>> EACH WEEK A GROUP OF INSIDERSJOINS ME TO OFFER PERSPECTIVE ONTHE WEEK'S TOP STORIES.THIS WEEK SOUNDING OFF ON THE
TWO MAJOR HOOSIER EMPLOYERSTAKING THE WRAPS OFF NEWHEADQUARTERS.GUBERNATORIAL CANDIDATES SQUARE
OFF.THE PACERS ARE OFF AND RUNNINGUNDER A NEW COACH AND WITH A NEWSPONSOR AS WELL.
OUR INSIDERS THIS WEEK AREindypolitics.org PUBLISHER,RADIO HOST, ABDUL HAKIM-SHABAZZ,KEYBANK MARKET PRESIDENT AARON
WRIGHT AND A NEWCOMER THIS WEEK,PRESIDENT AND CEO ARCHIE BROWN,JR.WELCOME TO THE INSIDERS, ARCHIE,
ESPECIALLY TO YOU THE FIRSTTIME.A LOT OF NEWS AROUND WORK FORCEAND SKILLS GAP, WHICH OF COURSE
IS A MAJOR ISSUE FOR THE INDIANAECONOMY.THIS WEEK THE CENTRAL INDIANACORPORATE PARTNERSHIP BASED HERE
IN INDIANAPOLIS FOCUSED ON THECENTER PART OF THE STATE,UNVEILED THEIR LATEST OR NEWESTINITIATIVE FEATURED ON REGIONAL
WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT ININDIANA.AS YOU LOOK AT THAT, PEOPLE TALKABOUT IT A LOT, IT'S GOT A LOT
OF MONEY BEHIND IT, THE LILLYWITH $5 MILLION AND A COUPLEMORE MILLION DOLLARS.IS THIS GOING TO WORK?
>> I THINK IT CAN AND WORK.WE SPEND A LOT OF TIME TALKINGABOUT WAGES AND WAGE GAP AND AREWAGES RISING AS FAST AS THEY
SHOULD BE.THESE ARE THOSE HIGH-WAGEPOSITIONS, LIFE SCIENCES,FINANCIAL SECTOR, ET CETERA.
THOSE ARE THE JOBS WE NEEDFILLED.WE GOT TO FIND AND CULTIVATE THETALENT TO GET THERE.
CONTINUES TO BE PART OF THATWORKER SHORTAGE THAT WE'RESEEING.THIS WEEK I WAS AT AN EVENT IN
THE CITY OF INDIANAPOLIS.GUESS WHAT.HERE'S 15 OR 16 EMPLOYERSLOOKING FOR PEOPLE.
THEY CAN'T FIND PEOPLE.SO IT IS A WORKER SHORTAGEACROSS THE BOARD.I THINK WHAT CENTRAL INDIANA
WILL DO IS MAYBE WORK TOWARD THEMIDDLE AND ENTRY LEVELPOSITIONS.>> ARCHIE, AS YOU LOOK AT THE
FOOTPRINT IN THAT REGION, WORKFORCE CHALLENGES, WHAT ARE YOUSEEING?>> I THINK WE DEFINITELY HAVE A
PROBLEM WITH SKILLED WORK FORCENEEDS.WE ARE ALSO SEEING AN UNSKILLEDWORK FORCE, THERE'S NOT ENOUGH
WORKERS.I THINK WE'RE AT A POINT HOW DOWE ATTRACT MORE PEOPLE INTO THESTATE TO FILL THE JOBS.
UNEMPLOYMENT IS NOW IN THE LOWS3s.>> SOME WOULD ARGUE FULLEMPLOYMENT, BASICALLY.
DO YOU SENSE THIS IS SOMETHINGTHAT COULD THREATEN, GENERALLYSPEAKING, INDIANA SEEMS TO BEDOING PRETTY WELL IN ATTRACTING
JOBS.DO YOU SEE THIS ISSUE OF SKILLSGAP AND WORK FORCE AS MAYBEAFFECTING THAT OR THREATENING
THAT?>> I THINK IT DEFINITELY IS.THIS KIND OF INITIATIVE IS THEKIND OF THING WE NEED TO CREATE
THE MOMENTUM TO TRY TO DRIVEMORE WORK FORCE.>> AARON, AS YOU SEE THIS SKILLSGAP ISSUE, HOW SERIOUS AN ISSUE
DO YOU THINK IT IS?>> I THINK IT'S AN ISSUE, ITHINK IT'S A THREAT, BUT I ALSOTHINK IT'S AN OPPORTUNITY TO THE
EXTENT WE GET OUT IN FRONT OF ITAND BUILD MOMENTUM.WE'RE GOING TO BE A PLACE THATIS ATTRACTING NEW TALENT AND
BUILDING OUT THE FUTURE WORKFORCE.WE GOT TO VIEW IT AS ANOPPORTUNITY.
THIS IS A PROACTIVE EFFORTTHERE.>> ASK YOU THE SAME QUESTION IASKED ARCHIE.
