Spring 2012 - Northwest Indiana Business Quarterly Magazine

Business Profileundergraduate and master’s degreeshave a concentration in communityand economic development. Andas far as working with children, “Iwant to make sure they have mentorsand the same opportunities aseveryone.”According to Brad Toothaker,president and CEO of CBRE/Bradatwhat you do best, and listen toyour customers,” recommendsSchmidtendorff , who is a memberof the CEO-group Vistage. “If youdon’t take care of your customers,someone else will. We have alsopartnered with great manufacturersand customers on innovative projectsover the years.”Moreover, Communication Companyis affiliated with several notfor-profits,including the SalvationArmy, Hope Rescue Mission, TheCenter for the Homeless and theAmerican Red Cross. Employeescan take time from their regularwork day, without losing pay,to volunteer either at the Centerfor the Homeless or as a studentmentor for the South Bend CommunitySchool Corporation.Phil Damico, director of economicdevelopment for the chamber, nominatedCommunication Companybecause of its “proactive approachto the community. They have beenpretty innovative with their businessmodel. I also think they havesome of the brightest young leadersin our community and certainly intheir industry. When 75 percent ofbusinesses were experiencing majorprofit loss during the downturn, theyactually achieved a revenue gain.They were not going to accept thatthe economy was going to get theirbusiness down. Rather than beingreactive, the company has been veryproactive.”Outstanding Young BusinessLeader Regina Emberton is vicepresident of brokerage services atCBRE/Bradley, a South Bend commercialreal-estate firm. “Never shyaway from opportunities and alwaysstep up to fill a role or a need,”urges Emberton, who has prosperedby taking educational classes withinSTEppING UP Regina Emberton (center), vice president of brokerage servicesat CBRE/Bradley, won the Outstanding Young Business Leader award.her industry that has led to tworespected designations: CertifiedCommercial Investment Member(CCIM) and Society of Industrial andOffice Realtors (SIOR).Emberton joined CBRE/Bradleyin 1999 as an intern in the marketresearch department. Through theyears, she has also been active involunteerism. Currently, she serveson the board of directors for DowntownSouth Bend Inc. and Boys &Girls Clubs of St. Joseph County. “Istarted my career in the economicdevelopment realm, so I have a passionfor cities developing. I wantto be a catalyst for further areagrowth,” says Emberton, whose“Speak to people who are in thebusiness that you want to start. Don’t beafraid, even if they are your competitors.”—Staci Lugar Brettin, ATHENA Award recipientley, who nominated Emberton,“Regina’s stature in the company asa top producer, management executiveand her sustained involvementin the community demonstrate heroverall dedication to excellence. Shehas distinguished herself by deepcommitment and sacrifices, and hastaken active leadership roles withinmany community organizations,doing so with honor, integrity andboundless energy. Her enthusiasm,passion and respect among peersmake her an outstanding asset to notonly our company, but the communityas well.”There were also two EconomicImpact Awards in recognition of acompany’s strategic vision and itssubstantial capital investment in thearea economy. And although thereis not an official nominator for eitherrecipient, the chamber relies oninformation gathered about variousprojects, investments, large hiringsand other economic signs.In 2010, Allied Physicians ofMichiana began a $15 million renovationproject of a 100,000 squarefootstrip mall at the corner ofHickory Road and State Road 23in South Bend, which culminatedin a state-of-the-art medical plaza.“Probably the biggest obstacle wasthat we were not building from agrain field. We took an existing38 NORTHWEST INDIANA BUSINESS QUARTERLY SpRINg–SUmmER 2012