Fort Wayne, located in northeastern Indiana, is the second largest city in the state. With a population of around 270,000 people, Fort Wayne serves as an economic and cultural hub for the region. Some of the biggest industries in Fort Wayne include manufacturing, healthcare, education, and retail. The city’s central location and transportation infrastructure, including freight rail lines, interstate highways, and airports, have helped attract and retain major employers.
When looking at the major employers in the Fort Wayne area, healthcare organizations and manufacturers top the list. Below we will explore the top public and private sector employers that provide thousands of local jobs in Fort Wayne. Understanding the keystone companies that serve as economic anchors for the city provides insights into the local economic landscape.
Largest Employers in Fort Wayne
Here are the top 10 biggest employers in Fort Wayne, Indiana based on number of local employees:
| Employer | Industry | Local Employees |
| Parkview Health System | Healthcare | 10,147 |
| Lutheran Health Network | Healthcare | 8,430 |
| Fort Wayne Community Schools | Education | 4,366 |
| Steel Dynamics Inc. | Steel Manufacturing | 3,740 |
| General Motors | Auto Manufacturing | 3,633 |
| BFGoodrich | Tire Manufacturing | 2,500 |
| VA Northern Indiana Health Care | Healthcare | 2,019 |
| Walmart | Retail | 2,000 |
| Raytheon Technologies | Aerospace & Defense | 1,648 |
| Amazon | Logistics & Warehousing | 1,500 |
As the table shows, the two largest employers in Fort Wayne both come from the healthcare industry. Parkview Health System, a regional not-for-profit healthcare provider, tops the list with over 10,000 local employees. Lutheran Health Network, part of the larger Community Health Systems, also provides thousands of healthcare jobs.
Outside of healthcare, prominent employers include education, manufacturing, retail, defense contracting, and logistics companies. Below we will look at some of these major employers driving the local economy.
Parkview Health System
Parkview Health System is an integrated network of hospitals, clinics, and healthcare facilities based in Fort Wayne. With over 12,000 employees systemwide, Parkview is northeast Indiana’s largest employer.
Locally, Parkview directly employs more than 10,000 people in the greater Fort Wayne region. The system’s flagship facilities include the Parkview Regional Medical Center and the Parkview Randallia campus. Parkview Regional is a 700+ bed tertiary hospital that serves as the system’s primary teaching facility. The Randallia campus focuses on trauma, rehabilitation, behavioral health, and long-term acute care services.
Beyond its hospitals, Parkview operates over 90 primary care and specialty clinics across northeast Indiana. The system also provides home healthcare, senior living facilities, and community health and wellness programs.
With its large workforce focused on patient care and community services, Parkview Health System is an essential healthcare provider and economic engine for Fort Wayne and the surrounding region. The system continues investing in new facilities and growth, including planned expansions at Parkview Regional Medical Center.
Lutheran Health Network
With around 8,430 employees, Lutheran Health Network is Fort Wayne’s second largest employer. The network is part of the for-profit Community Health Systems conglomerate, one of the country’s biggest hospital operators.
Locally, Lutheran Health Network consists of six hospitals and dozens of outpatient care sites concentrated in the Fort Wayne area. The system’s flagship facility is the 343-bed Lutheran Hospital on Fort Wayne’s southwest side. Other network hospitals include Dupont Hospital, Kosciusko Community Hospital, Lutheran Children’s Hospital, Lutheran Downtown Hospital, and Lutheran Rehabilitation Hospital.
Beyond acute care, Lutheran Health Network offers occupational health, home care, senior living, and hospice services across northeast Indiana. The system also partners with universities, community organizations, and local employers to expand access to care.
As both a major healthcare provider and source of middle-class jobs, Lutheran Health Network significantly impacts Fort Wayne’s economy. Despite financial challenges facing its parent company, Lutheran continues positioning itself for growth in the Fort Wayne market. Recent moves include partnering with CVS Health to offer services in CVS retail clinics.
Fort Wayne Community Schools
With around 18,500 students, Fort Wayne Community Schools (FWCS) is the largest public school district in Indiana outside Indianapolis. The district directly employs over 4,300 teachers, administrators, counselors, therapists and support personnel across its 50 schools.
FWCS consists of 42 elementary schools, 8 middle schools, and 7 high schools, including 2 magnet high schools. The district strives to provide diverse academic programming aimed at college and career readiness. FWCS operates six Career Academies offering technical education pathways in fields like healthcare, IT, and advanced manufacturing.
