Lesley Weidenbener

We’re looking for nominees whose accomplishments exceed both expectations and the accomplishments of the people around them.

If someone doesn’t want stuff, give them tickets to a performance, a museum membership, a gift card for weekend away or a cooking class.

It’s so incredibly disappointing to see the news that former state Rep. Sean Eberhart, a Shelbyville Republican, has agreed to plead guilty to a federal charge related to an alleged scheme in which he supported legislation beneficial to a casino company in exchange for a job.

I was especially moved this year by words from Mel Raines, president and chief operating officer of Pacers Sports & Entertainment.

This past Wednesday, Inside INdiana Business launched the weekly South Bend/Elkhart Region Report, a free email newsletter authored primarily by reporter Carley Lanich, who is based in South Bend.

I hope that—if he’s elected—Jefferson Shreve will take a second look. Spark is an example of what Indianapolis needs to do more of.

I asked ChatGPT to “write a newspaper story about the history of the Indianapolis Business Journal.” The result—produced in seconds—was a flowery, verbose and often incorrect take on our news organization.

Do other folks who work at IBJ Media have opinions about what we do in the newsroom? You bet. Do we listen to their concerns and questions? Of course. But ultimately, I’m responsible for our news decisions.

What I found during the pandemic is that many (but not all) reporters and editors can be productive working remotely. Some of them can even be more productive at home. But that doesn’t always mean the team is more productive with everyone working apart.

Listening to the reasons that someone holds a divergent view can be enlightening. It can engender empathy and help build bridges across the political divide. And it can even help you sharpen your own arguments to back up what you believe.

Email us at AIsurvey@ibj.com and tell us how your company or you use generative artificial intelligence, like chatbots. What you tell us over the next week will help us shape a survey we’re sending out.

Our nomination deadlines for these programs are not arbitrary.

My experiences at Mickey’s Camp have been positive and inspiring. And I’ve met people who’ve become sources for IBJ stories or opinion writers for our Forefront section, largely because of the interesting conversations I had with them at Bradford Woods.

IBJ published its first Innovation Issue in 2015 and since then issues have focused on artificial intelligence, the internet of things, design thinking, blockchain and energy.

If your company or organization has ever appeared on any of IBJ’s 70-plus lists (think Largest Accounting Firms, Largest Employment Agencies or Most Difficult Area Golf Courses), you have Terry to thank for the list being published at all!

Our goal is to choose 250 people who are influential in Indiana right now. This year. Not over the past 25 years. Not for the next 25 years. But Hoosiers who are making a difference in their local communities, in the state or in the nation in this moment.