Chairman, IBJ Media Corp.

IBJ columnist

An Indianapolis native, Maurer graduated from North Central High School and received a bachelor’s degree in accounting from University of Colorado. He returned home for law school, earning a Doctor of Jurisprudence from Indiana University, where he was a writer and an editor of the Law Journal. He also successfully completed the CPA examination. Maurer serves as chairman the board at IBJ Corp. and The National Bank of Indianapolis. In 2001, he established “Mickey’s Camp,” a charitable endeavor that has raised more than $1 million for central Indiana charities. In 2006, Maurer was named Indiana’s secretary of commerce by Gov. Mitch Daniels, serving in that position until 2008. Maurer can be seen on Fox 59 in a quarterly program called “Mickey’s Corner,” interviewing Indiana luminaries. In 2008, IU’s School of Law-Bloomington was renamed Indiana University Maurer School of Law. Maurer is a regularly published contributor to The New York Times crossword puzzle. His hobbies also include skiing, biking, mountain climbing, woodworking and underwater photography. His woodworking has won a blue ribbon at the Indiana State Fair. In 1999, he successfully climbed Mt. Kilimanjaro, the highest peak in Africa. In 2003 Maurer authored a book of his underwater photography entitled “Water Colors.” His second book, “19 Stars of Indiana,” was published in 2009. Maurer and his wife, Janie, have three children and seven grandchildren.

Articles

Commentary: Is receptionist pay vital information?

The office was abuzz when I walked in on a Monday morning in late August 2006. The Indiana Economic Development Corp. staff was upset and it didn’t take long to find out why. The Indianapolis Star had published their names and salaries as part of a lead story launched from the front page of the Sunday edition. “Is it the solemn civic duty of the Star to let the world know what I make?” our receptionist asked, crying. A member…

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Commentary: Exclusion isn’t a Christian value

Here’s an idea. Let’s establish a chamber of commerce for whites only. Yep, just for “us.” Let’s join forces for further empowerment, more success and greater marketplace impact. It is time we came out of the closet and enjoyed the fruits that living white brings our companies, our employees, and our homes and families. Let’s call it the Indiana White Chamber of Commerce. We’ll get together to celebrate being white and to further our association, serve the community, enhance one…

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Commentary: First-time camper ready for more

In August, 118 women, including Cathy Langham, attended Mickey’s Camp for Women. Contributions to central Indiana charities from this camp and from the similar camp for men totaled more than $235,000. I cede my space this week to Cathy to provide a camper’s perspective on the experience. The short story is: I had a great time, and you should do it. (The previous sentence is for people like me who read the first and last sentences of an article, and…

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Commentary: Get the smoke out of our eyes

Andy Jacobs Jr. wrote in an IBJ column that smoking is an expensive and painful way to commit suicide. He’s right. But he didn’t go far enough. Breathing secondhand smoke at one’s place of employment is also an expensive and painful way to go. The world is beginning to read the smoke signals. Many countries have passed laws to protect their work force from secondhand smoke. Today, you cannot smoke even in an Irish pub. In our country, 22 states…

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Commentary: Hedda gives a searing Civic review

I cede my column this week to Hedda Hopper, a Hollywood gossip columnist. Hopper died in 1966, but she agreed to come back again to review the Indianapolis Civic Theater benefit performance. HEDDA HOPPER’S HOLLYWOOD-Just detrained in Hoosierland to catch the Indianapolis Civic Theatre benefit. Charlie Morgan played Ed Sullivan in a sendup titled “A Really Big Shooow.” Sullivan, your career is safe. Morgan, general manager and vice president of Cumulus radio stations in Indy, was stiffer than Charlie McCarthy….

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Commentary: Do we want ex-cons to strike again?

I want you to meet my friend Shawn Hendricks. We are different-like Stevie Wonder says, “Ebony and Ivory.” But it’s more than that. Our life experiences and challenges have been extraordinarily disparate. Our story begins with a remarkable man, Tom Binford, whom I was privileged to know well and whom I admired not only for his business acumen but also for his strong sense of community. I called him Mr. Indianapolis. He called me boss. For seven years, he wrote…

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VIEWPOINT: Asian trade mission: different kind of trip

Sweat and fatigue. These two conditions dominate my memories of the recent trade mission to Taiwan and Japan. The week-long mission led by Gov. Mitch Daniels was the largest ever of Indiana business leaders and state officials to these countries. Many of the more-than-70-member delegation had independent agendas. Those of us who accompanied the governor never had an opportunity to adjust to the Asian clock, which was 14 hours later than Hoosier time (whatever that means). Most days were packed…

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