Thought Leadership Roundtable

Welcome to IBJ's Thought Leadership series. We're talking with experts across all business sectors who want to engage with the Indianapolis business community about industry trends and to share advice and experiences. We are excited to bring their expertise to our readers.

Devin Day Senior Lender IFF

Content sponsored by IFF

Facility Planning

Why Quality Facilities are a Mission-Critical Investment for Nonprofits

Limited budgets. Rising demand for services. The constant pressure to choose between addressing immediate needs and working toward long-term goals. This daily tension often causes nonprofits to get stuck in a cycle of “making do” instead of investing in the future. For this reason, facilities are frequently treated as an afterthought, viewed as a mere necessity rather than a strategic asset capable of amplifying the impact of mission-driven work.
JEFFREY J. BORGERT, CAIA Principal and Institutional Senior Consultant Goelzer Investment Management

Content sponsored by Goelzer Investment Management

Finanacial Planning

How nonprofits can adapt to a shifting financial landscape

Nonprofit institutions are under a lot of pressure. Traditional funding sources have declined, and competition for donor dollars has increased—all while economic uncertainty is raising both operational costs and the demand for services. In this installment of our Thought Leadership Series, Goelzer Investment Management’s Jeffrey Borgert discusses how Indiana’s nonprofits can meet today’s challenges with more resourceful financial practices.
S. MICHELLE JANN, CFP®, CPWA®, CDFA® Director of Wealth Planning, Senior Wealth Advisor Goelzer Investment Management

Content sponsored by Goelzer Investment Management

When an Exit Is on the Horizon

Planning considerations for business succession

For many business owners, the most consequential financial decision of their lifetime isn’t how they build their company—it’s how they transition out of it. Some of the most important exit decisions are made before a sale process formally begins, often years before a transaction closes.
Rebecca W. Jacklin, CFP® Managing Director, Institutional Advisory Services Goelzer Investment Management

Content sponsored by Goelzer Investment Management

Financial Planning

How organizations can spend less time on investments and more time on impact

Economic uncertainty. Market volatility. The challenge of balancing long-term growth with near-term spending needs. These and other pressures can weigh heavily on endowments, foundations, and other nonprofits—pulling focus away from their core goals and objectives.
Juli Erhart-Graves, CFP® President and Financial Planner Reify Wealth Advisors
Margaret Gooley, CFP® Vice President and Financial Planner Reify Wealth Advisors

Content sponsored by Reify Wealth Advisors

Financial Planning

Bringing a personal touch to financial planning

In this week’s Thought Leadership, Reify Wealth Advisors financial planners Juli Erhart-Graves and Margaret Gooley explain how financial planners help clients achieve their financial goals.
Chris Leeuw Founder and CEO NeuroHope
DR. CAMEUAL WRIGHT President CareSource Indiana

Content sponsored by CareSource and NeuroHope

Health Care & Benefits

A prescription for better health

In this week’s Thought Leadership roundtable, executives at CareSource Indiana and NeuroHope discuss some of the biggest challenges facing Indiana’s health care system, the causes of those challenges, and possible solutions.
Roger Veach President/CEO Axia TP

Content sponsored by Axia TP

Cybersecurity

Small and mid-sized firms shouldn’t take cybersecurity risks lightly

In this week’s IBJ Thought Leadership series, AxiaTP CEO Roger Veach discusses the cybersecurity vulnerabilities of small and mid-sized businesses and how those firms can keep their information safe.
Dr. Karl Knapp Dean University of Indianapolis School of Business

Content sponsored by University of Indianapolis School of Business

Education

It's time to take a scalpel to the business school

In this week’s Thought Leadership, University of Indianapolis School of Business Dean Dr. Karl Knapp says business schools need more faculty with real-world business experience.
Molly Dodge Senior Vice President of Workforce and Careers Ivy Tech Community College

Content sponsored by Ivy Tech Community College

Talent & Workforce Development

Addressing Indiana’s workforce transformation needs

Indiana’s economy is at a critical juncture, facing a growing talent shortage across key industries due to both widening skills gaps and a shrinking labor force. Over the next decade, hundreds of thousands of Hoosiers will need to be upskilled or reskilled to meet employer demands and sustain the state’s economic momentum. Molly Dodge, Senior Vice President of Workforce and Careers at Ivy Tech Community College, recently spoke about Indiana’s workforce needs and the pivotal role Ivy Tech plays in addressing them.
Stacy Young President Manchester University

