Nonprofit targets talent attraction

By Alex Brown | Inside INdiana Business

A newly-launched nonprofit in Fort Wayne aims to expand talent attraction efforts in northeast Indiana. Lynn Reecer, co-founder of Northeast Indiana Talent Attraction Inc., says the organization provides the missing component in attracting top talent to the region. In an interview with Inside INdiana Business, Reecer said NEINTA provides a more tailored experience for job candidates and their families to sell the city and the region, allowing employers to focus their efforts on selling the job.

"I think this is a change that's happened generationally," said Reecer. "Decades ago, they would've said the job (was most important) but now, people are very much more focused on their lifestyle and their family's happiness and you've got to have somebody that can really do that well. This is the component that's missing."

Reecer is also the chief executive officer of Fort Wayne-based real estate firm Reecer Properties. She started the talent attraction efforts through the firm in 2010 and says, to date, they have attracted more than $10 million in annual salaries.

"With unemployment at a record low and demand for talent greater than ever, businesses need to make their efforts count," NEINTA Executive Director Kris Gilman said in a news release. "At the same time, HR departments are very limited in the scope of their hiring process. We want to champion a candidate’s decision to come to Northeast Indiana with the additional steps to set a solid foundation, which leads to higher retention and lower turnover."

Reecer says transitioning into a nonprofit will her to scale up and expand the effort, eventually bringing on more people to serve as ambassadors for the region. One of the nonprofit's goals, she says, is to move under the umbrella of Greater Fort Wayne Inc. which will help continue its growth.

You can learn more about Northeast Indiana Talent Attraction by clicking here.