Joe Diephuis, Zach Evans, Shawn Rumsey, Zach Straw
TUCKER PUBLISHING GROUP, INC.
Todd A. Tucker President
Kristen K. Tucker Vice President
A Publication of Tucker Publishing Group, Inc.
Tucker Publishing Group, Inc.
25 N.W. Riverside Drive, Ste. 200 Evansville, IN 47708 812-426-2115
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Evansville Business is published bimonthly by Tucker Publishing Group, Inc., 25 N.W. Riverside Drive, Ste. 200, Evansville, IN 47708, and printed at Sheridan, CJK Group, Lebanon Junction, KY. Any views expressed in any advertisement, signed letter, article, or photograph are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the position of Evansville Business
Ihave a love/hate relationship with a tree. Specifically, a very large Bradford pear right outside my second-story office window. Bradford pears came over to the U.S. from China and Vietnam. Once known for their ornamental beauty, they have fallen out of favor. Although they offer an abundance of pretty white flowers, there are numerous issues with them. They are invasive and thorny. They split easily and smell bad. As seen in the photo here, this one currently is in full bloom, and since it is outside my office, I don’t have to deal with the aroma. While it looks lovely now, soon the leaves will block a significant portion of a beautiful river view. When it drops its leaves in fall and moves into winter mode, its tangled, twisted, and scraggy branches look right out of a horror movie, really driving home the fact that, “Hey man, it’s winter, and it’s really cold out here.”
Another source of irritation is a resident of the tree: a bird, or birds. I’m barely a magazine publisher, and definitely not an ornithologist. I don’t know if it has been the same bird each year, but I don’t think two different birds each would be so ill-behaved. This bird would look at me from its perch in the tree, fly to my window, and loudly smack its beak on the glass … over and over and over. Creative Director Laura Mathis occupies the office next to mine. She would hear the noise and laugh, knowing it was driving me crazy. I don’t know if that bird will be back again this year. I kind of hope so.
I know Ben Trockman as a well-known community leader but personally only enough to say hello to. Zach Evans’ profile, “Everything’s an Upside from Here,” on page 25 makes me want to know Trockman better. He addresses a wide array of topics, from having former CEO Bob Jones as a mentor at Old National Bank, to the 2006 motocross accident that left Trockman in a wheelchair. I am
very impressed with his posi tive spirit and determination to accomplish what he sets out to do. Trockman’s remark at the article’s close is one of the most memorable quotes I have heard in some time: When Jones once asked Trockman if he ever has a bad day, Trockman replied, “I had my bad day. Everything’s an upside from here.”
My heartfelt congratulations to two very deserving community leaders. Over her 21-year tenure as president and CEO of Youth First, Parri Black led the impressive nonprofit to new heights. She did a tremendous job of raising money and awareness. Enjoy your retirement, Parri!
Ray Farabaugh, copresident of D-Patrick Automotive Group who is featured on the cover of this issue, won TIME’s Dealer of the Year award at the 2025 National Automobile Dealers Association Show in January. What an incredible, welldeserved honor. Congratulations, Ray. Read more about Ray, D-Patrick, and the regional automotive sales industry in the feature story on page 30.
As always, I look forward to hearing from most of you.
Todd A. Tucker, President
P.S. My wife Kristen, publisher and editor of Evansville Living, tells me — of course — the Bradford pear also is known as the Callery pear. Like I didn’t know that.
REAL ESTATE PROFESSIONAL
TOP PRODUCER, TOP SALES & TOP LEASING
BROKER 2024
Chris Jackson, CCIM, SIOR Senior Broker | Advisor
Involved in commercial real estate since 1996, Chris has a B.S. in Urban and Regional Planning from Western Kentucky University. Chris specializes in commercial investment real estate sales, leasing and consulting services specifically advising and providing value to his clients by evaluating assets through financial and market analysis, as well as tenant and buyer decision-making analyses. Chris assists many national companies with their site selection process.
Chris is a designated Certified Commercial Investment Member (CCIM) and has served as a member of the Board of Directors for the Indiana CCIM Chapter. Chris is a designated active member of the Society of Industrial and Office Realtors® (SIOR) and is currently the only SIOR in Southwest Indiana and Western Kentucky. He has served on the Board of Directors for the Indiana Commercial Board of Realtors® (ICBR) serving as District 8 Representative (Southwest Indiana) as well as a former board member on the Southwest Indiana Chamber of Commerce.
Chris was honored in 2007 as a commercial real estate broker for Who’s Who and was also honored as a CCIM Rising Star in 2010. Chris is affiliated with National Association of Realtors® (NAR). Chris is a licensed Broker in the states of Indiana and Kentucky and also holds his real estate instructor’s license through the state of Indiana.
Driving Automation Excellence Since 2003
Founded in 2003 by Brad Morton, Industrial Control Engineering (ICE) began as a dedicated system integrator serving the automation sector. Over the past two decades, ICE has evolved into a vertically integrated company — combining top-tier controls engineering with licensed electrical contracting services — all under one roof. Today, ICE supports advanced manufacturing and water/wastewater facilities, delivering innovative and efficient solutions tailored to each client’s needs.
Automation is in Our DNA
At ICE, automation isn’t just something we do — it’s who we are. We specialize in crafting custom control solutions designed to boost production quality, maximize efficiency, and, most importantly, save customers money. We bring deep expertise across a wide range of programmable logic controllers (PLCs), including Allen-Bradley, Omron, Mitsubishi, Siemens, and Automation Direct. Our capabilities extend to seamless integration of robotic systems, helping our clients stay competitive in fast-paced industries.
Founder Brad Morton’s decades of hands-on experience include scaling automated manufacturing lines for Siemens Potter & Brumfield and optimizing production at Caterpillar’s renowned 797 mining truck facility in Decatur, Illinois. This real-world know-how translates into smarter designs, faster debugging, and reliability, all aimed at keeping our customers’ systems running at peak performance.
Beyond Traditional Electrical Contracting
While ICE holds full licensing as an electrical contractor and employs highly skilled IBEW electricians, our capabilities go far beyond basic wiring. Our deep proficiency in machine
programming and software solutions sets us apart, including advanced ladder logic programming. Our employees are problemsolvers who work with clients to tackle recurring challenges, reduce downtime, improve cycle times, and continuously refine processes.
Additionally, we offer Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) solutions tailored to each customer’s operation. Whether it’s Ignition, Citect, or RS FactoryTalk, our team delivers intuitive, reliable systems for real-time monitoring and control.
Comprehensive Services, Tailored Solutions
ICE’s service offerings span the entire automation lifecycle, from the initial concept and design/build of electrical control panels to the full installation of power distribution systems, switchgear, transformers, and backup generation. We offer flexible, costeffective support contracts to ensure long-term efficiency and operational stability.
Moreover, ICE is at the forefront of sustainable innovation, providing industrial solar and battery backup solutions. We work closely with manufacturers to craft long-term, customized plans that gradually transition facilities to renewable energy — delivering both environmental and economic benefits.
AUTOMATION SUPPORT
• Variable Frequency Drives
• ControlLogixPLC’s
• SCADA
• Energy Monitoring & Solutions
• 480V Switchgear & Distribution
• Design/Build Electrical Panelboards
• HMI Programming & Implementation
• Complete Control Architecture
• Telemetry Communications
• Fiberoptic
• Ethernet/IP
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
LIFE’S A ZOO
Great article from Evansville Business on our very own Dr. Bradley (“Wild Ambitions,” February/March 2025).
Erik Beck, executive director of Mesker Park Zoo & Botanic Garden, via Facebook
A WORLD OF WONDER
Thank you … for the opportunity to share more about myself and the (Evansville Museum of Arts, History & Science) (“The Person Who Asks ‘Why?’” February/ March 2025)!!
Jennifer Evans, executive director of Evansville Museum of Arts, History & Science, via Facebook
STARTING WITH A DREAM
When we’re young, little do we know how the seeds of inspiration will grow and toward what. A big thank you to the incredible team at Evansville Business for sharing my journalism journey (“For the Love of Words,” December 2024/January 2025). … Motivating and guiding students and yearbook
advisers about the meaningful and creative task of being the eyes, ears, and voice of the school while taking pride in telling their school community story of the year is an honor.
Katie Rice, representative at Walsworth Yearbooks, via Facebook
PAINT THE CITY RED
Check out the latest Evansville Business where Red Spot was featured (“A Spot of Color,” February/ March 2025) and discusses our long history of producing coatings for plastics, our commitment to the Evansville area, and the wonderful employees that make up our company! Red Spot Paint & Varnish Co., Inc., via Facebook
LEADING LADY
Our President and CEO, Amy Mangold, is featured in this issue (Back Talk, February/ March 2025)! Flip to the back page to learn more about her and United Way’s commitment to helping local individuals and families reach their full potential. United Way of Southwestern Indiana, via LinkedIn
Letters to the Editor may be sent to Letters, Evansville Living, 25 N.W. Riverside Drive, Ste. 200, Evansville, IN 47708.
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A New Gig
Suzanne
Crouch picked to lead Deaconess
After eight years as Indiana’s lieutenant governor, Suzanne Crouch wanted to continue to make a difference in peo ple’s lives. She says that’s why she accepted the role of system executive director of the Deaconess Foundation.
“I always say we can’t change the world, but we can change the world for the people whose lives we touch,” the Evansville native says. “And that’s what Deaconess does every single day.”
The foundation is the fundraising arm of Evansville-based Deaconess Health System. Crouch will lead fundraising strategies, over see capital campaigns, cultivate individual gifts, and guide the foundation’s events.
Crouch’s new role allows her to remain an Evansville resident, which she says was impor tant to her. She also cited the opportunity to support health care, a topic she holds dear. While a state representative, she was vice chair
Foundation
BY JOHN MARTIN
of the Public Health Committee, and as lieutenant governor, she founded and co-chaired the Indiana Mental Health Roundtable.
“Physical health is affected by mental health, and mental health is affected by physical health,” Crouch says. “Looking at how we can blend the two better and provide mental health support to those that are struggling physically is a priority that we should have. And that’s what I’ll be focused on, along with raising money.”
Linda White, chief administrative officer of Deaconess Henderson and overseer of the foundation, said in a March 4 press release that Crouch “understands the importance of community-driven philanthropy. Her dedication to making a difference, paired with her strategic vision, will help take the Deaconess Foundation to new heights.”
DEACONESS.COM/FOR-YOU/DONORS-AND-VOLUNTEERS
THANK YOU TO OUR GENEROUS COMMUNITY PARTNERS
Advantix Development Corp.
Alcoa
Alliant Mechanical Services
American Electric Power
Anchor Industries, Inc.
ARC Construction Company
Ascension St. Vincent Evansville
AstraZeneca Pharmaceutical
Atlas World Group
Azzip Pizza
Baird Private Wealth Management
Bally's
Banterra Bank
Berry Global
B-Fit
Bowen Engineering Corp.
Brake Supply Company, Inc.
Capital Electric
Catholic Charities Diocese of Evansville
CenterPoint Energy
CH Garmong and Son, Inc
City of Evansville
CK United Sheet Metal and Mechanical
Corporate Design, Inc.
Costco Wholesale
Cresline Plastic Pipe Co, Inc.
CRS OneSource
Custom Mechanical Construction
D-Patrick, Inc.
Deaconess Health System
Dentons Bingham Greenebaum LLP
Diehl Consulting Group
Donaldson Capital Management
Don's Claytons, Inc.
Duke Energy
Dunn Hospitality Group, Ltd.
