Recycling Philanthropy with Jennifer Bartenbach and Tom Kilian Jr.

Should we allocate capital in the community to provide the most impact? Jennifer Bartenbach (New CEO of Central Indiana Community Foundation) and Tom Kilian Jr. (President of Hamilton County Community Foundation and IMPACT Central Indiana) join the podcast to discuss their philosophy of “recycling philanthropy”. Learn about their partnership with Cook Medical and Goodwill to create jobs in Indianapolis, IMPACT’s Pitch Feast competition for entrepreneurs and more!

Book Recommendations
Tom: Traction by Gino Wickman
Jennifer: Anything by Colleen Hoover

Relevant Links Participate: https://www.cicf.org/giving/impact-central-indiana/

The Movement of 10,000: https://mvmt10k.org/

White Paper: Business Case for Racial Equity (issuelab.org)

CICF: https://www.cicf.org/

Pitch Feast: https://www.pitchfeast.org/pitchfeast-event

Guest Bios

Jennifer Bartenbach
As the number two executive at the Central Indiana Community Foundation (CICF), Jennifer Bartenbach leads the internal workings of the foundation – the financial operations, information technology, marketing & communications, facilities and people & culture. She is responsible for the fiscal oversight,

regulatory compliance and operational effectiveness of CICF’s $1 billion in assets. She cofounded and co-leads IMPACT Central Indiana, a multi-member limited-liability company created to facilitate social-impact investments in the community. Prior to CICF, Jennifer started her career doing a three-semester co-op at Toyota Motor Manufacturing while finishing her degree at the University of Evansville. She moved to Indianapolis in 2001 to pursue a career in public accounting at BKD, LLP (now Forvis) where she joined the not-for-profit/governmental team. After a quick stop at Sigma Micro, she returned to the philanthropic sector, spending eight years at the Indianapolis Museum of Art (Newfields) – four as CFO and one as the internal interim CEO before joining CICF.

 

Thomas J. Kilian, Jr.
As an experienced executive with more than 20 years of professional experience, 18 of those years devoted to philanthropy and fundraising, Tom Kilian, President of the Hamilton County Community Foundation and IMPACT Central IN has noteworthy expertise in strategic planning, major and planned gift acquisition, community development and accountability, foundation infrastructure and policies, board management, and innovative revenue generation. Throughout his professional career, Tom has managed the creation and implementation of programs, services, and operations while creating significant internal and external relationships throughout the philanthropic landscape.

In his current role as the President of the Hamilton County Community Foundation, Tom has overseen the creation and implementation of the first comprehensive strategic plan of the foundation, ideated and implemented the first Not-For-Profit Collaboration Hub in Central Indiana, and increased assets from 53 million to 120 million in five years. In addition to his role as the President of the Foundation, Tom is also the co-creator and President of IMPACT Central Indiana. IMPACT Central Indiana deploys capital to underappreciated communities and invests in the development of entrepreneurs within those communities who do not have traditional access to capital. Since launching in the spring of 2020, IMPACT Central Indiana has invested more than $7 million into the community.

Prior to Hamilton County Community Foundation, Tom’s career largely focused on higher education. Playing leadership roles in the development and execution of several philanthropic campaigns across various campus landscapes. Most recently, as Executive Director of the Ivy Tech Community College Foundation in Central Indiana, where he successfully launched the largest regional campaign in college history. Prior to joining Ivy Tech, Tom had extensive experience raising money in support of large four-year public institutions, as well as a small four-year private institution.

Tom earned a B.S. from Indiana State University, an M.S. from Indiana University, and an executive certificate from the University of Notre Dame. Outside the office, Tom volunteers with several organizations, including sitting on the board of directors for the YMCA of Central Indiana. Both professionally and personally Tom strives to make a difference in the lives he touches. He is a results driven leader, eager to help individuals and organizations pursue their mission, create their vision and strategically achieve their goals. When he isn’t working or volunteering, he enjoys spending time with his wife Jennifer and their daughters, Samantha and Ellison. He loves the culinary scene, and tries to spend as much time as possible outdoors.

Who are the hosts?

Austin Crites, CFA: Austin is a past-president and current committee member of CFA Society Indianapolis. Professionally, he is the Chief Investment Officer at Aurora Financial Strategies where he manages US-focused, all-cap, style-agnostic equity strategies as the core of client portfolios. Austin is a 2008 graduate of Marian University in Indianapolis where he is now an adjunct professor in the Byrum School of Business.

Matt Henry, CFA: Matt is a Senior Investment Officer at STAR Wealth Management. He is also a Past President and a director of CFA Society Indianapolis. When he’s not managing porfolios, Matt teaches Finance 300 at Ball State University. He enjoys air conditioning, wi-fi, and the conveniences of indoor living.