INDIANAPOLIS (April 30, 2021) Conexus Indiana announced the 30 young professionals who have been named to the inaugural Rising 30 cohort. From CEOs, to engineers, educators and innovators, Rising 30 honorees represent Indiana’s top talent under the age of 30 who will drive Indiana’s advanced manufacturing and logistics industries successfully into the future.

The Rising 30 program is part of Conexus Indiana’s mission to strengthen Indiana’s advanced manufacturing and logistics industry and create pathways for Hoosiers to succeed in Indiana’s largest industry sector.

“The advanced manufacturing and logistics industries are vital to Indiana’s economic prosperity, employing 1 out of every 5 Hoosiers and accounting for more than 30 percent of Indiana’s economic output,” said Indiana Governor Eric Holcomb. “Conexus Indiana is a vital partner in our work to grow Indiana’s largest industry sector and provide Hoosiers with rewarding career opportunities. I’m thrilled to join Conexus in recognizing young talent for their contributions to Indiana and our advanced manufacturing and logistics sector, knowing that they are poised to be the industries’ leaders of the future.”

“Rising 30 honors young talent who will help our industries lead during a time of dramatic change as advanced technologies, such as 3D printing, artificial intelligence, co-bots, impact how products are made and moved,” said J. Mark Howell, president and CEO of Conexus Indiana. “These professionals are industry leaders at an incredibly exciting time in the evolution of advanced manufacturing and logistics and will be at the forefront as we complete our journey through the 4th Industrial Revolution and beyond.”

Rising 30 honorees represent diverse professions, including CEOs, engineers, managers, innovators and supervisors, as well as educators devoted to building a robust talent pipeline. Honorees also hail from companies located throughout the state including Evansville, Elkhart, Indianapolis, Columbus, Richmond, Corydon and Lafayette.

Conexus Indiana celebrated the 30 young professionals in an evening virtual event on Thursday, April 29. Honorees will play an important role in Conexus Indiana’s work, serving as thought leaders on subjects ranging from emerging technology, smart manufacturing, public policy and talent development. Rising 30 is an annual event and will open for nominations for the 2022 class later this year.

2021 Rising 30 honorees are:

Marcus Beckman

Industrial Engineering Supervisor

Stellantis

Katelyn Bemis

QA Materials Engineer

NTN Driveshaft

Patrick Bowman

Americas Region Logistics & Distribution Manager

Allegion Plc

Max Brickman

Managing Director

Heartland Ventures

Bessena Cabe

Associate Consultant Design Lead Engineer

Eli Lilly and Company

Emily Canepa

Program Quality Leader

GE Aviation – Lafayette

Ryan Cowden

CTE Technology Education Teacher and Advanced Manufacturing Teacher

Owen Valley High School

Kacey Crane

Legislative Affairs Director

Indiana Department of Transportation

Ankit Dhandhania

Manufacturing Systems Manager

Cummins Global Manufacturing Group

Tyler Ewing

Warehouse Manager

Kem Krest

Raya Fields

Production Supervisor

TBK America

Brandon Hardin

Estimator/Project Manager

E&B Paving, LLC

Terrance Harrell

Manufacturing Engineer

Allison Transmission

Sydney Hollingshead

Development Engineer

Cook Biotech

Corey Horan

Manager, Sourcing & Supplier Development

Batesville Casket Co.

Kailey Johnson

Community Involvement & Education and Program Specialist

Faurecia Clean Mobility

Haley Marie Keith

CEO

MITO Material Solutions

Rajan Kumar

CEO

Ateios

Eric Lemmel

IT & Business Processes Manager

Endress+Hauser

Erica Lopez-Cepero

Controls Programmer

Three I Design/Ivy Tech Community College

Carrie Maguire

Operations Manager

Power Up Inc. d/b/a PBTT

Taylor McGregor

Continuous Improvement Engineer

Cook Medical

Lora O’Toole

Chief Administrative Officer

DRONEDEK

Amanda Raver

Powertrain Manufacturing Engineer

Subaru of Indiana Automotive

Kyle Richmond

Supervisor, Quality Control

Roche Diabetes Care Inc.

Justin Robertson

Electrical Project Engineer

Red Gold

Jonathan Smith

Human Resources Manager

Fred Smith Store Fixtures

Brandon Sobera

Materials and Safety Manager

Arcamed LLC

Michelle White

Forecast Planner

Rolls-Royce

Roland Wilson

Assistant Operations Manager – Variable Labor

GEODIS Americas

To view bios of each honoree, visit www.conexusindiana.com/rising-30.

About Conexus Indiana

For more than a decade, Conexus Indiana, one of the Central Indiana Corporate Partnership (CICP) non-profit initiatives, has been positioning the Hoosier State as the best place for advanced manufacturing and logistics industries to innovate, 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.