MAY 12-18, 2023
Some hoteliers are skeptical of the Hogsett administration’s plan to finance and own an 814-room hotel on Pan Am Plaza, saying it would have a significant and unfair advantage in the competition for convention business. As Mickey Shuey reports, the mayor’s office maintains that the deal is necessary to keep Indianapolis’ hospitality industry competitive. Also in this week’s paper, Dave Lindquist has a preview of VeeCon, the celebrity-studded convention set for May 18-20 that aims to put Indianapolis at the intersection of business, marketing and innovation. And you can soak in the stories of local entrepreneurs in IBJ’s annual list of the 25 fastest-growing companies in the Indianapolis area.
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City’s big bet on a publicly owned Signia by Hilton worries other hoteliers
But Mayor Joe Hogsett, a Democrat seeking a third term, says the plan will ensure Indianapolis’ hospitality industry remains nationally competitive by making room for larger events.
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VeeCon will bring celebrities, business leaders to NFT-ticketed summit in Indy
The May 18-20 event will feature more than 175 speakers and panelists, incluing actors Neil Patrick Harris, Drew Barrymore and Jessica Alba, as well as rapper Busta Rhymes and music producer Timbaland.
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IMPD faces tough competition for police recruits
Mayor Joe Hogsett’s administration has boosted starting pay for new officers, offered signing bonuses and launched a marketing campaign to attract recruits from other Midwestern cities.
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New law offering apprentice scholarships aims to narrow talent gap
Starting next year, a new program will allow eligible high school students to receive up to $5,000 in state funding to “shop” for work-based learning experiences to help them earn a post-secondary credential before graduation.
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Mark Montieth: The 1973 ABA champion Pacers were drama kings to the end
Ultimately, they had enough talent and experience to go all the way. But just barely.
Read MoreIndiana 250: Rabbi Dennis Sasso
He’s set to retire this weekend after 47 years of service.
Read MoreMade in Indiana: Caskets by Batesville Services
History: Batesville Services traces its roots to 1884, when it was founded as the Batesville Coffin Co. in the small town of the same name. John A. Hillenbrand purchased the company in 1906 and renamed it Batesville Casket Co. It grew to become one of the largest producers of caskets, cremation products and memorial keepsakes […]
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Noblesville City Council OKs project terms for Pacers G League arena
Mayor Chris Jensen said the arena is expected to attract about 65,000 people to Noblesville per year, which he said would equate to more than $30 million in annual economic impact for the city.
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Indianapolis Cultural Trail to bridge White River in $21M expansion plan
Announced Tuesday, a one-mile expansion project will take Indianapolis Cultural Trail across the White River as part of the planned Henry Street Bridge south of Washington Street.
Read MoreU.S. prices remain high, showing inflation pressures persist
The nation’s inflation rate has steadily cooled since peaking at 9.1% last June but remains far above the Federal Reserve’s 2% target rate.
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Indiana gas tax set to rise again this summer
The annual increase was set to expire in 2024, but it was extended until 2027 with a little-discussed provision included in the state budget bill.
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UPDATE: Bill Oesterle, influential leader in politics and business, dies at 57
Oesterle’s long list of accomplishments included co-founding and serving as CEO of Indianapolis-based Angie’s List and persuading Mitch Daniels to run for governor.
Read MoreFocusBack to Top
Could Indiana become a sports tech hub?
Nearly a year after Indiana launched its Sports Tech HQ initiative, organizers say they have built relationships with leaders throughout the sector and hope to lure four related companies to the state by the end of the year.
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Editorial: Historic Black cemetery site deserves memorializing
Regardless of whether human remains are found, the development’s location in the general vicinity of the Black cemetery provides a great opportunity for the community to honor the city’s earliest African American settlers and learn more about the injustices they suffered.
Read MoreLesley Weidenbener: Meet Terry, the staffer who makes Fast 25 happen
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!
Read MoreAlison Bell: Evolving Indiana’s economy by bridging skills gap
Business leaders need a system that allows employees to remain employed while also making it easier for them to upskill and retool through education and training.
Read MoreGeorge Tikijian III: West-side suburbs deserve attention as they prosper
Since 2010, Hendricks County’s population has increased by more than 3,000 residents per year. Notably, it has worked to add infrastructure and quality-of-life amenities to accommodate the influx of residents.
Read MoreMark Caswell: Strive for work-life congruence instead of balance
I prefer the phrase “work-life congruence” because it puts “life” and “work” on the same team instead of pitting them against each other.
Read MoreJalene Hahn: Link between mental health and financial health
Mental health challenges such as anxiety, depression and bipolar disorder can make it difficult to perform daily tasks and maintain healthy relationships.
Read MoreBohanon and Horowitz: Is the age of Western dominance ending? It appears that way.
Neither China nor Russia are liberal democracies, and India is backtracking on its democratic leanings.
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Taylor Schaffer: New funding is needed to keep up momentum
A vibrant Mile Square has long been a competitive advantage for Indiana.
Read MoreLynne Petersen: Additional tax could create unintended consequences
Downtown might need a special taxing district, but that should be up to the property owners downtown to decide.
Read MoreSen. Andrea Hunley: An economic enhancement district is long overdue
While this isn’t a silver bullet for the myriad challenges we face in Indianapolis, it’s a decisive step in the right direction.
