2025 Conference Agenda

Need to register? See Conference Registration. 

Tuesday, September 30 

Conference Registration
2 – 4:30 p.m. 
Grand Wayne Convention Center 
120 West Jefferson Street 

Pre-Conference Workshops
Locations vary. Please see individual listings.

Grow Your Own Storytellers Workshop
9 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.
Grand Wayne Convention Center
$30 Pre-registration required; lunch included 

Learn how to harness the power of storytelling to market your historic commercial district in this hands-on workshop led by Phil Eich, founder of Storyville. Designed for Main Street leaders and preservationists, this session will show you how to tell authentic, impactful stories—without needing professional writing or photography skills. You’ll walk away with practical tools to uplift your community, celebrate the people behind the places you love, and integrate storytelling into your marketing with ease. Speaker: Phil Eich, founder, Storyville 

Section 106 Training
10 a.m. – 4 p.m.
Grand Wayne Convention Center
Pre-registration required; lunch on your own 

Indiana Division of Historic Preservation & Archaeology staff offer basic instruction on the Section 106/Environmental Review process. Participants will also review resources contained in the Indiana State Historic Architectural & Archaeological Research Database (SHAARD) and Indiana Historic Buildings, Bridges, and Cemeteries Map. Speakers: Indiana Division of Historic Preservation and Archaeology staff 

Local Historic Preservation Commission Training
1 – 4:30 p.m.
Grand Wayne Convention Center
$10 Pre-registration required 

Join staff from the Division of Historic Preservation and Archaeology (DHPA) and Indiana Landmarks, along with local preservation commissioners from across the state, for an informative session focused on strengthening local preservation efforts. This session will cover essential topics including preservation fundamentals, financial incentives, and the economic benefits of historic preservation. A roundtable discussion will offer an opportunity to exchange ideas, challenges, and successes with fellow commissioners. 

Participation in this session qualifies for continuing education credit for Certified Local Government (CLG) communities. 

Beyond Bricks and Mortar: Crafting Neighborhood Stories Through Historic Research
2 – 4:30 p.m. 
Omni Room, Citizens Square, 200 East Berry Street
$10 Pre-registration required 

Turn your local or National Register historic district documentation into engaging neighborhood stories in this hands-on workshop. Using Fort Wayne’s Williams-Woodland Park as a case study, participants will learn practical techniques for house history research, blending maps, photos, records, and oral histories into compelling narratives. The session includes a virtual walking tour and step-by-step guidance on developing your own research-based tours—perfect for preservationists, local historians, and community advocates looking to make history more accessible and meaningful. Speakers: Elizabeth Hodges, Assistant Genealogy Services Manager, Allen County Public Library; and Allison DePrey Singleton, Genealogy Services Manager, Allen County Public Library 

Exploring Fort Wayne’s Synagogue Architecture
2:30 – 4:30 p.m. 
Congregation Achduth Vesholom, 5200 Old Mill Road
$10 Pre-registration required 

Explore Fort Wayne’s Jewish architectural heritage with a look at six purpose-built synagogues designed by renowned Jewish regional architects.  This engaging field session includes a look at the Indiana Synagogue Mapping Project and a tour of the 1960 Congregation Achduth Vesholom, (CAV) a Mid-Century Modern design recently nominated to the National Register of Historic Places. As the only remaining synagogue of Indiana’s oldest Jewish congregation, founded in 1848, the building offers a unique look at Fort Wayne’s history and community.  Speaker: Wendy Soltz, Assistant Professor & Director, Public History Program, Ball State University 

Conference Meet-Up
5 – 7 p.m. 
Union Street Market at Electric Works 
1622 Broadway 

Kick off the conference by reconnecting and networking in a relaxed atmosphere at the award-winning Electric Works — a dynamic mixed-use campus at the heart of innovation and revitalization. Enjoy dinner and drinks at your leisure from a variety of local food vendors while mingling with fellow attendees.

