Lawmakers are required to do just two things in 2021—pass a budget to take effect on July 1 and redraw legislative and congressional district maps based on Census data that will be released later this year. The former occurs every two years; the latter every 10. But it's the budget that is likely to give lawmakers the most fits. After all, the state took in $1.4 billion less in tax revenue than they expected during the fiscal year that ended June 30, the result of slowed economic activity and high unemployment due to the pandemic. And they don't know yet what revenue will look like in 2021 and beyond. To find out what to expect, host Mason King talks with IBJ Statehouse reporter Lindsey Erdody about what legislative leaders are saying about the budget, which state programs could be on the chopping block and what spending the Republican-majority will prioritize.  Click here to follow Lindsey's coverage of the General Assembly and read her previews of the legislative session. The IBJ Podcast is brought to you by the law firm Krieg DeVault.      

When not-for-profits started filling your inbox with requests for donations on Giving Tuesday last week, did you respond to any of them? If so, was your contribution part of a larger plan for giving? Or were you moved by a particular message and donated on the spot? And does it matter? Giving — and how it fits into your larger financial planning — is the subject of this week's podcast with Peter "Pete the Planner" Dunn. Host Mason King peppers Pete with questions about whether it's better to give one or two big gifts a year, as opposed to a bunch of smaller ones; how much is the right amount to give overall (or even whether there is a "right" number); and how you choose what organizations to invest your dollars in. And Pete explains what's changing about his giving strategy this year. The IBJ Podcast is brought to you by the law firm Krieg DeVault.      

Bloomington-based Cook Medical announced last week that it will invest $7 million to help build a $15 million medical device manufacturing facility at 38th Street and Sheridan Avenue that is expected to be transformational for the lower-income neighborhood on the northeast side of Indianapolis. Cook has partnered with Goodwill of Central & Southern Indiana, The Indianapolis Foundation, Impact Central Indiana and the United Northeast Community Development Corp. to build the facility and hire 100 employees for jobs expected to pay an average hourly wage of $16 plus benefits. Goodwill will operate the plant with the goal of hiring workers from the neighborhood—and will provide key wrap-around services to ensure those workers and their families have the food, housing and education they need to succeed. Podcast host Mason King talked with Pete Yonkman, president of Cook Group and Cook Medical, and Ashley Gurvitz, executive director of United Northeast Community Development Corp., about the project and what it could mean for the neighborhood. And Yonkman explains why Cook is urging other companies to make similar moves. The IBJ Podcast is brought to you by the law firm Krieg DeVault.    

The NCAA announced last week that it is in negotiations with local officials to hold its entire March Madness tournament—not just the Final Four, but every single game of the event—in Indianapolis this spring. It's part of an effort to mitigate the impact of COVID-19 on the teams participates and the officials who are involved. The tournament would be treated as a virus-free bubble, similar to the way the NBA operated in Orlando. So what would that mean for Indianapolis? And can the city pull it off? To find out, podcast host Mason King talked with IBJ reporter Mickey Shuey, who has been covering the story, as well as Mark Ganis, co-founder of Chicago-based Sportscorp. Ltd., and Larry DeGaris, a University of Indianapolis professor and sports marketing consultant. They explain why Indianapolis is such a good candidate to take on the event and what challenges lie ahead. The IBJ Podcast is brought to you by the law firm Krieg DeVault.    

Dozens of organizations and governmental agencies across central Indiana are trying to address hunger and food insecurity. Schools provide meals to students. The federal government sends food assistance to low-income Hoosiers. Not-for-profits as big as Gleaners Food Bank of Indiana and as small as church food pantries are trying to make sure families have enough to eat. Enter a new effort—Food Secure Indy. But this group won't distribute food or build grocery stores or dig community gardens. Instead, the coalition of Indy companies, government leaders and not-for-groups will work to coordinate existing services. And by doing so, it hopes to The goal is to provide an additional 740,000 meals a month in Marion County on a regular basis by 2023. Podcast host Mason King talks with Margie Craft, a senior adviser at Elanco (the lead company in the coalition) and the project lead for Food Secure Indy about the effort and what it will take to be successful. To learn more, read reporter John Russell's story about Food Secure Indy and the hunger problem in Indianapolis. The IBJ Podcast is brought to you by the law firm Krieg DeVault.    

