“It’s one thing to talk about quality of life in an area, and it is another to bring site selectors in and experience what it is like to be there firsthand.”
– Rachel Huser
Senior Manager, Economic Development
As Zyan Miller gazed at the grass-grazing bison, she knew this Fort Wayne business trip would be one to remember.
And that was just one conference event showcasing what northeast Indiana has to offer.
An aerial view of Fort Wayne. The city hosted the Indiana Power Partnership’s inaugural Destination Summit.
Miller, the economic development relations specialist for Wabash Valley Power Alliance, visited the LC Nature Park near Fort Wayne as part of the Indiana Power Partnership’s inaugural Destination Summit. The conference was organized in collaboration with the Northeast Indiana Regional Partnership (NEI) and featured economic developers from across the Hoosier state meeting with site selectors and consultants from across the U.S. The summit featured activities, including the park visit and a tour and chance to ride in vintage cars at the Auburn Cord Duesenberg Automobile Museum, to showcase the region.
“I thought it was a really great way for Indiana to highlight what we have here, and help us create relationships,” Miller said. “You get to know the site consultants attending, so when you have a project in your area come up, they already know who you are. It’s an advantage to have these connections.”
Attendees at the Indiana Power Partnership Destination Summit in Fort Wayne. The Indiana Power Partnership hosted the conference in northeast Indiana so site selectors could gain firsthand experience spending time in the Fort Wayne and the region.
WVPA is the wholesale power provider for several electric distribution cooperatives that serve communities near Fort Wayne. Miller works with economic developers in northern Indiana, including the Northeast Indiana Regional Partnership, to recruit and retain businesses in the region.
NEI was eager to host the summit when officials learned about the opportunities, said Chase Gibson, director of business development for the organization. NEI worked with business partners to host the summit, which included a session with Vera Bradley co-founder Barb Bradley Baekgaard and a Fort Wayne Tin Caps minor league baseball game.
“We are always eager to bring different folks into the region,” said Gibson, who received compliments about the city’s downtown including the Electric Works mixed-use campus at the historic General Electric site. “We try to do different regional tours throughout the year, so if the opportunity came to host the summit again, we definitely would jump on it.”
The Indiana Power Partnership regularly hosts conferences in Indianapolis and launched the summit so site selectors and consultants can see what different cities and regions offer. The group will host the 2026 summit in another part of the state, though plans are still being finalized.
“It’s one thing to talk about quality of life in an area, and it is another to bring site selectors in and experience what it is like to be there firsthand,” said Rachel Huser, senior manager of economic development at WVPA and part of the IPP group organizing the Fort Wayne summit. “The area tours give site selectors a clear picture of what there is to offer. They also open the door for more informal, honest conversations while making memories together.”