The NEI Pioneer Podcast

On this edition of The NEI Pioneer Podcast, Head of MarCom Jonathan Sackett and Vice President of Partnerships & Government Relations Nick Darrah welcome INvets CEO Sarah Harrison and Veteran Engagement Manager Andrew Messmer! They discuss their experiences in the military and transition to civilian life, how INvets can help with that transition, and the continuous evolution of the organizatio...

On this edition of The NEI Pioneer Podcast, Head of MarCom Jonathan Sackett welcomes the CEO & Principal at Design Collaborative, Adam James! Adam has been with Design Collaborative for over 11 years and recently became CEO. He talks about DC's process, work culture, and how they design people-first places. The NEI Pioneer Podcast is a bi-weekly podcast powered by the Northeast Indiana Regiona...

On this edition of The NEI Pioneer Podcast, Head of MarCom Jonathan Sackett welcomes Manchester University president Stacy Young! Young, a '96 alumna, discusses how Manchester has grown since she attended the university, why she came back to be the president of her alma mater, and how she's helping Manchester stand out. The NEI Pioneer Podcast is a bi-weekly podcast powered by the Northeast Indian...

On this edition of The NEI Pioneer Podcast, Marketing Content Producer Callie Herring welcomes Curt Witcher, Director of Special Collections at the ACPL Genealogy Center. Curt walks us through his journey to genealogy, the power of story, and how you can utilize their resources to discover YOUR family history. If you are interested in learning more about your family history, visit: https://www.acp...

On this edition of The NEI Pioneer Podcast, Head of MarCom Jonathan Sackett welcomes Maxwell Krueger, Founder of Playbook Creative Agency. Maxwell discusses his journey from musician to marketer, his thoughts on measuring success, and how Playbook aims to assist local businesses through their services. Playbook Creative Agency is an artist-owned, full-service creative, marketing, and social media...

On this edition of The NEI Pioneer Podcast, Head of MarCom Jonathan Sackett and Digital Content Producer Callie Herring welcome Magali Ort BACK FROM HELL! Magali, Executive Chef at BakerStreet Steakhouse, recently competed in the 23rd season of Hell's Kitchen, which was a head-chef-only season. She discusses what it was like to be on the show, working with Gordon Ramsay, how she got into cooking a...

WARNING: This podcast discusses sensitive topics related to drug use and suicide. If you are experiencing suicidal thoughts, please reach out to the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 988. On this edition of The NEI Pioneer Podcast, Head of MarCom Jonathan Sackett and Copywriter Brice Vance welcome Brandon Butz, Leader of Strategic Partnerships for RemedyLIVE. Brandon discusses everything Rem...

On this edition of The NEI Pioneer Podcast, it's all five hosts! Head of MarCom Jonathan Sackett, Vice President of Regional Initiatives Ryan Twiss, Digital Content Producer Callie Herring, Videographer Hannah Hanagan and Copywriter Brice Vance come together to wrap up the first season of the podcast. The hosts discuss the lessons learned along the way, their favorite stories and guests and what t...

On this edition of The NEI Pioneer Podcast, Head of MarCom Jonathan Sackett and Digital Content Producer Callie Herring are joined by President and Founder of DeBrand Fine Chocolates Cathy Brand-Beere and her daughter and Director of Business Operations of DeBrand Audree Beere. Cathy and Audree discuss the start of DeBrand, working together as a family and what makes DeBrand Fine Chocolates a succ...

On this edition of The NEI Pioneer Podcast, Copywriter Brice Vance and Director of Regional Initiatives Jacob Ihrie welcome Zach Benedict, President of MKM architecture + design. Zach discusses his journey to becoming an architect, the "why" behind MKM and their design philosophy. To learn more about Zach and MKM: https://www.mkmdesign.com/ To watch the video series on MKM and their philosophies:...

On this edition of The NEI Pioneer Podcast, Head of MarCom Jonathan Sackett and Business Development Manager Jackson Long welcome Sabrina Champagne, Director of Employment Tax Credits at Sikich. Sabrina discusses being on the Indiana On Top Tour earlier this year with NEI, working with site consultants and seeing the mistakes made by economic development organizations. To learn more about Sabrina...

On this edition of The NEI Pioneer Podcast, Head of MarCom Jonathan Sackett and Digital Content Producer Callie Herring welcome Ariana McGee, Founder and CEO for Navigate Maternity and 2023 Pioneer of the Year. Ariana discusses her harrowing story of giving birth to her fourth child and how it was the start of her creating Navigate Maternity. To learn more about Ariana and Navigate Maternity: http...

