Patrick Decker, Kelley alumnus and key figure in global water sector, named Poling Chair

Posted on September 25, 2025 by George Vlahakis

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. — Patrick Decker, an alumnus of the Indiana University Kelley School of Business and former president and chief executive officer of the water technology and solutions company, Xylem, will serve as the school’s next Poling Chair of Business and Government.

Decker is an active voice and leader to other executives on how corporations should deliver social and economic value to realize their full potential and create the greatest value for all stakeholders.

Patrick Decker

He will join Vikram S. Pandit, chairman and chief executive officer of The Orogen Group and a prior CEO of Citigroup and president of Morgan Stanley, as Poling Chair, whose appointment was announced last September and concludes this May.

Arrangements have been made for Decker to engage with undergraduate and MBA students, staff, and faculty. During his initial visit the week of Oct. 6, he will reside at IU Bloomington and will meet with Kelley Indianapolis students and faculty when he returns during the spring semester.

“Patrick Decker embodies the very essence of our Poling Chair’s mission. His distinguished career—marked by a rare blend of global leadership, operational expertise, and a profound commitment to public good—will be an invaluable asset to our students,” said Pat Hopkins, Kelley Dean and the James R. Hodge Chair of Excellence. “He joins a remarkable legacy of distinguished leaders who have held this chair, and his insights will inspire the next generation of leaders to think, lead, and serve with purpose.”

“I’m humbled and honored to serve as Poling Chair this academic year. The opportunity to further the mission of supporting and encouraging students, faculty and alumni in their leadership and pursuit of creating both economic and social value is more important now than ever,” Decker said. “I look forward to sharing my experience and learnings and exchanging perspectives on how best to support and mentor our students in their individual and collective pursuits towards this purpose.”

Since its establishment in 1993 by the late Harold “Red” Poling, a Kelley School alumnus and Ford Motor Co. chairman and CEO for nearly a decade, the Poling Chair has been held by a variety of business and government leaders.

For the past decade, Decker has been a dedicated and passionate figure in the global water sector. As president and CEO of Xylem from March 2014 through December 2023, he led a company focused on using affordable innovations to help communities address their most pressing water challenges.

He committed himself to providing affordable, sustainable access to clean water for communities worldwide. The innovative application of advanced technology and pioneering management practices is helping to revolutionize the sector and spotlighting the water challenges facing our communities and more importantly the existing affordable solutions.

Decker led Xylem’s evolution from an aging industrial products company to an advanced technology and solutions-driven enterprise, inspiring others with his vision and determination. Today, Xylem is one of the most extensive global water technology equipment and services provider, with more than $8 billion in annual revenues, serving customers in more than 150 countries.

Under his guidance, Xylem’s revenue more than doubled, and its market capitalization quadrupled to about $30 billion. He was pivotal in shaping Xylem’s purpose and instilling a socially responsible culture that empowered and encouraged colleagues and business partners around the world to engage in their local communities.

A series of earthquakes struck the Indonesian island of Lombok in 2018, leaving hundreds of thousands homeless and without access to clean water. Xylem’s Watermark Program and Planet Water quickly deployed water filtration tower projects and an AquaPod clean water system for use by people living in relocation camps.

Decker significantly expanded Xylem’s Watermark Program, an employee citizenship initiative partnering with customers and other stakeholders that provides vital education and safe water resources to many of the world’s most vulnerable communities. The prestigious Gold Halo Award for Employee Engagement presented by Engage for Good recognized the program’s success.

He also launched Xylem Ignite, a program that empowers youth through grassroots initiatives to find simple, impactful, innovative ways to address pressing water issues. Eight years ago, Xylem built a unique partnership with Manchester City Football Club, providing global fans with knowledge of water challenges and actions they can take to help communities address their water challenges. The partnership garnered more than 1 billion social media impressions within its first five years.

Decker currently serves on the boards of Johnson Controls International, a world leader in smart buildings that create safe, healthy, and sustainable spaces, and CRH, the world’s largest supplier of building materials and solutions aiming to build and connect the world in a sustainable way. He also serves on the board of Mass Eye & Ear Hospital, a Harvard medical teaching hospital and the world’s largest hearing and vision research center. He is also engaged in venture capital endeavors focused on breakthrough artificial intelligence solutions to water and other infrastructure challenges.

Before Xylem, Decker was the CEO of Harsco Corporation (now Enviri Corporation), a global industrial products company that previously served the construction, rail, and steel industries. Prior to Harsco, he served Tyco International in various leadership roles and was an integral executive team member that helped revitalize and transform the enterprise. His last position was president of Tyco Flow Control, then a $4 billion industrial flow control solutions provider to the energy and water sectors.

Before Tyco, Decker was with Bristol-Myers Squibb for 12 years, serving in financial and operational roles, his last role being chief financial officer for the Mead Johnson Nutritional division. He spent nine years living and working in Latin America and Asia. He began his career with Price Waterhouse.

