Lilly Announces $7 Million Grant
Posted by Terry White on September 23, 2009
Dr. Ron Manahan (center, at podium), president of Grace College and Grace Theological Seminary in Winona Lake, Indiana, was one of about a dozen participants in a 10 a.m. press conference held this morning, Wednesday, September 23, in the Orthopaedic Capital Center on the Grace College campus.
At the press conference, which was attended by more than 100 representatives of business and the working press, the president of Lilly Endowment announced the awarding of a $7 million grant to establish an organization entitled OrthoWorx, a Warsaw (IN) based industry, community and education initiative to advance and support growth and innovation in the orthopaedics sector.
This was the single largest private foundation grant ever awarded in the region. N. Clay Robbins, president of Lilly Endowment, said, “Indiana is indeed fortunate to be home to this extraordinary cluster of orthopaedic companies in the Warsaw community.” He said, “while many have contributed to the development of this plan, we are especially impressed by the leadership and dedication of the president of Grace College, Ron Manahan, the executive director of the Kosciusko County Community Foundation, Suzie Light; and the leaders of the orthopaedic industry.”
The OrthoWorx initiative was created out of a comprehensive Endowment-funded study conducted by BioCrossroads, Indiana’s public-private collaboration for investment, development, and advancement of the state’s signature life sciences strengths.
The six initial efforts on which OrthoWorx will focus include (1) branding and awareness, (2) community enhancement, (3) education, (4) talent and workforce development, (5) transportation and logistics, and (6) technical support services.
Initial board members include representatives from the Kosciusko Community Foundation, Zimmer, DePuy, Biomet, Grace College & Seminary, Paragon, and Lake City Bank. Included in the three-year grant is funding for the hiring of professional management for the effort.
Further information is available by clicking here.
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