Andrew Mallon chosen as first new CIB director in 28 years

Andrew Mallon, corporation counsel for the city of Indianapolis, was approved Friday morning as executive director of the Capital Improvement Board, replacing Barney Levengood, who has held the position for 28 years.

Andy Mallon

The CIB’s board of managers selected Mallon unanimously. He immediately takes over as fourth executive director the CIB has had since it was formed in 1965.

Mayor Joe Hogsett said Friday that Donald Morgan will replace Mallon as corporation counsel effective immediately.

Levengood, who announced he would be retiring in January, will be retained as a consultant over the coming months to assist with Mallon’s transition. The CIB hired Medallion Partners, a national executive recruitment firm, to lead the search for Levengood’s replacement.

In his three years as the city’s corporate counsel, Mallon, 43, supervised the planning, design, financing and procurement of the $600 million Community Justice Campus project. He also served as a lead negotiator and counsel in several other high-profile real estate and economic development projects

Mallon previously spent 10 years at Drewry Simmons Vornehm, LLP, representing local government agencies in areas of construction law, municipal law, administrative law, and state and local government affairs.

In addition, he was director of elections for the Marion County Election Board from 2007-2009 and assistant corporation counsel for the city from 2005-2007. He got his professional start as an attorney at Locke Reynolds LLP.

“In the next few years, the CIB will move forward with major construction projects and expansions at our largest facilities that will position the CIB to continue its over $1 billion annual economic impact on the state for years ahead,” CIB president Melina Kennedy said in a written statement. “Andy’s experience navigating major construction projects, state and municipal finance, and government and legal matters as well as his deep roots in the city of Indianapolis and state of Indiana make him a great fit to continue the success of the CIB and the economic impact it brings to the state and city.”

Morgan joined the city's office as chief litigation counsel in March 2016 after beginning his career as a litigator and appellate advocate at law firm Faegre Baker Daniels.

The CIB is a municipal corporation that owns and/or operates dozens of local facilities, including the Indiana Convention Center, Lucas Oil Stadium, Bankers Life Fieldhouse, Victory Field and Hudnut Commons.

Mallon said the CIB is an “essential and important part of who we are as a city,” but acknowledged the next several years are a “crucial time” for the board as it works through several high-profile projects and looks to find surer financial footing.

The biggest projects Mallon will oversee include a massive overhaul to the CIB-owned Bankers Life Fieldhouse and execution of a 25-year deal with the Pacers worth $800 million. Another possible agenda item is a new, 20,000-seat soccer stadium proposed by Indy Eleven owner Ersal Ozdemir.

Mallon, an Indianapolis native, will have a starting salary of $220,000 per year.

He said Levengood—one of the state’s highest-paid employees, with an annual salary of $281,181 in 2018—leaves behind “a tremendous legacy.”

“When I look at what’s happened over the past 25 to 30 years downtown, particularly with our convention business and facilities … Barney had a major hand in making that happen,” he said. “It’s a lot to live up to.”