He holds a Bachelor of Science degree in accounting and finance from the Kelley School and serves on its Bloomington and Global Dean’s councils. He and his wife Nussara have been active supporters of the Kelley School and IU. They funded the Patrick and Nussara Decker Changemakers Scholarship for underpaid and unpaid internships for students focused on helping social enterprises, and the newly established Patrick and Nussara Decker Music Business Chair, to support a joint degree developed between the Jacobs School of Music and the Kelley School.

Decker follows a long line of successful leaders, many of them Kelley alumni, who have served as Poling Chairs. They have included top executives at major companies, including Janet Foutty, former chair and CEO of Deloitte Consulting LLP; Jeff Fettig, former chairman and CEO of Whirlpool Corporation; Elizabeth Acton, retired chief financial officer of Comerica and a former vice president and treasurer of Ford Motor Co.; Randall L. Tobias, chairman emeritus of Eli Lilly and Co., and former vice chairman of AT&T Corp; Bob Eckert, former CEO of Mattel Inc. and Kraft; and the late John Rau, former president and CEO of Miami Corporation, Chicago Title Corporation and LaSalle and Exchange National banks and Kelley’s eighth dean.

They also have included two former state governors –Maryland’s Martin O’Malley and Indiana’s Evan Bayh — Hollywood producer Kristin Hahn, Indian parliamentarian Deepender Singh Hooda, the Countess of Frederiksborg in Denmark Alexandra Christina, former U.S. Surgeon General Jerome Adams, and Mae C. Jemison, the first African American female astronaut.

Kelley School undergraduate program ranked eighth in U.S. News rankings; eight specialties in the top 10

Posted on September 23, 2025 by George Vlahakis

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. — The Undergraduate Program at the Indiana University Kelley School of Business is eighth among all business schools in new rankings from U.S. News & World Report, fourth among public institutions and remains No. 1 in the state of Indiana.

Six specialty programs – including those in key areas such as analytics and supply chain management — moved up in the rankings. Eight specialties are ranked in the top 10 and two others are in the top 20.

Kelley’s Undergraduate Program has been ranked in U.S. News’ top 10 for the last five years, and 10 times over the past dozen years.

Pat Hopkins

Pat Hopkins, Kelley Dean and the James R. Hodge Chair of Excellence, noted the program’s consistency in delivering one of the best business degrees in the nation and the confidence placed in it by students and their families who appreciate the value of a Kelley education.

“These rankings are a powerful reflection of the tremendous energy, innovation, and insight our faculty, staff, and global partners pour into every aspect of Kelley—from our rigorous academics to our vibrant student experience and industry engagement,” Hopkins said. “Our undergraduate program continues to set the standard for excellence, preparing students to lead with purpose and impact in a rapidly changing world. And as proud as we are of this recognition, we’re even more excited about what lies ahead.”

The school’s marketing, accounting, and management programs are ranked fourth; information systems, sixth; entrepreneurship, seventh; analytics, finance and production/operations management are ninth; supply chain; 12th; and international business, 18th.

Bridget Stomberg

“At Kelley, we’re committed to giving students more than an education—we provide experiences and support that shape who they become. Whether it’s studying abroad, leading a student organization, or working side by side with faculty, staff, and peers, our students gain perspectives and skills that extend far beyond the classroom,” said Bridget Stomberg, associate dean for undergraduate education and the Glaubinger Chair for Undergraduate Leadership. “These rankings reflect the richness of those opportunities and the incredible outcomes they help create.”

The Undergraduate Program curriculum allows students to customize their academic plan and choose from among 20 majors and co-majors. It also offers a wide portfolio of extracurricular activities – including more than 90 student organizations – and extensive support services for students, including Compass, its one-on-one mentoring program offered to every incoming student, and academic and involvement coaching.

More than 1,450 companies hired Kelley students for internships and full-time positions after graduation this past year. Students join a network of more than 137,000 alumni.

U.S. News only ranks undergraduate programs accredited by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business, and results are solely based on surveys of deans and senior faculty. Its peer-assessment score is based on two years of data about programs that are considered the best in a variety of specialty areas.

Overall, IU scored 34th among public universities in U.S. News’ 2026 Best Colleges rankings.

Kelley School of Business honors six alumni for their professional achievements

Posted on September 18, 2025 by George Vlahakis

Kelley alumni annually are honored for their professional achievement and volunteer leadership.

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. — Six alumni of the Indiana University Kelley School of Business will be honored for professional achievement and volunteer leadership during the 2025 Kelley Alumni Awards Celebration on Sept. 27 at IU Bloomington.

The Kelley Academy of Alumni Fellows recognizes alumni who have earned the stature of exceptional leaders by their demonstrated successes in organizations and their contributions to management philosophies and practices. This year’s class of fellows includes:

Venkat Bhamidipati,MBA’92, operating advisor, Goldman Sachs and audit committee chair, Crosscountry Healthcare
Gene Renuart, BS’71, United States Air Force (retired) and founder and president, The Renuart Group
Michael Shumate, BS’67, retired partner, Jones Day
Betty Stilwell, BS’85, retired, chief philanthropy officer, Indiana University Health

The Distinguished Entrepreneur Award recognizes alumni who have demonstrated the ability to establish a new business or turn around or significantly grow an established business. This year’s award will be presented to Paul Truex, MBA’97, CEO and Chairman, Thryv Therapeutics.

