U.S. Secretary of Commerce Wilbur Ross has appointed Indiana Secretary of Commerce Jim Schellinger to the United States Investment Advisory Council (Council). In this role, Schellinger will serve the U.S. Department of Commerce and its SelectUSA program by advising on strategies and efforts to strengthen and increase foreign direct investment in the U.S.

Between 2016-2018, foreign direct investment committed to the state increased by 300 percent. During that time, the IEDC, in partnership with local communities, secured 123 commitments from international companies representing 22 countries and territories to invest $5.8 billion in Indiana and create 15,502 new Hoosier jobs. That trend has continued in 2019, with companies like Cormo USA, Indiana Wheel Corporation, Multimatic and OSR Inc. announcing plans already this year to locate or expand in Indiana.

The Council advises the U.S. Secretary of Commerce on the development and implementation of strategies and programs to attract and retain foreign direct investment and on ways to support the U.S. in remaining the world’s preeminent recipient of foreign direct investment. First charted in 2016, the Council has made recommendations on issues including broadening infrastructure investment priorities, improving U.S. workforce initiatives and redefining digital tools.

Indiana is home to more than 950 foreign-owned business establishments which together support 193,000 Hoosier jobs, a number that continues to grow. Recent international announcements include Greenleaf Foods, SPC (Canada; Shelby County), Saab (Sweden; Tippecanoe County) and Saturn Petcare (Germany; Vigo County).