By Dr. Jeff Bird—
MUNCIE, IN—This article will be my first of many forays into our local economy and economic development. Many similar practical and conceptual examples will follow.
I met with two local leaders who play significant roles in local economic development.
Jeff Howe is the recent chair of the Muncie Redevelopment Commission (MRC) and was recently appointed Deputy Mayor of Muncie. The MRC exists to acquire and dispose of abandoned residential properties, stimulate economic growth and manage the city’s allocation districts and tax increment financing (TIF). Traci Lutton serves as Vice President of the Economic Development Alliance of Muncie-Delaware County, where she plays a key leadership role in advancing economic development initiatives.
I first met Jeff Howe in middle school at Storer Junior High. We were football teammates through our high school graduation from Muncie Northside HS in 1977. Jeff was an outstanding tackle, and I often acknowledge that I may have never gained a yard running the football if not for his excellent blocking. Jeff went on to graduate from Ball State University and began an illustrious career in finance and banking across the eastern United States before returning to Muncie to assume the role of Regional President for Old National Bank for the last 15 years of his career.
Jeff Howe photo by Dr. Jeff Bird.
After retirement, Jeff has stayed active in civic service to Muncie. His role at the MRC and now Deputy Mayor certainly attest to his willingness to serve the community he loves. Jeff professes his deep commitment to our city and to making Muncie and Delaware County great.
I have had the pleasure of knowing and working with Traci Lutton for much of the last 2 decades. Her role is vital to our local economic development. She leads efforts for site selection and development, business retention and expansion, public finance, redevelopment, and strategic marketing. Traci and I worked together at the Delaware Advancement Corporation and now with the Chamber of Commerce. Traci is a proud Muncie native graduating from Southside HS and Ball State University. She brings deep local insight and a personal passion for building a stronger, more vibrant community.
Traci said “Economic development is about creating opportunities. It’s helping local businesses grow, attracting new investment, preparing our community for the future, and ultimately improving the quality of life for everyone who calls Muncie-Delaware County home.”
What did I learn from Traci and Jeff? Housing options will help us grow and better meet the demands of the 10,000 people who commute into Muncie to work every week. Our education system has adapted well to the changing economic forces at play, but there is still work to be done. Attracting new businesses (factories for example) takes time to propagate relationships and have infrastructure in place to make Muncie and Delaware County an attractive choice for new businesses. Multiple entities are working to further our local economy and the efforts to work together are improving.
We have made great strides in Muncie and Delaware County, and our future continues to brighten through the efforts of those like Jeff Howe and Traci Lutton.
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