Wednesday, October 1 

All Wednesday sessions are located at the Grand Wayne Convention Center unless noted. 

Conference Registration
8 a.m. – 4 p.m. 
Grand Wayne Convention Center
120 West Jefferson Street 

Breakfast on your own – Explore Fort Wayne’s locally owned coffee shops and cafes. 

Educational Sessions
9 – 10:15 a.m. 

PreservINg Main Street: Revitalizing Kendallville’s Historic Heart 

Explore how the PreservINg Main Street initiative is transforming Kendallville’s historic downtown through strategic facade improvements. In collaboration with OCRA, Indiana Landmarks, and Indiana Humanities, this program equips business and property owners to enhance the character and curb appeal of their storefronts—sparking economic development and strengthening community engagement. Discover ways a collaborative process, creative design solutions, funding mechanisms, and success stories stimulate local commerce, attract visitors, and foster civic pride. Speakers:  Lisa Gulick, architect, MartinRiley; Jessica Franke, architect, MartinRiley; and Kristen Johnson, Executive Director, Historic Downtown Kendallville 

Preservation Pathways: Navigating Modern Challenges to Historic Sites 

Historic resources located along modernizing transportation routes face unique preservation challenges. This session explores such issues through the case study of the Baker-Johnson-Pickett Farmstead, a property situated at a historic crossroads in Hamilton County and closely tied to the region’s abolitionist history. Learn how collaborative efforts between community and agencies led to innovative mitigation strategies, including archaeological investigations, archival documentation of the landscape and structures, and the relocation and interpretation of the historic house and barn. Speakers: Bethany Natali, Senior Historian, Weintraut & Associates, Inc.; Craig Arnold, Principal Investigator, Weintraut & Associates; and Mark Dollase, Vice President of Preservation Services, Indiana Landmarks 

Preserving Indiana’s Canal Heritage 

Join members of the Canal Society of Indiana for a look at Fort Wayne’s role in the Wabash and Erie Canal—the longest canal in North America. Explore how the canal shaped Indiana’s early banking, commerce, government, immigration, and transportation systems and the dynamic ways CSI interprets the story through interactive media, a website, educational programming, and interpretive signage. Speakers: Robert Schmidt, Treasurer, Canal Society of Indiana; Margaret Griffin, Secretary, Canal Society of Indiana; and Ronald Morris, President, Canal Society of Indiana  

Educational Sessions
10:30 – 11:45 a.m. 

Full Disclosure: Improving Historic District Property Disclosure 

Historic preservation commissions often struggle to ensure new owners in local historic districts understand their responsibility to obtain approval for exterior changes. Since residential sales disclosures rarely include historic designations, this information is frequently missed at closing. Learn how the Fort Wayne HPC developed tools to help Realtors and buyers better understand preservation requirements. Hear insights from HPC staff, a Realtor, and a broker on improving communication and compliance through collaboration. Speakers: Creager Smith. Preservation Planner II, City of Fort Wayne; Nate Lefever, Preservation Planner I, City of Fort Wayne; and Beth Walker, Managing Broker and Realtor, Fairfield Group of Realtors, Inc.  

Myaamia Kaakiihsitaakiaki: Preserving Miami Culture and Heritage 

Meentitohkaalilaankiki! The Miami Tribe of Oklahoma welcomes you to Kiihkayonki—Fort Wayne, Indiana—a place with deep and enduring Myaamia presence. It is home to the Tribe’s Cultural Resources Extension Office which serves over 1,200 tribal citizens in Indiana and operates as an extension of the Tribe to protect and perpetuate Myaamia culture and sovereignty. In this session, Tribal Historic Preservation Office and Cultural Resources staff share the Tribe’s history and ongoing connection to Indiana, discuss current efforts to protect and preserve cultural resources, and explore how the Myaamia community is represented through a museum and archives. Speakers: Logan York, Tribal Historic Preservation Officer, Miami Tribe of Oklahoma; Jared Nally, Deputy Tribal Historic Preservation Officer, Miami Tribe of Oklahoma; and Morgan Lippert, Curator of Exhibitions & Programming Myaamia Heritage Museum and Archives, Miami Tribe of Oklahoma 

