The region's top employers.

• Author: Gilbert, Jo
• Position: South-Central Indiana

Cummins Engine, Columbus; Regional emp.: 7,000--The world's largest producer of diesel engines 200 horsepower and above got its start in 1919 when 19-year-old Clessie Cummins learned of the first oil engines used for stationary power and saw potential for other applications. The first product was a stationary-power oil engine; the company currently makes diesel engines and related components and subsystems for a variety of companies. These components are installed in heavy-duty trucks, midrange trucks, buses and light commercial vehicles, to name a few. Annual revenues of $4.2 billion make Cummins Engine the third-largest public company in Indiana.

Indiana University, Bloomington; Emp.: 6,436--IU, one of the oldest state universities in the Midwest, began as an act of the General Assembly in 1820 and has grown to include seven other campuses. In 1828, its initial name of State Seminary was changed to Indiana College. Ten years later the name was changed again to Indiana University. 1867 found IU going coed, with the first woman graduating in 1869. More than 35,000 students are enrolled in 320 degree programs at the 1,861-acre campus. The IU library system, with 57 libraries and more than 30 million holdings across Indiana, is one of the most extensive in the country.

General Electric, Bloomington; Emp.: 2,600--This GE plant has been in Bloomington since 1966 and is the largest manufacturer of side-by-side refrigerators in the world. The appliances can be found at Sears and other independent dealers and superstores. During 1993 and 1994, the Bloomington plant saw a $145 million expansion to build new products and increase the number of refrigerators produced. The governor's office honored the 900,000-square-foot Bloomington facility earlier this year for its pollution-prevention efforts.

Bloomington Hospital, Bloomington; Emp.: 2,000--This private, not-for-profit institution opened its doors in fall 1905 in a red brick farmhouse. Now, the 347-bed regional referral center provides progressive cancer therapy at its Cancer Care Center, specialized foot care at the Diabetes Foot Clinic and specialized cardiac care at HeartCenter. The new Outpatient Radiation Oncology Center was opened in July and a new cardiovascular services unit is scheduled to open by the end of the year.

Thomson Consumer Electronics, Bloomington; Emp.: 1,745--When the facility opened in 1940, radios were the first product. In 1949 black-and-white TVs joined the line, with...