Doug Boles became president of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in June 2013, when the track was owned by Hulman & Co., and has continued to oversee the track‘s daily operations as part of Penske Entertainment. He spearheads IMS events—including the Indianapolis 500, the GMR Grand Prix and the Verizon 200 at the Brickyard—and oversees work on the track‘s facilities. A lifelong motorsports fan, Boles is also the Indy 500‘s chief evangelist, actively promoting the race, the track and the sport on social media, on TV and at speaking events throughout the year. Boles, who previously was a co-owner of Panther Racing, joined IMS as director of public relations in 2010 and moved up through the company. From 1992-1997, Boles served as director of governmental and corporate affairs for Indianapolis Mayor Stephen Goldsmith.
Archives: Profiles
Quinn Buckner
As vice president of communications for Pacers Sports & Entertainment, Quinn Buckner is the organization‘s liaison to the corporate community, leads the Pacers Youth Basketball Program, and is the analyst for Indiana Pacers television games. He serves on the board of directors for the 2024 NBA All-Star Game and was co-chair of the 2021 Men‘s Final Four Indianapolis Host Committee. Before joining the Pacers, he was an analyst with the Cleveland Cavaliers. Buckner is a former head coach of the Dallas Mavericks and played 10 seasons in the NBA, including 1983-1984, when he was a member of the Boston Celtics championship team. He was captain of Indiana University‘s 1976 undefeated NCAA Championship team and the 1976 gold-medal-winning U.S. Olympic basketball team. He chairs the Indiana University board of trustees.
Admires most: “My parents, William and Jessica Buckner. Firm but compassionate. They are the greatest examples of human beings I‘ve ever come across.”
Listening to: “Limitless Mind”
Darrianne Christian
In May 2021, Darrianne Christian became the first Black woman to chair the Newfields board of trustees and among the first to lead a major art museum and culture institution in the United States. Christian started her career with the Central Intelligence Agency after being recruited into the Stokes Scholar program while still a high school student. She spent the remainder of her career working in information technology as a program manager and consultant before leaving the workforce to care for her children. She currently serves on the boards of the Central Indiana Community Foundation, Lakeland Financial Corp., Lake City Bank and the Eskenazi Health Foundation. She has been a member of the Newfields board since 2016.
Advice for young people: “Put some time into learning exactly who you are and unapologetically be that person.”
Lessons learned: “Leadership is an opportunity to serve; it‘s never about you. You must learn to keep your ego in check.”
Worry: “Nothing. I prepare.”
Thomas Collins II
Tom Collins is a third-generation leader at Hobart-based Luke Family of Brands, which owns dozens of convenience stores as well as car washes, restaurants and other hospitality companies. Luke was founded as Luke Oil in 1967 by Ralph Luke, whose son-in-law Tom Collins took over after his death. His son, Tom Collins II, joined the company in 1999 as director of car wash operations and has been moving up since then. He founded Luke‘s hospitality division in 2006 and its construction division in 2010. He is now responsible for the daily operations of the entire company, which has 800 employees across its brands, including the Pavilion at Indiana Dunes.
Something surprising: “I‘ve completed four full ironman races and two Boston Marathons.”
Civic contribution: “Completion of Indiana Dunes Pavilion”
Something to change: “The division between northwest Indiana and the rest of state. We‘ve made so much progress [and] need to keep closing this gap.”
James E. Dora Jr.
Jim Dora provides the vision for General Hotels Corp., one of the Midwest‘s largest independent hotel management and development companies. His role is to manage growth of the company‘s owned and managed hotel portfolio as well as disposing of uncompetitive hotel product due to age, renovation cost or changing market conditions. Dora worked outside the family business for several years, with Holiday Inns Inc. in Memphis, Tennessee, and spending short amounts of time in hotels in Hamburg, Germany; Singapore; and Florida. He also worked at the Embassy Suites Indianapolis Downtown as an assistant general manager.
Something surprising: “I have served the citizens of Indianapolis as a police officer, in the Reserve Division, first on IPD and then IMPD, for the last 30 years. I currently hold the rank of lieutenant.”
Advice for young people: “Solve your bosses‘ problems, and you will be running the place before you know it!”
Lesson learned: “Always listen to what people have to say. Especially those closest to the problem.”
