WASHINGTON (Indiana) – The MEK Group and the Daviess County Economic Development Corporation received state-level recognition for communication excellence with the 2013 expansion of the Crane Regional Technology Council. The Council was initially formed at the end of 2012 and included senior administrators and executives from the University of Notre Dame, Purdue, Indiana University, Rose-Hulman, SAIC, URS, Smithville Communications, Techshot, Berry Plastics, Raytheon, the University of Indianapolis, Vincennes University, Ivy Tech, Indiana State, Ball State, the Indiana Rural Health Association, and others.

The Council was created by the Daviess County Community Foundation and the Daviess County Economic Development Corporation, and its goals included focused efforts to help community foundation and other regional organizations support and advance educational and workforce development initiatives, including STEM (science, technology, engineering and math), New Tech Schools and other programs to advance, accelerate and sustain the quality of education for the Crane region and the state.

The MEK Group has won other national and state recognition for its marketing, PR and media work for the WestGate @ Crane Technology Park and the Battery Innovation Center (BIC). MEK Group Vice President Jamie Snyder accepted the award on behalf of MEK and the Daviess County Economic Development Corporation, which was presented by Debby Knox, CBS news veteran and former WISH-TV news anchor.

At the 2013 meeting held in August, Cook Group Chairman Steve Ferguson delivered the keynote address to the Council on workforce development. An archive of Ferguson’s address and other Council participants can be found on the Daviess County Economic Development Web site.  Future potential meetings of the Crane Regional Technology Council await the outcome of the Lilly Endowment-funded strategic plan being developed through the Southwest Central Indiana Planning Initiative.