Easterseals Rehabilitation Center
ECHO Community Healthcare Eckart, LLC
Eli Lilly
Elite Line Striping, LLC
Energy Systems Group
Enterprise
Environmental Consultants
Evansville Fire Department
Evansville Housing Authority
Evansville Police Department
Evansville Regional Economic Partnership
Evansville Sheet Metal Works
Evansville Water & Sewer Utility
Evansville Welding Supply
Evansville-Vanderburgh School Corp.
F.C. Tucker Emge Realtors
Fifth Third Bank
First Federal Savings Bank
First Financial Bank
Flair Molded Plastics, Inc.
Forvis Mazars
Foxxx Pools of Evansville
French Lick Resort
GE Appliances
George Koch Sons, LLC
German American
Graybar Electric Company, Inc.
Hafer Associates, PC
Hall Communications
Harding, Shymanski & Company PSC
Heritage Federal Credit Union
Heritage Petroleum LLC
HSC Medical Billing & Consulting, LLC
IBEW Local 16
Indiana-American Water Co., Inc.
Indiana Members Credit Union
Indiana United Ways
Infinite Solutions
Ireland Home Based Services, LLC.
Jerry David Enterprises, Inc
Kahn, Dees, Donovan & Kahn
Kaiser Aluminum -Warrick
Keller Schroeder & Assoc., Inc.
Kemper CPA Group
Kimberly-Clark
Koch Air LLC
Koch Enterprises Inc.
Lensing Building Specialties
Liberty Federal Credit Union
Lochmueller Group
Marvin Johnson & Associates, Inc.
Medxcel
Meijer
Meridian Leasing
Morgan Stanley
Old National Bank
OneMain Financial
Patriot Fire & Safety
Precision Strip
Pro-Tex-All Company, Inc
Raymond James & Associates, Inc.
Real Purity
Reckitt / Mead Johnson Nutrition
Red Spot Paint & Varnish Co.
Regency Property Services, LLC
Ruxer Foundation
SABIC
Schiff Air Conditioning/Heating
Schnucks Markets Inc.
Shoe Carnival, Inc.
South Western Communications, Inc.
Springfield Electric Supply
StructShare
Target
TaylorMade
Texas Gas Transmission LLC
Traylor Construction Group
Tri-State Bearing Company
Tri-State Trophies
Uniseal, Inc.
United Companies
United Fidelity Bank
United Way Of Southwestern Indiana
University Of Evansville
University Of Southern Indiana
Wabash Plastics
Warehouse Services
Wood Specialties by Fehrenbacher
Ziemer Stayman Weitzel Shoulders
Bank On It
German American ranks No. 2 on Forbes’ Best Banks list
BY JOHN MARTIN
Look at Forbes magazine’s list of America’s Best Banks for 2025, and you’ll see a name that has become familiar throughout the Evansville region.
German American Bancorp is No. 2 on the list of 100 institutions ranked by the magazine, trailing only Southern BancShares of Mount Olive, North Carolina.
“Our being recognized as a top performer across the nation is nothing new to us. But rising to the level of No. 2 is special,” says Neil Dauby, chairman and CEO of Jasper, Indiana-based German American. “We could tell our team members they are doing a great job and give them internal recognition and acknowledgment, but when an independent and prestigious company like Forbes gives
“When an independent and prestigious company like Forbes gives you that validation, it takes on a whole different meaning for our team.”
— Neil Dauby, Chairman and CEO, German American Bank
you that validation, it takes on a whole different meaning for our team.”
Now 115 years old, German American has about $8.3 billion in assets and
$3.7 billion in wealth management assets under management. Its presence is in western, central, and northern Kentucky and central and southwest Ohio, as well as central and southern Indiana.
German American has conducted business at its Downtown Evansville location, at Southeast Third and Locust streets, since 2017.
Bank officials say their success is keyed by local governing within their six geographic regions. Each of those areas has “local people making local decisions,” says John Lamb, chief commercial banking officer and senior president of German American’s Southwest Region.
In its list of America’s Best Banks for 2025, Forbes notes that smaller often is better when it comes to financial institutions.
No banks in the top 10 have more than $25 billion in assets, and JPMorgan Chase is the only trillion-dollar institution on the entire list.
German American officials say they retained the smaller, community bankstyle model even as the company has expanded to 46 locations in Indiana and 28 in Kentucky.
In rating institutions for 2025, Forbes looks at 11 metrics measuring growth, credit quality, and profitability for the 12 months ending Sept. 30, 2024, as well as stock performance in the year through Jan. 10, 2025.
The 200 largest publicly traded banks and thrifts by assets were eligible for the list. Forbes ranked the top 100 of that group.
The No. 2 national recognition from Forbes “should instill confidence in those who bank and invest with German American because it demonstrates our financial focus, strength, and stability,” Dauby says.
GERMANAMERICAN.COM
Leading the Charge
Meet three new nonprofit executive directors
BY MAGGIE VALENTI
What led you to this role?
My inner child’s love of learning has allowed me to work in a variety of fields — always with people. Children have a sense of wonderment, they’re eager to learn, explore, and truly know how to experience joy — that type of energy is infectious.
How have your previous positions prepared you for your current role?
My love for learning and problem-solving often allows me to see the bigger picture and understand how different elements are interrelated.
What do you hope to accomplish at cMoe?
The list doesn’t have an end. The future of cMoe is focused on our role, and clear intent, of fostering learning by being a true partner in education: upgrading and expanding various galleries and exhibits, enhancing our activities and partnerships, preserving our building, and broadening our reach to be accessible to all.
What advice do you have for those pursuing a similar path?
Do it. Nonprofits make up about 10 percent of the workforce, and of that, children’s museums are a small fraction. … Gain knowledge (through work, volunteerism, or mentors) in teaching, community relations, and strategic development.
What motivated you to pursue a career that led to this position?
Since I was a child, I’ve felt most at home when I am in nature. … It has been a personal mission of mine to connect others to the lessons of the land and encourage empathy and gratitude for the ecological services that make our lives possible.
Did a career change or shift encourage you to pursue a different path?
Returning to school to complete a master’s degree in my late 30s provided a shift from teaching in small, private schools toward becoming a community-based educator and leader.
What is Wesselman Woods’ best asset?
The best asset of Wesselman Woods is the community of people who care. The place would not exist if not for the people who work, volunteer, and donate to protect, preserve, and celebrate this largest stand of an old-growth forest in the United States.
What advice do you have for those pursuing a similar career path?
Learn to think in systems, plan for longterm results, prepare environments for open interactions, observe and listen deeply, and learn how to admit mistakes gracefully.
After working at Carver more than 25 years, what led you to pursue this executive leadership role?
I have witnessed firsthand the impact of having a quality childcare program. Stepping into this role allows me to further that impact on a larger scale, ensuring the organization’s sustainability and growth in the essential services that we provide.
How have your previous positions prepared you for this role?
I understood the organization’s mission, values, and culture, and how these principles guide the decision-making and day-to-day operations. … Knowing these things gives me a clear vision of the future direction of Carver.
What do you hope to accomplish?
I aim to create a holistic, intergenerational approach that fosters intentionality and excellence with our connections, learning and development, and programming.
What advice do you have for those considering a similar career?
If pursuing a leadership path in the nonprofit sector … research classes, trainings, or jobs that build experience in strategic planning, relationship building, and resilience. Have a clear vision for the organization but break it down into achievable steps.
Erica Schmidt
Executive Director, Koch Family Children’s Museum of Evansville, since March 2024
Amy Rhodes
Executive Director, Wesselman Woods Nature Preserve, since November 2024
Deiona Clayton
Executive Director, Carver Community Organization, since January 2025
Working Behind The Scenes
Mike Skvara’s IHSAA award caps decades of service to sports
Depending on the time you may find Mike Skvara broadcasting a football game for Reitz Memorial High School. He could be crunching numbers as a statistician for the same program. Or, maybe he is herding coaches to press conferences and post-game ceremonies as a media coordinator for the Indiana High School Athletic Association.
is no secret. In November, IHSAA honored him with the Distinguished Media Service Award for District 3.
praise. “I would rather work behind the scenes, but if I need to take a leadership role, I will. I feel very comfortable doing both.”
parents with instilling in him a desire to serve. Church — he’s a longtime member of Holy Rosary Catholic Church — and sports have received much of his commu nity efforts. He has coached football and baseball, covered games as a freelance sportswriter for print publications, and
couple moved to Evansville in 1988, Sue excelled as a physical education teacher at Holy Rosary Catholic School before her death in 1997. He met his second wife, Ann, while coaching her son on the Holy Rosary grade school football team. He and Ann, a nurse and nursing professor at Ivy Tech Community College, married in 2003.
“After faith and family, there are five things I have a passion for: sports, sales, media, education, and community
In 2012, Skvara and renowned football coach Ted Huber started the Southern Indiana Chapter of the National Football Foundation. He earned an NFF Chapter Leadership Award in 2019.
While Skvara enjoys most sports, football is his favorite. But no matter the sports or community project, “Whatever I’m doing, I enjoy the most,” he says. “I’ve developed relationships because of all this, and they’re all intertwined. But there’s one common thing: Sports.”
FOOTBALLFOUNDATION.ORG
Not Your Average Bartender
The Spiked Lil’ Burro offers drinks with a twist
ness The Spiked Lil’ Burro, said she heard of the “beer burro” idea done out West, and “I said, oh I can do that. No one else does that around here.”
key adorned with panniers filled with beverages and snacks, can be hired to add a unique touch to personal or professional get-togethers.
Donkeys at events such as weddings do have a history, since they often are considered symbols of peace and humility. Kaelen Rice, owner of Mount Vernon, Indiana-based busi-
A licensed server and animal handler, Rice assists Busch with the proper distribution of any liquor. In addition to doling out refreshments (which customers provide), Busch also enjoys pets and photo ops.
“He took to carrying the pack and drinks instantly,” Rice said. “He loves people. I’m a little biased, but he’s the best donkey.
Medical Maneuvers
Merger of Tri-State Orthopaedics, two other practices will create OrthoIndiana
Tforming one of the 10 largest independent orthopedic practices in the U.S.
A mid-2025 merger of the 75-yearold Evansville-based physician group, OrthoIndy in Indianapolis, and Fort Wayne Orthopedics will create OrthoIndiana. It will operate across 39 locations statewide, with 160 physicians and more than 1,800 staff members.
“When you have something of this magnitude, it helps us do things well and be better,” says Dr. Paul Perry, president of Tri-State Orthopaedics.
The three practices will keep their branding, and all will retain their respective boards while also participating in a new, shared board of directors.
Physicians at the three locations will work jointly on technology infrastructure, including AI, and other strategies to improve patient care and control costs.
Perry says one priority the three practices share is an emphasis on outpatient care and sparing as many patients as possible the high cost of hospital stays.
A Safe Haven
Sanctuary on the Hill to be a retreat for returning service members
BY SHAWN RUMSEY
“When you have some thing of this magnitude, it helps us do things well and be better.”
— Dr. Paul Perry, President Tri-State Orthopaedics
The Evansville practice was formed in 1949 by Drs. John H. Sterne and Henry Leibundguth. OrthoIndy, Perry explains, approached Tri-State Orthopaedics two years ago to ask what a collaboration would look like, and the Fort Wayne group became involved later.
“We stopped at the three groups to not complicate the conversation or make it more difficult,” Perry says. “ … Physicians are fiercely independent, and we want to be physician-led. At the end of the day, this needs to be something the surgeons run and lead.”
