Last week, Indiana Gov. Eric Holcomb told businesses they needed to start planning to reopen, although he didn’t set a particular date—or, what’s probably more likely, a schedule of how restrictions gradually would loosen. That process could start as soon as early May. So, what do companies and restaurant think reopening will look like in a world still very wary of the coronavirus pandemic? How do they envision minimizing the risks for their employees and customers? Should restaurants still allow patrons to wait in lobbies? Should they be required to wear masks? How many people should be allowed in an elevator at once? Or in the office bathroom? Will 6-foot-tall cubicles make a comeback?For this week’s edition of The IBJ Podcast, host Mason King and reporters Anthony Schoettle and Mickey Shuey focus on two of the biggest workplace sectors: offices and restaurants. There’s precious little consensus about the necessary precautions, although most decision-makers agree that we won’t get back to anything resembling “normal” until there’s a vaccine. And that could take a year or more. The IBJ Podcast is brought to you by the law firm Krieg DeVault.

Home sales in central Indiana have tumbled since the coronavirus crisis told hold in March. Home showings have cratered. The number of owners deciding to list their homes for sale has slumped well below average. That said, people are still buying and selling homes in central Indiana, even as public officials ask us to severely limit personal contact and any non-essential travel outside the home.How are homes still moving? Good real estate agents are nothing if not entrepreneurial, and they’ve created some clever workarounds. What used to be a face-to-face, high-touch business has gone digital. Some owners are taking a more active role in marketing. Some closings now have more in common with the drive-through window at Portillo’s than a suit-and-tie office meeting.   To help explain these abrupt strategic maneuvers and what it will take to get the market back on track, IBJ Podcast host Mason King interviewed two of the best-connected people in the local real estate market: Shelley Specchio, CEO of MIBOR, and Jim Litten, president of F.C. Tucker Co. Inc. The IBJ Podcast is brought to you by the law firm Krieg DeVault.

Mason King, the host of The IBJ Podcast, focuses this week on the pressures and challenges of trying to fulfill your obligations as an employee, spouse and parent during the "new normal" of sequestration, in an environment where those responsibilities easily collide. These dramas are playing out in a thousand different ways, so King invited local families to pose questions for his podcast interview with human resources expert Liz Malatestinic. One of the most common: “Is it reasonable for employers to expect their workers to put in eight- or 10 hours of work every day and be responsive within minutes under these circumstances?” The obvious follow-up: “What if my boss doesn’t care?”The families also shared some of the strategies they’ve employed to stay organized and ahead of potential meltdowns—either from children or the parents. The IBJ Podcast is brought to you by the law firm Krieg DeVault.

Just a few weeks ago, Indiana's new jobless claims numbered just a few thousand a week. Then the coronavirus shuttered the economy and Gov. Eric Holcomb ordered non-essential businesses to close. The result: The last week in March saw 146,243 new unemployment claims. The surge has flooded the state's computer system and its call center, and the Department of Workforce Department is quickly hiring and training new staff to handle the workload and get unemployed Hoosiers answers and benefits as quickly as possible. But the situation is complicated by the CARES Act, a law passed by Congress that expands who is eligible for payments and dramatically increases the amount workers can receive, moves that require the Department of Workforce Development to reprogram its software and retrain staff. The DWD's chief of staff, Josh Richardson, talks with host Mason King about who is now eligible, how soon they'll begin receiving benefits and how the agency is adjusting to the flood of applicants. The IBJ Podcast is brought to you by the law firm Krieg DeVault.

Ed Sahm and his son, Eddie Sahm, started planning for the shutdown of the restaurant industry weeks before the coronavirus outbreak led city and state officials to order the closures. And so they were a little more ready than most owners to refocus Sahm's 16 restaurants. The result is an operation to benefit the not-for-profit Second Helpings, offer takeout at some locations, and open a series of marketplaces, where customers can get grocery items, including produce, cleaning products and, yes, toilet paper. Still, the effort is not profitable. It's just enough to put some of Sahm's employees back to work, help the community and keep the company afloat for a few more weeks. Host Mason King talks with Eddie Sahm about how he and his dad made key decisions and how they're making it work. The IBJ Podcast is brought to you by the law firm Krieg DeVault.

