Pioneer Starts Here

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Pioneer Starts Here 📍Northeast Indiana
Highlighting the people of our region by telling their stories.

Pioneer Starts Here – in Northeast Indiana – and it’s time to tell their stories.

On this episode of , we welcome Dan Ross! After 17 years, he recently retired as President and CEO of Arts United. He a...
10/08/2026

On this episode of , we welcome Dan Ross! After 17 years, he recently retired as President and CEO of Arts United. He also spent 20 years with the Fort Wayne Philharmonic and has been a huge part of the arts and culture scene here in Northeast Indiana.

In this interview, we learn how he found his love for the arts, how he has seen the arts and culture industry grow in the last 40 years, and the legacy he will leave behind.

🔗 Watch the full interview in the comments!

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The Pioneer Path is designed to take a closer look at the people who are creating their own paths in Northeast Indiana. Highlighting individuals at every stage of their journey, including those just getting started and those who have been paving the way for years.

10/02/2026

You heard him!
Nominations are open now!

🏆Our Pioneer Awards recognize individuals in Northeast Indiana who make an impact through community engagement, entrepreneurship, social advocacy, and/or creativity.

Our awards feature three categories:

🙌 A Brand Champion is someone who uplifts the region’s identity, promoting its unique culture and values.

💪 An Entrepreneur is someone with a strong work ethic, passion, and drive to act on an idea. Then, they work tirelessly to make that idea become a success.

🤝A person in the Social Impact category is someone who exemplifies a commitment to making a positive difference in our region, not solely driven by financial gain, but by a genuine desire to contribute to the greater good.

Click the link in the comments to nominate now!

Jonathan Sackett

09/25/2026

Our new episode is live! 🎙️

Here is a sneak peek on what we covered in our interview with Edwin Chow from Summit City Climbing Co.!

🔗 Check out the full episode in the comments.

Nominations are open NOW for the 2027 Pioneer Awards!🏆Do you know someone who has made an impact in Northeast Indiana th...
09/23/2026

Nominations are open NOW for the 2027 Pioneer Awards!🏆

Do you know someone who has made an impact in Northeast Indiana through community engagement, entrepreneurship, social advocacy, and/or creativity?

Click here to nominate them now! https://bit.ly/4hiyuud

NEI

Imagine the challenges of trying to open Fort Wayne's first climbing gym while being deployed with the US Army National ...
09/23/2026

Imagine the challenges of trying to open Fort Wayne's first climbing gym while being deployed with the US Army National Guard! 🧗‍♂️

🎙️Our latest episode of the with Edwin Chow covers all of that and more!

If you have somehow missed hype, let us fill you in. Edwin is the owner of Summit City Climbing Co. and our 2026 Pioneer of the Year! He has a long resume of business start ups and community involvement here in Northeast Indiana.

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🔗 Watch episode 60 at the link in the comments!

09/18/2026

Education is changing and 3DE is ready for the shift! 📚

Junior Achievement of Northern Indiana and 3DE Schools have been doing things differently since the beginning. Their experiential learning programs are consistently graduating students who are equipped for the real world!

🎙️ Watch the full episode in the comments!

09/11/2026

One of the many things that make Junior Achievement of Northern Indiana special is the way its programming can give a student the opportunity to rise to the occasion! 🤩

Many students greatly benefit from getting out of the classroom and learning in a new way. Teachers' eyes may even be opened to what that student can achieve when in the right environment!

🔗 Learn more about JA by watching the full episode in the comments.

09/10/2026

Rick's advice to people entering the workforce is to find what you're passionate about, live it, and love it! 🤝

If you go to work every day loving what you do, then is it really work?

🔗 Watch our full interview with Rick in the comments!

A NEW Way to Educate!On this episode of the , we welcome Karen Cooper, Ashley Adamson, and Nicole Winans from Junior Ac...
09/09/2026

A NEW Way to Educate!

On this episode of the , we welcome Karen Cooper, Ashley Adamson, and Nicole Winans from Junior Achievement of Northern Indiana! 🎙️

They give us an inside look at everything Junior Achievement offers, including JA Biztown, Finance Park, 3DE, and Legacy Park. JA designs unique learning experiences with the end in mind: real outcomes for students.

🔗 Learn more by watching the full episode in the comments!

09/04/2026

The Fort Wayne Zoo has seen major growth under Executive Director Rick Schuiteman! 🦁🦒

The Zoo is already one of Fort Wayne's most iconic attractions and it is still continuing to grow!

🔗 Learn more about Rick and his work at the by watching the full interview in the comments.

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Fort Wayne, IN
46774, 46802–46809, 46814–46816, 46818, 46819, 46825, 46835, 46845

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