Business & Beyond with Gerry Dick

Pam Whitten: “We’re on our way.”

“We are very, very clear about it. We are going to be the best urban public research university in the country. Bar none.” Indiana University President Pam Whitten does not hold back when asked about expectations for the new IU Indianapolis. In this episode, she talks about the idea behind the breakup of IUPUI, the important role of the business community and the ambitious vision for IU 2030.

Paul Okeson: Construction exec building community

Paul Okeson grew up around the construction business, but never thought he’d make a career of it. But today, the Fort Wayne native is leading Garmong Construction, a 100-year-old Indiana firm with an expanding footprint. In this episode, he talks construction, politics and why community service is part of his DNA.
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Don Lamb: Rooted in tradition with an eye to the future

Don Lamb is winding up his first year as director of the Indiana State Department of Agriculture with a renewed optimism about the state’s role in the global ag space. The second-generation Boone County farmer talks about his passion for the family farm, the critical role of precision agriculture and an eye-opening trip to Cuba.

Dan Hasler: On to the next challenge

He spent more than three decades as an executive at Eli Lilly and Company and served as Indiana’s secretary of commerce. Now Dan Hasler is taking on another big job:  playing a key role in the launch of Purdue University in Indianapolis. He talks about the vision for the Indy campus, the critical role of the business community and why it is being called one of the most important moves in the university’s 154-year history.

Tom Miller: Workforce development pioneer

He has grown a startup into a national consulting firm and in the process helped to write the workforce and economic development playbook for states and regions around the country. As Indianapolis-based TPMA marks 35 years, its founder offers perspective on challenges and opportunities facing Indiana and communities statewide.
 

Sonny Beck: Growing a business, one farmer at a time

It started on a tiny Hamilton County farm 87 years ago. From seeds planted on that 80-acre piece of ground, Beck’s has grown into the third-largest seed brand in the United States and is continuing to grow at a double-digit pace. CEO Sonny Beck talks about the vision, culture and servant leadership that have created a driving force in American agriculture.
 

Jim Bullard: Building a Business School

He spent 15 years building a case to shape U.S. monetary policy. Now Jim Bullard is building again, this time creating a “new and distinctive brand” for the Mitchell E. Daniels, Jr. School of Business at Purdue University. The former CEO of the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis talks about the critical role technology will play in the process and gives his take on the state and national economies.

Alan Bacon: Connecting a City and Changing the Narrative

It was built on the idea of using art and culture to bring people together at a time when the world seemed so far apart. Indianapolis natives Alan and Mali Bacon launched GANGGANG in 2020 when the city and nation were reeling from the pandemic and social unrest. In this episode, Alan talks about the power of creatives, how it’s changing the Indy narrative and GANGGANG’s prime time role in the NBA’s All-Star weekend.  

John Pistole: University President Comes Full Circle

For John Pistole, leading Anderson University as its tenth president is truly a homecoming. He played basketball and graduated from AU, as did his parents and siblings. He met his wife there. But it’s his path to the presidency that might surprise you. Pistole rose through the ranks to become the number two man at the FBI and later led the Transportation Security Administration in the wake of 9-11. In fact, you may want to thank him the next time you go through TSA PreCheck.
 

Jeff McCabe: Dreaming big, the Disney way

What began in a tiny upstairs room of a downtown Nashville, Indiana pizza joint has blossomed into one of the state’s hottest destinations. Hard Truth Distilling Company’s rustic, 325-acre distilling campus now attracts more than 400,000 visitors annually to Brown County and growth is far from over. Co-founder Jeff McCabe talks spirits, craft brews, a growing restaurant empire and the influence of Walt Disney.