The economy is at a standstill thanks to closures caused by fear about the spread of COVID-19. But it will likely come roaring back once the nation gets the coronavirus outbreak under control, says Phil Powell, the associate dean of academics programs at the IU Kelley School of Business in Indianapolis. Powell talks to podcast host Mason King about how companies should approach what he believes will be a deep but short recession and steps they should take now to shore up their financial situation. "It's your job to survive and to make sure that when these social controls are lifted and everybody starts to come back out that you're ready for business," Powell said. Click here to read IBJ stories about the effect of the coronavirus outbreak in central Indiana.   The IBJ Podcast is brought to you by the law firm Krieg DeVault.    

IBJ's personal finance columnist Peter Dunn is more worried about what the global pandemic will do to the economy than he is about what it will do (or has done) to the stock market. And he's most concerned about that economic impact on individuals and families—especially those who are vulnerable to layoffs. And so he talks with podcast host Mason King about what people can do to prepare for what he believes will soon be a recession. The goal, he said, is to "get lean." He also talks about the power of fear, why you shouldn't try to time the market, and why the stock market crash does, in fact, hurt those who are either about to retire or are newly retired.  Click here to read Pete's latest column for IBJ and see all of his columns here.   The IBJ Podcast is brought to you by the law firm Krieg DeVault.  

Nineteen hotel projects have been announced for downtown. If every one of them opens, they would add 4,203 more rooms to the central district of Indianapolis—an increase of more than 50%. But experts say it's unlikely all of those hotels will be built and opened. And in fact, three appear at least temporarily stalled. Host Mason King talks with IBJ real estate reporter Mickey Shuey about which projects may be on the ropes and which ones appear most likely to make it. And King interviews Drew Dimond, president of Indianapolis-based Dimond Hotel Consulting Group, about the hotel market and what determines whether a project comes to fruition. And Dimond explains what he sees as a weakness in the Indy market. Read Shuey's story in this week's IBJ for more about the downtown hotel projects.  (IBJ photo/Eric Learned) The IBJ Podcast is brought to you by the law firm Krieg DeVault.  

Jon Laramore served as chief counsel for two governors and spent 10 years at what was then Faegre Baker Daniels. But he left in 2015 to become executive director at Indiana Legal Services, the state's largest, independent low-income law clinic, where he's expanded the number of people served as well as the organization's staff. He talks with host Mason King about the legal needs of people in poverty, those who have been released from prison and clients facing health challenges. And King questions Laramore about his experiences arguing—and winning—two cases at the U.S. Supreme Court. You can read more about Laramore in John Russell's Q&A at IBJ.com. (IBJ photo/Eric Learned) The IBJ Podcast is brought to you by the law firm Krieg DeVault.  

IBJ's Mickey Shuey headed to Chicago for the 2020 NBA All-Star Game to see how the Windy City hosted what has become one of sports' biggest weekends. He wasn't alone, of course. Indy's All-Star Game host committee sent a big contingent to Chicago as well, to make sure they're as ready as possible to host some 100,000 fans when the game lands at Bankers Life Fieldhouse next year. Shuey details what he and Indy officials learned in Chicago and explains how the local host committee plans to make the 2021 game special. One goal is to focus on Indiana's basketball heritage and celebrate the game—creating a sort of love letter to the sport, Shuey says. To learn more, read Shuey's story about Indy's planning for the 2021 game. The music in this podcast is "2 Hearts" and is compliments of Patrick Patrikios, who has made it available through a Creative Commons license on YouTube. The IBJ Podcast is brought to you by the law firm Krieg DeVault.  

