Four prominent business leaders inducted into Central Indiana Business Hall of Fame

INDIANAPOLIS – Junior Achievement (JA) of Central Indiana honored four outstanding members of the central Indiana business community last Friday by inducting them into the Central Indiana Business Hall of Fame during a gala event at the Indiana Roof Ballroom. The 2021 laureates are Tamika Catchings, vice president of basketball operations and general manager of the Indiana Fever; Lisa Harris, M.D., CEO at Eskenazi Health; Tom Linebarger, chairman and CEO of Cummins, Inc. and Dave Ricks, chairman and CEO of Eli Lilly and Company. Eric Tobias, co-founder and partner of High Alpha, served as event chair.

Jennifer Burk, JA of Central Indiana president and CEO, said: “Our goal is two-fold at the Hall of Fame event: to honor those central Indiana business persons who serve as tremendous leaders and role models to the youth of the community, and to highlight the importance of providing career exploration, financial literacy, employability, life skills and entrepreneurship programs to today’s students.”

To honor JA’s mission of empowering the young people of central Indiana, local JA students were involved throughout the course of the event. During the VIP reception, students interacted with past and present laureates and gave speeches and performances. Highlights of the night included the opening skit, entitled “When I Grow Up,” a special rendition of Lin-Manuel Miranda and Mark Mancina’s song, “How Far I’ll Go,” and remarks from Devin and Dylan, the grandsons of Hall of Fame laureate, John Thompson.

“What better gift can we give central Indiana Junior Achievement students and future business leaders than stories like these that inspire us to persevere and to be our better selves?” Said the event’s featured speaker Justin Christian, CEO and founder of BCforward and Hall of Fame laureate. “I imagine that one of the JA kids that are celebrating with us tonight will be on this stage 40 years from now, talking about how much the four [inductees] inspired them to reach for something bold and grand.”

The Central Indiana Business Hall of Fame was established in 1989 by the JA Board of Directors to honor outstanding men and women who epitomize professional success, high moral and ethical standards and dedication to important civic causes, thereby improving the quality of life in our community. Since its inception, the Central Indiana Business Hall of Fame has inducted 137 laureates.

About Junior Achievement of Central Indiana

Junior Achievement of Central Indiana, Inc. (JACI), in partnership with the business and education communities,
empowers young people to own their future success. JACI educates and inspires young people in the areas of career
exploration, employability/life skills, entrepreneurship, financial literacy and philanthropy through hands-on,
experiential learning opportunities for children in preschool through high school.

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