Rick Fuson
Rick Fuson is responsible for all Pacers Sports & Entertainment business assets and operating units, including the Indiana Pacers, Indiana Fever, Fort Wayne Mad Ants, Pacers Gaming, Pacers Foundation and Gainbridge Fieldhouse. He joined Market Square Arena in 1984 as director of special events and helped plan the 1985 NBA All-Star Game. That year, he was promoted to vice president and helped oversee the Pacers‘ September 1999 move to Conseco Fieldhouse (now Gainbridge Fieldhouse). He also served as executive senior vice president, chief operating officer and president/COO before becoming CEO in January.
Something surprising: “While I was born and raised in the city … I am most at peace in the garden or on a tractor in Brown County.”
Worry: “I worry most about family and where my kids and grandkids will be in 20 years. What will our society do to make our state and country better and not divisive or torn apart?”
Walk-up song: “Don‘t Stop Believin‘,” by Journey
Julie Goodman
Julie Goodman joined the Indy Arts Council in 2019 and oversees its strategy, organizational administration and programming. In the past few years, she has collaborated with the Arts Council‘s board and staff, the city of Indianapolis, and philanthropy and civic partners to advocate for and directly administer more than $15 million in pandemic-related relief for Indy‘s artists and arts and culture. Previously, she served as senior vice president of marketing communications for Strada Education Network and before that spent 25 years advocating for arts and culture in Cincinnati.
Something surprising: “I turned down the opportunity to be in a national Broadway tour to finish my college degree. Huh?!?!”
Advice for young people: “Never stop learning. Be curious, courageous, compassionate, and fuel your purpose and creativity.”
Civic cause: “Supporting the Indy arts and culture sector during the pandemic and the meaningful progress we‘re making together in advancing racial equity (with a looooong way to go, of course).”
Sabbatical topic: “I would study to become a master gardener.”
John Green
John Green is the author of New York Times best sellers “Looking for Alaska,” “Paper Towns,” “The Fault in Our Stars,” “Turtles All the Way Down” and more. Though he grew up in Florida, he‘s lived in Indianapolis for years, and it‘s where he‘s raising his children. Several of his books are set in Indianapolis, including “The Fault in Our Stars,” which was adapted into a movie in 2014. (The movie was filmed in Pennsylvania but still includes Indiana references.) He‘s the host of two podcasts, “The Anthropocene Reviewed” and “Dear Hank and John,” which he runs with his brother Hank Green. The brothers started as vloggers on YouTube, where they are known as the Vlogbrothers and created the educational channel Crash Course. They have more than 3 million subscribers.
James Hinchcliffe
James Hinchcliffe competed in the NTT IndyCar series for 11 seasons, during which he won six races and started on the pole for the 100th running of the Indianapolis 500. He retired from full-time competition at the end of the 2021 season and joined NBC‘s broadcast team as a driver analyst. He lives in Indianapolis and is active in the community. He‘s the namesake of Flat12 Bierwerks Hinchtown Hammerdown pilsner, which he collaborated on, and a minority partner in Indianapolis restaurant Root and Bone.
Indiana love: “What I love about Indiana, and really Indianapolis, specifically, is that there is something for everyone.”
Admires most: His dad. “He was the quintessential story of an immigrant that came to North America with $500 in his pocket, but he built a company from the ground up with my mom and it was a huge success. Being young during the genesis of the company and seeing how hard he worked, and how much of himself he gave to growing the business, was immensely inspiring, and it had a huge effect on me.”
Leonard Hoops
Leonard Hoops has served as president and CEO of Visit Indy since 2011. He leads a team of 55-plus industry professionals who are charged with growing central Indiana‘s nearly $6 billion convention, tourism and event business. Under Hoops‘ leadership, Visit Indy has shattered records for convention and tourism sales, delivering up to $1 billion annually in incremental economic impact and a 90-to-1 return on investment from public funding. During his tenure, Indianapolis has been named the No. 1 convention city in America by USA Today, and a top visitor destination by The New York Times, Conde Nast Traveler, Travel + Leisure and Time magazine. Before joining Visit Indy, Hoops was executive vice president and chief customer officer of San Francisco Travel.
Something surprising: “I was born in Trinidad to an English- Scottish-Irish American father … and an Indian Trinidadian mom.”
Hobby: “I occasionally do stand-up comedy for charity.”