IN Chamber: The Podcast

Mayor Shawna Girgis of Bedford didn’t really have time to focus on being the first female or first independent leader of her city. She came into office in 2008 with a variety of economic challenges. By 2013, Bedford was chosen as a state Stellar community and the Indiana Chamber’s Community of the Year. She wraps up her third and final term in 2019, joining us to talk key accomplishments (think Co...

The pace in Washington hasn’t changed for Jackie Walorski, representing Indiana’s 2nd District in Congress since 2012. Neither has her passion for service for constituents in her district and throughout the state. It’s evident in her comments and in the work she does. She talks veterans’ issues, agriculture, tariffs, trade, the workforce and more. Find out what she believes was the biggest accompl...

The Culture of Good is a powerful collision of combining profitability with purpose. Ryan McCarty calls it “purposeability.” He explains what it means, how it initially made a major difference for TCC Communications and what he and partner Scott Moorehead are doing to spread the initiative well beyond their own organization. A longtime minister and veteran of the non-profit world, McCarty emphasiz...

The Navy side of Crane (officially the Naval Surface Warfare Center, Crane Division) is a military and economic powerhouse. While located in parts of Greene, Martin and Lawrance counties, the military installation has a statewide and far broader impact. Its partnerships with industry and educational institutions are the focus as its award-winning technology transfer program and innovation ecosyste...

Technology is impacting all types and sizes of businesses across our state and country. One that might not come to mind immediately is the highly competitive grocery industry. Eric Halvorson of Kroger talks digital shelves, mobile ordering/pickup, unmanned grocery delivery and more. A longtime television anchor and reporter, Halvorson strongly articulates the work currently going on as well as the...

A senior preparing to graduate in May from Purdue University Fort Wayne and get married one month later is already working full time in marketing. His name is Salvador Espinoza and he attributes much of his success to a series of internship experience with Dekko, headquartered in Garrett with various manufacturing operations in northeast Indiana. Salvador describes what he learned on the job, star...

He dropped out of college to become a classical musician. He was a college professor, teaching economics and social entrepreneurship. He has guided a leading conservative think tank for the past decade. He is the author of 11 books – with No. 12 on the way. One of the most respected voices in America today is Arthur C. Brooks, Meet him in this conversation and see him in person at the Indiana Cham...

Leaders of the state’s community college system are focused on creating the absolute best “workforce engine.” President Sue Ellspermann says the 12-cylinder engine is now at the “10-cylinderish spot” with work taking place on completing the building process. Ellspermann and senior vice president for workforce alignment Chris Lowery discuss the progress, the important role of employers, successful...

EchoChamber host Tom Schuman goes behind the scenes on the 2019 BizVoice® magazine series, Indiana Icons. Anderson native Carl Erskine enjoyed an outstanding baseball career as a pitcher with the Brooklyn and Los Angeles Dodgers. But it’s his accomplishments in business and the community once he returned home that make him so special. The now 92-year-old Erskine offers sensational stories and comp...

Health care costs are one of the most common causes of bankruptcy. And few will argue with the assertion that health care is a complex challenge. The opioid epidemic has added another layer of complexity to the situation. Indiana Workforce Recovery, an initiative of the Wellness Council of Indiana and the Indiana Chamber, is working to provide some answers to help employers and their employees. Ad...

The Indiana Chamber has unveiled the Institute for Workforce Excellence. What is it? A strong coordination of existing resources from the Chamber and its affiliates, along with new programs to come in the areas of apprenticeships, talent pipeline assessment and more. The goal: Help employers attract, develop and retain talent. The Chamber’s Kevin Brinegar and Jason Bearce break it down, explain wh...

Entrepreneurs, and others in the business world, are focused on company growth. But expand too rapidly and any number of challenges emerge that threaten to derail the dream. Brent Tilson, founder and president of Tilson, offers guidance based on his 25 years of business and consulting experience. Frank and Susan may be fictional characters in the story, but their experiences will resonate with man...

