Top 10 Business Articles on Valpo.Life in 2025

A lot of business is conducted in Northern Indiana, and GreatNews.Life is there to capture the biggest moments. Whether that’s spotlighting some of the businesses making an impact on the day-to-day lives of those living in Northern Indiana or helping find our readers a home in an ever-expanding market, we’re proud to serve as a leader in business reporting in the area.

2025 saw a lot of focus placed on the people who help production run throughout Northern Indiana. New ventures were introduced, old ones were reacquainted, and a special spotlight shone on the employees who make every successful business work.

In no particular order, here are the Top 10 business articles on Valpo.Life to recap the good news in 2025!

Grieger’s Motor Sales brings 60 years of locally-owned service as Valpo’s Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep and RAM dealer

For nearly 60 years, Grieger’s Motor Sales has served Valparaiso and Northwest Indiana at-large as one of the nation’s top Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep and RAM dealerships. Grieger’s is family-owned and operated and committed to doing right by the community and its residents.

“Dave Rodgers has owned the store for over 20 years and has worked here for closer to 40,” Brad Hallal, general manager of Grieger’s, said. “The family grew up going to Valpo schools, grandkids go there now. There are a lot of businesses that say they’re family or locally owned, but this is truly our business. It’s what we do – a single dealership, and it’s our livelihood. We depend on making our customers happy.”

Vale Park Animal Hospital’s Dr. Jerry Rodenbarger promotes health, happiness among animals large and small

As the former owner of Vale Park Animal Hospital, Dr. Jerry Rodenbarger, associate veterinarian and primary surgeon at Vale Park Animal Hospital, has long played an instrumental role in ensuring that local pets are healthy and have a good quality of life. Dr. Rodenbarger stays busy and alternates between treating small animals at the hospital and driving all over Northwest Indiana to check on his horse patients throughout the week. Dr. Rodenbarger remains committed to offering his patients – no matter what kind – the best care possible.

“Our mantra at Vale Park Animal Hospital has always been to prioritize making the client happy and to act in the best interests of their pet,” Dr. Rodenbarger said. “Focus on being there for the people and their pets when they need you, and the business aspect of your practice will take care of itself. If you treat clients the way you would want to be treated and you treat their pet as if he or she was your own, you’ll get along with the majority of pet owners that you work with.”

VNA Hospice NWI celebrates staff, volunteers and community at annual dinner banquet

For more than half a century, VNA Hospice NWI has been assisting seniors in Northwest Indiana with hospice care and the Meals on Wheels program. The organization hosted its Annual Dinner and Awards banquet on Monday, March 3, at the Porter County Expo Center. 

Maria Galka, director of development with VNA Hospice NWI, looks forward to this annual dinner and honoring new faces that support the organization.

“The big purpose of the annual dinner is to thank all the people who made last year possible,” Galka said. “It’s a great opportunity for us to show our appreciation for the staff, volunteers and our supporters. We present our annual report from the past fiscal year and look forward to what’s coming in the new year.”

Valparaiso Economic Development Corporation and the Valparaiso Parks Department build a stronger Valparaiso

Valpo Parks has long been the heart of Valparaiso, offering over 750 acres and 22 facilities where residents can relax, play, and connect. Understanding that parks improve lives and drive an economy, the Valparaiso Economic Development Corporation (VEDC) has long worked with Valpo Parks to create the perfect partnership.

According to the VEDC, well-designed public spaces significantly enhance the city’s attractiveness to businesses, talent, and residents – a philosophy that has guided their collaborative efforts with the Parks Department.

Team Chevrolet Valparaiso celebrates 14 staff members who have two or more years of service at the dealership

Whether they work in the sales department, at the parts counter, or in the service bay, each member of Team Chevrolet Valparaiso’s staff commits to providing customers with the highest level of service possible. The majority of the dealership’s staff have been members of the Team Chevy family for two years or more. During their time there, they have all helped make Team Chevy one of the most trusted and reliable car dealerships in Valparaiso and Northwest Indiana.   

NITCO’s Gray and Schoenbeck keep community connected with decades of experience

When it comes to providing quality service, NITCO is supported by long-term, experienced employees like Plant Superintendent Gary Gray and Project Manager Don Schoenbeck. Both beginning their careers with NITCO in the ‘80s, Gray and Schoenbeck use their decades of experience to provide their teams with the support needed to deliver excellence.

“My big joke to everyone is that I came here when we were a phone company, and now we’re an internet company,” Schoenbeck said. “Gary and I got here before we even started putting any fiber in the ground. I’ve walked and permitted every inch of it. We both know where every inch of it is within and outside the territory, so people come to us with a lot of questions.”

BucherTech set to open applications for annual nonprofit IT Grant program – over $77K in goods & services awarded since 2019

Summer is just around the corner, which means Bucher Technologies (BucherTech) is preparing for another round of its annual Grant Program. The Valparaiso-based IT and managed service provider distributed $25,000 in IT products and services to nonprofits across Northwest Indiana last year, and is targeting a similar total for 2025.

BucherTech President and Co-Owner Tim Bucher launched the program in 2019. Decades of work in the Region’s IT sector had shown him that many of the area’s nonprofits were struggling, getting by as what he calls “IT paupers.” Many work with outdated software, decades old computers and phone systems, and countless other problems that they simply lack the budget, time, or technical expertise to solve.

Local CVA, CVB travel guides and more set for smooth delivery with help from Flanagin’s

Northern Indiana offers a nonstop lineup of entertainment throughout the year – especially during the peak of summer – with county fairs, Festival of the Lakes, Art Beat, LakeFest, farmers markets, and more. With so much excitement on the radar now and in the months to come, tourism companies are on a mission to get the word out about it all through guides, newsletters, and other media to keep everyone informed about what’s in store for their area. 

Given the need to distribute this information to hundreds of thousands, many of these companies rely on Flanagin’s Bulk Mail Service to efficiently handle the large-scale mailings, ensuring that the community and visitors alike remain well-informed about local attractions and events.

CertaPro Painters of Northwest Indiana Google reviews back up claims of excellence

CertaPro Painters of Northwest Indiana has been operating in the Region for almost a decade, and in that time the business has formed a strong, trusting relationship with its clients. This is evidenced by the fact that CertaPro recently surpassed 780 Google reviews with an overall rating of 4.8/5.

“It’s surreal to be blessed with customers who take time out of their day to leave a review,” said CertaPro President and Owner John Jordan. “Sometimes, as a customer myself, it’s hard to take the time to leave a review on everything, so I certainly feel really proud of my team for putting us in position to earn customer reviews.”

Larson-Danielson Construction turns teamwork into community impact

Larson-Danielson Construction has been a trusted name in the Region for decades. Since its inception, it has defined community involvement as a blend of financial generosity and hands-on service.

“For the past five generations, we have firmly held the belief that there’s always time to give back, whether it’s with our time or our talent,” said Heather CyGan, Human Resources Generalist at Larson-Danielson Construction.

Fourth-generation owner and the company’s previous President, Tim Larson agrees that supporting the community has always been a critical part of Larson-Danielson Construction.