Regional Development Authority

Meet the Board

The RDA is overseen by a five-member board that serves a four-year term. Appointed by their respective counties and municipalities, our board members are committed to improving Northeast Indiana and supporting the Road to One Million plan.

Board Members

• President Andrew Briggs of Farmers & Merchants State Bank

• Vice President James Khan, president and owner of BakerStreet Steakhouse, Proximo and The Hoppy Gnome in Fort Wayne

• Secretary Bob Marshall of Campbell & Fetter Bank

• Gene Donaghy, retired from Northeastern REMC

• Jeffrey L. Turner, Attorney at Law

Our board members have the expertise, too. Each board member is required to have at least five years of professional work experience in one of the following: transportation, regional economic development, business or finance, the private sector, the nonprofit sector, or academia. Board members may not be elected officials or employees of a member county or municipality. 

RDA Meeting

Unless noted otherwise, the RDA’s public meetings are scheduled for 2 p.m. on the second Tuesday of every other month at the office of the Northeast Indiana Regional Partnership, 200. E. Main St., Fort Wayne, IN 46802. The location of the meeting is subject to change. Please contact the RDA for any questions.

The Road to One Million

The Northeast Indiana RDA was formed to apply for funds available through the state’s Regional Cities Initiative, which seeks to make Indiana a magnet for talent attraction by funding transformative quality-of-place projects. Northeast Indiana won $42 million through this state initiative, and now the RDA is charged with implementing those funds to best reach the goals of increasing economic growth, increasing population growth, and enhancing the region’s national brand identity.

Road to One Million projects totaled $268 million with nearly 60 percent of the project funding coming from private sector sources.

The Road to One Million plan contains nearly 70 quality-of-place projects and $1.5 billion in investment in the region. We believe using the Regional Cities funds to begin implementing this plan will help Northeast Indiana reach its goal of a population of 1 million by 2031.

The full impact of Indiana’s Regional Cities initiative will not be realized for years to come. Clearly, a shot in the arm for quality of place assets in Fort Wayne and other regional communities, Northeast Indiana has committed to our own Road to One Million plan for retaining and attracting skilled talent and increasing our population growth rate.

Northeast Indiana Regional Development Authority-Funded Projects

1. Great Lakes Capital - $2.8 million*
2. University of Saint Francis - $2.8 million*
3. Trine University - $2.8 million*
4. Embassy Theatre - $1.75 million*
5. DeKalb County YMCA - $947,000*
6. Little River Trail - $255,748*
7. Manchester Early Learning Center - $520,000*
8. North Buffalo Street Redevelopment Project - $3.5 million
9. Regional Trails - Fort Wayne - $1.77 million*
10. South Adams Trails - $498,000
11. The Enterprise Center - $323,000*
12. UB Block - $1.6 million
13. Michiana Event Center - $3.96 million*
14. Posterity Scholar House - $2.84 million*
15. The Landing Redevelopment - $4.26 million
16. The Clyde Theatre Renovation Project - $1 million*
17. Riverfront Park Fort Wayne, Phase I - $5.17 million*
18. Eagles Theatre Project - $976,636
19. Wabash River Trail - $941,031
20. Russel and Evelyn Fahl Aquatics Facility in Columbia City - $844,079*
21. Strawberry Valley Cultural Trail in the City of Ligonier - $248,920
22. Fishing Line Trail - $171,500*
23. Kendallville Outdoor Recreation Center - $392,000*
24. Grow Wells County - $423,183
25. CASS Housing project in Fort Wayne - $200,000
26. Kendallville Community Learning Center - $183,000*
27. Enterprise Center phase two in Angola - $100,000
28. Hanna Nuttman Park Revitalization in Decatur - $50,000

*Projects marked with an asterisk are completed as of 2021.