David Ricks, now in his eighth year as chair and CEO of drugmaker Eli Lilly and Co., is leading the most valuable pharmaceutical company in the world, with market capitalization of more than $800 billion as of mid-June, putting Lilly within reach of $1 trillion, a feat reached only by a handful of huge companies. Lilly’s stock is setting new records almost daily, due to huge demand for diabetes treatment Mounjaro and weight-loss treatment Zepbound. In response, Ricks has directed Lilly to invest tens of billions of dollars in new factories, including $9 billion in Lebanon. A 25-year Lilly veteran, Ricks became CEO in January 2017 and chair in June 2017.
Archives: Profiles
Kristin Sherman
Kristin Sherman was named CEO in April 2021 of Kovina Therapeutics, a preclinical-stage biotechnology company developing first-in-class antiviral therapeutics designed to treat cancers and premalignant infections caused by human papillomavirus. The company has recently received federal grants that will help it treat diseases caused by HPV. Before joining Kovina, Sherman served as chief operating officer for VMS BioMarketing, a health care marketing firm. She began her career in finance and human resources with Eli Lilly and Co.
First job: Nanny for newborn twins. “I learned how to multitask at an early age!”
Favorite device: “My treadmill—it’s an inexpensive form of therapy.”
Advice for a young person: “Take chances early on in your career and be open to new opportunities. You never know what door might open when you pursue a new role, a new company or a new challenge.”
Steve Smitherman
Steve Smitherman navigates the world of health care accessibility and policy as president of CareSource Indiana, a managed Medicaid plan. He oversees the company’s operation in Indiana. He has more than 20 years of Medicaid and commercial health plan leadership experience and is a lifelong Hoosier. In addition to managing Medicaid plans, Steve’s team introduced a program dedicated to effectively facilitating the transition of people from incarceration into the community with support for their physical, emotional and social needs. In his spare time, Steve does volunteer work for Wheeler Mission Ministries, Shepard Community Center, Gleaners Food Bank and Chin Community Healthy Beginnings at Home.
First job: “Pulling velvetleaf out of a soybean field. It was demanding work, and our pay was based on the amount of work we completed each day.”
Favorite thing about being a leader: “Witnessing the growth of individuals on my team.”
Lessons learned: “First and foremost is the authority to make decisions. Second is not fearing mistakes.”
Ron Stiver
Ron Stiver is responsible for IU Health’s system-wide home-based, retail, virtual and ambulatory operations and key system strategic areas, including value-based care, community health, government affairs, design and construction, and corporate real estate. He leads a team of about 3,000. He started his career at Eli Lilly and Co., working there for 10 years before joining former Gov. Mitch Daniels’ administration, first serving as commissioner of the Indiana Department of Workforce Development and later as commissioner of the Indiana Bureau of Motor Vehicles. From there, he joined Clarian, now IU Health. Stiver chairs the board of Early Learning Indiana.
First job: Stocking and bagging groceries at Mr. D’s supermarket.
Favorite device: “My mirrorless digital camera and lenses. Since our first child was born, I’ve taken photos and videos of our key family celebrations, holidays, kids’ events and family vacations.”
Pet: “Quinn is our 3-year-old Goldendoodle.”
Bob Vitoux
Bob Vitoux leads Warsaw-based OrthoWorx, a not-for-profit focused on advancing the orthopedics industry in Kosciusko County. The organization, which he joined in 2022, has grown under his leadership from one staffer to five full-time and one part-time employee. The Legislature recently allocated $30 million to OrthoWorx to launch initiatives aimed at retaining medical device companies in the region. He is also president and CEO of AcceLINX, a Warsaw-based network for orthopedics inventors and entrepreneurs. Vitoux has worked in finance and management positions at Zimmer, Biomet, DePuy and Dovetail Brands.
Something surprising: He’s high energy. “I’m allergic to caffeine, so this all comes naturally.”
Pets: He and his wife have no pets, but they enjoy looking after their four “grand dogs.”
Advice for a young person: “Being hungry, humble and people-smart are some of the best attributes you can offer to any employer and utilize in any setting.”
Vince Wong
Earlier this year, Vince Wong was named president and CEO of BioCrossroads, a Central Indiana Corporate Partnership group that promotes and invests in the state’s $77 billion life sciences sector. BioCrossroads, established in 2002, has raised hundreds of millions of dollars in corporate, philanthropic, governmental and private equity funding for life sciences. Most recently, Wong was chief commercial officer at Geneoscopy, a venture-backed startup focused on developing gastrointestinal diagnostics. He also helped Geneoscopy raise more than $100 million in venture capital and secured a multiyear national distribution agreement with Labcorp.
