Regional Opportunities Council
As a region, we know the contributions of many lead to collective success for all. We understand that the future of Northeast Indiana is largely influenced by our success and leadership in achieving transformative change throughout the region. That’s exactly what the Regional Opportunities Council (ROC) is all about: collaboration for the common good.
The ROC, the investor board for the Northeast Indiana Regional Partnership, is made up of more than 130 of our region’s top business leaders who live and work in the 11 counties we represent. These leaders are from all different sectors - business, government, higher-education, K-12 education, foundation, and non-profit.
The collective growth, success, and momentum occurring in the region could not happen without the ROC.

Why does the ROC exist? To advance our community’s regional initiatives through progressive game-changing tactics that make a positive impact on the community’s development. The ROC meets six times a year to drive the Vision 2030 agenda, with a focus on our regional initiatives, including 21st Century Talent, Business Climate, Entrepreneurship, Infrastructure, and Quality of Life. As they support everything from interstate access to improved air service, ROC members are intensely engaged in economic and community development to enact significant changes in the region. We call these Quadrant 4 changes.
Quadrant 4 change is achieved by pursuing game-changing tactics that are highly desirable, but also highly difficult. The more challenging and more impactful, the better, and we’re committed to seeing them through to fruition.
By focusing on these progressive and innovative changes, we can identify the most desirable and difficult opportunities for economic and community growth. We’ve used these tactics to add more flights at Fort Wayne International Airport, to streamline business permitting, and to support entrepreneurial programs like the Regional Food Network.
Simply put, the collective growth, success, and momentum occurring within the Fort Wayne area could not happen without the investment and support of the ROC.
Our Principles Lead the Way
For members of the ROC, our guiding principles are what keep the goals and strategies of Vision 2030 on track. By keeping our principles at the forefront of our work, we can feel confident that we are advancing our regional initiatives as they were intended.
Here’s a look at the ROC’s guiding principles:
Clear, Shared Vision
Communicate a long-term vision for the economic growth of Northeast Indiana by:
- defining the vision inclusively and engaging other key stakeholders in the process;
- “walking the talk” by clarifying and advancing the vision consistently;
- sharing the vision for success through our networks whenever possible;
- illustrating the vision through tangible examples of progress (stories);
- consistently seeking and sharing feedback from regional stakeholders;
- connecting short-term milestones to the vision for long-term success; and
- recognizing and celebrating the intangibles which advance the vision (collaboration, alignment and effort).
Key action: Communicate consistently the vision for success.
Sharing Power And Influence
Convene and collaborate with key leaders and stakeholders to confront the most difficult constraints to the economy of Northeast Indiana. To do this, the ROC will:
- share credit generously with others;
- engage others in solving problems;
- listen to learn from others the diverse perspectives influencing regional challenges;
- seek regional solutions which advance broad, community interests;
- build the capacity of the region as a whole to compete in the global marketplace;
- think cross-generationally to identify, develop, and engage emerging young leaders; and
- engage and orient new-to-the-region leaders in our work.
Key action: Convene, collaborate, and confront challenges together.
Acting with Integrity and Discipline
Build trust-based relationships by acting with the utmost integrity and discipline. That means we commit to:
- doing what we say we will do;
- holding each other accountable to act with honesty and transparency;
- building relationships based on trust in our individual words and actions;
- advancing only those opportunities that align with the vision to grow the economy of our regions;
- sharing as much information as possible with all affected stakeholders (protecting confidentiality); and
- doing what needs to be done today and preparing for tomorrow.
Key action: Build relationships based on trust.
Are you interested in investing in our economic and community development work? We are positive that your investment will help your business and our region succeed. Contact Director of Stakeholder Development Nick Darrah, and we can discuss why an investment in the Regional Partnership makes good business sense.
Regional Opportunities Council Members
Private
- 3Rivers Federal Credit Union: Don Cates
- Adams Memorial Hospital: Scott Smith
- AgriNovus Indiana: Mitch Frazier
- Ambassador Enterprises: Bob Vitoux
- Apex Benefits: Scott Long
- Aptera: TK Herman
- Ash Brokerage: Kylee Shirey
- AT&T Indiana: Richard Leverett
- Avangrid Renewables: Neil Voje
- AWS Foundation: Patti Hays
- BAE Systems: Scott Swymeler
- BakerStreet Steakhouse and the Hoppy Gnome: James Khan
- Barrett McNagny LLP: Tom Niezer
- Best One Tire & Service: John Miller
