BusINess Magazine Summer 2015

SUMMER 2015

WOMEN BREAKING THE GLASS CEILING Jennifer Fredericks on PROFESSIONALISM Norma Serrano Williams on ENTREPRENEURS

16

Professionals

toWatch

Violet Sistovaris, NIPSCO Senior Executive

Ken Diehl Bishop Hying Tim Healy Elizabeth Lynn Garner Tullis Brian Boilek Violet Sistovaris Anne Flannery

Dwayne Walker Rob Thorgren Dan Murchek Luis Gonzalez Lisa Daugherty Steve Lunn Robert Colangelo Mike Maheras

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From replacing power lines to upgrading natural gas pipes, NIPSCO is making improvements throughout northern Indiana. So the only limits are their imaginations. NIPSCO.com/future

Michaela, age 8, future inventor

experts in orthopedic care

Contents COVER STORY

12-34

16 Professionals To Watch 13

KEN DIEHL Strack & Van Til’s CEO returns to the Region where he used to bag groceries. By Andrea Holecek

25

ROB THORGREN A leader of a familyowned business takes his company into the New Age of manufacturing. By Lesly Bailey

14

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BRIAN BOILEK His passion for investment STEPHEN LUNN The Porter Health started early with his first job as a teller.

Care System CEO relishes the role and

By Andrea Holecek his impact on the industry and community Executive Vice. By Lesly Bailey MICHAEL MAHERAS A star in auto sales follows the track to manager and partner.

R LUIS GONZALEZ The President of

By Diane Poulton Ivy Tech in East Chicago has spent a lifetime in community service. By Diane Poulton ELIZABETH LYNN An institute director at Valparaiso University and author who BISHOP DONALD HYING The newlyencourages leadership and service. appointed leader of the Gary diocese

By Lesly Bailey looks to the future of the church and its members. By Lesly Bailey LISA DAUGHERTY Rebuilding and reinvigorating Lake Area United Way GARNER TULLIS Working with schools by getting at the source of the Region’s needs. and building a ministry from part-time

By Diane Poulton service projects while he was a commodities trader. By Carrie Rodovich VIOLET SISTOVARIS The senior executive leading the NIPSCO unit of DAN MURCHEK Lake County Sheriff ’s NiSource knows the future of energy is people Deputy Chief has a dual role as president power. By Pat Colander of the NWI Federation of Labor. By Diane Poulton

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DWAYNE WALKER An entrepreneur who transitioned from the corporate world to offer a new take on a standard snack.

By Lesly Bailey

2 | IN BUSINESS

6-10

ROBERT COLANGELO Innovator and co-founder of Green Sense Farms has taken the lead in the emerging field of vertical farming. By Diane Poulton

ANNE FLANNERY The Boys and Girls Club leader has a commitment to making a difference in young people’s lives.

By Diane Poulton

STATE NEWS, SALUTE , JOB WATCH

FEATURE

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18

TIM HEALY Inventing a laboratory where new businesses can grow and thrive in the future. By Lesly Bailey

BIZ WORTHY

WOMEN TO WATCH The list of rising stars of elected officials in Indiana is dominated by women.

By Dan Carden

COLUMNISTS

38

HEALING THE WAY Invention and innovation lead to company growth and mending broken lives.

By Norma Serrano Williams

39

MAKING THE TRIP Professional success is a journey of becoming, transforming and finding your way. By Jennifer Fredericks PROFESSIONALS TO WATCH PHOTOS BY TONY V. MARTIN

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Publisher’s Letter SUMMER 2015

Professionalism is still the basis of leadership in the fast-paced workplace environment

S

BY CHRISTOPHER T. WHITE Publisher, BusINess, The Times Media Co.

We want to hear from you E-mail chris.white @nwi.com or write to BusINess Magazine, The Times, 601 W. 45th Ave., Munster, IN 46321

4 | IN BUSINESS

canning the roster of business leaders on our annual list of people we should keep track of I was struck by the mixture of very well-known names with some that I did not know much about. Also, how the roster of mid-career success stories becomes more diverse in terms of age, gender and cultural background each year. There is another twist in the class of 2015, too, a number of these top professionals have completely changed careers. Garner Tullis, who quit trading commodities more than 20 years ago to become a minister and builder of community and school support organizations, stands out in this group. But even those who have stayed in the same industry since they were teenagers, like Strack & Van Til’s Ken Diehl, have displayed an ongoing capacity for learning and adapting to an aboveaverage degree.

Another common theme in these stories is an ability to strategize and develop a path into the future, envisioning totally new jobs for themselves and others. Devising new ways of working, new products and changed focus are also hallmarks of leadership in our modern economy. In Northwest Indiana we see collaborations and businesses emerge almost on a daily schedule, along with recognition of the many advantages of moving or growing a company here. It was recently noted that Indiana is among the 10 states that have created the most clean energy jobs in the country.

Congratulations to our many outstanding professionals in this year’s class including NIPSCO’s new chief executive, Violet Sistovaris; Tim Healy, senior vice president of Holladay Properties; Bishop Donald Hying recently named to head the Gary Diocese; VU’s Elizabeth Lynn heading up the ValpoNext project; Brian Boilek, commercial banking chief at First Midwest; Anne Flannery new CEO at the Boys and Girls Club; entrepreneur Dwayne Walker of Chicagoland Popcorn; Porter Health Systems CEO Stephen Lunn and Rob Thorgren of Thorgren Tool & Molding, who is always at the leading edge of the next big thing. There are also three emerging leaders in public and community service: Lake County United Way President and CEO Lisa Daugherty; Ivy Tech East Chicago President Luis Rodriguez; Michael Maheras, dealer/operator of Phillips Chevrolet; Robert Colangelo, co-founder of Green Sense Farms and Dan Murchek, who is president of the AFL-CIO, in addition to his duties as deputy chief for the Lake County Sheriff’s office.

Whatever the titles are, each individual is in an expanded and evolving role as they continue to apply critical thinking and creativity to new situations.

Thanks to this group of professionals for making the time to share their stories. You are the heroes and role models who inspire your organizations, as well as many of us in the external world here in Northwest Indiana. You set an example and a high standard for everyone and you are the people we will continue to watch.

VOLUME 11, ISSUE 3

Publisher Christopher T. White General Manager and Vice President, Sales and Marketing Deb Anselm Editor Bob Heisse BusINess Editor Keith Benman Associate Publisher/Editor Pat Colander Design Director Mary Garrison Designer April Burford Contributing Writers Giles Bruce, Andrea Holecek, Diane Poulton, Leslie Bailey, Thomas Gryzbek, Calvin Bellamy, Linda Woloshansky Lead Photographer Tony V. Martin Director of Audience Development Kim Bowers Director of Digital Advertising Joe Battistoni Advertising Managers Craig Chism, Eric Horon Advertising Publication Manager Lisa Tavoletti Business Advisory Board Dave Bochnowski, Peoples Bank; Wil Davis, Gary Jet Center; Nick Meyer, NIPSCO; Barb Greene, Franciscan Physician Hospital; Tom Gryzbek, St. Margaret Mercy Hospital; Susan Zlajic, ArcelorMittal Copyright, Northwest Indiana/Chicagoland BusINess, 2011. All rights reserved. Reproduction or use of editorial or graphic content without permission is prohibited.

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BizWorthy

The Indiana Statehouse DOUG ROSS, THE TIMES

BIZ CLIMATE

Study: Indiana has best business climate in Midwest Businesses continue to praise Indiana’s tax climate — while investing more elsewhere JOSEPH S. PETE

I N D I A NA H A S T H E B E S T B US I N E S S CLIMATE in the Midwest, according to a study

by Bloomberg BNA and the Blackstone Group.

Bloomberg BNA, a subsidiary of the financial media company that focuses of legal, tax and regulatory information, wanted to look at whether state tax cuts were actually affecting corporate investments. Indiana, for instance, will reduce its corporate income tax rate to 4.9 percent by 2020 from 7 percent today.

6 | IN BUSINESS

So the company interviewed 100 high-level corporate tax professionals for their views on which states have the best and worst tax environments.

Indiana was their favorite state in the Midwest, and 19 percent said they would choose the state if they were to hypothetically relocate. Survey respondents said Illinois had one of the most adverse tax environments.

About 32 percent of respondents said Illinois – which has a corporate tax rate of 7.75 percent – has an unfavorable tax landscape.

About 55 percent said they’re businesses that actively lobbied for tax changes, just behind Texas and just ahead of New York and California.

Businesses, however, do not actually do what they say they will when surveyed about taxes. Last year, Illinois ranked third nationally with 394 major projects with more than $1 million in investment, 20,000 square feet or 50 jobs, while Indiana attracted only 170 such investments, according to Site Selection Magazine.

Illinois’ economy also grew three times as fast, with a 1.2 percent increase in gross domestic product as compared to 0.4 percent growth in Indiana, according to Bureau of Economic Analysis.

CLEAN ENERGY JOBS

Indiana 10th in nation in clean-energy jobs JOSEPH S. PETE

Indiana gained the 10th most cleanenergy jobs in the nation, according to a new study by the business group Environmental Entrepreneurs, or E2.

The green industry has been booming in Northwest Indiana. International Recycling Group, the computer recycler TradeWinds, the solar panel maker Fronius and the recycled box maker Pratt Industries have all recently expanded.

Pratt just opened a 110,000 recycling facility in Gary, which employs more than 20 workers and will save an estimated 1.5 million to 1.7 million trees a year. The company is also building a $260 million recycled paper mill that’s set to open in Valparaiso in September.

Indiana added 224 green energy jobs in the first quarter. Nationally, green energy and transportation companies announced they would create 9,800 jobs, more than twice as many as were announced in the first quarter of 2014.

“Nearly 10,000 new job announcements in one quarter shows just how fast clean energy is growing in America,” E2 Executive Director Bob Keefe said.

“But building an economy increasingly

Inside the new Pratt recycling plant in Gary.

JOHN J. WATKINS, THE TIMES

fueled by clean, renewable energy like wind existing power plants and increase clean energy and solar doesn’t happen in just one quarter. — will help keep the job growth going.”

Smart policies like the federal Clean Power Indiana has around 70,100 green goods and Plan — which will reduce carbon pollution from services jobs statewide.

IN CHAMBER

Indiana Chamber ranks Charbonneau among top state legislators INDIANA SEN. ED CHARBONNEAU, R-Valparaiso, is among the top 18 state legislators to receive a star designation for leadership from the Indiana Chamber of Commerce, the chamber announced recently.

“These are the legislators who willingly take on some of the toughest tasks and repeatedly champion public policy that will move Indiana forward,” Indiana Chamber President and CEO Kevin Brinegar said in a statement issued Wednesday morning.

The chamber released its 31st annual “Legislative Vote Analysis,” a report ranking state legislators on voting records on legislation the group deems “pro-jobs and pro-economy.”

“We saw a greater spread in scores this year, even among those in the same party,” Brinegar said. “That’s a testament to the nature of the public policy being introduced and debated as well as the changing demographics in the legislature.”

The chamber added a new element to scoring criteria this year, adding “significant, tangible actions by committee chairs as well as bill authors

and sponsors” to the mix.

Brinegar said the move caused a “slight adjustment to the base voting scores and, we believe, represents a more accurate picture of their overall performance.”

“Two important aspects of being a legislator aren’t captured in votes on the House and Senate floors,” Brinegar said. “One is holding initial committee hearings and giving legislation the opportunity to move forward, or choosing not to do that. The other is authoring impactful legislation. This new factor allows us to include these key actions.”

-TIMES STAFF

SUMMER 2015 | 7

BizWorthy SALUTE

Professionals on the Move

JONATHAN MIANO, THE TIMES

A portion of the extended Gary/Chicago International Airport runway is shown in the foreground, with the existing runway behind it. The area shown had a 40-foot high embankment used by freight trains to access Kirk Yard until last autumn. The tracks were moved to make way for the runway expansion.

GARY RUNWAY

Longer runway opens up possibilities at Gary airport KEITH BENMAN

G A RY/ C H I C A G O I N T E R N AT I O N A L AIRPORT’S longer runway should attract more aviation activity, but key players and observers said it will be more like a slow, steady ascent than a steep climb into the stratosphere.

A model for Gary could be Chicago/Rockford International Airport, which has been successful with leisure airlines and has ranked as a top 25 cargo airport nationally, according to Joseph Schwieterman, a DePaul University professor and director of the Chaddick Institute for Metropolitan Development.

“The prospects are good. But Gary may have to be patient. It may take a few years,” he said.

As compared to previous plans, strategic plans drawn up for Gary during the last five years recognized reality and did not predict a boom in regularly scheduled commercial passenger airlines there anytime soon.

But those more recent plans have consistently outlined the potential for attracting charters and leisure-destination airlines — and then utilizing those as a springboard to regularly scheduled commercial passenger service.

