DETROIT (Jan. 15, 2015) – Governor Mike Pence joined executives from Brescia, Italy-based OMR Automotive, a tier 1 automotive supplier for the Fiat Group, in Detroit today to announce the company’s plans to locate its North American headquarters in Speedway, Indiana, creating up to 60 new jobs by 2016.

“OMR’s North American headquarters will be in great hands with Hoosiers in the driver’s seat,” said Pence. “Indiana’s motor vehicle industry is prominent around the world. Japanese companies like Toyota, Honda and Subaru helped launch the international automotive presence in Indiana that has multiplied in recent years to now include Italian companies like OMR, proving Indiana is a state that works for the automotive industry.”

OMR Automotive will invest $10 million to construct a 43,000 square-foot facility on its 2.5-acre campus located at 4755 Gillman St. in Speedway, which includes the installation of new equipment and advanced manufacturing technologies. The company also purchased an additional 2.5 acres located at 4743 Gillman St. for future expansion. As OMR’s fifth location outside of Italy, the company expects to begin construction on its Speedway facility by April, with operations launching by the end of the year. The operation will house the company’s machining and assembling of automotive components for engines, transmissions and chassis.

“Indiana stands out as the ideal place for our North American home base, situated in Speedway, a town known the world over for its legacy in auto racing,” said Marco Bonometti, chairman of OMR. “Our team looked across the region for a place that would maximize growth opportunities for our world-class manufacturing operations, building parts in cars on roads all around the world today. We were impressed with the tax structure and affordable business climate in Indiana, and look forward to a long future here.”

Employing more than 1,800 associates in Italy and 1,200 around the world, the company will begin hiring engineering, administration, production line and quality control professionals as well as machine operators and skilled equipment mechanics in Speedway by the end of the year.

Established in 1919 and still 100 percent owned by the Bonometti family, OMR is a tier 1 components supplier of engines, suspensions, gears, braking systems, chassis and integrated systems for the automotive industry. With 10 locations in Italy, as well as locations in India, China, Brazil and Morocco, the company is a worldwide supplier for original equipment manufacturers in the Fiat Chrysler Group including Fiat, Lancia, Alfa Romeo, Chrysler, Jeep, Ferrari and Maserati. The company also serves automotive customers including General Motors, Volkswagen, Ford and Toyota.

“Given the town of Speedway’s racing history and automotive roots, it is a complete privilege to welcome such a well-known and successful international industry leader to open its first and only headquarters in North America,” said David Lindsey, Speedway Town Council president.

The Indiana Economic Development Corporation will provide the Speedway Redevelopment Commission with up to $1,000,000 in infrastructure assistance from the state’s Industrial Development Grant Fund. The town of Speedway and Speedway Redevelopment Commission will consider additional tax abatement.

Today Pence is leading a one-day economic development and jobs mission to the North American International Auto Show in Detroit, where he is sharing Indiana’s story as a state that works with executives representing some of the biggest names in the automotive industry. The Indiana automotive industry produced more than 1.1 million cars and light trucks in 2013 and ranks second in the nation for automotive gross domestic product. Vehicle and automotive parts exports remain Indiana’s largest export industry, ranking it in the top five exporting states of motor vehicle parts and accessories in the United States.

Indiana Farm Bureau President Don Villwock has been re-elected to the board of directors of the American Farm Bureau Federation.

The election was held during AFBF’s 96^th annual meeting, held Jan. 13 in San Diego, California. Villwock represents the Midwest Region on the board, which helps guide the nation’s largest farm organization.

“I am honored to be re-elected to the AFBF board and to represent Indiana farmers at the national level,” said Villwock, who farms near Edwardsport with his wife, Joyce.

Isabella Chism, INFB’s second vice president, was elected to her first term as vice chair of the AFB Women’s Leadership Committee. The committee works to highlight the important role of women in agriculture by engaging and encouraging Farm Bureau involvement from all women involved in agriculture. Isabella and her husband, Kent, farm near Kokomo with two of their grown children.

Deb Walsh, who represents District 1 on INFB’s Women’s Leadership Committee, was elected to the AFB committee as a representative of the Midwest Region. Deb and her husband, Jim, farm near Rochester.

The year-round Our Food Link program is one avenue of outreach the AFB Women will be focusing on this year. Another is the Women in Ag Survey (http://womeninag.questionpro.com/), which remains open for submissions until Feb. 20 and will help Farm Bureau gauge the needs and aspirations of women in agriculture.

Indianapolis – Today Lt. Governor Sue Ellspermann announced details for the 2015 Hoosier Women Artists Contest. The annual competition was established to celebrate Women’s History Month and highlight talented female artists throughout Indiana. Applications are being accepted until February 27, 2015.

The contest celebrates the wide variety of graphic arts including drawing, painting and photography. Past entries have included – but are not limited to – portraits, landscapes, still lifes, animals, buildings and abstracts. Winners of the Hoosier Women Artists Contest will have their artwork displayed in the Lt Governor’s office for one year.

