The good news just keeps coming in. Indiana enters February of 2012 as the 23rd state to pass right-to-work legislation. Aside from what it means for Hoosier workers who now have the right to choose whether or not to financially support a labor union, it also means that more companies looking to expand or relocate their business to a state of higher profits will finally get to see how Indiana stacks up against other right-to-work states.

Nominations and applications for the fifth-annual Indiana Companies to Watch awards program, highlighting some of the state's most impressive second-stage growth companies opens today.

Presented by the Indiana Economic Development Corporation, its Small Business Development Center network (ISBDC) and the Edward Lowe Foundation, Indiana Companies to Watch recognizes privately held Indiana businesses that employ six to 150 full-time employees and have between $750,000 to $100 million in annual revenue or capital.

As January comes to a close, most people continue to talk about the mild weather thus far this winter with fear of payback on snow and ice in the spring months of April and May. I shared my own disappointment just two weeks ago when after an eight inch snow storm and a beautiful white Saturday morning, we saw dirt and mud soon thereafter from a downpour of rain.

Two things are certain about our weather. The first is that no one can predict it and second is that we cannot change it.

Our February 2012 Business of the Month is fairly new to our community and our Chamber. They are small in size but big on quality and building relationships.

Michelle Golab has worked hard at achieving success by offering an excellent prouct in a friendly atmosphere for a reasonable price. Michelle’s restaurant has become part of our PCBN events by serving delicious complimentary samples of her menu to businesses and citizens that attend the event.