Terre Haute, Ind. - RJL Solutions Partner, Rachel Leslie, will be traveling to the Farnborough Air Show in London with the Indiana Economic Development Corporation (IEDC), July 16 through 21. The delegation representing Indiana includes an array of leaders from the IEDC, the Indiana Department of Commerce, including Secretary Jim Schellinger, and other leaders in aerospace and defense from around the state.
The IEDC is working with industry leaders from around the world to advance economic opportunities for the state of Indiana. The delegation is receiving daily email updates regarding new meetings and more opportunities. To date there are 31 meetings scheduled and more to come.
Since opening RJL Solutions nearly one year ago, Leslie has been active in the defense dialogue. She serves as Vice President of the National Center for Complex Operations board (NCCO), serves as the Terre Haute Chamber of Commerce lead consultant on defense development, and is an appointed member of the Terre Regional Airport board of directors, serving as President. Currently, the Terre Haute Chamber of Commerce is advancing efforts around defense development for West Central Indiana, creating a working document that will support a marketing campaign showcasing West Central Indiana’s assets prepared for the growth in the defense sector.
“Although the Terre Haute Chamber of Commerce has been active with our 181st Intelligence Wing for many years, this last year has presented a scope of knowledge and excitement around defense that this Chamber has not witnessed. The assets and opportunities in this sector are staggering. We’ve been pleased to not only work alongside RJL Solutions in advancing these efforts, but also Defense Development Director, Danielle Chrysler, who makes regular visits to West Central Indiana. We have a partner in the state of Indiana around defense,” stated Terre Haute Chamber President David Haynes.
“I was pleased and humbled to be asked to travel with such a great group of people who love Indiana and can advance our state-wide efforts in aerospace and defense. I knew Terre Haute was prime for opportunity with our higher education assets, award-winning airport, site ready locations, advanced technology, and proximity to Indianapolis - but I wasn’t seeing the larger picture until the past twelve months. The state’s action to join forces and sell Indiana as one large asset helps advance our competitive edge. Understanding the national competition around this sector has made me think about how we tell our story. Serving on the NCCO board has opened my eyes to how we must work together as a state – one voice – to create big wins in this sector. This multi-billion dollar industry is about advancing technology to keep our warfighters safe, and in turn, keep us safe. I don’t know exactly what to expect on this journey, but I’m prepared to tell the Hoosier story and how West Central Indiana is a part of that story,” stated Leslie.
Leslie will be video blogging on her journey. The blog will include updates from Indiana leaders and can be found on the Terre Haute Chamber of Commerce website, www.terrehautechamber.com.
Those traveling as part of the IN delegation include:
1. Alex Miller, Business Development Senior Project Manager, IEDC
2. Bob Fagan, Notre Dame Turbo Machinery Lab & Conexus
3. Danielle Chrysler, Indiana Office of Defense Development
4. Elizabeth Patel, Marketing Outreach Manager, IEDC
5. General Clark, IND National Guard
6. Jake Miller, Field Director – IEDC Secretary of Commerce
7. Jan Wiedemann, Director, Business Development Europe, IEDC
8. Jim Schellinger, Secretary of Commerce
9. Jim Tidd, Miami County Economic Development Corporation
10. Matt Wade, Vice President Marketing, IEDC
11. Paul Moses, Purdue Research Foundation
12. Rachel Leslie, National Center for Complex Operations/West Central IN
13. Rollie Helmling, Senior Vice President- Global Industry & Trade Development, IEDC
