The Grant County Economic Growth Council recognized 81 businesses Friday for investing in Grant County in 2006, the most since the group started giving out awards in 2000.
Altogether, the 81 businesses invested $89 million into the county, said Tim Eckerle, executive director of the council. "That's what this is all about, the vitality," Eckerle said of the diversity of the businesses.
The awards, which were given out at the Business Investment Luncheon at the Meshingomesia Country Club, recognize every business that made at least $50,000 in new capital investment in the county.
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It includes some of the big hitters, such as the Wal-Mart distribution center, but it also includes one-employee firms.
The previous record for the number of businesses investing in Grant County was in 2005, when 80 businesses were recognized. Although in that year the dollars invested was much more - $207 million, largely thanks to General Motors - there was still excitement Friday over the latest bit of positive economic news for the county.
"It's just exciting what was accomplished in 2006," Gas City Mayor Larry Leach said. "I really believe it's just an omen of things to come."
Leach said it was also another sign that the economy is continuing to heal.
For Nancy Battieger, who owns Victory Lanes, 801 E. Main St., Gas City, the investment came as a way to help the town keep growing.
"It was a change that the town needed, and we knew that we could make a positive change in that business," she said.
In a general sense, the investments will help bring more jobs and spending to Grant County, said Tom Lehman, professor of economics at Indiana Wesleyan University.
However, the biggest effect of the investment is the money going into other businesses in the economy. More money means more productivity, which is good news for workers, he said.
"(Higher output) translates into higher wages down the road," Lehman said.
Economic growth can't be sped up, though, he said.
"It's a process that requires a lot of patience," Lehman said. "Economic growth does not happen with the waving of a magic wand."
When talking with prospective businesses, though, the recent investment by other companies will act as a good selling point, Marion Mayor Wayne Seybold said.
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These 81 businesses were recognized Friday for investing at least $50,000 in new capital, for a total of $89 million, into the economy in 2006:
- Able Ambulance
- ACS
- Active Properties LLC
- Advance Auto
- Advance Cabinet Systems
- Affordable Housing Corp.
- Agricor
- Aldi
- American Mobile Power
- American Woodmark
- Angel Coating Inc.
- Asplane LLC
- AT&T
- Atlas Foundry
- Avis Industrial Corp.
- Blu 49
- Bradner Village Health Care Center
- Carey Services
- Central Indiana Ethanol
- Central Industrial Contractors
- Ceres Midland
- Circle K Midwest
- Crandall Engineering
- CVS Pharmacy
- Daddy-O's
- Eastern Indiana Wi-Fi
- EPCO
- Fox Run
- Franklin Electric
- French Marion Realty LLC
- General Motors-Marion Metal Center
- Gorman Center for Orthodontics
- Grant County Event Center
- Hoosier Jiffey Print
- Indiana Corrugated Inc.
- Indiana Medical Associates
- Indiana Wesleyan University
- Ivy Tech Community College
- J-Trans Inc.
- JMY Realty
- Jennerjahn Leasing LLC
- Ken Corp./Star Financial Bank
- Lein Corp.
- Lockbourne III LLC
- Marion Business Center LLC
- Marion Service Center
- Marion General Hospital
- Matthews Feed and Grain
- McCrae Development
- Moorehead Communications
- Moorehead Technologies
- Movie Gallery
- Oradat Builders
- Packaging Corp. of America
- Paddock View Residential Center
- Park Avenue Industries
- Peerless Machine & Tool Corp.
- Precision Tool & Die
- Prime Products
- Pro Prints
- Pro Tec
- Ray Harris Chrysler Jeep
- Results Marion
- Ross Machining
- Rox III LLC
- Salin Bank
- Sophie's Ice Cream
- Starbucks
- Stone's Harley Davidson
- Structural Steel
- Subway
- Taylor University
- Tulox Plastic Corp.
- Twoson ESP
- Ty's Soap and Suds
- Victory Lanes
- Wal-Mart distribution center
- Weaver Popcorn
- Winterfield LLC
- YMCA
- Zurcher Tire
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