The Volunteer Leadership Award will be presented to Patty Martin,BS’82, who is retired after a 27-year career at Eli Lilly and Company, where she held several roles, and after serving as president and CEO of BioCrossroads.

“Kelley alumni are among the most influential leaders shaping business, policy, innovation, and social progress around the world. Their success is rooted in the rigorous foundation they built here—a blend of analytical precision, collaborative mindset, and the agility to innovate and lead through every new challenge,” said Pat Hopkins, dean of the Kelley School and James R. Hodge Chair of Excellence. “These honorees stand as living examples of the transformative power of a Kelley education and the enduring strength of our global network.”

The Kelley School of Business Alumni Association selects and confers members of the Academy of Alumni Fellows, which now includes 265 individuals. Read more about this year’s award recipients.

Venkat Bhamidipati

Venkat Bhamidipati

After graduating from the Kelley School with an MBA in 1992, Venkat Bhamidipati built an extraordinary career in finance and technology. He spent 12 years in Silicon Valley, followed by leadership roles at Microsoft, where he rose to chief financial officer of the Enterprise business. There, he worked alongside some of the world’s brightest minds, helping guide Microsoft’s transformation into a cloud-first company.

He later served as CFO of Providence Health, one of the nation’s largest health systems, where he brought operational discipline and digital innovation to transform patient care. He then served as CFO of McAfee and helped take it public.

Bhamidipati currently is an operating advisor at Goldman Sachs, where he mentors CEOs and CFOs and advises on investments across healthcare, technology, and cybersecurity.

Through every step, Venkat has carried Kelley with him. He launched university recruiting programs that opened doors for Kelley graduates at Microsoft, stayed closely connected to alumni who have become leaders in their own right, and collaborated with faculty to bring real-world finance applications back into the classroom.

Patty Martin

Patty Martin

After earning a degree in accounting, Patty Martin’s career took her to Arthur Andersen in Phoenix, where she earned her CPA, then on to Harvard Business School and an MBA. Afterward, she returned to Indiana and a 27-year career at Eli Lilly and Company, where she held several roles, including chief operating officer of Lilly Diabetes, chief diversity Officer, and chief alliance officer.

She later served as president and CEO of BioCrossroads, and continues her work in life sciences as a board member of Regenstrief Institute.

Martin has served on numerous boards, including the IU Foundation Board, Women’s Philanthropy Leadership Council, and as 2016 chair of the 500 Festival. She also served on the Indiana Biosciences Research Institute and the Indiana Health Information Exchange. In addition to Regenstrief, she holds board positions with AN2 Therapeutics and Leap Therapeutics.

Gen. Gene Renuart

Gen. Gene Renuart

On the verge of graduating from IU, Gene Renuart learned the job he had secured was deferred for a year, so he entered Officer Training School to learn how to fly planes. His decision began a nearly 40-year career in the United States Air Force, where his organizational and management skills made him an effective leader who became a decorated four-star general.

Renuart’s career culminated in his role as commander for NORAD and U.S. Northern Command, responsible for homeland defense and security issues. He previously served as vice commander, Pacific Air Forces, and as the director of strategy, Policy and Planning for the Joint Chiefs of Staff.

He served as senior military assistant to two secretaries of defense, Donald Rumsfeld and Robert Gates. On and after 9/11, he served as director of operations at U.S. Central Command and was responsible for all combat and humanitarian operations in Afghanistan and Iraq.

Renuart continues to serve as a member of the Military Advisory Group of the U.S. Global Leadership Coalition and is a member of the Council of Foreign Relations.

As president of The Renuart Group, he provides strategic advice to Department of Defense agencies and major international defense corporations. He also advises clients on organizational leadership, strategy, machine learning, AI, cybersecurity, and satellite communications.

He serves as a board chair or director for four technology corporations and is senior advisor to Indiana’s non-profit Indy Autonomous Challenge as well as a global 5G wireless provider. He is a member of the IU Foundation Board and the Dean’s Advisory Council at the Hamilton Lugar School of Global and International Studies. He was honored with IU’s Distinguished Alumni Service Award in 2011. In addition to his degree from the Kelley School, he earned a master’s degree in psychology from Troy University.

Michael Shumate

Michael Shumate

As a young Kelley student, Michael Shumate could often be found with a thick Internal Revenue Code tucked under his arm for a bit of light reading. Fascinated by the puzzles of business and law, he went on to attend law school at the University of Virginia, leading toward a distinguished career at Jones Day, one of the world’s largest law firms.

For more than three decades, Shumate became a trusted expert in corporate tax, advising on mergers, acquisitions, and reorganizations, while also helping to establish the firm’s New York office.