The longer runway should help in attaining both those goals, but particularly when it comes to regularly scheduled passenger service, said Wil Davis, owner of Gary Jet Center.

The former 7,000-foot runway, which until last autumn had a 38-foot high railroad embankment at one end, limited the size, type and destination of commercial passenger planes that could use Gary, Davis said.

“If you are ever going to have an airline here, that’s the one that would benefit the most, depending on where they want to go from here,” Davis said.

8 | IN BUSINESS

Davis offered an appraisal similar to Schwieterman’s on the airport’s future prospects, saying he believes business at the airport will grow at “a gradual, measured” pace due to the runway expansion.

Allegiant airline, which was the last airline to fly at Gary before pulling out in summer 2013, had to restrict fuel and passenger loads on some flights because of the railroad embankment. It also had to call off plans to fly to Las Vegas, because the planes could not carry the amount of fuel necessary and still meet federal safety requirements for clearing the embankment.

Those limitations are now a thing of the past, with the main runway lengthened to 8,900 feet, the railroad embankment taken down, and all trains now running beyond a 1,000-foot safety buffer at the runway’s northwest end.

Planes began landing and taking off on the longer runway Thursday.

The completion of the Gary runway expansion and the Rauner administration’s seeming lack of interest in a South Suburban airport at Peotone means this has been a good year for the Gary airport, Schwieterman said.

“It looks like Peotone has fallen on hard times,” Schwieterman said.

Proponents for Gary and several studies have concluded the Gary airport could host overflow traffic from O’Hare International or Midway.

That would be particularly true of traffic such as just-in-time cargo, corporate jets or charter flights that compete with commercial airlines for air space and landing slots.

“This positions Gary as a much stronger contender to become a major reliever airport,” Schwieterman said.

Residences at Deer Creek announces that seven of their team members are now certified dementia practitioners. They are: Karen Ayersman, executive director; Loveta Lee, director of resident services; Kathy Baker, memory support manager; Melissa Huffman, director of sales and marketing; Cynthia Horgash, director of life enrichment; Robert Petty, director of plant operations, and Natalie Simaga, director of social service.

Dr. Jason Petrungaro, M.D., F.A.C.S., board certified plastic surgeon, a Munster native, announces the opening of Petrungaro Plastic Surgery at 800 PETRUNGARO MacArthur Blvd, Suite 21, Munster, serving the residents of Northwest Indiana and the south suburbs. In addition to all aspects of plastic and reconstructive surgery, Petrungaro specializes in hand surgery.

Western & Southern Life welcomes to the local agency Kevin Surney. Surney will be assigned to the Merrillville office at 233 E. 84th Drive, Suite 204.

Judi Mariola was promoted to assistant vice president, assistant banking center manager of First Financial Bank’s Crown Point Banking Centers, 11890 Broadway and 936 N. Main St. in Crown Point. Mariola has been with the bank for 15 years and has over 25 years of banking experience.

Sue Raber, local independent health insurance broker/agent, was recently awarded partnership status by Healthcare Solutions Team. Raber offers clients insurance options, Medicare supplements, and updates and is certified for “on” and “off” Marketplace plans available in November.

David Emmert, longtime general counsel to the Indiana School Boards Association, will retire from that position effective June 30 and join Church Church Hittle & Antrim law office as an “of counsel” attorney as part of its school law practice group. He will work in the Merrillville and Noblesville offices.

...and it makes all the difference.

BizWorthy SALUTE

JOB WATCH

Professionals on the Move

Employment in the Calumet Region

Western & Southern Life welcomes back to the local agency Dan LaFountain.

He will be assigned to the Valparaiso office.

MacLennan & Bain Insurance of Valparaiso announces its acquisition of Midwest Insurance Agency. Midwest agents Paul Jankowski and Laura Brosky will continue in similar roles at MBI. The office is located at 214 Aberdeen JANKOWSKI Drive, in Valparaiso’s Aberdeen community.

Doctors of Excellence registry has recognized Dr. Nitin Khanna, orthopedist, spine surgeon, who has an office in Munster.

First Financial Bank announces Stacey Williams is the manager of its Hessville banking center.

Williams will manage the banking center located at 2705 169th St. WILLIAMS and will serve clients in Hammond, East Chicago and Gary, as well as in surrounding areas.

Mindy Reineke, registered client service associate, has earned her Series 7 registration. Reineke has worked for Vogelsang Asset Management since August and will be responsible for the operations of the firm, as well as tracking performance reporting, client reporting and maintaining a customer database. Reineke lives in Valparaiso with her husband Paul.

10 | IN BUSINESS

Lake County MAY 2015

MAY 2014

CHANGE

Labor force

232,035

232,531

496

Employed

215,977

213,831

2,146

Unemployed

16,058

18,700

2,642

MAY 2015

MAY 2014

CHANGE

Labor force

84,336

84,248

88

Employed

79,775

78,913

862

Unemployed

4,561

5,335

774

MAY 2015

MAY 2014

CHANGE

Labor force

48,743

49,338

595

Employed

45,807

45,662

145

2,936

3,676

740

MAY 2015

MAY 2014

CHANGE

Labor force

2,658,870

2,654,737

4,133

Employed

2,491,236

2,460,072

31,164

167,634

194,665

27,031

MAY 2015

MAY 2014

CHANGE

Labor force

354,266

354,658

392

Employed

332,420

328,732

3,688

Unemployed

21,846

25,926

4,080

Percent of workforce unemployed 6.9 percent

Porter County Percent of workforce unemployed 5.4 percent

LaPorte County

Unemployed

Percent of workforce unemployed 6.0 percent

Cook County

Unemployed

Percent of workforce unemployed 6.3 percent

Will County Percent of workforce unemployed 6.2 percent

Sources: Indiana Department of Workforce Development, Illinois Department of Employment Security

Happy. Healthy. Productive.

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Call 219-736-4067 to learn how our experts can focus and fortify your team‌ and ultimately improve your bottom line.

THE

Professionals

Watch

TO

E

ach year Times BusINess magazine identifies more than a dozen individuals at mid-career who are making a big difference in Northwest Indiana, who through skills, knowledge, experience and example are affecting change and inspiring others. We acknowledge these people not only for their accomplishments, but for their willingness to step up and lend a helping hand to others.

Frequently these are the people who give back while continuing to build their own portfolios through their many creative and innovative ideas. These are the role models, the drivers of change and the force that will shape and inform the future and the next generation of leaders. Meet the Class of 2015.

PHOTOGRAPHY BY TONY V. MARTIN

12 | IN BUSINESS

2015 BusINess Professionals To Watch

Ken Diehl returns to the Region where he bagged groceries to run Strack & Van Til stores To that end, Diehl is making it a practice to take a team of about 40 people from the corporate office to a store for a day once a month. Team members rom bagging groceries to management operations at some of the wear name tags that don’t identify their actual corporate positions. country’s largest grocery chains, Kenneth Diehl spent almost “It’s been great,” Diehl says about spending a day a month with his his entire working life in the grocery industry. entire corporate team at one of their stores. “We ran the department with “The only time I was not in the grocery business is during the department heads, bagged groceries up front, stocked shelves, and even my time in the U.S. Military,” says Diehl, who was named presipackaged meat. We really enjoy this, it’s a lot of fun.” dent and CEO of the Strack & Van Til chain in November, 2014.

It also provides management with first-hand information from the customers, the store employees and the store’s operations team. “We’ve The company, which is a subsidiary of Joliet-based Central Grocers, operates 20 stores under the Strack & Van Til name along with 16 Ultra learned that we don’t do everything perfectly,” Diehl says. “And we learned Foods and 2 Town & Country Market locations. that our employee base has needs that we need to be listening to. Most Diehl, who is from Northwest Indiana, attended South Haven importantly, we know our customers have to be happy. It’s great feedback.”

Elementary and Grissom Middle School Elementary in Portage before Listening to what the customers want is crucial to running the busimoving to Arizona where he attended ness, Diehl explains. And so he listens.

When customers learned the awning high school and college. After one year at at the Schererville store was going to Arizona State University, Diehl joined the be permanently removed during its U.S. Navy and sailed with the Merchant Marines from 1984 to 1988. current renovation, the customers voiced “After my service in the U.S. Military, concern, and those concerns were heard.

I jumped back into retail as a store janitor,” “We must take what our customers Diehl explains. “I worked my way up from say to heart,” Diehl says. “Customers let us store level, to district management and know what they like and don’t like, and we eventually to corporate management.” must react. We also have to be priced right His rise through the levels of manageand fairly in the market. We are committed ment began as a bag boy at Fry’s (a divito being priced right for our community.” sion of Kroger) to junior level manageDiehl’s corporate boss, Ken Nemeth, Chairman at Strack & Van Til and ment. At Albertsons LLC, Ken moved in President & CEO of Central Grocers, management jobs from store, to district, to division leadership during his 19 years says, “Ken Diehl has an outstanding food with the company. background. He served from A-to-Z and His next stop was in the Chicago is well-rounded in the industry. He’s just area when Jewel/Osco was purchased a confident, innovative executive and a

by Albertsons in 2012, as vice president terrific people person.” of sales, marketing and merchandising.

One meeting with Diehl was all it took Diehl left that position in 2014 to move for Nemeth to be impressed. “I met him to New York City where he was executive in August,” Nemeth says. “After the first vice president and chief merchandising interview, I called the people on my board and marketing officer for A&P in the and said, ‘I think I found my guy.’”

Northeast for eight months.

Derek Kinney, Strack & Van Til’s “Then I was blessed to be called home vice president of customer service, and now I’m home to stay,” Diehl says. labor relations and resources, followed Diehl to Strack’s from New York.“I was He and his wife, Magie, who is origiwith A&P for 30 years,” Kinney says. “I nally from the Philippines, moved from Strack & Van Til, a followed him because he’s a great man.

Phoenix to Chicago, Chicago to New York subsidiary of Joliet-based I believe he’s a visionary and a leader and from New York back to Northwest Indiana in the past three Central Grocers, operates others choose to follow. He cares about years. They now are ecstatic to live in Chesterton.

20 stores under the The couple has four adult children: The oldest daughter is in Strack &Van Til name people. He’s a great motivator. He knows along with 16 Ultra ministry in Phoenix, their middle daughters are both working the grocery business and is going to do Foods and two Town & toward their master’s degrees, and their youngest son is studying great things for the company.”

Country Market stores. and playing football at North Central Collage in Naperville.

The grocery business continues to Diehl says that although he had different positions with evolve as people’s time becomes scarcer, “Words can’t tell you how different chains, his experiences taught him not only about store Kinney said. “People are looking for happy I am. I never in a operation and how to work with diverse clientele, but also “how legendary customer service, quality, and million years thought I would be running the blessed we all are to live and be in Northwest Indiana.” meal solutions, organic, gluten free and stores I shopped at as “It’s different,” he says, “This is a community that’s very loyal LOCAL products and Ken believes in a child,” Diehl says. and very friendly with the expectation you’ll be loyal and friendly giving them what they want.” back. In the New York City area it’s hustle and bustle. Get in and Diehl also absolutely loves being Diehl has always worked out. Here it’s about giving them love and treating them right. We back in the Region and with its resiin the grocery business have to listen to what the customers tell us and give them what dents, Kinney says. “Ken always says, except for four years he served in the U.S. Navy. they want rather than what we think they want.”

I’ve come home.”

ANDREA HOLECEK

F

�� FACT FILE ��

SUMMER 2015 | 13

2015 BusINess Professionals To Watch

Brian Boilek’s passion for making things happen through investment in NWI to do business here, and that still is the foundation of what we’re trying to do.” anking has been a life-long passion for Brian Boilek, senior First Midwest has a good team in place and can bring premier banking vice president of commercial banking for First Midwest Bank services to the market, he says.

Indiana. He contends his second great passion is living in “I enjoy working with companies,” Boilek says. “Helping business Northwest Indiana and helping its economic development. owners grow their business, sell their businesses, or transition from one Boilek’s banking career began at age 16. When most generation to another. It’s my passion. It’s what I went to college for and of his friends had summer jobs working for the local park stayed with it all these years.” department, the owner of Merchantile National Bank, who also was its He and his wife, Michelle, are the parents of three children who all chairman and chief operating officer, helped Boilek get a job there as a attend local schools. Biolek has lived in Munster for the past 23 years and says he is committed to his community and all of Northwest Indiana. bank teller.

“I knew Joe Morrow,” says Boilek, a native of Highland, who resides in Boilek is treasurer of the Schererville Boys Baseball, a baseball coach, a member of the Northwest Munster. “He took me under his wing…

Indiana Forum Board, and is active in That’s where I got a first taste of what I the Lakeshore Chamber of Commerce, wanted to do.”

