Tuesdays with Tom Didier - Great stories about excellence in Fort Wayne

Dan Swartz is the latest guest on the Tuesdays with Tom Didier podcast. Tom wanted to speak with Dan about his experience leaving his home town and returning later on, as well as to get Dan's perspective on the development of the arts and entrepreneurship communities in Fort Wayne. His conversation with Tom Didier touches on a number of topics, including a lively discussion about the history of the Fort Wayne food scene.

Tom Didier and Fort Wayne native Luke Labas have a wide-ranging discussion that focuses on accessibility issues for Fort Wayne residents but covers Luke's decision to pursue work in advocacy for people with disabilities, his career as a power soccer athlete, and even the Fort Wayne Komets upcoming season. Luke's passion for his work is fired by his faith and he is determined to make Fort Wayne a better place to live for all its residents.

Tom Didier has an in-depth conversation about Fort Wayne with Rob Evans, Director of Operations at Blue Flame Hospitality. Rob has decades of experience in the hospitality industry in general but specifically has been working in Fort Wayne for many years and is proud to call our community his home. Their conversation touches on his experience working in hotels, how Fort Wayne can do a better job developing homegrown artistic talent, adaptive sports in Fort Wayne at Turnstone, and what future developments might help Fort Wayne grow more.

Tom wanted to celebrate Independence Day by taking some time with his longtime friend Chuck MacPherson to reminisce about what Fort Wayne was like when they were growing up, talk about some of their Independence Day traditions and share about how things have changed since their school days.

Tom Didier sits down with Captain Kenyon Sivels of the Salvation Army. Captain Sivels and his wife Melissa are winding down their ministry in Fort Wayne after three years in our community. He has just over ten years of service in The Salvation Army and is preparing for his family's next assignment. They have served in Mason City, Iowa and Watertown, South Dakota in addition to Fort Wayne. Tom and Captain Sivels discuss his experiences that led him to his service in Fort Wayne, what he has seen while serving here, and his favorite stories from his time in our community. He also shares some of the challenge the people he serves face on a daily basis.

Tuesdays with Tom Didier returns with an interview with Fort Wayne City Council veteran Don Schmidt, who first joined the council in 1971 and served for 36 years. Known for being "tight" as he would say with the budget, Schmidt discusses with Tom Didier the challenges of implementing zero-based budgets, addressing problems in Fort Wayne and how things have changed in the city since he first got involved with politics.

This episode of Tuesdays with Tom Didier features a conversation with Marshall White, founder of the Unity Performing Arts Foundation and his journey from child prodigy to a leader on a mission to raise up and celebrate excellence in young people in Fort Wayne. The conversation charts his career and Tom Didier shares some of his experiences working with Marshall White and his own vocal coaches, including the legendary Lincoln Chapman. 

If you would like to learn more about the Unity Performing Arts Foundation you can visit their website at https://upaf.com/ or call their office at (260) 481-6719. 

You can learn more about Tom Didier's campaign for mayor at http://www.tomdidierfortwayne.com. Paid for by Citizens to Elect Tom Didier.