Innovate Northeast Indiana - Fort Wayne

A dynamic, strategic and innovative economic development leader, Stéphane joined NEI to serve as President and CEO in October 2021. Stéphane is responsible for leading the economic development strategy for the 11-county region represented by the organization, including the task of increasing business investment and regional prosperity through ongoing collaboration with local, regional, private, and public partners and organizations.

For over 10 years, Stéphane honed his craft in the fast-paced, competitive and politically complex environment at one of the top economic development organizations in the country. In his previous role as the senior vice president of strategy for the Greater Phoenix Economic Council, he attracted billions in new investment and thousands of new jobs to the region.

He has served as an advisor to c-suite and policymakers regarding market intelligence, public relations, international relations, policy and foreign direct investments.

Stéphane was responsible for continually improving internal processes to gain actionable market and industry intelligence, to drive traditional deal-flow and economic diversification. He has a proven track record for developing and managing regional cluster-based industrial attraction strategies to catalyze investment into new industrial parks across the region.

Additionally, Stéphane led the creation of new consortia of public, private, university and community partners to create a new smart region framework to develop and help scale solutions rooted in connectivity, mobility, equity and sustainability.

Stéphane earned a Master’s degree in Urban and Environmental Planning and a Bachelor’s degree in Aeronautical Management Technology from Arizona State University.

He was recognized in 2019 as top 40 under 40 in the economic development industry by Development Counsellors International (DCI), a national leader in marketing places.

Mark Music, Owner and CEO of Ruoff Mortgage and Principal Owner of Fort Wayne Football Club, is a visionary leader dedicated to the belief that strong companies and flourishing communities grow together. Under his leadership, Ruoff Mortgage has achieved a decade of Inc. 5000 Fastest Growing Company’s List recognition as well as an astonishing 98.5% customer satisfaction rating among their customers. Music himself has also been honored with several individual career accreditations, such as Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year and an IBJ Top 250 Most Influential Leader.

Beyond his corporate success, Music has invested millions over the past 20 years with a focus on community development, veteran services, and youth programs. His commitment to the region’s future is most visible in his private development of the new Ruoff Mortgage Stadium, a premier 9,000-capacity venue in Fort Wayne. As the home pitch for the Fort Wayne Football Club, this state-of-the-art venue is designed to elevate the standard of living in Northern Indiana through sports, concerts, and family experiences. Looking ahead, Music intends to bridge the gap between athletics and social impact by launching a club Academy and Foundation focused on youth character development through soccer.  

Dan Starr serves as CEO of Do it Best and True Value. Since joining Do it Best in 2005, he has held multiple leadership roles, including executive vice president and chief operating officer, and later president and CEO. Before joining the company, he was a partner at a Midwestern law firm specializing in business transactions and M&A. Dan earned his law degree, magna cum laude, from Indiana University School of Law and currently chairs the Parkview Health Board of Directors.

Chuck Surack is the Founder and Chairman of the Board for Sweetwater, the No. 1 online retailer of musical instruments and pro-audio equipment in the United States. His entrepreneurial journey began in 1979. With nothing but a deep passion for music, a VW bus, and a guiding principle to “always do the right thing,” Chuck launched Sweetwater Sound as a 4-track recording studio. Today, Sweetwater employs more than 2,800 team members and serves more than one million customers annually.

Chuck’s commitment to unmatched customer service extends beyond Sweetwater and into Surack Enterprises, a diverse collection of companies with a unified goal of strengthening and investing in communities throughout the Midwest. Among them, SweetCars, Sweet Aviation, Sweet Helicopters, Longe Optical, and The Clyde Theatre are all based in Fort Wayne, Indiana. Surack Enterprises employs more than 500 people, with more being added to the team every week.

Through Sweet Real Estate, Chuck has made transformative additions to Fort Wayne’s cultural landscape. The Pearl and Pearl Street Arts Center provide space for local artists, families, and businesses to flourish, further demonstrating Chuck’s dedication to community growth and enrichment. Chuck and his wife Lisa also choose to give back through the Surack Family Foundation, a nonprofit supporting more than 600 empowering organizations across Northeast Indiana.

Outside of his busy professional life, Chuck still finds time to play the saxophone with various groups at small venues in Fort Wayne. He’s also an avid helicopter pilot. But what Chuck and Lisa value most is family time, weekly setting aside time for dinners with their two grown sons, daughter, and two granddaughters.

Brenda Gerber Vincent serves as Chief Growth Officer at Greater Fort Wayne Inc., an organization recently recognized as the 2025 "National Chamber of the Year". In her role, she is dedicated to enhancing quality of place through economic development, leadership programming, and meaningful community engagement. Brenda is passionate about partnering with people and organizations who share her vision for building a stronger, more vibrant community.