FORT WAYNE, Ind. (ADAMS) – Greater Fort Wayne Inc. says that Allen County achieved another strong year in 2025, marked by growth and progress in both economic and community development.
GFW Inc. celebrated involvement in seventeen projects throughout 2025 that accounted for more than $120.3 million in new capital investments, 550 new job commitments, and nearly $44 million in new annual payroll, with average wages of more than $78,900.
Data from the U.S. Census Bureau reveals that Allen County’s population growth once again surpassed state and national averages, and Fort Wayne continues to be one of the fastest-growing cities in the Midwest.
GFW Inc. released the following:
“Allen County’s performance in 2025 reflects the strength of our economy and the confidence businesses have in this community,” said John Urbahns, President and CEO at Greater Fort Wayne Inc. “The level of investment, job creation, and wage growth we supported this year demonstrates that companies see Allen County as a place where they can expand, compete, and succeed. When growth outpaces state and national trends, it reinforces that our strategy and partnerships are delivering real results.”
Economic Development
Throughout the year, Greater Fort Wayne Inc. supported businesses that pledged to invest over $120.3 million in Allen County. These commitments included:
- 17 business expansion and relocation projects.
- 550+ new job commitments.
- More than $43.8 million in new annual payroll.
- Average wages of more than $78,900.
Of the 17 project wins, 5 were attraction projects, 12 were local business expansions, and 3 were foreign direct investment projects.
Companies making major expansion and relocation announcements included:
- Bombardier – announced a significant investment in a 64,500 square foot service center located at the Fort Wayne International Airport. This new facility will bring up to 100 jobs and open in the second half of 2026.
- Byrna Technologies Inc. – announced that its first U.S. based non-lethal ammunition production facility in Fort Wayne became operational in 2025. This facility, located near Byrna’s existing launcher production site, will enable the company to produce 8 million rounds of non-lethal ammunition annually.
- Eleos Hospice Care/Lira Properties LLC – announced plans to spend $2 million to construct a new 7,000 square foot innovative hospice care facility. With this significant investment, over 30 high-paying jobs will be retained and created.
- Ellison Bakery LLC – founded in 1945, Ellison Bakery has established a reputation of producing high-quality baked goods made from the finest ingredients. With this $7 million investment in personal property equipment, they will retain over 180 jobs and continue their long-standing presence in our community.
- QuikCut, LLC – announced their planned continued growth here in Allen County and our region. They plan to make several capital investments and will create new jobs for a range of positions in their operation.
- Rival Ventures Manufacturing, LLC – intends to establish a factory for the robotic production of construction framing. Their systems will use proprietary advanced manufacturing methods to automate the difficult task of translating architectural drawings into requirements for small panels that can be fabricated off-site, delivered to the construction site, set in place, and assembled. They will invest $727,600 in new manufacturing equipment.
- Tretau Group – Tretau, operating as Tau Wire Corp, announced it will open its first plant outside Europe in Fort Wayne, Indiana. The company will invest over $18 million and create up to 70 new jobs over the next four years.
Allen County issued more than $3.75 billion in building permits in 2025, making it the eighth consecutive year surpassing the $1 billion mark, the third consecutive year surpassing the $2 billion mark, and the second year Allen County has surpassed $3 billion.
“The Allen County Board of Commissioners is proud to celebrate a year of remarkable progress. In 2025, our region experienced positive population growth, secured over $3 billion in building permits, and attracted significant business investment. Allen County isn’t just growing—we’re shaping the future and building a community that will lead our region and Indiana for decades to come,” shared Commissioners Rich Beck, Therese Brown, and Ron Turpin in a joint statement.
Throughout 2025, GFW Inc. staff engaged in more than 560 meetings with businesses from across Allen County and beyond, supporting the growth and expansion of local companies while introducing new organizations to the advantages of locating and expanding in our community.
Highlighting the growing importance of workforce development, GFW Inc. staff partnered with local business leaders and schools to deliver presentations to more than 2,800 high school students across Allen County. Through the MadeByMe initiative, these sessions introduced students to career opportunities in skilled trades and advanced manufacturing, helping build a strong pipeline of future talent for these critical industries. MadeByMe also strengthened the connection between education and industry by facilitating 22 externships for Allen County educators. In addition, through a partnership with Questa Education Foundation and the IFMA Northeast Indiana Chapter, 39 students pursuing skilled trades careers have received MadeByMe scholarships over the past three years.
