Just a week after a shooting at a Pittsburgh synagogue left 11 congregants dead, IBJ Podcast host Mason King sat down with Dennis Sasso, the senior rabbi of Congregation Beth-El Zedeck in Indianapolis, and his wife, Sandy, the director of the Religion, Spirituality and the Arts Initiative at Butler University and Christian Theological Seminary. The couple talk about how they learned about the tragedy, their connection to the Tree of Life Synagogue where it took place, and how they spoke to their fellow worshippers about it. They also discuss what the crime means for people and public policy in Indiana, particularly in the debate about whether Indiana lawmakers should pass legislation that enhances penalties for defendants found guilty of committing crimes motivated by hate or bias.   The news clips in this episode are courtesy of KGO-TV San Francisco and ABC News. The music in this episode is Paint The Sky by Jeris, (c) copyright 2017, licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution (3.0) license.  Photo courtesy of Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Wolf's office, via Flicker under a Creative Commons license.  

Indianapolis officials are planning a fifth expansion of the Indiana Convention Center plus two attached, privately-financed hotels at Pan Am Plaza, an effort to maintain and expand the city's valuable convention and tourism business. The city plans to spend about $120 million to build a 50,000-square-foot ballroom and other meeting space, which would be connected by walkway to the convention center. Kite Realty Group Trust is to develop the two hotels — one with 800 rooms and the other about 600 rooms — which would also be connected to the new convention space. The Capital Improvement Board has given the go-ahead for city officials to work out the final details but it will still be a year before the project could get started. And there are a number of unanswered questions. Guest host Lindsey Erdody (in for Mason King) talks with IBJ reporters Hayleigh Colombo and Anthony Schoettle about the project, the city's convention business and what remains unknown about the Pan Am Plaza project. Click here to read more about the project.

Incumbent Democratic Sen. Joe Donnelly and Republican challenger Mike Braun are locked in one of the nation's most-watched Senate races. The winner could determine control of the U.S. Senate. Already, some $61 million has been spent by the campaigns, political parties and independent organizations trying to sway Hoosier voters, who go to the polls Nov. 6. Polls show the race is a tossup. Host Mason King talks to IBJ political reporter Lindsey Erdody about the race, her experience on the campaign trail with the candidates, and what we know about early voting. See Lindsey's stories about the Senate race — including profiles of Mike Braun and Joe Donnelly — at IBJ.com.

Just west of the White River and south of the Indianapolis Zoo is the site of the former GM stamping plant — 103 acres of mostly concrete that's been waiting for development for years.  Now, Ambrose Property Group is unveiling more details about its plans for the site, including the project's name. Still, the firm's president, Aasif Bade, is mum about whether the site is among those across the country that Amazon is considering for its planned HQ2, a $5 billion second quarters that promises as many as 50,000 jobs.  Instead, Bade tells host Mason King when site preparation could begin, when specific plans for buildings will be unveiled and why the riverfront is so important to the project.  

Jack Hope launched his plumbing company to help him pay for his master's degree in philosophy. But Hope Plumbing was so lucrative that by the time he graduated, Jack was making as much as might as a tenured college professor. So he stuck with plumbing. Today, that small startup has grown into a company with more than 40 employees and revenue projected to top $6 million this year. But that doesn't mean Jack has left philosphy behind. Host Mason King asks him just how philosphy plays into his management style and about he approaches recruiting and retaining plumbers, the biggest challenge in his business.  

Ellie Symes, a rising star in the Indiana's tech ecosystem, leads The Bee Corp., a data-analytics firm that helps bee keepers and growers optimize the pollination of their orchards and fields. Symes, who started the company while a student at Indiana University, appeared on stage at the Forbes AgTech Summit in Indianapolis and the company was part of the event's startup showcase.  She talks with podcast host Mason King about being a young entrepreneur, taking risks and pivoting when you have to to make your company stronger. We also learn she's become allergic to bees!  Photo courtesy of The Bee Corp.  Music credit: Boogie da Bee by texasradiofish (c) copyright 2017 Licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution Noncommercial (3.0) license. Ft: Sprezza, tiltededge, Kara Square, ElRon XChile, Stefan Kartenberg, rocavaco, Javolenus, reg7783  

Indianapolis has about 2,800 new hotel rooms slated to come online downtown in the next five years. Some of those hotels — such as the 316-room Hyatt Place/Hyatt House project across from Bankers Life Fieldhouse — are under construction and nearing completion. Others — such as a long-discussed 800- to 1,000-room convention hotel — are only in the planning stages.  If all are completed, those projects will add to the roughly 7,500 rooms already downtown. Can Indy support all that growth? Host Mason King talks with Mark Eble, the managing director of CBRE Hotels Advisory and an expert on the hotel industry in the Midwest, to find out. You can also read about Eble's view on the market and get more details about hotel growth in a story by Hayleigh Colombo in this week's IBJ.

