Great News Weekly with GreatNews.Life

John Jordan and Mark Powers from CertaPro Painters of NWI stop by to talk to Chris Mahlmann about their years of working together, building and maintaining a team, their core values, and more!

Mike Jessen, President and CEO of the Boys and Girls Clubs of Greater Northwest Indiana sits down with GreatNews.Life Founder Chris Mahlmann to talk about his influences growing up, making the decision to go to college, serving as Valparaiso city administrator, and what it takes to lead a great team.

Aaron McDermott, CEO and President of Latitude Commercial sits down with GreatNews.Life Founder Chris Mahlmann to talk about his realty business, what it takes to be a leader,  being a "Region Guy", having a family that's involved in politics,  and the future of NWI.

Indiana Governor Eric Holcomb traveled to Valparaiso on Tuesday, February 21 to congratulate both the Valparaiso Vikings State Championship Football Team and visit the GreatNews.Life office. Continuing his support of Northwest Indiana (NWI), Holcomb took time out of his busy schedule to highlight the positive news throughout the state. Read more about Governor Holcomb's visit here: https://valpo.life/article/gov-holcomb-shares-good-news-around-the-state-and-beyond/

SSCVA President/CEO Dave Uran sits down with GreatNews.Life Founder Chris Mahlmann to discuss a wide array of topics, including the growing tourism industry in Northwest Indiana and his lifelong involvement with sports. The South Shore Convention and Visitors' Authority is a not-for-profit organization that plays a vital part in the growth of tourism in the Northwest Indiana Region, providing marketing and support services for convention, sports, and special interest segments that help lead to the economic growth and overall enhancement of quality of life in the Region. Uran goes in depth on the impact that tourism has on the Region, and why adding a Convention Center to the area is on the top of his priority list as SSCVA President. Uran speaks about his time being the Mayor of Crown Point, and how the relationships and experiences gained during that tenure have influenced his leadership at the SSCVA. Uran is also actively involved with local sports in the area as a fan and referee, and talks about his perspective on being an official and how it has shaped him as a person. https://www.southshorecva.com/https://nwi.life/partners/south-shore-convention-visitors-authority/3:00 - Sports Teach Leadership Through Practice and Preparation5:12 - Family and Coaching Taught Him the Principles7:21 - South Shore Teamwork Makes Revitalized Dream Work17:42 - Tourism's Impact in Northwest Indiana20:39 - Convention Center - Sports Arena - Best of Both23:34 - Reffing games, using your whistle wisely, and focusing on one play at a time33:27 - 40 Years of South Shore Tourism37:19 - Rose and Rise Awards Recognize Excellence38:40 - Good News Draws People Together41:54 - Valpo - Your Home Base, the Cubs, and Jeff Samardzija

Days before kicking off a nationwide tour, Joe Hertler of Joe Hertler & The Rainbow Seekers sat down for an all exclusive virtual interview with GreatNews.Life Executive Director Jenny Craig-Brown. Originally from Lansing, Mich., the band got its start in 2011 and is known and well loved for their indie, colorful discography. Today, the group has numerous albums under their belt and is getting ready to set out for their next show in Indianapolis, Ind.!Learn more about Joe Hertler & The Rainbow Seekers by checking out their social media below:Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/joehertlermusicInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/joehertler/

GreatNews.Life is shining a spotlight on NW Indiana ER & Hospital CEO Scott Samlan this week! With more than 15 years of practice, Dr. Samlan is Board Certified and recognized as a Fellow of the American College of Emergency Medicine.

Surf Internet's CEO Gene Crusie visited the GreatNews.Life office to share some of what he's learned after three decades of championing affordable, high-quality, reliable internet around the country. Crusie began his internet career in the early ‘90s and has helped develop and launch dozens of internet service providers. Since taking over Surf Internet five years ago, the company has grown to nearly 125 people providing internet access across three states. Surf Internet is committed to building an unparalleled network to provide high-speed, reliable internet access to all.

John Jordan is the Owner and President of CertaPro Painters of Northwest Indiana. He began the Northwest Indiana franchise location of CertaPro Painters out of the basement of his home in 2013 after the successful sale of his family's three-generation business. His objective is to offer a trusted and reliable service to homes and businesses within his community in Northwest Indiana.Jordan focuses most of his efforts on the leadership and strategy of the company as well as sales in both residential and commercial divisions. Learn more about his background, leadership style, and goals for CertaPro Painters of Northwest Indiana in the videos below!

