INDIANAPOLIS (May 9, 2022) Thomas V. Easterday, retired senior executive vice president of Subaru of Indiana Automotive has been named the 2022 Andre B. Lacy Vanguard Award recipient, joining an exclusive group of industry leaders recognized for extraordinary leadership and impact.
Conexus Indiana presents the Vanguard Award each year to a Hoosier leader who champions the advanced manufacturing and logistics industries, models civic and philanthropic leadership and demonstrates a visionary perspective that challenges the status quo. The award is named in honor of philanthropist and business leader Andre B. Lacy who left a large footprint on Indiana as a third-generation leader of his family business, Lacy Diversified Industries Ltd. (LDI). He passed away in November 2017.
Previous winners of the Vanguard Award, now in its fifth year, include F. Joseph Loughrey, former president of Cummins Inc. and a founding member of Conexus Indiana, Cathy Langham, president and CEO of Langham Logistics Inc., Robert Koch, chairman of Koch Enterprises Inc. and Albert Chen, founder and executive Chairman of the Board for Telamon.
“Tom embodies all that the Vanguard Award recognizes – a passion for the advanced manufacturing and logistics industries and a commitment to ensuring the vitality of the industries and enriching the lives of Hoosiers,” said Fred Cartwright, president and CEO of Conexus Indiana. “Tom has channeled his energies through both his professional career as a 30-year Subaru executive and his tenure of civic involvement with industry nonprofit organizations and community-based organizations.”
Easterday is recognized as a tireless advocate for the growth of Subaru of Indiana Automotive, taking every opportunity to herald the capabilities of the facility and of the overall Indiana business environment. These efforts contributed to the Subaru facility more than doubling in size during his last 10 years of service with the company.
“As the top American executive at Subaru of Indiana Automotive for 20 years, Tom was responsible for the execution of a business strategy that merged Japanese engineering and vehicle development expertise with Hoosier ingenuity and manufacturing strength,” said Scott Brand, executive vice president of Subaru of Indiana Automotive. “Through his efforts, he was able to effectively lead the blending of two unique company styles and help create a culture that truly respected differences, while leveraging creativity.”
Beyond the role of senior executive vice president, Easterday also served as secretary and chief legal counsel at Subaru. He was actively involved in numerous business, civic and charitable organizations, serving as a past chairman of the Indiana Chamber of Commerce and the Indiana Automotive Council, and as a director of the National Association of Manufacturers and the Central Indiana Corporate Partnership. He continues to provide guidance in retirement as a director of various organizations, including the Crossroads of America Council BSA Foundation, Indiana Chamber Foundation, SIA Foundation and IU Health. He is also a member of the Indiana Disability Rights Commission and previously served as president of the Central Indiana Chapter of the March of Dimes, Japan-America Society of Indiana and Crossroads of America Council BSA. He was awarded the Sagamore of the Wabash, received the Indiana Business Leader of the Year award and was inducted into the Indiana Manufacturers Association Hall of Fame.
“Tom has channeled his drive for change in a variety of directions, most notably toward the creation of ILADD (Independent Living for Adults with Developmental/Intellectual Disabilities), a non-profit organization with a mission to provide housing and social/educational opportunities to adults living with IDD,” Brand said. Easterday has been a driving force behind the formation and growth of this organization and serves as its president and board chairman.
As an attorney with experience in the moving and relocation industry prior to starting at Subaru, Easterday developed a keen sense of the issues affecting the transportation industry, from both business and liability perspectives. This knowledge helped guide Subaru’s logistics decisions, as well as support broader discussions on infrastructure at the local and state level.
Easterday also is active in his Zionsville community. He is a past president of the Zionsville Town Council, past board chairman of the Community Foundation of Boone County and has coached Special Olympics athletes for over twenty years.
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, visit conexusindiana.com.