His volunteer service spans the breadth of the university. Shumate has been a guiding voice on the IU Foundation Board of Directors, the Kinsey Institute, Kelley’s Dean’s Council, and the Dean’s Advisory Board of the Herron School of Art and Design. He helped found philanthropic councils that champion women, Black alumni, and LGBTQ+ communities, reflecting his deep belief in the power of inclusion.

One of Shumate’s proudest contributions came through the IU LGBTQ+ Alumni Association, where he served more than a decade, including three years as president. Under his leadership, IU launched the nation’s first LGBTQ student scholarship program that included emergency funds for students who lost family financial support. His work ensured that no student would feel alone in a pursuit of an IU education.

His extraordinary impact has been recognized with IU’s highest honors, including the Distinguished Alumni Service Award, the Keystone Award, and the IU Foundation President’s Medallion.

Betty Stilwell

Betty Stilwell

Betty Stilwell initially entered IU with a goal of becoming a physical therapist, but she felt an affinity to the elective business school classes she was taking. She changed her major and her trajectory, working at Methodist Hospital beginning in 1973. She later resumed her education and graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Business in 1985, crediting Kelley for bringing a business foundation to her passion for healthcare service.

Stilwell established the first fundraising arm for Methodist Hospital, for which she served as president. When Methodist became part of the statewide IU Health system, she was appointed chief philanthropy officer, a position she held until her retirement.

She maintained her connection to the Kelley School through service on the Indianapolis Dean’s Council and on the dean’s advisory board for the IU School of Nursing — once again connecting her two passions.

In 1987, Stilwell was among the first women to be admitted to the Rotary Club of Indianapolis, where she would later serve as its first woman president. In addition, she has served on numerous other boards, including the National Association for Healthcare Philanthropy, Indiana Council of Fundraising Executives, Heartland Film Festival, YMCA of Greater Indianapolis, the Near North Development Corp., and the 500 Festival, which she chaired in 2001.

Her honors include the Sagamore of the Wabash, Fundraiser of the Year from the Indiana Council of Fundraising Executives, Indianapolis Business Journal’s Influential Women, IU School of Nursing Doris Merritt Service to Nursing Award, and Outstanding Service Award from the Championship Auto Racing Auxiliary.

Paul Truex

Paul Truex

After graduating from Kelley with an MBA in 1997, Paul Truex, class president and valedictorian, continued his career at Eli Lilly, where he saw firsthand the promise of developing new therapeutics.

Over the next 25 years, he led or advised 12 different startups, helped guide five IPOs, and oversaw multiple acquisitions of his companies by large pharmaceutical companies, including Peninsula Pharmaceuticals, an antibiotic development company that was acquired by Johnson & Johnson and Forest Pharmaceuticals.

Today, as CEO and chairman of Thryv Therapeutics, Truex is developing novel treatments for genetic cardiovascular diseases designed to target a rare and lethal heart abnormality which, if successful, could save lives.

Truex has been a longtime supporter of IU and the Kelley School, serving as a board member for the Johnson Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation, a speaker at JCEI’s Velocity Conference, and a mentor to emerging entrepreneurs. In addition to IU, he also contributes his time and resources to Sudden Arrhythmic Death Syndromes Foundation, Team 1C Cardiac Care, the Multiple Myeloma Research Foundation, Hospice Wellington, and the Guelph Public Library.

Kelley Direct Online MBA ranked No. 1 in North America by QS for third straight year

Posted on September 17, 2025 by George Vlahakis

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – For the third consecutive year, the Kelley Direct Online MBA program at the Indiana University Kelley School of Business has been ranked No. 1 in North America by QS Intelligence Unit, a respected research organization that also produces the QS World University Rankings.

Kelley Direct also continues to be ranked fifth worldwide by QS.

In terms of class experience, QS ranked Kelley Direct No. 2 in the U.S and Canada. The program also was ranked No. 3 for employability in the North America and No. 6 worldwide.

The quality of the class profile, which included factors such as years of work experience, female and international representation, and size of enrollment, was ranked third best in North America and sixth worldwide. Faculty and teaching were ranked eighth in North America.

Kelley Direct is the original online MBA program from a top-tier business school and is heading into second quarter century of meeting the needs of working professionals.

Sarah Wanger

Its consistency in staying at the top of the rankings comes while the market for online MBA programs continues to grow. This year’s online MBA rankings included 126 programs worldwide – up from 102 a year ago – also including those in Europe, Asia and the Middle East and Africa. QS received responses from more than 36,000 employers and more than 39,000 academics.

“Our outstanding faculty and staff work hard to deliver an unmatched educational experience that benefits from the Kelley School’s efforts to always be at the pinnacle of curricular innovation,” said Sarah Wanger, assistant dean for graduate programs at the Kelley School of Business.

“Our students tell us how much they appreciate how our program decisively and boldly pushes the boundaries, both in terms of content and method, to empower them with the skills and knowledge they need to be successful in their careers.”

