Conexus Archives - The Central Indiana Corporate Partnership

Case Study: Internships Help Students Find Careers, Grasp Advanced Manufacturing

Courtney Kerr2025-11-25T09:12:05-05:00November 25, 2025|

This story is part of an initiative led by the Central Indiana Corporate Partnership (CICP) to highlight entrepreneurship and innovation across Indiana’s universities. Learn more about the initiative here. Background A company launched at the dawn of the 20th century and still owned and operated by its founder’s descendants, Grote Industries has thrived into the 21st century by constantly pursuing innovation. A manufacturer of safety lighting and visibility systems, the company has been recognized as a top employer in the Madison area and as a global leader in its industry. More than a century ago, William Grote saw a future not only in a particular line of products but also in groundbreaking production processes. Even as the company he launched established itself as a leading supplier of visibility and safety products, it also emerged as a manufacturing trailblazer. It was first to introduce injection-molded plastic products to the nation and to create a plastic-injection molding machine. A reflector technology Grote Industries developed decades [...]

Conexus ‘Future Ready’ report highlights need for talent pipeline in Indiana manufacturing

Courtney Kerr2025-09-24T11:22:38-04:00September 24, 2025|

This article was originally published by Inside INdiana Business on September 2, 2025. Click here to read the original article. Driven by the growth of semiconductor production and buoyed by a diverse number of industries, leaders with Conexus Indiana say advanced manufacturing remains a cornerstone of the state’s economy. However, the initiative’s recent Future Ready report emphasizes the continued struggle to get Indiana’s labor force trained for the increasingly tech-based jobs that will be needed. The report projects the state could generate 178,000 new manufacturing and logistics jobs by 2033, though 85,000 of those are likely to go unfilled if workforce shortages persist. According to P.J. McGrew, senior vice president of talent strategy at Conexus, the key goal is to level up Indiana’s “tech-enabled” workforce. “Eight percent of our manufacturing workforce is around those tech-enabled occupations, compared to 10% nationally. How [...]

Nearly $13 million awarded for statewide career apprenticeship initiative

Courtney Kerr2025-07-09T09:55:23-04:00July 9, 2025|

FuFunds for Indiana Career Apprenticeship Pathway support regional implementation, Industry Talent Associations, and employer and student engagement The Richard M. Fairbanks Foundation has awarded nearly $13 million in funding to eight Indiana organizations working to develop a new pathway for high school and adult students to learn about and train for in-demand careers and help Indiana businesses find and train employees. The first cohort of high school students will begin apprenticeship programs in the new Indiana Career Apprenticeship Pathway (INCAP) in the fall of 2026. They will split their time between the workplace and the classroom, with at least 50% of their training taking place on the job to help ensure they are gaining in-demand skills and employers are realizing a return on investment. The students will be paid by their employers and work year-round. Programs for adults will be available [...]

AV Freight Readiness Assessment: How Indiana can lead in automated freight transportation

Courtney Kerr2025-08-20T09:14:34-04:00June 17, 2025|

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Conexus Indiana welcomes Jay Wirts as President and CEO

Courtney Kerr2025-04-03T11:35:06-04:00March 28, 2025|

Following a national search, Conexus Indiana, a statewide organization dedicated to strengthening Indiana’s advanced manufacturing and logistics industries, today announced the appointment of Jay Wirts as its new president and CEO. Wirts brings more than 20 years of executive leadership experience in the advanced manufacturing sector, with a track record of driving business growth and operational excellence. Wirts most recently served as executive vice president of Smart Infrastructure Solutions at Belden, where he managed a $1.2 billion global business that designs and manufactures broadband and network infrastructure. Throughout his career, Wirts has demonstrated exceptional leadership in developing innovative customer solutions, strengthening supply chains and fostering talent pipelines. “Jay’s extensive experience and passion for advancing industrial innovation make him an ideal leader for Conexus Indiana,” said Scott Brand, chair of the Conexus Indiana Board of Directors and president and COO [...]

Conexus launches strategic plan to grow Indiana’s advanced manufacturing and logistics industries

Courtney Kerr2025-03-04T15:45:01-05:00February 4, 2025|

Conexus Indiana, a non-profit dedicated to advancing Indiana’s position as a global leader in advanced manufacturing and logistics (AML), has unveiled its six-year strategic plan, Conexus 2031: Empowering Bold Industry Transformation, to address key challenges and capitalize on opportunities within Indiana’s AML sectors, which are vital to the state’s economic health.Employing more than 840,000 workers and contributing $151 billion to the state’s GDP, these industries account for 25% of all Indiana jobs and 37% of economic output—well above national averages. This outsized impact underscores the importance of maintaining Indiana’s competitive edge through strategic investment in modernization, advanced technology and workforce development.The creation of Conexus 2031 was shaped by robust industry research, including a recent report from TEConomy Partners and Conexus Indiana, Assessing Indiana’s Progress in the Fourth Industrial Revolution, which examines the complex dimensions of productivity, digitization and Industry 4.0 technology adoption and [...]

Conexus Indiana announces two new board members

Raquel Bahamonde2021-04-05T16:49:44-04:00February 25, 2021|

INDIANAPOLIS (Feb. 25, 2021) Conexus Indiana today announced the appointment of Nick Anthony, executive vice president and chief investment officer for Duke Realty, and Kent Duncan, head of Indianapolis Operations for the Defense Sector at Rolls-Royce, to the 19-member Conexus Indiana Board of Directors. “To deliver on the Conexus mission to accelerate, promote and grow Indiana’s advanced manufacturing and logistics economy, we have assembled a strong and diverse Board of Directors to guide our operations and focus,” said J. Mark Howell, president and CEO of Conexus Indiana. “With the addition of Nick and Kent, we continue to gain new perspective and expertise, and will benefit greatly from their more than 60 years of collective industry experience.” Both Anthony and Duncan will replace long-time board members from Duke Realty and Rolls-Royce, respectively. Anthony leads Duke Realty’s acquisition and disposition activities, in [...]

Mitch Landess joins Conexus Indiana as Senior Director of Industry 4.0

Raquel Bahamonde2021-04-05T16:49:44-04:00April 17, 2019|

INDIANAPOLIS (April 17, 2019) Conexus Indiana today announced that Mitch Landess is joining the organization as senior director of Industry 4.0. In this newly created position, Landess will assist with research and development of Conexus’ Industry 4.0 initiative that is focused on ensuring advanced manufacturing and logistics companies are adopting technologies that will drive their growth in the future. Landess joins Conexus Indiana after 17 years at Rose-Hulman Ventures (RHV), serving as director of business development and operations where he oversaw expanding the RHV operating model. Before joining RHV, Landess was a senior control and process optimization engineer for Wabash River Energy, LTD. “Our Industry 4.0 initiative, which is focused on determining the right resources to support technology adoption among advanced manufacturing and logistics companies, is one of our most important and exciting projects.” said J. Mark Howell, president and [...]

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