Business roundup – Feb. 18, 2026 | News

    The event will feature Jay Wirts, CEO and president of Conexus Indiana, and Kevin Murry, vice president of supply chain at Red Gold. The event from 8:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. is free to attend. Breakfast and lunch will be provided.

    Indiana Economic Development Corporation is accepting applications for the 2026 Community Collaboration Fund.

    The fund is designed to develop partnerships between Indiana entrepreneur support organizations and fill service gaps. It is available to nonprofit organizations, academic institutions and local government units.

    Projects eligible for $5,000 to $40,000 in funding can focus on entrepreneur education, tech enablement or acceleration. Organizations must provide a 25% match.

    Applications are available at gn.ecivis.com. The deadline is Monday, March 2.

    Ball State University and Mechdyne are partnering to create immersive 3D experiences for higher education institutions, museums and other organizations.

    The partnership uses Mechdyne’s visualization technology and BSU’s Institute for Digital Media Arts’ experience creating interactive virtual environments. Ball State students will be involved in creating, testing and refining content.

    “One of the most powerful parts of this work is what it means for students,” said John Fillwalk, senior director of BSU Institute for Digital Media Arts. “Partnerships like this connect classroom learning to real clients, real production standards, and real audiences, giving our students the chance to collaborate, build, test, and refine immersive experiences that can be used by educators and learners far beyond our campus. We’re grateful to Mechdyne for investing in this collaboration and helping extend the reach of the work our students and team create.”

    Meridian Health Services is adding chiropractic care to its offerings at Meridian MD – Family Medical Care in Muncie.

    The facility at 100 N. Tillotson Ave. will offer chiropractic treatment for back and neck pain, sciatica, sprains, strains, headaches and sports-related injuries.

    Indianapolis Airport Authority intern Nyasha Julius Choga has been named Indiana’s College Work-Based Learner of the Year.

    Choga is a senior software engineering major at Franklin College. He earned the honor that recognizes students who “make a clear impact during their internships.”

    He spent summer 2025 working in the airport’s information technology and cybersecurity team to build a new master database to track physical keys used at the airport.

    “Julius jumped into a pretty complicated environment and helped to solve an operational challenge,” said Mario Rodriguez, airport authority executive director, in a news release. “He not only innovated a solution, but he also created an interface that made it simple for staff to use, and then he trained staff for the transition from the old system to the new one. That’s award-winning work, hands down.”

    Purdue University and Emerald Publishing have launched a new book series.

    The Emerald-Purdue Research Impact Series is planned to “spotlight cutting‑edge scholarship across multiple disciplines.” At least one Purdue faculty member will be involved in authoring each book, with a focus on successful and influential recent doctoral research.

    Indiana Manufacturers Association is accepting nominations for its 2026 Manufacturing Excellence Awards.

    The awards honor Indiana companies and individuals for their outstanding work, exceptional contributions and impact on the future of manufacturing. They are open to all manufacturers in the state.

    Awards that will be presented this year include the Community Impact, Emerging Leader, Lifetime Achievement, Manufacturing Talent Champion, Outstanding Woman Leader in Manufacturing and Safety Champion.

    John Jay Center for Learning in Portland will host a pair of ServSafe training courses in the spring.

    Training will be available on Tuesdays, March 31 and May 19. John Jay is located at 101 S. Meridian St., Portland.

    For more information, call (260) 729-5525.

    Indiana Chamber of Commerce will host its annual safety and health conference next month.

    The Indiana Safety and Health Conference & Expo will be held from Feb. 23 through 25 at the Indiana Chamber of Commerce Conference Center in Indianapolis. It will feature a variety of speakers as well as more than 60 educational sessions.

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