In a state that routinely rewards Republican candidates, Democrats were expected to have a somewhat breakthrough year here. Sure, the Democratic gubernatorial candidate, Dr. Woody Myers, wasn't expected to do well. But in the 5th Congressional District, Democrats had high hope for Christina Hale in a race against Republican Victoria Spartz. And they spent heavily in an attempt to knock off several GOP lawmakers in Hamilton County.  But Republicans swept all of those races and many others, actually strengthening their hold at the Statehouse. So podcast host Mason King talked with University of Indianapolis political science professor Laura Merrifield Wilson and IBJ political reporter Lindsey Erdody about the messages Indiana voters sent at the polls. For more politics news, check out IBJ stories here and sign up for Erdody's award-winning newsletter, "The Rundown." The IBJ Podcast is brought to you by the law firm Krieg DeVault.    

If you think saving effectively for retirement simply means knowing the total amount of money you need on the day you tell your boss sayonara, you've only done part of the calculation. After all, "knowing" that number — which is really a misnomer, given that almost none of us know how long we're actually going to live in retirement — doesn't tell you anything about how to get to the number. That's why Peter "Pete the Planner" Dunn says the most important thing to know is how much you need to save every month to reach a total number that seems reasonable for retirement. "It's the only prudent number to think about because it leads to action," Dunn tells IBJ Podcast host Mason King. Dunn also wrote about the issue in last week's IBJ.  The IBJ Podcast is brought to you by the law firm Krieg DeVault.    

Artists of all kinds have been hit hard by the pandemic. The theaters, galleries, concert halls and other venues that share their work closed in the spring and at least part of the summer. Many performing arts groups canceled their 2020-21 seasons altogether, while others are going virtual. Yet, the social justice movement that erupted this summer and even the pain caused by the pandemic have provided new opportunities and inspiration for many artists. So podcast host Mason King talked with Julie Goodman, president and CEO of the Arts Council of Indianapolis, about the group's fundraising efforts and grant programs meant to sustain artists and arts groups. Rebecca Robinson, a visual artist and one of the painters on the Black Lives Matter street mural this summer, and Andrew Elliot, a makeup artist and musician, also join the conversation to talk about their personal pandemic experiences. The IBJ Podcast is brought to you by the law firm Krieg DeVault.    

Back in March, as the pandemic was unfolding in Indiana, podcast host Mason King talked with Eddie Sahm, who owns the Sahm's restaurant group with his father. At the time, Eddie talked about the company's pivot to providing meals to Second Helpings, in part to keep their staff employed, and converting some of the restaurant to marketplaces. Six months later, King catches up with Eddie about which Sahm's restaurants have survived, how business is going overall and how worried he is about the coming cold weather, which will end patio seating. There's one thing Eddie is certain about: Without more government assistance, a large percentage of local restaurants will close. And that, he said, won't be good for the community. The IBJ Podcast is brought to you by the law firm Krieg DeVault.  

Election Day is just weeks away and, already, thousands of Hoosiers are voting early in person and through mail-in absentee ballots. So podcast host Mason King talks with IBJ politics reporter Lindsey Erdody and Andy Downs, director of the Mike Downs Center for Indiana Politics at Purdue University-Fort Wayne, about how the races are shaping up. They break down battles for the Governors' Office and the 5th Congressional District and evaluate the vice presidential debate. Plus, they consider the impact of early voting and what mail-in ballots will mean for how quickly the votes are counted. To learn more, click here to sign up for Lindsey's weekly politics email, called The Rundown. The IBJ Podcast is brought to you by the law firm Krieg DeVault.  

Does Indianapolis need a new vision? A new strategy for its economic development, talent attraction and overall economy that will take the city into the next 40 or 50 years? A growing chorus of community and business leaders are saying yes, says Nate Feltman, co-owner and CEO of IBJ. He says the city's long-time strategy related to conventions and sports will continue to be a part of its strengths and successes. But he tells podcast host Mason King that a changing economy and the changing preferences of young workers and families means Indianapolis must find a new way to grow and thrive. He's calling on young leaders from across the city to step forward with ideas. And he says IBJ can help play a role in hosting those conversations. Plus, Feltman provides an update on how IBJ is doing during the pandemic and what he sees as the news organization's future. Read more in Feltman's column at IBJ.com. The IBJ Podcast is brought to you by the law firm Krieg DeVault.  

When the pandemic hit and the Big Ten and NCAA last spring began canceling sports events — many of them planned for Indianapolis — the Indiana Sports Corp. didn't go into hibernation. Instead, it went to work, trying to figure out how to be a player in whatever the sports world would become. The result is an idea that appears to have captured the fancy of a number of colleges and athletic conferences — although it's too soon to know whether any of them will take Indy up on the idea. The Indiana Sports Corp. is proposing to create a basketball bubble at the Indiana Convention Center by turning exhibit halls and meeting rooms into basketball courts and locker rooms. There would be expansive safety measures and daily COVID-19 testing. Indiana Sports Corp. President Ryan Vaughn talks to host Mason King about the proposal, as well as the group's finances and plans as it prepares to host major events in the coming months. The IBJ Podcast is brought to you by the law firm Krieg DeVault.  