Just two decades ago, Indiana had no grape and wine industry worth talking about. But today, more than 100 wineries dot Indiana. The annual harvest (and the 2.4 million gallons of wine it makes) generates an economic impact of $600 million, sustains 4,000 full-time jobs, and pays $37 million in state and local taxes and $38 million in federal taxes. The growth is thanks in part to the Purdue Wine Grape Team, a group funded by a 5-cent excise tax on every gallon of wine sold in Indiana. Founded in 1991, the team is an agricultural extension program composed of enology, viticulture and marketing specialists who assist Indiana winemakers and grape growers. IBJ Podcast host Mason King talks to two of them — Bruce Bordelon and Jill Blume — about Indiana's wine industry, what makes it special and what to expect in the future. You can read more about the Indiana wine industry at IBJ. Photo for this episode by Tom Campbell, courtesy of Purdue Agricultural Communication . Music for this episode: Jazz Shuffle Blues by texasradiofish (c) copyright 2014 Licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution Noncommercial (3.0) license. Ft: Bluemillenium, Copperhead, David Merrick, ElRon XChile, Jeris, Annon, Rey Izian, Javolenus, Speck, Kara Square, Chuck Berglund, Nickleus, Fireproof Babies, My Free Mickey, DJ Snyder

Where tens of thousands of motorists every day saw just another scrubby little hill along an interstate, Tom Battista saw a park. A place for reflection or respectful debate, to the soundtrack of hundreds of wheels on pavement. Maybe more importantly, a place that could connect residents of foundational Indianapolis neighborhoods separated 50 years earlier by interstate construction. Indianapolis residents probably know Battista best as co-founder of Bluebeard in Fletcher Place, one of the key restaurants in reforming the city's culinary reputation. He also has a separate, legendary career in concert production, working on tours for artists such as Jimmy Buffett, David Bowie and Parliament Funkadelic. The idea for the little park got stuck in Battista’s mind like a pop music earworm. To make it happen, he learned he would need to work through the city, state and federal government, while many folks told him he was nuts to even try. After five years of negotiating and planning, The Idle opened earlier this month. The access point is on the Virginia Street bridge between Fletcher Place and Fountain Square. Battista led podcast host Mason King on a walk-and-talk tour through the promontory and its history. Music: "Drops of H2O (The Filtered Water Treatment)" by J.Lang (c) copyright 2012 Licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution (3.0) license. http://dig.ccmixter.org/files/djlang59/37792 Ft: Airtone  

Eli Lilly and Co. pulled its Lilly Diabetes brand name off a race car driven by Conor Daly after his father — Derek Daly — was fired from his job as a WISH-TV Channel 8 racing analyst for a racial slur he uttered 35 years ago.  The move raised questions about why the Conor Daly should be punished for something his father said before he was even born. And even WISH-TV's move came under some scrutiny, after Derek Daly said he used the n-word in an interview when he was new to the United States. He said the word was part of what was then an often-used phrase in Ireland, and once he found out it was offensive in America, never used it again. In this week's IBJ Podcast, host Mason King talks with two local marketing experts — Bruce Bryant, president and creative director of Promotus Advertising and Ken Ungar, president of Charge — about whether Lilly made the right move and about the risks associated with sponsorships. You can also read IBJ's take on the issue in this week's editorial. Credits: Sound from WTHR-TV Channel 13 and WRTV-TV Channel 6. Music from Transmutation by Kara Square, (c) copyright 2017. Licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution (3.0) license. http://dig.ccmixter.org/files/mindmapthat/56527 Ft: Spinningmerkaba

NASCAR's Brickyard 400 drew a crowd of 275,000 people when it debuted at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in 1994. And it came at a great time, as then-Speedway President Tony George created the Indy Racing League, which depressed Indy 500 interest for years.  But fast forward 25 years and the Brickyard 400 is facing its own issues. Last year, only about 70,000 people attended the race — although it did turn a profit. Host Mason King interviews IMS President Doug Boles about the track's efforts to turn the race around — including moving it to a cooler date and adding a dirt-track race. And then King talks with IBJ's Anthony Schoettle about whether those efforts are likely to work. Read Anthony's story about the Brickyard 400 for even more information.

Central Indiana business leaders are pushing lawmakers to pass a hate-crime law, joining 45 states that already have one in place. They say without it, Indiana is an unappealing place for workers, especially younger workers who want their employers involved in social and community issues. Host Mason King talks with Ann Murtlow, CEO of United Way of Central Indiana, and Jeff Smulyan, CEO of Emmis Communications, about why they signed a letter of support for a hate-crime law. And Mason role plays with both, pretending to be a lawmaker who needs to be convinced to vote for the legislation. For more information, check out IBJ reporter Lindsey Erdody's story in this week's IBJ.