Military service members suffering mental and emotional stress from combat soon will have a haven structured specifically for their needs. Spearheaded by the nonprofit Mission First, The Sanctuary on the Hill will be situated on 90 acres in western Warrick County near Interstate 69. Plans feature hiking and horseback riding trails, a four-acre lake, a 6,000-square-foot activities center and a 10,000-squarefoot lodge for overnight stays. A groundbreaking was held March 22, and it is slated to fully open in early 2027, although some features should be ready by the end of this year, says Danny Barr, a Marine Corps vet and Sanctuary board president.
Veterans will receive help reassimilating into everyday society as well as group therapy sessions led by “veterans who have been there and walked the path successfully,” Barr says.
A $6.7 million grant from the Lilly Foundation through the local Community Foundation Alliance, along with sponsorships from CenterPoint and the Jim and Carol Havens Family Foundation, as well as several private donations, have funded the project so far.
$3.3
Kevin Monzon Gomez Bar Manager, Entwined
Tom White President and CEO, Explore Evansville
RheAnn White Driskell Program Development Manager, Evansville African American Museum
CGrowing Something New
Andrew and Jesse Diekhoff write Colonial Classics’ next chapter
and retail options expanded into lawn furniture, giftware, and accessories.
The McCartys consolidated operations to a new location on Epworth Road in Newburgh, Indiana, in 2007, offering a sweeping greenhouse, nursery, and garden center, as well as deepening its investment in commercial and residential landscape design and building through Colorscaping Associates. The business also became an authorized dealer of Thursday Pools, in-ground, temperaturecontrolled swimming pools manufactured in Fortville, Indiana.
hanges have been taking place at Colonial Classics Landscape & Nursery, but longtime shoppers can expect to see familiar faces.
Backed by a group of local investors, Andrew and Jesse Diekhoff this winter purchased the longtime landscaping business and garden center from Julie and J.T. McCarty. The latter’s father, Jim Sr., and grandfather, Jacob, opened McCarty’s Garden Centers in 1958 at 4801 Washington Ave. The business remained in family hands for the next 66 years.
In that time, the business bloomed like the plants it sold. It quickly outgrew its two-car garage with a gravel floor, and
“We want to build on the foundation that’s already there.”
— Andrew Diekhoff Owner, Colonial Classics
operations moved to a new building in the 700 block of South Green River Road with more space for the store and corporate offices. Services were added, including landscape contracting and maintenance and holiday decorations,
The winds of change began blowing at Colonial Classics a few years before the December 2024 sale. Andrew Diekhoff had served as Colonial’s landscape design manager since February 2018. The Reitz Memorial High School graduate had formed a strong relationship with the McCartys — J.T. even officiated the Diekhoffs’ wedding — which got him thinking about the future. Andrew was ready to take the next step in his career, and he knew the McCartys did not have another generation to carry on the family business. Sentiment also played a part.
“I love the place. I met my wife there. I knew I wasn’t going to make a career change, and I didn’t want to move and start somewhere else,” he says. “It seemed like a dream come true to be able to do
Motivated by their experience in the landscaping industry, Andrew and Jesse Diekhoff — who met while both worked at Colonial Classics Landscape & Nursery — upped the ante of their investment by purchasing the 66-year-old business in 2024.
that, instead of starting from scratch. … I thought, I can pull this off. There’s no better opportunity in this region.”
The McCartys agreed. “We felt very good about that transition because we know how much passion he has for the business, and he’s a local person,” J.T. says.
“I think I’m kind of surprised that I’m not more nervous about it than I am,” Andrew laughs. “I just know there’s such
a good team in place. We can keep growing.” He adds, “(J.T.) knows we’ll take care of a legacy that’s very personal to him.”
Bolstering the buy was the group of local investors backing the deal. A private equity initiative called eFund 1 raised the capital needed to purchase Colonial’s business operations and land. GrassKickers, a lawncare company run by Casey’s Dugout owner Casey Keown, was folded into Colonial’s services. Keown also manages Colonial’s social media campaigns.
The deal launched the group’s aim to fund more endeavors to keep area interests in local hands.
“The whole mission is in matching local capital,” says Kyle Fields, co-founder and managing partner of Bridge Alternatives and one of eFund 1’s investors. “There’s a lot more capital than people probably realize in our community, and we’re matching local capital with local talent, aligning everybody’s interests.”
“We felt very good about the transition because we know how much passion (Andrew) has for the business.”
— J.T. McCarty Former Owner, Colonial Classics
Fields, who grew up with Andrew, says he wanted to support his longtime friend because he “is super talented. You can see his talent, passion, and conviction.”
Andrew stresses he’s not trying to reinvent the wheel at the business. His and Jesse’s mission is straightforward: to make Colonial Classics the premier destination for all things outdoors.
“We want to build on the foundation that’s already there. We don’t want to do things too differently as much as we
Colonial Classics’ Operations
1958 Jacob McCarty and his son, Jim Sr., open McCarty’s Garden Centers at 4801 Washington Ave.
1958 The business moves into a new facility at 735 S. Green River Road. It operates under the name Colonial Garden Center.
1990 Jim McCarty Sr.’s son, J.T., takes over the family business, which has evolved into Colonial Classics.
2007 Colonial Classics’ services are consolidated under one roof at 3633 Epworth Road in Newburgh, Indiana. Services expand with a new garden center and nursery, plus specialties in landscape design, building, and maintenance.
2024 Andrew and Jesse Diekhoff purchase Colonial Classics from J.T. and Julie McCarty.
want to add to what we’re doing,” Andrew says. “Having the longevity it’s had, you don’t get there by being big. You get there by offering quality service, being fair, taking care of staff and customers, and offering a good, quality product, whether it’s something in the garden center or a project in someone’s house. You deliver a trustworthy service.”
Colonial clients can continue to have a one-stop shopping experience with regard to their landscape needs. In addition to handpicking which plants to plug into their landscaping, customers can receive tips for pruning their shrubs, services to fertilize their lawn, assistance planting trees, installation of a swimming pool or outdoor lighting, and expert designers drafting 3-D conceptual presentations of swaths of colorful blooms or the perfect patio.
Meanwhile, new services — like an irrigation department — are on tap. “The irrigation department is something we’ve dabbled in,” Andrew told Evansville Business in January. “We’ve already made some hires, and that team is being built. We want to offer more maintenance services and keep growing, and we’re building teams that are qualified.”
In addition to overseeing Colonial’s business operations, Andrew also serves as president of the board of directors for
Josh Wetzel
Jeff Kniese
Stephen Montgomery
Vowells
Keep Evansville Beautiful. Meanwhile, his wife, Jesse, is shaping the retail experience. The Newburgh native took an afterschool job at Colonial Classics in 2014 while attending Castle High School, and she fell in love with horticulture. Rising in the ranks to assistant manager, she developed the hobby of drying and pressing flowers. She steadily built a side business of custom floral work set in resin, and in 2024, she opened her own shop, Jesse Jeanne’s Flower Boutique on Washington Avenue — coincidently near the site of the original Colonial store.
She said leaving her longtime job at the garden center was bittersweet. “It was hard for me and everyone (at Colonial), but I knew I wanted to venture out on my own,” she told Evansville Living in 2024. Now, she will run her floral boutique in addition to helping guide retail operations at Colonial. She and Andrew are parents to daughter Sammie, who turns two in May.
“It’s nice to have Jesse there to help with the retail side of things, because she’s familiar with that,” Andrew says. “Some areas of the business are not in my wheelhouse, and in those areas, Jesse can help, our investors can help.”
As the Diekhoffs move Colonial Classics into its next chapter, they’re adding to their ranks people who share their passion for plants and commitment to excellence.
“We want Colonial to be a career place for people, not just a job,” Andrew says. “We are finding the best candidates for what they do in this industry and community.”
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Jesse Diekhoff, Andrew’s wife, discovered a passion for floral design and preservation while working at Colonial Classics. She opened Jesse Jeanne’s Flower Boutique in 2024 and will head up Colonial’s retail operations.
‘Everything’s an Upside from Here’
Ben Trockman’s visibility and positivity help him excel as a community and civic leader
Ben Trockman is a transformative force.
According to his friends and colleagues, he’s motivated and passionate yet affable and genuinely positive. He uses those assets to his advantage as he works to effect change in Evansville.
“I’m just a driven person in general, and I want to do good in the world,” Trockman says.
For nearly two decades, the 36-year-old has advocated for accessibility and inclusion in public projects and private corporations for people with disabilities. He’s managed winning political campaigns that have made history in his hometown. Now, he serves as president and face of the Evansville City Council, where he works to improve the quality of life citywide.
Before that, a life-altering event reshaped his future.
In March 2006, at 17, he was in a motocross racing accident at a competition in Poole, Kentucky, and suffered a severe spinal cord injury, leaving him paralyzed from the neck down. Trockman now uses a motorized wheelchair — controlled by blowing into a mouthpiece — for mobility.
“After my injury, I realized life is not something that you can count on or expect, and it can change any given time significantly,” he says. “And as I’ve gone through my journey and I have met so many incredible people that have helped me along the way and invested in me along the way, it makes me and drives me to invest back in them and the community.”
When Trockman spoke with Evansville Living for a story in the July/August 2010 issue, he and his family — father Wayne, mother Jill, and brother Josh — still were grappling with his recovery. The then-junior at the University of Southern Indiana kept things lighthearted by joking with his physical therapists at Easterseals Rehabilitation Center and sharing his story whenever someone asked.
Reliving his horrific accident “is OK with me,” Trockman told Evansville Living in 2010, “because I don’t want people staring and wondering, ‘What’s wrong with that kid?’ I want people to know there are people out there who need help, who have injuries. Their lives have changed, but they still are people, too.”
Nearly 15 years later, Trockman has steadily become a vocal advocate for disability rights and inclusion. Now, in politics, he has the power to shape policy firsthand.
Trockman’s political career is a resume of historic breakthroughs and wins.
Evansville voters elected Trockman to City Council in 2019, the first time a Democrat had won a First Ward seat
Ben Trockman was among city officials and community members at the Aug. 26, 2023, ribbon cutting for Wesselman Woods’ new ADA-accessible trail.
on the city’s East Side in 60 years. After that, Trockman ran fellow Democrat Noah Robinson’s successful campaign for Vanderburgh County sheriff in 2022.
Voters re-elected Trockman to City Council again in 2023. While running his campaign that year, Trockman also served as campaign manager for Stephanie Terry’s bout for Evansville mayor. Terry won the race and became the first woman and first Black person to be elected Evansville’s top official.
As a City Council member in 2021, Trockman pushed for the now-enacted Complete Streets Ordinance, which intends to make roadways more accessible to residents. Improvements include ADA curb ramps, more visible crosswalks, accessible bus stops, and additional pedestrian and bike lanes.
Accessible trails are a big part of his second term.
“It’s something that I just think we’re lacking in our community. We need to be better, just being more connected,” he says.
Trockman was elected City Council president in January. The public-facing part of that role puts him front-and-center
during meetings, with his voice guiding the agenda. But the meetings aren’t where the work is done, he says. Behind the scenes, he’s fielding concerns at a micro level — trash in yards, abandoned cars, and connecting people to local resources, among others.
“The idea of being a good city council member is doing the hard work behind the
scenes and showing up to the meeting to be able to celebrate the success,” he says.
But according to Easterseals CEO and President Kelly Schneider, Trockman’s visibility as City Council President can be more important than anything he says.