Earlier this year and for the fourth consecutive year, U.S. News & World Report named Kelley Direct the No. 1 online MBA program. It also was the eighth time it had done so since beginning to rank such programs in 2013. It also was ranked No. 1 for the seventh consecutive time by The Princeton Review. It remains Fortune’s No. 1 online MBA program.

All Kelley Direct courses are designed and taught by more than 130 dedicated full-time Kelley faculty. This ensures that students receive a unique and personalized education that includes in-person and immersive experiences.

They include Kelley On Campus, a week-long, intensive, in-residence, team-based case competition serving real-world clients. This experience launches the MBA student journey through strategy-focused seminars, networking sessions, and personal development.

Second-year MBA students attend Kelley On Location, held at off-campus domestic business hubs. This multi-day event includes intensive workshops that leverage the unique venues of each locale, connecting students with local industry and culture, exploring real-world business challenges, and strengthening community-building within the Kelley School network.

IU Kelley professor to testify before U.S. Senate Special Committee on Aging related to generic drug safety

Posted on September 15, 2025 by George Vlahakis

George Ball

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. — Indiana University Kelley School of Business professor George Ball will testify before the U.S. Senate Special Committee on Aging during the hearing titled “Prescription for Trouble: Drug Safety, Supply Chains, and the Risk to Aging Americans.”

The hearing will explore the threats presented by generic drug quality and supply chain issues and highlight the public health and national security risks posed by vulnerable supply chains that are over reliant on foreign generic drugs from China and India. It will also address dangers that quality issues associated with foreign generic drugs pose to seniors and highlight tragic cases of adverse events.

The testimony will draw upon recently published research by Ball and colleagues that find an increase in serious drug adverse events for generic drugs made in India compared to equivalently-designed generic drugs made in the U.S.

Ball’s testimony will also address two key policy recommendations emanating from that published study: Transparency in the generic drug supply chain and enhancements to FDA’s foreign plant inspection strategy.

A livestream and written testimony will be available via the Senate Aging Committee website.

Ball is available for media interviews after the testimony from 8 to 10 a.m. Thursday, Sept. 18 and 8 to 10 a.m. and 2 to 4 p.m. Friday, Sept. 19.

Details:

Who: George Ball, associate professor in the Department of Operations & Decision Technologies at the Indiana University Kelley School of Business at IU Bloomington.

What: U.S. Senate Special Committee on Aging. Full Committee Hearing on Drug Safety

When: 3:30 to 5:30 p.m. ET Wednesday, Sept. 17, 2025

Where: Hart Senate Office Building, Room 216, 120 Constitution Ave NE, Washington, DC 20002, and livestream.

Kelley School hosting 2025 Global Lean Summit Sept. 23-25 at IU Bloomington

Posted on September 15, 2025 by George Vlahakis

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – More than 100 key strategic and operational executives from companies around the world are coming to Bloomington Sept. 23-25 for the 2025 Global Lean Summit, which is being hosted by the Indiana University Kelley School of Business.

The three-day conference will feature nearly 20 speakers from companies such as GE Aerospace, Toyota and Intel, as well as leading experts in Lean Management, an organizational strategy that focuses on maximizing customer value by eliminating waste, streamlining workflows, and fostering a culture of continuous improvement.

In addition to those coming from across the United States, managers and executives from Canada, Germany, Mexico, New Zealand, Switzerland and the United Kingdom are expected to attend. A select group of Kelley students also have been invited.

The Global Lean Summit program will help attendees create a “Lean culture,” learn how to facilitate Kaizen Improvement Events, and craft a customized Lean Management System roadmap for transforming their organizations.

Katie Votolato

In addition to summit sessions at IU Bloomington, participants will tour the Toyota Material Handling plant in nearby Columbus and IU Health Bloomington Hospital, to see examples of how Lean thinking have been employed as best practices. The concepts behind Lean Management originated within the Toyota Production System.

Students in the Master’s in Healthcare Administration program — which is delivered jointly by the Kelley School and the O’Neill School of Public and Environmental Affairs – will join those touring IU Health Bloomington Hospital.

Among the conference presenters will be Katie Votolato, senior lecturer of operations and decision technologies at Kelley. Before joining the school’s faculty full-time in 2016, she was part of management teams at Boston Scientific, General Electric and Toyota that promoted the continuous improvement principles at the heart of Lean principles. Kelley student Lora Simakova, will be moderating a panel discussion.

Pam Manhart, clinical assistant professor of operations and decision technologies at Kelley, is helping to coordinate the summit.

Kyle Cattani, chairperson and professor of operations and decision technologies and the Ming Mei Chair in Business, said hosting the Global Lean Summit demonstrates Kelley’s commitment to teaching Lean principles.

Kyle Cattani

“We are excited to host the 2025 Global Lean Summit. The Kelley School of Business has a strong curriculum in Lean Management as part of our highly ranked operations management major,” Cattani said. “This is a wonderful opportunity for our students and faculty to interact with leaders in the field.”

