Sherry Aaholm, vice president and chief information officer at Cummins, was named chair of the board of directors for TechPoint, a nonprofit, industry-led growth initiative for Indiana’s technology eco-system. After serving as executive vice president of Information Technology at FedEx where she led the IT transformation, Aaholm joined Cummins in 2013 and supervises critical information system resources and IT. She developed strategic IT and information security plans for more than 70 Enterprise Resource Planning installations. Aaholm has a Bachelor of Arts in Marketing and Economics and Master of Science in Sustainability Management from the University of Wisconsin. She is also a graduate of the University of Chicago Graduate School of Business for Finance for Executives and Strategic Business Leadership.
John E. Hall was appointed as executive director of the Indianapolis Housing Agency. Hall previously served as department director of the City of Witchita’s Housing and Community Services Department, where he led plans to sustain affordable housing and healthy home initiatives. Hall has also served as field office director of the District of Columbia and Richmond offices of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and deputy director of Asset Management and Portfolio Oversight for HUD’s Mulitfamily Housing program. Before joining HUD, he served as deputy director of SouthFair CDC and was executive director of North and East Lubbock CDC in Dallas and Lubbock, Texas. Hall earned a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Michigan and a Master of Public Administration from the Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs at Syracuse University in New York.
Tatiana Holifield was named vice president and head of digital marketing of Pacers Sports and Entertainment. With 15 years of marketing and social media experience, Holified most recently worked as senior director of social media marketing strategy at Viacom, where she oversaw content and branding on social media platforms for BET Network. Holifield has also served in marketing roles for NBC Universal TV and New Media Distribution, SportsNet New York, Gospel Music Channel, ESPN Zone and Hard Rock Café. Holifield earned a Bachelor of Arts in media management and television from Columbia College in Chicago, a Master of Business Administration in media and digital management from Metropolitan College of New York and finished the NAMIC Executive Leadership Development Program at the University of Virginia’s Darden School of Business.
Sean Huddleston was named the new president of Martin University. He succeeds Dr. Eugene White, who served as president since 2013 and announced his retirement in August 2018. Huddleston assumed the role in March and was previously vice president for inclusion and equity at the University of Indianapolis. Before that, Huddleston served as chief officer for diversity, inclusion and community engagement at Framingham State in Massachusetts and assistant vice president for inclusion and equity strategy implementation at Grand Valley State University in Michigan. He earned a bachelor’s degree from Siena Heights University in Michigan, a Master of Education in adult and higher education and an education specialist degree in educational leadership and administration from Grand Valley State University. Huddleston also earned a Doctorate of Philosophy in Higher Education from Ferris State University in Michigan.
NiCole Keith was selected as president-elect of the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) in Indianapolis. Keith, associate dean of faculty affairs in the School of Health and Human Sciences at IUPUI, is the first minority to serve in that role. After serving a one-year term as president-elect, which will end in March 2020, Keith will move on to serve a one-year term as president. Trained in physical activity, community and clinical research, Keith has been on the IUPUI faculty since 2002 and currently directs the ACSM Mentoring Women to Fellowship initiative. Keith has a bachelor’s degree in physical education from Howard University in Washington, D.C., along with a master’s in exercise science from the University of Rhode Island and a doctorate in exercise physiology from the University of Connecticut.
Philip McCandies was appointed as regional business development officer for the Community Investment Fund of Indiana in Lake County. CICF funds minority-owned new or small businesses. In this role, McCandies will counsel small business owners on business planning and using finances to grow and maintain their business. McCandies, a College of Charleston graduate, is a doctorate candidate at the Chicago School of Professional Psychology.
Tangram named Onias Taruwinga Muza as its new president and CEO. Muza, who holds nearly 20 years of business management and leadership experience, will lead Tangram in providing continued support for persons with disabilities by connecting businesses and individuals and engaging with communities in Indianapolis to promote an inclusive environment. Before joining Tangram, Muza served as CEO of Ubuntu Factor, a consulting agency that provides leadership development for organizations nationwide. Muza also served as CEO of CDC Resources Inc., a nonprofit providing service to children with disabilities.
Amina Pierson is the new executive director for Martindale-Brightwood Community Development Corporation (MBCDC) in Indianapolis, where she works with community and government leaders to implement projects aligned with the community’s quality of life plan. One area of focus for Pierson at MBCDC is cooperative housing. Before joining MBCDC, Pierson was assistant vice president of community and economic development at Fifth Third Bank. Pierson has a bachelor’s degree in business management and human resource administration from Temple University in Pennsylvania. She also has a master’s degree in adult education and training from the University of Phoenix.
Ronald Rochon became the first African-American president of a predominantly white institution in Indiana when he became president of the University of Southern Indiana in Evansville. Rochon, who joined USI as provost in 2010, has created scholarships for students to attend USI, and he goes back to his childhood city of Chicago to recruit students. Before joining USI, Rochon was dean of the School of Education and associate vice president for teacher education at Buffalo State College in New York. He has a bachelor’s degree from Tuskegee University in Alabama, as well as master’s and doctorate degrees from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.
YMCA of Greater Indianapolis named Derrick Stewart as president and CEO. Stewart will lead plans to build stronger Central Indiana communities through healthy lifestyle choices and developing youth and social interaction. He is also responsible for increasing membership, developing programs and continuing plans to build a YMCA in Westfield. Stewart previously served as CEO of the YMCA of Southwestern Indiana, where he had a role in program growth, initiatives and philanthropic efforts. Before joining the YMCA, Stewart worked as commercial relationship manager and community development manager at Old National Bank and was a corporate consultant for Arthur Anderson. He received a bachelor’s degree in business-finance from Indiana University Kelley School of Business.
Jenni White is founding executive director of Trinity Haven, a transition home for LGBTQ youth that will open in the summer of 2019. White, a member of the LGBTQ community, has experience working with transitional housing and homelessness. She most recently worked at Coburn Place Safe Haven, which helps domestic abuse survivors. White, who is active with the Indiana Coalition Against Domestic Violence, has a bachelor’s degree from the University of Indianapolis and a master’s degree from the University of Evansville.
Robin Zon was elected president of Michiana Hematology Oncology. She succeeded the previous president, Rafat Ansar. Since joining Michiana Hematology Oncology, Zon has served as oncology director at Elkhart Hospital, director of oncology research at Memorial Hospital and principal investigator for the Northern Indiana Cancer Research Consortium. Zon received a Bachelor of Science in Chemistry from the University of Detroit and a medical degree from Indiana University School of Medicine. She also completed a fellowship in medical oncology and hematology at Indiana University School of Medicine.
