[Congressional Record Volume 159, Number 174 (Tuesday, December 10, 2013)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1823]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




   RECOGNIZING THE 9TH ANNUAL NORTHWEST INDIANA INNOVATION INDUCTION 
                                CEREMONY

                                 ______
                                 

                        HON. PETER J. VISCLOSKY

                               of indiana

                    in the house of representatives

                       Tuesday, December 10, 2013

  Mr. VISCLOSKY. Mr. Speaker, it is with great sincerity and admiration 
that I offer congratulations to Ivy Tech Community College Northwest 
and its regional partners, who recently celebrated their 9th Annual 
Northwest Indiana Innovation Induction Ceremony. At the ceremony that 
reflects the ``Spirit of Innovation'' in Indiana, thirty-one 
individuals and teams were inducted as members of the 2013-2014 Class 
of the Society of Innovators of Northwest Indiana. Of these 
individuals, several members were inducted as Society Fellows for their 
exceptional efforts in innovation, including Julie Bombacino, Mike 
Falk, Nina Fonstein, Ph.D., Lisa Hopp, Ph.D., RN, and Don Keller. 
Additionally, Stewart McMillan was honored as the Gerald I. Lamkin 
Fellow for Innovation and Service, a special recognition named for the 
President Emeritus of Ivy Tech College of Indiana. Also honored were 
the Chanute Prize team recipients, the Kemin/Lambert Spearmint team, 
North Judson and the Tuskegee Airmen EAA Young Eagles Program team at 
the Gary/Chicago International Airport. For their truly remarkable 
contributions to the community of Northwest Indiana and their 
continuous efforts to cultivate a culture of innovation, these honorees 
were inducted during a prestigious event that took place at Horseshoe 
Casino in Hammond, Indiana, on October 17, 2013.
  The Society of Innovators of Northwest Indiana was created by Ivy 
Tech Northwest with the goal of highlighting and encouraging innovative 
individuals and groups within the not-for-profit, public, and private 
sectors, as well as building a ``culture of innovation'' in Northwest 
Indiana. The importance of innovation in Northwest Indiana, as well as 
globally, is crucial in today's ever-changing economy.
  Our 9th Annual Innovators Awards Ceremony inducted some of the most 
innovative thinkers, doers and innovators across Northwest Indiana, 
said Thomas Coley, Ph.D., Chancellor, Ivy Tech Community College 
Northwest and North Central. The five Fellows selected by the Society 
of Innovators were chosen for their extraordinary innovative leadership 
and the impact of their accomplishments throughout the community of 
Northwest Indiana and the world. Julie Bombacino, president of Just 
Blend Foods, Chesterton, developed a line of ``blended real food 
meals'' for adults and children who need to use feeding tubes. This is 
the first product that delivers real food meal options for tube-fed 
individuals who have, in the past, have had to rely on a formula that 
is typically made of 50% corn syrup. Mike Falk, chief executive officer 
and president of Falk-PLI Engineering and Surveying, Portage, is the 
first to introduce highly developed surveying instruments called laser 
trackers and laser scanners in the steel industry in Northwest Indiana 
and beyond. Nina Fonstein, Ph.D., retired scientist and present day 
consultant, is a world- renowned specialist in the development of 
stronger, lighter and environmentally friendly ``new steels'' for the 
ArcelorMittal Global Research and Development Center in East Chicago. 
Lisa Hopp, PhD., RN, is the founding director of the Indiana Center for 
Evidence-Based Nursing Practice (ICEBNP). The center, located at Purdue 
University Calumet's College of Nursing, is the first of its kind in 
the Midwest and is part of a global effort to ``expand the 
understanding and use of research-based evidence to produce the best 
patient outcomes.'' Don Keller is the president and chief executive 
officer of Tri-State Industries in Hammond. Don launched an integrated 
system of industrial robotic technology that allows factories to keep 
their costs down while increasing productivity. Tri-State is a leader 
in this industry and the first of its kind in Northwest Indiana and the 
Chicagoland area.
  I am also honored to acknowledge Stewart McMillan, who was recognized 
as the Gerald I. Lamkin Fellow for Innovation and Service. Stewart is 
the president and chief executive officer of Task Force Tips in 
Valparaiso. Task Force Tips is a world-wide leader in the manufacturing 
and distribution of firefighting nozzles and equipment with the goal of 
making firefighting safer and more effective. Stewart is a true 
innovative leader who focuses on the importance of the entire 
organization rather than relying upon a small group of people within 
the organization for ideas. Under Stewart's direction, Task Force Tips 
is an innovative leader in its industry in the global economy.
  Finally, the recipients of the Chanute Prize for Team Innovation 
should be commended for their contributions. The Kemin/Lambert 
Spearmint team, North Judson, have patented growing and post-harvest 
processes for spearmint plants, which produces an all-natural extract 
that contains antioxidant properties and is effective in delaying lipid 
oxidation, color loss, and deterioration in human food, animal food, 
and other products for global markets. The Tuskegee Airmen EEA Young 
Eagles Program team at the Gary/Chicago International Airport provides 
the first and only monthly Young Eagles Aviation Program in the United 
States. Over 14,000 youth have participated in the program since its 
launch in 1994. The program is in affiliation with the Experimental 
Aviation Association and includes free flights in honor of the Tuskegee 
Airmen.
  Mr. Speaker, I ask you and my distinguished colleagues to join me in 
commending these outstanding innovators. The contributions they have 
made to society here in Northwest Indiana and worldwide are 
immeasurable and lifelong. For their truly brilliant innovative ideas, 
projects, and leadership, each recipient is worthy of the highest 
commendation.

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