A Trip Down Memory Lane – Celebrating 20 Years of Regional Impact

This year marks the 20th anniversary of the Purdue Center for Regional Development (PCRD)—two decades of applied research, collaboration, and community partnerships dedicated to strengthening Indiana’s regions and beyond. To commemorate this milestone, we’re taking a trip down memory lane, revisiting the moments, people, and projects that helped shape PCRD into what it is today.

The Beginning of a Regional Vision

In February 2005, PCRD was established with a bold mission: to make Indiana a national leader in advancing creative, regional approaches to development. The timing was critical. Local leaders recognized that economic growth, commuting patterns, and spending habits rarely stopped at county lines. Communities needed strategies and data-driven insights that could match the realities of a regional economy.

Guided by Dr. Sam Cordes, then Assistant Director of Purdue’s Cooperative Extension Service, and Dr. Victor Lechtenberg, Purdue’s Vice Provost for Engagement, the center launched as a hub for applied research, analysis, and dialogue. From the start, its focus was clear:

• Building regional profiles of economic, demographic, and social trends
• Conducting survey research and benchmarking
• Facilitating regional initiatives and leadership development
• Encouraging conversations that crossed traditional jurisdictional boundaries

As Dr. Cordes noted at the time, “The economy does not stop at the county boundary, nor do shopping patterns and the commuting patterns of workers.”

A Place for Collaboration and Innovation

PCRD was first housed in the Burton D. Morgan Center for Entrepreneurship, part of Purdue’s Discovery Park. From there, the team quickly began working with partners such as the Indiana Humanities Council and the Indiana Rural Development Council, producing critical data on workforce commuting, job growth, and educational attainment. These early projects provided something that was often missing in regional conversations: solid, accessible data to guide informed decisions.

Dr. Lechtenberg emphasized the importance of this approach: “These types of projects remove much of the guesswork and serve as a catalyst for important discussions that need to occur across jurisdictional boundaries.”

Looking Back, Looking Ahead

Over the next two decades, PCRD would expand its team, broaden its research, and launch initiatives that touched every corner of the state. But at its core, the center’s founding vision has remained unchanged: harnessing the power of data, partnerships, and dialogue to strengthen regions.

As we celebrate this milestone year, we’ll be sharing a series of reflections, stories, and highlights from PCRD’s journey. From groundbreaking data tools like Rural Indiana Stats and the IARC Data Dashboard to statewide collaborations that continue to shape communities, each post will shine a light on the people and projects that brought PCRD’s mission to life.

Here’s to 20 years of impact—and to the partnerships and innovations that will define the next 20.