Claire Fiddian-Green is the President & CEO of the Richard M. Fairbanks Foundation. The life sciences sector is a major driver of Central Indiana’s economy and a key contributing factor to the vitality of Indianapolis. While Indiana’s life sciences sector is robust – wages for the sector have grown to $5.8 billion in 2018, and venture capital investments over the last four years totaled $360 million – competition is intensifying as other markets also compete to attract the investments, companies and talent required for continued growth. Cross-sector collaboration, coordination and alignment are key to ongoing economic prosperity in Indianapolis and elsewhere around the state. To ensure the continued strength of the […]

Ellen Quigley is the Vice President of Programs at the Richard M. Fairbanks Foundation An Interview with Mike Thibideau, Director, Indiana Workforce Recovery Initiative Background In February 2018, the Indiana Chamber of Commerce and the Wellness Council of Indiana announced the Indiana Workforce Recovery Initiative, a strategic partnership with Governor Eric Holcomb and his administration to combat the opioid epidemic. The initiative’s mission is to empower the business community by educating and guiding employers through the steps they can take to help their workers struggling with substance use disorder. The objectives of the initiative are to: Identify, evaluate and disseminate best practices in the workplace that support substance use prevention, […]