In January 2022, GFW Inc. partnered with public and private sector leaders to launch the Allen County Together (ACT) economic development action plan. This ambitious 10-year strategy is focused on fostering a high-growth, innovative, and inclusive environment throughout Allen County. Developed over several months with valuable input from diverse stakeholders, the ACT plan continues to demonstrate meaningful progress four years into its implementation. Highlights for this year include:
- GFW Inc. hosted its fourth annual Economic Development Summit, bringing together community leaders to explore and advance the Allen County Together (ACT) Plan.
- The ACT Plan set a goal of investing $100 million in southeast Fort Wayne within five years. Four years into implementation, we have surpassed that goal with more than $165 million in completed or underway projects, with new projects such as Roosevelt Reserves, Brewer Park Redevelopment, and Meridian Health Clinic at Village Premier strengthening quality of place in southeast neighborhoods.
- Junior Achievement, Allen County school districts, GFW Inc., and community partners collaborated on JA Career Ignite, a career exploration fair in April connected more than 9,000 11th and 12th-grade students to employers and career pathways in Allen County.
- ACT’s five-year goal of expanding Community Development Finance Institution (CDFI) lending capacity by $10 million has been surpassed. Brightpoint Development Fund, our region’s largest CDFI, has expanded by $14.3 million to support small business lending, home ownership, and personal credit needs.
- Led by the Don Wood Foundation and Questa Education Foundation, the Advancing Postsecondary Education and Training Study (APETS) convened partners, established working groups, and drafted actionable strategies to increase postsecondary completion and meet regional talent needs. This regional talent pipeline-building initiative has been rebranded as: Learn More, Earn More.
- The ACT Plan and Visit Fort Wayne’s Tourism Master Plan are ensuring that our efforts are inclusive of all. With generous support from the AWS Foundation, a dedicated task force of local leaders is identifying opportunities to improve and define Allen County as an accessible tourism destination.
- Backed by funding from the Capital Improvement Board and Fort Wayne-Allen County Airport Authority, GFW Inc. led the completion of a concept plan to support base modernization of the 122nd Indiana National Guard Fighter Wing.
- The Fort Wayne-Allen County Music Economy Strategy, a priority of both the ACT Plan and Visit Fort Wayne’s Tourism Master Plan, provides a comprehensive look at the music industry’s impact and outlines recommendations to grow existing opportunities, attract new talent and visitors, and strengthen local businesses and creators.
- Our Inter-City Visit to Little Rock and Conway, Arkansas, studied innovations in infill housing at attainable price points, solidifying amended zoning by the City of Fort Wayne Community Development Division and the Allen County Department of Planning Services to increase community housing options.
- Ten projects are continuing to see progress under the READI 2.0 Grant program from the Northeast Indiana Regional Development Authority.
“Four years into the Allen County Together plan, the momentum we are seeing is the result of deep collaboration and a shared commitment to inclusive growth across Allen County,” said Adam Welch, Vice President of Economic Development at GFW Inc. “From exceeding investment goals in southeast Fort Wayne to strengthening talent pipelines, housing options, small business access to capital, and quality of place, 2025 demonstrated how intentional strategy turns vision into measurable impact.”
Talent Attraction / Retention
According to U.S. Census Bureau data released in March 2025, Fort Wayne again experienced population growth in 2024. Allen County’s population grew by 4,750 residents (1.2%) over the past year, exceeding the state growth rate of 0.9% and the national rate of 1.0%. As a result, Allen County’s population now stands at 399,295 residents.
This growth positioned the community again as one of the fastest-expanding metro areas in the Great Lakes region.
Meanwhile, Allen County added 601 residents due to domestic migration in 2024. It was the eighth consecutive year in which the county posted positive net domestic migration, which rebounded with a 583% increase over 2023. Net domestic migration measures how many people moved into a community from other U.S. locales, versus how many moved away to other U.S. communities. The data represents a significant turnaround within the past decade:
Net Domestic Migration Growth/Loss by Year
· 2012 -1,082
· 2013 -245
· 2014 -800
· 2015 -161
· 2016 -597
· 2017 +81
· 2018 +772
· 2019 +1,514
· 2020 +259
· 2021 +1,345
· 2022 +480
· 2023 +88
· 2024 +601
Chamber of Commerce
2025 marked an exceptional year for Greater Fort Wayne Inc., as the organization was named National Chamber of the Year, presented by the Association of Chamber of Commerce Executives (ACCE). This recognition reflects the organization’s impact across the community and the strong momentum generated through programs that support and advance Allen County’s business community.