A ruling by the U.S. Supreme Court last year could open the door to out-of-state liquor stores moving into Indiana. In fact, Maryland-based Total Wine & More, the nation’s largest retailer of beer, wine and spirits with 206 superstores, has filed an application to open a store at 1460 E. 86th St. in the Nora Corners Shopping Center. An Indiana Alcohol & Tobacco Commission hearing is scheduled for March 2. IBJ reporter John Russell explains the Supreme Court's ruling, which struck down another state's law prohibiting out-of-state ownership of liquor stores. And he details how Total Wine & More is different than most liquor stores in Indiana and what its move into the market could mean for mom-and-pop shops. Read more about the issue in John's story at IBJ.com. The IBJ Podcast is brought to you by the law firm Krieg DeVault.    

Hamilton County is emerging as a key player in the evolving hemp industry, primarily in the area of refining CBD oils from the plants for use in a variety of products. IBJ reporter Kurt Christian talks with host Mason King about what some are calling a "green rush," which follows a 2018 federal law that removed marijuana’s non-psychoactive cousin from the Controlled Substances Act. As a result, hemp-processing companies are investing millions of dollars into refineries across Hamilton County in an effort to close a gap in the state’s CBD supply chain. You can read more about the issue in Christian's story at iBJ.com. The IBJ Podcast is brought to you by the law firm Krieg DeVault.   

Gary Brackett, a key part of the Colts' Super Bowl championship team in 2012, was a walk-on player at Rutgers University and wasn't drafted by an NFL team, forcing him to fight for a spot on the Indianapolis Colts. Along the way, he lost both his parents and his brother and wrote a book about his story. Now he's raising money to turn the book into a movie—in part by soliciting money privately but also through the crowd-funding platform Wefunder. He already has a trailer (brackett.movie) as well as a 30-minute, abbreviated version of the film meant to persuade potential investors to get involved. Brackett talks with podcast host Mason King about the challenges of making a movie, why he thinks he has a good story to tell and why he's not just funding the movie's $2.2 million to $2.5 million budget. To read more about Brackett's movie effort, read IBJ reporter Susan Orr's story here. The IBJ Podcast is brought to you by the law firm Krieg DeVault.  

Lawmakers are meeting for their short session and are considering bills to ban handheld mobile-phone use while driving, require more transparency in health care and decouple student test scores from teacher evaluations. And they're also spending money (even though this isn't a budget year) on some university construction and other special projects. That's cash from the state's budget surplus, and the spending will prevent the state from borrowing money for the projects. IBJ's Statehouse reporter Lindsey Erdody breaks down what bills are moving, which ones already are dead and what's about to hit Gov. Eric Holcomb's desk. You can also read Lindsey's deep dive on the health care legislation at IBJ.com. The IBJ Podcast is brought to you by the law firm Krieg DeVault.

Federal authorities have accused Community Health Network of engaging in a years-long scheme to recruit physicians and pay them huge salaries and bonuses in return for giving referrals to the Indianapolis-based health system, allowing it to improperly receive money from Medicare. The health network has denied the allegations, but the government's case is based at least in part on information brought to light by Thomas Fischer, who served as Community Health’s chief financial officer from 2005 until his sudden exit in 2013. IBJ's John Russell has written about the case and talks with host Mason King about the details, what it means for Community Health and how the lawsuit fits into a larger effort by the federal government to claw back what it considers "unjust enrichment" by hospital systems. At stake for the health care industry is systems is billions of dollars a year in Medicare and Medicaid business. You can read Russell's latest story about the issue here.     