Saving Saint Adalbert 

St. Adalbert Church, an iconic Neo-Gothic masonry structure completed in 1926, serves a large and vibrant congregation in South Bend’s historic west side. As the church approaches its centennial, a team of architects and engineers collaborated to assess the building and develop a vision for its comprehensive restoration and renovation. Hear from team members who discuss their work using advanced technology and hands-on field inspections to form design solutions aimed at enhancing the church’s strength and durability while preserving its architectural character for future generations. Speakers: David Pirchio, Project Engineer, Frost Engineering & Consulting; Joe Klatt, Project Engineer, Frost Engineering & Consulting; and Eric Stalheim, Director of Historic Preservation, KIL Architecture  

Lunch & Welcome
Noon – 1:30 p.m. 
Yergens Rogers Foundation Ballroom, Embassy Theatre, 125 West Jefferson Boulevard 

Step back into the elegance of the 1920s in the stunning Yergens Rogers Foundation Ballroom, atop the historic Embassy Theatre. Enjoy lunch as you reconnect with friends, catch up with colleagues, and build new professional connections. This gathering is the perfect prelude to the afternoon plenary session in the iconic theatre below. 

Plenary 
1:45 – 3:30 p.m.
Embassy Theatre 

As the Embassy Theatre nears its centennial anniversary in 2028, it’s hard to believe that it was nearly lost to the wrecking ball in 1972 were it not for community leaders and grassroots support. The building’s most recent update came in 2016 with a $10 million renovation that opened previously closed spaces including the two-story ballroom, rooftop patio, and rooms for meetings, education programs and staff.  

Following a welcome from Fort Wayne Mayor Sharon Tucker and Logan York, Tribal Historic Preservation Officer of the Miami Tribe of Oklahoma, enjoy presentations by Randy Harter who reviews the Embassy’s history through postcards, and Donovan Rypkema who reveals the results of a recent historic preservation and heritage tourism economic impact study. Speakers: Honorable Sharon Tucker, Mayor, City of Fort Wayne; Logan York, Tribal Historic Preservation Officer, Miami Tribe of Oklahoma; Randy Harter, Historian and Author; and Donvan Rypkema, Principal, PlaceEconomics 

Educational Sessions
3:45 – 5:00 p.m. 

Unlocking Development Potential: Fort Wayne’s Approach to Attracting Developers 

Fort Wayne has seen notable success in attracting regional developers through a transparent and strategic request-for-qualifications (RFQ) process. This session will walk participants through the city’s approach—from crafting a compelling development vision and marketing key sites to understanding what developers value and effectively managing the RFQ process. While the session focuses on mixed-use projects, the principles and lessons shared are broadly applicable to a range of development types. Speakers: Joe Giant, Economic Development Director, City of Ann Arbor; and Kirk Moriarity, Director of Downtown and Urban Development, Greater Fort Wayne, Inc.  

Growing Heritage Trades Training  

A recent study by Ivy Tech Community College highlights the growing crisis of a severe shortage of skilled tradespeople. In response, local and statewide organizations are creating innovative programs to bridge this gap. This session explores how you can turn your own preservation trades expertise into a teaching opportunity with Ivy Tech and support Indiana Landmarks in developing a comprehensive toolkit that introduces traditional trades to middle school, high school, and adult learners. Speakers: Randy Wooldridge, Employer Consultant, Ivy Tech Community College; and Todd Zeiger, Northern Regional Office Director, Indiana Landmarks 

Dinner & Plenary
5:30 – 8 p.m.
Reviving a Landmark—The GE Campus Transformation
GE Club at Electric Works
1690 Broadway  

Explore the ambitious, multi-million-dollar initiative to transform Fort Wayne’s historic General Electric campus—now one of Indiana’s largest adaptive reuse projects. This session will explore the challenges and successes of converting the long-vacant industrial site into a vibrant hub of residential and commercial spaces. Learn about the ongoing revitalization efforts shaping the city’s east side and what the future holds for this area. Speaker: Kevan Biggs, Owner and President, The Biggs Group  

Thursday, October 2 

Educational Sessions
9 – 10:15 a.m. 

