Karen Lauerman had a key behind-the-scenes role in Northwest Indiana’s economic development, working to attract new businesses and industries to the region.
Her unexpected death Tuesday shocked and saddened everyone who knew her.
“This is a big loss for Northwest Indiana,” said Dave Ryan, chairman of the board of the Lake County Economic Alliance and executive director of the Lakeshore Chamber of Commerce.
“She was a go-getter, dedicated to her staff and to the Lake County Economic Alliance,” Ryan said. “When she smiled, it was a genuine, warm smile. When she had a client, she had a client for good.”
Lauerman, 52, had been president and CEO of the Lake County Economic Alliance since it was formed in 2014. Before that, she was director of marketing and communications for the Northwest Indiana Forum.
Don Koliboski, the Lake County Economic Alliance’s vice president of economic development, worked with Lauerman at the Northwest Indiana Forum before going with her to the Lake County organization.
“It was such a great find to have those two,” Ryan said. “We started strong from day one.”
Koliboski said he and Lauerman had a role in bringing billions of dollars of investment to the region in their 20 years of working together.
“We had fun every day,” he said. “We had a motto, to walk away every day with something you learned.”
They worked together on hundreds of projects, and had more than 90 “in the pipeline” now, he said.
“She had an outreach that was nationwide,” Koliboski said.
Lauerman had been undergoing treatment for a serious illness for the past year but had kept working.
“It never slowed her down,” Ryan said. “She was always there.”
“We didn’t expect her to go like this, so fast,” Koliboski said. “It hasn’t kicked in yet, but I’m sure in the next couple of weeks it will kick in.”
She is survived by her husband, Scott; her parents, Ken and Carol Lukasik; and her sister, Jan Klapak.
Funeral services will be Monday noon at Baran Funeral Home, Whiting, followed by a Mass of Christian Burial at St. John the Baptist Church, Whiting.
Tim Zorn is a freelance reporter for the Post-Tribune.