Everybody in tech is talking about 5G—the newest generation of wireless technology. In the simplest terms, it means faster data service for smart phones and other devices. But experts say 5G is about so much more. So host Mason King talks with Bill Soards, president of AT&T Indiana, and Sean Hendrix, who is the director of emerging technologies and partnerships for Purdue Research Foundation, about why 5G matters and how it could be used in the manufacturing, agricultural and other sectors. They also explain the Indiana 5G Zone, which is set to open in downtown Indianapolis with Hendrix at the helm. The zone's mission is to accelerate innovation of 5G-related technologies throughout the state and support the technology’s deployment in industry and academia—and it puts Indianapolis at the forefront of the 5G revolution. If you want to know even more about the Indiana 5G Zone, read this story by Anthony Schoettle from the Jan. 3 issue of IBJ. The IBJ Podcast is brought to you by the law firm Krieg DeVault.  

Podcast host Mason King has a hard time when it comes to keeping his New Year's resolutions. And this year, his goal relates to his family's finances. So he turns to Peter Dunn—aka Pete the Planner—to find out how to set the right goals and then how to keep them. Dunn explains the different types of financial goals: consumption goals (think vacation or a new fridge), debt elimination (student loans, credit cards) and accumulation (retirement, college savings). And the keys to achieving your goals, he said, are planning for retirement and avoiding credit card debt. That sounds like common sense. But how do you achieve those goals? And in what order do you tackle them? Pete has some answers and advice. Click here to read Pete's columns for IBJ for even more help with money. The IBJ Podcast is brought to you by the law firm Krieg DeVault.  

Penske Corp. buys the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, trucking giant Celadon shuts down, Eli Lilly and Co. makes its biggest acquisition ever and Ambrose Property Group withdraws from plans to redevelop the former GM stamping plant site. Those are just a few of the big stories of 2019 that will impact central Indiana for years to come. Podcast host Mason King talks with IBJ Managing Editor Lesley Weidenbener and reporter Anthony Schoettle about these and other stories, including the renovation plans for Bankers Life Fieldhouse and the changes the NCAA is making to let athletes benefit from their name, image and likeness.  You can check out an overall list of top stories here, as well as a list of top tech stories here. The IBJ Podcast is brought to you by the law firm Krieg Devault.      

When Rick Eichholtz and his wife, Linda Jones Eichholtz, opened Ike & Jonesy’s at 17 W. Jackson Place 35 years ago, downtown was a very different place. The Indianapolis Colts hadn't started playing yet, Circle Centre mall wasn't open and even Union Station was still under renovation. But Ike & Jonesy's found an audience quickly, in part by focusing on police, media, firefighters and a surprise group—lawmakers and lobbyists, who showed up every January when the legislative session began. As downtown changed, the bar persevered. But in 2016, an affiliate of Sun Development & Management Corp. bought the building and has plans to turn it into a hotel. As Rick puts it, Ike & Jonesy's doesn't fit into the plans. So Sun and the Eichholtzes reached an agreement that means the bar will close after its New Year's Eve party. Rick tells podcast host Mason King about how he became a bar owner, what his dad thought about the idea, and how he feels about the Ike & Jonesy's closing after more than three decades. To learn more about Sun's plans—which have changed over the past few years—and about Ike & Jonesy's closing, read this story at IBJ.com.   Auld Lang Syne by and courtesy of E's Jammy Jams.     

Celadon Group Inc. on Dec. 9 filed for bankruptcy and abruptly shut down, eliminating nearly 4,000 jobs and bringing to a bitter close one of central Indiana’s great entrepreneurial success stories.  The trucking company launched with a single truck in 1985 and grew into the largest provider of international truckload services in North America, with more than 150,000 annual border crossings between the United States, Canada and Mexico. But in the years after its co-founder and longtime leader, Stephen Russell, retired and then died, the company went in new directions that led to financial problems and accusations of fraud.  Podcast host Mason King talks with IBJ Editor Greg Andrews and reporter Susan Orr about Celadon's rise and fall as well as what role the fraud allegations played in its demise. You can read more about the alleged account scheme and the people accused of wrong doing in Andrews' Behind the News column published on Dec. 13. And you read Orr's account of the company's closure here. News clip is from WISH-TV Channel 8.     

