After 42 years of leading industrial creation and expansion, helping to expand employment and multifaceted economic growth, Jackson County Industrial Development Corp. Executive Director Jim Plump is retiring.
The JCIDC board of directors is seeking a candidate to continue that leadership success and direct our communities’ growth for the next generation.
Position summary: This position is accountable for all aspects of the development of new industry in Jackson County and the retention, support and maintenance of existing industry.
Reporting relationship: This position reports to the board of directors or, as the board so delegates, to the executive committee.
Nature and scope: The incumbent is expected to develop industrial growth in Jackson County. The primary objective is the creation of new jobs through new industry and expansion of existing industry.
Work closely with Indiana Economic Development Corp., plus regional economic development organizations, chambers of commerce and other governmental officials.
Establish and maintain a rapport with existing industry and business to (1) determine their needs, problems and opportunities and (2) provide support and assist in finding resources to address their needs, problems and opportunities.
Promote existing or new industrial parks and other industrial sites as they are developed. Specifically, serve as a liaison to Seymour Industrial Corp.’s board of directors by actively informing that board of prospects, marketing that entity’s real estate and generally advising SIC’s board on industrial development matters.
Major responsibilities:
•Assure attainment of industrial growth and expansion in Jackson County by developing and implementing an aggressive solicitation program locally, regionally, nationally and internationally.
•Promote a favorable image of Jackson County and the southern region of the state of Indiana.
•Maintain a good relationship with management of existing industry through a proactive calling program.
•Coordinate all board meetings and board committee meetings and provide appropriate information for decision-making.
•Execute the elements of the strategic plan, adopted by the board of directors.
•Assure compliance with all policies adopted by the board of directors.
•Assure the smooth operations of JCIDC’s office located in city hall in Seymour, supervise staff and conduct performance evaluations, manage the books and records and interact as needed with the outside accounting firm retained by JCIDC’s board.
•Prepare an annual budget for review and adoption by the board of directors.
•Engage in state LEDO (Local Economic Development Organization) association activities and educational opportunities and remain well informed on economic development matters and trends as well as national economic trends in order to be effective in fulfilling job responsibilities.
•Develop and maintain performance metrics to gauge relative success of development and retention activities, and develop and maintain statistical measures which would be informative to industrial prospects.
•Develop and maintain open and strategic relations with city/town, county and state governmental agencies, utilities, developers, commercial builders and area business leaders so as to serve as a resource for prospects and existing industry.
•Develop and maintain effective marketing materials which inform and present in the best light the resources and advantages of Jackson County and the region and determine effective methods of distribution of such materials to assure proactive exposure to prospects.
Position requirements include:
•Valid passport and ability to travel regionally, statewide and internationally
•Minimum of a bachelor’s degree
•Excellent communication and networking skills
•Community involvement
•Manage JCIDC office personnel, including Workforce Partnership role
•Manage JCIDC budget process and marketing strategy
•Ability to leverage technology (Microsoft Office, PowerPoint, etc.)
It is strongly preferred that the successful candidate resides in Jackson County.
Candidates with economic development experience, including professional designations, are preferred.
An attractive and competitive salary and benefits package will be offered to the right fit candidate.
Interested applicants should submit their resume to the JCIDC board president at kevingabbard@jcidc.com no later than Wednesday, June 17.
JCIDC Workforce Director Jackie Hill stopped by Seymour Community School Corp.’s annual summer robotics camp June 2 at Seymour-Jackson Elementary School.
Students who just completed third or fourth grade could sign up for the two-day camp, which has sessions Monday and Tuesday or Wednesday and Thursday.
A separate five-day camp for students who just completed fifth, sixth or seventh grade started June 1 and ends June 5.
On June 5, community day will give parents, guardians and others an opportunity to join the camp to see what the students have learned.
JCIDC is proud to sponsor these camps, which are open to SCSC students and other schools
Jackson County Industrial Development Corp. is honored to support the VEX Robotics program in Jackson County and loves seeing the students, from elementary to high school, compete.
JCIDC understands the time and effort they put into robotics. The coaches put in a lot of time and effort, too.
With that in mind, JCIDC invited coaches to an end-of-year celebration April 29 to reflect on the successes of the 2025-26 season and look forward to 2026-27. JCIDC always starts a new school year with a coaches meeting, and now, this end-of-year celebration has been added. Coaches were asked to submit information and photos from the season to include in a slideshow presentation, and that was shared after attendees enjoyed pizza, chips, cookies and drinks.
This school year, Jackson County had 78 teams. At 1.67 teams per 1,000 people, that puts the county at No. 1 in the state. The next highest is Huntington County with 38 teams, or 1.03 teams per capita.
In terms of total number of teams, Marion County led the state with 377 (0.38 teams per capita), and Jackson County is No. 6.
In the county, there were programs at public and private elementary schools, middle schools and high schools, a homeschool program, the Boys & Girls Club of Seymour and 4-H.
Five Jackson County industrial employers recently received approval for 10-year tax abatements, including one that will result in more than 60 new jobs.
During a meeting April 27 in the council chambers at Seymour City Hall, the Seymour Common Council voted to approve investments by Valeo, AISIN USA Mfg. Inc., Cummins Seymour Engine Plant and Walmart Distribution Center.