Since the pandemic began, Peter "Pete the Planner" Dunn has been talking on the IBJ Podcast and writing in the pages of IBJ about the need to get your discretionary spending under control to deal with the current economic downturn. But now, Pete has a new message to those who are stable: Spend some money at your favorite restaurant. We all know that restaurants have been devastated by the pandemic. Some have closed, and Pete predicts more are about to shutter. So he suggests determining how much you can afford to help and then spending  that cash at two or three restaurants that are meaningful to you. You can read more details about Pete's plan to save restaurants at IBJ.com. Plus, in the second half of the podcast, host Mason King shoots a rapid series of questions at Pete about paying off your house early, dumping bad investments, switching careers and more. The IBJ Podcast is brought to you by the law firm Krieg DeVault.  

When Katara McCarty sees a need, she tries to find a solution. That's what led McCarty and her husband to start a church, a center for kids and a school in Africa. Now, McCarty has a new project—a smart phone app called Exhale that is meant to help women of color cope with the stress, mind their mental health and develop confidence to achieve their goals. McCarty talks with IBJ reporter Anthony Schoettle about why she thinks the app is needed, what it took to launch it and how she hopes to expand its offerings. The IBJ Podcast is brought to you by the law firm Krieg DeVault.  

IBJ health reporter John Russell has been covering Indiana University Health's plans to expand the Methodist Hospital campus by eight blocks, or 44 acres, anchored by a new $1.6 billion hospital. The campus also will consolidate the operations of University Hospital, the Simon Cancer Center and much of the IU School of Medicine, all of which will move from the IUPUI campus. Russell joins podcast host Mason King to talk about what IU Health has revealed about the campus—and what key questions remain. You can also read Russell's latest story about why the Simon Cancer Center building will be closing, just a dozen years after it opened to significant fanfare.  The IBJ Podcast is brought to you by the law firm Krieg DeVault.  

The pandemic has been a boon for the home design and renovation industry, as many people scramble to create office space, improve their yards and make other changes to make life in quarantine more acceptable. So podcast host Mason King talks to three industry experts about what clients now want, how the pandemic has affected their companies and how they work safely in clients’ homes. They are: interior designer Heidi Woodman, owner of Haus Love Interiors; Matt Troyer, owner of Emergent Construction; and Patrick Kestner, owner and principal architect of Still Architecture + Design. They also talk about the latest trends, including larger kitchens, more color and dedicated pantry spaces.   The IBJ Podcast is brought to you by the law firm Krieg DeVault.  

Six months into the pandemic, parents are still struggling with what COVID-19 means for the kids. Should they be in school? Can they go on play dates? Can they hug grandma? Of course, in many cases, there are no black and white answers to those questions. But host Mason King gets some educated opinions from Dr. James Wood, a pediatrician at Riley Children's Health and an expert in pediatric infectious diseases. Plus, Wood explains multi system inflammatory syndrome (which he describes as "extremely rare") and theorizes why children may not be as affected by COVID-19 as adults. The IBJ Podcast is brought to you by the law firm Krieg DeVault.  

As the pandemic has stretched into months and the days seem to melt into each other, a vast majority of remote workers are burning out, according to a recent survey from Monster.com. At the very least, many are mired in remote working ruts. And the volume of boring and unnecessary video meetings just makes it worse. As some workforces face at least several more months of working from home, burnout threatens to become a dire business problem. But is this as good as it’s going to get? And what can we do to improve Zoom calls? Surely there are ways to tighten focus and become more productive, while keeping jobs from seeping further into home lives. And the answer requires help from managers, some of whom haven’t figured out how managing a virtual workforce is a different from supervising on-site employees. For the latest edition of The IBJ Podcast, host Mason King spoke with three experts in remote working who have been watching the transition during the pandemic. They provide concrete suggestions for how employees and bosses can get on top of these challenges. First up are Kim and Todd Saxton, faculty members of the IU Kelley School of Business at IUPUI. The second guest is Karen Mangia, vice president of customer and market insights for Salesforce out of its Indianapolis office. The IBJ Podcast is brought to you by the law firm Krieg DeVault.  

The pandemic has raised all kinds of new questions about college and student loans—and the value of an online education versus attending in person.  Plus, what do you do if you graduated in May and still don't have a job? Host Mason King explores those issues and more with IBJ columnist Peter "Pete the Planner" Dunn. Also, read Dunn's latest column here. The IBJ Podcast is brought to you by the law firm Krieg DeVault.      

