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Last Friday, I announced to my IBJ Media colleagues that Mitch Frazier would join our team as president. I met Mitch in 2006 when I was working with another Mitch—Gov. Mitch Daniels. I hired Mitch Frazier to be the director of media relations at the 1-year-old Indiana Economic Development Corp.
He served alongside me during the years I served as Indiana’s secretary of commerce, from 2007-2009. Mitch knew a thing or two about the media, having started his career as a correspondent for the Tipton Tribune and serving as a reporter and public affairs specialist in the U.S. Army.
When introducing Mitch to my IBJ colleagues, I explained why hiring him would help propel our company to the next level. I’ve been an owner and leader at the company since 2017 when then-owner Mickey Maurer approached me with the idea of succeeding him and his partner, Bob Schloss. Since that time, we have significantly grown the company, acquiring Inside INdiana Business in 2021, doubling the number of events, increasing subscribers and launching new podcasts. But I knew our next big leap forward would require hiring additional talent for my team.
It is critically important to continue to evaluate and add talent to any organization to ensure its long-term success. Organizations are either growing or dying. Either you are thinking about the next idea that will drive growth, or you are happy with the status quo. Those happy with the status quo will eventually stop innovating and succumb to their competition.
As I began to think about who could help lead the next phase of IBJ Media’s growth, I recalled the “people principle” outlined in Mickey Maurer’s book “10 Essential Principles of Entrepreneurship You Never Learned in School.” Chapter 1 delves into important criteria when evaluating a business partner or potential colleague. Mickey writes: “When choosing who to do business with, evaluate people on the basis of their honesty and track record in addition to whatever criteria are specific to your industry or company. A good track record is a strong indicator of success.”
Mitch more than checks those boxes. When we worked together at the IEDC, Mitch possessed the requisite traits of successful leaders: intelligence, strong work ethic, high integrity, team-oriented and a heart for others. And he has a long track record of success in government, business and the nonprofit sector.
When I left the IEDC at the end of Daniels’ first term to return to the private sector, Mitch did as well, joining the rocket ship ExactTarget in a marketing and communications role and serving as a trusted adviser to CEO Scott Dorsey in the lead-up to the company’s initial public offering and eventual sale to Salesforce. Following his stint at ExactTarget, Mitch joined family-owned Reynolds Farm Equipment to serve as the company’s first chief marketing and innovation officer. In less than a year, he was named the first non-family CEO.
Most recently, Mitch has served as president and CEO of AgriNovus Indiana, an industry initiative of the Central Indiana Corporate Partnership. His five-year run there became the model of how a nonprofit industry initiative can collaborate with the state’s economic development team to grow an industry sector.
I’m thrilled that I am now reunited with my former colleague and can’t wait to see what we will accomplish in the coming years as we work together to grow IBJ Media.•
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Feltman is publisher of IBJ and CEO of IBJ Media. He’s also an Indy Chamber board member. Send comments to nfeltman@ibj.com.
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Congratulations to Mitch. A great choice for this role.