Good news for the BP Whiting expansion this week as the Indiana Department of Environmental Management issued the final air permit for the project. The Northwest Indiana Times has more.

"We support the BP Whiting modernization project," says Vince Griffin, Indiana Chamber VP of energy & environmental affairs. "With a $4 billion price tag, the project is not only the largest investment in the state’s history but it preserves a critical piece of Indiana’s economy, promotes a more stable oil source from Canada and does all of this while providing a high level of protection for our environment."

A small number of businesses are making a large impact on Indiana’s economic landscape. The numbers are in a new Indiana Chamber Foundation study titled Accelerating Growth in Indiana’s Mid-Market Companies.

Digest these digits: mid-market firms (those with annual sales between $5 million and $100 million) account for 3% of all the state’s for-profit organizations, yet provide 30% of the jobs and more than 40% of the sales for that same group. Additional data, an online survey and one-on-one interviews with mid-market company leaders indicate there may be a tremendous opportunity to enhance the state’s economy.

The further purpose of the project is to find ways to help these already successful Indiana companies grow even more. The details are outlined in a press release, 12-page study summary and audio commentary from foundation leader Mark Lawrance.

Take a look, review the numbers and let us know what you think.

Mark Willen of Kiplinger.com has an interesting breakdown regarding McCain’s and Obama’s views on the corporate tax. You business owners and fanatical fans of finance (sorry, I just received my certificate in alliteration) could find the distinctions intriguing.

Also, you may be surprised at what Bill Clinton’s former labor secretary Robert Reich says on the matter.

Floods have definitely taken a collective toll on Indiana this month. According to the Indy Star, at least 70 businesses have suffered flood damage and a major hospital had to be closed in Columbus.

For those looking to either recover or prevent future disasters from destroying your business, the Indiana Chamber has created Disaster Planning and Homeland Security for Indiana Business. The book, authored by Ice Miller, LLP, outlines what businesses need to do to make sure their finances are in order during not only natural disasters, but chemical spills, acts of terrorism, etc.

Click here to learn more about the book or to order online.

I recently had the opportunity to meet Inside INdiana Business Host Gerry Dick, which highlighted yet another enjoyable and insightful week on the job. I saw him when fellow intern Hannah and I tagged along with VP of Communications Tom Schuman to the recording of a TV interview he conducted at WFYI.

It marked one of the last duties Tom will have for a while, as he took off for sunny California earlier this week to spend some much deserved vacation time with his family.  Before he left, he talked to everyone in our department to go over what we should be doing until he returns.

It’s funny; I don’t remember roller-chair rallies or office twister being on the list.

Seriously though, it looks like I’m more or less in charge of myself now that Tom, who was more or less in charge of me, happens to be 1947.3 miles away (more or less).

Now, my mother will tell you that I do possess a mischievous streak. She’s gotten rather good at deploying the “don’t even think about it” look when she can see my wheels turning (nonverbal communication at its best), but while I might be a handful at home from time to time, I know that the workplace is obviously a place for work.

Apparently, this opinion isn’t very popular among many Hoosiers, who waste more hours per day (2.8) than employees in every other state besides Missouri. This was found in a study by America Online and Salary.com, which also shows that Indiana loses $25.1 billion in wasted-time salary a year. 

If you’re reading this, Tom, you can be rest assured that your employees are not contributing to Indiana’s abysmal work behavior. Now if you’ll excuse me, I believe I’m next in line for the slip n’ slide.

If you’re like me, flying is arduous work. For this observer, the pain lies in the stress of trying to make a flight, hoping it’s not delayed once I get there, all the while wondering what kind of halitosis factory I’ll have to sit next to for the next three hours.

However, the airport experience itself doesn’t have to be that bad. I’m currently in the process of scheduling an interview for our September/October edition of BizVoice, in which I’ll feature the new airport terminal in Indianapolis. Should be a very interesting interview and I’m looking forward to learning about all the new amenities and how it will benefit businesses in the state.

I also came across this interesting piece by economic development columnist William Fulton in which he explains a potential evolution into "new urbanist" airports that also serve as business centers.

Do young people take more risks?

Perhaps they’re more daring when it comes to trying organic cuisine, implementing an aggressive 401(k) investment strategy, or listening to that dangerous and provocative Elvis Presley "rock and roll" music, as they call it.

But when it comes to their first jobs, a new survey by the National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE) indicates security and opportunity for advancement are top priorities. In fact, security ranks well above opportunities to pursue personal development and display creativity. Also of note, the students weren’t too concerned about the company taking an active role in the community.

Edwin L. Koc writes in the May 2008 NACE Journal:

"The fact that ‘company takes an active role in the community’ finishes 13th out of 15 in terms of importance is especially interesting because so much has been made of this generation’s community consciousness."

and

"The fact that financial security is the hallmark characteristic of this year’s graduating college seniors is frankly surprising. Most of the students in this generation come from families that would generally be viewed as relatively well-off."

To view the survey results, click here.