Northwest Indiana RDA names economic development director
Subscriber Benefit
As a subscriber you can listen to articles at work, in the car, or while you work out. Subscribe Now
An economic development consultant who once led redevelopment efforts for the city of Gary has been hired as the director of economic development for the Northwest Indiana Regional Development Authority.
AJ Bytnar brings more than 15 years of experience in economic development, urban planning, zoning and redevelopment, the authority said. While serving as the executive director of redevelopment for the city of Gary from 2019 to 2022, he worked on initiatives such as the creation of the Broadway Lofts, the Hard Rock Casino and transit development districts.
Transit development districts capture the growth in local income and property tax revenue to fund transit initiatives that help drive economic development. In his new role, he will guide the development of such districts in Lake and Porter counties, the area in which the RDA serves.
Northwest Indiana now has 10 transit development districts, according to the authority’s website, and additional district boundary studies are underway for Valparaiso, South Bend and Beverly Shores.
Bytnar’s other work experience includes roles as the director of planning and development for the town of Lowell, an economic development specialist for the city of Fishers, and an analyst with the Indiana Housing & Community Development Authority, according to his LinkedIn profile.
At the Indiana Housing & Community Development Authority, Bytnar worked with developers, housing providers and community leaders to use tax credits and community development block grants toward development projects, the news release said. At Fishers, he helped coordinate mixed-use developments within the Nickel Plate District and the 116th Street corridor.
Since 2023 Bytnar operated his own development consultancy, his LinkedIn profile indicates.
The Northwest Indiana RDA also announced the hire of a new controller. Courtney Kvachkoff was most recently a staff accountant for Indianapolis-based Onebridge, a data analytics consulting company.
“I am thrilled that AJ and Courtney are joining us,” Sherri Ziller, president and CEO of the regional development authority, said in the news release. “Both are eminently qualified for their roles and will be instrumental in ensuring that our efforts to bring transformational change to Northwest Indiana and drive growth in the Transit Development Districts will be successful.”