Prior to being elected as the 51st governor of Indiana, Governor Eric Holcomb served in the United States Navy and as the state chairman of the Indiana Republican Party. Holcomb has met with officials from all over the world and was recognized as the International Center's International Citizen of the year in 2018. He has been involved in many projects and foundations, including “Skillful Indiana,” Next Level Connections, Next Level Recovery, The Last Mile, and more. During the past few years as governor, Holcomb decided to take advantage of his travels and shoot a hoop on a basketball court in every county in the state. Holcomb lives in Indianapolis, IN with his wife, Janet, and their Miniature Schnauzer, Henry.

Matthew Wesaw currently serves as the Chairman of the Pokagon Band of Potawatomi Indians. Prior to his time with the Pokagon Band of Potawatomi Indians, Wesaw served with the Michigan State Police where he had a full career, retiring from that career in 2001 as a Detective Sergeant.Wesaw served as the vice-chair for the Pokagon Band of Potawatomi Indians before becoming the Chairman in 1996. Wesaw had 4 children at home, and after a couple of years of serving, he decided to step down until his retirement in 2001. In 2002, Wesaw was reelected to the tribe and has served in one form or another ever since.From 2013 to 2015, Wesaw served as the Executive Director of the Department of Civil Rights for the state of Michigan.

As Regional Director of Big Shoulders Fund, Dan Kozlowski knows the importance of serving the Northwest Indiana and Chicagoland community. He grew up in Cedar Lake, attended catholic elementary and middle schools as well as Hanover Central High School, and received his Bachelor's in business and accounting from Valparaiso University.Once Kozlowski moved to Michigan to start his career after college, he quickly realized accounting was not the correct career path for him. He returned to Valparaiso University, received his Master's in business, and began working closely with nonprofits in the area. Through his work at Marian Catholic High School in Chicago Heights, Ill., Kozlowski got a deeper understanding of what education truly means and how important a helping hand, like the nonprofit organization Big Shoulders Fund, can be for the youth.

After graduation from West Virginia University Institute of Technology in 1995 and working at American Electric Power from 1996-2011, Mike Hooper made the shift to Northern Indiana Public Service Company, Inc. (NIPSCO), where he now serves as its president. Between 2011-2022, he served in a few positions at NIPSCO before working his way up to become president in 2020.Although he started his career in mechanical engineering and carried that expertise with him to each position at both American Electric Power and NIPSCO, he also pursued leadership training at The Ohio State University Fisher College of Business. Hooper graduated from the Strategic Leadership program, and he is also a licensed Project Management Professional.With his history in leadership, GreatNews.Life Founder Chris Mahlmann invited Hooper to sit down and discuss leadership and the past, present, and future plans for NIPSCO as part of the GreatNews.Life Leadership Life Series.

Before stepping into his role earlier this year as CEO and President of United Way of Northwest Indiana, Adam O'Doherty was working hard to make a positive impact on lives across the county in Arizona.O'Doherty realized he had a passion for helping others from the very beginning of his career. Starting in education, he then transferred to working with nonprofit organizations when he discovered how a child's home environment can also affect their school life as well.O'Doherty is no stranger to the work of United Way either, as his most recent position before moving to Indiana was the CEO of United Way of Graham and Greenlee Counties in rural Arizona.He shared that he had five different job offers at once but ultimately decided to relocate from Arizona to Northwest Indiana because he believed in the community. With friendly community members that really cared about each other, he was confident he could lead the Region to drive positive change through his role at United Way Northwest Indiana.In his conversation with GreatNews.Life Founder Chris Mahlmann, O'Doherty also details how he decided to carve his own path with his legacy in mind, how advocating for others is an even higher calling than standing up for oneself, and so much more.

Matt organizes and plans for the long-term vision of the organization and oversees all day-to-day operations. Prior to his position as President/CEO of Porter-Starke Services, Matt served as Chief Executive Officer at the Swanson Center for 8 years. Matt holds an M.A. and Ph.D. in Developmental Psychology from Loyola University Chicago and has held academic and research/faculty positions at University of Michigan and Wayne State University School of Medicine's Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurosciences.

Lt. Gov. Suzanne Crouch was born and raised in Evansville, Indiana, and entered public service as a means to help her community feel more connected with local and state government. She's served as County Auditor, County Commissioner, State Auditor, State Representative for House District 78, and now Lt. Governor. Her portfolio in this role includes overseeing the Indiana State Department of Agriculture, Indiana Housing and Community Development Authority, Office of Defense Development, Office of Community and Rural Affairs and Office of Tourism Development, among myriad other responsibilities as chairwoman of several councils and tasks forces. When asked recently whether she enjoys running as a means of fitness, she promptly answered, “Yes. For office.” Get to know more about Lt. Governor Suzanne Crouch here in the Leadership Life series.

