Steuben County Reports Investment Growth and Long-Term Planning at 2026 Annual Meeting

Steuben County is adding jobs, attracting private investment, and supporting long-term business growth through its economic development efforts. These achievements were the main focus of the Steuben County Economic Development Corporation’s 2026 Annual Meeting on March 5, 2025.
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The event gathered business leaders, local officials, manufacturers, entrepreneurs, and community members to look back at the county's economic performance and talk about future development. Five companies received Invest Steuben Awards, and Brian Schutt from the Indiana Office of Entrepreneurship and Innovation joined for a fireside chat.
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The meeting highlighted measurable results. Since 2004, Steuben County has supported 269 projects, bringing in $951 million in investment and creating over 4,000 new jobs. These projects show both local business growth and ongoing interest from companies considering Northeast Indiana.
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Recent economic data show that Steuben County continues to have stable employment, rising wages, and steady workforce participation.

Steuben County Reports Strong Employment and Wage Growth

Economic development usually aims for long-term results instead of quick wins. The annual meeting shared several signs of ongoing economic progress in Steuben County.
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By the third quarter of 2025, Steuben County had 17,225 people employed. The average annual wage rose to $49,017, continuing a steady increase over several years. In the first quarter of 2025, total wages in the county topped $200 million.
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In December 2025, Steuben County’s unemployment rate was 2.4%, which is lower than in many nearby counties in Indiana, Michigan, and Ohio. This low rate shows strong employer demand and active workforce participation in the region.
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The county also keeps much of its workforce close to home. According to data presented at the meeting, 11,751 people both live and work in Steuben County.

This is important for employers and site selectors for several reasons:

• Reduced workforce turnover
• Shorter commute patterns
• Greater workforce stability
• Stronger local spending activity
• Long-term residential retention

Along with sharing economic data, the SCEDC reported that its Business Retention and Expansion program conducts over 50 industry visits or major business meetings each year. Staff use these meetings to spot challenges, workforce needs, infrastructure issues, and growth opportunities before they become bigger problems.

Invest Steuben Awards Recognize Business Leadership

To highlight the county’s progress, a big part of the annual meeting was dedicated to honoring companies that keep investing in Steuben County by expanding, hiring, innovating, and getting involved in the community.
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The 2026 Invest Steuben Award recipients included:

• Air-Way Manufacturing
• Precision Edge
• Swager Communications
• Univertical
• Davenport Manufacturing Group

These award-winning companies from different industries help drive job growth and bring more variety to the county’s economy.
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Manufacturing continues to serve as a key part of Steuben County’s economy, but the award winners also demonstrate how communications, advanced production, and supplier networks support local business activity.
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These companies do more than create jobs. Their investments also influence housing demand, local spending, infrastructure planning, and workforce partnerships with schools and training programs.
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The awards also reinforced a key message from the meeting: Local employers drive Steuben County’s economic growth by expanding and preparing for future market changes.

Brian Schutt Discusses Entrepreneurship and Succession Planning

During the fireside chat, Brian Schutt talked about entrepreneurship, owning a small business, and passing businesses on to the next generation in Indiana.
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Schutt shared his experience starting and growing a residential heating and cooling business after the Great Recession. Running a small business taught him about risk, hiring, planning for growth, and building long-term stability.
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He also talked about the mission of Indiana’s new Office of Entrepreneurship and Innovation, which helps entrepreneurs through five stages of business growth:

• Pre-start
• Start
• Growth
• Exit
• Post-exit

Succession planning was one of the most important topics for Steuben County business leaders.
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Schutt pointed out that about half of all businesses are owned by people aged 55 or older. In manufacturing areas like Northeast Indiana, this brings both risks and opportunities.
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If there isn’t a good plan for ownership changes, many businesses face uncertainty when owners retire. Sometimes, companies even close while still making a profit. Schutt stressed the need to start succession planning early.
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He also talked about how more young entrepreneurs are buying existing small businesses instead of starting from scratch. This trend could help communities keep local employers and maintain a stable workforce.
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For economic development professionals and community leaders, the discussion showed how important it is to support entrepreneurship as well as attract new businesses.

Infrastructure and Utility Planning Support Future Growth

Speakers also talked about infrastructure planning that will help shape future industrial development in Steuben County.
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County leaders talked about ongoing discussions for a possible 345 kV transmission line project and continued support for expanding NIPSCO gas capacity. Leaders recognize that these projects require long-term planning, but they emphasize that having ready utilities is essential for attracting industry. Manufacturers looking to expand need reliable electricity, natural gas, and infrastructure that meets future production needs.
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Steuben County’s work on utility planning is part of a bigger effort to get sites ready for future development and to help current employers who might need more capacity soon.
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The county’s economic development strategy also links infrastructure planning with quality-of-life goals. Keeping workers depends more and more on housing, transportation, community amenities, and reliable public services, as well as job opportunities.

Steuben County Continues Building Long-Term Economic Stability

The 2026 Annual Meeting highlighted an economic development strategy focused on clear results, working with employers, and long-term planning.
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Nearly $1 billion in investment since 2004 shows strong business confidence in Steuben County across many industries. Higher wages, low unemployment, and ongoing business growth also point to a stable economy for employers and residents.
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At the same time, community leaders talked about entrepreneurship, succession planning, and investing in infrastructure to get ready for future changes in the economy.
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For site selectors, the meeting confirmed that Steuben County has strong industrial capacity, active workforce participation, and coordinated economic leadership.
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For residents and local businesses, the meeting’s data showed ongoing investment in jobs and long-term economic growth.

Connect With SCEDC About Business Growth Opportunities

The Steuben County Economic Development Corporation works with manufacturers, entrepreneurs, developers, and community partners to support business growth and long-term investment in Steuben County.
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Businesses interested in learning more about current opportunities and regional development can reach out to the SCEDC team. They offer help with site selection, expansion planning, workforce partnerships, and entrepreneurship resources.