WARSAW, IND. (July 10, 2007) – Medtronic Sofamor Danek Manufacturing recently hosted a reception and open house to welcome new Ivy Tech Community College President Thomas Snyder. About 35 community members heard a presentation by Ivy Tech-Warsaw Executive Dean Randy Maxson about the campus’s capital campaign and toured the Medtronic plant.

“President Snyder spoke of the importance of having a campus in Kosciusko County and of producing a more highly educated and skilled workforce to meet the needs of the orthopedic industry and other businesses in Kosciusko County,” said Rebecca Kubacki, an organizer of the event.

Also attending was Kevin Brinegar, president of the Indiana Chamber of Commerce. He underscored the importance of an educated workforce to the economic development of the state.

Kubacki noted that President Snyder has strong ties to the Warsaw area since he and his wife, Bobette, have a summer home on Tippecanoe Lake. His daughter and son-in-law, Ingrid and Tony Riley, also live on Tippecanoe Lake and his grandchildren attend Warsaw schools. 

Ivy Tech-Warsaw is engaged in a capital campaign to raise $2.8 million for land acquisition, equipment and technology for a new campus. Many of the reception attendees were major donors to the campaign.

“We are grateful to Medtronic for sponsoring this event, which enabled us to further spread the word about Ivy Tech-Warsaw’s need for a permanent campus in Warsaw.  It was a wonderful opportunity to reach out to community members,” said Randy Maxson, dean of the Warsaw campus.

Other organizers of the event were Tim Meyer, group director of finance and administration for Medtronic, and Lewis Jones, executive director of Combined Community Services in Warsaw.

Ivy Tech has had a presence in the community since the late 1970s, but always in a borrowed or leased space.  The lease for the current main facility at 3755 Lake City Highway will end in 2012. Once Ivy Tech acquires the land, college officials and community members will pursue securing state funding for the “bricks and mortar” of the new campus.  The new campus will serve Kosciusko County and surrounding communities. Current plans are to fold programs at the main campus and the Ivy Tech Orthopedic and Manufacturing Training Center, which opened in October 2006 at 980 Executive Drive, into the new campus.

Medtronic is the global leader in medical technology to alleviate pain, restore health, and extend life for millions of people around the world. Medtronic develops and manufactures a wide range of products and therapies with emphasis on providing a complete continuum of care to diagnose, prevent and monitor chronic conditions. More information about Medtronic may be found at www.medtronic.com.

Ivy Tech Community College is the state’s second largest public post-secondary institution with over 100,000 students enrolled annually.  Ivy Tech has 23 campuses throughout Indiana.  It serves as the state's engine of workforce development, offering affordable degree programs and training that are aligned with the needs of its communities, along with courses and programs that transfer to other colleges and universities in Indiana.  It is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools. More information about Ivy Tech can be found at www.ivytech.edu.