In his more than 40-year career, award-winning sports journalist Bill Benner covered it all. Three Olympics. More than 20 Final Fours. And the role sports played in elevating Indianapolis on a global stage. In this episode, one of Indiana’s most recognized journalists opens up about the Hicks vs. the Knicks, his relationship with Bob Knight, the state of sports journalism and much more.

This week, Indianapolis will play host to more than 70,000 future leaders of America as the FFA National Organization hosts its 96th annual convention. In episode 141, President Molly Ball talks about FFA’s role in fueling the state’s talent pipeline, record growth and her path to Indy.

He’s been the CEO of Indianapolis-based Roche Diagnostics North America for less than a year, but Brad Moore is already putting his stamp on the healthcare giant. In episode 140, the son of an Ohio banker talks innovation, Indiana, and the importance of being an inclusive leader.

In the ever changing and challenging world of higher education, University of Southern Indiana President Ron Rochon is a beacon of energy and enthusiasm. The school’s first black president has raised money, revamped curriculum and elevated USI athletics to Division I status. And he’s not done yet. 

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

“It’s not just professional basketball, it has to feel like the people’s building.” Pacers Sports & Entertainment VP Danny Lopez dishes some inside scoop on the $360 million renovation of Gainbridge Fieldhouse, the second largest in NBA history. But this son of Cuban immigrants has a story that extends beyond basketball. In episode 128, he talks life lessons learned growing up in 1960s Miami, the importance of diversity and his passion for public service.

A professor’s daughter, WGU Indiana President Alison Bell was destined for a career in higher education. In episode 127, the Muncie native talks about the WGU model, the state of higher education and overcoming a fear of public speaking.

“I made up my mind when I was 14. I wanted to be a sports broadcaster.” Howard Kellman knew from an early age what he wanted to do, but this native New Yorker never dreamed it would be in Indianapolis. In episode 126, the legendary Voice of the Indianapolis Indians talks dreams, quirky players and the significance of the number 61.

Growing up in Seymour, Indiana, basketball was life for Indiana University Women’s Basketball Head Coach Teri Moren. And that Hoosier hoops passion has paved a path for her to become one of the top women’s coaches in the country. In episode 125, she talks Sundays at grandma’s, Title IX and the importance of staying curious.

“I think I was 15 when we bought our first two vehicles, so I couldn't even drive the trucks.” His entrepreneurial journey started with a successful landscaping business as a teenager, a venture that would ultimately lead to a real estate investment firm with a more than $3 billion portfolio. That passion for hard work and entrepreneurship is serving Indiana Secretary of Commerce Brad Chambers well as he travels the globe in search of investment and jobs for Indiana. In this episode, the...

“I’m going to tell you something, I walked in there with a whole oak tree on my shoulder.” When he arrived at Colts camp, Robert Mathis knew he had something to prove. And the fifth-round draft pick from Alabama A&M did just that, becoming one of the NFL’s most feared pass rushers in a career that included five Pro Bowls and a Super Bowl ring. Today, his passion off the field is as intense as it was on it.

“He cleared his throat and said, men, the deal has been done. We’re going to Indianapolis tonight.” Rick Venturi was there for the Colts’ stealth move to Indy. His assignment: removing blackboards with a screwdriver. Just one of countless stories from more than four decades in the coaching business at the college and pro levels. In an entertaining episode number 122, the popular Colts radio game analyst talks football, life and the time it all came into perspective.

“I’ve worn a lot of hats in my life, but I truly believe the most rewarding hat is the one of husband and dad.” Carlos Diaz has spent his professional life in front of a camera, reporting for some of the biggest names in television. But after ditching the microphone for the Florida sunshine, he’s living his best life with a golf bag strapped to his shoulder.  In episode 121, the Greenwood native talks about family, life changing moments and the joy of being a “daddy caddy.”

“Everything we built from that day to this came from that original $500 and the American Express card.”  Netlogx founder Audrey Taylor’s passion for adventure brought her to the United States with scant resources and absolutely no knowledge of Indianapolis.  In episode 120, she talks about her path to entrepreneurship, talent and what makes Indiana special.

“We literally cashed out our 401k’s, maxed out as many credit cards as we could get, and got a small SBA loan.” It sounds like risky business, but the whiskey business was a natural fit for Bedford native Blake Jones, who, along with his brother and a buddy, founded West Fork Whiskey.  And they just may have found lightning in a bottle. He talks about the entrepreneurial journey to create a “boldly Indiana” whiskey distillery that is quickly becoming an agritourism destination.

His passion for what he does is rooted in a difficult childhood, growing up in a tough southside Chicago neighborhood. For Jimmie McMillian, the mantra “never give up” has special meaning. In Episode 118, the senior corporate counsel and chief diversity officer at Penske Entertainment talks about how that upbringing, a Firestone store in Bloomington, and his first trip to the Indianapolis Motor Speedway changed his life.