At the April 13 council meeting, an investment by SpaceGuard Products was approved.
A tax abatement occurs over a 10-year period in which companies pay 10% more on taxes each consecutive year. Companies do not pay any property taxes on the improvements in the first year of a tax abatement.
Altogether, the investments by the Seymour companies top $164 million.
While announcing the four investments at the most recent council meeting, Jackson County Industrial Development Corp. Executive Director Jim Plump said, “I think it’s important to note that these companies are among the highest paying taxpayers in Jackson County.”
Valeo is investing $15,298,000 over three different projects for manufacturing equipment to support continued business growth.
The investment by the automotive lighting systems manufacturer, located in the Freeman Field Industrial Park, will create 61 new jobs with new payroll of just over $20 million added to its current workforce of 1,078 and payroll of $84,776,999.
The estimated start date is May 1, and completion is expected by the end of 2027.
The largest investment is by Walmart Distribution Center. This request for $105 million in personal property is for Phase 2 of a project announced in 2023 that involves Walmart renovating its 42 regional distribution centers.
The retailer continues to modernize its vast supply chain network to provide customers with better reliability, service and speed. A new technology system works to sort, store, retrieve and pack freight onto pallets, and the company will use automation to revolutionize intake, increase accuracy and change how freight is handled.
The newest investment is expected to be completed by the end of 2027.
“Over the next three and a half years, they will be investing $276 million on top of their Phase 1 project,” Plump said. “The balance will be invested in ’28 and ’29, and combined with the $57-plus million that they invested over the past two years in Phase 1, this will end up being a $333 million project.”
The investment will allow the local distribution center, located just west of Interstate 65 on Seymour’s far east side, to retain its current workforce of 937, which has an average annual salary of $58,000 and total payroll of $54.3 million.
AISIN USA, Jackson County’s largest industrial employer, is investing in both of its Seymour plants in the Eastside Industrial Park.
There are two personal property abatements: $15,905,880 for Plant 1 and $4,039,000 for Plant 2.
“These investments are related to new equipment to purchase model parts for AISIN’s customers base, including Honda, Toyota and GM,” Plump said.
There also are two real property abatements: $1,640,000 for Plant 1 and $1,400,000 for Plant 2.
Altogether, the investments total $22,984,880. That will allow the automotive parts manufacturer to retain its current workforce of 1,303 at Plant 1 with total salaries of $95.8 million and 528 at Plant 2 with total payroll of $38.8 million.
Plump said the projects will begin around June 1 and be completed by the summer of 2028.
Cummins’ new investment totals $20,362,550 at its campus along East Fourth Street.
This includes three personal property abatements of $16,969,194 and two real property abatements of $3,393,356.
The personal property is for capacity expansion of the Hedgehog project, new manufacturing equipment for another project and machinery and test cells for the technical center. The real property investments will support equipment purchases.
The project will go from May 15 to the end of this year. Cummins will retain its workforce of 957 with total payroll of $77,308,143.
SpaceGuard Products’ investment totals $375,000 — $320,000 for manufacturing equipment and $55,000 for IT equipment.
The manufacturer of wire partitions and area guarding solutions, located east of Interstate 65, will maintain its current workforce of 53 with annual payroll of $3,211,928.
Crothersville Jr./Sr. High School’s juniors had an opportunity to participate in mock interviews with local business professionals the morning of April 22 at the school.
A total of 30 students gained experience in interviewing. Career interests include nursing, occupational therapy, sports medicine, psychology, pre-med, surgical technologist, education, welding, semi driver, automotive, HVAC, criminal justice, K-9, accounting, law, sports management, sports media, paleontology, zoology and veterinary science.
Conducting the interviews were:
*Akaya Adams and Lydia Benter with Schneck Medical Center
*Steve Toppe with AISIN Drivetrain Inc.
*Ben Rudolph with the Jackson County Sheriff’s Department
*Kyle Wilp with Crothersville Elementary School
*Zach Spicer with JCIDC
Thanks to Crothersville High School counselor Katie Whitehead for working with JCIDC to coordinate this effort.
Brownstown Central High School senior Kassidy Wischmeier was among the 10 regional finalists from Region 6 in southeast Indiana for the STARTedUp Foundation’s STARTedUP Challenge. They presented April 21 at Maker13 in Jeffersonville.
Wischmeier presented on GreenPath Learning, which offers greenhouses, supplies and curriculum for schools. She also was the 2026 Maverick Challenge Jackson County winner with that business plan.
Formerly known as Innovate WithIN, the STARTedUP Challenge is the nation’s most elite high school pitch competition. Each year, thousands of students submit their big ideas. From these submissions, 70 teams — 10 from each of the seven competition regions — are selected to compete at the regional pitch competitions, where they present their ideas in front of judges and an audience.
At each regional event, one winning team secures its spot at the STARTedUP Challenge Finals and receives $1,000 per student (up to three team members). Additionally, three wildcard teams from throughout the state will be selected after the final regional pitch competition. In total, 10 teams will move on to compete for the $25,000 grand prize at Butler University on June 12.
For information, visit startedupfoundation.org/the-challenge.