Cassie Stockamp, president of the Athenaeum Foundation Inc., will leave the organization later this year to travel around the world and volunteer for charities wherever she goes. Host Mason King talks with Stockamp about why she's choosing to leave the group she has led through a reinvigoration—and why she's doing it now, at 57 years old, when most people are worried more about saving for retirement. Stockamp explains why it helps to be frugal, why she's trying not to plan her trip too much and what she thinks about the Athenaeum's future.  

Karen Laine and Mina Starsiak, the mother/daughter duo who star on HGTV's "Good Bones," talked to host Mason King about the show's fourth season, why being on TV doesn't make you rich and why Laine is semi-retiring. Plus, learn about the home-decor store they're planning to open and what they think about charges that they're contributing to gentrification in Fountain Square, Bates-Hendricks and other near-downtown neighborhoods. Learn more about the duo's company Two Chicks and a Hammer, and how the woman are working to diversify their incomes at our story: Priorities evolve as ‘Good Bones’ stars begin filming fourth season.   Photo courtesy of HGTV.

SupplyKick, which helps businesses sell their products on Amazon and other online marketplaces, grew 335 percent from 2015 through 2017, earning it a spot near the top of IBJ's Fast 25 list. CEO Josh Owens talks about how the company has managed that growth — and what Owens did right and wrong along the way. He's got great advice for any firm managing growth or hoping to do so.  

Democrat Joe Hogsett is in the third year of a four-year term as mayor of Indianapolis and calls it the hardest job he's ever had. Soon, Hogsett must decide whether to seek a second term, and he tells IBJ's Hayleigh Colombo he's undecided. Colombo talks to the mayor about what will play into his decision, and host Mason King talks to Colombo about the chances that he'll run again. Click to read Colombo's story about the mayor's re-election decision.

With accusations against Indiana Attorney General Curtis Hill dominating the political news (allegations he flatly denies), host Mason King talks to two experts — attorney Michael Blickman and human resources professor Liz Malatestinic — about questions facing employers and employees. What's acceptable and what isn't? How do you talk to employees about the issues? Plus, get Mason's recommendations for further reading on the issue. Credits:  Music for this episode from Like Music (cdk Mix) by Analog By Nature (c), copyright 2013. Licensed under a Creative Commons, Attribution Share-Alike  (3.0) license. http://dig.ccmixter.org/files/cdk/43816 Ft: snowflake  

The restaurants operated by Huse Culinary — St. Elmo, Harry & Izzy's and Burger Study — are among the most successful in Indianapolis. That's despite decreased traffic at Circle Centre mall and increasing competition from other steak houses downtown. CEO Craig Huse talks about the changes he'd like to see at the mall, how the restaurants combat competition and the company's expansion plans in Fishers. To read more about Circle Centre's current financial situation, read IBJ's story: Circle Centre profit gets lift from eateries, IPS tax cut.   Credits: Music by Eerkoysh key by Gnagno (c), copyright 2013. Licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution license. http://dig.ccmixter.org/files/Gnagno/44380 Audio clips from WRTV-Channel 6 and Parks & Recreation (NBC).    

Andrea Neal's soon-to-publish book, "Pence: The Path to Power," examines how Indiana native Mike Pence rose from a skilled debater in high school to the vice president of the United States. Neal, a journalist and teacher, leads host Mason King through the process of interviewing dozens of people from throughout Pence's life and assembling a comprehensive account of the making of a vice president. Music for this episode of the IBJ Podcast from LogansBar by airtone (c) copyright 2010. Licensed under a Creative Commons Sampling Plus license. 

Host Mason King interviews Indianapolis Business Journal reporter Hayleigh Colombo about her series One City, Worlds Apart, which looks at income inequality and poverty in the city and why it impacts everyone. Hayleigh plays clips from her interviews with Traneisha English of the Wheeler-Dowe Boys and Girls Club, Tess Weathers of the Richard M. Fairbanks School of Public Health at IUPUI, LeRae Troutman of the Brightwood Community Center, and Rhiannon Edwards of PACE. See the series so far at https://www.ibj.com/worlds-apart. Music for this episode: NightRain by airtone (c) copyright 2017. Licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution license: http://dig.ccmixter.org/files/airtone/55887.  

With central Indiana on the short list for Amazon's $5 billion secondary headquarters project, IBJ's reporters for technology, real estate and economic development join forces to discuss what the internet giant wants and whether the Indy area measures up. They also address the question, "Would Indianapolis have been a serious contender for the project five years ago?"

Maria Bertram had a great career as an engineer for Eli Lilly and Co., so why did she chuck it to open a little cafe in a distressed neighborhood? She had two goals: support the forces fighting to revive Englewood Village and provide jobs for women who had hit bottom and were fighting to regain their independence.

The Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra offers leadership programs for folks who are up for putting themselves in a vulnerable position: playing music composed on the spot for a conductor. No special training is required--just an ear for how group dynamics change under different leadership styles. Listen closely, and you also can detect the programs' value for the ISO.