Marla Thompson is the site leader for the Salesforce Indianapolis office, where she is responsible for driving strategy and growth across all Salesforce clouds. Thompson joined Salesforce in 2019. Before her current position, she served as general manager for Salesforce’s marketing cloud business (formerly ExactTarget), more than doubling the business in three years. Working primarily with Fortune 100 companies, Thompson’s experience ranges from tech and big data to traditional packaged goods. She started her career with Procter & Gamble and The Campbell Soup Co.
First job: “As a farmer’s daughter, my first job was detasseling corn. While I love being outside in good weather, I realized that I didn’t want to walk fields in the rain and mud as a career.”
Something surprising: “I’m the 4th generation to grow up in the house in Noblesville where my parents still live.”
Advice for a young person: “Learning how to recover from failure early in your career is a valuable skill to have.”
Eric Tobias is a co-founder and partner at High Alpha, a venture studio that creates and funds business-to-business and software-as-a-service companies and partners with the founders to build their businesses. He also owns and operates several music venues in Indianapolis through Forty5 Presents, including The Vogue in Broad Ripple, Rock the Ruins at Holliday Park, and The Tobias Theatre in Newfields, and helped start the I Made Rock ‘n’ Roll music festival. Tobias founded batteries.com, an ecommerce provider of specialty batteries, and Technuity, a manufacturer of portable power for consumer electronics, both of which were purchased by Audiovox, and iGoDigital, a personalization, guided selling and recommendation engine for marketing, which was purchased by Salesforce.
First job: Indiana Pacers ballboy. “It taught me the value of hard work, preparation, grit and dealing with big personalities.”
Advice for a young person: “Pick your first job based on your boss, not the company, title or salary. A great boss can accelerate your trajectory more than anything else.”
Isaac Torres founded InterCambio Express, an internet-based international money transfer service, in 1999. The Elkhart-based company operates in 48 states and sends money to Mexico, South America and the Caribbean. Torres later launched InterCambio Realty LLC and InterLoans. In 2019, he established the Isaac P. Torres Family School of Business and Economics Scholarship on Indiana University’s South Bend campus. He serves on the boards of the Indiana University Foundation, Community Foundation of Elkhart County, 1st Source Bank, Women’s Care Center and RISE-Moxie. In 2023, he was appointed to the IU board. Torres graduated from Mexico Autonomous University in 1990 and moved to the United States in 1985. He earned a master’s degree from IU South Bend in 2000.
Ryan Vaughn is a co-owner of Exos and co-leads the efforts to incorporate Sondhi Solutions LLC—an IT staffing and consulting firm serving small and midsize government and enterprise businesses—into Exos and its related family of brands: Exos Talent, Exos IT and Exos Cyber. As general counsel, he provides direction and support for the company across all aspects of the business. Vaughn has served as president of the Indianapolis City-County Council, chief of staff to Mayor Greg Ballard and president of the Indiana Sports Corp.
First job: “I mowed lawns for $10 cash so I could buy Air Jordans for the start of every school year.”
Something surprising: “People always seem to be surprised that I drive a truck. I don’t know why, but it’s a common comment.”
Pet: Kruz, a rescue lab adopted during COVID. “He’s the best dog in the world and opinions to the contrary are not welcomed.”
Erin Albert grew up in South Bend and is both a licensed pharmacist and attorney. Her job today is disrupting and rebuilding pharmacy benefits as an executive with Mark Cuban Cost Plus Drug Co., which offers prescription drugs—mostly generics—to more than 2 million members. The drugs are sold for a fully disclosed price plus a small markup, service fee and shipping fee. Prior to joining Mark Cuban, Erin worked in pharmacy benefits for Apex Benefits, taught at Butler University and worked in a variety of roles in the pharmaceutical industry.
Favorite gadget: “My new Presidium gem tester. It’s fun to learn the history of costume jewelry.”
