Top 10 Business Articles on NWI.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 NWI.Life to recap the good news in 2025!

NITCO’s Annual Business Bash celebrates business customers throughout Northwest Indiana

On Thursday, January 16, NITCO hosted a business bash at Aberdeen Manor for many businesses throughout Northwest Indiana. The celebration provided people with a chance to browse and learn what the other businesses in attendance were all about.

Marketing Assistant Kimberly Lock believes this annual business party creates a great atmosphere for everyone who makes an appearance.

“This is my second year doing this event,” Lock said. “Last year, we hosted it at Journeyman Distillery for about 150 business customers. We’re trying to go to different areas to bring together our customers and other businesses for an evening where they can mingle and get their names out there. We also do some drawings and giveaways for the people in attendance.”

Purdue Federal Credit Union supports the Region’s experienced and prospective homeowners with a variety of financial support products

For most people, the start of the year is a time of New Year’s resolutions and reflecting on what the future holds. Many individuals also take this opportunity to begin planning out the year’s significant events. For those interested in purchasing a house, January 21 – which is “Own Your Own Home Day” – is an excellent opportunity to begin the planning process. 

Own Your Own Home Day celebrates home ownership and offers those who are interested a chance to learn more about purchasing a home. Purdue Federal offers a variety of loans and other products to assist the Region’s aspiring homeowners along their home-buying journey. 

Oak Partners wealth advisors skate alongside clients and their families at Lace Up Your Skates event

As an organization that specializes in wealth and retirement planning, Oak Partners is in it for the long haul when it comes to building relationships with clients. This means getting to know clients on a personal level, and Oak Partners finds joy in creating opportunities to connect with clients through events like its annual Lace Up Your Skates ice skating party on February 3 from 7 p.m.-9 p.m. at Bulldog Park in Crown Point. 

“Events like this allow us the opportunity to hang out with our clients in an informal setting,” said Crystal DeHaven, Oak Partners director of client engagement. “We get to meet families and have fun. It’s purely social; there’s no economic data today and no hard financial tasks, just pure fun.” 

Design-Build Team of Larson-Danielson Construction and Facet Architecture Brings New York Blower’s Vision to Life

On Tuesday, October 21, New York Blower Company had its grand opening celebration for its substantial new building and park, designed and built by the team of Facet Architecture and Larson-Danielson Construction, at its location at 171 Factory St. in La Porte. After having staff split between multiple buildings, one of the major draws for the new construction was to bring its staff together, as its efficiency and culture rely upon collaboration among various departments.

“The building is there, first and foremost, to put all of our office staff together in one place,” said New York Blower President & CEO Tim O’Hare. “We’re not a work-from-home company. You can’t weld from home. Maybe you can design something from home, but you really can’t do that properly unless you’ve gotten your hands on equipment in the factory. Not only are we a work-from-the-office kind of place, but we also really depend on our culture having a lot of collaboration. You can’t do that when that means running across the street or running over the lab for some engineering people.”

Korellis completes roof restoration work on East Chicago’s historic Levin Building

Restoration work on one of East Chicago’s oldest, and, in its heyday, most beautiful buildings is progressing rapidly.

The Levin Building, located at 3729 Main Street, sits in the heart of the city directly across from Unity Plaza. Originally built about 100 years ago, it features an ornately carved façade with a variety of artwork and insignias – including the namesake “L. Levin.” It has played host to a number of businesses over the years, including a furniture and appliance shop, but the restoration work will see it transformed into a new community gathering place: a banquet hall.

Lake County Economic Alliance celebrates a transformative year at 2025 Annual Meeting

Business leaders, economic developers, and community officials gathered at White Hawk Country Club on Thursday afternoon for Lake County Economic Alliance’s (LCEA) Annual Meeting. Attendees networked, celebrated the year’s achievements, and previewed some projects on the horizon for Lake County.

Members of the LCEA also took the opportunity to conduct some official business, such as re-electing members of the board. It is a busy time for the organization, which is assisting Lake County’s ongoing economic growth while hitting its own organizational milestones. LCEA installed Chris Salatas as President and CEO late last year and is set to welcome Indiana Governor Mike Braun to the Region at an event on April 3. 

Berglund Construction and Powers & Sons Construction Break Ground on Tolleston Opportunity Campus in Gary

On April 23, Berglund Construction, in partnership with Powers & Sons Construction, officially broke ground on the new Tolleston Opportunity Campus in Gary, Indiana. This significant community investment will serve as a collaborative hub for local  organizations, including the Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Northwest Indiana, Methodist Hospitals, the Crossroads YMCA, and the City of Gary. 

The groundbreaking ceremony took place at the John Will Anderson Gary Club and was attended by key community leaders, including Mayor Eddie Melton and Congressman Frank Mrvan. Mayor Melton spoke to the impact of the project, underscoring its importance to the city’s future. 

Data Center in Hammond will fund college scholarships for a generation

A potential data center project in Hammond could deliver exactly what the community hoped for: high-tech jobs, educational opportunities, and a foundation for long-term prosperity. Supported by the Lake County Economic Alliance (LCEA), this isn’t just another development deal—it’s a transformative investment.

The ambitious initiative, spearheaded by Quantum Corridor with support from Mayor Thomas McDermott Jr. and the Hammond Redevelopment Commission, represents a new chapter in the city’s economic story.

Newly renovated Pulaski County Courthouse combines aesthetics with efficiency to reinvigorate hub of Pulaski County

The historic Pulaski County Courthouse in Winamac has stood for over a century as a fixture of the county. During that time, it has seen thousands of visitors pass through its doors. Coupled with the passage of 130 years, the Pulaski County government found itself needing to either renovate and modernize or tear down the courthouse due to safety concerns. Following public reception to the idea, it chose the former.

“There was a proposal to build a substantial expansion to the Justice Center across the street that would vacate the courthouse, leaving the county to decide whether to leave the courthouse empty, find a buyer for it, or demolish it,” said Nathan P. Origer, executive director of the Pulaski County Community Development Commission. “That did not really go over well with the public. At this point, Rowland Designs, the architecture firm being used in the original Justice Center project, received a grant from Indiana Landmarks to perform an in-depth study of the courthouse and provide us with alternative options.”

CertaPro Painters of Northwest Indiana expands commercial division under new leadership

Always looking to support more customers, CertaPro Painters of Northwest Indiana recently promoted Mark Powers to Vice President of Operations to do just that. 

Beginning in December 2024, Powers accepted the role of Vice President after more than 25 years of experience in production, sales, and commercial account management. Powers is stepping into this leadership position with a clear vision for growth and innovation.

“In the Vice President of Operations role, I’m still doing a lot of what I was doing in the past but now taking full control over the commercial division while also coaching and leading our residential and administrative sides of the business,” said Powers.