Profiles Archive - Page 4 of 75

Emily Krueger

Emily Krueger is president and CEO of 16 Tech Community Corp., the not-for-profit organization responsible for creating the 16 Tech Innovation District in Indianapolis. 16 Tech is home to three active buildings and more than 200 innovation-related companies in life sciences, biotech, med/health tech, advanced manufacturing, hard tech, sports tech, ag tech, software as a service and AI. She is responsible for ensuring the continued growth of 16 Tech as well as the availability and access to resources that innovative companies need to succeed. Previously, she was vice president of administration and chief of staff for LDI Ltd. and a member of former U.S. Sen. Richard Lugar’s staff.

First job: At Blockbuster, while in high school. “It taught me all aspects of customer service from cleaning toilets to merchandising.”

Favorite gadget: Whoop, a fitness tracker that measures sleep, strain, recovery and stress. “It’s delivered insights that have changed my behavior and help me manage my energy.”

Pets: Nala, a 3-month-old boxer puppy

Pat McAfee

In 2023, former Indianapolis Colts punter Pat McAfee grew his streaming YouTube sports talk show into a televised ESPN show in a reported five-year, $85 million deal. He continues to make episodes of “The Pat McAfee Show” inside a former church building in Lawrence, and he continues to make headlines. As a May 2024 report in The Atlantic magazine noted, “From the moment [McAfee] arrived, he’s arguably been the network’s most influential mouthpiece and indisputably its most polarizing.” In January, McAfee said some ESPN network executives weren’t supportive of his work and he singled out executive editor Norby Williamson. In April, Williamson exited his role at ESPN, where he had been employed since 1985. McAfee, founder of Pat McAfee Inc. and the Pat McAfee Foundation, first joined ESPN as a college football analyst for its Thursday night games in 2019. He returned to the network in 2022 and became part of the “College GameDay” panel.

Scott McCorkle

MetaCX, founded by Scott McCorkle as a software-as-a-service firm in 2018, rebranded as Metaimpact in 2023. The company assists commercial enterprises, not-for-profits and government agencies tackle challenges related to affordable health care and workforce needs. McCorkle is a former president of marketing-tech firm ExactTarget, which later became Salesforce Marketing Cloud, where he was CEO. After leaving Salesforce, he was executive-in-residence at High Alpha, which helped launch MetaCX. McCorkle, who grew up in rural Rush County, once worked as a senior analyst for Lilly Research Laboratories.

First job: “I worked every job available to me in a small, rural community. Farm jobs, waiter, busboy and plenty of chores around my family’s homestead. I learned that people depended on me to do my job, whatever that job is. And if you didn’t do it, it didn’t get done.”

Hobby: Avid collector of Pokemon cards, something McCorkle first encountered during a 1996 visit to Japan.

Scott Moorehead

Marion native and Purdue University alum Scott Moorehead owns Round Room, the holding company for TCC, which is one of the largest Verizon retailers in the United States, and Wireless Zone, one of the nation’s largest wireless retail franchise systems in the country. Together they count about 1,260 stores in 43 states. Moorehead’s philanthropic efforts include Round Room Gives and TCC Gives, which, together with TCC and Wireless Zone, have donated more than $22 million nationwide. In 2022, Round Room marked the first payout of its employee profit sharing program, resulting in at least $2,000 per employee. Meanwhile, Moorehead and his wife, Julie Moorehead, founded Stash Ventures in 2020. Stash is a cannabis-focused enterprise that operates indoor growing operations, a processing facility and several retail dispensaries in Michigan. Moorehead also lobbies Indiana legislators to take the leap to legalize marijuana use, seeing big growth opportunities in the sector.

Paul Perkins

Paul Perkins is co-founder and president of Jeffersonville-based Amatrol Inc., a manufacturer of technical learning systems and online interactive multimedia software used to prepare individuals for occupations advanced manufacturing. He is also CEO of DAC Worldwide LLC., a New Jersey-based manufacturer of engineering and industrial skills training products. He is a past chairman of the Indiana Chamber of Commerce and has consulted on workforce development issues with Fortune 500 companies, U.S. governmental agencies and foreign governments. He previously served as chair of the National Governors Association State Workforce Board Chairs Association and on the Indiana Governor’s Workforce Cabinet.

