Stephane Frijia

Stephane Frijia
President & CEO, Northeast Indiana Regional Partnership

Stephane Frijia is a seasoned economic development executive known for his ability to transform regional competitiveness through strategic planning, targeted investment attraction, and high-impact public-private partnerships. Since October 2021, he has served as President and CEO of the Northeast Indiana Regional Partnership, where he oversees the economic development strategy for an 11-county region. In this role, he is responsible for accelerating business growth, enhancing infrastructure and workforce readiness, and aligning regional leadership around a unified vision for long-term prosperity.

Since assuming leadership at NEI, Frijia has revitalized the organization’s business development team, strengthened private sector engagement, and instilled a performance-driven culture that has led to record levels of project activity. He has launched a number of transformative initiatives that position Northeast Indiana as a hub for innovation and inclusive economic growth. These include the NEI Automation Integration Center, the Indiana Off-Highway Vehicle Electrification Hub, and the NEI Film & Animation Studio concept, as well as a range of programs designed to support housing, community building, and social equity across the region.

He has also played a central role in repositioning Northeast Indiana as a leader in medical technology and health innovation. Through the successful recruitment of Plug and Play Medtech and the co-development of the MedTech Global Gateway Program in collaboration with Parkview’s Mirro Center and the Indiana Economic Development Corporation, Frijia has created a platform to help international life sciences companies scale U.S. operations using Northeast Indiana as a launchpad.

In parallel, Frijia has advanced the region’s infrastructure agenda by forging alignment with the Strategic Development Commission, the Mayors and Commissioners Caucus, and members of the legislative delegation to advocate for priority projects and policy reform. His efforts to raise the region’s international profile have resulted in the launch of the NEI FDI Envoy Program, a strategic outreach initiative that facilitates investment from markets across Europe, Asia, and the Middle East.

Before joining NEI, Frijia served as Senior Vice President of Strategy at the Greater Phoenix Economic Council, where he led international investment and competitiveness strategies that attracted over 35 global companies to Arizona, with projects valued in the tens of billions. He also advised on national foreign direct investment policy, orchestrated high-level federal engagement, and managed regional initiatives through the Brookings Institution and JPMorgan Chase’s Global Cities Initiative.

Frijia holds a Master’s degree in Urban and Environmental Planning and a Bachelor’s degree in Aeronautical Management Technology from Arizona State University. He has been recognized as a Top 40 Under 40 in Economic Development by Development Counsellors International and named one of Indiana’s Top 250 Most Influential Business Leaders by the Indianapolis Business Journal in 2023, 2024, and 2025. His leadership continues to shape the future of Northeast Indiana as a nationally competitive, globally connected, and innovation-driven region.