Read MoreVop Osili: Decision to create district must be made by many
The opportunity to create an Economic Enhancement District is an opportunity to further our community’s conversations about the future of downtown.
Read MorePierre Atlas: Students focus on keeping guns from bad people
I asked my students to … craft a policy proposal aimed at reducing some form of gun violence.
Read MoreMarshawn Wolley: Here’s the reality of the low Black unemployment rate
The way we currently calculate unemployment rates distorts the economic reality of this community.
Read MoreDr. Richard Feldman: Medicine saw many wins, some losses this session
Senate Bill 4 … infuses $225 million over the biennium for local health department infrastructure and provision of health programs.
Read MoreJim Shella: As emergency expires, I’m still COVID-aware
More than 1 million people in America have died from COVID. In Indiana, 26,000 died.
Read MoreClaire Fiddian-Green: Smoking, pollution are dragging Indiana down
The benefits of a healthier Indiana would include longer average life expectancy, a larger tax-paying population, lower healthcare costs, and a more productive workforce.
Read MoreWhitley Yates: The rise in performative leadership limits change
When leaders use their positions as platforms for personal prominence, it can undermine the integrity and effectiveness of the institution they represent.
Read MoreJennifer Wagner Chartier: Ending slating has benefited the democratic process
The slating process ultimately ended because a handful of aspiring candidates grew weary of being told to wait their turn.
Read MoreCurt Smith: The Legislature delivered wins for all conservatives
Among its many accomplishments are policy wins for fiscal conservatives, education reformers and social conservatives.
Read MoreBrad Rateike: If you can be a friend, be a friend
Sometimes we have opportunities where we just need to help people find the way out, regardless of whether it is “our job” or not.
Read MoreShariq Siddiqui: Month of Ramadan offers opportunity for philanthropy
Research suggests that Muslims pledge or donate the vast majority of their philanthropy during the month of Ramadan.
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Where’s the economy going? Fast 25 execs take a guess
When IBJ asked executives from the fastest growing companies what they expect from the economy in the next year and how that will affect their business, they generally were cautious.
Read MoreFast 25: Linkage Logistics Inc.
Linkage is the intermediary between shippers and trucking companies. It works mostly with grocery, produce, agriculture and equipment companies,
Read MoreFast 25: Authenticx
Authenticx filters through millions of its health care clients’ interactions each week—such as recorded audio files, chat files and text files—and uses artificial intelligence and algorithms to find themes in the data.
Read MoreFast 25: US Hydrovac Inc.
US Hydrovac practices a method of nondestructive digging that uses water to liquify the ground and a vacuum system to suck it up.
Read MoreFast 25: Proteus Discovery Group
Proteus Discovery Group is an electronic data consulting company in the litigation and legal services space.
Read MoreFast 25: Process Alliance LLC
Process Alliance works with life sciences, bio-ag and consumer products companies to design chemical processes, oversee construction, manage startups and solve problems in manufacturing facilities.
Read MoreFast 25: Factur
Factur helps business-to-business manufacturing suppliers solve sales and marketing challenges.
Read MoreFast 25: Nicholas Design Build
Nicholas Design Build calls itself “the premier design-build firm in the greater Indianapolis market” and focuses on residential remodels of all sizes.
Read MoreFast 25: CountryMark
CountryMark, a a farmer-owned cooperative that produces and refines oil, supplies 70% to 75% of the fuel used for agriculture in the state of Indiana and about half of the fuel needs for the school systems in the state.
Read MoreFast 25: ShipSigma
ShipSigma is back on the Fast 25 for the second year in a row, and co-founder and CEO Chase Flashman credits “a great team and a great engine that’s producing results for our clients.”
Read MoreFast 25: Studio M Architecture and Planning LLC
Studio M is the architect for Andretti Motorsports’ new 575,000-square-foot global racing and technology headquarters under construction in Fishers as well as projects in Bargersville, Carmel, Westfield, Noblesville and Fort Wayne.
Read MoreFast 25: Wright’s Gymnastics
Wright’s Gymnastics has six locations, and owner Casey Wright—daughter of the founders—said she plans to add a couple more.
Read MoreFast 25: Secured Tech Solutions
Secured Tech Solutions partners with school districts that need to sell, protect or support devices such as iPads and Chromebooks.
Read MoreFast 25: The Garrett Cos.
In 2022, The Garrett Cos. continued to do the same kind of large-scale, multifamily housing development, construction and management projects that have landed the company on the Fast 25 for the second year in a row and third time since 2018.
Read MoreFast 25: RISE Commercial District
RISE Commercial District, which provides co-warehousing space where companies can lease space and share services, returns to the Fast 25 for the third consecutive year.
Read MoreFast 25: GroundBreakers
GroundBreakers provides a “non-destructive method of digging,” using highly pressurized water to dig into the ground without disturbing the utilities underneath.
Read MoreFast 25: Direct Connect Logistix Inc.
Direct Connect is a third-party logistics provider that arranges transportation primarily for the food, beverage and cold-chain (temperature-sensitive) sectors.
Read MoreFast 25: NCW
NCW, which is a Fast 25 company for the second consecutive year, provides professional staffing and recruiting services.
Read MoreFast 25: Screenbroidery
Screenbroidery, which does screen printing and embroidery and makes promotional merchandise, is a Fast 25 company for the second consecutive year.
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