Lesley Weidenbener: Getting a better look at Cook’s Indy project
Cook made minority vendors a priority in part because the project is in the Devington neighborhood, where 86% of residents are people of color, mostly African American.
Lesley Weidenbener
Articles
2021 Newsmaker: Alan Bacon, Mali Simone Jeffers, GangGang co-founders
Mali Simone Jeffers and Alan Bacon had the idea for cultural startup GangGang just more than a year ago, while sitting together one night on their couch: Why not incubate the creative economy and culture like you might a technology company or sector, while promoting equity along the way?
2021 Newsmaker: John Kite, Kite Realty Group Trust CEO and chairman
Indianapolis-based Kite Realty Group Trust announced in July that it would merge with Oak Brook, Illinois-based Retail Properties of America Inc. in an all-stock deal worth $2.8 billion.
2021 Newsmaker: Eric Tobias, Scott Dorsey, Mike Fitzgerald, Kristian Andersen; High Alpha partners
The pandemic has not slowed Indianapolis-based venture studio High Alpha—and in fact, the move to remote work and increasing dependence on technology has probably sped up its activity.
2021 Newsmaker: Pamela Whitten, Indiana University president
The IU board of trustees announced in April that Whitten—then the president of Kennesaw State University in Georgia—would take over as president on July 1.
2021 Newsmaker of the Year: Ryan Vaughn, Indiana Sports Corp. president
The Indiana Sports Corp. hosted the entire NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament, which is why IBJ has named its president the top newsmaker of 2021—although we know he would want to share the credit with others.
Q&A with Homer Somerville, a construction veteran
His company is one of about two dozen minority-owned or disadvantaged subcontractors who are working on a $15 million manufacturing facility that will produce medical devices for Bloomington-based Cook Medical.
Q&A with David Bodenhamer, executive director of Polis Center
Some 32 years ago, when IUPUI recruited David Bodenhamer, it was at least in large part to build an Encyclopedia of Indianapolis, a project that was part of the school’s 20th anniversary celebration.
Lesley Weidenbener: The dread that comes with a COVID surge
Omicron’s ability to spread quickly and to more people is a scary proposition considering how crowded hospitals already are.
Lesley Weidenbener: Let’s find big ideas to rejuvenate downtown Indy
We’d like to hear about your proposals. Watch for information soon about how you can submit your big ideas for downtown—and in the meantime, get creative!
Lesley Weidenbener: Shop local when you’re looking for something special
It has been especially important over the past two years to shop in local stores, but of course, it’s always good to support the places that give personality to our neighborhoods and communities.
Q&A with Gloria Jimenez about the Indiana Latino Expo’s leadership program
Axis Leadership is an eight-month program to help train and mentor Latino professionals from 21 to 28 years old. The group just announced its fourth cohort, a class of 25 that includes participants from, among other places, Mexico, Guatemala, El Salvador and Nicaragua.
Lesley Weidenbener: Deciphering labels in IBJ
We label some things in IBJ, including ads that wrap the paper, “sponsored content,” a phrase that is used in many ways but always means the content was paid for by a customer.
Lesley Weidenbener: We’re always mentoring, even unintentionally
Thinking back about my own career illuminates how often people became my mentors without any formal effort—or, in some cases, without my even knowing it was happening.
Q&A: Heartland Film Festival Inc. president Michael Ault on connecting the community with film
Michael Ault was working at the Indiana University Health Foundation five years ago—overseeing events like the popular Rev fundraiser at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway—when he received a call about a development job at Heartland Film Inc.
Lesley Weidenbener: Emptying the notebook about selfies, awards and newsmakers
In December, we’ll recognize the year’s top newsmakers. Go to IBJ.com/newsmakers to tell us who should be included.
Lesley Weidenbener: Emotional safety key to great ideas
If you’re at a place that hasn’t made you feel psychologically safe—maybe you suspect someone in the room will be condescending or that the boss leading the conversation will just dismiss you—you’re not likely to share your thoughts.
You don’t need to be a coder to be part of upcoming 5G sports hackathon
About 300 techies, designers and other young specialists are expected to descend on Butler University next week to participate in the AT&T 5G Sports Hackathon, with $100,000 in prize money up for grabs.
High Alpha announces $18M in funding to seed new crop of startups
The announcement comes six months after that investment division—High Alpha Capital—announced it had closed a $110 million venture fund that is likely to provide growth capital for its newest startups.
Lesley Weidenbener: Jury service is civic duty that is also educational
I have spent many hours covering court hearings and court decisions. Still, seeing a trial from the perspective of a juror opens an entirely different window into the process.