Behind the Region - podcast cover

Behind the Region

South Bend Regional Chamberwww.sbrchamber.com
What’s happening to spur economic vitality in the South Bend, Indiana, Region, and surrounding areas? And who are the people behind these efforts? We'll dive deeper beyond the headlines to keep you informed on the people and businesses making things happen in the region. You’ll hear casual and candid conversations with real people—business and community leaders driving the region forward. Hear authentic, unscripted stories from entrepreneurs, business owners, elected officials, and more!
Last refreshed:
Follow this podcast in the Metacast mobile app to refresh it and see new episodes.
Download Metacast podcast app
Podcasts are better in Metacast mobile app
Don't just listen to podcasts. Learn from them with transcripts, summaries, and chapters for every episode. Skim, search, and bookmark insights. Learn more

Episodes

Gary Fox | Retired Corporate Development Managing Partner, Crowe

Send us a text Gary is this year's winner of the Distinguished Business Leader award at our annual Salute to Business luncheon. Gary will tell us his secret to success, as he helped Crowe grow to the firm it is today. How he built the amazing culture that Crowe is known for, how he recruited top talent, and what he is doing now, as he navigates retirement....

Jun 20, 202527 minSeason 3Ep. 26

Scott Brewer | Senior Vice President of Government Affairs & Community Relations, and Security, Four Winds Casinos

Send us a text Scott will give us a history lesson about the Pokagon Band of the Potawatomi Indians. He will discuss how Four Winds is more than just casinos and the significant economic impact they have on the region. Scott also tells us about new developments on the horizon as they continue to expand their business ventures, both within and outside the casinos....

Jun 13, 202529 minSeason 3Ep. 25

Andrea Short | President & CEO, 1st Source Bank

Send us a text Andrea will tell us about the long history of 1st Source Bank, her journey to the corner office and what the future of banking looks like.

Jun 06, 202526 minSeason 3Ep. 24

Janet Horvath | Attorney, Athora Law Group

Send us a text Janet will tell us how the decision was made to leave being an associate at an existing law firm and venture out on her own. What is the meaning behind the Athora name? What kind of law do they specialize in, and how is it being a managing partner in this ever-changing industry, thanks to things like AI?

May 30, 202525 minSeason 3Ep. 22

Chris Sharp & Jack Wilkinson | Founders, Sharp Wilkinson

Send us a text Chris and Jack will discuss their paths, how they met, and why they decided to open their own marketing agency. What separates them from other marketing firms? What's important to them as they continue to grow by attracting and retaining top talent? And why was it important to them to set up shop in one of South Bend's most iconic buildings? . .

May 23, 202529 minSeason 3Ep. 21

Dan Gartee | CEO, Orthopedic & Sports Medicine Center - OSMC

Send us a text Dan will tell us how OSMC got started and how it's expanding to help serve the medical needs of St. Joseph County. Dan will also discuss how they are embracing technology to ensure patients and even non-patients have the very best information and care at their fingertips.

May 16, 202525 minSeason 3Ep. 20

Jeff Jarnecke, Executive Director | Alyson Herzig, Director of Economic Development | Visit South Bend Mishawaka & South Bend Regional Chamber

Send us a text This week, we give you a Chamber update as we sit down with our team members, Jeff Jarnecke and Alyson Herzig. Jeff is the Executive Director of Visit South Bend Mishawaka and will fill us in on what's new in the destination marketing and tourism space. Alyson has key updates on construction projects, big and small, going on in the area....

May 09, 202531 minSeason 3Ep. 19

Larry & Sherry Swank, Founders | Jeanie Shuck, Executive Director | JWAS Foundation

Send us a text Get ready for a powerful episode, as Larry and Sherry tell us the heartbreaking story of how the JWAS Foundation came to be, and how they have taken an unimaginable tragedy and turned it into something amazing for families, and specifically children throughout Michiana. Jeanie will tell us exactly what the foundation does, their success, and future plans....

May 02, 202535 minSeason 3Ep. 18

Amanda Miller Kelley | President & CEO, WNIT-PBS Michiana

Send us a text Amanda will tell us about her interesting career path and how it led to the corner office. She will talk about the history of public broadcasting, not just nationally but also here in Michiana, and how the future looks.

Apr 25, 202528 minSeason 3Ep. 17

Kierstin Eifler | CEO, Ronald McDonald House Charities of Michiana

Send us a text Kierstin will tell us precisely what RMHC is and does, the local history of the house, and how it came to be. What plans are being made to make it an even better resource for the community, and how can you get involved?

Apr 11, 202526 minSeason 3Ep. 15

Emilie Utigard | Executive Director, Children's Museum of South Bend

Send us a text Emilie will discuss the sweet reason why she started the museum, what you can expect when walking through the doors, and what her future hopes and dreams are for the museum. Annie Johnson, a member of the Board of Directors, will also join us and share her vision.

Apr 04, 202527 minSeason 3Ep. 14

Craig Heatherly | Risk Advisor & Former D1 Collegiate Basketball Coach

Send us a text Craig was a standout basketball player at Mishawaka High School and a D1 College Basketball Coach. He will talk about when he knew it was time to give up coaching, what went into the decision to hang up his whistle, and how he knew what was next. Craig also talks about what makes an amazing company like Gibson even better and how they have achieved all its success....

Mar 28, 202527 minSeason 3Ep. 13

Cale Bolinger | General Manager, Knollwood Country Club

Send us a text Cale will tell us what changes to expect since the club is now under new ownership. He will also describe his path to becoming the general manager of a country club, and we will see if he can give Jeff some tips to improve his short game.

