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Forty5, the company that presents concerts at Broad Ripple’s Vogue venue and oversees the Rock the Ruins series at Holliday Park, announced Wednesday the hiring of its first CEO.
IUPUI alum Jenny Boyts, who serves as board president for Indy Pride Inc., will lead Forty5.
“The Forty5 team is acquainted with Boyts through our collaborative work on Indy Pride events,” Forty5 co-founder Eric Tobias said in a written statement. “We’ve watched as she’s worked diligently to bring diverse voices to the forefront of the organization, and there is resounding excitement amongst our team to have this quality of a leader driving Forty5.”
Tobias and Forty5 partners Andrew Davis and Scott Kraege purchased the entertainment business that stages events at the Vogue, 6259 N. College Ave., in 2019.
The company, partly named for the number of a streetcar that once operated from downtown Indianapolis to Broad Ripple, launched the summer Rock the Ruins series in 2021. Artists such as Counting Crows, George Clinton, Ben Folds and Ani DiFranco have played Rock the Ruins shows.
Forty5, which has about 15 employees, also books shows for The Toby Theater at the Indianapolis Museum of Arts at Newfields.
In August 2022, Forty5 was unveiled as a partner of 1820 Ventures LLC in the redevelopment plans for the former Arrestee Processing Center near the intersection of East Market Street and College Avenue. A future Forty5 venue with a maximum capacity of 3,000 attendees is in the works for the third and fourth floors of the four-story APC building, which initially was home to the Cole Motor Car Co. a century ago.
Forty5 is partnering with Indianapolis cultural firm GangGang to launch an initiative titled I Made Rock ’N’ Roll, which includes plans for a 2024 outdoor festival showcasing Black performers.
Boyts, who grew up in Texas, will continue in her role as Indy Pride board president. She recently worked in community development for financial services company IFF.
“I love this city,” Boyts said in a written statement. “I love the vibrant and beautiful people of this city, and I am deeply committed to working collaboratively with stakeholders and partners to ensure Indy is a city everyone is proud of. I am thrilled to join a team who works passionately to expand the city’s quality of life via the connector that is live music.”
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