Q&A: HHGregg CEO talks turnaround strategy
Dennis May has been at the helm of the electronics and appliance retailer since 2010 and has seen sales of televisions swoon. But expanding into furniture and high-end appliances might help right the ship.
Executives
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New publisher combines The Word, Up Downtown
D.J. Doran has promised to increase and diversify content in the revamped tabloid while keeping The Word’s LGBT perspective. Next year, he’ll start publishing The Word twice a month.
Angie’s CEO vows to fix fundamentals, grow e-commerce
Analysts say the hiring of Scott Durchslag suggests Angie’s List is intent on a turnaround and not a sale. The new CEO shared his vision Tuesday.
As ChaCha waits for suitor, CEO Jones makes cuts for profitability
ChaCha has moved out of its offices but is still operating. It posted a profit on $2 million in revenue last quarter, and CEO Scott Jones wants to stay in the black until someone buys the Q&A search company.
Investors still cautious about antitrust scrutiny on Anthem-Cigna deal
The stock price for Cigna Corp. remained lethargic during trading Thursday, as another mega-merger of insurers complicated the Anthem deal and sparked antitrust concerns.
PR agency Borshoff plans leadership shakeup
Managing Principal Susan Matthews plans to step down at the end of 2015, leading to a shakeup in duties for the remaining principals of the Indy area’s largest agency.
Angie’s List exec takes over as interim CEO as Oesterle exits
Longtime Angie’s List Inc. CEO Bill Oesterle has officially resigned from the company while COO Mark Howell takes the reins during the search for a permanent successor.
Familiar culprit holds up Anthem-Cigna merger
Anthem Inc.’s proposed $47 billion buyout of Cigna Corp. is the latest example of corporate deals that get hung up over executive egos and turf battles. For example, Anthem CEO Joe Swedish wants to lead the merged firm, to the chagrin of Cigna’s CEO.
Indiana’s top power provider appoints new president
Duke Energy Indiana has filled its president’s position from within, elevating Melody Birmingham-Byrd to the electricity provider’s top spot.
Oesterle could follow Angie’s List exit with gubernatorial run
Angie’s List CEO Bill Oesterle, a Mitch Daniels confidant who strongly opposed the Religious Freedom Restoration Act, is well-positioned for a run at Gov. Mike Pence’s seat, observers said Wednesday.
Local Goodwill hires from within for new CEO
After a national search, Goodwill Industries of Central Indiana Inc. has named its own chief operating officer to succeed CEO Jim McClelland, who has held the job for 41 years.
Ambitious Browning stayed for civic work
Michael Browning never envisioned he’d still be in Indianapolis after arriving nearly 40 years ago from South Bend. But the Detroit native and University of Notre Dame grad bought a business here and became one of the city’s biggest developers.
Shareholder coup of Steak n Shake parent firm fails
A Minnesota-based investment group that for months has been waging a campaign to oust Sardar Biglari from atop Steak n Shake’s parent company weathered a resounding defeat Thursday afternoon.
Growing Bluebridge lands new investment, Dorsey’s attention
Mobile-app developer Bluebridge Digital is moving to bigger offices, adding employees, and including ExactTarget co-founder Scott Dorsey as an investor.
Dorsey takes chairman’s seat at TinderBox
Former ExactTarget CEO Scott Dorsey will help steer the growth of local sales-software firm TinderBox.
HHGregg snags new exec from New York chain
The appliance and electronics retailer has hired its fourth chief merchandising officer in about three years, snagging a veteran executive who will move on from a much smaller chain.
Steak n Shake profit falls as franchised restaurants grow
The Indianapolis-based burger chain’s smaller annual profit resulted from an ongoing effort to increase the company’s number of franchised restaurants, with plans to open units as far away as the Middle East.
Lawyers branch out as business execs, entrepreneurs
Sometimes attorneys aren’t completely satisfied with their high-pressure day jobs. Many start unrelated businesses like bakeries, vineyards, breweries and clothiers as an escape, or even a new career.
UPDATE: Angie’s suitors could include Amazon, Yelp, IAC
Amazon has been developing its own local services marketplace. Yelp is the leading consumer-review service in the retail space. Website Holding company IAC, meanwhile, has a big stash of cash and owns competitor HomeAdvisor.com.
Conversations with a spectrum of big thinkers
Welcome to IBJ’s inaugural Interview Issue, featuring dozens of Indy bigwigs and up-and-comers. Which top banker escaped a tough neighborhood? How does a Democrat exist in an ecosystem of conservative talk radio? Who launched a soccer team and invented Schlabst? Check it out.