Opportunity Enterprises and many During the summers of his college years at Indiana University, where Boilek youth organizations. majored in economics, he continued Tim Anderson, who manages the working at the bank.

Schererville office of CliftonLarsonAllen, “My plan always was to be a banker,” a national CPA firm, has been friends he explains. “I was always fascinated with Boilek since high school. with banking and finance.”

“We have a number of mutual clients Since college graduation, followed by as I’m an accountant and he’s a banker,” an MBA from Indiana University’s Kelly Anderson says, “He’s always acted very School of Business, Boilek has had a fullprofessionally with his clients. I think he time career in banking. cares about them.

In 2003 he was senior vice president “ H e ’s a v e r y g e n t l e m a n l y, professional young man,” he says. of Oak Brook Bank, then two years later, “He’s been with a lot of banks, and has he became a vice president at National had a lot of good mentors. He’s a very City Bank, which was acquired by Fifth personable fellow and very easy to get Third Bank during his tenure.

Boilek moved to JP Morgan Chase along with. I’m sure that helps him and in 2005 where he was a vice president, his career.” remaining there until 2010 when he Robert Pereira, owner of Alliance was hired by Harris Bank as a senior Group Technologies Co. in Merrillville, vice president for middle market has had a client relationship with Boilek banking. He was with Harris until 2013 over the past eight years. when he moved to Wintrust Financial “He is what a banker should be,” Corp., which operates banks in Illinois, Pereira says. “He’s personable. He follows up and gets things done for his Wisconsin and Indiana.

He left that position in March to join clients. He never forgets about anyone. If First Midwest. Moving to First Midwest I could afford him I would hire him to do Brian Boilek’s first mentor was an easy decision, he says.“You move sales for our company. He understands was Joe Morrow, who the banking world and his clients very where the best opportunities are. So it was a no-brainer for me owned the Mercantile to come here.” well.”

Bank based in Hammond Outside his role as a banker, Boilek is At his position, Boilek oversees all First Midwest’s for many years. well regarded in the community, Pereira commercial banking in Indiana. “The main compelling reason Biolek and his family says.

I came here is that First Midwest has a very strong footprint in have lived in Munster “Brian’s a great baseball coach who’s Northwest Indiana with its 17 branches,” he says. “It has a good for 23 years but he legacy in banking relationships dating back 50 years. My coming very well thought of in area,” he says. participates in many “He cares about the kids on his team. here enhances that because of my reputation and my being on organizations throughout He’s well known in the community for the commercial side for 25 years.”

Northwest Indiana including Schererville what he does for the kids and what he With all the bank changes, mergers and acquisitions of the Boys Baseball, Northwest does for the league. Even though he past several decades, local business owners don’t always have Indiana Forum and the a lot of confidence that their bank or banker will stay in the lives in Munster, Schererville asked him Lakeshore Chamber. market, he says. to be a coach there. He pays attention to “Midwest is committed to the Region. It acquired Bank details and puts two and two together so Biolek got his first job Calumet about 10 years ago, where from year one, it knew how the outcome is great for everyone.” as a teller at age 16.

ANDREA HOLECEK

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At rdatransformation.com/blog the RDA keeps the region apprised of the latest news, announcements and project updates.

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5/12/15 4:12 PM

2015 BusINess Professionals To Watch

Michael Maheras on track from auto sales to manager/operator DIANE POULTON

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tarting out as a sales person in 1991, Michael Maheras has worked his way up the corporate ladder to become General Manager and Dealer/Operator of Phillips Chevrolet.

His first sales job was at Arrow Chevrolet in Midlothian Illinois.

“It definitely created a passion in me for the business and customer service,” Maheras says. “I was going to community college and treading water and trying to figure it all out. I started selling and worked my way up to sales manager, then finance manager and then I was recruited by Phillips Chevrolet in 1997.

Maheras joined Phillips as a sales manager, later was promoted to general sales manager and then to general manager. In October 2013, Maheras partnered with Phillips Chevrolet President Curtis Pascarella to open a dealership in Lansing, Illinois.

As General Manager Maheras oversees more than 300 employees at the Lansing and Frankfort, Illinois locations.

He is responsible for ensuring customer satisfaction for both the sales and service divisions, marketing, strategic planning and goal-setting.

Maheras enjoys interacting with his employees and company guests. “This is definitely satisfying, as is driving around town seeing our name on the back of a car,” Maheras says.

Community involvement is important to Maheras and Pascarella. “We love to be involved in the community,” Maheras says. “We are actively sponsoring several Little League teams and football teams in area schools. We invite schools in and give them field trips at the dealership where we teach them how to change oil on a car. I enjoy seeing a group of kids walking out with their Phillips’ hats looking like they could be on the job at the car dealership.”

Maheras says that giving to the community is good for the company’s name recognition and a means to “help our future drivers.”

Maheras is proud of the dealership’s accomplishments under his leadership.

“For the last 10 years in a row we’ve won Chevrolet’s highest national honor ‘Dealer of the Year,’” Maheras says. “Only 50 out of 3000 dealerships achieve this goal. That is our biggest accomplishment. We have the number one selling dealership in Illinois (Frankfort) and now the number two selling dealership in Illinois (Lansing).”

The dealer of the year award is based both on sales volume and highest customer satisfaction in both sales and service, Maheras says.

“You have to obtain a high enough grade in customer satisfaction,” Maheras says. “We always like to exceed guest

16 | IN BUSINESS

expectations.”

Chevrolet District Sales Manager Mike Bishop has known Maheras for more than two decades. Bishop says the key word that comes to mind when describing Maheras in “integrity.”

“He really cares about our customers, going above and beyond,” Bishop says. “The thing about Mike is that he is the type of guy you can shoot him an idea and, I am literally not out of the door, and he is off and running with it.”

Bishop says Maheras does an amazing job of keeping abreast of everything going on at the dealership.

“He is a non-complainer and makes no excuses,” Bishop says.

“Everybody is always looking for the secret sauce to success. It is hard work and the thing I can say is the common thread in both those stores is they are extremely process driven.”

Bishop says Maheras follows the Disney business principle. “Nothing happens by chance at Disney, they map everything out,” Bishop says. “That is what I see with the way Maheras operates and the rules he lives by.”

One of Maheras’ challenges is keeping up with the company’s growth.

“We are always hiring,” Maheras says.

“That is a little bit of a challenge as we are always expanding. Carrying the right inventory can be a challenge.

Recently we overcame the adversity of being under construction at our Lansing location but we are complete and just putting on the final touches with some landscaping. We developed over 10 acres from scratch. That was a challenge.”

Whether building or remodeling, Maheras says, the guest lounge is always a top priority. “We build from around there,” Maheras says.

Maheras has benefitted from the help of mentors as he rose through the ranks in the automotive industry.

“One of my biggest mentors is my partner Curtis Pascarella,” Maheras says. “He has definitely taught me to be a great business person and to be Phillips has two locations involved in the community. He has with over 300 employees. taught me patience. He has taught me about pride and honor and integrity.”

Maheras has a passion for Pascarella says Maheras has played a community involvement major role in the success of both Phillips and is a frequent sponsor Chevrolet of Frankfort and Phillips of local sports teams and loves to give tours of Chevrolet of Lansing. the dealership to kids.

“Mike consistently has a positive attitude even when faced up against Keeping up with the what seems to be the impossible,” growth in the Lansing Pascarella says. and Frankfort locations Maheras describes his personal and has been the greatest business philosophy as “Always be and most rewarding challenge for Maheras. humble but stay hungry.”

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2015 BusINess Professionals To Watch

As institute director, Elizabeth Lynn encourages service, leadership She has worked toward that goal not only at the Institute but also through her involvement in the ValpoNEXT project, which is a strategic ith a love for literature, Elizabeth Lynn at first put vision of the city’s future. She is co-chair of the citizen steering committee pen to paper, but soon realized that cultivating working with co-chair Matt Evans as well as the city’s leadership team. community connections was where she wanted “It has been a wonderful experience working with Matt, the city to have her career. leadership, and most of all with other citizens on the steering committee “When I graduated from college, I naturally and in the public forums we organized,” she says. “Plus, we had incredibly thought I wanted to be a writer with a capital ‘W.’ skillful expert guidance from the consulting group (ACP Planning and My first project was to write a history of a farming community in Maine.

Visioning) out of Columbus, Ohio.

I didn’t fall in love with the writing life after all — too solitary — but “I hope that Valpo itself will flourish — with more of its people actively I did fall in love with that farming community,” Lynn says. “It was a and creatively engaged in shaping its promising future.” place where people really cared for one another and had built common Lynn has also served on planning-related boards and committees in institutions that expressed that mutual Valparaiso, including on the Board of Zoning Appeals since 2009. She is on care. the boards of two Indianapolis-based “While living there, I became interested in how stories themselves can organizations: Indiana Humanities and help to create a sense of community.” the Lake Institute on Faith and Giving at Lynn went on to earn a PhD in the Lilly Family School of Philanthropy religion and literature at the University at Indiana University. of Chicago and then to start the Center “Indiana Humanities is a statewide organization dedicated to helping for Civic Reflection at Valparaiso Hoosiers read, think and talk,” she University. It encourages people to says. “Both of these organizations help reflect on their life in community through reading and discussion. people connect their values to their life The program is a component of VU’s in community — and both offer high Institute for Leadership and Service, quality program resources that could be where Lynn serves as director. of greater service in our own part of the “The Institute for Leadership state.” and Service is dedicated to preparing Keira Amstutz, president and CEO Valpo graduates for lives of leadership of Indiana Humanities, says Lynn is a and service. We support fellowships, leader in the field at the state level and courses, speakers and conferences beyond. Lynn helped orchestrate a case that help students build connections study in Indiana that was set to be an between their academic study, their example for other studies of its kind service to the world and their plans for throughout the country. future success,” she says. “We like to “She not only is a significant leader say we help students do good work on on our board but also is responsible for our grant committee. She led the purpose.”

Over the years, Lynn has worked national effort that led to the case study to help people develop a stronger that allowed us to gauge the health and sense of engagement through her well-being of the humanities network in roles as foundation officer, evaluation the state,” Amstutz says. consultant, college professor and Amstutz says Lynn brings an energy Elizabeth Lynn began the program director. and attitude to her work and projects.

Center for Civic Reflection at Valparaiso University in “I love helping my fellow citizens “She listens to ideas and is a builder of bridges and 1998, with generous support think more deeply about their life in connections between people, ideas and places. That is how from Lilly Endowment Inc. community and deepen their sense her leadership emerges, not from the top down. She is a of connection and commitment to consensus builder and that is a fantastic skill,” she says.

Lynn has continued to others. Fundamentally, I believe that we Lynn says she is looking forward to the Institute’s move write over the years. She flourish as human beings when we are to its new location on the VU campus at the Helge Center. co-authored with Susan connected to one another, and when we “I am excited to see what we can do with this new Wisely “Four Traditions of Philanthropy” and co-edited have opportunities to think through our space to foster more courageous leadership, compassionate with Adam Davis “The values and build on them to contribute service and meaningful engagement among students and all Civically Engaged Reader.” members of our community,” she says. to something larger than ourselves,” she “My goal is to be part of the change that needs to happen says. “I want to help create conditions in Her book about Maine, to make this world a better place — and to practice patience my city, and region and world that help “Taken from the Ground: foster people’s sense of community, with myself and gratitude toward others as we move on down Leeds, Maine in the Twentieth Century,” is still in print. connection and contribution.” the road.”

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New LAUW CEO Lisa Daugherty aims to make a difference in others’ lives The organizational challenge is having enough time and resources to keep up with the momentum that builds as United Way transitions to the new model. ew Lake Area United Way President and CEO Lisa M. Daugherty says her life goal is to make a difference.

“Many people in the community are familiar with the United Way Colleagues say that is exactly what she is doing. brand, but they do not necessarily understand exactly what we do,” Daugherty says. “We have a lot of educating to do in order to meet our James R. Dye, current TradeWinds Services Board President, was vice president when Daugherty, who was potential in mobilizing the community. As we accomplish that, look out.

It’s going to become quite a movement.” president, became director of marketing and development for the nonprofit organization which provides services to children and Aaron McDermott, president of Latitude Commercial and Chairman adults with special needs. of the Board for LAUW, met Daugherty during her tenure with the Times Media Company at various events.

“It has been quite a dynamic change moving from where we were in Gary “I also chaired the executive search committee that eventually hired out to Hobart,” Dye says. “Lisa was very Lisa,” McDermott says. McDermott is instrumental in that transition.” impressed by Daugherty’s enthusiasm Dye, who is also president of the Jim and Betty Dye Foundation, describes and her goal oriented leadership.

Daugherty as uniquely hard- working “The board decided to make a significant change to a Community and passionate.