David Roberts

David Roberts is CEO of Applied Research Institute, where he is responsible for helping the state of Indiana secure as much federal funding in transformative technical sectors (semiconductors, life sciences and energy) as possible. In 2023, ARI received awards from the U.S. Department of Defense for semiconductor technology advancement, from the U.S. Department of Commerce for life sciences manufacturing, and from the U.S. Department of Energy as part of a team designated for hydrogen technology. ARI also has worked behind the scenes to help the Indiana Economic Development Corp. secure tech-related commitments that, in Roberts’ words, “will change the economic opportunities for Hoosiers for decades to come.” He served as the state’s chief innovation officer from 2017 to 2022.

First job: Cutting meat in his father’s butcher shop. “It taught me all the highs and lows of small business and entrepreneurship. It also taught me that nothing—and I mean nothing—ever goes to waste.”

Walk-up song: “Centerfield” by John Fogerty

Robert Shegog

Robert Shegog oversees the day-to-day operations of the Recorder Media Group—the Indianapolis Recorder newspaper and the Indiana Minority Business Magazine. He is responsible for determining the overall direction of the newspaper and magazine and the publications’ community outreach efforts, devising the company’s goals and long-term agenda, making all business decisions relative to insurance and employee relations and overseeing an annual budget of more than $3 million. The company hosts the Champions of Diversity awards. In his six years as CEO, the Recorder Media Group has won more than 80 state, local and national awards.

First job: Taylor Lumber Co., while in ninth grade. The job taught him work ethic, discipline, customer service, people skills and more.

Challenge overcome: Dealing with a severe speech impediment. “As a teen, years of regular sessions with a speech therapist helped me develop techniques to manage and gradually overcome my stutter. Sharing my story with others has turned my perceived weakness into a source of strength and inspiration.”

Jeff Smulyan

Jeff Smulyan is currently leading Emmis Corp. through a transition from slower growth, traditional media assets to new businesses with better growth potential. The company now owns Lencore, which makes sound-masking solutions for offices and other commercial applications; a controlling interest in Digonex, which provides dynamic pricing solutions for attractions, performing arts organizations and other industries; and Sound That Brands, a Los Angeles-based podcasting studio specializing in branded audio content for national advertisers. Emmis also owns one AM and one FM radio station in New York City. In June 2023, Emmis announced an investment in Israeli technology company Anzu, a developer of technology that enables advertising in PC, console, cloud and mobile video games. In 2022, Smulyan wrote “Never Ride A Rollercoaster Upside Down,” a behind-the-scenes account of his life as a risk-taking entrepreneur and former manager of wildly diverse personalities such as David Letterman, Ken Griffey Jr. and Don Imus.

First job: Copyboy for the Indianapolis Times at 16. “It taught me responsibility at an early age.”

Bill Soards

Bill Soards is responsible for external affairs for AT&T Indiana, including state and local government relations, community relations, and regulatory and state legislative activities. Under his leadership, AT&T has formed 13 public-private partnerships to build high-speed fiber networks to serve thousands of Hoosiers. The company also has invested nearly $1.9 billion over the past five years in its Indiana wireless and fiber networks. He is a former member of both the Indianapolis City-County Council and the Boone County Council.

First job: Food service at Laughner’s Cafeteria at age 14. “It taught me responsibility and provided opportunities to advance in position and compensation with clearly defined objectives. Customer service is king. Your customers take notice, but so does management.”

Favorite gadget: His watch. “Why bother with a calendar when your next appointment is listed on your wrist?!”

Advice: “Be curious and ask questions. If you’re working for a company or in an industry that doesn’t elicit a genuine sense of curiosity from you, it’s time for a change.”

Jason Sondhi

Jason Sondhi is the founder and CEO of Exos, formerly Sondhi Solutions, an IT consulting, cybersecurity and staffing firm based in Indianapolis. Sondhi is a member of the First Merchants Corp. board and an incoming St. Vincent Foundation board member. He created IT Equipment Round Up, which provides gently used IT equipment to not-for-profits, and Jingle Books, a yearly holiday fundraiser in partnership with the Indianapolis Public Library that has collected and distributed more than 8,000 books to Indianapolis families.

First job: Sterilizing equipment for his father’s orthodontic office. “I started doing other tasks, which turned me into being the resident IT person for the office. That experience showed me my true passion, which was working within technology.”

Surprising: He loves popcorn. Occasionally, he will go to a movie theater, buy popcorn and leave.