Alliance Brings Leaders Together — for 20 Years

In the November-December 2009 issue of BizVoice, we featured a short story on the Alliance, a networking and business development forum for senior leaders of established Indiana-based companies. The group recently celebrated its 20th anniversary with an event sponsored by Oxford Financial Group, Ltd. Among the highlights:

  • Daniel W. DeHayes, a co-founder of the group and professor emeritus at the IU Kelley School of Business, noted that the 150 different member companies through the years (there are currently more than 45 businesses involved) have generated nearly $60 billion in sales revenue and currently account for more than 30,000 Hoosier jobs.
  • William L. Haeberle, also a Kelley professor emeritus, was recognized for his "intellectual and sovereign leadership" for 15 years.
  • Butler University President Bobby Fong shared insights on the subject of excellence: "Enduring excellence is a matter of values. Excellence depends on a firm and consistent commitment to mission. Excellence means identifying the things you do well. Excellence resides in your people and the culture you build to sustain them."

The manufacturing, retail and service sectors each make up one-third of the Alliance membership. Groups like it are excellent examples of business leaders learning from each other — as well as outside experts. While Indiana often seems to feature too many organizations working separately toward similar interests, the Alliance does not fall into that category. Congratulations to all involved and best of luck in your next 20 years.