Developing a Downtown Cultural District 

Explore how Warsaw Main Street’s 2030 strategic plan identifies underutilized spaces—such as vacant upper stories—as opportunities for adaptive reuse and community revitalization. This session offers a case study of transforming these spaces into artist lofts, highlighting public engagement strategies, plan development, and the architectural design process. Hear from city, county economic development, and Main Street staff as they review the challenges and successes of project planning, cost estimating, funding strategies, branding, and creating and managing events. Speakers: Terry Sweeny, Downtown Development Director, Main Street Warsaw; Jeremy Skinner, Community and Economic Development Director, City of Warsaw; and Suzie Light, Leadership Partner, Kosciusko Economic Development Corporation 

New Grist for an Old Mill 

Discover how Indiana’s iconic Spring Mill grist mill—a significant part Indiana history—continues to thrive through continued maintenance and repairs. This session explores the unique challenges of maintaining a working historic mill, highlighting the collaboration between state agencies to address wear from water and time. Learn how targeted repairs, not full restoration, are keeping the wheels turning while honoring the past. Speakers: Benjamin Clark, Cultural Resources Manager, Indiana State Parks; Cathy Draeger-Williams, Archaeologist, Indiana Division of Historic Preservation and Archaeology; and Dean Illingworth, Assistant Director, Engineering Division, Department of Natural Resources 

Remembering and Honoring Ethnic Communities  

Explore how historic preservation can honor the legacy of displaced or transformed ethnic neighborhoods through two powerful case studies: Irishtown in Fort Wayne and The Foot in Jefferson City, Missouri. Though much of the physical fabric has vanished, these communities live on through research, oral histories, interpretive signage, and documentary storytelling. Learn how preservation tools can help reclaim and celebrate cultural memory. Speakers: Robert O’Donoghue-Stone, Author/Historian; Dan Baisdan, Neighborhood Planner, Community Development Administrator, City of Fort Wayne; Gary Quigg, Senior Cultural Resources Investigator, Lochmueller Group; and Hannah Blad, Historian/Section 106 Specialist III, Lochmueller Group 

Educational Sessions
10:30 – 11:45 a.m. 

Transforming Sheridan Through Collaboration 

This session highlights the successful revitalization of Sheridan, Indiana, where collaboration among the town government, Sheridan Main Street, private building owners, philanthropy, students, and Ball State University’s Center for Historic Preservation led to design assistance for over 20 historic buildings. Through immersive learning and strong public-private partnerships, the initiative has spurred economic development, strengthened community identity, and preserved historic character. Attendees will hear directly from key stakeholders, gaining practical insight into how similar efforts can be implemented in their own communities. Speakers: Cynthia Keever, President, Sheridan Main Street; Ellen Crabb, Board Chair, United Animal Health and Board Member, Indiana Landmarks; and J. P. Hall, Associate Professor/Director, Center for Historic Preservation, Ball State University 

Hands-On History: Engaging Communities Through Experimental Archaeology  

Public and experimental archaeology offer powerful tools for connecting communities with their cultural heritage in meaningful, hands-on ways. This session demonstrates how involving the public in ancient techniques can build social cohesion, promote sustainable heritage practices, and make archaeological research more accessible. Presenters will share strategies for bridging academic research and everyday life while addressing challenges such as cultural sensitivity, limited resources, and sustaining long-term community partnerships. Speakers: Louis Herzner, Archaeology Coordinator, Archaeological Research Institute; Christy Brocken, Historical Resource Manager, Hamilton County Parks and Recreation; and Rachel Sharkey, Director of Public Archaeology, Archaeological Research Institute 

