Immigrant entrepreneurs
such as Maninder Singh
Walia are helping to
strengthen Indianapolis’
thriving economy.
This year, the center plans to bring
on more volunteers to help transition
additional new residents, hailing from
the Soviet Union to China to Vietnam. Indianapolis’ immigrant population has accounted for 15 percent of
its growth over the past decade and
is central to the city’s economy.
“We are a welcoming city,” says
recently elected Mayor Greg Ballard,
an Indianapolis native whose wife is
from the Philippines. To help stimu-
late the economy and job growth, he says, “We need
to welcome companies to Indianapolis.”
EQUAL ACCESS = ECONOMIC SUCCESS
As the nation’s 13th largest city, Indianapolis has a reputation of embracing people of all races and ethnicities,
abilities and ages. More than 6 percent of its population
is Latino and the black population—including immigrants from 16 different African countries—has nearly
hit 26 percent (more than twice the national average). What’s more, Indianapolis’ new resident growth,
business expansion and job creation go hand in hand.
“With the influx of immigrants, new businesses have been springing up everywhere,
reinvigorating neighborhoods and paving the
A RICH CORPORATE CULTURE way for follow-on businesses,” says Marya
Jones Overby, GIPC executive director.
Historically, demographics that make up the commercial real-estate industry The region ranks 10th in the country for
have been largely homogenous. Through the efforts of industry leaders such as fast-growth, super-achieving companies, and
Indianapolis-based Simon Property Group, however, the industry has changed the city has been a magnet for many interna-
over the past decade. Several initiatives have been tional businesses as well, report Indianapolis
introduced to attract, retain and develop female and officials. Several industry sectors are leading
minority employees, presenting opportunities across a the economic-development explosion:
vast array of disciplines within the company. Healthcare/Life Sciences: Since local
Simon Property Group reaches out to all prospec- universities produce about 300 graduates from
tive employees through a variety of diversity-related pharmacy schools each year and technical
organizations and events that Simon sponsors and/or schools provide training, the area’s life-sciences
participates in, such as numerous job fairs, the Indianap- sector is soaring. And thanks to public-private
olis Urban League, Indiana Black Expo, Minorities in Business Job Fair at IUPUI, initiatives such as The Indy Partnership and
Midwest Black Law Students Association Regional Recruitment Conference, BioCrossroads, the region is luring new busi-
Asian American Alliance, National Society of Hispanic MBAs and REAP (Real nesses. For example, a leading healthcare
Estate Associate Program). benefits provider recently expanded to India-
REAP, a nationwide program, is designed to help minority professionals napolis and is expected to inject $60 million in
break into the real estate industry. Simon, actively involved since the pro- annual payroll to the economy.
gram’s inception, serves as a sponsor in all three cities where REAP classes are Advanced Manufacturing: Manufactur-
offered, provides management personnel as instructors and currently employs ing still remains an economic driver, providing
REAP graduates. Irv Kravitz, senior vice president of human resources and the largest segment of the area’s total employ-
corporate operations at Simon, presently serves on REAP’s Board of Direc- ment. Moreover, regional engineering schools
tors. According to Mike Bush, founder and executive director of REAP, “With have helped the local work force keep up with
Simon’s leadership, REAP is now widely recognized as the most successful changing technologies, including industrial auto-
diversity initiative in the commercial real estate industry.” mation, robotics and high-speed machining.
Simon also strives to enrich the employee experience by introducing di- Automotive/Motor Sports: Home to
versity-related topics through a variety of means, from a Martin Luther King, the Indianapolis 500, the region’s motor-sports
Jr. display, to diversity training for all employees, to a celebration of Black industry is projected to grow by a third over
History Month. Simon also supports employee participation in programs such the next five years, employ as many as 15,000
as the Women’s Executive Leadership Program and has agreed to support the people and bring family-sustaining wages ( 35
formation of an Indianapolis chapter of the Women’s Executive Peer Exchange percent higher than the state average) that will
Network. Susan Massela, Simon’s vice president of human resources, notes: contribute more than $425 million annually.
“Women and minorities add a unique and welcome richness to our corporate Logistics: Seven of the region’s 22
culture. In fact, Simon embraces diversity as one of its core values.” universities and colleges offer programs in