As one of the area’s largest employers, Fort Wayne Community Schools impacts both the education system and economy. The district is Allen County’s fourth largest employer overall. With Indiana’s teacher shortages, FWCS’s efforts to recruit and retain teachers positively influences local education and employment.
Beyond its core education mission, FWCS provides meals, transportation, counseling, special education, extracurricular activities, and other essential services. The district is also expanding workforce training and career readiness initiatives through partnerships with higher education institutions and employers. For example, FWCS works with businesses to provide internships and site visits to better prepare students for local careers.
Steel Dynamics Inc.
Steel Dynamics Inc. (SDI) is a Fortune 500 steel producer headquartered in Fort Wayne. SDI directly employs around 3,740 workers in Allen County across two local steel mills.
The company’s Flat Roll Division operates a state-of-the-art steel processing complex on Fort Wayne’s northwest side. This flagship facility can produce over 3 million tons of flat roll steel yearly.
SDI’s Steel of West Virginia tube mill operates on the south side of Fort Wayne. This smaller mill specializes in pipe and tube products using recycled scrap metal.
While steel production has declined nationally, SDI continues growing, including significant expansion projects at its Flat Roll Division. The company recently announced plans for a new $1.9 billion flat roll steel mill in Texas. However, SDI remains committed to its Fort Wayne operations, which benefit from proximity to customers throughout the Midwest.
As one of America’s biggest steel companies, SDI provides manufacturing jobs that support local families and boost Fort Wayne’s economy. The company’s success illustrates Fort Wayne’s ongoing strengths in advanced manufacturing.
General Motors
General Motors (GM) has operated in Fort Wayne since 1886, when the Fort Wayne Assembly Plant opened to produce carriages and agricultural machinery. After transitioning to auto manufacturing in the 1920s, the southside plant remains a vital GM facility.
Currently, around 3,600 GM employees work at the Fort Wayne Assembly Plant, making it Allen County’s fifth largest employer. The plant specializes in producing full-size pickup trucks, including the Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra. In 2021, the facility produced its 8 millionth Silverado pickup.
GM continues investing heavily in Fort Wayne Assembly, including $1.2 billion spent upgrading the plant since 2015. Improvements support building the latest Silverado and Sierra models, including new all-electric models. GM plans to eventually transition Fort Wayne Assembly to exclusively produce electric pickups.
Beyond its main assembly plant, GM supports additional local jobs through suppliers and vendors. The Fort Wayne GM plant remains integral to the company’s U.S. manufacturing base. GM’s century-long presence also makes it a pillar of the local economy.
BFGoodrich
BFGoodrich Tires, owned by Michelin North America, has operated in Fort Wayne since 1960. The company directly employs around 2,500 workers at its northeast side tire manufacturing plant.
The Fort Wayne BFGoodrich plant occupies a 152-acre campus. The facility manufactures high-performance passenger and light truck tires. Fort Wayne is BFGoodrich’s only U.S. plant producing light vehicle tires. The company recently invested $16.5 million in updating equipment and systems at the local facility.
In addition to manufacturing jobs, BFGoodrich provides opportunities for local college graduates through its engineering development program. The initiative allows ITT Technical Institute and Purdue University Fort Wayne engineering students to work at BFGoodrich.
Michelin North America continues expanding its Fort Wayne presence through the BFGoodrich plant and shared services office. As a major advanced manufacturer, BFGoodrich adds to the diversity of Fortune 500 companies and skilled technical jobs in the region.
VA Northern Indiana Health Care System
The VA Northern Indiana Health Care System (VANIHCS) provides care to over 50,000 veterans across 21 counties. The system includes the Fort Wayne VA Medical Center and nine outpatient clinics.
With around 2,019 employees, the VA health system is one of the largest government employers in northeast Indiana. The Fort Wayne VA hospital offers a range of services including primary care, neurology, oncology, mental health, rehabilitation, orthopedics, surgery, and acute care. The VA campus also encompasses a 120-bed Community Living Center and an outpatient clinic. Additional clinics are located throughout the region to increase veterans’ access.
Beyond healthcare services, the VA is a vital source of stable federal jobs and economic activity. It has an annual economic impact of $351 million. The VA health system will continue growing to serve more veterans and families. Current expansion projects include a new primary care clinic at the main hospital.
Walmart
Walmart employs around 2,000 workers across its 7 Fort Wayne area stores and regional distribution center.
The retail giant’s local presence includes 5 Walmart Supercenters along with Walmart and Sam’s Club stores in New Haven. Walmart stores offer a range of full supermarket services while providing retail, food service and managerial jobs.
