Michael is not only a successful high school student, but he also holds the title of company CEO. As a high school senior leading a Student-run Enterprise at White River Valley High School in Switz City, he’s a roll-up-your-sleeves guy who leads by working alongside people rather than directing them. Charged with heading up logistics, Michael focuses primarily on marketing and on boosting Wolverine Enterprises’ online presence. For this, he learned about and implemented a system that, among other things, links the company’s website to point-of-sale products and tracks inventory. Plus, he created a succession plan, mentoring a junior in the program who can manage the online store next year.

After four years working his way up the ladder as an engineer at RV manufacturer Jayco Inc., in 2021 Austin found himself with a unique opportunity: to help build a new RV line from scratch at start-up Ember Recreational Vehicles. The Taylor University engineering grad jumped at the chance, embracing not only his love for all things mathematical and mechanical but also his passion for problem solving. Since Ember launched, Austin has worked with the design team to create 19 RV models. Ember founders praise Austin for being a “quiet listener” who absorbs market information and delivers ideas that consistently challenge the status quo.

Joining Heritage Research Group after completing her doctorate in analytical chemistry at Indiana University, Ana Flavia quickly distinguished herself by not only displaying a high-level of technical expertise but also by demonstrating a relentless push to grow in any way that could make her more valuable to the organization. Throughout her time working with the various companies, Ana Flavia displayed her ability to become proficient in less familiar, specialized areas and be a guide and resource to the founders. This was a huge asset when she was named the primary contact for four unique startups with very different technologies and objectives. Her professional knowledge of testing methods was invaluable in helping the founders make the most of their time and resources.

Nicholas wants to make a difference in his community, and he believes one way to do that is to help people find work. As an Operations Coordination Leader with Veryable, he gets to do exactly that. In fact, his bosses say he has helped more than 15,000 Hoosiers connect with work in manufacturing and logistics through Veryable, which gives employers digital access to on-demand labor. Joining Veryable as an operations coordinator for Central Indiana immediately after getting his degree from the Kelley School of Business at IUPUI, Nicholas showed a knack for the firm’s mission and quickly earned a promotion to his current role, in which he oversees nine markets and helps nine operations coordinators sharpen their abilities.

Hired in 2022 to drive internal communications and employee engagement for Toyota in Princeton, Caeli had seen her responsibilities expand just a year into her role to include four other states … and even that falls short of her ambition. “In five years, my goal is to have redefined what engagement and communication looks like at Toyota’s North American manufacturing sites,” says the 2016 Purdue University management grad. Caeli’s superiors say she listens to what’s happening on the manufacturing floor and creates communications that are not only clear but meaningful to employees, proving to be an essential asset in a time of change.

An ability to develop sound strategy and convert it into an executable plan has pushed Ben to high levels at LDI, Ltd., where he sits on the executive leadership team, helps to drive value in LDI’s portfolio of manufacturing and logistics companies and serves in leadership roles in portfolio companies. While Ben began working at LDI in a pure strategy role shortly after earning a finance and political science degree from the University of Notre Dame and a master’s from the Georgia Institute of Technology, his leadership during the early days of the global pandemic led leadership to name him Chief Transformation Officer for OIA Global at the age of 25. His role was to design and lead a global transformation project for the billion-dollar company. Ben managed a dedicated team of 20+ individuals and helped the project exceed its financial goals by over 150%.