Jared Thatcher, a leading expert on applying lean principles in both business and family settings, organizes the annual event.

“We chose to partner with the Kelley School of Business because they share our belief that learning should turn into doing. Their culture of applied learning and leadership development matches our mission at the Global Lean Summit to send people home with the knowledge and skills they can use on Monday morning to improve their lives and the lives of those around them,” Thatcher said.

Thatcher was introduced to Lean Management more than 20 years ago when he was manufacturing plant administrative manager at Kimber of America. Later at Daimler Trucks North America, he was part of the global effort to bring Lean thinking into the office side of the business. The team saved Daimler over $1.1 billion dollars over three years. As a consultant, he has worked with Nike, Mercy Corps, Portland General Electric and other companies. He was the business transformation designer at Alaska Airlines.

“In the 1990s, we chased tools,” Thatcher said. “Today, Lean is a people-centered learning system. What has made companies like Toyota so successful goes beyond the formulaic tools and principles of Lean. Their success is in the interconnection between tools and how essential respect-for-people is to create the kind of culture where it is safe to show red, where failure is seen as an opportunity for improvement. In today’s exponential, tech-driven environment, the ultimate advantage is an agile learning organization that reacts fast and leads the way; Lean culture builds that capability.”

One of the Global Lean Summit speakers, Nix Juban, general manager of communications, chief of staff and senior technical leader at Intel, will speak to students in Kelley’s Women Impacting Supply Chain Excellence club.

Kelley takes the lead with AI, expands innovative experiential learning

Posted on September 3, 2025 by Jeni Donlon

Kelley Dean Pat Hopkins

With the start of the fall semester, the familiar rhythms of campus life have returned. Students are moving briskly between classes, and lines at Starbucks are stretching long during passing times. Faculty are setting expectations, while advisors are offering steady guidance. It’s a time of motion and momentum, and even as the broader landscape around us continues to shift, this familiar beginning brings with it the same focus, energy, and sense of potential at Kelley that it always does.

Alongside this familiar cycle, something extraordinary is unfolding. Over the summer, Kelley designed and launched a generative AI course that is now available to all students, faculty, and staff across IU’s nine campuses. Led by Professor Brian Williams and developed through Kelley’s Jellison Studios, the course has already auto-enrolled over 96,000 students, with faculty and staff joining voluntarily—likely pushing total participation past 100,000. This is a remarkable milestone, not just for Kelley, but for IU as a whole. Not only is it a sign of large-scale innovation—it is a direct investment in our students’ ability to navigate and lead in a rapidly evolving professional landscape.

Although the current course is limited to users with an IU login, I’m happy to share that we’re actively working to make this content accessible to our alumni. Two exciting initiatives are already underway: an upcoming podcast from the IU Alumni Association offering practical GenAI tips—created by the same team behind the course—and an open version of the course itself, expected to launch this fall. So, please stay tuned—we can’t wait to share these new resources with you.

This course is part of Kelley’s broader, strategic effort to future-proof our students and our larger community. Following a year of mobilizing and refining our internal processes, Kelley published guidance for integrating GenAI into curriculum through AACSB and hosted a schoolwide GenAI leadership summit to engage top executives on how GenAI is reshaping business operations.

We’re now moving forward with the creation of a Dean’s AI Roundtable, bringing together leaders from across industries to inform Kelley’s strategy with clear signals from the marketplace. Internally, we’re also expanding our capabilities through an AI Core team focused on translating our ideas into AI-enabled outcomes. These efforts reflect Kelley’s commitment to preparing students not just for their first job, but for a career defined by lifelong learning and unimaginable opportunity.

All this momentum is unfolding as we begin the year with record enrollment in our Bloomington Undergraduate Program and increased enrollment in our Indianapolis Undergraduate Program, clear signs of the trust students place in Kelley to prepare them for life after graduation. That same confidence is reflected across our entire portfolio of graduate programs, with most programs experiencing increased enrollments and with record enrollments in our Indianapolis Evening MBA and Physician MBA programs. The value of a Kelley education continues to resonate, helping people build and strengthen their careers at every stage.

An important differentiator for our degree programs is the extent to which experiential learning is infused throughout our curricular and co-curricular offerings. In that spirit, we’ve also recently launched the IU K+M Collective, a first-of-its-kind experiential learning initiative between Kelley and the IU Media School. This integrated consultancy offers students paid, professional experience working with real clients in a cross-disciplinary environment. Led by Nancy Paton, teaching professor of marketing and former IU vice president and chief communications and marketing officer, the program begins this fall with a faculty-led seminar series and continues in spring 2026 with the launch of client projects.

Kelley’s alumni community—137,000 strong and growing—continues to be a source of our ongoing pride. Across industries and continents, you are shaping the business landscape with the rigor, creativity, and leadership that reflects our shared Kelley values. The sheer scale of our alumni network defies easy comprehension, and that, coupled with your ongoing excellence, is what makes its impact so powerful. We’re excited to see how you continue to shape the future with bold ideas and meaningful connections.