Key achievements of GFW Inc.’s investor services and programs in 2025 include:
- In October, Leadership Fort Wayne celebrated the graduation of 62 individuals from the Class of 2025, the 43rd cohort in the program’s long history. With this class, the alumni network has grown to more than 1600 participants since the program began in 1983. Graduates continue to make meaningful contributions across the community, serving on nonprofit boards, holding elected roles, and supporting the success of organizations throughout Allen County.
- The GFW Inc. Women’s Network has grown to 257 members, reflecting strong momentum in participation and engagement. The program connects women and their allies to leading local thought leaders through engaging, interactive events held throughout the year.
- Onboard Fort Wayne initiatives supported 170 new residents as they connected with Allen County business community. Newcomer Socials created impactful networking opportunities for professionals who are new to Fort Wayne, helping them connect with peers and local business leaders. C-Suite Socials welcomed new executives and their spouses by showcasing Fort Wayne’s signature places and introducing them to the GFW Inc. executive team. Together, these programs support local employers by strengthening efforts to attract, welcome, and retain top talent in Allen County.
- In 2025, the Intern Experience engaged nearly 200 participants across five events, representing colleges from across the United States and interns working at Allen County businesses. Through a summer series of engaging experiences, the program connects interns to the community while they gain professional experience with local employers, supporting efforts to attract and retain future talent in Allen County.
- The Best in Class Summit engages high-achieving high school seniors from across Allen County, inspiring them to envision their future in Allen County. This year, nearly 200 students were selected by their schools to participate in the second annual event.
- In response to growing needs within our entrepreneurial and small business community, GFW Inc. launched Small Business Exclusives, a hands-on learning series where participants gain valuable insights to help move their businesses forward.
- Greater Fort Wayne Inc. celebrated another year of strong business growth by supporting 36 ribbon-cutting and groundbreaking events that highlighted the continued expansion and success of businesses across Allen County.
In 2025, GFW Inc. celebrated another strong year of membership growth, welcoming more than 200 new investors. With an average investor base of more than 1,400 members, this growth reflects continued engagement and confidence from the Allen County business community.
“2025 was a defining year for Greater Fort Wayne Inc. Being named national Chamber of the Year affirmed what we see every day across Allen County,” said Brenda Gerber Vincent, Chief Growth Officer. “When business leaders, emerging talent, students, and newcomers are intentionally connected to opportunity, the entire community moves forward. These results reflect the commitment of our investors, partners, and team to build a place where businesses grow, and people choose to stay and thrive.”
Looking Ahead
Allen County is well-positioned for continued growth, with business expansions and new attractions moving forward across the community. The economic development team is actively engaged with more than 150 leads and 21 active projects, representing a strong pipeline of potential investment in the year ahead. In 2026, several major building projects are anticipated to be underway.
Greater Fort Wayne Inc. will expand its workforce initiatives in 2026, reinforcing its role as a strategic partner to the local business community.
Beginning in 2026, community partners will engage in a structured review of the ACT Plan. This work will inform a five-year realignment and an updated roadmap for the second phase of the Plan.
“As we look ahead to 2026, our pipeline of projects reflects both strong business confidence and a clear vision for Allen County’s future,” said John Urbahns, President and CEO. “We are working with companies that see long-term opportunity here and with local businesses that are ready to take their next step. Our focus remains on quality growth that strengthens our economy, supports high-wage jobs, and ensures Allen County continues to be a place where businesses invest and people build their lives.”
In addition, GFW Inc. is excited to partner with the City of Fort Wayne and others to develop a new Downtown Fort Wayne strategic plan to set the vision for the next phase of downtown growth and development.
“It’s great to see consistent and continued growth and success in Fort Wayne and Allen County. In partnership with Greater Fort Wayne, our collective efforts and teamwork demonstrate to the private sector that we’re an outstanding community to invest in,” said Fort Wayne Mayor Sharon Tucker. “As we celebrate an outstanding year of accomplishments from 2025, we also share a common goal of doing even more in 2026 to build and grow as a destination place for businesses.”
About Greater Fort Wayne Inc.
Greater Fort Wayne Inc. (GFW Inc.) serves as the lead economic development organization for Allen County, Indiana, and the chamber of commerce for Fort Wayne. Dedicated to building a nationally recognized economy, GFW Inc. works to support local businesses, attract new investment, and enhance the community’s quality of place. Through strategic economic development, advocacy, leadership programs, and business resources, GFW Inc. drives economic prosperity, strengthens talent retention, and cultivates sustainable community growth. Learn more at gfwinc.com.
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