Trockman became a local Easterseals adult ambassador in 2010. Two years later, he was named the national ambassador and sent around the country speaking about disability and hearing from people with disabilities. After that, he served on the local nonprofit’s board of directors for six years.
Schneider, who’s known Trockman for 15 years, describes him as articulate, driven, positive, and a “force of nature.” But she says it’s his visibility in the community, not just as an outspoken leader but as an accomplished one, that says so much.
“Example is more powerful than anything he can say. Seeing people like him leading such powerful lives and having such an impact on this community — it makes people start to see past the disability, which we want them to, and see the person,” she says.
That’s part of Trockman’s political success — people recognize he works
Ben Trockman’s family — including father Wayne, mother Jill, and brother Josh — have supported him on his journey to recovery and becoming a community leader.
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“The idea of being a good city council member is doing the hard work behind the scenes.”
— Ben Trockman President, Evansville City Council
hard and is dedicated to the role. Former Indiana Democratic Party Chairman and friend Mike Schmuhl says “the sky’s the limit” for Trockman’s political career and what he can accomplish in those roles.
“I think one of the rare things these days in politics is for people to like you, and I think that people really like Ben,” Schmuhl says. “I think they see he works hard. They see he’s dedicated to the community.”
Before his political career began, Trockman worked at Old National Bank. After graduating from USI, ONB hired him as an outreach and employment specialist to help build programs to bring more people with disabilities into the bank’s workforce. In March 2022, he began working as a project manager at Change for Balance, a national strategic communications and production agency for storytelling and building brand awareness.
If counted as one group, Americans with disabilities would be the largest minority group in the country, according to the Disability Funders Network. Per the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, they also have a significantly higher unemployment rate.
Trockman created the Achieve Ability program that paired employees with disabilities with a mentor in the bank. Bob Jones, then CEO of Old National Bank, was Trockman’s mentor. The program is designed to be 12 months long, but they met every month until Jones retired in 2019.
During the five years they worked together, Jones saw Trockman’s bold enthusiasm and ambition mature into an effective leader in the community. Then, of course, were the “Ben-isms,” in which Ben would drop his own evolved perspective into the conversation.
During one of their monthly one-onone meetings, Jones recounts that Trockman said to him, “Ask me anything.”
Jones thought and considered Trockman’s always joyful and upbeat attitude he brings to work and life. He turned to Trockman and asked, “Have you ever had a bad day? I mean, we all have bad days.”
“I had my bad day,” Trockman replied. “Everything’s an upside from here.”
John Martin and Jodi Keen contributed to this story.
DRIVING FORCES
Careful planning, community-minded relationships steer the Evansville area’s auto sales industry
BY JODI KEEN AND JOHN MARTIN
Looking to buy a vehicle in the Evansville area? You’ll find plenty of choices within the sprawling Division Street auto plaza on the city’s East Side. It’s the home of multiple dealerships, including family-owned enterprises with decades of history and community philanthropy behind them.
the same way Evansville is a hub for health care, retail shopping, dining, and entertainment, it also is a regional capital for automotive sales. It’s not just about the city’s centralized spot on the map: More than 100 lots offer the latest models, a wide range of makes, used cars, and luxury rides. Many bolster their business by providing body shops and repair services. Laying the groundwork for the local industry’s strength are award-winning auto sales leaders who have embraced innovation and weathered economic downturns to keep auto sales strong.
Personal auto usage often is necessary — even required — to get around this corner of the Midwest. Statistics from Data USA show that the average vehicle ownership in Evansville matched the national average of two autos per household in 2023. Of the little more than 51,000 local households, around 45,000 — 88.9 percent — relied on a personal vehicle for their daily commute. Less than 5 percent used a mix of bicycles, taxis, motorcycles, walking, and other modes of transportation. Although the Metropolitan Evansville Transit System is the most robust such network in the area, public transportation remains scarce in the Tri-State, driving up the demand for automobile ownership throughout the region. Local
Personal auto usage often is necessary — even required — to get around this corner of the Midwest. Statistics from Data USA show that the average vehicle ownership in Evansville matched the national average of two autos per household in 2023.
dates to 1934 and employs a workforce of about 500 in a footprint mostly centered in Evansville and Boonville, Indiana. D-Patrick sells about 9,000 vehicles annually from 10 area dealerships. Within Evansville are pockets of automobile sales hubs. At the Division Street auto plaza along Lloyd Expressway from Green River to Stockwell roads, buyers can hop from lot to lot and shop for Chevrolet at Kenny Kent, Hyundai at Hyundai of Evansville, Kia and Mazda at Lou Fusz, and Nissan, Honda, Volkswagen, Porsche, Audi, BMW, Mercedes-Benz, and more from D-Patrick. Another D-Patrick location sells Lincoln and Ford near the busy U.S. 41-Lloyd Expressway interchange. Across Green River Road to the east, there’s more. Just off East Indiana Street are Kenny Kent’s Lexus and Toyota dealerships near Expressway’s locations selling Dodge, Chrysler, Jeep, RAM, and Mitsubishi vehicles. Further east near the Warrick County line is the Romain Auto Group’s home base for its Subaru, Buick, GMC, and Cadillac dealerships, as well as Town and Country’s Ford location. Lux Motors on Green River Road offers used luxury imported and domestic vehicles including Rolls-Royce and Land Rover.
Brothers-in-law Mike O’Daniel and Ray Farabaugh are co-presidents of the D-Patrick family of automobile dealerships and say their mission goes beyond selling vehicles. A community presence since 1934, D-Patrick is “highly selective” when hiring, O’Daniel says, and invests in employee growth. The automotive company also has donated millions of dollars to community initiatives.
D-Patrick is among the oldest auto companies in the region, followed by Kenny Kent, which originated in 1945 as a Chevrolet dealership, and the Romain Automotive Group — falling under the umbrella of United Companies — which dates to 1964.
Interspersed around all are the companies’ respective body shops, service centers, and financing departments. Smaller dealerships also dot regional sales options, swelling the number of lots to more than 100 in and near Evansville.
Offering thousands of vehicles in an easily accessible city has made Evansville a prime choice for auto shoppers. “We have a very big area we draw from,” says David Cates, general sales manager of Lou Fusz Kia Evansville.
DRIVING SALES WITH PRINTS AND PERSONAL RELATIONSHIPS
While Evansville’s location helps, local automotive dealers say there’s no substitute for trust and knowing who you’re dealing with, and that’s what they provide to those looking to buy or lease a vehicle.
Staying competitive in the industry, local dealers say, requires a solid team. D-Patrick “doesn’t bring just anyone on board” – O’Daniel describes the company’s hiring as “highly selective,” and once some-
Lou Fusz Kia of Evansville General Sales Manager David Cates says the River City is a strong automotive sales capital, and he’s proud to be a new part of it. St. Louis, Missouri-based Lou Fusz bought the local Kia dealership in 2022. “We have been welcomed warmly,” Cates says.
one is on the team, D-Patrick is committed to ongoing education and improvement in the craft.
“You have to have a commitment to personal growth of employees, (and) help your employees understand that customer satisfaction and being fair to them is the ultimate priority,” says O’Daniel, who got his start by picking up trash at age 5 at his father’s dealership. O’Daniel joined the company’s payroll in 1987.
This approach to sales practice extends across the Ohio River, too. Kate Faupel Grealish is the owner of her namesake Ford dealership on Henderson, Kentucky’s U.S. 41 strip as well as her father Ron Faupel’s nearby Henderson Chevrolet GMC dealership. Wearing wildly patterned pants to attract attention, Faupel has encouraged Evansville-area car shoppers to “cross that money-saving bridge” to his dealership in the Bluegrass State for nearly 25 years.
Grealish says having success in the industry always starts with people.
“Your workforce is everything to a dealership,” Grealish says. “When you have good people, you have good service, and customers come back. You’ve got great people who build a great reputation for you with customers and drive retention.”
The region’s strong reputation in the automotive industry has attracted dealers from outside the Tri-State market, such as St. Louis, Missouri-based Lou Fusz Automotive Network, which purchased Evansville’s Kia dealership from Doug and Anne Duell in August 2022.
“Lou Fusz Motors Company expanded into the Evansville market in 2022 to take advantage of the area’s growth potential,” Cates says. “Evansville offers a wonderful combination of an expanding market with loyal customers and a small-town feel, making it an ideal opportunity for a family business like ours. … We have been welcomed warmly by the community, and the region aligns well with our values and business model.”
“You have to have a commitment to personal growth of employees, (and) help your employees understand that customer satisfaction and being fair to them is the ultimate priority.”
— Mike O’Daniel, Co-President, D-Patrick
Expansion into the Vincennes and Terre Haute, Indiana, markets followed in 2024. The company employs approximately 113 people at the Evansville dealership and about 1,200 across all 19 locations.
Although a new name in Evansville, the third-generation family company has a long reputation in the Gateway City, expanding to more than one dozen dealerships in and around St. Louis since the company’s founding in 1952.
FAMILY AND PHILANTHROPY
Like O’Daniel, Farabaugh, and Grealish, Cates attributes his company’s success to its
TALKING SHOP
Buying a vehicle? Dealers offer some advice
EDITED BY JODI KEEN
“Buy and service locally, no matter where you live. Those folks will take the best care of you. … A local auto dealer in your town is the most personally invested in your satisfaction. If they’re offering sales, service, and a body shop, you have a big advantage.”
— Mike O’Daniel, Co-President, D-Patrick
“Consider leasing as an option. Leasing can provide lower monthly payments, reduced maintenance costs, and the flexibility to upgrade to a new vehicle every few years, which can be especially appealing given how quickly vehicle technology evolves.”
— David Cates, General Sales Manager, Lou Fusz Kia of Evansville
“Do your research, and figure out where you’d like to save yourself some time. It seems counterintuitive, but we don’t want people to have to be at the dealership more than they want to be. Also, if you have a trade-in, know what you need to do to get the most money for trade, like put on new tires or make sure it’s really clean.”
— Kate Faupel Grealish, President, Faupel Automotive
family-based core values: “Treating everyone with respect, doing the right thing for our customers, and building lasting relationships to create lifelong customers,” he says.
“Meeting customers where they are in the buying process is crucial to building strong relationships and ensuring customer satisfaction,” he adds.
Evansville-area automotive dealers have used their success to give back big dollars to the community. Since the 1980s, D-Patrick has contributed millions to local organizations and causes, and that community involvement was a contributing factor in Farabaugh being named TIME Dealer of the Year in January from
“Evansville offers a wonderful combination of an expanding market with loyal customers and a small-town feel, making it an ideal opportunity for a family business like ours.”
— David Cates, General Sales Manager, Lou Fusz Kia of Evansville
a field of 49 nominees from across the U.S. Romain sponsored Harrison High School’s football stadium. Faupel Automotive employees serve on nonprofit boards and donate volunteer hours to community projects. In the St. Louis area, Lou
Kate Faupel Grealish, president of Faupel Automotive in Henderson, Kentucky, says success in automotive sales requires having the best team possible, because that’s what keeps customers coming back. “Your workforce is everything to a dealership,” Graelish says.
STICKER SHOCK?
Tariffs could push up prices of new vehicles BY
JOHN MARTIN
Looking to buy a vehicle? Trade wars between President Donald Trump’s administration and the rest of the world could cause some price jumps over the spring and summer.
Trump on March 27 announced 25 percent tariffs on foreign-made vehicles, effective April 3, as well as tariffs on parts including engines and transmissions which will be in place no later than May 3. This has led experts to consider buying automobiles soon rather than waiting for a better deal.