On this edition of The NEI Pioneer Podcast, Head of MarCom Jonathan Sackett and Vice President of Regional Initiatives Ryan Twiss welcome Jeff Ostermann, Senior Vice President and Chief of People & Culture Officer for Sweetwater. Jeff discusses the work culture of one of the biggest organizations in Northeast Indiana, how he balances the two sides of his job and the transition of Chuck Surack...

On this edition of The NEI Pioneer Podcast, videographer Hannah Hanagan and producer Callie Herring welcome Michelle Gladieux, founder of Gladieux Consulting and author of Communicate with Courage: Taking Risks to Overcome. Michelle discusses the process of writing her first book, what "pro moves" are and how to use communication to make a difference. To learn more about Michelle and her organizat...

On this edition of The NEI Pioneer Podcast, Vice President of Regional Initiatives Ryan Twiss and Head of MarCom Jonathan Sackett welcome Charles Marohn, founder and president of Strong Towns. Fresh off the stage of his keynote speech at the NEI SDC Housing Symposium, Charles discusses his organization, the housing crisis debate, and NEI’s housing market potential and how it can meet the need for...

On this edition of The NEI Pioneer Podcast, Head of MarCom Jonathan Sacket and Director of Regional Initiatives Jacob Ihrie welcome Heather Presley-Cowen, President and CEO of Club 720 and a former Pioneer of the Year Nominee. Heather discusses her passion for housing, creating Club 720 and how her organization empowers potential home buyers. To learn more about our Heather: https://www.club720.or...

On this edition of The NEI Pioneer Podcast, Head of MarCom Jonathan Sacket and Business Development Manager Jackson Long welcome Devin Hillsdon-Smith, a Director at Cushman & Wakefield. Devin discusses how his upbringing and law school helps him succeed. Additionally, he highlights how Northeast Indiana is a region that has a lot of will to get things done. Finally, he tells about his podcast,...

On this edition of The NEI Pioneer Podcast, Videographer Hannah Hanagan and Marketing Content Producer Callie Herring welcome Julia Crist, who is a YouTuber, freelancer, influencer and creative from Northeast Indiana. Julia shares her experience being a creative in our region, including how she got started, showcasing authenticity in her videos, dealing with negativity and knowing when to shut the...

On this edition of The NEI Pioneer Podcast, Head of MarCom Jonathan Sackett welcomes John Brooks and Nick Ladig of LC Nature Park. John and Nick tell the story behind the creation of the park, its importance in the ecosystem of nature preservation in Northeast Indiana and how they plan for continued growth of the park. The NEI Pioneer Podcast is a bi-weekly podcast powered by the Northeast Indiana...

On this edition of The NEI Pioneer Podcast, Videographer Hannah Hanagan and Digital Content Producer Callie Herring welcome Zach Vessels, owner of TopSphere Media and the creator of Creator Space. Zach shares his experience being a creative in Fort Wayne, why he started Creator Space and what's next for this venture. The NEI Pioneer Podcast is a bi-weekly podcast powered by the Northeast Indiana R...

On this edition of The NEI Pioneer Podcast, Copywriter Brice Vance welcomes Logan Wiening, Owner and Founder of Old Fort Baseball Co. We discuss how he started his apparel company, the support he has received from people inside and outside of the region and how he has been able to help the local baseball scene. Also, we highlight his Vintage Baseball Showcase on Saturday, June 29. The NEI Pioneer...

On this edition of The NEI Pioneer Podcast, Head of MarCom Jonathan Sackett and Vice President of Regional Initiatives Ryan Twiss welcome Scott Hinderman, Executive Director of Airports for the Fort Wayne International Airport and Smith Field Airport. We discuss how Scott grew up watching crop dusters take off in a sleepy town, more accurately Sleepy Eye, Minnesota, to overseeing one of the most a...

On this edition of The NEI Pioneer Podcast, Head of MarCom Jonathan Sackett and Digital Content Producer Callie Herring welcome Lance Clark, Dean of the Arts and Professor of Digital Media Arts/Film at Huntington University. We discuss Lance's start at Huntington and creating the Digital Media Arts program before conversing about the two feature films he's worked on. The NEI Pioneer Podcast is a b...

On this edition of The NEI Pioneer Podcast, Head of MarCom Jonathan Sackett and Copywriter Brice Vance and welcome Paris McFarthing, President and Co-Founder of Hop River Brewing Company. We discuss losing both of his parents in a short amount of time and how he figured out how to grieve differently each time. Then, we transition to Paris's leadership style and how it's changed over time. Also, hi...

On this edition of The NEI Pioneer Podcast, Copywriter Brice Vance and Head of MarCom Jonathan Sackett welcome the TinCaps' Team President Mike Nutter and VP of Finance Brian Schackow to discuss the culture of their organization, the 15th Season of the TinCaps and Parkview Field and what it means for our region. The NEI Pioneer Podcast is a bi-weekly podcast powered by the Northeast Indiana Region...