Carol Johnson, Southern Indiana Business Report
The new president and CEO of Indiana Landmarks is a Jasper native with experience in community philanthropy and historic preservation.
Brad M. Ward was announced Tuesday to lead the nonprofit that supports historic preservation and raises awareness about endangered properties across the state.
Ward most recently served as the Director for Community Foundations at Foundant Technologies, a philanthropy-tech firm that supports community foundation fundraising.
Ward told Southern Indiana Business Report he is excited to be coming back to Indiana and that it was his time leading the Huntingburg Foundation and later the Dubois County Community Foundation when he saw the tremendous opportunities for preservation to enhance our communities.
“I’ve long believed that the tangible built environment, particularly historic buildings and meaningful places, is a crucial factor in creating a sense of place and community. This is crucial for opportunities in economic development. You cannot drive economic opportunity without a thriving place to work, play, and live,” Ward said.
From 2008 to 2012, Ward led the Huntingburg Foundation, working with board leaders to guide a merger with the Dubois County Community Foundation. He served as CEO of the merged foundations until 2016, and during that time led redevelopment of a vacant parking lot adjacent to Huntingburg’s Old Town Hall into a vibrant urban park that now has an amphitheater and dedicated space for a farmers market. He also guided rehabilitation of Jasper’s 1936 Astra Theatre as a live entertainment and performance venue as well as the rehabilitation of the 1900s Jasper Cabinet Co. buildings to today’s River Centre, a multi-purpose commercial and residential space.
“I’m deeply convinced that an old and meaningful place matters. The more historic its story, the more deeply it is ingrained in the community’s fabric and the people’s hearts and minds. I’ve traveled the world in support of community philanthropy, intimately interacting with over 300 U.S. and 60 international communities,” he said. “Nothing speaks to me like being back in the Hoosier State. Jasper will always be home, even while my family adopts Indianapolis as home for this important role.”
An executive search committee considered more than 60 candidates from around the country before selecting Ward, whose appointment was unanimously approved by Indiana Landmarks’ board of directors.
“Brad’s experience in engaging public-private partnerships both in Indiana and around the country speaks directly to Indiana Landmarks’ work to support grassroots preservation efforts as a tool for community revitalization,” said Doris Anne Sadler, chair of the search committee. “The committee was impressed by his passion for preservation as well as his broader vision of the role preservation plays in enhancing the sense of place – connecting Hoosiers to the past while looking to the future.”
Historic preservation isn’t just about saving old buildings, it’s “ensuring that our heritage (is) passed down through the stories of future generations,” he said.
Preserving a community’s past is a way of preparing for its future, he said.
“That is community placemaking at its core, and I’m beyond honored to work with the talented staff, dedicated volunteers, passionate donors, and invaluable partnerships that carry Indiana Landmarks’ legacy forward,” he said.
Ward earned a B.A. in Sociology and Political Science from DePauw University in 2005 and a certificate in fundraising management from the Lilly Family School of Philanthropy at Indiana University in 2012.
Ward steps into his new role on April 7. He replaces Marsh Davis, who is retiring as president and CEO of Indiana Landmarks after serving the nonprofit organization for 36 of its 65 years.
“Returning to Indiana to lead the largest and arguably most respected private statewide preservation organization in the country is a dream job beyond comparison,” said Ward. “Nothing speaks to me like the opportunity to serve a mission focused on preserving and repurposing places deeply connected to communities and their heritage.”