April 6: Bart Peterson

Join us on Tuesday at Ivy Tech Culinary and Conference Center or on Zoom to hear from Bart Peterson the President and CEO of Christel House International, an international network of primary and secondary schools serving children from predominantly disadvantaged backgrounds. Peterson retired in 2017 as Senior Vice President of Corporate Affairs and Communications for Eli Lilly and Company, where he also served as a member of the company’s executive committee. Prior to joining Lilly, Peterson was Managing Director at Strategic Capital Partners, LLC, from June 2008 to June 2009.  Peterson received a bachelor’s degree from Purdue University in 1980 and earned his law degree at the University of Michigan Law School in 1983.

From 2000 to 2007, Peterson served two terms as Mayor of Indianapolis. He also served as President of the National League of Cities in 2007. As mayor, Peterson led a transformation of public education in Indianapolis as the only mayor in America with the authority to create new schools by issuing charters. He was responsible for 16 charter schools and won Harvard University’s prestigious Innovations in American Government Award for the initiative in 2006. As mayor, along with Indiana University, Purdue University, Lilly, and the Central Indiana Corporate Partnership, he created BioCrossroads, a focused effort to push Indianapolis to the forefront as a life sciences capital. He was also instrumental in the business expansions of FedEx, Rolls Royce, and Anthem in Indianapolis, and the construction and development of major projects such as Lucas Oil Stadium, the Conrad Indianapolis, Simon Property Group’s world headquarters, Indianapolis International Airport’s Col. H. Weir Cook terminal building, and the Indiana Convention Center expansion and J.W. Marriott Hotel.

During spring 2008, Peterson was a fellow with the Institute of Politics of Harvard University’s Kennedy School of Government. During the 2008-2009 school year, Peterson was a Distinguished Visiting Professor of Public Policy at Ball State University. In 2012, he was appointed by the US State Department to the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Business Advisory Council and served through 2016. For twelve years, Peterson served as the founding Board Chair of The Mind Trust, an education reform and support organization, and he currently chairs the Board of Directors of the Regenstrief Foundation and the Advisory Board of the Gregory S. Fehribach Center at Eskenazi Health. He is also a member of the Indiana University School of Public and Environmental Affairs Dean’s Council and serves on the 16 Tech Community Corporation Board of Directors, which guides the development of the 16 Tech innovation district located on Indianapolis’s near northwest side.

All are welcome at Rotary programs. If attending in-person at Ivy Tech Culinary and Conference Center reservations and prepayment are required. Due to current guidelines only 50 seats are available. Register on Square at https://rotary-club-of-indianapolis.square.site/. Lunch will be available starting at 11:45 a.m. and the program runs 12:15 p.m. – 1:15 p.m. 

To join our meeting via Zoom starting at 12:15 p.m. go to https://zoom.us/j/710170874?pwd=bFE4ejJTc29IMlNzVmx1Wlg4MTA1UT09. While our Tuesday programs via Zoom are free to attend a suggested donation of $3 – $5 is appreciated in lieu of the typical room fee. These contributions help defray the cost of our hybrid meetings. Please note that donations to the Rotary Club of Indianapolis are not tax deductible. You can support our hybrid meetings at https://rotary-club-of-indianapolis.square.site/. 

Registration is not required to join the meeting. If you’d like to join via your mobile phone or tablet you can download the free Zoom app. 

Meeting ID: 710 170 874
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Meeting ID: 710 170 874
Password: 821795