Where We Landed

We are back! Join the whole team - Alicia, Iris, Kylie, and Scott -as we celebrate 100 episodes and talk about what we have been up to on our break. We also take some time to reflect on the first 100 and look forward to the next 100!

Kylie and Alicia hold down the fort with our 100th guest Micheal Lindsay, President of Taylor University. With stops all along the east coast and southeast, learn how the Lindsay family has landed in Upland Indiana after a special prayer and a sleepless night. Learn how this girl dad spends his time off, about High-Low Buffalo, and what “Hinge Moments” means. What does a University President do to...

Scott, Alicia, and Kylie are joined this week by Cory Simon, the Talent Recruiter for Summers Plumbing Heating and Cooling. Cory is a Gas City boomerang. An Ole Miss grad that was ready to not land in Grant County but here he is and raising his young family in the place where his family landed in 1936. Get ready to learn all you can about this Green Bay Packers owner and budding wedding officiant.

Kelly Scher, Director of Fund Development at Carey Services, joins the show. Scott and Iris learn how Kelly landed in Grant County and it was basically the halfway point for jobs. Listen as we hear why she continues to choose Marion as her home, her passion for growth, and continuing to use the motto from 4-H “ Make the Best, Better”.

Scott, Kylie, and Iris welcome Haley Anderson, Operations Manager at the Convention & Visitors Bureau. Listen in as we learn how Haley became passionate about Grant County. Originally from Columbus, IN, Haley wanted to make Grant County her home. Listen in as we learn how she knew IWU was the place for her, the importance of accessibility for visitors, and areas of opportunity for Grant County...

WWL welcomes Northview Elementary Principal, Amanda Varner to the show. Listen in as we learn how she landed here. Born and raised in Grant county, her calling to servant leadership has kept her rooted in her hometown, along with family and a supportive community. Amanda shares her joys of ‘adventures’ and pursuit to remove the assumption she wants sauce on her sandwich!

Scott and Iris have been left in charge and we have Abel Garcia, owner/operator of Tacos No Mas. Listen in as we learn how Abel made his way to Grant County, how he loves to serve people, and the definition of family is food. He dreams of being able to give back in a grander way… and maybe No Mas Karaoke?

Get Suited & Booted for this interview with Ambra Parker, owner/operator of Parker’s Seafood! Listen in as Iris, Alicia and Kylie learn about how Ambra made her way back home. Ambra shares how the vision of her husband wanting to bring seafood to Marion came to life, what it's like to return to your hometown as an adult, and the differences in raising kids in urban vs rural environment.

Scott, Alicia, and Kylie sit down this week with a Gas City native Mark Atkinson. He boomeranged from Gas City to Macon, GA and back. He is a retired pastor from Eastview Wesleyan Church, father of 4 plus a bonus. Dedicated to cheering everyone on to live their best life, he has built some crazy connections. Learn what is next on the book and bucket list.

On the show today, Alicia, Iris and Scott welcome Brittany Howey, Branch Manager for Star Bank. Brittany shares with us what it was like growing up in Grant County and why she chooses to commute for her job. The group answers some hard questions and Brittany encourages us each to “Be a Scott Miller” when you approach creating new relationships.

Today the group welcomes Michelle Peterson, Chief Marketing Officer of Via Credit Union. Listen in as we learn how Michelle is the luckiest person and loves an Ivanhoe’s strawberry shortcake. She shares how she made it to Grant County, loves how organizations work well together, and does not like escargot.

Continuing our theme of educators in Grant County, Scott, Alicia and Iris welcome retired teacher, Sandi Chapman. Listen in as our favorite science teacher talks about all things - from learning to love Marion through basketball, using fruit flies to understand DNA, and her most favorite part of teaching will always be the students.

Our visits with local educators continues this week as Scott, Alicia, and Kylie chat with Mississinewa High School Principal Rachel Roesch.  Listen in as we hear how Rachel and her family found Grant County, what she loves about her work, and what it's like raising three kids in Gas City!

