Retired FULLBEAUTY Brands executive and longtime Conexus Indiana board leader honored for decades of impact in Indiana’s logistics industry

INDIANAPOLIS – June 9, 2026 – Conexus Indiana today announced Chip Edgington, retired Executive Vice President of Operations at FULLBEAUTY Brands, has been named the 2026 Andre B. Lacy Vanguard Award recipient, joining an esteemed group of leaders recognized for their extraordinary impact in Indiana’s advanced manufacturing and logistics industries.

Conexus Indiana presents the Vanguard Award annually to a Hoosier leader who champions these industries, models civic leadership and challenges the status quo. The award is named in honor of Andre B. Lacy, a philanthropist and business leader with a lasting impact on Indiana as the third-generation leader of Lacy Diversified Industries Ltd. (LDI).

“This recognition means a great deal to me, and I’m appreciative of joining such an exceptional group of past recipients. It is particularly special since I served on the CILC with Andre for years, and it’s great to see his legacy live on in this award,” said Edgington. “Indiana’s advanced manufacturing and logistics industries are the backbone of our state’s economy, and whether during my career, the work through Conexus, or now in my opportunity to work with students at Marian University, my focus has always been to be a part of strengthening that foundation and helping to develop the next generation to carry it forward”.

Edgington built his career in logistics and operations leadership at the Indianapolis-based company now known as FULLBEAUTY Brands, a direct-to-consumer retailer that grew into one of the nation’s leading plus-size apparel companies. Rising to Executive Vice President of Operations, he oversaw a substantial Indiana logistics footprint, including a major distribution center on Indianapolis’ Southeastern Avenue and a 740,000-square-foot facility in Plainfield, and led a significant modernization of the company’s global supply chain, implementing end-to-end visibility tools that transformed how the business managed inventory, suppliers and customer fulfillment across international markets.

Beyond his own company, Edgington’s impact on Indiana’s industry extends across decades of civic and industry engagement. He served as Chairman of the Conexus Indiana Board of Directors and as chair of the Conexus Indiana Logistics Council (CILC), where he was a consistent and vocal advocate for Indiana’s logistics infrastructure and workforce. In 2013, he championed a landmark intermodal rail agreement between CN and the Indiana Rail Road, calling it a “potential game changer for the central Indiana logistics and manufacturing industry,” an endorsement that helped build industry confidence in a development that expanded Indiana’s competitiveness as a global shipping hub.

As chair of CILC, Edgington pushed for deeper collaboration between Indiana’s growing network of university logistics programs and the private sector, working to close the talent gap in a field where Indiana’s employment concentration was 44% above the national average. He served as a judge for Conexus Indiana’s collegiate logistics competition and lent his voice to Conexus Indiana’s flagship State of the Logistics Industry report, helping to elevate the organization’s research as an authoritative resource for industry and policymakers alike.

“Chip exemplifies the kind of leader the Andre B. Lacy Vanguard Award was created to recognize,” said Jay Wirts, president and CEO of Conexus Indiana. “His career reflects decades of operational excellence and a genuine commitment to Indiana’s future, not just within his own company, but across the entire industry. From his leadership on the Conexus Board and Logistics Council to his ongoing work in the classroom, Chip has consistently invested in the people, partnerships and infrastructure that make Indiana a national leader in advanced manufacturing and logistics. We are proud to honor his extraordinary contributions.”

In retirement, Edgington continues to invest in Indiana’s logistics future by teaching supply chain management at Marian University, ensuring that the expertise he built over a career at the crossroads of American commerce finds its way into the next generation of Hoosier talent.

The award was presented at the Conexus Indiana Rising 30 Class of 2026 recognition event on May 7 at the Indiana State Museum in Indianapolis.

Previous honorees of the Andre B. Lacy Vanguard Award 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.; Albert Chen, founder and executive chairman of Telamon; Thomas V. Easterday, retired senior executive vice president of Subaru of Indiana Automotive; the Honorable Eric J. Holcomb, the 51st Governor of Indiana; Dr. Sue Ellspermann, former president of Ivy Tech Community College; and Mark DeFabis, former chief executive officer of IDS Fulfillment.

About Conexus Indiana

Conexus Indiana, a branded initiative of the CEOs Indiana Corporate Partnership (CICP), is dedicated to advancing the Hoosier State’s position as a global leader in advanced manufacturing and logistics. Working closely with industry, academia, and government partners, Conexus Indiana drives workforce development, economic growth, and innovation across the state. For more information, please visit ConexusIndiana.com.