Carol Johnson, Southern Indiana Business Report
Make My Move, a talent attraction program based in Indiana, is spotlighting Radius Indiana’s Choose Southern Indiana talent attraction program with a new promotional video.
The video features two families – the Bennetts and the Hasselbrings – who left warm climates for southern Indiana’s rolling hills, friendly communities and abundant natural resources.
The Hasselbrings moved to Dubois County with their two children from Malibu, California. Adam and Ari Bennett moved with their daughter Monica to Orange County from Costa Rica. The video follows the Bennetts enjoying lunch at the Bagel Bistro in West Baden and both families enjoying a day at Patoka Lake.
They are among the dozens of families that have relocated to one of the eight Radius counties through the Choose Southern Indiana incentive program.
Affordability, relaxed pace and rural lifestyle are some of the reasons families are choosing southern Indiana.
The Bennetts traded two seasons – rainy and dry – for four seasons when they left Costa Rica in 2021.
“The most beautiful thing I’ve seen is the fall,” said Ari. “I wasn’t expecting all the colors in the fall.”
In Costa Rica, they lived in a condo. Here, they have a home with a yard. Adam said being able to purchase a home was a key factor in moving to the area.
“Now she has a home where she can decorate, do whatever she wants,” Adam said.
Ari added that she didn’t want to live in a large city and she feels at home in the small communities of Orange County. She works as a preschool teacher and Adam works in construction.
For the Hasselbrings, they were looking for strong schools, an active faith community, and a safe place where their kids could grow and build life-long relationships.
“We have really enjoyed getting to explore the outdoors – hiking trails, skiing, and days at the lake are all a short drive away. We are surrounded by parks, tennis courts, and golf courses,” said Rachel Hasselbring. “Dubois County has so much to offer, and people take so much pride in everything they do. The county invests in its communities and its residents, continually improving and updating facilities, creating opportunities for growth without sacrificing its old-world charm.”
Kristal Painter, Choose Southern Indiana program manager, worked with Make My Move to produce the video that would offer testimonials of movers and show potential movers the beauty of southern Indiana.
“The natural beauty is a surprise because people think all of Indiana is flat,” Painter said. “They don’t know about the national forest and the many natural resources and state parks. In January, we invited our new movers to hike Hemlock Cliffs. They loved it and were excited to explore somewhere new.”
Relocation incentive programs are becoming increasingly popular and are competing for movers.
Painter said the video is an important tool to show potential movers the natural assets, outdoor activities and sense of community in southern Indiana’s small towns.
“We’re still getting lots of interest because of the rural lifestyle and lower cost of living we offer,” she said. “But with the competitive market, we have taken a look at our program and how we can adjust our incentives.”
Radius Indiana launched Choose Southern Indiana in 2021 to incentivize remote workers to move to the region. The program has evolved to offer incentives for workers relocating for jobs in the region from other states and defense sector workers. Choose plans to offer a new incentive program for nurses in 2024.
The program includes a $5,000 incentive, annual State Parks pass, tickets to area attractions and Springs Valley Bank & Trust will deposit $250 if new movers open an account.
Choose Southern Indiana offers quarterly engagement activities for new residents to introduce them to others who have moved to the area.
The Hasselbrings are happy with their decision to move to Indiana.
“We’ve lived in some of the most beautiful places in the world and I honestly think Dubois County is certainly among the top places we’ve ever been,” said Andy Hasselbring.
Choose by the numbers
In two years, Choose Southern Indiana has facilitated nearly 60 movers from more than a dozen states. To date, the program has received more than 3,000 applications.
- 56 total movers so far
- 22 of those are remote workers
- 34 joined the workforce
- 4 counties have received movers
- 16 employers in the region have been able to recruit or hire by utilizing Choose Southern Indiana
The video was filmed last summer during a movers meet-up at Patoka Lake and can be viewed at Choose Southern Indiana.