“She is so giving,” Dye says. “She is Impact model for Lake Area United Way really passionate about what she does prior to her accepting the position,” McDermott says. “Lisa and the staff and seeing a difference. That is what she wants. I think that is her reward in life to have laid out a very thorough road map see that she did something and it made as to how they plan to implement that a difference in the community. That is change. Her leadership and persistence what is important to her.” to lay this plan out within her first six Dye says Daugherty is a good listener, months of being on the job is a testament extremely intelligent and always has to her ability to lead this organization.” a smile on her face. “Her impact with McDermott says Daugherty is very Lake Area United Way — you will see passionate about the people she has a difference now,” Dye says. “She has working for her and the job at hand. already established some new ground “Instead of taking credit or using the rules and new plans for the future.” word ‘I’ she is always using ‘We’ and At LAUW, Daugherty heads a diverse giving credit to the staff she has working team of community leaders, staff and with her,” McDermott says. “When she volunteers working to advance the is talking about the future of United Way common good in the community. there is an incredible excitement in her “I leverage relationships and presentation about how we are moving convene stakeholders across sectors forward.” to accomplish that,” Daugherty says.

During her career at The Times, Daugherty held various positions “Ultimately in this role, I am the steward of, and must build trust in, the United including director of Human Resources The Lake Area United Way Way brand to grow its relevance in the and advertising director. board had decided to community.”

“This provided rich leadership and make a significant change marketing experience as well as so What is most satisfying about her job, Daugherty says, is the to a Community Impact many relationships and connections in team. “I am honored to be part of such a great network of staff, model for Lake Area United Way prior to Lisa board, community providers and leaders, as well as donors and the community,” Daugherty says. “I also Daugherty’s acceptance volunteers,” Daugherty says. “The commitment to our mission served as the director of marketing and of the position. But it is is extremely humbling and the willingness of people to help development at TradeWinds Services, up to her to market and others makes me feel incredibly lucky and proud to be part of Inc. which taught me a great deal about implement the new model. this organization.” the non-profit sector and community Daugherty says her staff is amazing and the rollout of the needs.”

“Many people in the new business model the last few months has gone very well.

“It’s all about your personal brand,” community are familiar with the United Way brand, Daugherty says. “Be authentic. Care “We are transitioning to a ‘community impact model’ which will but they do not necessarily about people. Follow through on your focus on root causes of complex social issues in our community understand exactly what and bring significant, lasting change,” Daugherty says. commitments.” we do,” Daugherty says.

The personal challenge in Daugherty’s new role is “patience.”

“I want to accomplish meaningful and sustainable impact The personal challenge Read more about Lisa Daugherty at right now, but that’s not realistic,” Daugherty says. “It’s going in Daugherty’s new role is “patience.” to take time.” nwi.com DIANE POULTON

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18 | IN BUSINESS

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2015 BusINess Professionals To Watch

Transparency is what I’m after. We want people to know who we are in a very basic way. How we get to know each other is important so I am quite engaged and involved in communicating with our employees and customers.

20 | IN BUSINESS

2015 BusINess Professionals To Watch

Trailblazer Violet Sistovaris focuses on strategy and the future as NIPSCO’s leader “It’s small but mighty,” she says. “The mentoring does not stop with our women leaders. We’ve had great success building the next generation he new senior executive at Northern Indiana Public Service and creating a pipeline of talent across NIPSCO.” Co. (NIPSCO), Violet Sistovaris is directing operations, One of the best learning experiences early in her career at NiSource, regulatory policy and compliance at the utility company and was her responsibility for the call center, which began as a department its employees, but she is most concerned about her most with 150 people. “While I was the leader there we merged with fundamental responsibility: delivering quality service to the Columbia and then we had seven call centers.” Challenges and turmoil 1.1 million customers in Indiana. followed, but an effective three-center customer contact department She is surrounded by stakeholders she explains, but make no mistake, emerged. She never lost sight of the priority of employee as well as “our customers are right at the top,” of the list. Sistovaris, who has just customer safety.

At NiSource, Sistovaris has also had several executive level mentors passed her 20-year anniversary with the company, has an extensive background with a range of experience on the corporate side, plus her including Robert Skaggs who enlisted her for the role of CIO, where she operations work. She knows the process of the company and many of learned to focus even more on initiatives and leadership. Not just with the people “from the meter all the way to the bill.” who would be guiding the company during the next “five-seven-ten” Another advantage she has going in is that years, but also anticipating “the customer’s she is a long-time Northwest Indiana resident. needs and wants” on into the future.

Coming in as the senior executive her initial When she was called on to be the executive impression of NIPSCO as an organization is at the head of NIPSCO and its 3,000 employees, that she comes into a company with a very solid she says no one could have been more delighted than she was. The CIO job taught plan, not only for the current year, but also for In 2005, Violet Sistovaris, moved her about people, process and technology, the future. As Sistovaris says, “The people and from running a two-person HR working together. “I got a sense of different processes are in place, so it’s an execution story: department to supervising 150 types of leadership and was able to formulate How do we continue to execute on that plan?” employees in the call center. a model for NiSource,” which gave her a deep Prior to joining NiSource in 1994, Sistovaris After the Columbia merger, was the training and development officer at understanding of what the company is looking her responsibilities grew to for in a leader.

Centier Bank based in Merrillville, consequently, include seven call centers.

“I was in banking when it was being de-regulated “What I loved about that MBA concentration Along with another key and came into a completely regulated industry.” in organizational development (at IU), is it just executive Carrie Hightman, One of Sistovaris’s major accomplishments affirmed the people, processes, technology,” Sistovaris developed a model in employee development was implementing matrix, those three “really are the core.” As a ‘Women in Leadership’ program a women mentoring program. “I got into the result, the role of technology is part of the 5-year for NiSource in 2011. workplace when banking was heavily maleroad map for NiSource’s businesses. “We don’t Her experience as CIO dominated, so early in my career I understood want to be on the bleeding edge,” as Sistovaris taught her about technology that women leaders have unique needs. We says. Technology is rather in “alignment. Tech is architecture, security and communicate differently. We think about here to support, to enable the business initiative mobility, but also that “These things in a different way.” Her first attempt at and the customer community.” are the folks who have to introducing a mentoring program needed more According to NiSource CEO Joe Hamrock, tell me what I need today.” steam, and she did not give up. the depth of her knowledge and experiences The second try started with a conversation working with people and processes are precisely in the company’s parking lot with Carrie what made her the best choice to lead NIPSCO: Hightman, NiSource’s Executive Vice President “As we transition NiSource into a fully-regulated utilities company, it was essential that we had a leader in place that could and Chief Legal Officer, wondering if they could do something, so in the fall of 2011, the very first women in leadership summit was held. “We continue building NIPSCO into the premier utility in Indiana,” he says.

“Given Violet’s long-time Indiana roots, her commitment to customer had executive support from our peer group and did a focus group to define” the program, Sistovaris says, which included training in critical and community service, and the success she’s already delivered across thinking and negotiating skills. “You could feel the buzz and energy in NiSource, she is uniquely and ideally suited to be named as NIPSCO’s the room,” she says of the 130 top women who gathered for the inaugural top executive.” meeting. After that the program took off.

For now the fundamentals of business remain the same with plans The question became not only how would they get more women to modernize gas as well as electric service at the utility and fiscal into the company as well as how could they get more women in the responsibility. But first, Sistovaris will embark on a 30-site tour to get organization involved. The answer was regionalism. “We couldn’t do to know the NIPSCO employees. “Communication is at the heart of the business we’re in, especially being a public organization,” she explains. everything,” Sistovaris explains, “so we abridged the two-day summit into two, half-day regionals.” The meetings, which have grown from “Transparency is what I’m after. We want people to know who we are 350 women managers to 500,” have hosted speaks including Mayor Blair in a very basic way. How we get to know each other is important so I Milo of LaPorte and Gary Mayor Karen Freeman-Wilson. am quite engaged and involved in communicating with our employees Another goal of the group was creating affinity, developing Women and customers. at NiSource, which has nearly 700 members with monthly programs, “It’s a great story. We have a great foundation and new leadership. book clubs, coaching circles and sometimes a speaker. The third face We have the right people for the right jobs and we understand those of the program in mentoring, which has a core team advisory group: intersections.”

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2015 BusINess Professionals To Watch

Holladay Properties leader Tim Healy turns vision into reality to serve his clients and partners,” Tobin says. “He adds a lot of value to the projects that he is participating in and at the end of the day, the community is the winner and the tenants, contractors and or Tim Healy, it is the beginning that brings a sense of pride.

“I suppose I am most proud of the AmeriPlex at the Port sub-contractors are winners …. Everyone benefits.”

Development since it all started there, alone in a project Healy began his career as a sales representative for Xerox in Long trailer,” he says. “To start with a blank canvas and create a Beach, Calif., and then on to various cities while working for GE Medical distinctive sense of place that has attracted so many quality Systems, moving 11 times in the first nine years of marriage to wife Molly. companies to the region is gratifying.”

“From there, I co-founded an environmental remediation company Healy is a partner and senior vice called ENTACT, which led me to president – development at Holladay developing real estate. I joined Holladay Properties, which has three business in 2000 to lead the development efforts parks including the AmeriPlex at the in the region,” he says.

Port in Portage, AmeriPlex at the “ I e n te re d t h e rea l e s ta te development field from my Crossroad in Merrillville and Lifeworks environmental experience where I Business Park in M ichigan City. was working with corporate surplus The company is also managing the properties that had environmental development of NewPort Landing in LaPorte. impacts. I was attracted to the challenge “My role at Holladay Properties of turning an impaired property back to is to lead our development team in productive use.”

Northwest Indiana and Chicago. Our Being in the real estate realm offers team consists of development managers, a diversified daily work life, he says.

“There is never a dull moment. The architects and project planners as well as maintenance staff that manage field is an entrepreneurial playground our properties,” he says. “We have where you dream up a project and developed over 3 million square feet of see it put into action. It is extremely new projects since I opened our office challenging and multi-faceted,” he says. “It requires perseverance, in Northwest Indiana.” diligence, salesmanship and vision.

The Holladay team works on a range You get to dream big and see your of projects from single and multi-tenant industrial, office and commercial dreams morph into reality. buildings to hospitality projects.

“I also really enjoy working with various companies to attract jobs to “We have three hotels with 15 more our region and learn of all the unique in the development pipeline. We acquire ways companies produce and sell a land and develop it and then bring a suitable project to bear on the land. product.”

We own and manage our portfolio and Healy has also had the opportunity work with our tenants to help grow their to serve on the Centier Bank board. businesses by providing excellent real “I have truly enjoyed contributing Tim Healy is a 1989 graduate of estate professionally managed,” he says. to the growth of the bank. Centier has the University of Notre Dame.

“I sell the advantages of Northwest Indiana every day. made a huge contribution to our region The AmeriPlex at the Port in I hope that through our projects we are contributing and I have enjoyed seeing the impact of Portage is a 400-acre mixed-used to the health and well-being of thousands of families a strong vision and commitment to a development. The AmeriPlex at in the region.” marketplace,” he says. “Mike Schrage’s the Crossroads in Merrillville is Healy says projects prompt economic development leadership is something to emulate.” a 385 mixed-used development benefits and beyond.

As Healy looks ahead, he hopes that is a joint venture with the to help grow Holladay in Northwest “Besides the obvious economic impact of having Purdue Research Foundation.

Indiana as well as expand the region’s job growth in a city, communities benefit from tax The two projects house more base growth and diversity from Holladay Properties reach. than 70 businesses and serve projects,” he says. “Most businesses put very little “I want to continue to attract more than 2,500 people who burden on a community’s services relative to the amazing professionals and empower work at these locations. taxes they pay. Commercial development subsidizes them to reach goals beyond their Down the road, Healy “would wildest dreams,” he says. “I want to residential housing to keep tax rates low. “ like to move into a full-time Kevin Tobin has worked with Healy on the MidPoint make our region a place where the state service-oriented position that USA project that is at the AmeriPlex at the Port in line is no longer a barrier and that we involves teaching and coaching.” truly become part of the Chicagoland Portage.

“He is a model of integrity and has a commitment marketplace.”

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2015 BusINess Professionals To Watch

Entrepreneur Dwayne Walker launches new path from corporate to gourmet snacks was honored by the Purdue University Calumet College of Business with an Entrepreneurial Success alumni award.

“I am humbled,” Walker says. “The honors help me understand and wayne Walker’s business was “off and popping” even solidify that I am on the right path. I am nowhere near where I want to before the doors were open. be, but it signifies that I am on the right path.

The owner of ChicagoLand Popcorn on U.S. 30 in “It hit me that I am an entrepreneur.”

Merrillville took over as title sponsor of the Valparaiso Popcorn Festival in 2014 at the last minute after ConAgra Walker says with the reception that the business received at the 2014 festival and that they continue to receive, his team is eyeing an Foods withdrew its Orville Redenbacher title sponsorship for the annual September event. expansion.

