We at the Greater Bloomington Chamber of Commerce are very proud of our hYPe (Helping Young Professionals Excel) program. It was started a few years ago as a way to engage our community’s young professionals, helping to deepen their roots here in Bloomington. As part of that program, we honor ten young professionals under the age of 40 at our “10 Under 40″ Awards. Not only is it a fun evening, but incredibly inspiring too as we see the achievements of the ten honorees.

You can’t blame us for being proud.   It’s a great program with resounding benefits for all involved. But what makes us even more proud is when others in our community take note and publicly applaud the program too. That’s what Ron Walker, President of the Bloomington Economic Development Corp., did recently. He used his Sunday column to talk about hYPe and the 10 Under 40 honorees.

We’d “proudly” like to share Ron’s words with you:

I’d like to use this month’s update to congratulate this year’s 10 Under 40 winners and encourage support for “helping Young Professionals excel” (hYPe), a program of the Greater Bloomington Chamber of Commerce that provides professional development and personal enrichment opportunities for young professionals.

The importance and role of hYPe and specifically, the annual 10 Under 40 awards, can easily be underestimated. However, if you look closely at what is happening among this growing group of young professionals you will find yourself inspired and impressed, and it will give you confidence in the quality and character of Bloomington’s growing millennial population.

I previously thought of this cohort of our population as comprised of future leaders.  I’ve since come to realize that many of them are already leading. Besides working here, they volunteer, serve on boards and commissions, organize events, and help new young professionals integrate into the community.

Helping people integrate into the community and feel welcome is a valuable and needed activity. A ready and talented labor pool is the critical factor affecting our economic success. Greater Bloomington’s ability to attract and retain talented young adults directly influences our capacity to be a creative, innovative and entrepreneurial community. It also affects the success of Monroe County’s existing employers in creating new jobs.

Knowing we have hYPE, and that our community recognizes the contributions and value of young professionals, gives the BEDC another resource to promote Bloomington. It is also another reason why greater Bloomington is a great place to live and work.

The BEDC’s approach to economic development is aimed at improving job opportunities, creating new wealth, increasing the tax base and serving the long-term vision of the community. We can be reached by visiting our website at www.comparebloomington.us.

Thanks, Ron! We couldn’t have said it better!