Business & Beyond with Gerry Dick

Mel Raines: From politics to pro sports, a prime-time player

She’s organized Super Bowls, Final Fours and led the $400 million makeover of Gainbridge Fieldhouse. She’s worked in the White House and on national political conventions. In sports parlance, Pacers Sports & Entertainment President Mel Raines is a prime-time player. The bigger the challenge the better. She opens up about growing up in South Bend, her passion for public service and path to becoming a game changer in a male dominated industry.
 

Kevin Brinegar: A passion for public policy

From smoke-filled rooms to social media, Kevin Brinegar has seen it all in his more than 40 years around the Indiana Statehouse. As the Bloomington native prepares to leave the Indiana Chamber after leading the organization for more than 20 years, he opens up about mimeograph machines, difficult issues and a decision that would change his life.

Kristian Andersen: Innovator All In on Indy

He was born in New York and raised in Arkansas. But Kristian Andersen calls Indianapolis home and it’s not by accident. In episode 136, this self-described “restless opportunity seeker” talks about innovation and Indy’s emerging national profile that he says is more Sun Belt than Rust Belt.

Sue Ellspermann: Small Town Roots, Big Time Goals

She grew up in the tiny Dubois County town of Ferdinand with a passion to blaze her own trail. From pioneering success in the male-dominated world of engineering, to politics to leading the nation's largest singly-accredited community college system, Sue Ellspermann has done just that. In episode 135, she talks about her path the president ‘s office and why Ivy Tech’s mission is tied to Indiana’s future success.

Gregg Doyel: “Sports is just my excuse to write about people”

IndyStar columnist Gregg Doyel is passionate about writing…and not just about sports. In this episode, he talks about his long and winding road to Indy, plays a game of name association, and reveals two big items on his bucket list. 

Pete Yonkman: Carrying On a Legacy of Changing Lives

“It was just his humanity. He was very attuned to business issues and equally attuned to human issues.” As president of Bloomington-based Cook Group, Pete Yonkman leads a multi-billion company with some 12,000 employees. And while the Crown Point native is always focused on the medical device company’s bottom line, he is also acutely aware of the legacy of founders Bill and Gayle Cook, who sought to change lives, one community at a time.

Drew Storen: Crafting His Very Own Field of Dreams

It has been quite a ride for Hoosier native Drew Storen. His talent and drive to win would carry him to a state baseball championship at Brownsburg High School, then on to Stanford University and ultimately Major League Baseball. Now Drew is taking aim on a new passion. In episode 132, he talks baseball, bourbon and crafting his own field of dreams.

Travis Brown: Getting His MoJo Back

“Instead of running from it, hiding from it, or acting like it didn’t exist, I tried to leverage it.“ Former standout athlete Travis Brown talks about an epiphany in a pawn shop that changed his life and led to the creation of a successful marketing agency and his mission to empower people and brands.

Major General R. Dale Lyles: Maintaining Indiana Readiness with an Eye to the Future

When it comes to military might, Indiana punches well above its weight. While the state ranks 16th in population, it is home to the 4th largest National Guard unit in the nation. The man in charge of making sure Indiana’s more than 12,000 guardsmen and women remain at the ready is Salem, Indiana native Major General R. Dale Lyles. In episode 130, he talks about how the military changed his life, Indiana’s golden opportunity in the defense sector, and the constant battle for talent.

Jeff Smulyan: Tales from a terrific ride

“Anybody who thinks that life is a straight line up, hasn’t lived life.” From radio visionary to Major League Baseball owner, Letterman to Imus, Jeff Smulyan has had quite a ride. In episode 129, he shares some of the best stories from his book, Never Ride a Rollercoaster Upside Down. The Ups, Downs and Reinvention of an Entrepreneur.