From left are Logan McDonald, KLA cadet, sponsored by IMD; Dr. John Teevan, envoy to the president of Grace College and Seminary; David Findlay, president and CEO of Lake City Bank; Rob Parker, president and CEO of the Kosciusko Chamber of Commerce; and Chad Hummel, KLA cadet, sponsored by Lutheran Kosciusko Hospital. Photo provided by Liz Trinh Dewart.

News Release

WARSAW — The Kosciusko Leadership Academy cadets visited the Syracuse Community Center, Tuesday, Jan. 17, where they learned about the economics of Kosciusko County.

David Findlay, president and CEO of Lake City Bank, presented macro-economic with a focus on banking. Lake City has been in business for 150 years and started in Warsaw. Findlay explained how local banking matters to community development through a commitment to investing in the community. Banks provide a safe place for depositors to keep their money and they also provide loans to help businesses expand in the community.

Rob Parker, president and CEO of the Kosciusko Chamber of Commerce and executive director of the Warsaw Community Development Corporation, presented on how chambers of commerce serve businesses in the community by providing business counseling and education, advocacy at the state government and networking. Parker spoke about crowd-funded projects like the fireplace in front of the ice-skating rink and the alley way in downtown Warsaw. These projects are funded by the chamber, community donations and state-matching funds; no tax dollars were used. Kosciusko Chamber of Commerce is a nonprofit entity and is 111 years old in the county.

Dr. John Teevan presented an overview of both the history and current state of economics in Kosciusko County. “It was originally the railroad that put this county on the map,” said Teevan. The railroad arrived in 1859. He mentioned a number of businesses that came down from Chicago, Ill., including Dalton Foundry, Da-Lite Screen, RR Donnelley and Arnolt. The economic growth in Kosciusko County has followed what Teevan described as the economic pyramid of growth, moving from an agriculture and textile-based economy through manufacturing and into an education, technology and knowledge-based economy. Teevan said that a continued focus on research and development, finance and medical services, which are at the top of the pyramid, is the key to continued economic success.

The next KLA session will cover healthcare in Kosciusko County Feb. 7, at the Lutheran Kosciusko administration classroom.