In this episode of Indiana 250 Off the Record, host Nate Feltman talks with Emil Ekiyor, founder and CEO of InnoPower, Inc. In their discussion, Emil shares his experience moving from Nigeria to the United States alone as a 15-year-old boy and the opportunities that followed, including a college football scholarship and six years playing in the NFL. Emil reflects on the skills he learned through sports that played a key role in starting several businesses and talks about people who helped him develop his leadership style and work ethic. Emil also discusses InnoPower's mission to drive innovation and economic growth in predominantly Black communities and its partnership with TechPoint to increase minority representation in the tech sector. Emil touches on life as a parent and what led him to decide to make Indiana his permanent home following his NFL career.

In this episode of Indiana 250 Off the Record, host Nate Feltman talks with Rick Fuson, CEO of Pacers Sports & Entertainment. Anticipating his upcoming 40th anniversary with the Pacers, Rick discusses his most influential mentors and their impact on his leadership style. Rick touches on downtown Indianapolis developments, including Gainbridge Fieldhouse upgrades and the transformative Bicentennial Unity Plaza, as well as the upcoming 2024 NBA All-Star Game as a global showcase and the positive impacts on the city. Rick also shares some of his encounters with notable figures throughout his career, including Magic Johnson, the Dalai Lama, Harrison Ford, and others. Reflecting on the incredible development of our city and state over the years, Rick gives his thoughts on what is needed to continue to drive us forward as a great place to live and work.

In this episode of Indiana 250 Off the Record, host Nate Feltman talks with Melissa Proffitt, partner in charge of client relations at Ice Miller.  As a prominent community leader, Melissa discusses her extensive involvement in community organizations, emphasizing the importance of strong leadership and political engagement. Melissa also talks about growing up in Indiana, why she will never move out of the state, and the impact that her alma mater, Indiana University, had on the trajectory of her career.  She also gives a preview of what’s coming for the Indy Chamber and the important work that is taking place this very week.

In this episode of Indiana 250 Off the Record, host Nate Feltman talks with Pamela Whitten, the 19th president of Indiana University. She discusses her unlikely journey to becoming a university president, her belief that everyone should have the opportunity to attend college and her core values as a leader, which include doing what's right, being innovative and embracing non-traditional ways of thinking. She also talks about IU’s plans to develop its Indianapolis campus now that the school is decoupling from Purdue University and making the school an economic driver for Indianapolis. And she explains how she became a big sports fan.

In this episode of Indiana 250 Off the Record, host Nate Feltman talks with Brad Chambers about his more than two years as Indiana’s secretary of commerce and his decision to run for office for the first time. Chambers highlights the state's record-setting job creation and investment numbers, which he credits to a focus on quality jobs over quantity, a commitment to telling Indiana's story and an updated economic development toolkit. He also discusses his decision to step down from his role and his plans to run for governor of Indiana.

Off the Record with the Indiana 250 is an upcoming podcast from IBJ Media and will feature the state's most influential business and community leaders. Check back most Thursdays to hear IBJ Media CEO Nate Feltman interview some of Indiana's most interesting and successful leaders about their careers, their public service and what they think about living and working in Indiana.