We continue with our teacher theme as we approach the start of another school year! Kylie, Alicia, and Iris welcome one of their former teachers, Mr. Terry Lakes - and yes, we still call him Mr. Lakes because some habits are hard to break. Listen in as we learn how he discovered that teaching and coaching was for him, as early as an 8th grade student. We learn how he made his way to Marion, coache...

As we head towards the start of the school year, we are kicking off a series with local teachers!  Today we welcome Eastbrook High School engineering teacher, John Ragan. The team dives in to learn all about this Eastbrook and Taylor University grad that decided to give back to his alma mater and begin a state-of-the-art engineering program. Listen as we learn how he moved around, finally calling...

The WWL crew has hit the road! It's the first time we are recording onsite and Greg Tonagel, head coach of IWU Men’s 3 time National Championship basketball team, has invited us into the locker room.  Ya’ll! Scott was starry-eyed!  Listen in as we hear the story of a young basketball coach that made the move to Marion, IN at the encouragement of his younger brother, to take on the role as head coa...

Today, we welcome Josh Feuerstein, owner/operator of Strive Studio and the Loft at Strive, located in downtown Marion. Josh was born in Marion and moved a few times before returning to Marion. Listen in as he shares how his mom and aunt modeled a career of helping, a string of jobs and walking through the open door to become a small business owner.

"It all began in the parking lot of a Winn Dixie”...You have to listen to hear the rest of it! Kylie, Iris, and Scott are excited to welcome Meagan Mathias with the Community Foundation!  Listen in as we learn how it all started, what growing up in Grant County was like and her desire to live where she could walk to work.

Evan King joins Alicia, Scott, and Iris on today’s episode of Where We Landed. Evan is an insurance agent with Health Markets located in downtown Marion. Listen in as we learn how Evan found his way to IWU, interned for the Toledo Mud Hens, and models the level of integrity he learned from his grandpa.

Alicia, Kylie, and Iris welcome James Beyioku - Project Manager at the Grant County Economic Growth Council. This episode is poppin’! James talks about finding his support system and teaches us that there is a cross-fit gym in Upland! Listen in as we learn how James, who was born in LA moved to Marion, learned how to adjust to seasonal weather, Midwest food, and how to rest.

This week on WWL Alicia, Kylie and Scott are joined by Rick Reyes. Rick shares his story of growing up in Marion, his time at Jones Middle school, and working hard to win the heart of a smart pretty blonde. After he served in the United States military and toured all around the world, Rick landed back in his hometown of Marion. Today he runs a professional security business and has one of the larg...

Dr. Mike Conn, Chief Medical Officer with Radiant Health, joins the WWL crew to share how he landed in Marion/Grant County. Dr. Conn, originally from southern California, was a Naval medical officer that decided to move on. That unexpectedly brought him to Marion, IN by way of Grant-Blackford Mental Health. Listen in as we learn how he met his wife, where he lived in his early Grant County days, a...

Listen in to this episode with, with Scott, Alicia, and Iris as they welcome Anthony Decker. He is an entrepreneur, drummer in a garage band, passionate history keeper and an Irish pub enthusiast.  Anthony is the owner of Living Forward ABA, LVF Properties and the soon-to-be opened, The Old Fitz Public House. Anthony shares he was born in Marion and left for school in Fort Wayne. He describes the...

Join us today as Alicia, Scott, and Kylie start this episode with a lively bee conversation and welcome Dr. Cindy Briggs to share her story. Cindy talks about how a job brought her and her family to Grant County and has stayed for business and community. She recounts how she moved around and when she came here, she made the effort to connect and become a part of the community. Listen is as she tal...

The Team welcomes Dr. Jen Bennett to Where We Landed! Kylie, Alicia, and Iris spend the next 40 minutes learning all things Jen! But the most pressing question the team wants to know, is how someone that grew up in Key West, FL landed here! Listen in as we learn how she learned that education was for her, finding the one good guy in Miami, and just how easy it was to find her community here in Mar...