(Indianapolis, Feb. 21, 2018) Conexus Indiana today announced the appointment of a new member to the Conexus Indiana Board of Directors. James B. Connor joins the 12-member board, which is comprised of statewide representatives from industry and academia who guide Conexus Indiana in its mission to accelerate, promote and grow Indiana’s Advanced Manufacturing and Logistics economy by leading innovative collaborations between industry, academic and public sector partners.
“As Indiana’s advanced manufacturing and logistics initiative, Conexus Indiana has benefited from the leadership and counsel of some of the state’s most prominent and thoughtful leaders from the corporate and nonprofit sectors,” said J. Mark Howell, president and CEO of Conexus Indiana. “Jim is a valuable addition to the board who will bring insight from his wide-reaching vantage point as leader of Duke Realty Corporation.”
Connor is chairman and chief executive officer (CEO) of Duke Realty Corporation. Indianapolis headquartered Duke Realty is one of the largest owners, developers and managers of industrial properties in the United States and is a NYSE-listed company with a total enterprise value of more than $12 billion. Duke Realty, which specializes in modern, bulk warehouse facilities in the top 22 distribution markets in the U.S., has a portfolio of more than 150 million square feet. Under Connor’s leadership, the company was repositioned from a diversified Real Estate Investment Trust (REIT) with holdings in the industrial, office, retail, medical and mixed-use sectors to the largest domestic U.S. industrial REIT. The repositioning, which was completed over a seven-year period, included rebuilding the company’s balance sheet, which culminated in ratings upgrades to BBB+ and more recently being added to the S&P 500.
Connor joined Duke Realty in 1998 and served in several leadership positions during his tenure. Prior to being named CEO in 2016, he served as Chief Operating Officer for three years and as Senior Regional Executive Vice President for the company’s Midwest region for ten years.
About Conexus Indiana
For more than a decade, Conexus Indiana, one of the Central Indiana Corporate Partnership non-profit initiatives, has been positioning the Hoosier State as the best place for the advanced manufacturing and logistics industries to invest, employ and succeed. By collaborating with industry, academic and public sector partners on a shared vision for an innovative, skilled workforce and stronger business climate, Conexus Indiana has helped to create opportunities for advanced manufacturing and logistics companies, prepare Hoosiers to succeed in the state’s largest industry sectors and maintain Indiana’s competitive advantage. For more information, go to www.ConexusIndiana.com.