On June 4, 2025, Conexus Indiana convened its Advanced Industries Council (CIAIC) at Boston Scientific’s Spencer, Indiana facility—an ideal setting to explore cutting-edge innovation, workforce insights and strategic alignment across the state’s advanced manufacturing and logistics (AML) ecosystem.
Jay Wirts, president and CEO of Conexus Indiana, opened the meeting by reflecting on the council’s collective dedication, not just to Conexus’ mission, but to Indiana’s economic future. Drawing on his industry background, Wirts emphasized the importance of community alignment in scaling innovation and noted several key engagements Conexus has led since the Q1 meeting including a series of meetings with Indiana’s federal delegation in Washington, D.C. and broad-based stakeholder outreach with philanthropic, academic and industry partners.
Wirts also previewed Conexus’ evolving efforts to extend the impact of the Manufacturing Readiness Grants (MRG) and develop new strategies to accelerate digital adoption among Indiana manufacturers—foreshadowing a deeper discussion later in the session.
Here’s a recap of the key discussions and insights from the day.
Boston Scientific: A model of Industry 4.0+
John Hauser, vice president of Operations at Boston Scientific, provided a rich overview of the company’s 20-year growth in Indiana. Framed around the pillars of “plan, source, make, deliver and service,” Hauser showcased how the Spencer site exemplifies the future of Industry 4.0, integrating advanced technologies into every phase of production while supporting the health care needs of patients worldwide.
Data-driven insight on the AML workforce
Nathan Ringham, vice president of Research and Insights at CICP, shared the latest updates to the Advanced Industries Dashboard, highlighting workforce trends across key sectors. This set the stage for a preview of the 2025 State of the Workforce Report, led by PJ McGrew, senior vice president of Talent Strategy and Programming at Conexus.
McGrew emphasized the critical role AML careers play in supporting Indiana’s economy and communities—offering not just jobs, but high-quality, high-wage opportunities. His presentation prompted thoughtful discussion among council members about how Indiana can best prepare, attract and retain talent in a rapidly evolving landscape. Topics included:
- How to integrate advanced industry career awareness early in Indiana’s K–12 pipeline
- The need to pair youth engagement with meaningful adult upskilling
- Broadening educational pathways to reflect the full range of AML opportunities
- Retention strategies aligned to the most critical roles for AML’s future
- Opportunities to strengthen manufacturing-specific pathways in high schools
The full 2025 State of the Workforce Report will launch this summer.
Workshop: Shaping Conexus’ digital innovation strategy
The final session, led by Wirts and Bryce Carpenter, chief operations and strategy officer, served as a workshop to gather council feedback on the future of Conexus’ digital strategy. Building on MRG’s success, the conversation explored what’s next for catalyzing innovation and scaling digital tools across Indiana’s manufacturing base.
Looking Ahead
As the meeting closed, attendees remained energized by the day’s insights and the opportunity to contribute to statewide strategy. With continued alignment between employers, educators and community leaders, Indiana’s advanced industries are well-positioned to lead in both innovation and inclusion.