KOKOMO, Ind. 9/29/2004 - The McKillip Administration announced today that the City of Kokomo Redevelopment Commission has received preliminary approval from the State of Indiana for a $400,000 grant to benefit Inventrek Technology Park, formerly known as the Kokomo Technology Center. The grant award will come from the State’s Technology Development Grant Fund.

“Supporting Inventrek Technology Park is an important part of my Administration’s efforts to grow and diversify job opportunities,” said Mayor McKillip, “and I am confident that this grant will help further the tech park’s efforts to incubate tomorrow’s high-tech jobs here in Kokomo today.”

According to Jason Hester, City of Kokomo Director of Development, nine other Certified Tech Parks around the state were going after the remaining $2 million in the fund.

“We asked the State for the full $2 million,” said Hester. “While it would have been wonderful to receive the full amount, we consider ourselves very fortunate to receive $400,000.”

Jan Hendrix, Inventrek General Manager, prepared the grant application along with the city’s department of development. According to Hendrix, the grant money will be spent on a number of important capital improvements such as a new roof, ADA accessibility equipment, electrical upgrades, and interior build-outs to suit incubator tenants. “We are very grateful to the City of Kokomo for pursuing this grant opportunity on our behalf, and we are, of course, very thankful that the State recognized the importance of our grant proposal,” said Hendrix.