“We were mulling over information on how to be a vendor when “We were already out of space when we turned the lights on,” he they called with the opportunity and I says. “We are looking at several retail locations in other Northwest Indiana thought, ‘Is this a crank call?’” he says.

“I originally said no and that night had communities but we don’t have enough an epiphany and worked out details of a processing area and we are out of for the deal. We were the title sponsor space in the kitchen.” before we opened the store.”

Walker continues to share his Returning as title sponsor again in insights and experiences as a leader of 2015, Walker says the publicity was key the next generation of entrepreneurs. and community members were thankful “I was a mentor to a lot of people in corporate America but over time for their efforts last year.

“We had tremendous exposure and a as more and more people wanted to hear my story, I couldn’t do it. lot of press. A bus came in the first day There were too many individuals to we opened,” he says. “We had people walking up to us and thanking us for meet one-on-one,” he says. “So we started meeting in groups and I was taking over at the last minute.” finding other examples of people The “popcorn flavor superstore” offers 250 flavors at its location right and their stories. They could hear the across from Albanese Confectionery reality of what I was doing and other as well as online. The flavors range stories.” from sweet including banana and Bringing a mentoring philosophy butterscotch to salty including pizza to the masses is the idea behind “Community of Champions.’” It is a and BBQ. weekly radio show hosted by Walker Walker says the idea behind the that runs Mondays from 5 to 6 p.m. business was to put gourmet popcorn on Valparaiso’s WVLP, 98.3 FM or via back on the map in Northwest Indiana with offerings beyond smaller, selflivestream at www.wvlp.org. owned locations.

“Dwayne doesn’t shy away from opportunities, such as stepping in He has trademarked not only the as name sponsor for the Valparaiso “popcorn flavor superstore” but also Popcorn Festival and diving into the “Say it with Flavor” as he looks to build on the custom gift segment of his world of local radio,” Feldt says.

Dwayne Walker received his company.

Walker put together the theme bachelor’s degree from Western song and presented the idea during For Walker, the popcorn business is a new avenue Michigan University and his MBA the station’s annual community radio after working in the corporate world and retiring. He from Purdue University Calumet. round-up, which allows the public to had worked at mid-tier and Fortune companies during He serves on the advisory his career in positions including field level support up offer ideas for an hour-long show. board for the Purdue University to the senior executive ranks. He was a group president Guests have included Feldt, a Calumet’s College of Business. civil air patrol engineer and Stewart of Illinois Tool Works and managed a $400 million sales division with 1,100 employees in 110 locations.

McMillan of Task Force Tips.

ChicagoLand Popcorn was “Dwayne has transitioned from the corporate world “We are actually mentoring on a among the Food Network bigger scale,” he says. “We highlight to his own retail store, two very different environments, Magazine’s list of shops having the best flavors and was people in the community who are enthusiastically,” says Northwest ISBDC Regional featured in the June issue. champions in their own right and Director Lorri Feldt. “He has made the store fun and doing things that are noteworthy. I inviting and customers come and go with smiles on their The 37th annual Valparaiso want the people on my show to give faces. He is a natural at serving customers.”

Popcorn Festival will be on Sept.

Feldt and the NW-ISBDC recently recognized those listening hope by discussing their 12 in downtown Valparaiso.

Walker as an EDGE (Economic Development and struggles and how they have overcome The ChicagoLand Popcorn Growth through Entrepreneurship) honoree. He also them. We are igniting hope.” parade kicks off at 10 a.m.

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Rob Thorgren leads family-owned business, community projects and pavilion. It is an awesome playground and people enjoy it every single day,” he says. “Any time you can show the youth that they live in a great community, it promotes them coming back to live here. t was during the midnight shift at his family’s business that Rob Thorgren realized he had found his career.

“When I went to Bloomington for four years … I am so glad that I came back to the community. I am a Viking through and through and “I graduated from IU to be a teacher in the middle of the year and there were no positions available,” he says. “I helped my anything that is Valpo-related, I am all about helping out.” dad (Bob) by working the midnight shift for a few months and I Thorgren also served as an active board member at the Valparaiso YMCA for 10 years and as president. He was the liaison between the couldn’t leave and realized I want to be here forever.”

YMCA and the construction company, Tonn and Blank, during the Rob leads Thorgren Tool & Molding as president along with his brother, Tyler, who is vice president. construction of the $15 million facility located off Calumet Avenue.

The two are building on the business “The membership went from 5,500 launched by great-grandfather Charles to 16,000,” he says. “I still help out with and grandfather Bob in 1946 in committees.”

Valparaiso. The injection molder of He helps raise funds for the Valparaiso plastic parts for appliances supplies Schools Foundation, which awards scholarships to high school seniors and products to countries all over the world.

“We make the air-moving parts for provides teacher classroom grants. fans such as the one in your bathroom “We have a few functions during and your range hood, hair dryers and the year to raise money,” he says. refrigerators,” Thorgren says. “We were H e a l s o c u r re n t ly s e r ve s a s some of the first to inject nylon to make secretary on the city’s redevelopment small air-movement parts in the 1950s commission. and we continued on through with that “I am privileged to be appointed niche.” by the Mayor (Jon Costas) to serve on Being a long-time family-owned the committee. We want to help Valpo business spurs Thorgren forward. remain a positive place to do business,” “There is a great sense of pride. Our he says. “The commission does a name is on all of the products that go couple things: we help bring potential out the door. We want to have a good new business to the community and help support businesses that have product and our name is very reputable in the appliance field. We have a lot of remained here for a long time.” pride and family tradition to carry on,” Thorgren says, “My leisure time is he says. “From the beginning, we have my kids’ time.” He has two children: been very philanthropic in supporting Bo, 12, and Sam, 7, with wife Natalie, who is a second-grade teacher at Valpo and that is a tradition we want as Northview Elementary School in another generation.”

Thorgren has lent a hand to various Valparaiso. causes and organizations including the “I coach my kids in baseball and Valparaiso YMCA, ValPLAYso – the football. I really enjoy doing that as my Next Generation, the Valpo Schools father did with the four of us when we Fo u n d a t i o n a n d t h e Va l pa ra i so were younger,” he says.

Thorgren Tool & Molding Redevelopment Commission.

Rick Urschel has known Thorgren created a specialty tool-and-die “When I was growing up, Valpo was “for as long as I can remember” and their families operation, which rapidly evolved a great place and it is my obligation and have been connected over the years as part of the into one of the first companies privilege to be able to give back to the region’s business community. dedicated to the processing of internally generated molds. same community that gave so much to “We are not in the same industry nor have the me,” he says. “When there has been a same customers but we are both in manufacturing,” Four generations of Thorgrens need for something in the community, Urschel says. “We run ideas past each other from the have been active in the I am very supportive of it.” smallest detail on maintenance to how our companies design and manufacture of T h o rg re n wo rke d w i t h K aye are structured. If I have a question or Rob does or we air-moving technology.

Frataccia on ValPLAYso in charge of the just want another opinion, we seek out each other’s Thorgren has been recognized building teams of leaders. The two were advice quite often.” for his service, including recently recognized by the Valpo Parks Urschel has seen Thorgren in action, connecting receiving the Greater Valparaiso Foundation for their efforts, receiving with him at a fund-raiser before the new Valparaiso Chamber of Commerce Legacy the Legendary Friend Award.

YMCA was built. of Service Award and the Porter “It’s about being the best citizen you can possibly “We put all of the parts and pieces County Community Foundation be,” Thorgren adds. “I really do believe we should all together on the nine-month project Volunteer of the Year Award. give back to the community.” that is finishing up with the restrooms LESLY BAILEY

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Porter System leader Stephen Lunn relishes role and impact in the industry “You can’t operate a health care system from within the walls of the facility. You have to understand what is going on around you and the t the end of the day, Porter Health Care System CEO needs of the community. We are not just a health care provider but one Stephen Lunn has a sense of accomplishment that is hard of the largest employers in the area. We have a large connection to the to put into words. community,” he says. “Having the relationship is really important as a “When you go home, you know that you made a community member that helps drive things back to purpose and why I difference in somebody’s life. I see people that work here love what I do. I get to interact not only as a leader but also as a driver and throughout our system saving lives every day. That of improving health care.” is just amazing. It’s amazing to go home and have success stories of how Dave Rose, Horizon Bank executive and Porter Health Care System’s someone’s life was impacted,” he says. “It’s a reward that unless you are chairman of the board, works directly with Lunn and sees how he has in the health care field, it is hard to describe … it’s a wonderful feeling.” jumped into community involvement.

“From the community perspective, he has stepped in and taken on a Lunn’s career in health care was not his original profession of choice. number of leadership roles throughout the community. Porter is one of He was a computer science major in college and worked as an application developer before the tech crash changed the landscape of his field. the leading financial supporters throughout the community and Steve “This is a new career path for supports that community involvement,” me. I am originally from Nashville, Rose says. “He is constantly striving Tennessee, and that is considered the to expand the services that Porter provides including through Porter health care hub of the nation,” he says.

Physician Group by bringing in new “It was the logical thing for me when I was looking for a new career … I fell into physicians to the community who have health care and very quickly found a real new skill sets so the system can provide passion for it.” new services.”

Lunn joined Porter Health Care Looking forward, Lunn sees the System in March 2014 bringing more health care system continuing to than 10 years of hospital leadership grow, expand and diversify services. experience to the role. He has served A component of the plan will come to as CEO at Heartland Regional Medical fruition when the new ER department Center in Marion, Illinois, Moberly will open its doors in Valparaiso on Regional Medical Center in Missouri Roosevelt Road. and Parkway Regional Hospital in The need has been there since the hospital moved from its downtown Kentucky.

At Porter, he oversees 2,200 location to U.S. 6 in 2012. associates at the network’s hospitals “We felt committed to go back to offer ER services to those that live and facilities. in Valpo. It’s one piece or step in our “We provide a full array of health progression to become a more wellcare services. My role obviously is rounded health care system,” he says. oversight but also to look to the future “It will be a full-service department with strategic planning to make sure with all of the services of an ER with that we position ourselves to take care the focus on providing services closer of the people here in Porter County,” he to home. It’s the full spectrum from says.

Part of taking on the new role someone with a small child who needs has allowed him to blend his own to be seen in the middle of the night to experiences with what has been in place a possible heart attack.” in the past.

For Lunn, what it means to be a A native of Nashville, Tennessee, Lunn earned “I am learning not only about the hospital CEO has evolved over the years his MBA and bachelor’s history, but also what our folks do every day to make people’s and was driven by a mentor. degree from the University lives better. It’s really exciting to take what I know from “It’s so important to not just manage of Tennessee at Knoxville. somewhere else with learning a new way of doing things … the stats. You have to treat every adding from the past what worked well and meshing it with patient like they are your own family Lunn received the the success we are having here,” he says. “It’s exciting to see and demand 100 percent quality each 2012 CEO Excellence and every time. It’s then guaranteed people take on challenges such as health care reform to make in Leadership Award from Community a difference here.” that if your family members walked in, Health Systems.

Transitioning into the leadership position within the they will receive the best care because last year, Lunn has been out connecting with community that happens for every single patient,” Lunn began his second members and learning about the region. He is on the boards he says. “When you put quality first, it career path in a training of the Porter County Community Foundation, Valparaiso really offers the reward personally that program for hospital Parks, EMPOWER Porter County and the Greater Valparaiso is hard to explain. I absolutely love what administration out of graduate school.

Chamber of Commerce.

I do.”

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Crown Point, Indiana

PURDUE

RESEARCH PARK

30 miles to Chicago Loop 6 miles to

Merrillville, Indiana

2015 BusINess Professionals To Watch

Ivy Tech President R. Luis Gonzalez spent lifetime in service to NWI become quite fragmented as a community. That troubles me because I know we are better than that.”

Gonzalez believes strong individuals build a strong community. “I am vy Tech Community College Foundations of East Chicago De La Garza Campus President R. Luis Gonzalez has dedicated his life to of the belief that each of us has the power to improve our current situation service in his community. or to help a fellow human being,” Gonzalez says. “I believe this power can His career accomplishments have earned Gonzalez numerous transform not only an individual but a community as well. Through this awards. Most recently the Lakeshore Chamber of Commerce transformation, we begin to see those who are cynical believing in hope honored him as 2014 Business Person of the Year. once again. We see students who once gave up on school rekindling their dreams through education. We witness faculty and staff who invest their Lakeshore Chamber Executive Director Dave Ryan describes Gonzalez as a strong supporter of his students who works constantly to improve the time and energies to make students successful, which then brings in playing field for Ivy Tech in Northwest Indiana. business and community leadership who now desire to partner with us “I consider Louie both a friend and great advocate for not only his as we invest in the future workforce.” students, but also the business community in Northwest Indiana,” Ryan That is how community is built, Gonzalez says. “It is so much more than says. a campus building,” Gonzalez says. “That In 1993, Governor Evan Bayh is why I love my job and my employer. We presented Gonzalez with Indiana’s help change lives every day.” highest award, Sagamore of the D r. Ja m e s M . R a j c h e l , p a s t Wabash, for distinguished service as treasurer of the Foundations of East Port Commissioner and Chairman of Chicago, describes Gonzalez as “a true the Indiana Port Commission. In May, gentleman.”