Windsor Jewelry, located just south of the Circle on Meridian Street, was one of the businesses hardest hit by the riots that followed Black Lives Matter protests at the end of May.   The vandalism and looting came just days after Windsor Jewelry reopened following the pandemic shutdown.    The store is open again now, and the owner, Greg Bires, talked with podcast host Mason King about the one-two punch of the pandemic and violence and what it will take for Windsor and for downtown to recover.   Plus, hear from Mayor Joe Hogsett, who spoke to IBJ's editorial board last month about some of the very problems Bires is concerned about for downtown.   The IBJ Podcast is brought to you by the law firm Krieg DeVault.    

Diana Brugh is a microbiologist with experience working with bacteria- and virus-killing ultraviolet lights. Her husband, Jason Brugh, is one of the state’s foremost robotics experts. And together, they've created a coronavirus-killing robot that they've just moved into the market.   UVNinja Lux is the first product from the couple's newest company, AutoBio Reduction. It moves around a workplace (after mapping the space) and uses ultraviolet let to kill bacteria and viruses.    Diana and Jason talks with podcast host Mason King about how they were able develop the product in just weeks, what it has been like working together, and what the robot costs. Plus, Diana explains her family's experience with the coronavirus that helped motivate the project.   To learn more, check out IBJ reporter Anthony Schoettle's story about AutoBio Reduction.   The IBJ Podcast is brought to you by the law firm Krieg DeVault.  

Dr. Virginia Caine has been in charge of the Marion County Public Health Department since 1994. Over her tenure she has fought waves of public health crises including HIV and AIDS, the H1N1 pandemic in 2009 and the ongoing scourge of black infant mortality. But never has she taken such a visible and constant public role of authority as she has over the last five months of the coronavirus crisis. For Indianapolis, she is as one of the key interpreters of data, prime shapers of policy and chief evangelizers for protective measures. IBJ reporter Lindsey Erdody interviewed Dr. Caine last week about the frustrations and challenges of tackling the pandemic. Caine addresses the current state of local testing and contact tracing. She explains the reasoning behind the recent mask mandate and when it will be possible to make a call on running the Indianapolis 500. And she has an emphatic message for Marion Country residents who might not see the wisdom of following public health recommendations. The IBJ Podcast is brought to you by the law firm Krieg DeVault.    

Before the pandemic hit Indianapolis in March, some 155,000 people were working regularly downtown. In the weeks after Gov. Eric Holcomb ordered all non-essential workers to go home, just 5% or so of those workers remained. Essentially, the Mile Square became a ghost town. Today, some of those workers are returning. Many restaurants are open again. And a few offices are open. But IBJ reporters Samm Quinn and Anthony Schoettle spent a week talking with the leaders of downtown companies and learned that many are delaying plans to bring workers back to the office.  What are the ramifications for downtown? That's the subject of this week's podcast. Want to know more? See Quinn and Schoettle's story at IBJ.com. -- The IBJ Podcast is brought to you by the law firm Krieg DeVault.  

It's been nearly four months since host Mason King sat down with Peter "Pete the Planner" Dunn to talk about personal finance. In fact, their last get together took place in person—and it was March 12, what some are now calling Black Thursday 2020, the day Wall Street suffered its largest single-day percentage drop since 1987. Pete talks about what he got right and wrong about the economy, jobs and the stock market the last time he and King talked. And Pete explains what is scaring him the most about the economy right now. Plus, he offers advice for people who are in financial trouble right now because of the pandemic, those who are at risk of trouble and those who are likely to escape relatively unscathed, if not in a better position than when the pandemic started. You can read more in Dunn's "Pete the Planner" columns for IBJ.   The IBJ Podcast is brought to you by the law firm Krieg DeVault.  

Angela Freeman is an attorney at Barnes & Thornburg, formerly a molecular biologist at Eli Lilly and Co., and is finishing up a six-year stint on the board of the not-for-profit Women & Hi Tech, the last year as president. And in those roles, she's served on a number of search and hiring committees, which have often been charged with hiring diverse candidates. Freeman talks with podcast host Mason King about the biases that exist in hiring and promoting and explains some of the mistakes that companies make when they seek to diversify their workforce. Here's one: If a company doesn't have a diversity statement, a diversity committee or a diversity officer, "that is a big red flag" to minority candidates. And it's not good enough to have the only person of color on an executive team be that diversity officer. Among her many suggestions, Freeman recommends using a diverse committee for hiring (rather than leaving the job to one individual) and then assigning new employees, especially minority hires, to mentors who are invested in their success. You can learn more about Freeman in this profile by IBJ reporter Anthony Schoettle. The IBJ Podcast is brought to you by the law firm Krieg DeVault.