Company recognized by economic development organizations for hiring practices
November 17, 2011
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. - A Purdue Research Park-based company that has benefited from the Aging Worker Initiative, funded by the U.S. Department of Labor's Employment and Training Administration (ETA), was recognized Nov. 16 by two regional economic development organizations.
Schoolhouse Partners LLC was named the 2011 Maturity Matters Employer award winner by the Region 4 Workforce Board and the Tecumseh Area Partnership. Region 4 covers the West Central Indiana counties of Benton, Carroll, Cass, Clinton, Fountain, Howard, Miami, Montgomery, Tippecanoe, Tipton, Warren and White.
Schoolhouse Partners was founded by Lou and Anita Schafer to help schools, libraries, municipalities and nonprofit groups find and apply for grant opportunities around the nation.
Anita Schafer said the Aging Worker Initiative helps established workers find employment. It funded internships for Susan Bales, Jeanne Winstead and Marilyn Zerbes at Schoolhouse Partners. The initiative has funded 10 regional partnerships around the nation, including the Tecumseh Area Partnership.
"The fund paid their salaries for a short period of time, and after the period ended we kept all of them as full-time employees," Schafer said. "The program benefited Schoolhouse Partners because we have a specialized market and training can be extensive, and the funding provided necessary resources during the training."
Schafer said experienced workers like Bales, Winstead and Zerbes have a professional attitude upon entering the workplace.
"They arrived already with a strong work ethic in place," she said. "They had their own motivation for doing a good job, and their balance of writing, editorial and technology skills has made them valuable assets at Schoolhouse Partners."
Schafer said being recognized for hiring local, talented people is nice, but the larger picture has to be considered.
"Job creation and economic development is possible in West Central Indiana thanks to talented workers and the resources provided by economic development organizations, government leaders, Purdue University and Purdue Research Park," she said.
About Schoolhouse Partners LLC
Schoolhouse Partners is a full-service consulting firm that provides assistance to educational, nonprofit and community agencies in obtaining grant funding. Since 2003 the company has helped nonprofit and tax-exempt groups raise millions of dollars through hundreds of funded grants and awards.
About Purdue Research Park
The Purdue Research Park has the largest university-affiliated business incubation complex in the country. The park network has four sites in Indiana that are home to about 200 companies where a total of 4,000 people are employed. The sites are located in West Lafayette, Merrillville, Indianapolis and New Albany.
Purdue Research Park contact: Steve Martin, 765-588-3342, sgmartin@prf.org
Source: Anita Schafer, 765-237-3390, lou.schafer@schoolhousepartners.net