Content sponsored by Manchester University

Talent & Workforce Development

Advancing access, affordability, and workforce readiness

In this week’s Thought Leadership, Manchester University President Stacy Young discusses Manchester’s dedication to helping high school students succeed in college, its unique bachelor’s degree program, and the university’s focus on giving students experiences that align with the state’s workforce needs. She also talks about the value of partnerships between Manchester and the state’s school districts, businesses and policy makers.
John J. Dillon Managing Director NFP, an AON company

Content sponsored by NFP, an Aon company

Insurance & Risk Management

Rethinking Risk: How Climate Change Is Reshaping Insurance

In this week’s Thought Leadership, NFP Managing Director of Property & Casualty John Dillon discusses how climate change is shifting the insurance landscape and the importance of having an advisor to help navigate it.
Rick Carlisle Head Coach Indiana Pacers
Fred Glass President and CEO Gleaners Food Bank

Content sponsored by Gleaners Food Bank and Pacers Foundation

Food Insecurity

Pacers Foundation, Gleaners team up to feed hungry Hoosiers

In this week’s Thought Leadership roundtable, Indiana Pacers Coach Rick Carlisle and Gleaners Food Bank CEO Fred Glass discuss Drive & Dish, a food insecurity initiative they launched in Indy that is expanding across the state.
Marshal Johnson Vice President and Senior Financial Advisor Howard Bailey Financial

Content sponsored by Howard Bailey Financial

Retirement Planning

Howard Bailey Financial® Vice President Marshal Johnson on Helping You “Retire With Purpose”

Howard Bailey Financial expands its presence in central Indiana with a new Carmel office, reinforcing its mission to help clients retire with clarity, confidence, and purpose.
Dr. Christopher Plouff Provost and Vice President University of Indianapolis
Dr. Shawn A. Smith Superintendent MSD Lawrence Township

Content sponsored by University of Indianapolis and MSD Lawrence Township

Education

Educators preparing for new diploma standards

In this week’s Thought Leadership Roundtable, the superintendent of the Metropolitan School District of Lawrence Township and provost and vice president at the University of Indianapolis discuss the state’s new diploma requirements and the general state of education in Indiana.
Kostas Grigoriou Visiting Assistant Professor in Management Purdue University Daniels School of Business
Dr. Andy J. Hughes Dean, DeVoe School of Business, Technology and Leadership Indiana Wesleyan University

Content sponsored by Indiana Wesleyan University and Purdue University Daniels School of Business

Innovation

Innovation is a mindset that must be taught

In this week’s Thought Leadership roundtable, leaders from Indiana Wesleyan and Purdue universities talk about how their institutions are preparing students to hit the ground running in innovative environments.
MICHAEL JOYCE President First Merchants Private Wealth Advisors
TONY KAUFMAN Managing Director, Commercial Banking First Merchants Bank

Content sponsored by First Merchants

Banking & Succession Planning

What to consider before selling your business

In this week’s Thought Leadership roundtable, experts at First Merchants discuss financial, emotional, and legacy issues that business owners should consider before selling their business.
Tamara Winfrey-Harris, CSSGB President Women’s Fund of Central Indiana

Content sponsored by Women's Fund of Central Indiana

Q&A: STATE OF WOMEN IN CENTRAL INDIANA REPORT

When women win, so does our economy

In November, the Women’s Foundation of Central Indiana released the State of Women in Central Indiana Report (SOWR), a wide-ranging study undertaken by the Polis Center on women’s outcomes in our region.
Clark Cully Technology Division Chair Indiana Wesleyan University
Cody Tyler Managing Director EXOS CYBER

Content sponsored by EXOS CYBER and Indiana Wesleyan University

Technology

Integrating AI

In this week’s Thought Leadership, experts at Indiana Wesleyan University and EXOS CYBER offer advice on keeping up with technology and how to use Artificial Intelligence safely and effectively.