What kind of increase can shoppers expect? Perry Burnett, a University of Southern Indiana associate professor of economics, says he’s seen estimates of total possible impact range anywhere from $3,000 to $10,000 — no matter the car’s original price — with a key factor being the percentage of imported components in each vehicle.
Burnett noted a Honda Civic, for example, can have a U.S.-produced engine and transmission from Mexico, and several models are assembled in Canada. He points out that international free-trade agreements from the past are responsible for such diversification.
If more of a vehicle’s components are manufactured domestically, the impact of tariffs on buyers will be less, Burnett says.
When guessing how much a price could grow, “you can’t look at just the vehicle in terms of the brand,” he adds.
Burnett notes that Japan is a significant country in automotive production, so increased production from that nation could shield consumers from the impact of tariffs levied elsewhere. Supply chains in today’s world can adjust, he says.
Burnett says the best advice for consumers is to watch for the latest developments and pounce on a good deal if they see one.
Fusz Automotive has become known for its Lou Fusz Athletics program, which launched in 1992 with the mission to positively impact youth. Those efforts came with the company to Evansville, where it sponsors the North High School soccer fields for both boys’ and girls’ teams and has built the Huskies’ ticket office, installed new goals, and provided new uniforms.
With vehicle and economic trends constantly evolving, automotive dealers have to keep their game sharp and adapt quickly. Several owners cite technology as the biggest driving force behind the industry’s changes, from what customers are looking for to how they choose to shop.
JOIN THE PACK
“It used to be that Saturdays were the biggest volume day. That’s not necessarily the case anymore,” Grealish says. “I really believe it’s because of the internet. No longer do you have to spend your whole day going to lots and test-driving 80 cars, seeing them and figuring out prices. People do research ahead of time, they’ve budgeted, maybe even done a credit app online. … They can come in Wednesday night, buy a car, and be out in an hour.”
Another change is the decline in the number of dealerships that are family owned. Around the time that O’Daniel and Farabaugh joined the family business in the late 1980s, around 35,000 new car dealerships nationwide were owned by about 25,000 families. Today,
which has weekly dealer-only sales as well as popular public events.
Founded by R. Tony Wolfe in Terre Haute, Indiana, the auction lot is celebrating its 50th anniversary this year. The business has been operated by five family generations, and it expanded to Evansville in 1987.
Wolfe’s main clientele are dealers, according to general manager Tony Wolfe, R. Tony Wolfe’s grandson, “Dealers who want to sell and buy cars do business at our locations. We are basically the remarketer for those cars ... anyone who wants to liquidate inventory, we do that.”
But the public events — which started in 2020 and have been held twice a year in Evansville since 2022 — have
BY JOHN MARTIN
been a hit with car fans. Those auctions happen on a Friday night and Saturday, with the Friday hours featuring a memorabilia auction as well as food and drinks. The cars are displayed Friday and auctioned Saturday. A pass for both days is $20.
The family business takes pride in its high-quality inventory, offering reliable vehicles with transparent information and competitive bidding. There’s quite a range — classic cars and later models are available, as well as glowy memorabilia to spruce up your garage or home.
The most expensive vehicle sold at Wolfe’s fall 2024 auction was a 1969 Chevrolet Camaro Z28, at $90,000, followed by a 1970 Dodge Challenger 440 Six Pack at $89,000.
“I love selling them all,” Wolfe says. “Every car has a history and story. Especially ones you’re trading from the older generation. I enjoy the interactions of all the people who come out and enjoy cars.”
Interested? Follow Wolfe’s Facebook page and website to keep up with inventory and upcoming events.
collector.wolfesaa.com
Perry Burnett
“I want to do more and do better. ‘Could we change it and make it a little bit better?’ There’s always a bit more juice to be squeezed.”
— Kate Faupel Grealish, President, Faupel Automotive
there are between 16,000 and 17,000 dealerships, and their ownership is split between publicly held companies, private equity firms, and family-owned dealership groups. Only about 2,000 families are in the automobile business, with many families owning 7 to 10 dealerships.
“About 90 percent of families in the business in the mid-1980s are no longer involved,” O’Daniel says. “Margins went way down and made it more difficult to operate a small dealership that wasn’t part of a larger group. Today, when you see a small dealership, it’s part of a larger group. But there are fewer.”
Operating expenses play a large role.
“The capital requirement to have a dealership is extensive,” Farabaugh says. O’Daniel adds, “The price of cars has gone up, and dealers own every car on the lot. They borrow money for facilities, cars, equipment, working capital for payroll — all that has grown out of sight for a small family business.”
“A lot of dealers will tell you our second job is being the janitor. That’s very true,” Grealish says. “Of course we’ll have personnel issues like in running any business, but the facility is something not a lot of people think about. We have a ton of garage doors — if you have one door, multiply your problem by 15-20. Our big mechanic shop runs a lot of air for the hoses — if we have a reel break, we have to have it fixed. The lot itself, with that crazy weather in January, we had to get it salted but in a way that still protected the vehicles.”
PREPARING FOR THE ROAD TRIP AHEAD
O’Daniel has observed economic downturns about once every 10 years, and his family’s company prepares by carefully investing in its future.
“We are reinvesting our profits rather than spending them,” he says regarding D-Patrick’s acquisition of dealerships in Lebanon and Crawfordsville, Indiana.
“There’s no set pace to make acquisitions. When we have the operating funds and management available … that’s when we take an acquisition seriously.”
Grealish strengthens her company’s position in the industry by keeping a keen eye on internal improvement.
“We’re always looking to grow within. We’re never going to be satisfied with the status quo,” she says. “I want to do more and do better. ‘Could we change it and make it a little bit better?’ There’s always a bit more juice to be squeezed.”
The Evansville area’s automotive sales industry is well-equipped to weather ups and downs in the economy and whatever other changes come along over the next several years, dealers say, and that’s because of how local dealerships go about their business.
“We have so many family-owned dealerships that have an impact on the community,” Cates says. “We have a bunch of good people in our business here, and you can feel very good about who you’re dealing with at all the locations.”
dpat.com • evansvillekia.com
katefaupelford.com
hendersonchevrolet.com
WE KNOW CUSTOM PUBLISHING
In today’s fast-paced job market, finding the right workplace isn’t just about salary—it’s about culture, growth, and a sense of purpose. The Great Places to Work special section highlights companies that go above and beyond to create environments where employees feel valued, motivated, and supported.
Great Places to Work
United Methodist Youth Home
United Methodist Youth Home is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that has been committed to helping at-risk youth become responsible and productive members of the community for more than 46 years.
What is the employee experience like at United Methodist Youth Home?
Youth-centric, heart-driven, and profoundly rewarding. Our team is passionate about the cause: empowering struggling young people to reach their full potential. Whether you work in finance, administration, or direct care, you’ll feel the magnetic energy of making a real difference. We’re not just colleagues; we’re a community dedicated to building happier, healthier lives for kids.
What do employees love most about their jobs?
Our team thrives in a tight-knit, openminded culture. We support each other during challenging times, have fun, and celebrate every victory — especially the successes of our youth. Seeing our residents and students transform into independent adults is one of the most beautiful things to experience. Having played any part in that process is a special kind of joy we relish, and sharing that joy only makes it grow.
How does UMYH support its employees in their professional growth?
Like we do for our youth, UMYH offers team members many opportunities for personal and professional growth and development. These include wellness benefits, free telehealth care, budgetcovered professional development and training courses, internship positions, and on-site volunteer days. We are constantly exploring new ways to support our team members.
What do UMYH employees have to say about their work?
Hear directly from our Residential Program Director: “Whether it’s participating in therapy, earning their high school equivalency, or graduating from the program, witnessing youth progress and the ‘a ha!’ moments they encounter is one of the best feelings ever. Working here has helped me tremendously in my life and relationships. It’s made me a better person, friend, and parent. Learning to be traumainformed, how to be a role model for these youth, and witnessing their growth and
resilience have helped me become more understanding and open-minded to all situations and people.”
How does UMYH foster community and belonging among its employees?
UMYH builds community through shared events and celebrations. From our community-wide Block Party awareness event to private family nights for residents and their immediate families, to holiday gatherings and social hours, our team naturally connects. We celebrate milestones big and small with the youth and staff, fostering a sense of belonging.
Make An Impact. Advance Your Career.
RiverValley Behavioral Health is proud to be your employer of choice, offering a welcoming environment where you can grow and make a meaningful impact on the health and wellness of our communities.
RiverValley is a state-designated Community Mental Health Center, serving Daviess, Hancock, Henderson, Ohio, McLean, Union and Webster counties in Kentucky since 1967. We offer a full range of mental health services and supports, in addition to substance use treatment, and specialized care for those with intellectual and developmental disabilities.
We provide a supportive, friendly environment with opportunities for growth, along with competitive compensation, great benefits, paid vacation, and more.
Explore our career opportunities today to discover how joining our dedicated team can provide you with professional and personal fulfillment.
We offer:
l Tuition Reimbursement
l In-House CEU Trainings
l Benefits (Medical, Vision, etc.)
l State Sponsored Pension
l Paid Vacation, Sick Days, Holidays
l On-site Employee Fitness Center
l Employment Referral Bonuses
l Professional Development
What Sets Us Apart
At RiverValley, we offer flexible scheduling and a family-friendly, inclusive environment.
We prioritize professional growth and lifelong learning, offering tuition reimbursement and continuing education opportunities. We value your input, welcoming innovation and new ideas.
RiverValley Behavioral Health
Since 1967, RiverValley Behavioral Health has offered Western Kentucky high-quality services for mental health, substance use, and developmental disabilities. Our dedicated employees are the heart of that mission. We foster a supportive, inclusive workplace with competitive benefits, professional growth opportunities, and a culture of appreciation, ensuring employees feel valued and empowered to make a difference.
What makes RiverValley Behavioral Health a great place to work?
RiverValley Behavioral Health is more than a workplace — it’s a community where employees feel valued, supported, and inspired. We are honored to be recognized by the Kentucky Chamber of Commerce as one of the Top 100 Best Places to Work in Kentucky for 2025, a testament to our commitment to fostering a rewarding and engaging work environment.
How does RiverValley support professional growth and career advancement?
We believe in lifelong learning and career development. Employees have access to tuition reimbursement, in-house continuing education training, and professional development programs. Whether you are just starting your career or looking to advance, we provide the tools and encouragement needed to help you grow.
What benefits and perks do employees receive?
We offer a competitive benefits package, including medical, vision, and other health coverage options, a state-sponsored pension, paid vacation, sick days, and holidays.
Our team members also enjoy access to our onsite Employee Fitness Center and an Employee Wellness Program that promotes healthy lifestyles. Employees who participate can enjoy health care insurance discounts, supporting their physical and mental well-being while promoting a balanced, healthy life.
Additionally, our Employee Assistance Program (EAP) provides confidential counseling, resources, and support for personal and work-related challenges, ensuring employees have access to help when they need it.
How does RiverValley show appreciation for employees?
Our team’s dedication does not go unnoticed. We celebrate and appreciate our employees in meaningful ways, including:
• A full month of Employee Appreciation, filled with fun activities.
• A company-wide Fall Festival to bring our team together in a fun, relaxed setting. Regular giveaways and incentives to reward hard work and dedication.
• Ongoing recognition programs, ensuring employees feel valued for their contributions.
How does RiverValley promote work-life balance?
We prioritize work-life balance through flexible scheduling, a family-friendly environment, and an inclusive workplace culture. Our employees are encouraged to take care of themselves while making a meaningful impact on the community.
