Carol Johnson, Southern Indiana Business Report
FRENCH LICK – Skylar Whiteman is bringing leadership experience and a passion for the community where she grew up to her new role as executive director of the Orange County Economic Development Partnership.
Whiteman spent about 10 years as an administrator in long-term care facilities across southern Indiana. Her career took her to Bedford, Scottsburg, Evansville, Salem and French Lick.
Whiteman said it was her experience working in French Lick that sparked her interest in elevating Orange County.
“Working in the community where I grew up, I became more invested in the community and wanted to see it grow,” she said. “This is something new, exciting and I’m still helping the community.”
As a long-term care facility administrator, with about 90 employees, she saw firsthand the struggles that many Orange County residents face with finding affordable housing and childcare.
By working on those quality of life and place issues in the realm of economic development, Whiteman said she can bring positive change to those residents.
Whiteman joined the OCEDP office Aug. 21, replacing Kristal Painter. Painter served as the executive director for three years before leaving to join the team at Radius Indiana, the eight-county regional economic development partnership.
“I am extremely confident in Skylar’s leadership and passion for Orange County. She has been a leader in our community for five years and will be able to hit the ground running with all the exciting projects that are taking place in the county!” said Painter, COO of Discover Southern Indiana.
Whiteman said her priorities are getting up to speed on projects such as the planned apartment complex in West Baden, Klondike subdivision, which will provide more affordable housing, and the West Baden park project.
A graduate of Indiana University, where she earned a bachelor’s degree in healthcare management and policy, Whiteman also has an MBA from the University of Southern Indiana. A graduate of Springs Valley High School, she lives in Paoli with her husband Alex, who is group sales manager at the French Lick Resort, and their two sons.
Read on to hear Whiteman’s plans for developing Orange County and improving quality of life and place for all the county’s residents.
Q&A with Skylar Whiteman
Describe your role with your local economic development organization (LEDO)?
I am the Executive Director at OCEDP and my role focuses on building relationships and serving as a resource to help foster the growth and expansion of new and existing businesses, help identify sources of capital, and connecting businesses with workforce development, education, and other resources.
From an economic development standpoint, what are your county’s strengths?
Our ability to assist with partnerships between public and private entities, diverse industries including tourism, hospitality, and manufacturing, and buy in from our communities to look for ways to continue to grow. Orange County and its partners have also shown dedication to development of workforce housing which is crucial.
In what areas could your county improve and what are some areas you are working on?
We are continuing to focus on workforce housing, with the initiative that began with homes in West Baden and is continuing now with homes in French Lick and apartments in West Baden. We hope to find ways to increase workforce housing in Paoli and Orleans, as well. Orange County received designation as an Indiana Healthy Community and we are working to grow the number of AchieveWELL businesses in the county. A group has formed to work toward Paoli becoming a Main Street community to increase downtown development.
What kind of assistance or resources does your LEDO provide to either attract new or grow existing businesses?
We assist with identifying and helping apply for grants, innovative loan programs, hands-on workforce training, workshops and seminars that address every stage of business development, and resource coordination with businesses such as Indiana Economic Development Corporation and Indiana Small Business Development Center.
What are some recent developments in your county?
There have recently been several new business openings including restaurants, wellness, florists, and insurance agencies. We are participating in the new CDL program with Choose Southern Indiana. Possibilities in Paoli is an organization that has started in hopes of Paoli achieving Main Street status. OCEDP will be working with community leaders and Radius to create development opportunities along with Monon South Trail. The West Baden Park Improvement project is underway with a multipurpose trail to allow for Cross Country meets and the addition of ADA accessible roadways and concessions.
Looking to the future, what do you see on the horizon that could influence the direction of your local economy?
I believe that connecting high school students with area businesses through meaningful internships will assist in not only workforce development for skilled positions but will also bring people back to our community that may have otherwise not returned. I think it is great to meet new people and experience new things outside of your hometown and county – there is so much potential for personal growth in doing so – but the simpler pace of life, safety and security of a small community, low cost of living, and beauty of our area are hard to beat and worth coming back for. There are several quality of life projects happening including housing, park improvement, the Monon South trail, and additional event venues like Castle Knoll and Bledsoe Farms.
What is something about your county that most people aren’t aware of or is overlooked?
I think that sometimes locals overlook the amenities we have here, in our county and the surrounding counties, and all that there is to do. There is SO MUCH to do – for individuals, for families, for outdoor enthusiasts, for history lovers, the list goes on and on. Our office has the resources to assist businesses and if we, ourselves, don’t have the resources, we have connections to assist and are willing to do whatever we can. The people in Orange County are willing to work together to make things happen.