Additionally, Walmart’s 600,000 square foot distribution center on the southwest side of Fort Wayne employs hundreds of logistics and inventory management personnel. Along with other warehouses, the distribution facility supports Walmart’s growing Fort Wayne retail footprint while attracting related businesses to the area.
While Walmart has faced criticism for employment practices, the company remains one of Fort Wayne’s largest private employers. In addition to local jobs, Walmart provides affordable retail options that help stretch families’ budgets. The company also works to improve compensation and training opportunities for its Fort Wayne workforce.
Raytheon Technologies
Raytheon Technologies, one of the world’s largest aerospace and defense contractors, operates a Fort Wayne facility that currently employs around 1,648 workers. The Fort Wayne site was previously part of United Technologies until its April 2020 merger with Raytheon.
The local plant manufactures electrical power systems for aerospace and defense applications. In addition to the well-paying skilled jobs it provides, the company is a major contributor to Fort Wayne’s economy. United Technologies previously announced plans to invest $138 million through 2023 in upgraded equipment and facilities at its Fort Wayne site.
Raytheon Technologies’ Fort Wayne presence further boosts northeast Indiana’s established defense contracting industry. Fellow major contractors in the region include BAE Systems, which manufactures military vehicles in Fort Wayne, and Northrop Grumman’s radar systems facility in nearby Waterloo.
Amazon
Amazon’s fulfillment center in Fort Wayne currently employs around 1,500 full-time workers. Since opening in 2017, the 850,000 square foot facility has become Amazon’s largest warehouse in Indiana.
Jobs at the fulfillment center include warehouse associates, managers, IT professionals, HR specialists and other support roles. Amazon touts its competitive wages and opportunities for career growth at its Fort Wayne facility.
While Amazon is still growing its presence, the company is already among Allen County’s largest employers. The company’s jobs also contribute to Fort Wayne’s expanding transportation, distribution and logistics industry.
Amazon continues investing to boost capacity, efficiency and employee amenities at the local fulfillment center. Ultimately, the facility is positioned to create thousands of additional jobs as Amazon expands in the Midwest.
Other Notable Employers
In addition to the ten largest major employers, many other companies and organizations provide thousands of jobs in Fort Wayne:
– Sweetwater Sound: National music retailer based in Fort Wayne, with over 1,300 local employees.
– Fort Wayne Metals: Manufacturer of wire-based medical implants and components, employing around 1,100 in Fort Wayne.
– Navistar: Transportation manufacturing plant builds mid-range diesel engines, employing 940 locally.
– Silgan Plastics: Supplies plastic packaging to consumer goods companies. Employs around 900 at its Fort Wayne plant.
– Indiana Tech: Private university with around 700 employees between its main campus and satellite locations.
– Rolls Royce: Aerospace components and engine control manufacturing facility, employing 540 in Fort Wayne.
– Indianapolis Power & Light Company: Utility company providing over 500 Fort Wayne jobs.
Public Sector Employers
In addition to private companies, government and public institutions collectively employ thousands of people in Fort Wayne and Allen County:
– City of Fort Wayne: Over 2,500 employees across city government departments and agencies.
– Allen County Government: Employs around 1,500 workers countywide through offices like the Sheriff’s Department.
– Other Cities & Towns: Nearby cities like New Haven and Huntington employ hundreds of municipal workers.
– Public School Districts: Around 5,400 workers employed by school districts countywide including FWCS.
– Public Universities: Indiana University-Purdue University Fort Wayne (IPFW) and Purdue University Fort Wayne (PFW) employ around 1,500 faculty and staff each.
– Federal Government: Hundreds employed through the VA, post offices, Social Security Administration and other federal agencies.
Conclusion
The major employers profiled above showcase the diversity of Fort Wayne’s economy and workforce. Healthcare systems like Parkview Health and Lutheran Health Network ensure access to care while providing thousands of jobs. Public school districts and universities also heavily influence the economy through their education missions.
Manufacturing remains a core strength in Fort Wayne, led by steel producers, defense contractors, and auto plants. However, the city has also cultivated growth in fields like logistics and distribution through companies such as Amazon. Retailers including Walmart offer large numbers of service sector jobs.
Through its mix of established institutions and growing industries, Fort Wayne supports a stable employment base. The city’s centralized location, transportation infrastructure, skilled workforce, and business-friendly environment will continue attracting major employers across sectors. This bodes well for future job creation and economic growth.
