The IBJ Media team—including reporters and editors from Indianapolis Business Journal, Indiana Lawyer and Inside INdiana Business—worked for months to pull together the Indiana 250 list and collect information about the honorees.
We looked for men and women who live in Indiana and are making a difference locally, regionally or statewide in business, philanthropy or community (preferably in all three). Elected officials were not eligible.
We accepted nominations, asked some of last year’s honorees for suggestions and talked with business and community leaders from across the state about who should be included. We also studied lists of the board members of community foundations, not-for-profits, public companies, economic development organizations and chambers of commerce. We asked reporters to come up with lists of people they viewed as leaders.
Then we spent hours debating people, researching companies and calling community leaders for help. Some names went on the list and came off again later. Other people were added at the last minute as they gained new responsibilities in a job or made a new contribution in their community.
In the end, the Indiana 250 list is subjective. It is not comprehensive. We have missed great people who should be on it. And we’re confident you will disagree with at least some of our choices.
About one-third of the list is new this year, with the remaining two-thirds returning from the inaugural Indiana 250. Next year, we aim for similar additions and subtractions. So we’d like to hear what you think, who you think we missed and what we should do differently next year.
But for now—on behalf of my colleagues, Indiana Lawyer Editor Olivia Covington and Inside INdiana Business President Gerry Dick—we hope you enjoy reading about these influential leaders and that you learn a little something new about all of them.
Lesley Weidenbener, editor
Indiana 250
Indianapolis Business Journal