- BF Goodrich Tire Mfg.: Terry Redmile
- Bippus State Bank: Ryan Warner
- BKD LLP: Wallace Wetherill
- Bradley Company: Martin Huttenlocker
- Briner Building, Inc.: Mike Swinford
- Britton Marketing & Design: Jeff Britton
- Brooks Construction: Margi Brooks
- Brotherhood Mutual Insurance: Scott Figgins
- Buchanan Hauling and Rigging: Geary Buchanan
- Building Contractors Association of Northeast Indiana: Greg Lynch
- Business People Magazine: Dan Copeland
- Carson, LLP: Tim Pape
- Catalyst Public Affairs Group: Matt Bell
- Central Insurance: Evan Purmort
- Clean Fuels National: Mike Vanover
- CME Corporation: Ryan Hellinger
- Crowe, LLP: Mark Adair
- Design Collaborative Inc.: Pat Pasterick
- Do it Best Corp.: Dan Starr
- Don Ayres Honda: Sara Ayres
- Don Hall’s Restaurants: Tim Hall
- DOXA Insurance Holdings, LLC: Matt Sackett
- Easter Seals Arc: Donna Elbrecht
- Embassy Theatre: Kelly Updike
- Faegre Drinker Biddle & Reath: Tim Haffner
- Farmers & Merchants State Bank: Lars Eller
- Farmers State Bank: Joe Urbanski
- First Merchants Bank: Terri Cable
- Flagstar Bank: Gary Wolf
- Fort Wayne – Allen County Airport Authority: Scott Hinderman
- Fort Wayne Mad Ants: Tim Bawmann
- Fort Wayne Metals Research Products Corp.: Evan Wood
- Franklin Electric: Jonathan Grandon
- FW Radiology, LLC: Brandon Koenig
- Honeywell Foundation: Tod Minnich
- Horizon Bank: Jay Maddox
- Hylant: Clay Jennings
- Indiana Michigan Power: Ashley Savieo
- INGUARD: Ty Renbarger
- JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A.: Jim Cook
- Junior Achievement of Northern Indiana: Lena Yarian
- Kathryn Callen:
- Katz, Sapper & Miller: Zach Sauder
- Kelley Automotive Group: Tom Kelley
- Kokosing Industrial: Tina Wolff
- LaGrange Publishing: Bill Connelly
- Lake City Bank: David Findlay
- Lifeline Youth and Family Services: Mark Terrell
- Lutheran Health Network: Mark Medley
- MedPro Group: Andrew Booth
- Michael Kinder & Sons, Inc.: Zach Kessie
- Micropulse, Inc.: Brian Emerick
- Miller Poultry: Kevin Diehl
- NAI Hanning & Bean: Bill Bean
- New York Life: James Myers
- NIPSCO: Dana Berkes
- Northeast Indiana Touchstone Energy Cooperatives:
- Old National Bank: Sarah Strimmenos
- Ortho NorthEast: Ray Kusisto
- OrthoWorx: Brad Bishop
- Our Sunday Visitor, Inc.: Matt Smith
- Parkview Health System, Inc.: Dena Jacquay
- Pathfinder Services, Inc.: Danielle Tips
- Phillips Financial Services: Jeanine Herold
- Physicians Health Plan of Northern Indiana, Inc.: Gary Shearer
- Pizza Hut of Fort Wayne, Inc.: Todd Hollman
- PNC Bank: Corinna Ladd
- Premier Bank: Jim Swift
- Pro Resources Staffing Services: Brent Becker
- Rea Magnet Wire Company: Susan Boyd
- Reusser Design, LLC: Nate Reusser
- Rothberg, Logan & Warsco LLP: Alex Platte
- Ruoff Home Mortgage: Mark Music
- Rural Sourcing: Bill Rose
- Shambaugh & Son, LLP: Mark Veerkamp
- Shindigz: Shep Moyle
- STAR Financial Bank: Jim Marcuccilli
- Steel Dynamics, Inc.: Rick Poinsatte
- Sturges Property Group: Brad Sturges
- Sweetwater Sound: John Hopkins
- The Ford Meter Box Co., Inc.: Chris Shanks
- The Hagerman Group: Brad Smith
- True North Strategic Advisors, LLC: Chris Goeglein
- Tuthill Fort Wayne: Rick Wiedemann
- Ultra Electronics – USSI: Patrick Allison
- United Way: Matthew Purkey
- UPSTAR: Todd Titus
- Upstate Alliance of REALTORS:
- Vera Bradley Designs: Rob Wallstrom
- Wabash Valley Power Alliance: Brian Anderson
- Weigand Construction: Larry Weigand
- Whittle Strategic Accounting: Erin Whittle
- Wilcox & Associates: Jim Wilcox
- WPTA: Merry Ewing
- Zimmer Biomet: Monica Kendrick
Public
- Adams County: Colton Bickel
- Allen County: Richard Beck
- City of Auburn: Mike Ley
- City of Fort Wayne: Karl Bandemer
- DeKalb County: Anton King
- Huntington County: Tom Wall
- Kosciusko County: Brad Harris
- LaGrange County: Bill Bradley
- Noble County: Gary Gatman
- Steuben County: Isaac Lee
- Wabash County: Keith Gillenwater
- Wells County: Chad Kline
- Whitley County: Dale Buuck
Education
- Grace College & Seminary: William Katip
- Huntington University: Sherilyn Emberton
- Indiana Tech: Karl Einolf
- Indiana University Fort Wayne: Fen-Lei Chang
- Indiana Wesleyan University: Matt Lucas
- Ivy Tech Community College Northeast: Jerrilee Mosier
- Manchester University: David McFadden
- Purdue University Fort Wayne: Ronald Elsenbaumer
- Trine University: Earl Brooks
- University of Saint Francis: Father Eric Albert Zimmer
Foundation
- 1st Source Bank: Larry Mayers
- Community Foundation of Greater Fort Wayne: Brad Little
- Dekko Foundation: Tom Leedy
- Edward M. & Mary McCrea Wilson Foundation: William Lee
- English Bonter Mitchell Foundation: Mike Eikenberry
- Lincoln Financial Foundation: Jeff Hamilton
- Olive B. Cole Foundation: Mac Parker
- Schwab Foundation: Janet Chrzan
- Waterfield Foundation: Dick Waterfield
At-Large
- Arts United: Susan Mendenhall
- Early Childhood Alliance: Madeleine Baker
- Region 8 Education Service Center: Josh Wenning
Ex-Officio
- East Noble School Corporation: Ann Linson
- Fort Wayne Community Schools: Mark Daniel
- Indiana Economic Development Corporation: Linda Walczak
- Northeast Indiana Legislative Delegation: Senator Liz Brown
- Northeast Indiana Works: Edmond O'Neal
- Northwest Allen County Schools: Chris Himsel
- Regional Chamber of Northeast Indiana: Bill Konyha
- Wabash City Schools: Jason Callahan
- Young Leaders of Northeast Indiana: Stephanie Veit