DO YOU SEE THIS AS A THREAT ASYOU LOOK AT INDIANA ATTRACTINGBIG INVESTMENTS THAT REALLY THESALES FORCE INVESTMENT, 800 JOBS
DOWNTOWN.AT SOME POINT YOU REACH IT WHEREIF THE TALENT'S NOT THERE.>> CERTAINLY A THREAT, BUT AGAIN
I VIEW IT AS, HEY, WE'RE GOINGTO BE PROACTIVE.THEN IT TURNS INTO ANOPPORTUNITY FOR US.
>> RIGHT.ANOTHER MAJOR ANNOUNCEMENTRELATIVE THIS WEEK RELATIVE TOWORK FORCE AND A MAJOR TALENT
REPORT FOCUSED ON THEAGBIOSCIENCES AND A LOT OF THESETECH-RELATED JOBS IN THE AGINDUSTRY.
ARCHIE, THE BOTTOM LINE WAS THEWORLD HAS TO PRODUCE A LOT OFFOOD TO MEET A GROWINGPOPULATION.
THAT MEANS TECHNOLOGY.IT ALSO MEANS A LOT OF JOBS.75,000 JOBS IN THAT SPACE RIGHTNOW IN INDIANA AND THERE'S A
CONCERN WE MAY NOT HAVE ENOUGHWORKERS THERE.HOW DO YOU VIEW THEAGBIOSCIENCES AS A POTENTIAL
MARKET FOR INDIANA?>> I THINK INDIANA'SWELL-POSITIONED IN THIS AREA,JUST NATURAL RESOURCES-WISE.
TECHNOLOGY, LIFE SCIENCES, ALLTHESE THINGS ARE CULMINATED HEREIN INDIANA TO TELL ME THAT WEPROBABLY ARE BETTER POSITIONED
THAN MOST STATES.>> ANOTHER THING TO KEEP IN MINDIS PARTICULARLY WITH THEAGRICULTURE AND AG SCIENCES
YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE TO GO TOTHE CITIES AND SUBURBS TO FINDTHAT TALENT.RURAL INDIANA, 56 COUNTIES, HAVE
LOST POPULATION OVER THE PASTTEN YEARS.SO THE TRICK IS GOING TO BE GETTHOSE CITY FOLKS LIKE ME WHO ARE
USED TO WATER TOWERS TO REALIZETHERE IS A PROFITABLE FUTURE INAGRICULTURE, IN AG SCIENCES, NOTALL BEING ON THE TRACTOR.
IT'S A LOT MORE COMPLICATED.IT'S NOT YOUR GRANDFATHER'S FARMANYMORE.>> WELL, YOU TALK ABOUT RURAL
INDIANA, AND INDIANA IS LARGELYA RURAL STATE.INDIANAPOLIS, FORT WAYNE, THEMETRO AREAS SEEM TO BE DOING
WELL.CAN THE AGBIOSCIENCES BE ANANSWER TO THAT?>> I THINK IT WILL TO A CERTAIN
EXTENT BECAUSE WE'RE GOING TOHAVE PRODUCE MORE AND BE MOREEFFICIENT.TECHNOLOGY IS GOING TO DRIVE IT.
WE'RE GOING TO DO IT WITH LESSPEOPLE AND USE BETTER MACHINERYAND TECHNOLOGY.SO THERE'S A DUAL-EDGED SWORD TO
IT.WE'RE NOT GOING TO NEED AS MANYPEOPLE EMPLOYED IN THE SPACE,BUT WE'LL MAKE MORE MONEY AND WE
HAVE A GREAT OPPORTUNITY FOR THEBUSINESS TO DO VERY WELL.>> ABDUL, YOU'RE AT THE STATEHOUSE A LOT.
HOW DOES EDUCATION PLAY A ROLEIN THIS?WE TALK ABOUT THESE, WE TALKABOUT STEM AND TECHNICAL
EDUCATION.BUT THE FACT IS YOU'VE GOT TOHAVE THE EDUCATION TO GET THESEJOBS.
>> YOU'VE GOT TO HAVE THEEDUCATED WORK FORCE AND ALSOHAVE TO HAVE PEOPLE COMPLETINGCOLLEGE.
IF PEOPLE AREN'T COMPLETING,THEY'RE NOT GETTING THE TRAININGAND CERTIFICATION THAT THEYNEED.
AS WE GO FORWARD WITH WHOMEVERIS GOVERNOR, MAKING SURE WE HAVETHAT STRONG, EDUCATEDPOSTSECONDARY WORK FORCE IS
GOING TO BE A BIG CHALLENGE COMEJANUARY.>> ELI AND LILLY COMPANY THISWEEK REPORTED QUARTERLY NUMBERS.