2012, Gonzalez received the Pillars of the “He always exhibits a genuine smile Community Service Award from Healthy and has a positive outlook and is a East Chicago for his active role within person of utmost integrity,” Dr. Rajchel the city. In 1984, while serving as Field says.

Director at Midwest Voter Registration Gonzalez credits many people with positively impacting and inspiring him Education Project, Gonzalez received the throughout his life’s journey. Mike prestigious Volunteer of the Year Award Arredondo, who died last year, was for his outstanding contributions in the Gonzalez’ best friend for more than 40 field of voter registration and education.

As campus president, Gonzalez is years. “He taught me to laugh, and that the senior administrator for all services is something I will always treasure, and and responsible for the management to always make the effort to keep joy in and oversight of day-to-day operations. your heart,” Gonzalez says.

He recommends strategies to meet the Dr. Norman Comer mentored needs of a diverse community and to Gonzalez at Ivy Tech.“I learned so much address the ever-changing student body in those ten years,” Gonzalez says. “But needs and he consults with regional the one thing I valued the most is to be a professional at all times regardless of college administrators to achieve college policy objectives and goals. the situation.”

Over the past ten years, Gonzalez Gonzalez’s goals include finalizing has helped enrollment more than campus renovations. double from 850 students to 2,200 by “We have committed ourselves to developing programs and services that creating a welcoming and hospitable extend beyond the academic needs of environment when entering our doors.

Luis Gonzalez treasures his students and focus on their success in There are not any strangers in our 40-year friendship with Mike Arredondo, who died last year, careers and life beyond college. Gonzalez has cultivated campus community, just welcomed because he made him laugh programs with BP, Praxair, and ArcelorMittal to develop a guests and friends.” and always had joy in his heart. pipeline from college to career.

Gonzalez also serves on the Board Gonzalez loves his job. of Directors for Indiana Youth Institute Fr. Andrew Daniels, a former “What I love most is my daily interaction with in Indianapolis; Hospice of Calumet parish priest at Holy Angels the student body, faculty, staff, community leaders, Area; Indiana Parenting Institute; St. Cathedral, inspired Gonzalez to discover his spiritual side. government officials, and local business leadership,” Catherine Hospital; East Chicago Urban Gonzalez says. “Every group views things differently.

Enterprise Academy; Salvation Advisory Luis Gonzalez believes strong The challenge is to bridge these differences, so we can Board; and on the Board of Trustees at individuals build a strong reach common ground. Helping find these bridges is what Calumet College of St. Joseph. community and that each brings all of us together within a larger, more successful person has the power to community. It sounds easy enough, but there are times Read more about R. Luis Gonzalez at improve the current situation or help another person. when it is extremely difficult; now and again, we can nwi.com DIANE POULTON

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Call to service for new Gary diocese leader Bishop Donald Hying looks to the future and leaders in the church.

“In order to do that, we have to have the best to give and we can only do that if we pray, strategize and plan together.” ishop Donald J. Hying seeks to spark engagement of community and church members with a process that is often Encompassing the counties of Lake, Porter, LaPorte and Starke, the Diocese of Gary may be a small one geographically, but it is the second once-in-a-lifetime.

The fourth bishop at Gary, who was appointed by largest in the state population-wise behind Indianapolis.

Pope Francis in November 2014, is looking to hold a synod “There is remarkable diversity from the Hispanic population in Whiting and Hammond to the urban Gary, suburban life in Merrillville sometime in 2017. The process is a way to create short- and and the rural areas of Starke County,” he says. “It is a microcosm of long-term goals for the diocese staff and its churches and members.

“Our diocese has never done one. Chicago did one in 1907,” Bishop America with such diversity in a small geographic space.”

Hying says. “Everyone in the diocese participates in the process … it’s not Months into the new role, Bishop Hying has had the opportunity to just me dictating from the top down. We meet one-on-one with all of the priests in the diocese as well as visiting schools are guided by the Holy Spirit and because it’s from the base up, everyone embraces and getting to know the individuals at it because they are a part of it.” the pastoral center.

The process launches with a letter “My goal is to come to know the from the bishop as opening text for the diocese and to be known,” he says.

“Everyone here has been welcoming dialogue, is then held at the parish level with discussions and prayer and moves and remarkably generous and they want on to the deacons. Delegates are then what is best for the community and chosen for the actual synod event. church and they are eager to join forces “It animates people and gets them and make a difference both within the excited about the future,” he says. “We broader community and the church.” percolate ideas, objectives, initiatives Bishop Hying was ordained to that we would slush out and make the priesthood for the archdiocese of Milwaukee in 1989, where he served implementable over the next 15 years. It in numerous parishes. He also served becomes our road map.” as dean of formation at Saint Francis As Vicar General, Father Joseph de Sales Seminary where he was later Pawlowski, who is at St. Paul Parish appointed rector, serving there until in Valparaiso, assists the bishop on various matters, including personnel and Pope Benedict XVI named him auxiliary financial, to help govern the diocese. bishop of Milwaukee in 2011.

Pawlowski says Bishop Hying not “I love what I do … meeting people and going out to the parishes. I really only brings the experience of conducting am a pastor at heart. Being a bishop a synod from his previous role in is really being a pastor but to a bigger Milwaukee, but also a personable and energetic personality. community,” he says.

“He is very engaging and accessible He also has served at La Sagrada to people. There is a lot of trust and Familia, the archdiocese’s parish in the openness that he really is trying to reach Dominican Republic, for almost four out to be consulted,” Pawlowski says. “He years.

“Everybody should live in a different is open to have this grand discussion (a Pope Francis appointed synod) and deal with all of the meetings culture and experience global poverty. It Bishop Donald Hying and organization and consequences changes how you see things when you come back here and you and simultaneously and results … you have to be open and realize the enormous gifts that you have been given,” he says. accepted the resignation “Most don’t have the most basic of things and that puts it all energetic to do that.” of Bishop Dale J. Melczek as Gary’s third bishop.

Part of the synod’s goal is to review into perspective.”

Bishop Melczek reached the current state of the church to help “I love being a priest. It is a great way to spend our very short the age limit as specified connect with younger members of the life here on Earth helping people connect with God and each

by Church law in 2013. community today and in the future. other and their deeper selves to be the best people we can be,” “Our society is so rapidly changing he says. “My goal is for every baptized Catholic to go to Mass The diocese is the largest with so many challenges to traditional every Sunday and live out their faith and help the poor and contributor to Habitat institutions, such as churches, when contribute to the betterment of the community and the world for Humanity in Gary. you look at technology especially social … for everyone to fall in love with God and do what they are The diocese works with media … we are trying to reach young called to do. the Knights of Columbus, people and proclaim the Gospel,” he “Love for each other in this life is a great vehicle for that and the St. Vincent de says. “To imagine the future, you cannot to happen. It is a joy and adventure for me to be part of that.”

Paul Society to help the just hang onto the past, but grow into the poor and administer future to hold and retain young people Read more about Bishop Donald Hying at nwi.com a prison ministry.

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Garner Tullis strives to bring neighborhoods back helping neighbors and making their neighborhoods better.

“We want neighbors to take care of each other’s needs,” he said. “If, arner Tullis believes people have lost the art of neighboring. for example, someone in the neighborhood needs a handicapped railing “We need to get back to knowing who we live next door to, put up in the bathroom, you find out who can help make that happen.” what their needs are, and how we can help,” he says.

Tullis made Our Greater Good his full-time job in August 2014, and To that end, he started Our Greater Good, which he has spent the last year building relationships with other organizations hopes will eventually have hundreds of participants in within the city, finding out what needs are and who or what might be each neighborhood, working together to build stronger able to fill those needs. connections in the community.

“I have met hundreds of new people, “I can see that something really good and am so impressed by the people who can happen when a whole lot of people are willing to get involved,” he says. work together for the common good,” Kaye Frattacia first got to know Tullis while she was co-chairing the he says.

Tullis, 61, and his wife, Mary, have ValPLAYso committee. been married 23 years and have five She says he genuinely cares about daughters. They moved to Valparaiso people, can recognize when people are in spring of 1992, while he was a going through a challenge, and can help commodities trader in Chicago. them work through problems. “He has The family joined Vineyard Church great enthusiasm and follow-through, in Valparaiso — now known as Bethel and he wants to make this town a better Church — and volunteered there more place,” she says. “He is an amazing and more. In 1994, he decided to person.” become a full-time youth pastor for Tullis has also been working with elementary school principals to find the church.

“It was a pretty dramatic shift for out what their needs are, and is helping us. I never thought I would go into a to implement three new programs at vocational ministry,” he says. several school.

Ann Wodetzki has been principal at But the passion grew, and in 2003 he got his degree in ministry from Park View Elementary School for six the Ohio-based Vineyard Leadership years, and first got to know Tullis while Institute and became associate pastor his daughters were students there. of the church. In 2005, he became the “They were an involved family with senior pastor. great kids, and they gave a lot of their time to the school,” she says. “Then At that time, he was getting he made an appointment to talk to me more involved with the Valparaiso about Our Greater Good, and we’re Public School Corporation, where his daughters were enrolled. really excited to be able to connect our Between working in the church and school family with the community.” with the schools, he became involved “It is free to sign up, easy to get Tullis, 61, started his in numerous service projects, and it engaged, whether you want to do one education and work in ministry in the 1990s project a year or one a week,” Tullis became a passion. following a career says. “There are 40,000 people in He decided to found Our Greater Good as a way to help as a commodities Center Township, and everybody can people become more invested in their neighborhoods and the trader in Chicago. city itself. help somebody in one way or the other.

“There is an exceptional citizenry in Valparaiso when I’m crazy enough believe if we can build In addition to Greater it comes to volunteering, and many exceptional places to up these teams in our neighborhoods, Good, Tullis is helping volunteer,” he explains. “But most groups don’t create a our city will look completely different implement a parenting program at the YMCA platform for people to take emotional ownership of where in 10 years.” on Saturdays, and the Valparaiso will be 10 years from now.”

United Way’s Reading Our Greater Good divides the city into eight units based Buddies program.

Read more about Garner Tullis at on elementary school boundaries and is trying to build teams within each of these neighborhoods who are invested in nwi.com Tullis has been a volunteer CARRIE RODOVICH

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chef for Empower Porter County.

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2015 BusINess Professionals To Watch

LC Deputy Chief Dan Murchek has a second job as president of the NWI Federation of Labor Police Department but actually worked undercover at Portage High School. Next he served nine years at the Dyer Police Department before an Murchek wears two career hats, one as Deputy Chief joining the Lake Sheriff’s Department. for Lake County Sheriff John Buncich and the other as “I wanted to have an opportunity to have different experiences on a President of the Northwest Indiana Federation of Labor. larger department, which I have had the opportunity to do,” Murchek, The challenges of each job would be daunting for most who has the permanent rank of sergeant, says. people but Murchek balances them well, bringing his He has worked in many divisions including patrol, the Gang Crimes enthusiasm and leadership skills to both.

Task Force, and civil division but his favorite was being a K-9 unit officer.

“His ability to successfully wear many hats is very impressive to me,” In 1997 Murchek’s K-9 partner, Ajax, saved his life by taking a bullet for Judy Lennon, Administrator for the Northwest Indiana Federation of him.

Labor, says. “I have seen him take on many tasks and roles, including Murchek became active in the local FOP and unions to fight for better when he stepped up to be the President of the Federation of Labor. The wages, hours and benefits for police officers.“That kind of led me into the organization was in a very difficult situation and Dan was asked to fill a Federation of Labor position,” Murchek says. challenging position.

Murchek was elected this year to another three year term as president.

“Dan not only did the right thing at “I have always stayed very involved that moment, he continues to serve the in our contract bargaining,” Murchek 62 affiliated local unions and 42,000 says. “I just believe that public sector members of the Northwest Indiana employees, especially police officers, firefighters and teachers should make Federation of Labor, while also being the a fair, decent salary so they don’t have president of his Local union and being to work a bunch of side jobs. That is the chief deputy of the Lake County what really got me involved with the Police. His vision, dedication, work union over the last 15 years, making ethic, and ability to see things from many sure employees have a voice. The perspectives truly impresses me.” strong middle class makes for a strong Lennon describes Murchek as “a true Region person.” economy especially here locally.”

