Greater Kokomo Economic Development Alliance

10/19/2026

We know a lot of you have been curious about the new Kokomo Conference Center. Well, here's your chance to see what all the excitement is about!

We're hosting our Annual Celebration & Awards Dinner there on Nov. 5, and we'd love for you to be part of the evening.

Come see the new space, connect with Chamber members, enjoy a great meal and help us celebrate some pretty some great people and businesses in our community.
Grab your tickets now: https://bit.ly/4itBBRM

10/16/2026

We have a winner!

Congratulations to Whitnie Mitchell, owner of Olive Tree Boutique, for taking home the $10,000 grand prize at The Drive!

Whitnie earned the top prize with her plans to expand the boutique's custom quilted bag line, bring custom embroidery services in-house and grow her wholesale business.

A big congratulations also goes to fellow finalists Adrean Lamberg of Brix & Co. Candles and Claire Cooper of The Elevated Hippie. All three entrepreneurs brought great ideas and big plans for the future of their businesses to the stage.

Presented by Inventrek Technology Park, The Drive is about helping local entrepreneurs turn their plans for growth into reality. We're proud to be part of their journeys!

Thank you to our sponsors, judges and everyone who joined us at Hingst Hall to support local entrepreneurship!

10/15/2026

Tonight is the night! Three Howard County entrepreneurs will take the stage at Ivy Tech and compete for a $10,000 grand prize.

They will pitch their businesses and growth plans to a panel of judges, and you get to watch it all happen live.

The Drive starts at 6 p.m. at Ivy Tech's Hingst Hall, 1815 E. Morgan St., Kokomo. Free and open to the public. Come see what local entrepreneurs are building.

More information: https://greaterkokomo.com/thedrive/

10/14/2026

THREE BUSINESSES. ONE NIGHT. ONE $10,000 PRIZE.

We are getting close. On Thursday night, Brix & Co. Candles, Olive Tree Boutique and The Elevated Hippie will take the stage at Ivy Tech for The Drive.

Each finalist will present their business and growth plans to a panel of judges.

Then comes the hard part. The judges have to decide who takes home the $10,000 grand prize. You get to sit back and watch it happen.

It all happens from 6-8 p.m. Oct. 15 event at Hingst Hall on the Ivy Tech campus, 1815 E. Morgan St., Kokomo. The event is free and open to the public.
Free and open to the public.

Come support local entrepreneurs and see what they have planned next.

More information: https://greaterkokomo.com/thedrive/

10/09/2026

The Drive just doesn't happen without community support!

A business pitch competition with a $10,000 grand prize takes support from businesses and organizations willing to invest in local entrepreneurs. Thank you to the sponsors of the 2026 Drive Competition:

Community First Bank of Indiana | City of Kokomo - City Hall | Duke Energy |
Howard County government | CARD Payment Solutions | Ivy Tech Community College Kokomo Region | Droplight | Huston Electric Inc. | Solidarity Community Federal Credit Union | Foster Technologies LLC

Their support helps give local entrepreneurs an opportunity to put their ideas, plans and businesses in front of a live audience and a panel of judges.

Now it is your turn to show up for the finalists! Come hear their pitches from 6-8 p.m. Oct. 15 event at Hingst Hall on the Ivy Tech campus, 1815 E. Morgan St., Kokomo. The event is free and open to the public.

Learn more at greaterkokomo.com/thedrive

10/05/2026

The finalists have been selected. The pitches are ready. Now we need you in the room!

On Thursday, Oct. 15, three local entrepreneurs will take the stage at Ivy Tech's Hingst Hall for The Drive, a "Shark Tank"-style business pitch competition presented by Inventrek Technology Park.

Each finalist will pitch their business and growth plans to a panel of judges, all competing for a $10,000 grand prize. The event is free and open to the public.

Join us at 6 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 15 at Hingst Hall, 1815 E. Morgan St., Kokomo, and see what local entrepreneurs are working toward and support the people building businesses here in Howard County.

More information: https://greaterkokomo.com/thedrive/

09/28/2026

ICYMI: Another major investment is taking shape right here in Kokomo.

Haynes International broke ground this week on a major expansion of its Kokomo operations, a project expected to create more than 100 new jobs and strengthen the company’s ability to produce high-performance alloys for growing markets.

For more than a century, Haynes has been part of Kokomo’s story of innovation and advanced manufacturing. Seeing the company continue to invest and grow here is a powerful reminder of what happens when businesses, community leaders and economic development partners work together to create an environment where companies can build for the future.

The Greater Kokomo Alliance joined community and company leaders for the groundbreaking, celebrating this next chapter for one of Kokomo’s longtime employers.

We’re proud to be part of a community where investment creates opportunity and where companies like Haynes continue to see a future here.

Read more about the project here: kokomotribune.com/across_indiana/haynes-breaks-ground-on-kokomo-expansion-expected-to-add-more-than-100-jobs/article_46146cba-a5cd-49e9-8220-4b30a545add7.html

More than a century after Elwood Haynes began making metal alloys with four employees on Union Street, the company that bears his name broke ground on Wednesday for a large

08/06/2026

They may look like flowers, but they’re really so much more than that.

The beautiful flower baskets you see throughout downtown and around the city are a small but meaningful part of what makes Kokomo feel like home. Planted and cared for by Greater Kokomo Downtown Association volunteers, these baskets are a reflection of community pride and the people who care enough to make our city a little brighter, more welcoming and more beautiful.

They’re also part of the Greater Kokomo Alliance’s ongoing placemaking efforts, because creating a great community isn’t always about the big projects. Sometimes, it’s about the little details that make people want to stop, stay awhile and enjoy the place they call home.

A big thank you to the volunteers who give their time to make Kokomo bloom!

08/05/2026

Sometimes, you have to take a minute to sit back and enjoy the fruits of your labor.

For these four Greater Kokomo Alliance team members, this moment is a pretty special one. They’ve spent months working behind the scenes, solving problems, making decisions, putting in long hours and doing whatever it took to help bring the Downtown Kokomo Conference Center from an idea to reality.

Now, they get to sit in the space they worked so hard to make happen. And we think that’s worth celebrating.

A huge THANK YOU to (from left) Alliance Facilities Manager Jason Youngman, Visitors Bureau Manager Sherry Matlock, Alliance President & CEO Lori Dukes, and CVB sales manager Sam Beckom for your tireless work, dedication and belief in what this project could become. This place wouldn’t be here without you.

07/31/2026

Join us downtown for Get Schooled, August's First Friday, on Friday, Aug. 7, from 5:30 to 8 p.m.

Discover the businesses, artists, organizations, and creative people that make Kokomo Downtown District such a vibrant place to live, work, and explore. From hands-on activities and live entertainment to local shopping and community connections, you'll leave knowing your hometown a little better.

Then, if you're 21 or older, stick around for First Friday After Hours, when select downtown bars, pubs, shops, and venues keep the fun going beyond 8 p.m.

Come see what there is to learn right here in your own backyard. Get details at firstfridaykokomo.com.