The idea of forming an economic club in central Indiana came from members of the , who first discussed the creation of such a club at a luncheon hosted at the American Fletcher National Bank on August 16, 1974. The idea was well-received, and through the efforts of Penrod Society members, David S. Orr, John Medveciks, and Theodore R. Boehm, the Economic Club of Indiana was officially formed on September 16, 1974.
The Economic Club of Indiana was patterned after the Economic Club of Detroit with a membership base and a regular speaker series as its main function. More than 50 top business and civic leaders formed the club’s initial board of directors. Its first officers were of (president), Henry Goodrich of (vice president), of (treasurer), and Robert K. Greenleaf of the (secretary). The club’s mission was to be “the forum for central Indiana’s current and emerging leaders to be challenged by extraordinary speakers and engaged collectively in advancing great ideas for the common good.”
The first speaker program was held on November 4, 1974, and featured Elliot Richardson, former U.S. attorney general and secretary of defense. By the mid-1980s the club had brought more than 80 speakers to the city representing the fields of business, journalism, and government. Speakers have included syndicated columnist George Will, former United Nations ambassador Jeane Kirkpatrick, ex-British prime minister Edward Heath, and F. W. DeKlerk, the Nobel Prize-winning former president of the Republic of South Africa.
Since then, the Economic Club of Indiana has held regular noontime addresses by prominent speakers at the Indiana Convention Center. On average, about 1,000 people attend each event, with the highest attendance reaching 2,400. Since 2010, attendees have had the opportunity to listen to and connect with distinguished leaders like former Indiana governor Mitch Daniels, American Red Cross President and CEO Gail J. McGovern, and former U.S. surgeon general/Indiana state health commissioner Dr. Jerome Adams.
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