Competition to Stoke Logistics Flame

The historic Crowne Plaza in downtown Indianapolis will be one of several sites involved in the three-day event.

The vice chair of the Conexus Indiana Logistics Council says the inaugural Logistics Case Competition will offer Indiana college students an opportunity for direct contact with industry leaders. Nicholas Hoagland, who is chief operating officer of Indianapolis-based Backhaul Direct LLC, says the event aims to generate solutions for logistics-related issues, while helping bolster the pipeline and showcase how companies work together. The three-day competition will kick off October 12 and feature teams from 18 colleges throughout the state.

Hoagland tells Inside INdiana Business the event is just one piece of a larger emphasis on connecting future workers with potential employers. He says Conexus is working toward becoming a "clearing house" of sorts for students and educators interested in the logistics industry. Hoagland says the aim is to be a bridge for internships and employment opportunities through its connections with more than 250 member companies. "We’re going to harness all of those opportunities together into one central location so that the student, professor, the career center all has one-stop-shopping as to availability amongst our companies. We think this is the next step in sort of circulating these opportunities within the state."

The school teams included in the competition represent Ancilla College, Ball State University, Butler University, Franklin College, Indiana State University, Indiana University Kelley School of Business, IUPUI, Ivy Tech Community College in Indianapolis, Ivy Tech in Lafayette and Fort Wayne, Manchester University, Marian University, Purdue University Krannert School of Management, Purdue Polytechnic, University of Southern Indiana, University of Evansville, University of Indianapolis, Vincennes University and Valparaiso University.

You can connect to more about the competition by clicking here.