BIG things are happening at Pence Media Group! 🌟

Congratulations to PMG for being named one of PR Daily’s Top Agencies of 2025! This national recognition celebrates agencies + firms that rise above in a rapidly evolving industry + deliver breakthrough creativity, measurable results, and unmatched client service.

Founded by Nicole Pence Becker, PMG continues to lead with powerful brand storytelling, bold PR wins, and a team that’s as strategic as it is creative. With 17 PRSA Pinnacle Awards already under their belt, this latest honor reinforces their passion for helping brands grow, shine, and make an impact.

Consider It Done with Pence Media Group.

📜 This Week in Indiana History 📜

USS Indiana is Launched (1941)

This week in Indiana history, we are celebrating a warship with our great state’s namesake. Designed with advanced armor protection and improved fire control systems, the USS Indiana (BB-58) had impressive speed for its size. The ship played a vital role in the Pacific Theatre of World War II.

Launched in 1941 and officially commissioned in 1942, the USS Indiana was being fitted out by the time Pearl Harbor happened. The very next year — fully loaded with ammunition and supplies — it officially sailed out of Virginia to the Tongan Islands, reporting for duty during World War II.

By the end of the war, the USS Indiana earned nine battle stars for its participation in Pacific service engagements. Its prow and guns are currently housed inside Indiana University’s Memorial Stadium. It was officially placed in reserve status in September 1946 and decommissioned the following year.

IN Christmas Tree Farms

Thanksgiving is due up next Thursday, which means you might have Christmas tree shopping on your radar. If you’re looking for a new spot to find the perfect tree, our friends at Indiana Farm Bureau Insurance compiled a list of 40-plus Christmas tree farms across the state to create holiday memories.

Heads up: In next week’s newsletter, we’ll have deeper dives on 25 tree farms to visit in northern, central and southern Indiana.

IN’s Most Family-Friendly Towns

Fun fact: There are almost 570 incorporated towns/cities in Indiana.

Now for the hard part… we narrowed that list to six of the most family-friendly towns, with education, recreation, safety, median home prices, and affordability all factoring in.

Lapel Having Historic Season Behind Senior QB Devin Craig

The Lapel Bulldogs (13-0) raced out to a 31-0 halftime lead en route to a 38-7 win over Indianapolis Lutheran (11-2) last Friday night, securing the school’s first regional football title. The win also avenged a 2024 regional defeat — 35-0, to be exact — to the Saints.

The victory was powered by senior QB Devin Craig, who has thrown for over 10,500 yards in his career. Read more about him and Lapel’s historic season here.

This Friday, the third-ranked Bulldogs host No. 2 Brownstown Central in the IHSAA Class 2A semi-state with a bid to the state championship game on the line.

In northern Indiana, the people of Plymouth are fighting to keep head coach Adam Handley around as the school’s football coach, despite school officials giving him two options — resign or be fired. Learn more about Handley and why his successes with student-athletes off the field are so much more than wins and losses.

A Local Go-To For the American Lifestyle

Cowpokes has built a reputation in Indiana for quality boots, hats, denim, and clothing that actually fits people's lifestyle. We like pointing people its way because it is the sort of place where you find things built to last. If you have been thinking about updating your gear, this is a great place to start.

Warm Glow Candle Company

If you’ve driven I-70 east of Indianapolis, you’ve likely spotted the giant candle just south of the interstate near Centerville and Richmond. That candle is the iconic landmark of Warm Glow Candle Co. and its main store, full of seasonal goods for the holiday season.

Once you’re inside, you’ll find something for the whole family and man’s best friend, too. Be sure to snag at least one of the 63 scented candle varieties, and know that it was made by Hoosier hands at the Warm Glow factory in town.

Warm Glow CEO Justin Burkhardt was a guest on the Get IN. Podcast earlier this year, and he shared why Warm Glow has become a must-stop destination.
 

The World’s Smallest Children’s Art Gallery

Art galleries don’t need to be grand and cavernous, and the World’s Smallest Children’s Art Gallery in Carmel proves that to be true. Seriously, it’s a simple one-room gallery that was recognized by Guinness World Records in 1999 as the smallest children’s art gallery in the world, measuring just over 15 feet long and nine feet wide. Operated by the Carmel Arts Council, the gallery gives local students a place to showcase their creativity. Plus, it features art from Carmel’s sister city in Japan.

Want to check it out yourself? Learn more about Carmel’s hidden gem of the arts.

What’s your Hidden Gem? Submit here to have it featured!

👏 1 Big wIN 👏

Whether you’ve been or have just heard about the best gas station / travel center chain in the country, the Texas-based Buc-ee’s — already with 54 locations across 11 states — is expected to open at least one location in Indiana in the next few years.

But where exactly? Find out that, the history of Buc-ee’s, and five reasons why the place simply rocks in the video below.

Need a GetIN. Approved Agent?

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Your Hoosier Home Awaits | Warsaw | $1,699,000

Hoosier Dream Home | Bedford | $2,190,000

🎧 How Three Generations of Hoosiers Built a Billion Dollar Business  🎧

🎙 On today's show I sat down with Ryan Rohrman, CEO of Rohrman Automotive Group, one of the largest family-owned dealership groups in the United States.

Ryan shares his inspiring journey and how the business, started by his grandfather Bob Rohrman on a gravel lot in 1963, evolved into a thriving enterprise.

Our conversation explores the unique challenges and strategies involved in leading a third-generation family business, including the impact of digital marketing, culture building, and social media on modernizing the company.

Ryan also dives into the importance of customer relationships, employee retention, and community involvement while honoring the company's rich legacy.

If you like this episode and want to hear more Get IN. episodes where I interview Hoosiers making a difference, visit getindiana.com/podcast.

You are going to learn about:
- How Rohrman Automotive Group Became a $1B Enterprise
- Strategies for Generational Family Business Leaders
- How Customer Relationships, Employee Retention and Community Involvement Drive Business

Listen on Spotify, Apple, or YouTube!

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💎 Know any hidden gems we should cover? Submit yours here!