Warm regards,

Pat Hopkins
Dean and James R. Hodge Chair of Excellence
Kelley School of Business

Kelley and Media schools form IU K+M Collective, a consulting firm providing students with experiential learning

Posted on August 25, 2025 by George Vlahakis

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – Indiana University’s Kelley School of Business and The Media School today announce an innovative and dynamic venture that will harness the expertise of both schools to create a significant advancement in student experiential learning.

The initiative, called the IU K+M Collective, is an integrated consultancy that will offer research, strategy, marketing and communications services and provide students professional, paid experience working with companies and non-profit organizations.

“Initiatives like the K+M Collective reflect our ongoing commitment to expanding experiential learning opportunities for students,” said IU Bloomington Provost Rahul Shrivastav. “They add another exciting way for students to apply what they’re learning in meaningful, real-world contexts.”

It will begin operations this fall, with client projects scheduled for spring 2026. The firm will launch with approximately 20 students.

This enterprise is a first-of-its-kind collaboration at IU, combining the unique expertise of both schools. It is also distinctive in higher education as an interdisciplinary partnership between two highly regarded schools. It is envisioned that it will grow to include other IU campuses and schools, and is a university rather than student-led effort.

Operating as a functioning consulting firm, the IU K+M Collective will enable students from the Kelley and Media schools to collaborate with faculty and combine classroom learning with professional experience.

Kelley School Dean Pat Hopkins

Before they begin working with clients, students will complete a seminar series taught by faculty in each school that will prepare them for success in a consulting environment.

Pat Hopkins, dean of the Kelley School and James R. Hodge Chair of Excellence, said this new opportunity for students is a natural extension of the school’s nationally ranked marketing program, which already emphasizes practical experience, including through research centers, student clubs and workshops.

“Together, Kelley and The Media School will provide research, strategic marketing, communications and other goal-accelerating resources to advance the success of client organizations, while providing critical experiential learning for our students,” Hopkins said. “In turn, this will strengthen students’ career-readiness and competitiveness in jobs after graduation.”

Media School Dean David Tolchinsky

David Tolchinsky, dean of The Media School, said the IU K+M Collective will complement other hands-on, creative opportunities that exist for students studying media advertising and public relations.

“By combining what students value most about our individual schools — Kelley’s top-ranked marketing department and The Media School’s hands-on, creative approach to learning — the IU K+M Collective offers a unique interdisciplinary experience that is greater than the sum of its parts,” Tolchinsky said. “This collaboration will prepare IU students to work and lead in an evolving media landscape.”

The structure of the IU K+M Collective will enable students to continue working on a project as it develops and evolves over more than one semester and perhaps even after graduation, if their work leads to employment.

Nancy Paton

Nancy Paton, teaching professor of marketing at Kelley and former IU vice president and chief communications and marketing officer, will lead the consultancy as its founder and executive director.

Paton was previously chief communications and marketing executive at the University of Florida and the University at Buffalo. At IU, she launched an inaugural, award-winning university-wide marketing and communications strategy.

“This firm will create a knowledge base of talented thinkers and doers who will collectively harness their skills to provide strategy, research, marketing and communications expertise and services, creating unique solutions that accelerate client success,” she said.

“Through this experience, students will emerge uniquely and strongly positioned to jump-start their careers.”

Kelley and Luddy schools at Indiana University team up to offer new degree in business intelligence and data science

Posted on August 21, 2025 by George Vlahakis

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – Meeting today’s need for professionals with data science knowledge and the knack to identify and solve key business problems, two schools at Indiana University will deliver a STEM-designated joint undergraduate degree that prepares students for success across major and emergent industries.

Applications are now being accepted for the inaugural class of the Bachelor of Science in Business Intelligence & Data Science, which will equip students with the skills they need to identify and solve business problems using data-driven approaches. It combines the strategic breadth offered at the Kelley School of Business with the quantitative depth of a data‑science major at the Luddy School of Informatics, Computing, and Engineering.

The demand for data scientists is growing and ubiquitous across domains. Organizations need business data scientists who have the domain knowledge to identify key business problems and the computational and data skills to solve them.

Kelley Dean Pat Hopkins

This degree leverages strengths from the Kelley and Luddy schools to offer a streamlined and focused degree program that equips students with the skills to understand and apply computational technologies to identify and solve complex business problems.

Graduates will work with large and small businesses around the world that are at the forefront of business applications of data science, using the skills they acquire in the program to address a broad range of business needs including explaining causes, predicting future outcomes and trends, and increasing process efficiency.

“This degree represents the future of business education—where deep analytical expertise meets strategic insight—and it reflects Kelley’s commitment to preparing students not just for today’s roles, but for the evolving demands of tomorrow’s economy,” said Pat Hopkins, Kelley’s dean and the James R. Hodge Chair of Excellence. “By combining the strengths of our world-class faculty with Luddy’s excellence in data science, we’re offering students an unparalleled interdisciplinary experience that enhances their career prospects and reinforces Kelley’s reputation as a leader in innovative, high-impact business education.”