Tough lessons: “I’ve been let go, I’ve worked for companies that have closed, and I have been fired. All these lessons have taught me that everyone is replaceable and the only person in charge of your career is you.”
A change for Indiana: “We don’t progress fast enough. We’re often last out of the 50 states to change on issues. We need to lead more and follow less.”
As chief financial officer at Eli Lilly and Co., Anat Ashkenazi has overseen the drugmaker’s finance function, a sweeping role that encompasses major investment decisions, engaging with key stakeholders, managing risk and upholding transparency, compliance and accountability in financial matters. But In June, Lilly announced that Ashkenazi planned to step down; Google parent Alphabet announced the same day it had hired her as chief financial officer. She will start her new job July 31, although she she’ll be in Indiana for at least some time after that. Ashkenazi has worked at Lilly for 23 years, including as chief financial officer since 2021. She previously served the drugmaker as senior vice president, controller, and chief financial officer of Lilly Research Laboratories.
Dave Bailey, who joined OrthoPediatrics in 2007, has spent much of the past 17 years building the company from its early start-up days to a publicly traded corporation. OrthoPediatrics makes products used by pediatric surgeons to treat patients with trauma, deformities, scoliosis and other conditions. Bailey was appointed CEO in 2021. He previously held multiple leadership positions in domestic and international sales, operations, and oversight of the trauma and deformity correction and scoliosis business units. Bailey has helped OrthoPediatrics establish a global distribution network, and the company this year acquired Boston Orthotics & Pediatrics, which produces braces, orthotics and prosthetic devices for children.
Brian Bauer oversees Indiana University Health’s northeast region, a 10-county area that includes Allen County. IU Health entered the region in 2018, and Bauer is charged with overseeing strategy, growth and development of a full-scale health care network. He also owns part of two Los Angeles-based clothing companies and a Miami-based watch brand. He is also a minority shareholder of Indy Eleven and is co-owner of a Fort Wayne-based restaurant called Umi.
Favorite thing about being a leader: “Seeing results that have positive impacts on people’s lives. I really enjoy seeing people who’ve worked with me advance their careers and achieve their dreams.”
Something surprising: “I have a passion for mid-century modern architecture and furniture and love to visit Palm Springs, California, and explore the countless second-hand furniture stores.”
Gail Boudreaux is president and CEO of Elevance Health. Her career in the health care industry spans 30 years, including six years as CEO of United Healthcare. She was named one of Fortune Magazine’s Most Powerful Women in Business and was featured by Forbes as one of the 100 Most Powerful Women in the World. She currently serves on the boards of Target, Central Indiana Corporate Partnership, Blue Cross Blue Shield Association, The Business Council, the National Institute for Health Care Management and American Health Insurance Plans.
Favorite thing about being a leader: “The shadow you cast as a leader is profound. Purpose, living and leading with authenticity and integrity leads to a positive impact on culture within an organization. As a leader I believe in the power of teams and a strong purposeful culture to unlock superior performance. Teamwork is important because none of us works alone. I enjoy constantly challenging myself and team members to think differently, set aspirational goals and be creative and innovative.”
Richard DiMarchi is a distinguished professor of chemistry and Gill chair in biomolecular sciences at Indiana University. He is a former group vice president at Eli Lilly and Co. and later at Novo Nordisk. He is recognized for his contributions to the discovery and development of rDNA-derived Humalog, rGlucagon and Forteo. Most recently, he received the 2024 Mani L. Bhaumik Breakthrough of the Year Award, presented by the American Association for the Advancement of Science, for his pioneering research that laid the foundation for drugs that are transforming the treatment of obesity worldwide. He is a co-inventor on more than 100 U.S. patents and has co-authored more than 250 peer-reviewed scientific publications. Since 2003, he has co-founded six biotech companies: Ambrx, Marcadia, Calibrium, MB2, Assembly and MBX Biosciences. Last year, MBX—which is based in Carmel—raised $115 million to help it advance the development of therapeutics to treat rare endocrine disorders.
