BY ANGELA K. ROBERTS
PHOTO BY CHRISTINE PETKOV
One story above the main level at 337 Columbia St., where professionals collaborate in a startup-style, open-office environment, is a meeting room reserved for private discussions. On a chilly day last fall, the space provided a quiet backdrop for Mikel Berger to reflect on his first few months as president and CEO of Greater Lafayette Commerce.
From his vantage point, the Italianate structure’s high windows framed a corner view of the Tippecanoe County courthouse. Berger, sporting a button-down shirt, sweater and sleeveless vest bearing the GLC logo, looked comfortable in his new position spearheading an organization covering up to nine counties.
“That’s one of the things I’ve come to appreciate about the role,” Berger says, commenting on GLC’s scope. When he asked the board of directors about the boundaries of Greater Lafayette, he learned that they are fluid, defined less by lines on a map and more by opportunity.
Greater Lafayette Commerce primarily serves Lafayette, West Lafayette and Tippecanoe County. The region’s labor shed, however, extends across nine Indiana counties, covering the I-65 corridor between Indianapolis and Chicago. Some grants that GLC oversees, such as Indiana’s READI 2.0 economic development funding announced in 2024, apply to all or most of those counties.
“I like that there is a geography to it, but on certain issues, we get to expand on that,” Berger says. It’s all about working better together, he adds.
The entrepreneur’s new W2
A Purdue University graduate with technical degrees, Berger has called Greater Lafayette home since 1997, starting his first company in 2004. He knows Greater Lafayette Commerce well, having been a business member for years.
Now, from the inside, he’s gained a new appreciation for the organization’s scope, which includes economic and talent development, support for small businesses and corporations, professional development for area workers and engagement with various communities, including the area’s growing Latino population.
Some colleagues have asked Berger if the role is an honorary appointment. He confidently asserts, “It’s definitely a full-time job,” adding, “It’s the first time I’ve had a full-time W2 from an organization I don’t have a business [stake] in.”
Berger succeeds Scott Walker, who came to Greater Lafayette Commerce from Michigan after working in the automotive industry and economic development. “Scott was great and what the community needed in that season,” Berger says.
In contrast, Berger has deep roots in Greater Lafayette, plus broad experience as an entrepreneur, tech executive and co-founder of the investment partnership Little Engine Ventures. He sees his background as the right fit for GLC’s current and future needs.
“The chamber has the responsibility to make the members work better together but also help the business community as a whole work together with healthcare, nonprofits, et cetera,” he notes.
Legacy and the local ecosystem
Raised in Nappanee in northern Indiana’s Amish country, Berger grew up on a farm, where his father harvested corn, soybeans and hogs. His own business career has intersected with agricultural technology and agricultural business, including work on greener, more sustainable advanced chemistry applications.
“The good things that are happening here beget more things,” he says, including strengthening the local ag economy.
For example, Primient, a leading producer of food and industrial ingredients made from plant-based, renewable sources, is expanding its Lafayette operations to support Sustainea, which is building a plant next door. Primient will supply the new plant with dextrose derived from locally grown corn. In turn, Sustainea will convert the dextrose into Bio-MEG (monoethylene glycol), which will be used primarily in the production of polyester textiles and beverage bottles.
Such planned expansions predate Berger’s tenure as head of GLC. In support of these endeavors, Berger plans to do a lot of listening his first year. “I want to learn at a deeper level,” he says.
The power of neighbors in commerce
Interconnectedness is key to understanding Berger’s philosophy of what he calls “the power of neighbors in commerce.” He refers to Lafayette-West Lafayette, which has a combined population of just over 190,000, as a “big small town.”
“We intersect each other, the neighbors in commerce, our businesses impact each other. We’re peers and we’re learning from each other. Our kids go to school together, and they compete against each other,” he says. “We go to church together. I think that’s what neighbors should be.”
That cooperative attitude is consistent with Greater Lafayette Commerce’s mission, underscoring such initiatives as talent attraction and retention. GLC team members work hand in hand with institutions such as Ivy Tech Community College of Indiana to train and upskill local workers for advanced manufacturing jobs. It also partners with local employers to help hire high-growth, mid-career executives from outside the area.
To successfully recruit such folks, the community must appeal to the entire family, Berger says. While some spouses and partners may be looking for local jobs, many are remote workers or entrepreneurs.
Organizations such as MatchBOX Coworking Studio, which Berger co-founded, support small businesses and entrepreneurial ventures. GLC, along with Visit Lafayette-West Lafayette, helps connect families to the many amenities the area offers, he says.
The community of choice
Looking ahead, Berger is hesitant to make any firm 10-year predictions. His commitment, he says, is to lead with integrity when inevitable challenges arrive.
When it comes to defining what progress might look like in 2036, Berger is less reticent. Once companies such as SK hynix open new plants in Greater Lafayette, he says, they will attract suppliers, creating opportunities that benefit existing businesses in fields such as advanced chemistry and manufacturing. That growth could also spawn related development through a multiplier effect, such as new retail stores, restaurants and housing stock, to accommodate a growing population.
The ultimate measure of success, Berger concludes, is for Greater Lafayette to become “the community of choice” for the semiconductor and other industries. He plans to support that goal through his entrepreneurial, service-oriented leadership style.
“I take it very seriously,” he says of his new role. “It’s hopefully a way to give back to the community that’s given so much to me.” ★
