Sixth Annual Speaker Series Planned at Ivy Tech Community College

The 2017 Schools of Business and Computing and Informatics Speaker Series at Ivy Tech Community College will kick off on Wednesday, February 15, at 6 p.m.  This annual series is sponsored by Banterra Bank.

On Feb. 15, a panel discussion is planned to help students and others in the public prepare for interviews and job searches. “Assembling Your Personal Brand” will take place in Room 344 at Ivy Tech, at 6 p.m., and is free and open to the public. Banterra Bank officials Kyle Dodd, assistant senior community banker, and commercial loan officers Chad Wingert, Brian Woods, Geoff Gentil, and Kevin Canterbury will discuss resumes, cover letters, references, interviewing, career research, and social networking.

The sixth annual Schools of Business, Computing and Informatics Speaker Series will be April 19 with Bo Drake, executive director of Workforce Alignment at Ivy Tech Southwest presenting the keynote address, “Leading by Example.” It is free and open to the public and will take place in Room 344 at Ivy Tech at 6 p.m.

Drake came to Southwest Indiana in 2013 to serve as executive director of Corporate College for Ivy Tech. Charged with serving employers throughout the region, he and his team have experienced significant growth. He has helped the college secure more than $2 million in grants and donations and has begun several programs to serve the workforce development needs in the community.

Previously, Drake was employed by Nationwide Insurance in Columbus, Ohio, where he served as a consultant in Mergers and Acquisitions. At Nationwide, he was responsible for training, coaching, and consulting with agency owners and sales managers in multiple states. He consulted on projects totaling more than $50 million and performed extensive financial analysis and forecasting.  Drake also worked with the Ohio State Bar Association Insurance Agency in Columbus, Ohio, as the director of Insurance, serving the insurance needs of lawyers throughout the state.

He is a board member for the Southwest Indiana Chamber of Commerce, and serves as chair of the Education Committee. He has served as a volunteer for Junior Achievement and as a committee member for cMOE’s fundraiser, Ignite It!

Drake is an Ivy Tech alumnus with an Associate of Arts degree in business administration. He has a Bachelor of Arts degree in speech communication from Northern Kentucky University and a Master’s in human services from Liberty University.

A public reception is planned prior to this presentation at 5 p.m. in the foyer of the auditorium.