Indiana’s advanced manufacturing and logistics industries are the backbone of the Hoosier economy, employing more than 600,000 Hoosiers and making and moving products that impact our everyday lives. Honoring 30 young professionals under the age of 30 who exemplify leadership and innovation in Indiana’s advanced manufacturing and logistics industries is one of many ways Conexus Indiana supports the state’s continued leadership in the make-and-move economy.

Conexus Indiana honored the Rising 30 Class of 2022 last Wednesday, May 11, during an evening program in downtown Indianapolis. With nearly 200 guests in attendance, the Rising 30 honorees were each recognized for their early accomplishments in the advanced manufacturing and logistics industries. Honorees included a student leader of a high school-run manufacturing firm, an automation systems company CEO, graduate and materials science researchers, talent development and training professionals, a corporate controller and Chief Operations and Chief Technology officers. Companies represented ranged from start-ups to locally owned and global companies as well as universities and school corporations.

Ankit Dhandhania, a 2021 Rising 30 honoree and manufacturing systems manager at Cummins Inc., facilitated a conversation with all 30 honorees about their journey into the industries, their future aspirations, the impact of advanced technologies on the industries, their mentors and how they will mentor the next generation of movers and makers.

While the discussion served as a way for attendees to get to know this year’s honorees, the audience also heard what industry trends inspire young professionals. A major theme throughout the discussion was automation, including additive manufacturing, advanced robotics and cobots, and the roles those technologies will play in the ever-changing advanced manufacturing and logistics industries.

Another theme of the evening was continuous innovation. Rising 30 honoree, Alex Topalovic, management analyst at enFocus Inc., helps northern Indiana businesses improve performance through innovation by guiding them through the process of adopting new services and processes.

When asked about innovation’s impact in the future of the industry, Alex said, “We often think that it [innovation] to be something brand new – something that has never existed. What I’ve found is that understanding not just the customer, but how to use something – and enabling [the customer] to extract the full value of the product you’re delivering to them is where innovation truly fulfills its mission.”

This year’s Rising 30 honorees bring experience and passion to Indiana’s industries of the future.

Learn more about each honoree here.