Longtime CIB leader Levengood announces retirement

After nearly three decades at the helm, Barney Levengood is retiring from his role as executive director of the Capital Improvement Board later this year.

Barney Levengood

The retirement was announced Friday by CIB President Melina Kennedy during the group’s monthly public meeting.

Levengood, 64, is expected to remain in the position for about three months to assist with the transition to new leadership, with a planned departure date of April 30.

Levengood has been directly involved in a variety of deals that have led to an infusion of millions of people—and dollars—coming through the downtown area. He is one of the state's highest paid public employees, receiving a salary of $286,000 in 2017, according to public records.

During his tenure, Bankers Life Fieldhouse, Lucas Oil Stadium and Victory Field were built, the RCA Dome was torn down, and the Indiana Convention Center received several major expansions.

“It’s been a good run,” Levengood said. “I look forward to wrapping it up professionally and welcoming the new (leader).”

Kennedy praised Levengood’s leadership of the CIB and the growth seen in the city’s tourism infrastructure since he came aboard in 1991. She said there are plans in place to conduct a national search to find a replacement for Levengood, with hopes of making a hire by the end of March.

“The CIB is designed to be bigger than any one person or any one board, [but] of course Barney will leave pretty big shoes to fill,” Kennedy said. “But we’re committed to a very fast transition to find the next person to take on leadership here.”

The CIB has hired Medallion Partners, a national firm specializing in high-profile job searches, to assist with the group’s efforts to find a new executive director. Kennedy said she is committed to ensuring the process is “transparent” and open to a variety of potential applicants.

Levengood arrived in Indiana in 1991 to take the job of executive director of the Indiana Convention Center and RCA Dome after five years as executive director of Toledo's Seagate Convention Centre. Born in Pottstown, Pennsylvania, Levengood also worked in facilities management in Baltimore, at Towson State University in Maryland and at Ohio University in Akron, Ohio.