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An Indianapolis philanthropic leader has received the 2024 Sachem Award from Gov. Eric Holcomb, the latest in a long line of Hoosiers honored for their community contributions.
Clay Robbins, the chair and CEO of the Lilly Endowment, Inc., is a lifelong Hoosier, born and raised in the state’s largest city. This is Holcomb’s eighth and final Sachem Award honoree.
“Clay is a transformational leader in Indiana, and his humble service to our great state truly represents the very best of what it means to be an exemplary Hoosier,” Holcomb said. “His thoughtful approach to philanthropy and heart for improving the lives of Hoosiers will continue to inspire those who seek to create positive change in their communities, and it is for this reason, and many more, that I am bestowing my eighth and final Sachem to Mr. Robbins.”
Robbins is a graduate of Perry Meridian High School and Wabash College. He additionally earned his J.D. from Vanderbilt Law School in 1982. At the Baker & Daniels law firm he focused on tax-exempt organizations, estate and gift tax, and immigration law.
He joined the Lilly Endowment in 1993. The organization, founded in 1937, supports religious causes alongside community development and education. It is one of the nation’s largest private philanthropic organizations.
Since its founding in 1999, Robbins has also been a board member of the Central Indiana Corporate Partnership. He is a former board member of United Way of Central Indiana, the Greater Indianapolis Chamber of Commerce, the Greater Indianapolis Progress Committee and Damar Homes, Inc. Previously, he also led the Indianapolis Chamber Orchestra as a director and president.
Robbins lives with his wife, Amy, in Indianapolis and enjoys spending time with his three sons and their families.
Indiana Gov. Edgar D. Whitcomb introduced Sachems to state government, using an Algonquin term for village leaders, in 1970 as a group of business and industry leaders tasked with serving as state hosts. The concept dissolved in 1989, only to be revived in 2005 by Gov. Mitch Daniels as an honor based on moral example, not achievement alone.
Robbins is the 19th person to receive the award, a specially designed sculpture.
The Indiana Capital Chronicle is an independent, not-for-profit news organization that covers state government, policy and elections.
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