Conexus Indiana names accomplished young professionals to 2024 Rising 30 class
INDIANAPOLIS- 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, are being honored during a special event this evening 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.
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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.