Excitement Rules at Anderson Business Incubator

kpaul.mallasch — Thu, 18 Oct 2007 16:49:17 -0700

ANDERSON, Ind. - At 10 months, the downtown Anderson Business Incubator houses six thriving businesses and an unlimited amount of entrepreneurial excitement. The downtown facility opened its doors Thursday afternoon and introduced the six business owners, described the application process for additional clients and celebrated the ABI’s tremendous success in creating small business.

Mayor Kevin S. Smith, Anderson University Falls School of Business Dean Terry Truitt and ABI Director DeWayne Landwehr applauded the partnership that has brought new business to Anderson’s downtown. Anderson University is the city’s partner in the highly successful, high tech Flagship Enterprise Center at Exit 22 and the FEC also oversees the management of the ABI. Business students participating in SIFE (Students in Free Enterprise), as well as SCORE (Society of Retired Executives) provide counseling for business practices, plans or promotion.

Located at 7th and Meridian Streets in the former Anderson Police Station, the ABI clients are operating according to written plans and they are building clientele in diverse businesses, such as silkscreening, vinyl sign graphics applications, debt collection, artistic visual creations, journalism and limousine services.

The six companies are:

ID Graphics - The lost art of screen printing has been revived by ID Graphics owner Dan Wehner. Having worked out of his home for 3 years before expanding the company into the ABI, Wehner has experienced outstanding growth in previous quarters and expects to add up to 8 jobs in the next year. He focuses on high quality screen printing applications and is proud to be the first client to take residence, and expand, in the ABI.

Vision Signs - In the past Mark and Cynthia Paschal have run their business, Visions Signs, out of their home and were literally out of space. At the ABI, they are able to print materials for a variety of applications including signs that are up to 64” wide. The most common applications that they print for are real estate signs, vehicle wraps, banners, and other signage for outdoor applications.

TransAtlantic Collections - Carolyn Scott, an attorney, has taught as an adjunct professor at Anderson University and most recently has become an entrepreneur, started her own debt collection firm earlier this year. Because of Scott’s legal expertise, TransAtlantic Collections has the ability to pursue accounts through all three phases of the collection process: pre-judgment, court, and post-judgment. To their advantage TransAtlantic Collections has the potential to be both a W.B.E. and an M.B.E.

Personal Service Limousine - As Anderson’s premier limousine service, Personal Service Limousine (PSL) and owner Randy Willis is setting the bar high for service. By building their fleet from two 2008 Cadillac DTS limousines, PSL combines the utmost luxury with the most up-to-date technology available. Their vehicles are equipped with On-Star, are driven by licensed chauffeurs and offer passengers a luxury experience second to none.

Tim Kern INK - As an aviation writer and consultant, Tim Kern’s bylined work has appeared in over two dozen aviation publications including: Plane & Pilot, EAA Sport Aviation, Professional Pilot, AOPA Pilot, Aviation Safety, and Ultraflight. At Tim Kern INK, he also advises and trains clients; as a writer/editor, he polishes their publicity work, prepares PR materials, and produces specialty literature for members of the aviation community: brochures, White Papers, articles, scripts, catalog copy, and many, many press releases. He has an MBA in both finance and operations from Northwestern University and is a private pilot and an NBAA-certified CAM (Certified Aviation Manager). In addition to his writing and editing, Tim is launching a new electronic publication, www.121five.com, at the Incubator. He also teaches economics part time at Ivy Tech.

L.A. Boram - A local painter, this entrepreneurial artist has moved her studio into the second floor of the ABI. After being commissioned to create a large multi-panel mural for the Pendleton Community Library, Boram needed such a space to complete her work. She specializes in work combining traditional painting techniques and contemporary works with multi-layered canvases and mixed media. The studio is open by appointment.

Customers will luxuriate in this 2008 Cadillac DTS limousine owned by Personal Service Limousine.

ID Graphics owner Dan Wehner demonstrates his ability to silkscreen any time, anywhere.