Southern Indiana Business Report
IBJ Media released its list of the most influential and impactful leaders in Indiana last week.
Included in the list are two leaders from the Radius Indiana region – Capt. Rex Boonyobhas, commanding officer of Naval Surface Warfare Center Crane, and Joe Vezzoso, vice president of hotel operations and vice president of sales at the French Lick Resort.
The two are in impressive company. Included on the 2025 Indiana 250 list are the Indiana Fever’s Caitlin Clark, Indianapolis Motor Speedway President Doug Boles, former Indiana Gov. Mitch Daniels and Cook Group and Cook Medical President Pete Yonkman.
IBJ Media CEO and Publisher Nate Feltman said the goal of the list is to represent people who are making an immediate impact.
Of Boonyobhas, Feltman noted that NSWC Crane has been a catalyst for economic growth in the Indiana Uplands region.
NSWC Crane is currently developing a hypersonics testing program – MACH-TB – that would accelerate the Department of Defense’s hypersonics testing capabilities. Prometheus Energetics announced earlier this year that it will build a headquarters and solid rocket motor production facility on 550 acres in Greene County not far from the Crane base.
In April it was announced that an initial cohort of 16 defense companies will join a new Munitions Campus Program that will be located near Crane. The WestGate Technology Park continues to expand and is now home to 60 organizations and defense businesses.
Boonyobhas became commander of NSWC Crane in 2023. In his Indiana 250 profile, Boonyobhas said personnel are essential to the success of any mission.
“Without our dedicated personnel, nothing is possible,” he said.
During Vezzoso’s tenure at the Resort, the Orange County destination has booked nearly 1 million room nights through group business. Vezzoso is also involved in Resort Charity Events, which raises money for nonprofits in Orange County and across the state. The organization raised more than $1 million for Riley Children’s Foundation in conjunction with the Senior LPGA Championship, which was held at the resort from 2017-2021.
Honorees represent the following categories:
- Life sciences & health care
- Energy & agriculture
- Hospitality, arts & entertainment
- Financial & business services
- Real estate, retail & construction
- Technology & media
- Manufacturing, logistics & transportation
- Civic leadership
- Law
- Nonprofit & education
The leaders were celebrated July 23 at a reception at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Museum.
To see the complete list, go to Indiana250.com.