Check out this year’s rising stars and see who received the 2025 Forty Under 40 Alumni Award.
PRESENTING SPONSOR
UNDERWRITING SPONSORS
Maureen Weber
CEO and President, Early Learning Indiana
Early childhood learning advocate is Forty Under 40 alumni of the year
Dr. J. David Mossler
Vice President of Physician Practice Management and Chief Medical Officer
Hancock Health
Omni acts as backdrop for Forty photos
IBJ’s Forty Under 40 photos this year were taken at the Omni Severin Hotel, which recently underwent a massive renovation.
The hotel, at 40 W. Jackson Place downtown, was founded in 1913 as the Grand Hotel of Indianapolis by Henry Severin Jr. and Indianapolis Motor Speedway founders Carl G. Fisher and James A. Allison.
The hotel on its webpage writes that it thrived on passenger trains coming and going from Union Station. Today, the Omni Severin is the oldest and longest-running hotel downtown. It’s part of the city’s historic Warehouse District.
Last November, the hotel completed $24 million in renovations that honor its original Beaux-Arts architecture. Many aspects of the hotel’s renovations are nods to its history next to the train station.
IBJ photographer Chad Williams and Lead Designer Audrey Pelsor used the hotel’s reimagined lobby, Bar Cardinale and 8th Notch Café and Market as backdrops for this year’s photos.
Bar Cardinale, for example, features cardinals throughout the design, a nod to the premier Cardinal train line.
The café is inspired by a high-speed train, an ode to Union Station. It’s designed similarly to a 1900s corner diner.
Throughout the hotel, guests can find art pieces related to train travel.
The cover photo was taken in Bar Cardinale and includes honorees Hilary Barnes, Olivia Hawbaker VanDuyn, Travis Lovett, Jeron Peoples, ZeNai Savage, Darren Thomas and Scott Williams.
IBJ thanks the Omni staff for its hospitality.
—Samm Quinn
Andrea A. Richter-Garry
Senior Vice President, Global Strategy & Engagement
Indiana Economic Development Corp.
Jillian Foster Turner
Senior Advisor, Vice President of Strategy & Operations
Indiana University Launch Accelerator for Biosciences
IBJ asked our Forty Under 40 honorees,
“What advice do you have for young people?”
Here’s a sample of what they had to say.
“Learn to be comfortable in your own skin and don’t fear failure, it is the absolute best way to learn.”
—John Estridge
“Keep asking questions, and start, or keep, spending time with people you can trust to encourage and motivate you to pursue the things you find most important that help you grow and benefit the world and people around you.”
—Olivia Hawbaker VanDuyn
“Don’t be afraid to be great— and don’t let the fear of mistakes hold you back. Growth comes from both success and failure, so take risks, learn from every experience, and keep pushing forward with confidence”
—ZeNai Savage
“Not all feedback is valid— have the confidence to determine who and what you should listen to.”
—Xiao Ou Yuan
“Work hard towards your purpose and trust in yourself.”
—Dr. David Mossler
Lateva Woolfork
Chief Social Strategist and Co-Founder
Socially Coordinated Consulting and Create. Connect. Collab.
IBJ asked our Forty Under 40 honorees,
“Tell us about an influential book you’ve read”
Here’s a sample of what they had to say.
“‘The Pursuit: Success Is Hidden in the Journey’ by Dexter Yager and John Mason with Steve Yager. This book may be hard to find, but the content is worth the hunt! One of my favorite quotes from the book is, ‘When you are trying to be like someone else, the best you can ever be is second best.’”
—Pamela Anderson
“‘The Hard Thing About Hard Things’ by Ben Horowitz”
—Geng Wang
“‘The Memo: What Women of Color Need to Know to Secure a Seat at the Table’ by Minda Harts is an excellent read on navigating professional spaces and advocating for yourself.”
—Kelly Doucet
“Marcus Aurelius – ‘Meditations.’ I think it can offer some clarity to those searching for something.”
—Jacob German
“‘Traction’ by Gino Wickman was a transformational book for how I run our business. I highly recommend it for anyone! It just works.”
—Scott Williams