Our own Jenny Craig-Brown sits down with Joe De Sena who is not only the CEO of Spartan, a leading endurance sports brand, but also a New York Times best selling author of The Spartan Way, Spartan Up!, and Spartan Fit!Like and subscribe! Follow us on social and our websites!Facebook: GreatNews.Life, NWI.Life, Valpo.Life, Portage.Life, LaPorteCounty.LifeInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/greatnews.l...Twitter: https://twitter.com/greatnewslife?lan...The Life Sites:NWI.LifeValpo.LifeLaporteCounty.LifePortage.LifeGreatNewsLife looks to form positive, online communities centered around the idea that, given the option, viewers prefer to see all the good things going on in their community, as opposed to negative news. Here you'll find exclusively positive, hyper-local stories, features, and news touting everything exceptional about the communities that make up Northwest Indiana. We invite you to partake in the Region's only source for all-positive news, all the time.

Join us this week for our season finale of Great News Weekly. We get the scoop on the NSA World Series from Crown Point Mayor Uran and Bill Horton, President of NSA North. The new art installation at NorthShore from Brian Dortmund, Allen Grecula, and our very own Lifer Carter Puckett. Finally, Lifer Carter Dahlgren gives us some camping tips as we head out of summer and into the fall season.Great News Weekly will be back for Season 2 in September!

On this weeks episode of Great News Weekly we get a look at all that the Lakes of Valpo has to offer, a sit down with Indiana American Water, Friday Night Live in La Porte, and an interview with local artist Ally Christian!

Join us for this weeks Great News Weekly. The exclusively positive news show brought to you by GreatNews.Life. This week we have a little more information about our mission brought to you by our very own Lifer Carter, a recap from the Franciscan Do Good Feel Good challenge from some of our Lifers who took on the challenge, and internet safety tips brought to you by Horizon Bank.

Join us this week as we take a look at the schedule for Festival of the Lakes, get a peak at the Hobart Market on the Lake vendors, and a seltzer taste test thanks to Indiana Beverage!

Join as we talk to country music artist Jonny James about the festival of the lakes. Then we grill all sorts of things from Strack & Van til before finishing off with some fun outdoor activities and games!

We get a sneak peek at the new Anita king museum dedicated to her. Then we check out an awesome tie dye company before finishing off with a funny segment all about outdoor dining areas in northwest Indiana.

Join us as we get to interview Ben Wilson from Blues Traveler, look at the new Valpo library garden, and Lifers day off at Zao Island!

Join us as we get the scoop on all the awesome items at the La Porte Farmer's Market. Then we'll hear all about Hops for Hospice Beer fest, and finish with a sneak peek at Four Winds Casino's new food menu.

Join us as we tell you all about the poor handmaids of Jesus Christ and their mission to farm sustainably. We also get the scoop on a ton of local jobs that are hiring in the region, and finish off with a good Samaritan story!

#greatnews #goodnews #greatnewslifeJoin us to find out the details about Four Winds Casino's mustang giveaway, participate in Franciscan Health's 30 day 'Do Good, Feel Good' challenge, get the scoop on the famous Bubble's Ice Cream Parlor, and hear all about the wonderful plays and musicals happening at our local schools!0:00 Welcome to the show!1:50 School Plays7:35 Ice Cream Time!11:48 Do Good, Feel Good16:10 Mustang Giveaway---------------------------------------------------Like and subscribe!The Life Sites:NWI.LifeValpo.LifeLaporteCounty.LifePortage.LifeGreatNewsLife looks to form positive, online communities centered around the idea that, given the option, viewers prefer to see all the good things going on in their community, as opposed to negative news. Here you’ll find exclusively positive, hyper-local stories, features, and news touting everything exceptional about the communities that make up Northwest Indiana. We invite you to partake in the Region’s only source for all-positive news, all the time. Watch it. Love it. Share it.