Luddy Dean Joanna Millunchick

“At the Luddy School, we believe the most powerful solutions come out of the intersection of disciplines. By pairing our strength in data science with Kelley’s excellence in business education, we’re equipping students with the tools to shape the future of how data drives decisions,” said Joanna Millunchick, dean of the Luddy School.

The Bachelor of Science in Business Intelligence and Data Science is selective, with a focus on using quantitative methods to analyze and address business problems. Coursework includes a focused core of business, math, and data science courses and elective courses that cover topics including crypto assets, behavioral finance, artificial intelligence and data visualization.

The program begins next fall, with initial graduates expected in 2030.

According to data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, jobs that require skills and knowledge related to the new degree’s curriculum are expected to grow by nearly 15 percent annually through 2033. Positions as data scientist and business intelligence developer are among the fastest growing occupations according to the BLS.

It is not a surprise that the new degree is being welcomed by employers, including from companies that already actively recruit students from the two schools.

“My company, along with most other technology and tech-enabled service providers, continues to need more new hires with the proper background, education, and training in various business intelligence applications and baseline data science knowledge,” said Derek A. Bang, founder and CEO of Kodiak Solutions. “The joint degree of Business Intelligence and Data Science is unlike anything we are currently seeing at the other major academic institutions where we recruit.”

“Technology is transforming how we work, and the skills needed to effectively evaluate data are increasingly important to the delivery of services to our clients,” added Beth Forman, partner- audit & assurance, Deloitte & Touche LLP. “Critical to this transformation is recruiting professionals who are capable of using advanced data analytics tools and interpreting the results.”

Students interested in the Bachelor of Science in Business Intelligence and Data Science program should follow the steps outlined on Kelley Admissions webpage. This involves applying to IU through the common application, where they should indicate their intention to major in Business Intelligence and Data Science. Afterward, prospective students need to complete the direct admission application through the IU Portal by February 15, with priority given to those who complete it by November 15.

Some classes will be presented in Luddy Hall, a state-of-the-art facility that is named for donor and information technology pioneer Fred Luddy and his family.

Kelley School of Business announces new direct admission process, expanding opportunities for high-achieving students

Posted on August 4, 2025 by George Vlahakis

Direct admission to Kelley grants students immediate access to academic and career advising, priority registration for courses, and early engagement with internships, leadership programs, and career planning.

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. — The Indiana University Kelley School of Business announced today a significant change to its direct admission process, creating a broader and more student-centered pathway for high-achieving students to begin their academic journey at one of the nation’s premier business schools.

Beginning with students entering in fall 2026, all applicants will be considered for direct admission through a comprehensive academic review that places a greater emphasis on the rigor of high school coursework—particularly in quantitative subjects—and overall potential for success in Kelley’s challenging academic environment.

Bridget Stomberg

“This shift reflects Kelley’s values of fairness and academic excellence,” said Bridget Stomberg, associate dean for undergraduate education. “We are proud to move toward an admissions model that considers the full picture of a student’s academic journey and allows us to welcome a class of future business leaders who reflect the broad range of talent and promise we see in our applicant pool.”

A Holistic Process with a Personal Touch

The new direct admissions process allows students to move beyond traditional metrics and share their academic and professional interests directly with the Kelley Admission Committee.

Pat Hopkins

“We’ve redesigned the direct admission process to better understand each student’s individual academic journey,” said Pat Hopkins, dean of the Kelley School of Business and James R. Hodge Chair of Excellence. “The new admission approach gives students a chance to show us who they are, what they’ve achieved academically, and why they’re interested in business—something a GPA or test score alone can’t capture.”

To be considered for Direct Admission, students must:

Indicate a Kelley business major on their IU Bloomington application
Complete the Kelley Prospect Inquiry (KPI) through their IU Admission Portal

All students who complete the KPI will undergo a comprehensive review by the Kelley Admission Committee. This review will evaluate high school performance, the rigor of coursework (especially in math and quantitative subjects), academic accomplishments, and other indicators of potential success at Kelley. Letters of recommendation are not used in the evaluation process.

“We’ve always valued academic excellence, but this new process recognizes that excellence can be demonstrated in many different ways,” said Laurie Colglazier, assistant dean for the Kelley Undergraduate Program. “This allows students to bring forward the full picture of their readiness for business school—through their coursework, their curiosity, and their long-term goals.”

Supporting Students from Day One

Direct admission to Kelley grants students immediate access to world-class academic and career advising, priority registration for business courses, and early engagement with internships, leadership programs, and career planning.

Students who are not offered direct admission have the opportunity to join the Kelley School through standard admission after completing at least one academic year at IU and meeting specific course and GPA requirements.

To learn more about the Kelley Direct Admission process or to access the KPI, students can log into their IU Admission Portal or visit kelley.iu.edu/undergraduate.

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