First job: “I cleaned 130 fish tanks in my neighbor’s basement. It taught me that I didn’t want to do manual labor for a career.”
Something surprising: “I’m an adrenaline junkie. I’ve bungy-jumped off a cliff in New Zealand, paraglided off a mountain in Colorado, love mountain biking in the Pacific Northwest and Utah (especially going downhill), crave downhill skiing in Utah and Montana, and love roller coasters.”
Pete Yonkman
Pete Yonkman is president of Cook Group—Indiana’s third-largest private company, which employs 7,500 Hoosiers—and subsidiary Cook Medical in Bloomington. Yonkman, who has been with the company for 23 years in multiple roles, led Cook’s move to partner with Goodwill of Central & Southern Indiana for the 38th Street and Sheridan project, which built a plant on the northeast side of Indianapolis using only minority-owned contractors and employing people in the neighborhood. As an Indiana University Maurer School of Law alumnus, he is also a co-founder of Hoosiers For Good, which connects not-for-profits with Indiana University athletes who can represent them, and Hoosiers Connect, a collegiate name, image and likeness entity. He is also involved with the Monroe County Coalition for Progress in Substance Use Disorder and helped produce the feature film “So Cold the River.”
Pets: “Two dogs, two barn cats, two sheep, six chickens and three peacocks.”
Advice for a young person: “Play with every new AI tool you can get your hands on.”
Chris Gahl
Chris Gahl oversees a budget of $10 million for marketing, advertising, communications, community relations, government relations and business development to bring visitors to Indianapolis and support the 83,000 residents who work in the tourism industry. During his 18-year tenure at Visit Indy, he’s been part of a team setting records for convention and tourism sales and helping Indianapolis claim the distinction of the “No. 1 Convention City in America” by USA Today. He led the city’s efforts to retain the NFL Combine, co-chaired the communications function of the NBA All-Star weekend and led the efforts to keep the Pan Am Plaza expansion project moving, expanding the Indiana Convention Center and adding an 800-room Signia hotel.
Challenge overcome: “When I was 8 years old, my dad was murdered. He was the first, and still only, U.S. federal probation officer killed in the line of duty. This happened in Fountain Square, a place I still have a hard time visiting. This experience has shaped me in ways I’m still uncovering.”
Rick Fuson
Rick Fuson completed his 40th season with the Pacers organization in June and has been influential in shaping events within Market Square Arena, Gainbridge Fieldhouse and elsewhere in Indianapolis and Indiana. He joined the staff of Market Square Arena in 1984 as director of special events and helped plan the 1985 NBA All-Star Game. He was promoted in 1985 to vice president. Fuson helped oversee the design of the Pacers’ move to Conseco Fieldhouse (now Gainbridge Fieldhouse) in 1999. He was promoted to executive senior vice president of Pacers Sports & Entertainment in 2001, chief operating officer in 2008, president/chief operating officer in 2014 and CEO in January 2022. He also was chair of the 2024 NBA All-Star Game. He retired as CEO in June and will continue as senior adviser to Chair Herb Simon.
Something surprising: He loves gardening.
Leadership lesson: “When you think you have given your all, work one more hour.”
Mike Cunningham
Perpetually in expansion mode, Cunningham Restaurant Group launched new concept Theo’s Italian in October 2023 at Plainfield’s Shops at Perry Crossing. New CRG casual concept Shin Dig is expected to open this fall in the North Mass area of Indianapolis. In between, the company founded by Mike Cunningham opened Commission Row—a multi-level dining and entertainment destination near Gainbridge Fieldhouse—for Pacers Sports & Entertainment in time for the 2024 NBA All-Star Weekend. Cincinnati native Cunningham opened his first full-service restaurant, Boulder Creek, in Brownsburg in 1997. This year, Thomas Melvin of Cunningham restaurant Vida was recognized as a semifinalist in the category of best chef in the Great Lakes region for the annual James Beard Awards. Livery, another CRG property, was listed at No. 66 on Yelp’s “100 Places to Eat in the United States for 2024.” For customers who want to dine off-site, the Cunningham Restaurant Group Delivery Kitchen opened in January. Overall, Indianapolis-based CRG operates more than 40 locations in three states.