New Ind. commerce chief focuses on small companies

MUNSTER, Ind. — The new head of the Indiana Economic Development Corp. says the agency has turned its focus to get smaller companies to relocate to the state so they can grow here when the economy finally turns around.

Executive Director Dan Hasler took over Sept. 16 in leading the day-to-day operations of Indiana's commerce efforts. He told The Times of Munster for a story Sunday that he doesn't mind companies starting small and waiting for the economy to get stronger because when they start to grow, they're going to grow in Indiana.

Through mid-October, the IEDC had commitments from 190 businesses to relocate to Indiana or expand their operations there. That's the most competitive projects the IEDC has won in a single year since Daniels established the agency in 2005.