“He is an example of the best this Murchek says Northwest Indiana is blessed with jobs in the steel mills, area has to offer,” Lennon says. “He will be the first to admit that he did not take refinery and manufacturing sector that the traditional route growing up, but he have all had their ups and downs over overcame adversity, in part, by not giving the years. up or shying away from a challenge. He “What we believe in labor is we want took opportunities afforded to him and our partners, the business owners, to was successful through his dedication do well but we want them to remember and hard work. I don’t think he has ever that their employees work very hard for them and when things are doing forgotten that people helped him out and he is always willing to reach out and help well employees should be treated well,” others.”

Murchek says. “Unions have made concessions in difficult times to help T h e L a k e C o u n t y S h e r i f f ’s Department has both a union and their employers out trying to minimize Fraternal Order of Police chapter. “We the damage and layoffs but when things are the only unionized police department turn around and get back we like to get in the state of Indiana,” Murchek says. those back.”

“Because it is affiliated with AFL-CIO I At the sheriff ’s department, Murchek works with Buncich and became heavily involved. I am president Dan Murchek’s life of our local Police Union 72. That got me Chief Tim Downs, side-by-side helping run the department’s was saved by his K-9 involved with the unions.” day-to-day operations. “We do a lot of trouble-shooting and partner, Ajax, who Prior to becoming a police officer, took a bullet for him. problem-solving,” Murchek says.

Murchek’s awards include Officer of the Year, Supervisor of after high school Murchek worked briefly There are 42,000 members the Year and several Lifesaving Awards, one for pulling a young in the steel mill, and then he became of the Northwest Indiana man out of a burning building. a Teamsters’ Union member while Federation of Labor delivering furniture for the now defunct Buncich says he is impressed by Murchek’s enthusiasm for in 62 affiliated local Goldblatts. law enforcement.“He accomplished a lot by rising through unions. The Lake County the ranks so quickly, which is characteristic of his leadership “Those jobs were eliminated, which Sheriff’s Department is the only unionized led me to my career in law enforcement,” abilities both in law enforcement and his union affiliations.” police department in Murchek says. “It seemed like a very Murchek’s goals are to keep building a strong the state of Indiana. good career, a stable career not really labor market here in Northwest Indiana, “making sure our friends in labor work together with us.” having to worry about layoffs.”

Murchek once pulled Murchek started his law enforcement a young man from a career in Porter County at the Hebron Read more about Dan Murchek at nwi.com burning building.

Diane Poulton

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Robert Colangelo, taking the lead in an emerging field Diane Poulton

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reen Sense Farms co-founder Robert Colangelo is known for his leadership skills, enthusiasm, positive attitude, innovation, curiosity and expertise. Colangelo is the co-founder of the largest commercial indoor vertical farm in the United States.

Located in Portage, Green Sense Farms has 30,000square-feet of leased space at the Ameriplex complex. This initiative has earned Colangelo a Fellow Award and induction into the Northwest Indiana Society of Innovators.

“We have built a room within a room so when you go into our warehouse we have built a large room out of cooler panels so that we can control the climate inside that inner room,” Colangelo says. “We have broken that room into two grow rooms so we can have two different climates. In that room we have created the perfect conditions. The plants get the perfect amount and precise amount of water, light, nutrients, temperature and humidity so that they grow consistently year round.”

At Green Sense Farms plants are grown in a soilless media.

“We use coconut coir, that is the ground husk of a coconut, and we recycle that coconut coir when we are done,” Colangelo says. “It provides a sub-stream for the seeds to grown in and for the roots to form and to communicate with the nutrients. So it is inert material that doesn’t provide any chemical reaction and it allows the water and the nutrients to flow easily into the plant roots.”

Green Sense Farms grows micro greens, baby greens, culinary herbs and gourmet lettuces.

W h a t Co l a n ge l o f i n d s m os t satisfying about his career is “making customers happy and innovating to develop new ways to grow indoors and harvesting plants in February when its 40-below zero outside.”

Colangelo received both his Master’s and Bachelor’s degrees in Earth Science from Northeastern Illinois University. A public speaker, Colangelo has also written several books.

His life’s work began with an internship at Chicago’s Field Museum of Natural History and progressed with jobs at Argonne National Laboratory, Woodward Clyde Consulting, Donohue Consulting and American Colloid Company.

“I then went on my own and started more than 10 environmental

32 | In Business

organizations,” Colangelo says. Colangelo credits several mentors with positively impacting his life.

“Mr. Kim, a Martial Arts Master, trained me in yoga, meditation and martial art and taught me how to persevere regardless of the challenges that face you,” Colangelo says. “Dr. Roger Charlier, professor, author and freedom fighter in the Belgium underground during WWII and a marine biologist and professor, inspired me to love the environment and have an appreciation for nature’s balance; also my mother for giving me her unconditional love.”

With his personal and business philosophy “take on projects that make the world a better place to live, make a living do it and have fun,” Colangelo’s goals are to build a brand that is internationally known and locally grown by building a network of indoor vertical farms located at institutional campuses where a large number of meals are sold daily and at perishable food distribution centers.

Colangelo also founded and hosts the nationally syndicated weekly radio show Green Sense which features innovators, entrepreneurs, academics, elected officials and policy makers “that are making the world a better place to live through the implantation of their sustainable ideas.”

Colleagues describe him as an enthusiastic leader and expert in his field who possesses a positive attitude.

Dr. Gene Giacomelli, Professor and Director Controlled Environment Agriculture Center at the University of Arizona, has known Colangelo for two years.

A researcher and educator Dr. Giacomelli’s focus is on controlled environment agriculture hydroponic food production systems.

“We met in a phone conversation where I learned of his plan to begin an artificially- lighted indoor facility for growing leafy green crops,” Dr. Giacomelli says. “At the time he was in need of someone to respond to his plans/questions for the new production facility, and I offered my experiences.”

Dr. Giacomelli says he is impressed with Colangelo’s “enthusiasm for modern technology-based farming to produce food to meet the societal demands; his past successful business experiences in raising capital and putting it to work; and, his expertise in marketing.”

“This combination offers good potential for success,” Dr. Giacomelli says.

“The ability of he and his team to quickly get the startup facility into

2015 BusINess Professionals To Watch production, and to address the critical factors for successful production, always willing to learn and open to suggestions,” Penalosa says. “I admire while regularly including design improvements to enhance production him for getting Green Sense off the ground, making it a reality regardless of the hurdles he finds ahead.” and production quality are impressive,” Dr. Giacomelli says.

Scott Buck MD, and medical director of Northwest Indiana Eye & Colangelo’s concern for the world includes volunteering in his community. Colangelo is on the board of the Portage Economic Laser Center in Valparaiso, has known Colangelo for about 18 months as a friend and fellow Northwest Indiana businessman.

Development Corporation and he serves as a mentor at the University of Chicago Harris School for Public Policy.

“His infectious entrepreneurial spirit is great to be around,” Dr. Buck says. “He has a very positive can-do attitude, a Green Sense Farms hosts quarterly Farm-towealth of life experiences from which to draw and Table dinners featuring fresh leafy greens at each I learn something new every time I’m with him.” course, raising awareness about healthy eating and donating a portion of the proceeds to local Dr. Buck sees an endless curiosity about everything and everyone in Colangelo. charities.

“He truly wants to make a difference in the “We also give surplus produce grown at the Green Sense Farms, with world,” Dr. Buck says. “Between his background farm to the Food Bank,” Colangelo says.

30,000- square-feet of leased in rehabilitation of industrially blighted areas Colangelo believes in the importance of his space at the Ameriplex world-wide and his expertise in attainable, complex, is the largest work and involvement. commercial indoor vertical non-subsidized, self-sustaining green “With a growing population we need to farm in the United States. conserve resources and implement technology technologies, I truly believe he will. I see Robert that makes society more sustainable or we will as the tip of the sword in a wave of new, healthy, Colangelo believes that a sustainable farming that provides consistent, have more disease, starvation and wars,” Colangelo growing world population will high quality crops with minimal ecological says. “The best way to make a better world is for need to conserve resources impact — something places like California need each of us to make a better home and community.” and implement technology to make society more sustainable. yesterday.”

Among his proudest accomplishments, The alternative is more Colangelo counts his family, with his wife and Camilo Penalosa, who has known Colangelo disease, starvation and wars. three children, and having excellent partners three years during the development of Green Sense and investors, a great staff and having the Farms, admires his enthusiasm, entrepreneurial Green Sense Farms’ recent opportunity to be at the leading edge of a new skill and world vision for taking care of earth. expansion will create a “He is a leader, convinced of his project, emerging market. vertical farm in China.

 FACT FILE 

SUMMER 2015 | 33

2015 BusINess Professionals To Watch

Anne Flannery is passionate about making a difference in young people’s lives Olympics in Atlanta; helping found the WNBA; and build the Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame. ew Boys & Girls Club President & CEO Anne Flannery “We just inducted our 17th class and I am inspired by the leadership believes that business success is a result of integrity and of people like National Association of Collegiate Women Athletic Administrators Patti Phillips, Kay Yow Cancer Fund’s Sue Donohoe teamwork.

“No individual or organization can achieve anything and ESPN’s Carol Stiff, among others,” Flannery says. approaching greatness, without embracing everything Sandy Vivas, Co-chairman of the Board of the Women’s Sports Foundation, has known Flannery since she was an intern with the about the team,” Flannery says. “Watching our USA Women’s World Cup team, with their, ‘we’ve got each other’s backs’ organization in 1989. attitude has been incredibly inspiring. Go USA!” “Anne certainly is a person who has been very innovative in what Flannery believes play is crucial to she has done in terms of what she has started in the WBCA (Women’s achieving happiness in life.

Basketball Coaches Association), the “At Boys & Girls Clubs we talk summer camp program and the high about the impact and outcomes related to kids playing,” Flannery school all-star game,” Vivas says. says. “For me, incorporating play and Flannery has always been someone joy intrinsically into your life and whom people look to for leadership in everything you do, is critical to any women’s sports, Vivas says. success or true happiness. It’s about “She listens to what is the pulse being a lifelong learner and really and what is going around her,” Vivas says. “She is open to new ideas and connecting with people of all different shapes, sizes, colors and backgrounds new ways of doing things.” in a meaningful way that’s not unlike Flannery has three passions in her storytelling—you tell me your story life—children, sports and politics. and I’ll share mine. It’s even more “Due to the fact that I was a gratifying when you can make that Title IX baby, I’ve spent most of my career focusing on efforts that connection with young people.” provide or promote opportunities for In her new role, Flannery is underserved populations, especially responsible for the overall operations, growth and sustainability of Boys & girls and women,” Flannery says.

Girls Clubs of Northwest Indiana and Both parents were teachers who its six club locations in Lake County, taught Flannery a good work ethic, formed her character and set an which serve more than 10,000 youth. example of giving back to those who What she finds most satisfying about her career is having a positive need help the most. impact on a child’s life. “That is an Apart from her parents, Flannery’s unbelievably rewarding experience,” numerous mentors include Queen’s Flannery says. “When I hear stories College Basketball Coach Lucille from local club alumni like Eddie Kyvallos, Deborah Slaner Larkin and Melton from NIPSCO, it makes me Betty Jaynes. realize how important our work is. So “I was planning our first coach’s Anne Flannery believes many of our alumni describe the lifeconvention at the NCAA Final Four play and joy in childhood changing moment they crossed the threshold of our club, and in Knoxville in 1989,” Flannery are crucial to achieving says. “Pat taught me about getting how it literally saved their life.” happiness in life. and keeping a person’s trust, being Boys & Girls Club of Northwest Indiana Chairperson Flannery considers herself Leslie Kiefer says the organization is excited to have Flannery passionate about doing the right thing, a “Title IX Baby,” who has at the helm. and being fearless in going after my advocated for underserved “She’s a social entrepreneur with over twenty-five dreams in life.” populations in athletics, years of executive experience in corporate, government and Flannery holds a bachelor’s degree in especially women and girls. non-profit leadership,” Kiefer says. “Anne is an advocate for political science from Syracuse University Her proudest empowering youth and has been actively involved in helping where she was captain of the women’s accomplishments include teach them life skills through sports, play and physical basketball team and a master’s degree in bringing her mother Jane activity. She is truly passionate about making a difference in sports management from the University Flannery, who was her the lives of young people and will be an asset to Boys & Girls of Massachusetts-Amherst. She was coach, to several NCAA Clubs of Northwest Indiana.” inducted into the Syracuse University Women’s Final Fours and Flannery says her proudest accomplishments include Athletics Hall of Fame in 1994. all three gold-medalbringing her mother Jane Flannery, who was her coach, to winning women’s team performances at the 1996 several NCAA Women’s Final Fours and to all three goldRead more about Anne Flannery Olympics in Atlanta. medal winning women’s team performances at the 1996 at nwi.com DIANE POULTON

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 FACT FILE 

34 | IN BUSINESS

Political Professionals to Watch

PHOTOS AT TOP FROM LEFT TO RIGHT: ROBERT BLASZKIEWICZ; JOHN J. WATKINS; STAN MADDUX; COURTESY OF CHRISTINA HALE

Karen Tallian

Glenda Ritz

Blair Milo

Women ��

Christina Hale

WHO GOVERN ��

rising star class of elected officials

IN INDIANA

T DAN CARDEN

he 2016 elections are more than a year away, but already a full field of Republican and Democratic candidates have declared their intentions to run for Indiana governor. At least one woman thought about running for U.S. Senate, but ultimately declined.