Why should someone consider joining RiverValley Behavioral Health?
If you’re looking for a career where you can make a difference, your work is valued, your growth is encouraged, and your contributions are recognized, RiverValley is the place for you. With comprehensive benefits, wellness programs, and a culture of appreciation, we offer not just a job, but a fulfilling career in a supportive and dynamic environment.
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Marshall Disposal
For 25 years, Marshall Disposal has steadily grown from a small, family-run waste service company into a trusted regional provider consisting of 34 employees, 27 trucks, and 12,000-plus customers across Indiana, Kentucky, and Illinois. The company believes that staying grounded in its founding principles will lead to further sustainable growth that better serves the community.
How would you describe your company culture?
At Marshall Disposal, our mission goes beyond waste management. We’re here to create and maintain a positive atmosphere for everyone we connect with — our team members, our families, our customers, and our community. As a team, we work to help each other achieve personal, spiritual, financial, and professional goals. Two of our core values, Respect and Unity, help support our team growth and align us with the mindset to continue to build each other up. We aim to leave a positive impression on everyone we meet.
What can we expect from your company in the future?
Known for reliability, transparency, and exceptional customer care, the company remains committed to community-
driven service, modern solutions, and sustainable practices. Under the leadership of Zachary Goebel, Marshall Disposal continues to provide a premium service while staying true to its core values. Looking ahead, the company is expected to expand its reach further, integrate advanced waste management technologies, and enhance sustainability efforts, ensuring that waste collection goes beyond mere disposal — it’s about making a lasting impact on the communities it serves.
How would employees describe working at Marshall Disposal?
April, a dispatcher at MD, says, “Working here gives me the opportunity to serve my friends and neighbors. My husband, Bob (a driver for Marshall Disposal), and I love working here and being a part of something that is invested in our community. Marshall Disposal is more than a place of employment, it is a family.”
Express Employment Professionals
Brooke Robinson and Marc Brandenburg are the driving force behind Express Employment Professionals in Evansville. With decades of combined experience in staffing, they specialize in connecting top talent with local businesses. Their passion for workforce solutions and dedication to the community make them leaders in the industry.
Does Express Employment Professionals charge job seekers fees for their services?
Express does not charge job seekers any fees. We help individuals find jobs, offer resume assistance, interview guidance, and even training opportunities for those looking to switch career fields at no cost.
Does Express prioritize quality over quantity?
We carefully screen and evaluate our candidates through our ISO-certified process to ensure they possess the necessary skills and qualifications for the positions we send them to. Quality is paramount to maintaining positive relationships with our clients.
How does Express work with people suited for skilled positions?
We have recruiters on our team who focus on filling positions in skilled trades
and industrial services. We are also partnered with a sector of Express called the “Specialized Recruiting Group,” which can help fill specialized positions in areas such as Accountants, C-Suite, Engineers, and Managerial roles. Our focus is to match the skills and qualifications of applicants with suitable job opportunities in their area — helping great companies find the people they need and helping great people find the job they love.
Does Express offer more than temporary positions?
While we do offer assistance with temporary projects, we also have tempto-hire, evaluation hire, and direct-hire opportunities. One of the things our recruiters look for most on resumes is longevity. Express provides a variety of ways you can work and can help you find the job that fits your needs and schedule.
Brandenburg & Brooke Robinson, Owners
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GROWING YOU —AND YOUR BUSINESS
EVPL’s Online Learning & Research collection can help you advance in your career and help your business excel.
Learn new skills ∙ Develop a business plan ∙ Prepare to go back to school ∙ Practice for a certification test Research investments ∙ Find business legal forms
ONLINE CLASSES & TRAINING
COLLEGE & CAREERS
BUSINESS & FINANCIAL
Evansville Vanderburgh Public Library
EVPL can help you advance your career and help your business excel. Whether you’re adding new skills, writing a business plan, going back to school, preparing for a certification test, or researching investments, EVPL’s online learning programs, research databases, material collections, and expert staff can enrich your work life.
How can EVPL help business owners and entrepreneurs?
For entrepreneurs and business owners, EVPL is the ultimate destination for business resources. Opening or growing a business comes with challenges, but EVPL’s comprehensive resources are designed to make this journey more manageable.
The library offers tools and guides, such as AtoZ Databases or Gale Business Plan Builder, to help you create a solid business plan, identify funding opportunities, and find the research you need to understand your target market. EVPL’s specialized databases and online learning resources are essential for consumer research, providing access to data that can help you better understand your customer base, analyze market trends, and craft more effective strategies. Whether you’re in retail, tech, or service industries, these tools allow you to connect with the right customers and grow your business.
In addition to research resources, EVPL offers a variety of hands-on tools for entrepreneurs looking to bring their ideas to life. Through EVPL’s Maker Central and the Library of Things, you have access to equipment from 3D printers to audio and video editing tools. These resources enable you to prototype products, create professional media content, or even produce your next big idea.
What does the library offer for those looking to advance their career?
Whether you want to climb the corporate ladder, transition into a new industry, or gain certifications, EVPL has resources to help you reach your career goals. One of the library’s standout offerings is Gale Courses, which provides access to hundreds of interactive, instructor-led courses in key professional areas like accounting, finance, business, writing, and technology. These courses, which include completion certificates, are designed to fit your schedule and provide the knowledge you need to enhance your career prospects.
LinkedIn Learning is another resource offered by EVPL. With thousands of online courses from industry experts, LinkedIn Learning helps you acquire in-demand skills that can set you apart in today’s competitive job market. Whether you’re interested in improving your leadership abilities, learning new software, or enhancing your project management skills, LinkedIn Learning offers high-quality content tailored to your needs.
For those preparing for certification exams or looking to further their education, EVPL provides access to Mometrix Test Preparation and Peterson’s Test and Career Prep. These resources include practice tests, study guides, and other valuable tools to help you pass exams and gain the credentials to elevate your career.
What can job seekers find at the library?
EVPL’s resources and staff can help you write your resume, prepare for interviews, and level up your skills. Job seekers can also browse our books and research databases for tips
on job searching strategies, what types of careers are growing, and advanced education opportunities. Through Brainfuse JobNow and Brainfuse Adult Learning Center, you will be prepared to ace your next interview.
Whether you’re navigating a career change or entering the job market for the first time, EVPL provides the support you need to stand out to employers.
To get started, visit any of our eight EVPL locations, evpl.org/onlinelearning, or evpl.org/business.
Bella Barrie, Reference Librarian at EVPL Central, provides a business focus and expertise to those she serves. Barrie earned a Master of Science in Information from the University of Michigan, with a concentration in Connecting Information and Communities. She also has a Marketing Management degree from the Mike Ilitch School of Business at Wayne State University. Those seeking help with starting or growing their business can contact Bella Barrie at EVPL Central at 812-428-8200 ext 1234.
A manufacturing organization’s most transformative ideas are often found on the front lines. Keller Schroeder’s expert team can help you leverage your internal champions — your transformation heroes — to identify and implement innovative solutions that drive efficiency, productivity, and growth. We understand the unique challenges manufacturing organizations face, and have deep experience with the technology solutions to help. Scan the QR code or visit kellerschroeder.com/heroes to schedule a 15-minute, no-obligation call
Studies show that companies who include employees at all levels in generating and implementing ideas have 4 TIMES the improvement potential compared to those who don’t.1
Keller Schroeder
Keller Schroeder, an employee-owned technology solutions consulting firm, has helped organizations harness the power of technology to drive success for nearly 50 years. By leveraging frontline innovation and strategic digital transformation, Keller Schroeder empowers businesses to unlock growth, streamline operations, and maximize the potential of their workforce.
Why is it important to involve frontline employees in innovation?
Frontline employees are the unsung heroes of any organization. They know the day-today operations inside and out and are in the best position to suggest improvements. Keller Schroeder has found that when companies tap into the insights of these employees, they can unlock huge innovation potential — whether it’s improving processes, boosting productivity, or streamlining workflows.
Can technology help turn these ideas into action?
Absolutely. Technology is a key enabler of innovation. Keller Schroeder recently worked with a company that wanted to drive major changes in their operations using technology. They envisioned a system to improve production scheduling, automate order entry, and digitize everything from receiving or production to quality control and shipping. The goal? To triple their output without adding more staff. After just 15 minutes it became apparent the project had the potential for success. Why? Because it was clear our client saw the value in including those who would be directly impacted.
So, how did this company bring frontline employees into the process?
ideas. When management doesn’t create an open, trusting environment, employees may hesitate to share their ideas.
Success started with a simple yet powerful approach: talking to the people who were closest to the work. Keller Schroeder’s team, along with the production manager, met with employees in different departments — like receiving, setup, and machine operations — to hear about their processes and how they thought things could be improved. The result was a culture of respect, collaboration, and, most importantly, actionable ideas that turned the vision into reality. By making sure every voice was heard, they could identify, prioritize, and implement changes that led to real results.
What challenges do companies face when trying to get ideas from their frontline workers?
It’s not always easy. Many companies fail to tap into the potential of their frontline teams due to issues like lack of trust, poor communication, or a belief that only leaders at the top have the best
How can companies overcome these challenges?
Building a culture of innovation doesn’t require fancy programs or systems. It starts with leadership. Keller Schroeder believes it’s about building trust with your employees. Leaders can create a space where frontline workers feel valued by simply having oneon-one conversations with them. Sharing the organization’s goals and showing employees that their ideas matter goes a long way in fostering engagement and getting great ideas.
What kind of impact can an ideadriven culture have on business?
The impact can be huge. Companies that encourage their frontline employees to contribute ideas often see up to four times as many good ideas. This leads to a more engaged workforce and, as we’ve seen firsthand, measurable business growth. For one company
Keller Schroeder worked with, this approach contributed to tens of millions in additional annual revenue.
How can companies get started?
Keller Schroeder is here to help. Visit kellerschroeder.com/heroes to read more about how frontline ideas have led to business success. Keller Schroeder would love to show you how partnering with your front-line heroes can lead to big, lasting impacts in your organization.
Southern Business Machines, Inc.
Southern Business Machines, Inc. opened its doors in October 1989. We began modestly with two employees and 127 customers. Celebrating 35 years in business, we have established ourselves as a strong leader in the mailing/document distribution industry and strive to provide great customer service to the 52 counties we cover in Illinois, Indiana, and Kentucky
How does Southern Business Machines, Inc. set businesses up for success?
By revolutionizing mail/shipping center management — pairing any of our mailing systems with our S.M.A.R.T. mail center software provides the ultimate Shipping, Mailing, Accounting, Reporting, and Tracking experience — all from a single dashboard! This solution combines leading-edge technologies to improve customer interactions and business processes. S.M.A.R.T. fuels stronger business communications with your internal and external customers by providing detailed shipping and tracking notifications, chargeback accounting with postage meter reconciliation, and extensive reporting options, to name a few. This best-in-class, powerhouse shipping application allows you to process parcels using USPS, UPS®, FedEx® and DHL® from one dashboard. S.M.A.R.T. is fully IM®pb compliant and offers commercial base pricing discounts, address corrections, and free
insurance on Priority Mail™ and Priority Mail Express™. View rates and services across all carriers from one screen with Rate Shopping or externally prepare shipments with traveler documents from any desktop, giving the mail centers full control of carriers and rates with Desktop RTS (Request to Send), decreasing the number of work steps it takes to process a shipment, increasing efficiency and minimizing errors.
What is something you wish more people knew about your business?