Experts say smaller, private colleges and universities could be in trouble in the coming years as demographic trends mean there will be fewer students to fill an increasing number of spots at schools. Butler University James Danko tells podcast host Mason King that the school is taking those concerns seriously and is rethinking who it's serving, how it's distinguishing its offerings and the way it's preparing to innovate as technology changes education. The school is in a good financial position, Danko says, but it's working to build up its endowment (which is smaller than some of its peers and larger than others). That's just one of the goals of the Butler Beyond campaign, which is aiming to raise $250 million that will also fund building projects and additional scholarships. To learn more about Danko, read Samm Quinn's profile of the Butler president. To learn more about the challenges facing universities as demographics change, read Quinn's story about what universities are doing to prepare to compete.  

Five years ago, the head of locally owned Sullivan Hardware & Garden decided to create a Christmas experience for families at his location at East 71st Street and Keystone Avenue. Drawing on his memories of the Santa Express at the former L.S. Ayres department store downtown, Pat Sullivan bought a mini-train, created a North Pole and started selling tickets to families. It was an almost instant hit. And last year, about 35,000 parents and kids rode the train and visited with Santa. Sullivan talks with podcast host Mason King about why the Sullivan Express is so fun for him and his staff but also why it makes business sense to keep expanding the attraction. In fact, the store has invested some $500,000 in the experience already with plans to add more. One note: King initially recorded the podcast for IBJ's weekly Q&A feature, not for the podcast, but we thought it was too interesting to resist using it here as well. King conducted the interview outdoors and not with his usual podcast equipment, so there's a bit of excess background noise. "Up on the rooftop" music courtesy of Heroboard on YouTube. Photo by IBJ's Eric Learned.

The Indianapolis-based Center for Leadership Development has spent more than 40 years helping African American students excel in education and their lives—and it has received support from the Lilly Endowment from the beginning. But now, the endowment has made what officials are calling a "transformational" $11.6 million investment in the organization, which will help it expand the number of students it serves, put satellite locations in particularly needy neighborhoods, take programs directly into schools and expand their center to create more spaces for classrooms and tutoring.  Host Mason King talks with the group's president, Dennis Bland, about those expanded programs as well as how the Center for Leadership Development will do more to mentor students once they're in college. The Lilly grant will allow seed an endowment.   You can read more about the grant at IBJ here.  (Photo courtesy of Center for Leadership Development)   

Indianapolis native DuJaun McCoy is back home with a big project. In April, he purchased WISH-TV Channel 8 and sister station WNDY-TV Channel 23 for $42.5 million, becoming the only black owner of a TV station in a Top 50 market. Now, he's investing $3 million in equipment and a new vehicle fleet to help his team compete. And he's adding more than 20 people to the staff—including more salespeople and journalists, with an emphasis on multicultural and medical reporting. McCoy talks with podcast host Mason King about why he's excited about returning home, his vision for the stations and how he's trying to help other minorities become station owners. To learn more about McCoy, read IBJ reporter Anthony Schoettle's story at IBJ.com.    

When Roger Penske and his Penske Corp. acquire Hulman & Co., they're getting more than just the Indianapolis Motor Speedway and adjacent Brickyard Crossing Golf Course. In fact, Penske is buying some 950 acres in Speedway, about 37% of the land in the town. And Penske wants to turn that land and the community into an "entertainment capital." As an example, he points to the Kansas Speedway, where restaurants, an outdoor mall, major league soccer stadium, minor league baseball stadium, hotels and a casino have developed around the track, which opened in 2011. Podcast host Mason King talked with Penske about his vision for development an entertainment capital and then called up Speedway Town Manager Jacob Blasdel to get his thoughts on the possibilities. Plus, King talks with local developer Mike Wells about whether Penske's vision could become reality. To read more about the development possibilities, read this story from IBJ's Mickey Shuey.