As Indiana’s tech community continues to grow and mature, it’s getting harder and harder to narrow down the winners for our annual Tech 25 Awards program. There is a wealth of tech talent in the Hoosier state, and they are making incredible moves. Join us in celebrating the Tech 25 class of 2021 through this profile series and learn a bit more about each winner.

Ben has spent the past 20+ years working in IT environments at Eli Lilly and Company, Covance and now Elanco, where he is a senior advisor focused on delivering against value capture targets associated with ERP-related M&A activities.

These last 30 months, Ben led project management for Elanco’s exit from its Lilly Technology Service Agreements, which was an incredible orchestration of employees across multiple departments and external partners across a dozen companies — a giant feat achieved in record time.

Ben is continuing his M&A activities by managing the ERP transformation and migration of acquired Bayer Animal Health into Elanco’s ERP solution.

What led you to the tech industry and this occupation? What was your first job in tech?

I was always interested in solving business problems with tech and have the skillset for converting technical details into business applications. I began my career in Tech with Crowe Chizek in Columbus, Ohio. I started off learning to code in RPG on the AS/400.

When you think of a day in your life, what are the main work activities you do or responsibilities you have?

The most rewarding part of my day is spent working through challenges with my project teams and finding the wins, celebrating them, acknowledging the sacrifices, and then channeling that energy into converting those challenges into the next win.

What resources would you recommend to those who want to learn more or advance their skills in this occupation?

Find a good mentor and drive your career. If you wait for someone else to tell you what’s next, you will be waiting a long time. If you are unsure of what is next, there is no better answer than to make sure you perform. Be the best at your current role and look for opportunities to contribute to the organization beyond your responsibilities.

Ben Hall is a Tech 25 winner who is helping to grow and improve the tech landscape of Indiana. He was nominated by Liza Stultz, executive director of the Solutions Operations Group.

Visit the Indianapolis Business Journal website to see the full listing and celebration of the 2021 Tech 25 honorees in the joint CTO of the Year and Tech 25 Awards supplement. You can also watch a video of the livestream from the CTO of the Year and Tech 25 Awards virtual event.

Read more coverage of the Tech 25 in this Index Feature Story and view and tag the gallery of photos from the event on Facebook.