Purdue Commits to Presence in Fishers

Two Purdue University programs have committed to calling the City of Fishers home.  The Purdue University College of Pharmacy’s Center for Medication Safety Advancement (CMSA) and Purdue Manufacturing Extension Partnership (MEP) have signed on to occupy the second floor of The Switch on Municipal Drive.

The Switch is a $28 million dollar mixed-use project located in Fishers' Nickel Plate District. The project consists of office space, retail, a parking garage, and apartments. In addition, The Switch will be home to a new Transit Plaza and additional programming space for Fishers.

One of the keys for Purdue’s move to Fishers was the transformation of the Nickel Plate District into an economic development catalyst with a focus on innovation and entrepreneurship.

 “The Nickel Plate District was designed to attract innovative organizations and a talented workforce. Purdue’s commitment to The Switch is a testament to the latest market-driven project in the area and we are thrilled to welcome them to Fishers,” said Scott Fadness, Mayor, City of Fishers.

 In 2010, through the generous support of the Lilly Endowment, the Purdue University College of Pharmacy founded the Center for Medication Safety Advancement with the mission of making safe medication use common practice.  Currently, there are over 1.5 million incidents per year in the United States where people are harmed unintentionally from medication use.  CMSA strives to reduce these unfortunate events through discovering new practices and engaging with the community to spread the adoption of safe medication use practices.

“Throughout our existence, partnerships have been essential to the work we do.  Identifying with others who share our common values and vision for making healthcare as safe as possible is central to our success.  The entrepreneurial spirit in Fishers will place us amongst innovative thought leaders working towards discovering new safe solutions to problems that continue to plague us in delivering healthcare in a consistent and safe manner,” said Kyle Hultgren, Director CMSA.

The Purdue MEP Center recently announced a significant boost to its funding that will quadruple the Center’s federal funding, allowing it to eventually serve over 400 manufacturers.  The organization projects its employment growth will easily double in the next two years as a result of this expanded mission.

In the past decade, the Center has provided on-site assistance to more than 950 manufacturing clients with services such as lean manufacturing assessment and implementation, Six Sigma certification, quality improvement, supply chain optimization, energy efficiency and sustainability, and quality management systems. More significantly, the center has helped its clients collectively achieve more than $1.2 billion of economic impact in Indiana.

“During our search for a space and community to accommodate our growth, it was apparent the City of Fishers offered an exceptional location that satisfied our field office logistical needs, our desired work life environment, and a cost competitive lease.  We are pleased to bring our central office into the Nickel Plate District redevelopment, and look forward to serving our state’s manufacturing base with Fishers as our hub location,” said Dave Snow, Director, Purdue MEP Center.

Purdue plans to move into the new space in August of this year.

About the Purdue Center for Medication Safety Advancement

Purdue CMSA is committed to serving the citizens of Indiana, the nation, and the world through enhancing the discovery of safe medication use practices and delivering this knowledge to all who may benefit, ultimately helping achieve a vision of making safe medication use common practice.

About the Purdue Manufacturing Extension Partnership

Purdue MEP is a business unit of the Purdue Technical Assistance Program (TAP), providing high-value solutions to help Indiana businesses maximize their success by increasing profits, reducing costs and implementing growth systems. Purdue TAP’s mission is to advance economic prosperity, health and quality of life in Indiana and beyond.

About the Nickel Plate District

The redevelopment of the Nickel Plate District embodies Fishers’ vision to attract innovative businesses and a quality of life that brings creative, entrepreneurial talent to Fishers while maintaining the long-term sustainability of the local economy. Fishers is committed to the Nickel Plate District redevelopment resulting in market-driven projects with a diverse mix of industries and career opportunities.