Former Gov. Mitch Daniels' Newsroom


Contact: Jane Jankowski
Phone: 317/232-1622
Email: jjankowski@gov.in.gov
GOV2

For Immediate Release: Sep 1, 2005
Governor makes appointment to Northwest Indiana Regional Development Authority

PORTAGE, Indiana (September 1, 2005) ? Governor Mitch Daniels has named a Northwest Indiana real estate businessman to the Northwest Indiana Regional Development Authority (RDA). Harley Snyder of Valparaiso, president of HSC, Inc./Real Estate Consulting and Investment, will serve as one of seven members of the authority.

Snyder?s appointment is the governor?s second appointment to the board. Earlier, he named John Clark, his senior advisor for economic growth, as the RDA chair.

The governor also said that Clark will convene the first meeting of the authority on September 26 in Crown Point. Snyder was one of three people recommended to the governor by Portage Mayor Doug Olson.

?His strong economic development background, expertise in finance and knowledge of Northwest Indiana make Harley an ideal fit for the RDA and this assignment. It is great to see the last seats filled. I've been impatient to get going,? said Daniels.

Snyder also is a managing member of Parke & Associates, LLC, a commercial real estate investment company, and managing partner for Reason Bell, a commercial real estate investment partnership and South Coast, LLC, a residential and commercial development company. He also is a member of the board of the Countrywide Financial Corporation, the Valparaiso University Board of Trustees and the Porter County Community Foundation, among other business and community affiliations.

The RDA also includes one person each from Lake and Porter counties appointed by the council and commission of both counties, and one representative each from the cities of Gary, East Chicago and Hammond.

The authority, which became effective July 1, is charged with developing and funding airport expansion at the Gary/Chicago airport, regional rail and bus transportation projects as well as shoreline and other economic development capital projects. State and local funding of about $25 million annually will be used to attract substantially greater federal matching funds for RDA projects.

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For a digital photo of Snyder, contact the governor?s office at the above telephone number.