Communication distribution and shipping efficiency have become vitally important in today’s economic climate. SBM, Inc. offers more than just your “traditional” office equipment. We can provide your organization with a full scope of products and solutions to ensure that your customer communications are sent in the most efficient way possible. Communications are also sent simultaneously through a variety of distribution methods based on customer
preference. We also help our customers in the warehouse with outbound shipments/receiving packages and in the back office where invoices and statements are created and generated.
What distinguishes SBM, Inc. from other companies in your industry?
We sincerely value our community and our customers. Supporting our community, building relationships with our customers, and providing excellent customer service was, and still is, our priority.
Vincent Altmeyer, Dawn Stevens, and Vernon Stevens II
ERS Wireless
ERS Wireless is a services company with expertise in safety and security technologies, including voice, broadband, video security, and dispatch solutions. Since 1948, ERS Wireless has met the mission-critical requirements of public safety, local government, education, and enterprise customers. ERS Wireless has 10 locations throughout Indiana and Kentucky.
How has ERS Wireless’ portfolio of services expanded since opening in 1948?
ERS Wireless started in the Northeast Indiana town of Ligonier as a service partner for Motorola radio systems. As technology has advanced, so has the portfolio of products and services that ERS Wireless offers customers. Two-way radios are no longer limited to basic push-to-talk communications. Today’s radios offer voice, broadband, and text. Some models even provide the ability to check live video footage. Imagine your video cameras, access control, radio system, and incident management all working together…this is what ERS Wireless does, integrate technologies. Now, when a door is propped open or an alert is sent a video can be viewed live, and the appropriate response can be implemented. This technology equips security staff at schools, universities, hospitals, manufacturers, and cities with the information needed to make swift, proactive decisions to ensure the safety of those on their property.
How do ERS’s integrated technologies create safer communities?
A prime example is our work with the city of Columbus, Indiana, where we installed weapons detection systems in the police department and deployed Avigilon video security throughout the Downtown area. These systems also keep large-scale events such as festivals, parades, and marathons safe. Additionally, we partnered with the transit department to implement video surveillance and access control, further strengthening security. The sports complex also is integrated into the Avigilon network, providing citywide access to a unified security system that enhances situational awareness and rapid response capabilities.
Lieberman Technologies
Lieberman Technologies (LT) is an employee-owned IT services and software development company — we ensure the technology operating your business runs efficiently and securely, improving processes and enabling new capabilities that give a competitive advantage, increase productivity, and lower operational costs.
IT Services
LT delivers a proactive, security-first approach to IT, providing active monitoring, maintenance, and protection of your network, devices, and applications. We offer managed services, cybersecurity, disaster recovery, security awareness training, network monitoring, compliance attainment, help desk services, modern communication, IT strategic planning, hardware and software procurement, vendor management, and more.
Software Development
Our software development team specializes in business process improvement and automation. We create and maintain custom software to enable new capabilities, streamline processes, reduce manual entry, and integrate isolated systems. This includes
developing desktop, mobile, and web apps, database design, integrating third-party systems via APIs, and providing cloud hosting solutions.
A Proven Team & Track Record
LT’s collaborative work environment, broad set of technology skills, and keen business acumen are a powerful combination — paired with our drive to see customers succeed, we can help businesses and organizations streamline processes and become more efficient, protect themselves from threats, plan for future growth, and drive their bottom line. LT has been doing this since 1977, and we have customers whom we’ve served continuously since our founding, so you can rest assured knowing we will be here tomorrow as well.
If your business or organization has a problem technology can solve, contact Lieberman Technologies to see how we can help.
IT SERVICES & SOFTWARE DEVELOPMENT
With our broad expertise & experience, we can build & maintain infrastructure, services, & software to keep your organization secure, run more efficiently, & extend your capabilities.
Brian Burkett, Senior Solutions Consultant, speaks to A Network of Evansville Women (ANEW) about cybersecurity on Jan. 22, 2025.
DREAM CENTER EVANSVILLE RECEIVES DONATION FROM YOUNG PROFESSIONALS ALLIANCE Feb. 4, Dream Center Evansville Julia Dayton, Allie St. Germain, Makenzie Hart, Claire Kincaid, John Benton, and Kaylie Pruiett
EASTERSEALS NEURODEVELOPMENT CENTER NAMED BEHAVIORAL HEALTH TEAM OF THE YEAR BY MENTAL HEALTH OF AMERICA INDIANA Dec. 13, 2024, Indianapolis
Theresa Scheller, Emily Reidford, Lynnette Neu, Kayce Smith, and Mike Halstead
E-REP DAY AT THE INDIANA STATEHOUSE Feb. 4, Indianapolis
FREELAND CLUBHOUSE GROUNDBREAKING Jan. 24, University of Evansville
Ziggy Siegfried, Christopher Pietruszkiewicz, Kyle Freeland, Ashley Freeland, and Wes Carroll
URBAN SEEDS ATTENDS INDIANA SUSTAINABILITY AND RESILIENCE CONFERENCE
Feb. 28
Bloomington, Indiana
Pam Rieke, Jodee Smith, and Maria Marton
WARRICK PARKS FOUNDATION NAMED SOIL & WATER CONSERVATION DISTRICT’S COMMUNITY PARTNER OF THE YEAR
Feb. 4, Friedman Park Event Center, Newburgh, Indiana
Janice Miller, Laurel Meny, and Logan Springstun
NEW HIRES/PROMOTIONS
Old National Bancorp has appointed Daniel Hermann as its lead independent director. Hermann has been a founding partner of Lechwe Holdings LLC, founder of AmeriQual Group LLC, and former President and CEO of Black Beauty Coal Co. Hermann has been a director on Old National’s board since 2020 and has served on the audit, executive, and talent development and compensation board committees.
Explore Evansville has Tom White as its new president and CEO. White has 30 years of industry experience and previously worked for Visit Mobile, Alabama, as the vice president of convention and leisure sales. He also
held leadership roles with Yedla Hotel Management Company and the U.S. Space & Rocket Center in Huntsville, Alabama.
Armin Boehm has been appointed CEO and President of Escalade Sports, Inc. effective April 1. Boehm succeeds Walter Glazer Jr. and brings experience as CCO and a member of the Global Leadership Team for guitar brand Gibson Inc. in Nashville, Tennessee. He also worked for Amer Sports leading commercial and marketing opera tions across the U.S. Previously, he was based in Hong Kong and Shanghai, China, while working for Puma, driving sales, merchandising, and product creation as well as spearheading direct-to-consumer growth and developing Puma China. He also led global product management and merchandising in the apparel division while based at Puma’s international headquarters in Germany. Boehm has worked for Levi Strauss leading innovation initiatives and began his career in R&D and product innovation at Adidas’ international headquarters in Herzogenaurach, Germany.
Shining a Light
Youth First Inc. has named Holli Sullivan as president and CEO, succeeding Parri Black, who retired in May 2025 after 21 years. Before serving as Indiana Secretary of State (2021-22) and an Indiana state representative (2014-21), Sullivan held roles with Toyota Motor Manufacturing and General Motors Corporation. Youth First also announced as its regional development officer. She will lead fundraising efforts in the company’s coverage areas of Vanderburgh, Gibson, Perry, Posey, Spencer, and Warrick counties in Indiana. Webb previously taught middle school music for 17 years and held positions in marketing, business development, and fundraising.
Explore Evansville wins state tourism award for eclipse initiatives
BY MAGGIE VALENTI
Explore Evansville’s time out of the sun has landed it in the spotlight.
At its annual conference in March, the Indiana Tourism Association honored the River City’s tourism agency with the award for best eclipse promotion for small markets, or those with marketing budgets under $300,000.
Taking note from being on the fringes of a 2017 total solar eclipse, the city in 2021 launched a market ing campaign that included social media, a website, merchandise, and public outreach. Explore Evansville was credited with both raising broader awareness of the region’s place in the path of totality and informing the public about the science behind solar eclipses.
Kate Reibel, Explore Evansville’s director of marketing and development, describes the Indiana Tourism Association award as “a tremendous honor, reflect ing the collaboration and creativity that went into making the total solar eclipse a memorable experience for our community and visitors. This recognition high lights the impact of our efforts to position Evansville as a premier destination for this once-in-a-lifetime event. We share this achievement with all those who contributed to planning and executing eclipse-related events.”
Explore Evansville’s efforts proved to be a success. The city saw 40,004 eclipse visitors — 25,226 of whom stayed overnight — who spent $6.6 million, $2.9 million of which benefited regional workers.
tions director. Ticket manager and account Tyler Guttu hails from Ohio, is a graduate of Kent State
worked for Asheville, Tourists baseball team. Kian Askari, a Boise State University (Idaho) graduate who played three seasons of baseball for the Broncos, is the new head groundskeeper. In coaching, Otters field manager Andy McCauley has been re-signed for his 15th Boots Day, the former major leaguer and Evansville Triplet who served as the Otters’ original field manager, joins as the team’s bench coach.
TYLER GUTTU
KELSI RABIN
KIAN ASKARI
ANDY MCCAULEY
CARLA WEBB
DANIEL HERMANN
TOM WHITE
Recent hires at the University of Southern Indiana include Jason Hardgrave, who was named assistant provost for academic affairs. During his 21-year career with USI, Hardgrave served as chair of the history department and associate professor of history. USI graduate Taylor Gogel has been hired as director of development. Gogel began working as an annual giving officer for the university in 2016 and has served as assistant director of develop-
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had served as a marketing consultant at Midwest Communications for more than 14 years.
Helping organizations spread their message to the Evansville community for over 65 years!
SARAH MOORE
Partner with McKenzie Ziliak, Rachelle Sneed, and Morgan Hargis.
JASON HARDGRAVE
TAYLOR GOGEL
NICK MANENTE
residence life, Carpenter as vice president for student affairs and dean of students, and Will McDonner as assistant director of residence life. The trio brings years of experience in residence life. Conner has worked for UE for 22 years. Carpenter, who earned a bachelor’s degree in 2003 and a master’s degree in 2009 from UE, served two years as dean of students at Harlaxton College, UE’s campus in Grantham, England. While attending UE, McDonner was awarded Resident Assistant of the Year.
DEPARTURES
Patrick Jackson has retired as an Early Learning Program Officer after a quarter century with Welborn Baptist Foundation. He joined Welborn in 2000 and oversaw grant making for early childhood development and assisted in developing studies into initiatives like Paths to Quality and Kindergarten Readiness Indicator, which were adopted by the state of Indiana. The Purdue University graduate previously spent 15 years working for the City of Evansville, with three years spent in the Department of Metropolitan Development, and 12 years as executive assistant to thenMayor Frank McDonald II.
AWARDS/RECOGNITIONS
Reitz Home Museum received a $3,000 Historic Preservation Education Grant from Indiana Humanities and Indiana
Landmarks. The museum says the grant will help support its educational programming for elementary school students.