Mar 21, 202528 minSeason 3Ep. 12

Jay Mattern | Owner, President & CEO, Villing & Company

Send us a text As a marketing firm, Jay will discuss the state of marketing today and how Villing & Company keeps up with the ever-changing industry landscape. Jay will also talk about what went into the decision to buy a marketing firm, shortly after retiring from owning a successful staffing agency, especially not knowing much about running a marketing firm. Jay will also talk about attracting and retaining employees in this demanding and ever-changing industry....

Mar 14, 202527 minSeason 3Ep. 11

Ryan Matthys | Managing Partner, RSM

Send us a text Ryan will tell us, as a hometown boy, why he chose to stay in South Bend to raise his family, and some of the changes he has seen over the years. He will tell us what steps he takes to attract and retain his top talent. Why is it important to Ryan to give back so much to the community, especially as a member of the Board of Directors at the chamber, and how does he view his role as Board Chair?...

Mar 07, 202528 minSeason 3Ep. 10

Joe McGuire | CEO, Pure Green Farms

Send us a text Did you know there is a pretty good chance that the lettuce you are eating is grown right here in South Bend? Joe will tell us how that works. He will also talk about how he attracts and retains his specialized team, and what are the future plans for Pure Green Farms.

Feb 28, 202527 minSeason 3Ep. 9

Justin Reinke | Owner & President, HGR Group

Send us a text Justin will tell us what it's like to run a 4th generation construction business. With all the projects they are involved in, how do they attract and retain their top talent. And what does the construction industry's future look like in St. Joseph County?

Feb 21, 202527 minSeason 3Ep. 8

Jason Osterhage | President & CEO, Everwise Credit Union

Send us a text Jason will tell us about his journey from big city credit unions to South Bend, and why he chose to call Michiana home. He will talk about the rebranding of Teachers Credit Union to Everwise, and why the change. Jason will also tell us a very cool story about the role TCU, at the time, played in naming the Michiana Region.

Feb 14, 202527 minSeason 3Ep. 7

Andrew Shackleford | Location Manager, That 1 Painter

Send us a text Andrew will tell us the pros and cons of working for a franchise. What separates them from other painters in the area and how do they attract and retain their top painting talent?

Feb 07, 202528 minSeason 3Ep. 6

Regina Emberton | Chief Executive Officer, ChoiceLight, Inc

Send us a text We will learn what ChoiceLight, Inc is, and how the idea for ChoiceLight was way ahead of its time. Regina is also very active in helping to restore downtown South Bend, by buying old buildings and bringing them back to their glory, and she will tell us why that is so important to her.

Jan 31, 202529 minSeason 3Ep. 5

Matt Metzger | Co-Founder & Owner, Leadership Tap

Send us a text Matt tells us his journey from giving up his regular paycheck to fulfilling his dream of starting his own company with his friend Josh. What challenges do they face, and how do they overcome those challenges? .

Jan 24, 202527 minSeason 3Ep. 4

Mark Tarner | Owner & President, The South Bend Chocolate Company

Send us a text Mark Talks about how a guy who makes candy, has branched out into the restaurant industry. He will also tell us about his interesting hobby, and how that led him to building a museum to share his hobby with the public.

Jan 17, 202530 minSeason 3Ep. 3

Joe Hart | President, South Bend Cubs

Send us a text Joe discusses all the renovations happening this off-season at Four Winds Field and what fans can expect next season and beyond. He tells us why, after 30 years in baseball, he is still running a single-A Club in South Bend, Indiana. Here is a hint: it's because he wants to. What is the behind-the-scenes magic that makes Four Winds Field more special than any other ball park in America?...

Jan 11, 202530 minSeason 3Ep. 2

Randy Kelly | Executive Director, Leadership South Bend-Mishawaka

Send us a text The program, founded in 1974, just celebrated its 50th anniversary. For the first 41 years, it was a Chamber program. In 2015, it elected to leave the Chamber and go out on its own. Randy will tell us about the program and how it has transformed since its days with the chamber.

Jan 04, 202531 minSeason 3Ep. 1

Julio De La Cruz | Owner, DLX Studios

Send us a text Julio has an interesting path on how he got to where he is today, experiencing both success and failure, and he will tell us about both. He talks about as a business owner, how you overcome failure and how you have the strength and drive to keep going, and the courage to do it all over again.

Dec 27, 202413 minSeason 2Ep. 41

Rich Carlton | President & CEO, Aunalytics

Send us a text Rich will tell us what Aunalytics does in the I.T. space. How do they keep up with this ever-changing industry, and how do they attract and retain their top talent, especially with new, national brand competition coming into the market?

Dec 20, 202426 minSeason 2Ep. 41

Josh Gobel | Owner, Gobel's Commercial Cleaning Service

Send us a text Josh tells us about his journey from law enforcement into entrepreneurship. How he went from owning one company to several within a very short period of time, and all from different industries. With a company that is constantly growing, how does Josh attract and retain his talent?

Dec 14, 202428 minSeason 2Ep. 40

Kristian Stankiewicz | Founder & CEO, MAKS Plastics

Send us a text Kristian's journey to owning MAKS Plastics is interesting, and he will tell us about it. He will also tell us why he owns MAKS Plastics and why he comes to work invigorated, and it's probably not for the reasons you think. He also has a dedicated and loyal staff, and he will tell us his secret to attracting and retaining his top talent.

Dec 06, 202427 minSeason 2Ep. 39

Anne Witsken | Director of Marketing & Area Manager, StretchLab

Send us a text Anne will explain StretchLab and its health benefits. There are only seven StretchLabs in Indiana, so what led to us getting one here in Granger? How does StretchLab attract and retain specialized talent in such a niche market?

Nov 29, 202416 minSeason 2Ep. 38
Hosted on Buzzsprout
For the best experience, listen in Metacast app for iOS or Android