Join us as we get the scoop on Chicago Street Theatre's plays in their yearly 'Teen Fest'. Then we get our engines roaring with a look at Harley Davidson's Motorbike blessing, and finish up with Chesterton's Story Point and what they are all about! Like and subscribe!New Podcast every WednesdayThe Life Sites:NWI.LifeValpo.LifeLaporteCounty.LifePortage.LifeGreatNewsLife looks to form positive, online communities centered around the idea that, given the option, viewers prefer to see all the good things going on in their community, as opposed to negative news. Here you’ll find exclusively positive, hyper-local stories, features, and news touting everything exceptional about the communities that make up Northwest Indiana. We invite you to partake in the Region’s only source for all-positive news, all the time. Watch it. Love it. Share it.

Join us as we interview Morgan Bradley, founder of MAKS, share job openings from great companies around the region, and get a tour of Vale Park Animal Hospital with Brent Lakia, co-owner of Vale Park.Like and subscribe!The Life Sites:NWI.LifeValpo.LifeLaporteCounty.LifePortage.LifeGreatNewsLife looks to form positive, online communities centered around the idea that, given the option, viewers prefer to see all the good things going on in their community, as opposed to negative news. Here you’ll find exclusively positive, hyper-local stories, features, and news touting everything exceptional about the communities that make up Northwest Indiana. We invite you to partake in the Region’s only source for all-positive news, all the time. Watch it. Love it. Share it.

#goodnews #nationaltourismweek #cincodemayoJoin us as we celebrate Cinco de Mayo with our favorite tacos! Then we check out the awesome sport of fencing, before finishing off with a cool chat about the future of tourism for National Tourism Week.Like and subscribe!The Life Sites:NWI.LifeValpo.LifeLaporteCounty.LifePortage.LifeGreatNewsLife looks to form positive, online communities centered around the idea that, given the option, viewers prefer to see all the good things going on in their community, as opposed to negative news. Here you’ll find exclusively positive, hyper-local stories, features, and news touting everything exceptional about the communities that make up Northwest Indiana. We invite you to partake in the Region’s only source for all-positive news, all the time. Watch it. Love it. Share it.

We get to check out the story behind the mobile flower truck of Northwest Indiana. Then we get to check out all the beautiful and fun local parks in the area before finishing off with a fun interview with the awesome custom song making band 'The Double Features'.

We get the scoop on the cool show 'Listen to your mother' in which a ton of local writers share their pieces on motherhood. Speaking of mothers we share some fun facts all about mother earth. Finally we finish off with a nice message about 'scouting for food' the food drive event done by the Boy Scouts of America.

Join us as we celebrate national grilled cheese day with some of our favorite recipes. Then we get to talk with Swifty Sanders, a game show contestant on 'Tough as Nails'. And finally, hear about the legendary John Dillinger escape and the rescue of the stolen car.

Join us as we chat with Coach Chris Seibert of the Girls Bulldog's basketball team. Then we get some fresh news about the Vaccines in Northwest Indiana and finish off with a taste of Marquette's "Newsies" performance.

In this special edition of Great News Weekly, we celebrate Easter with some fun surprises! Jenny gets a visit from Peter Cottontail and we learn what his favorite Easter Egg color to hide is, Lifer Aubrey Thomson shares with us some interesting facts about Easter traditions, and Marc Ruchti from Wise Guys Discount Liquors helps us plan our Easter dinner.

Join us for Great News Weekly's one year anniversary! We celebrate with a wonderful montage of all of our greatest moments, then get an inside look at what awesome services Levin Tire has to offer. Finally, don't get too hungry looking at these delicious pastries from Bau's Pastry shop.

Great News Weekly is your destination for all things positive news, right here in Northwest Indiana! Join us as we celebrate St. Paddy's Day by flipping through our photo gallery, sharing some fun facts, and reviewing some delicious food! We also get a look at the show line up for Chicago Street Theatre and their partnership with Campagna Academy's foster care program.

In this episode we have a heartwarming interview with the first female eagle scout from Indiana! Kayla Hofferth gets the scoop from the scout herself, Emily Long. Then Michelle Shirk and Lee Ann Killingbeck give us an inside look at their Boys and Girls club in La Porte Indiana. Finally we top it off with some fun meal prep tips!Find more at greatnews.life

In this week's exciting installment of Great News Weekly, Lifer Chris Mahlmann learns to make a pizza with Jim Gronemann at Domino's, Lifer Kami Tupiak visits Hot Shop Valpo to get a demonstration of the glass-blowing process, and we get the scoop on NBC The Wall winners from Valparaiso.Tune in now to get your weekly fill of GOOD News and other great news stories at the .Life Sites: NWI.Life, Valpo.Life, Portage.Life and LaPorteCounty.Life.