As executive vice president of operations at Walt Disney World Resort, Lee Cockerell was in charge of making sure the Disney experience lived up to lofty customer expectations. He did so by focusing his efforts on hiring, training and culture. Cockerell says “more teachers and less bosses” is one of the keys for any organization. Learn more about leadership, customer service and time management in...

If there was an Indiana innovation version of Mount Rushmore, one face on the mountain would undoubtedly be Scott Jones. The technology veteran is back in his home state (for the most part) and focused on Eleven Fifty Academy and the coding bootcamps it offers to a growing number of students. Jones weighs in on the impact of past topics – Daylight Saving Time, direct flights and state scorecards –...

Yes, much time is spent today finding and developing the talent that is required to help grow your business. But once the people are in place, they have to be positively engaged – or those previous efforts really are not paying off. Through many years as CEO of Rainkmakers and now also working with Emplify, Lewallen focuses on “helping more people love what they do” and leadership of organizations...

The illustrious basketball career of Tamika Catchings (NCAA, WNBA and four-time Olympic champion) came to a close in 2016. The next chapter of her story begins there with an executive role with Pacers Sports & Entertainment, ownership of an Indianapolis tea café and additional business endeavors. Her passion for life, commitment to giving back and willingness to experience new things means many mo...

Jay Baer is very successful at talking and writing about digital marketing. He has the clients and accolades to prove it. And he does it all, for the last eight years, from a Bloomington, Indiana base. His upcoming book, Talk Triggers: The Complete Guide to Creating Customers with Word of Mouth, focuses on the importance of a coordinated word-of-mouth strategy. He shares some examples and much mor...

He gained national attention by becoming mayor of his hometown at the age of 23. Seven years later, it’s innovative downtown redevelopment and economic development victories that have people talking about Chris McBarnes and Frankfort. McBarnes insists there is a place for rural America – and Indiana towns – when it comes to housing and population growth. He calls himself a “regular Joe,” who plays...

Parkview Health President and CEO Mike Packnett, the Indiana Chamber’s 2015 Business Leader of the Year, modestly says if he does his main job well – hiring 12 excellent senior leaders – life is good. That is an excellent start, but obviously health care is a bit more complicated. Packnett reveals where the broad-based health system is achieving success in its goal of personalized patient journeys...

Paul Thrift and partner John Thompson (hence, the Thompson-Thrift name for their development and construction company) have a 32-year success story that began with “flipping houses” in Terre Haute to earn money to attend Indiana State University. Thrift breaks down the company’s evolution and talks about the intriguing culinary development they are helping bring to Fishers. He weighs in on regiona...

Becky Skillman led economic development trade missions to 13 countries as lieutenant governor. In rising to the No. 2 leadership post in the state Senate before that, she overcome some traditions and split political power that forced the bipartisanship that is so often missing today. Topics include her hometown of Bedford, the economic engine of Crane (and efforts to protect it from the base reali...

Twenty-three start-up companies in the current academic year. More than 100 students engaged in entrepreneurship and innovation activities. A first-ever IDEA week that blew away expectations. Bryan Ritchie, associate provost for innovation at the University of Notre Dame and head of the IDEA Center, talks about these ingredients and much more – including “The Engine” process and being willing to “...

Peter Burke was publisher of a weekly business journal when he and others decided to honor the top workplaces in Pennsylvania. Today, his Best Companies Group runs Best Places to Work programs in numerous states, regions, industries and more. He has the insights of what makes for an outstanding workplace culture – hint: it’s not really a secret, but the key is executing – and a large volume of fun...

Kyle Hupfer, who has served in a variety of public and private sector roles in his career, currently has one of each – including chairman of the Indiana Republican Party. While the state party may be on the sidelines in the current three-way U.S. Senate primary battle, trying to gain the seat in November is the top priority for 2018. Learn about other key goals, the rapidly changing nature of poli...

John Zody, chairman of the Indiana Democratic Party, looks at his role and the political landscape in buckets of three. First, the party infrastructure breaks down into fundraising, organization and communication – topics he admits thinking about every day. If he could wave the magic wand and improve the institution of politics, he would focus on voting rights, campaign finance reform and nonparti...