EDC extends president’s contract

Wayne County’s economic development leader has received a two-year contract extension. 

Board members of Economic Development Corp. of Wayne County unanimously voted to retain President Valerie Shaffer during their Nov. 4 meeting. 

Shaffer’s base salary will be $142,956 per year. She’s receiving a 10% raise, which EDC’s executive committee believe is similar to Wayne County’s tourism leader and county employees’ 5% annual increases. 

Shaffer thanked the board for its vote of confidence. 

“You all are great to work with,” she said. 

Shaffer became EDC’s president in November 2012 and leads the organization’s work to encourage business growth and investment in Wayne County by new and existing businesses.

Grand opening

EDC staff celebrated with Anchor Ingredients during the Oct. 21 grand opening of its $40 million state-of-the-art pet food ingredient processing and rail transloading operation in Richmond. 

Company officials said the facility will provide essential services including ingredient handling, storage and processing, as well as the latest quality assurance testing. 

EDC worked to attract that new business and remained a partner throughout its construction, Shaffer said. It spans more than 40 acres at Midwest Industrial Park.

She said Anchor Ingredients is a great addition to the county’s pet food cluster, and that asset is only going to help the cluster grow. She’s hopeful that Anchor could attract other supply chain connections to locate here too. 

In a news release, Anchor officials say they aim to be a trusted supply chain partner and foster relationships with specialty crop farmers throughout the region to further solidify Richmond as a hub for pet food manufacturing.

The local site has created 30 new jobs. Construction included the addition of rail onto the property through a partnership with Norfolk Southern.

Anchor Ingredients’ expansion into Richmond has been supported by local partnerships and investments, including Richmond Redevelopment Commission, the City of Richmond and EDC for rail access.

Indiana Economic Development Corporation also invested with incentive-based tax credits and manufacturing readiness grants, supporting the facility’s investments in cutting-edge technology and automation, the release said.  

Anchor Ingredients was founded in 2015 in North Dakota as a premium ingredient company supplying the pet food industry throughout North America. It has 10 value-add ingredient processing and manufacturing facilities across the Midwest in addition to sales offices in California, Minnesota and South Carolina. 

In other business

* EDC staff are providing information to three potential new businesses in October. Two of the projects requested rail access, so sites in Midwest Industrial Park were recommended.

Wayne County is still in the running to recruit another prospect that initially sought information in August 2023. The company, using code name Project Matchstick, recently requested additional utility information. Last year, Matchstick was considering an $80 million investment for food production on 121 acres in Midwest Industrial Park. It would hire 50 workers.

* Fencing went up around the former Elder-Beerman store at South Sixth and Main in Richmond preparation for demolition. Environmental work is currently taking place inside. The City of Richmond’s demolition plans were delayed past Nov. 30 when a bidder voiced a concern about the award process. Work is now on pace to be complete by the end of the year.  

* About 175 students from Wayne County high schools participated in a Manufacturing Matters tour of local businesses, and a Centerville high school group toured on another date. Western Wayne was the only district that had a schedule conflict and couldn’t participate.  

* EDC’s new billboard has been installed on Interstate 70 near Cambridge City’s Gateway Industrial Park. Richmond’s faded billboard will be replaced soon. 

* One more remote worker has committed to Wayne County. Three movers are in the process of relocating, with two finding homes in Centerville. Three more have accepted offers and are still looking for housing. Three more offers have been made and are currently pending acceptance.  

* The board agreed to renew its office lease with First Realty Group LLC in the former railroad depot where it has been since 2017. EDC also will continue receiving accounting work from Burke CPAs & Advisors and legal services from Knoll, Kolger, Sowers & Metzger.