Business & Beyond with Gerry Dick

Scott Jones: “It Started with Breaking Everything”

Since the time he tore apart and rebuilt his dad’s train set as a kid, Scott Jones has had the inventor bug.  His interest in inventing and innovation would fuel his passion as a serial entrepreneur, whose successes include patented technology that led to the widespread adoption of voicemail.  Scott talks about the highs and lows of being an entrepreneur, why he’s bullish on Indiana and a life lesson from his late sister that he’ll never forget.

Doug Boles: A Life-Long Love Affair

“In a lot of ways, it’s better than Christmas. It’s my favorite time of the year.” Doug Boles wears his passion for the Indianapolis Motor Speedway and Indy 500 on his sleeve. It’s a passion ignited at his first race, watching A.J. Foyt take the checkered flag in 1977 and it burns brighter than ever today in his role as IMS president. The Danville, Indiana native talks about balancing change and tradition, the future at IMS and why you’ll never outwork Roger Penske.

Kristi Lee: When Hard Work Meets Opportunity

For more than 30 years she has entertained listeners of radio’s legendary Bob and Tom Show. But Kristi Lee’s broadcasting career, which includes work for ESPN, Fox Sports and the Indiana Pacers, may not have ever happened if not for a teacher at Ben Davis High School. Kristi talks about that defining moment, her unlikely career path and that time when Ozzie Osbourne carried her around the Q95 parking lot.

Mario Rodriguez: Not My First Rodeo

That Indianapolis Airport Authority Executive Director Mario Rodriguez has navigated North America’s top airport through the pandemic should not be a surprise. He understands hardships. He was at New Orleans International for Katrina. His mother was smuggled out of Cuba by the U.S. Catholic church to escape the Castro regime. Learn more about a man of the air AND sea who has found a home in Indianapolis.

Bart Peterson: I Wanted to Do Something That Mattered

He was a political novice who knew full well that Indianapolis had not elected a Democrat mayor in more than three decades. But Bart Peterson says he was driven to run by the belief that he could do a good job if given the chance to lead his hometown. He talks about his two terms in office, lessons learned from a stunning upset loss in 2007 and his obsession with dishwashers in a wide-ranging conversation.

Mitch Daniels: No Regrets

He was born in Pennsylvania, in the same hospital as football great Joe Montana, and moved to Indiana at the age of eleven. It was a move that would ultimately impact the state’s business, political and academic worlds. From his decision to not run for president to what pushed him to become president of Purdue University, Mitch Daniels talks about a life of no regrets.

Tamika Catchings: Game Changer

She reached the pinnacle of her sport, claiming a national championship in college, a WNBA championship and four Olympic Gold Medals among her many accomplishments in a Hall of Fame career. Today, Tamika Catchings is using the same drive that fueled her on the court to success as a sports executive, business owner and community leader. She talks about her journey, a defining moment along the way with legendary Coach Pat Summit and what she still wants to accomplish.

Father John Jenkins: Focus on Faith and the Future

The 17th president of the University of Notre Dame knows a lot about family and the importance of community.  Father John Jenkins was born in Omaha, Nebraska, the 3rd-eldest of 12 children, an experience that has had a profound impact on the man and his leadership style. From part-time jobs in the Omaha stockyards to leading an elite university, Father Jenkins talks about his path to the president’s office, the changing role of higher education and why he wants Notre Dame to play a key role in the future of the Indiana economy.

Restaurateur Martha Hoover: “I think I Won the Job Lottery”

She ventured into the ultra-competitive, male-dominated restaurant industry with absolutely no restaurant experience. Now, more than three decades after opening her first Café Patachou, Martha Hoover leads a growing culinary empire that includes a dozen restaurants. The trailblazing restaurateur talks about her unlikely path to success, her passion for giving back and why she is a fierce advocate for women and minorities to get their fair shot at business success.

Jeff Smulyan: Airwaves Innovator

Even as a child, Jeff Smulyan knew where he wanted to go in life. Listening to late night ballgames fueled a passion for radio that would one day propel him to create Emmis Communications, a multimedia powerhouse and one of the radio industry’s most influential players. A great storyteller, Smulyan opines on media, Major League Baseball ownership, his friendship with Bill Clinton and the zany early radio days of David Letterman.