Depending on who Hoosiers elect, next year has the potential to replace 1994 as “The Year of the Woman” in political history.

Women already hold the offices of Indiana secretary of state, state treasurer, state auditor and state superintendent of public instruction.

A woman returning to the attorney general’s office next year is not out of the question.

It also appears increasingly possible that a woman might finally win election as governor, following 200 consecutive years of only men serving Indiana in those offices.

Here are four women to watch now, since you next might see them stepping over the remains of a shattered glass ceiling.

said. “This is a Grand Canyon between Mike Karen Tallian State senator, D-Ogden Pence and I, and people might just want to Dunes; Democratic candidate for Indiana governor. take a view from the other side now.”

Unabashedly declaring herself “the In the months ahead, Tallian is set to roll progressive choice,” Tallian jumped into the out a policy agenda focused on preserving governor’s race in May public education, guaranteeing civil rights determined to shake up both protections regardless a timid Democratic Party of sexual orientation and a Republican-dominated o r g e n d e r i d e n t i t y, state where elected officials re fo r m i n g I n d i a n a ’s often fear progress, despite campaign finance polls showing most Hoosiers system and redistricting are thirsty for change. p r o c e s s , p r o te c t i n g T h e 1 0 -yea r s ta te the environment and senator said Indiana needs legalizing the medicinal a governor who for once fo c u se s o n i m p rov i n g use of marijuana. the lives of middle-class “Somebody needs to Ho os i e rs, i n s tea d o f stand for the Democratic, kowtowing to failed rightp rog re ss ive p o i n t o f wing policies as Republican view, because in that last Gov. Mike Pence has done election there’s almost since taking office in 2013. half the people in the state “The differences of Indiana whose voices between Mike Pence and I were not recognized,” she Indiana Sen. Karen Tallian, are wide and deep,” Tallian said.

D-Ogden Dunes SUMMER 2015 | 35

Political Professionals to Watch

CARMEN MCCOLLUM, THE TIMES

Longfellow second-grader Meagan Reiser, on the left, listens as second- grader Ciera Overton explains to Glenda Ritz how students work as a team to do project-based assignments.

Glenda Ritz State superintendent of public instruction; Democratic candidate for Indiana governor.

For three years, Indiana’s schools chief repeatedly has fought off attempts by Pence to seize her authority and usurp her position.

So she’s decided to take his.

In June, Ritz enthusiastically declared she is running for Indiana governor to truly address the needs of Hoosiers, instead of just talking about what makes Indiana great.

“I travel two to three days a week in our state and I see the poverty that is out there, I see the issues that the kids come to school with,” Ritz said. “I have a passion for people and their needs and I get very frustrated that we are not taking proactive action to actually move things forward.”

Not surprisingly, Ritz says on the campaign trail that improving education is her top priority. But she also is focused on economic revival and community revitalization because she believes the policies and programs that will help Indiana succeed start at the local level.

“Six million Hoosiers need to know their state cares about their communities and their futures,” she said.

Blair Milo Mayor of LaPorte, Republican

It’s easy to chuckle when a politician claims she wants to make her hometown the “happiest city in Indiana,” but Milo is the kind of person with the ambition and determination to actually do it.

Elected mayor in 2011 at age 28, following five years active service in the U.S. Navy, Milo has focused on more than just economic development in her first term. She’s out to make LaPorte residents fall in love with 36 | IN BUSINESS

JOHN J. WATKINS, THE TIMES JOHN J. WATKINS

LaPorte Mayor Blair Milo addresses the TEDx event at County Line Orchards last year.

their city, which she’s dubbed “The Hub of Awesome.”

At the same time, Milo knows LaPorte isn’t an island. She eagerly has embraced regionalism as a way to improve LaPorte by bettering all of Northwest Indiana.

Her record as a young mayor has attracted statewide and national attention. The Washington Post recently wrote a glowing profile of her tenure, and Pence interviewed her in 2013 for possible appointment as state auditor, a position she ultimately declined — for now.

“I very much enjoy what I do here in the community. I don’t have plans at this point for a statewide run,” Milo said. “I’m focused on making sure that we continue to do the best that we can on the projects that we’re working on. We got a lot of irons in the fire.”

Christina Hale State representative, D-Indianapolis In an age of hyperpartisanship, Hale consistently has worked across party lines during her two terms in the Indiana House to win passage of new laws focused on preventing sexual assault and improving the lives of Hoosier children.

“Children have the right to be safe. Yet in Indiana, girls are more likely to be sexually assaulted than almost anywhere else in the country,” Hale said. “That is outrageous and unacceptable.”

The Michigan City native this year helped extended the statute of limitations for rape in some circumstances, put in place policies aimed at halting human trafficking and

DOUG MCSCHOOLER

Indiana State Representative Christina Hale addresses the crowd during the rally. Thousands of opponents of Indiana Senate Bill 101, the Religious Freedom Restoration Act, gathered on the lawn of the Indiana State House to rally against that legislation last March.

co-sponsored a state grant program to help reduce Indiana’s nearly worst-in-the-nation infant mortality rate.

Since U.S. Sen. Dan Coats, R-Ind., announced in March he wouldn’t be seeking re-election, numerous Hoosier Democrats encouraged Hale to run and offer she ultimately declined. For now.

Hale said she was flattered by the support and considered the Senate bid. “We have a lot of problems and I want to be part of the solution.”

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Healing the Way

Invention and innovation led to business growth while mending broken lives

N

BY NORMA SERRANO WILLIAMS

Norma Serrano Williams is the owner of Excellence By Design, Paint Contractors, doing both residential and commercial work.

38 | IN BUSINESS

ecessity really is the mother of all inventions. But when you combine that invention with innovation, you’re really on to something sustainable.

Ten years ago in July, I was going through a divorce, had lost both a business and a home, and was still nursing my eight-month-old while taking care of my other two children and figuring out my future. My days consisted of wondering how I had any future left. At 36 years old, I lived a defeated life.

After a few weeks of feeling sorry for myself, the reality that we all needed to eat daily, quickly set in. The momentary meditation of failure was replaced with a quest to fill my need and responsibility for provision. I was at a crossroads. Either re-enter corporate America where others would dictate my financial worth and availability with my children, or look to create a future with the two best tools I had been born with, my hands.

As a (broke) young single mom, I had been forced to learn to create something out of nothing to provide for my child. More than a decade later, having acquired experience and wisdom, I’d learned that I could use both as a basis for a career. Armed with $75 and a passion for change, I printed 500 flyers detailing my services as a paint contractor and passed them out door to door.

As my business grew, I was naturally drawn to helping women who were experiencing the same situations that I had been in. In this way, I created a moment to empower women to believe that they too could live better lives. I never imagined the lives that could be reached and touched by one small company. But within a few short years, we were seeing women from every walk of life coming through our doors.

What started off as the single mom whose entire life I could relate to, evolved into women who were coming out of the prison system who needed a complete overhaul of both mind and body. The company began to be as much about mentoring broken women as it did about painting. And without knowing it or intending it, we started a movement.

The work we were doing became a metaphor for what was happening to us. Taking things that were ugly and making them new. These women went from feeling hopeless and lost to being excited about their futures. And that was just the first step. If construction wasn’t their passion, they needed to know that they could build futures doing the work that touched their hearts the most.

And that has opened the door to our most current work. Launching a program that collaborates with other companies to place women who come through our doors with greater opportunities more closely aligned with their goals and aspirations.

Doing this has opened more doors of opportunity and

When we, as leaders, begin to open our eyes to the talents of the great people of NWI, we will see that everything we need for the growth of our businesses, communities and region are within our grasp. has grown the business beyond anything we could have even hoped for in any business model.

What started out as helping women has actually propelled o u r c o m p a n y fo r wa rd b e ca u se we a re n ow communicating with other companies in hopes of finding permanent placements and opportunities as women come through our program. We hope to be the corporate model for helping change the community through work programs that intercede for people and create a sense of hope.

While the average company might be using social media and marketing to grow their business, we are using the solidarity of women to grow this one. It’s unconventional but it is working! Allowing the “girls” to participate in volunteer projects has been a great help. Our work with the Boys and Girls Club of NWI opened many doors to work with them in future projects. And those projects led to working with other great companies like NIPSCO. With the success and confidence of larger projects came the boldness and determination to grow the business in an effort to hire more women in need. This year we obtained our MBE/WBE status and are now bidding statewide government jobs.

What I have seen women accomplish in 10 years I would not have thought possible in a lifetime. Now I know better.

It is my quest and life goal to help other companies begin similar models. Both in an effort to help them grow their businesses as well as helping the community. When we, as leaders, begin to open our eyes to the talents of the great people of NWI, we will see that everything we need for the growth of our businesses, communities and region are within our grasp.

Making the Trip

Professional success is a journey of becoming, transforming and finding your way

T

BY JENNIFER FREDERICKS

Jennifer Fredericks is the vice president of product program and retail operations for the Girl Scouts of Greater Chicago and Northwest Indiana.

here have been many articles written about successful professional women in business and countless studies done to attempt to crack the code on how young women become rising stars in the business community. I have read many of these books and articles and still have not decided whether leaning in, opting out, having it all, or any of the other countless methodologies is the optimal path to success.

There are a million websites, magazines and mentoring programs to help your little girl maximize her fullest potential, help your teen decide her path and women’s leadership programs at every Fortune 500 company in the country inspired to help propel women to the top.

However, becoming a “professional woman to watch” is far more than merely becoming a business success. It truly is about becoming someone who makes a difference in her world. It is more of a quiet, largely uncelebrated journey of becoming, transforming and finding your way.

It involves living life passionately. When I read about each of the women professionals women to watch, their stories are all unique and each one amazing. However, while we are all very different from one another, there are also many similar qualities such as curiosity, levity and evolution.

Curiosity starts early. For some it means learning your own lessons while, for others, it means watching closely as friends learn the hard way. As you grow older, it means merely saying yes to trying new things (like writing a newspaper article for the first time), teaching a college class or volunteering when an assignment far out of your comfort zone comes up at work. You can see it early in young girls. There are a few in every classroom, challenging teachers and other students with question after question. Young women to watch have a passion for learning and trying new things. They are the girls who join a million activities just to see if they will enjoy them. Each one of the “women to watch” that I admire has maintained her curiosity through her lifetime and in many cases, her curiosity led her in a completely different direction than she started out, sometimes meaning several restarts that have led her to becoming who she is today.

Women to watch have the ability to laugh at themselves and, although for many of us it took years to be able to do it, to be okay with recounting the stories of when we took ourselves too seriously, fell flat on our faces or just plain failed. It really goes hand in hand with our curiosity. You just cannot be good at everything you try and if you are, it means you are playing it safe and

However, becoming a “professional woman to watch” is far more than merely becoming a business success. It truly is about becoming someone who makes a difference in her world. not being curious enough. It means transforming and refining as you strive to “always make new mistakes” and become comfortable with failure, as it lays the foundation for someday becoming comfortable with success.

Evolving is the quality I admire most in professional women. I remember when starting out in my career, attending women’s leadership events, listening and taking notes to catch the secrets that would unlock my career and make me magically into a success and being so relieved when I learned that one of the most successful women at the top of one of the largest financial institutions in the world started out as an art history major. The comfort in realizing that she did not start out to be a banker from the moment she set foot in college somehow made me feel as though everything would work out and the fact that I switched from political science and international business to management after failing the foreign service exam (twice) was not the end of the world but rather a step in finding my way and defining my path.

Hearing a woman who had become a doctor discover that she had a condition that would make it impossible for her to practice medicine and rather than be devastated, transformed her medical background into a successful consulting business that allows her to use her knowledge in a completely new way gives hope and realization that circumstances can be the beginning of something great, not necessarily the end.

Listening to successful women talk about things such as being promoted, downsized, fired, make lateral moves, quit their current job with no options lined up, decide to stay home to raise their kids, go back to work when their children were little, decide to start a business or take an assignment in a place where they did not speak the language always reminds me that I am not the same person today that I was yesterday and I have the potential to continue to evolve and change. Women to watch take comfort in that truth and use it as they propel forward.

SUMMER 2015 | 39

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