Boiler Business Exchange announces ‘An Evening With Mitch Daniels,’ Hall of Fame inductees

INDIANAPOLIS — The Boiler Business Exchange of Indianapolis Inc., in partnership with the Purdue for Life Foundation, will present “An Evening With Mitch Daniels” on Sept. 7 at the Ritz Charles in Carmel, Indiana. Proceeds will benefit Purdue Polytechnic High Schools, which prepare students to succeed in technical, STEM-related postsecondary programs and high-tech careers.   

Individual tickets are $200 and can be purchased online. The event will begin at 5:30 p.m. with a cocktail reception, followed by dinner and special programming, including a keynote address by Daniels, Purdue president emeritus who led the university from 2013-22.

Formed in 2013, the Boiler Business Exchange helps raise Purdue’s profile in Indianapolis while keeping its members engaged with the university. The group’s Hall of Fame induction ceremony and the presentation of the Father Phil Bowers Award will take place during the dinner.

This year’s Hall of Fame inductees include:

Norm Blake (LA ’65, M LA ’66, HDR M ’95), a former CEO who turned around three Fortune 500 companies in different industries and ran the U.S. Olympic Committee. Blake began his career at General Electric, where he served as executive vice president in charge of operations of GE Capital. Cited by Fortune and BusinessWeek magazines for his leadership, he has served on the boards of several major corporations.

Mark DeFabis (A ’77), CEO of Integrated Distribution Services. DeFabis earned his law degree before becoming president of Trans-City Terminal Warehouse, chief operating officer of Logisco and president of Paradym Technical Enterprises Inc. A leader in the Midwest logistics field, he serves on the board of Conexus Indiana, which develops and grows the state’s advanced manufacturing and logistics industries.

Tom Morales (CE ’75), co-founder and chairman of Morales Group, a talent-sourcing agency that bridges resources and opportunities to the Hispanic community. Since its founding, the company has placed more than 175,000 workers across multiple locations in the Midwest and has been consistently cited by the Indiana Chamber of Commerce as one the state’s best places to work. In 2020 Morales handed the company’s reins to his son, Seth, while he continues to serve on several Indianapolis-area community boards. 

The recipient of the Father Phil Award — named in honor of the late Phil Bowers, a beloved priest of more than five decades — will be announced during the evening’s program. The award recognizes the heart and dedication of public servants in the nonprofit sector who work to improve the quality of life in Indiana. 

Writer: Matt Schnepf

Media contact: Derek Schultz, dcschultz@purdue.edu

Source: Pete Quinn, chairman of the Boiler Business Exchange, pquinn@sansonegroup.com