Conexus Indiana welcomes Jay Wirts as President and CEO
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 Indiana presents Manufacturing Innovation Award at TechPoint’s 26th annual Mira Awards
Conexus Indiana, in partnership with TechPoint, has named Arcamed of Indianapolis as the recipient of the second annual Manufacturing Innovation Award. The award was announced at the 26th annual Mira Awards gala, commonly known as “The Oscars of Indiana Tech,” at the Palladium at Allied Solutions Center for the Performing Arts on February 27. The Conexus Indiana Manufacturing Innovation Award recognizes industrial firms that have taken an exceptional leap into the fourth industrial revolution (Industry 4.0) through cutting-edge technology adoption. The 2025 finalists were selected from a group of statewide applicants operating in and serving diverse manufacturing subsectors, including precision parts, fasteners, furniture, medical devices, aerospace and automotive. Collectively, the six firms deployed a broad range of advanced manufacturing technologies like robotics, data analytics, artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML), industrial internet of things and machine vision to [...]
Conexus launches strategic plan to grow Indiana’s advanced manufacturing and logistics industries
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 [...]
Central Indiana Corporate Partnership announces senior leadership appointments across BioCrossroads, Conexus Indiana and TechPoint
INDIANAPOLIS – The Central Indiana Corporate Partnership (CICP), alongside its branded initiatives BioCrossroads, Conexus Indiana and TechPoint, today announces the appointment of three senior leaders who will play pivotal roles in shaping the future of Indiana’s life sciences, advanced manufacturing and logistics and technology sectors. Douglas Kiehl, Patrick “PJ” McGrew and Casey Osterkamp joined BioCrossroads, Conexus Indiana and TechPoint, respectively, in senior leadership roles on December 10. “As we ensure the strength of Indiana’s advanced industries, these strategic hires underscore our commitment to building a thriving, innovative economy,” said Melina Kennedy, CEO of the Central Indiana Corporate Partnership. “Doug, PJ and Casey each bring a depth of expertise that will help us tackle workforce challenges, advance technological adoption and foster cross-sector collaboration. Together, they will elevate our efforts to position Indiana as a global leader in innovation and talent [...]
Over $1 million in grants to start building new apprenticeship pathway
Grants from the Fairbanks Foundation to fund formation of industry “talent associations” as critical step for new pathway’s goal of welcoming students as early as 2025-2026 school year INDIANAPOLIS – A new professional education and training pathway for Hoosiers rooted in a youth apprenticeship experience starting in high school is one step closer to reality. Today, the Richard M. Fairbanks Foundation announced over $1 million in grants to fund the next steps of the CEMETS iLab Indiana strategic plan to build a new path that could welcome students in at least one occupation as early as the 2025-2026 school year. The Fairbanks Foundation is awarding grants to two Indiana organizations to launch industry “talent associations,” which are organizations that enable employers within their industry to speak with one voice when it comes to their talent needs. The talent associations will [...]
Fred Cartwright, President and CEO of Conexus Indiana, to retire
Fred Cartwright, President and CEO of Conexus Indiana, to retire Fred Cartwright, President and CEO, Conexus Indiana INDIANAPOLIS – Today, Conexus Indiana, an initiative of the Central Indiana Corporate Partnership (CICP), announced that Fred Cartwright, president and CEO of Conexus Indiana, will retire at the end of 2024 after more than three years of service with the organization. “Fred’s leadership has been instrumental in advancing Indiana’s role as a national leader in advanced manufacturing and logistics,” said Scott Brand, president and chief operating officer of Subaru of Indiana Automotive and chair of the Conexus Indiana Board of Directors. “His vision, dedication and strategic insight have positioned the organization to thrive. On behalf of the Board, I thank Fred for his leadership and his enduring impact on Conexus and Indiana’s advanced industries.” Cartwright was responsible for Conexus Indiana’s [...]
Conexus Indiana opens nominations for Rising 30 Class of 2025, celebrating emerging talent in advanced manufacturing and logistics
INDIANAPOLIS – Conexus Indiana has opened nominations for the Rising 30 Class of 2025. The fifth annual Rising 30 awards program, presented by Purdue University, highlights young leaders who are making a significant impact on Indiana’s advanced manufacturing and logistics (AML) sector and shaping the future of the industry. As part of Conexus Indiana’s mission to position Indiana as a global leader in advanced manufacturing and logistics, the Rising 30 program was designed to celebrate the next generation of innovators, change-makers and leaders who are advancing the state’s AML ecosystem. The program also encourages pathways to success in these vital industries, which employ over 700,000 Hoosiers and represent a third of the state’s gross domestic product. “Indiana’s young professionals in advanced manufacturing and logistics are driving change across sectors, from product design and manufacturing processes to logistics and transportation,” [...]
New data confirms growing impact of Manufacturing Readiness Grants program on success and scale of Indiana’s small- to mid-sized advanced manufacturers
INDIANAPOLIS – Conexus Indiana announced today the results of its most recent study measuring the impact of Indiana’s Manufacturing Readiness Grants program. The report reaffirms the program’s pivotal role in transforming and modernizing Indiana’s advanced manufacturing sector by incentivizing capital investments in advanced technologies at small- to mid-sized businesses. The Manufacturing Readiness Grants program was launched in 2020 as part of the Indiana Economic Development Corporation’s (IEDC) Economic Activity Stabilization and Enhancement (EASE) program. The Indiana General Assembly extended funding for the program in 2021 and again in 2023. The program has seen increasing interest, with the number of applications and continuing to exhaust funding each fiscal year. Since the program’s inception, $57 million in matching grants through 526 awards have been made in 79 Indiana counties. The program boasts a 13:1 leverage ratio, demonstrating that for every dollar [...]
Conexus Indiana: 5 Keys to Driving Indiana’s Manufacturing Future
Fred Cartwright, President and CEO, Conexus Indiana While there is much conversation in Indiana regarding the future of advanced manufacturing, most of the challenges—and opportunities—the industry faces are not unique to Indiana. Conexus Indiana’s President and CEO Fred Cartwright was reminded of this when he participated in a U.S. Industrial Policy Roundtable in D.C. in May. The event had five key takeaways, which he expanded on in the piece, that mark the need for advancing regional and national discourse concerning this critical sector of Indiana’s economy. Read Cartwright’s recommendations for industry innovation, which include focusing on education and training of our future workforce, providing strategic funding and proactively building the powerful partnerships necessary to effect real change. [READ MORE]
