The owner of an Indianapolis car dealership has been found dead in his office. Police in Lawrence say Richard Burd died sometime last night or early this morning. The police report indicates his wife went to the dealership early this morning after realizing Burd was not home. She noticed his car in the parking lot and called police. Officers found Burd lying on the couch of his office.
Report indicates improvement in higher education quality
A new report from the Indiana Center for Postsecondary Research at the IU School of Education indicates many colleges and universities are showing improvement in the quality of undergraduate education. The national survey, nees.iub.edu, measured students' exposure to and involvement in educational practices. IU Associate Professor of Education Alexander McCormick says the results show "patterns of steady improvement over a period of several years."
Southern Indiana economic development leader dies
The founder of a shared economic and community development department for southern Indiana has died of cancer. D. Bruce Wallace was 69. He founded Administrative Resources association (ARa) in 1973, which negotiated package incentives and financing for more than 200 new industrial venues over a 25 year period. ARa says the deals resulted in the investment of more than $297 million and approximately 3,900 jobs.
Christel House to break ground on new charter school
A new Indianapolis charter high school will be named after the former Eli Lilly and Co. executive and the late Gus Watanabe. A groundbreaking will be held this afternoon for the Christel House-Watanabe High School at the Christel House Academy on the city's south side. The $4 million school will be financed through a campaign co-chaired by Christel DeHaan and former Lilly Chief Executive Officer Randall Tobias. DeHann has already pledged $2 million toward the goal to allow construction to begin immediately.
EnerDel parent upbeat despite Q3 loss
The parent of Indianapolis-based EnerDel, Ener1 Inc., is reporting a third quarter loss of $15.8 million, compared to a loss of $9 million for the same period a year earlier. Despite the loss, the company is reporting an increase in revenue and its Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Charles Gassenheimer says Ener1 has held talks with more than 200 customers since the fourth quarter of 2008.
Trine receives $500,000 donation
Trine University has received a $500,000 gift to fund the first phase of renovations for the future home of the Ketner School of Business. Ralph Ketner has made the donation to the school that bears his name. He is the co-founder of Food Town, which became Food Lion, a 1,300 store chain in the mid-Atlantic and southeast U.S. Ketner came to Trine when it was known as Tri-State College in 1937.
Indiana-educated leader named to 'thinkers' list
A Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology and Indiana State University graduate has been named one of the top management thinkers in the world by The Times of London. Executive Coach Marshall Goldsmith is on the publication's Thinkers 50 2009 list. thinkers50.com. Others on the list include Microsoft Corp. Founder Bill Gates, Steve Jobs of Apple Inc. and former General Electric Co. Chairman Jack Welch.
Clarian Health appoints new executives
Clarian Health has announced two new executive hirings. Mike Yost will serve as the company's executive director of marketing, while Tory Callaghan Castor will become vice president of government affairs. Yost previously worked as president of Brand Action Consulting and U.S. Brand Leader for Cymbalta at Indianapolis-based Eli Lilly and Co. Callaghan Castor most recently worked at Hays Murray Castor.