Tucker Publishing Group, Inc., is marking the 25th year of its flagship publication, Evansville Living, with special anniversary coverage and a refreshed look. The cover of the March/April 2025 issue offers a modern view of the city’s skyline, as photographed in February 2025 by Zach Straw. The image harkens back to the original March/April 2000 cover image of Downtown Evansville shot by Fred Reaves in early 2000 near Reitz Hill. As part of the 25th anniversary, the magazine sports a refreshed nameplate, new trim size, and more attractive page design, plus three newly titled editorial sections and a revamped dining guide and events calendar. Founded in 1999 by Todd and Kristen Tucker, Tucker Publishing Group, Inc., publishes the bi-monthly
At the Boys & Girls Club of Evansville’s annual meeting and award ceremony Feb. 6, CEO Ron Ryan was honored as a Sagamore of the Wabash and with a Raise the Bar award on behalf of Leadership Everyone. The Boys & Girls Club also presented awards for service to Scott Roland, Erika Maurer, Jace Redman, Mary Reese, Sara Rupp, Brent Beeler, Marc Fine, Daniel Hermann, and Robert Kent. The volunteer of the year award went to Kyle Alton and the Buffalo Trace Council of the Boys Scouts of America. On Feb. 24, the club also named Alexzander Colacecchi its 2024 Youth of the Year. Colacecchi will represent Evansville at the Youth of the Year state competition in April.
Evansville African American Museum, in partnership with Cultural Resource Analysis, Inc., and the University of Evansville’s Center for Innovation & Change, has received $5,000 from Indiana Landmarks’ Black Heritage Preservation Program to hold a reburial ceremony for remains uncovered during construction of the Toyota Trinity Stormwater Park in Downtown Evansville in 2023.
The D-Patrick family of auto dealerships has made several recent charitable contributions. D-Patrick Honda donated $1,500 to the Isaiah 1:17 Project and Holly’s House through its Honda Helping Kids initiative. D-Patrick Boonville Ford donated $1,000 to the Warrick Humane Society and the Boonville Square Flair Festival. D-Patrick Ford/Lincoln awarded a $2,500 check to Vanderburgh County CASA and another $2,500 check to Youth First
Carol McClintock, a top-producing Realtor at F.C. Tucker Emge and namesake of its Team McClintock group, has been honored with a Sagamore of the Wabash award from former Indiana Gov. Eric Holcomb. Team McClintock noted her commitment to the community, including her fundraising efforts for Mesker Park Zoo & Botanic Garden’s carousel, Penguins of Patagonia exhibit, and Wesselman Woods’ Nature Playscape.
University of Evansville has awarded scholarships to a trio of students as part of its 2025 Global Changemaker Challenge. A four-year scholarship went to first-place winner Ronik Sharma of Cooksville, Maryland, and SolarGlide, a solar-powered electric tricycle. The second-place award and $27,000 scholarship went to Oluwadarasimi Moses of Ibeju-Lekki, Lagos, Nigeria, and Fireguard Pod, a heatactivated fire suppression device. Hunter Kellems of Perry Central High School in Leopold, Indiana, came in third and was awarded a $23,000 scholarship for his Hunter Kellems Cyber Truck, a special plug-in designed for a Tesla Cybertruck to prevent the accidental activation of the emergency exit mechanism when it is not needed. UE also has received an estate
BRIAN CONNER
WILL MCDONNER
RACHEL CARPENTER
DEMPSON HANEY
JODI KEEN, GREGG MARTIN, JESSICA HOFFMAN, LOGEN SITZMAN, MAGGIE VALENTI, JOHN MARTIN, JENNIFER RHOADES, TODD TUCKER, KRISTEN K. TUCKER, CHANDA RAMSEY, LAURA MATHIS, AND SARAH MORGASON
ANDREW BACKES, RON RYAN, AND STEVE SCHAEFER
gift from alumni Julie and Steven Walker toward the establishment of The Walker Family Women’s Excellence in Basketball Endowment Fund, the largest planned gift to UE women’s basketball in its history. The endowment will provide financial support for the program, ensuring resources for student athletes.
TechPoint named Evansville ag-tech startup Anu its Tech Innovation of the Year at the 2025 Mira Awards. Anu received the award for working with Eko Solution to overcome technical limitations in indoor farming and controlled environment agriculture with its Rotary Aeroponics® system. The system addresses the struggles of indoor farming systems, including low-yield densities, power inefficiencies, and labor-intensive operations, by using AI-driven image data to optimize plant growth and reduce water and nutrient usage, thereby providing tailored growth environments for each plant.
Berry Global Group, Inc. has received a gold medal from EcoVadis, an evaluator in companies’ sustainability performance. Berry Global scored in the top 2 percent of companies overall and top 1 percent for manufacturers of plastics products. The company’s high scores were based on four criteria: environment, ethics, labor and human rights, and sustainable procurement.
The Women’s Hospital at Deaconess and the Deaconess-owned Memorial Hospital and Health Care Center in Jasper, Indiana, both were recognized by the Indiana Hospital Association (IHA), in partnership with State Health Commissioner Lindsay Weaver for their commitment to infant and maternal health at the INspire Hospital of Distinction recognition program March 6. The Women’s Hospital was honored as an Inspire Hospital of Distinction and Memorial received an Inspire Category of Excellence award. The awards are based on implementing best practices in infant safe sleep, breastfeeding, perinatal substance use, social drivers of health, obstetric hemorrhage, and maternal hypertension. Deaconess also announced that Memorial will change its name to Deaconess Memorial Medical Center. The new name was decided after Deaconess Health System fielded feedback from 800 community members and hospital employees.
Rally Point Events and Shoe Sensation have donated more than 2,000 pairs of footwear to children attending school in Vanderburgh
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Create Where You Belong
County. Rally Point Event, which stages the Professional Bull Riders Rodeo each May, partnered with the nonprofit Cops Connecting with Kids for the giveaway.
Gribbins Specialty Group has donated $12,000 to Habitat for Humanity of Evansville to support the ongoing construction of affordable housing in the region. The Evansville-based company provides insulation, scaffolding, abatement, and industrial cleaning services in Indiana, Kentucky, Tennessee, and Ohio.
The American Trucking Associations have honored Atlas World Group Chairman and CEO Jack Griffin with their 2025 Moving & Storage Institute Lifetime Achievement Award. Winners of the industry honor are singled out for their professional excellence and contributions to the moving and storage industry. Griffin has been with Evansville-based Atlas for more than 30 years. He was elected CEO in late 2016, and the company’s board of directors extended his contract in 2024.
JD Sheth Foundation announced a new partnership with Easterseals Rehabilitation Center — including a $10,000 donation — in support of the purchase of low-vision technology for those experiencing blindness or a visual impairment.
GROWTH/DEVELOPMENT
Ivy Tech Community College Evansville has started four new apprenticeship programs. Southern Indiana Resource Solutions is partnering with Ivy Tech Evansville on a new apprenticeship program for the direct support professional position, which provides support and services to people with disabilities. Ivy Tech Evansville and Prime Foods in Boonville, Indiana, also are partnering to provide training for a new apprenticeship program for industrial maintenance mechanics, who help keep machines in working order. Commonwealth Rolled Products in partnership with the Ivy Tech Evansville, has announced the development and registration of two apprenticeship programs for industrial maintenance mechanics and maintenance electricians, who perform maintenance and repairs on electronics. The apprenticeship programs are funded through grants from the U.S. Department of Labor’s Apprenticeship Building America program.
Azzip Pizza has announced an expansion of its franchise with two new locations — its 12th and 13th — in West Lafayette and Terre Haute, Indiana. Both are planned to open in 2025. Brad Niemeier opened the first Azzip Pizza in February 2014 with $20,000 in prize money after winning Purdue University’s Burton D. Morgan Business Plan Competition.
Berry Global Group, Inc., and Swiss company have announced an $8.4-billion merger that will take effect in mid2025. Founded in Evansville in 1967, the plastics manufacturer has blossomed into a worldwide operation with more than 240 sites and 40,000-plus workers, maintaining a workforce of more than 4,000 in its home region. Amcor develops packaging for food, beverage, pharmaceutical, medical, home and personal care, and other products. In 2024, 41,000 Amcor employees generated $13.6 billion in annual sales, operating in 212 locations in 40 countries. As part of the merger, Berry Global will move its corporate headquarters overseas.
GRIBBINS SPECIALTY GROUP PRESENTS A DONATION TO HABITAT FOR HUMANITY OF EVANSVILLE
JACK GRIFFIN, CENTER, RECEIVES THE 2025 MOVING & STORAGE INSTITUTE LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD
Kyle Fields
EDUCATION Reitz Memorial High School (2002); Bachelor of Science in Accounting and Finance, University of Southern Indiana (2006)
HOMETOWN Evansville
RESUME Co-Founder and Managing Partner, Bridge Alterna tive (2021-present); Vice President and General Manager of Evansville Operations, SS&C Technologies (2015-21); Senior Financial Analyst, Mead Johnson Nutritionals (2008-10); Assur ance, PricewaterhouseCoopers (2005-08)
FAMILY Wife Kristin and daughters Kinsley, 12, and Tatum, 10
Kyle Fields defines his support for Evansville as “reflec tive glory.” In 2023, he helped longtime friend Casey Keown raise capital to open East Side pizza joint Casey’s Dugout. The following year, he and a group of local investors funded the purchase of Colonial Classics Landscape & Nursery. By spearheading eFund 1, a homegrown capitalraising initiative, Fields wants to prove investment in local businesses can stay local.
He’s honed those skills since co-founding Bridge Alterna tives, a back-office accounting and finance consulting firm, in 2021.
“Our clients come to us because we have talent, expertise, and scalability. They don’t have to find that unicorn CFO,” he says.
WHAT LED YOU TO STRIKE OUT ON YOUR OWN?
Just seeing an opportunity. The space we’re now in, three large competitors were consolidated, and disruption in the market screams “opportunity.” Having conviction and confidence and, most importantly, surrounding myself with great people and talent, I knew we could be successful.
WHAT’S ONE THING THAT SURPRISED YOU ABOUT RUNNING YOUR OWN BUSINESS?
It’s gone faster and been more successful than we thought it could be. The original expectation was to get to 25 team members by 2025. We’re nearly three times that and continuing to grow.
TELL US SOME OF THE SAYINGS YOU USE TO MOTIVATE YOURSELF.
“Attack the day.” “Be real.” “There are bodies, and then there are somebodies. Be a somebody.”
LANCE ARMSTRONG IS A BRIDGE CLIENT WHO VISITED EVANSVILLE LAST YEAR. WHAT WAS IT LIKE COMPLETING A WORKOUT WITH HIM?
I didn’t keep up very well! About seven minutes in, he looked over at me, and yeah, he’s got the upper hand. We were doing more like CrossFit training. Afterward, he said, “You were struggling a little bit!” Yeah, because dinner the night before was pizza and beer!
WHY DID YOU CHOOSE TO INVEST IN CASEY’S DUGOUT WITH YOUR FRIEND CASEY KEOWN?
I said, “Don’t worry about capital. Create a special place where people love to come.” Mattingly’s 23 was such a cool restaurant; my brother and I went there, and that picture’s on the wall at Casey’s. Hopefully, we can create memories like that so it’s another staple in the community. Casey and I talk every day. He’s a great friend and business partner. Seeing that dude smile is the best.
IF YOU COULD SPEAK TO YOUR 2017 SELF, WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE HIM?
Live every day to the fullest. Losing brothers has brought my and Casey’s families together. Unfortunately, sometimes it takes an event like that to realize we all have a shot clock. (Fields’ older brother, Kourtney, passed away in 2017. Keown lost older brother Corey in 2016 and older brother Clint in 2024.)
WHAT’S BEEN THE MOST SATISFYING PART OF INVESTING IN YOUR COMMUNITY?
I’ve always been a huge fan of Evansville and business and helping people. I think Bridge has been one example of combining all three of those and seeing not just financially how things have changed, but also by bringing clients into Evansville from New York, Florida, and Los Angeles, hopefully we’re putting Evansville on the map more. There’s pride in that.