This week, we celebrate Black History Month, Lifer Kayla interviews the stars of Crown Point's Girls Basketball team, Lifer Chris interviews CTE Directors of the Region, and Nurse Christy Cleveland answers your questions about the medical field!

This week, Lifer Kayla talks to the people from Giant Paw Prints, The South Shore CVA discusses the Savor the South Shore Restaurants Weeks, and we celebrate Random Acts of Kindness Day!

On this week's episode of Great News Weekly, Lifer Kami takes a trip to Culvers to learn how custard is made, we give you a run-down on the job openings around the Region, and Kayla sits down with Ben Konowitz of Big Comedy La Porte!

This week on Great News Weekly, Lifer Dan interviews a local Region athlete, Lifer Colin checks out Steiner Homes LTD. newest creation, Sunny Akomu Akhigbe discusses his nonprofit organization A Boy and His Dream Foundation, and Jenny discusses the 16th Annual Hearts of Hope Campaign from Community Hospital!

his week, host Jenny Craig-Brown learns about the delicious food offered at Fiddlehead in Michigan City, the Salvation Army's coat drive, and the recent changes and fun programming at the La Porte County Public Library, with help from Lifer Kami.

This week, special guest host Chris Mahlmann shares Lifer Dan's awesome recap of high school sports from the weekend, checks in with Valpo artist Nate "Can Do" Caricatures, and Lifers Kami Tupiak and Kayla Hofferth take a trip down to Kelsey's Steak House to try some amazing steaks.

This week on Great News Weekly, host Jenny Craig-Brown sits down with the folks at Static Age in Michigan City, discussing records, bands, and running a small business. Country singer Nate Venturelli discusses his newest hit song "Union Man" and his late grandfather, and Jenny takes a trip to Younique Boutique in La Porte to explore the goods they sell! Tune into this week's musical edition of Great News Weekly!

Join us in ringing in the new year with Great News Weekly! We're kicking off 2021 with dream-pop band Whimsical, our community sharing their New Year's Resolutions, and showcasing the philanthropic efforts of Calling All Angels! Feel free to share your New Year's resolutions with us in the comments. We are excited to share lots more great news with you this year!The Life Sites:NWI.lifeValpo.lifeLaportecounty.lifePortage.lifeGreatNewsLife looks to form positive, online communities centered around the idea that, given the option, viewers prefer to see all the good things going on in their community, as opposed to negative news. Here you’ll find exclusively positive, hyper-local stories, features, and news touting everything exceptional about the communities that make up Northwest Indiana. We invite you to partake in the Region’s only source for all-positive news, all the time. Watch it. Love it. Share it.

In the last episode of Great News Weekly of 2020, host Jenny Craig Brown takes us on a trip to Industrial Revolution in Valparaiso. Lifer Dan shows us what Chesterton High School's band and orchestra spreads some holiday cheer, Sublime Homes looks back at their 2020. To cap off our 2020, we celebrate the graduates of Purdue University Northwest.The Life Sites:NWI.lifeValpo.lifeLaportecounty.lifePortage.lifeGreatNewsLife looks to form positive, online communities centered around the idea that, given the option, viewers prefer to see all the good things going on in their community, as opposed to negative news. Here you’ll find exclusively positive, hyper-local stories, features, and news touting everything exceptional about the communities that make up Northwest Indiana. We invite you to partake in the Region’s only source for all-positive news, all the time. Watch it. Love it. Share it.

In another desert filled episode of Great News Weekly, host Jenny Craig-Brown interviews Susannah Larson, who is spearheading meal donations to healthcare workers across the Region. Next, Lifer Stephanie sat down with Chef Blaque Shelton, a Gary-based chef who has made appearances on Netlfix's "Sugar Rush," and the Food Network's "The Big Bake."From our family at GreatNews.Life, we wish you all a Merry Christmas and a happy holidaysTune in now to get your weekly fill of GOOD News. Share your great news stories with us at: Share@GreatNews.Life and check out our sites: NWI.Life, Valpo.Life, Portage.Life and LaPorteCounty.Life.

This week in a holiday-filled episode of Great News Weekly, Jenny learns from what wines pair best with holiday meals, have an exclusive interview with Santa, and take a light-filled trip at Harvest Tyme Pumpkin Patch!Tune in now to get your weekly fill of GOOD News. Share your great news stories with us at: Share@GreatNews.Life and check out our sites: NWI.Life, Valpo.Life, Portage.Life and LaPorteCounty.Life.