LAST EARNINGS REPORT, ATRANSITION TO THE BEGINNING OFTHE YEAR.HOW IMPORTANT IS THIS
TRANSITION?>> I THINK THE TRANSITION ISSUPER IMPORTANT.BUT WHAT THE TIMES THAT HE TOOK
LILLY THROUGH IN THE DARK DAYSWHEN THEY HAD DRUGS GOING OFFTHEIR PATENTS AND BRINGING THEMWHERE THEY ARE TODAY, HE WOULD
NOT BE EXITING IF HE DID NOTTHINK THE BUSINESS WAS IN GOODSTEAD.THEIR REVENUES WERE UP.
THEY CONTINUE TO HAVE A GOODPIPELINE ON DIABETES, CANCER,ALZHEIMER'S.THEY'RE IN A STRONG POSITION.
WALL STREET DIDN'T BEAT THEM UPTOO BAD RIGHT IN THE MIDDLE OFTHE 52-WEEK RANGE.THEY'RE SUCH AN IMPORTANT PART
OF OUR COMMUNITY AND I SEE GOODTHINGS STILL TO COME.>> WE WERE TALKING ABOUT TALENT.TWO COMPANIES REALLY MAINSTAY
COMPANIES IN INDIANA, LIDS,UNVEILING, LIDS A NEW CORPORATEHEADQUARTERS, $20 MILLION.ROCHE, $300 MILLION EXPANSION,
THEIR GROUP CHAIRMAN FROMSWITZERLAND WAS IN FOR THIS.AS YOU LOOK AT THESEDEVELOPMENTS, THERE'S LIDS WITH
A LOT OF BELLS AND WHISTLESTHERE, IT'S ABOUT TALENT.>> I THINK IT SHOWS RIGHT THERE,THESE ARE TWO COMPANIES THAT YOU
NEED TO ATTRACT AND RETAINTALENT.THESE IMPROVEMENTS ARE RIGHT INLINE.
WHEN YOU SEE THE KINDS OF DESIGNAND LAYOUT OF THE FACILITIES,IT'S MEANT TO ATTRACT TALENT.>> THOSE ENVIRONMENTS ARE GEARED
TOWARD THEIR EMPLOYEES.WHEN YOU LOOK AT LIDS, SPORTS,NHL, NBA, THE PEOPLE THAT WORKTHERE, THEY'RE INTO SPORTS, SO
TO HAVE A GAMING ON CAMPUS ANDCAFETERIA.SUPER COOL.I'D LOVE TO WORK AT A PLACE LIKE
THAT.>> IT LOOKED LIKE FUN, DIDN'TIT?SHIFTING GEARS, THE ELECTION IS
UPON US NOVEMBER 8.GUBERNATORIAL CANDIDATES HADTHEIR FINAL DEBATE IN EVANSVILLETHIS WEEK.
ABDUL, AS YOU LOOKED AT THISFINAL DEBATE, ANY THOUGHTS?>> WE FINALLY SAW SOME REALDIFFERENCES THIS PAST WEEK
BETWEEN JOHN GREGG AND HISRIFLE.--RIVAL.
THEY STAYED CIVIL.ALL THREE CANDIDATESWELL-BEHAVED.THEY DID SHOW SOME OF THEIR
DIFFERENCES ON HOW THEY THOUGHTINDIANA WAS DOING, BUT ALSO ONISSUES SUCH AS MEDICALMARIJUANA.
ALL SAID THEY WOULD LOOK AT IT.BUT WITH THE OPIOID ADDICTION,DIDN'T WANT TO GO TOO FAR.SUNDAY SALES.
>> VERY QUICKLY, WHO YOU GOT ONTHE RACE?>> I THINK IT'S STILL A TOSS-UP.I THINK A LOT OF IT DEPENDS ON
WHERE THOSE DONALD TRUMPSUPPORTERS GO.DO THEY STAY REPUBLICANS OR DOTHOSE UNION GUYS, COAL GUYS VOTE
FOR JOHN GREGG?>> THE PACERS HAVE STARTED THEIR50TH SEASON, BIG SPONSORSHIP,SOUTHWEST AIRLINES THE OFFICIAL
AIRLINE.THERE'S A LOT OF EXPECTATIONS.WHAT DOES THAT MEAN BEYONDBASKETBALL FOR DOWNTOWN AND
INDIANAPOLIS?>> I THINK IT IS GOING TO BE AGOOD YEAR.IT STARTED OFF WITH A W ON
WEDNESDAY NIGHT, WENT INTOOVERTIME.THEY'RE PLAYING A NEW STYLE OFOFFENSE.
IT IS IMPORTANT FOR THE CITY.SOUTHWEST AIRLINE DOES MOREFLIGHTS OUT OF INDIANAPOLISAIRPORT THAN ANY OTHER CARRIER.
AND SO THIS IS A GREAT WAY FORSOUTHWEST TO SHOW IT'S EMBRACINGTHE TOWN AND LOOKING LARGER THANTHEY ARE IN THE COMMUNITY.
THE PACERS ARE A GREATORGANIZATION.>> IT WILL BE FUN TO FOLLOW.