INDIANAPOLIS (May 9, 2024) Conexus Indiana today announced the newest members of the Conexus Indiana Rising 30, an exclusive group of young professionals recognized for their early-career accomplishments in the advanced manufacturing and logistics industries.
The Rising 30 program, presented by KSM, is in its fourth year and is part of Conexus Indiana’s mission to strengthen Indiana’s advanced manufacturing and logistics industries. Program honorees represent Indiana’s top talent under the age of 30 who will drive the state’s advanced manufacturing and logistics industries successfully into the future.
This year’s winners exemplify leadership and innovation in Indiana’s largest industry sector and are poised to become Indiana’s future industry leaders.
“The dynamic professionals named to this year’s Rising 30 cohort are defining what it means to be a young leader in Indiana’s AML sector,” said Fred Cartwright, president and CEO of Conexus Indiana. “I’m more optimistic than ever about the future of industry in Indiana after meeting this year’s honorees and learning about their accomplishments and plans for the future.”
This year’s honorees represent diverse professions, including engineers, entrepreneurs and business owners, educators, CEOs and product developers who exemplify leadership and innovation in their workplaces and across the industry at large. The companies they work for range from global companies to local start-ups located in cities and towns all across the state, from Elkhart to Columbus to Evansville.
Rising 30 candidates are nominated by their employer or an industry representative, and winners are selected based on their career accomplishments to date. In the coming year, the Rising 30 honorees will participate in Conexus Indiana’s work by serving as thought leaders on subjects ranging from emerging technologies and smart manufacturing to talent development.
2024 Rising 30 honorees, listed below, were honored during a special event on May 9 in downtown Indianapolis.
Mohit Shantilal Baffna
Manufacturing Engineer II
Zimmer Biomet
Ivan Ball
Co-Founder and CTO
anu™ (Heliponix)
Charlotte Barger
Assistant Operations Manager
GEODIS Logistics
Brevin Bennett
Interim CEO
Triton Metal Products
Alec Brewer
Co-Founder and CEO
Ourobio
Caleb Chance
Adjunct Instructor for Design Technology Program and Senior Civil Designer
Ivy Tech Community College and Kimley-Horn
Ian Copeland
Industrial Engineer
Stellantis
Karlie Banacka
Sr. Process Engineer
Boston Scientific
Timothy Gruenhagen
Lead Data Scientist
ClearObject
Walker Hobbs
Supply Chain Manager
Red Star Contract Manufacturing
Josh Johnson
Research Investigator
Corteva Agriscience
Brooklyn Kiefer
Production Manager
Jeep Engineering and Manufacturing, Northeast Dubois Jr/Sr High School
Kyle Krieger
Manager, Strategy and Operations
LDI, Ltd.
Crystal Lopez
District Representative
NALCO Water
Hayley McMahan
Sr. Manufacturing Engineer
Cummins
Jack McQuinn
Sr. Operations Director
Antique Candle Co.
Alex Mills
Sourcing Engineer
BAE Systems
Isaac Mock
Advanced Product Design Engineer
Allison Transmission
Katie Murphy
Manufacturing Engineer
Arcamed
Cameron Nagle
Corporate Marketing Specialist
Kem Krest
Katelyn Niederhaus
Parts Ordering Analyst
Toyota Motor Manufacturing, Indiana
Annie Pohl
Associate Director – Process Control Engineering
Eli Lilly and Co.
MacKenzie Schoenfeld
Planning and Control Manager – Installations
Rolls-Royce North America
Tim Somers
Industrial Engineering Supervisor
Dayton-Phoenix Group
Collin Stratton
Manager of Data Analytics
Indy Autonomous Challenge
Nick Summers
Technical Maintenance Supervisor
Indianapolis Airport Authority
Jody Suryatna
Engineering Project Manager
enFocus
Adrianna Swift
Engineering Manager
Endress + Hauser USA Automation
Hunter Thompson
Mechanical Engineer
Glassboard
Ross Whittaker
Manager, Manufacturing Engineering
Cook Medical
To view bios of each honoree, visit www.conexusindiana.com/rising-30. Nominations will open for the 2025 class in November.
###
About Conexus Indiana: For more than a decade, Conexus Indiana, one of the Central Indiana Corporate Partnership (CICP)’s branded 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, visit conexusindiana.com.