International Center Growing Indiana Footprint
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As a subscriber you can listen to articles at work, in the car, or while you work out. Subscribe NowThe International Center in Indianapolis is in the early stages of expanding its presence in the state’s second-largest city. Chief Executive Officer Martin Baier, who took the helm in January, says the organization is in discussions with stakeholders in Fort Wayne to assess the needs of the community. The Allen County city has a growing immigrant population, including some 6,000 residents from Myanmar. Baier says Fort Wayne faces many of the same challenges as Indy, which has been home of The International Center for more than 40 years. He says the organization plans to tailor its offerings to suit northeast Indiana.
In an interview with Inside Indiana Business, Baier discussed the role the organization plays in talent attraction efforts. He says the center’s reach is statewide. "We’re talking about global talent and having those assets as The International Center and programs in place, helps us bring the best to our state," Baier adds. One example is the center’s long-running relationship with Indianapolis-based Eli Lilly and Co., where Baier says it helps introduce foreign employees to civic opportunities and customs that may differ from their home country. The International Center provides cultural training to help ex-patriots and their families settle-in, and ultimately, lend their global perspective to the community or their respective organization.