiana gaming boats are well positioned for new competition from other states, but could use some thoughtful actions by state legislators to stay on a steady course.
CONSTRUCTION: Big projects still driving force in NWI
Construction in Northwest Indiana continues to rebound strongly from the recession, buoyed by big projects like the $3.8 billion BP refinery expansion and smaller ones such as hospital and health care upgrades, said William Hasse III, preside…
TRANSPORTATION: Uneven 2011 has railroads hoping for better
After a strong recovery in the immediate aftermath of the recession, the resurgence of rail transport has slowed its momentum, with national freight carriers reporting an uneven performance throughout last year.
BANKING: Better economy lifts bank earnings
Northwest Indiana bank executive David Rose said income statements of many banks around the country remain better than they were a few years ago as a result of improved economic conditions.
LABOR: NWI missing out on state job gains
Although local union leader Jim Robinson said the economy "seems" to be getting better, there isn't a large share of job growth occurring in Northwest Indiana, especially within the manufacturing sector.
NONPROFITS: Industry a significant part of NWI's economic engine
The nonprofit community is a significant part of the economic engine in Northwest Indiana, Harry Vande Velde III said.
AGRICULTURE: Local farmers escaped worst of drought
A record drought wilted crops across parts of the country last season, and apple orchards bore less fruit because of weather abnormalities.
HEALTH CARE: Affordable Care Act's impact to be determined
The ground is shifting underfoot in health care, and leaders in the industry are trying to determine the local impact of elements of the Affordable Care Act.
CONSUMERS: Opportunists working to profit from East Coast tragedies
Con artists are continuing to use seemingly philanthropic ventures to profit from tragedies occurring late in 2012 such as Hurricane Sandy and the Newtown, Conn., school shooting, said Gail Zurek.
GROCERY: Competition, costs driving consolidation within segment
Conditions within the grocery segment are encouraging the trend of smaller chains of stores selling out to become part of larger "super-independent" ones, said Dave Wilkinson.
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In This Issue
Videos
Tom Sourlis: Northwest Indiana Business and Industry Hall of Fame
Tom Sourlis is one of the Class of 2013 inductees to the Northwest Indiana Business and Industry Hall of Fame.
Danita Johnson Hughes: Northwest Indiana Business and Industry Hall of Fame
Danita Johnson Hughes is one of the Class of 2013 inductees to the Northwest Indiana Busines…
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