Healthy, Historic Buildings 

While hazards like lead and asbestos are well-known, historic buildings also offer surprising health benefits. This session examines how traditional materials, design, and neighborhood context can support physical, cognitive, and social well-being. From improved air quality and natural light to reduced stress and stronger community ties, historic buildings often promote healthier living environments. Attendees will gain a new perspective on preservation by considering historic structures not just as cultural assets, but as contributors to public health. Speaker: Bryan D. Orthel, Associate Professor, Indiana University 

Lunch On Your Own
Noon – 2:00 p.m.

Plenary
2:00 – 3:00 p.m.
Restoring the Allen County Courthouse 

Before visiting the courthouse for an evening reception, get a behind-the-scenes look at how architects and artisans repaired and restored the building’s beautiful encaustic floor tiles. Speakers: Robert Wilson, Owner Wilson Custom Tiles; Paul Lindsey, Architect, MSKTD; and George Bachnivsky, Architect (retired), MSKTD & Associates 

Educational Sessions
3:30 – 5:30 p.m. 

Indiana Main Street: Shaping the Future Together
Indiana Main Street has always been driven by the collective vision of local leaders. With the 2025 strategic plan as our guide, this interactive session invites you to be part of charting the next chapter for the Indiana Main Street Program. Join Main Street America staff and OCRA in a facilitated conversation that acknowledges the challenges—and opportunities—of today’s changing landscape. Through small group discussions and focused conversations, you’ll share your insights, concerns, and aspirations. This session isn’t just about reviewing the plan—it’s about ensuring that Indiana Main Street continues to reflect the reality on the ground and remains responsive to the communities you know best. Let’s work together to identify practical next steps, strengthen our statewide network, and reaffirm our shared commitment to vibrant downtowns. Speakers: Indiana Main Street staff; and Jackie Swihart, Director of Network Capacity Building, Main Street America  

Downtown Tour
Enjoy a tour of Fort Wayne’s downtown buildings and neighborhoods. 

Reception
5:30 – 8:00 p.m.
Legal Splendor 

Step inside Indiana’s only National Historic Landmark county courthouse for an unforgettable evening celebrating art, architecture, and preservation. Marvel at the building’s interior, featuring exquisite scagliola, marble finishes, allegorical murals and sculpture, encaustic tilework, and art glass, that together form a masterpiece of civic design. 

Enjoy guided tours led by members of the Allen County Courthouse Preservation Trust, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 1994 to ensure the ongoing preservation and stewardship of this architectural treasure for generations to come. 

Friday, October 3 

Plenary
9 – 10:15 a.m.
Icons of Modernism in Fort Wayne
Fort Wayne is home to two celebrated landmarks of Mid-Century Modern design. Our closing plenary offers an exclusive look at these architectural treasures. Begin with a guided look inside Louis Kahn’s Arts United Center, where recent renovations have enhanced accessibility and technology while honoring Kahn’s original design. Then, delve into the past, present, and future of Eero Saarinen’s Concordia Theological Seminary, a thoughtfully designed campus inspired by the layout of a traditional northern European village. 

Following the plenary, attendees are invited to experience these iconic sites firsthand and discover how Modern design continues to influence the built environment. Speakers: Mirian Morgan, Vice President of Operations and COO, Arts United of Greater Fort Wayne; Dan Ross, President and CEO, Arts United of Greater Fort Wayne; and Prof. Robert Roethemeyer, Director of Library and Information Services, Concordia Theological Seminary 

Arts United Center Tour
10:30 a.m. – Noon
303 East Main Street
Guided tour of Arts United Center.

Concordia Theological Seminary Tour
10:30 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.
6600 North Clinton Street
Self-guided tour of Concordia Theological Seminary.

 

######