“I am pleased to recognize the many talented Hoosier Women Artists,” said Lt. Governor Ellspermann. “It’s truly an honor to display the artwork in my front office and share these beautiful pieces with the thousands of people who visit our State House.”

The winning artwork is judged by a panel that includes Lt. Governor Ellspermann and professors from the Indiana University Herron School of Art and Design at IUPUI.

Applications along with electronic copies of the artwork can be submitted online through the Lt. Governor’s website, www.lg.in.gov  or mailed to 200 West Washington Street, Room 333 Indianapolis, IN 46204. A reception will be held in March at the Indiana State House to honor the selected artists.

Requirements include:

·         Framed wall art only

·         Maximum dimensions (including frame): 42”x60”

·         Maximum weight: 60 lbs

·         Must be installation ready, including frame and hanging wires

·         Submit one entry per artist to be considered

Central Indiana State Senators are joining forces to fight the increase in crime occurring in Marion County and other areas of the state.

State Sens. Michael Crider (R-Greenfield), Patricia Miller (R-Indianapolis), Scott Schneider (R-Indianapolis), Brent Waltz (R-Greenwood) and R. Michael Young (R-Indianapolis) are authoring a crime-reduction package to better protect Hoosier citizens by keeping police officers safe, providing prosecutors stronger sentencing tools, directing funds to high-crime areas and denying record expungement to violent felons.

Young’s Senate Bill 559 increases the sentence for a crime by 20 years if a firearm was pointed or discharged at a police officer during the commission of the crime.

“We want to keep our police officers safe, keep violent criminals off the streets and keep firearms out of the hands of dangerous people who want to harm others,” said Young, chair of the Senate Committee on Corrections and Criminal Law. “Hopefully we can dissuade criminals from harming our brave officers and innocent citizens. If stronger sentences won’t deter them, then they will be locked up for longer periods of time, keeping them off our streets.”

Schneider is authoring Senate Bill 92 to strengthen sentencing for violent felons who unlawfully possess a deadly weapon and for criminals who possess a deadly weapon while dealing with controlled substances.

The proposal also adds offenses like resisting law enforcement, child molestation, burglary, robbery and battery to the list of crimes that are eligible for a sentencing enhancement if a deadly weapon is used to commit the crime.

“The goal is to keep violent offenders off the streets,” Schneider said. “This proposal gives prosecutors more tools to identify criminals who are prone to violent crime before they become habitual offenders.”

Crider, Colonel and former director of the Indiana Department of Natural Resources division of law enforcement, is authoring Senate Bill 94 to provide prosecutors stronger sentencing tools by modifying the statute of limitations for filing rape charges.

“Currently in Indiana, the statute of limitations for filing rape charges is five years,” Crider said. “My bill will extend the statute of limitations by an additional five years if there is a confession, if new DNA evidence is identified or the original police report said ‘unknown suspect’ and a suspect is later identified.”

Waltz’s Senate Bill 551 would establish a police-enhancement pilot program that will direct $200,000 per year to Marion, Lake and Allen counties for the next two years.

“The additional money will fund a rapid response, getting law enforcement into high-crime areas as well as deterring criminals from invading neighborhoods at risk of increased criminal activity,” Waltz said.

Miller’s Senate Bill 164 denies record expungement to criminals with two convictions using a deadly weapon.

“Violent offenders should not be able to get their records expunged,” Miller said.

Immediately following the announcement of the crime-reduction package, Crider, Miller, Schneider, Waltz and Young officially filed their bills. Bill packets will be uploaded to www.in.gov/legislative.

Tickets are on sale now to see Wilson, Brewster, and Koko from the hit Disney Junior show come alive for endless fun!

The entire family will enjoy hours of singing and dancing when Chuggington Live! The Great Rescue Adventure comes to Indianapolis on Friday, February 20, 2015 for two action-packed shows (3:30 p.m. and 7 p.m.) at the Murat Theatre at Old National Centre. Tickets are on sale now at the Old National Centre Box Office, all Ticketmaster outlets, Ticketmaster.com, OldNationalCentre.com and by phone at 800-745-3000.

This new production features impressive trains with working features and movements that bring the Chuggington TV series characters to life on stage. A fun, two-act musical, this live show is presented before a giant LED video wall featuring animated locations and sensational background action sequences from the popular TV series.

In Chuggington Live! The Great Rescue Adventure, the trainees are eager to impress their mentors by mastering new roles that test their courage, speed and determination. When Koko finds herself in trouble at Rocky Ridge Mine, it’s up to her friends to help her. Do the trainees have what it takes to put their newly learned skills into practice to save Koko?

Chuggington currently airs in more than 178 countries and is translated into 36 different languages. In the United States, the series airs daily on Disney Junior and weekdays on Disney Channel. The series first launched in the United States in 2010 on Disney Junior.

For more information on tickets, show times and additional information, please visit lifeliketouring.com.