Outside Event: Executive Forum with Tony Denhart

The Executive Forum is open to the public, as seating permits, and provides opportunities for the exchange of ideas and discussion of topics and issues facing business and management.

Tony Denhart joined the IEDC as the executive vice president of talent and workforce on Jan. 3, 2022. Prior, Denhart most recently served as the University Relations Director for GE Corporate.  In his role, Denhart helps strategically connect and convene Hoosier businesses and talent resources including universities, government agencies, local and regional economic development organizations, staffing agencies, and resources, as well as community stakeholders.  The goal being to make it as easy as possible for employers to attract, develop, and retain robust talent pipelines, meet hiring goals and implement training and development programs.  He is also a key partner with the business development team as the workforce & talent team tactically alien Indiana’s workforce and training capabilities with companies expanding in and coming to Indiana. Denhart has supported workforce and talent initiatives to help fuel the record-breaking $89 billion committed investment the state has secured from 2022 through 2024.  During that period there were back-to-back years of record average wages for new, incentivized jobs.

Denhart is a proven leader, boasting an impressive track record during his career at GE. Denhart joined the IEDC with more than 30 years of developing early career talent attraction strategies and engaging with university recruiting and student relations.  Most recently, he led the strategy and implementation of university relations, full-time and internship university hiring needs, military, diversity and campus recruitment initiatives, branding strategy and execution, and research collaboration at GE. Denhart began his career in 1989 as a GE field engineer, in the Field Engineering Program.  After several roles of increasing responsibility at GE Energy, in 2007, he was promoted to the role of senior services director where he was responsible for the Midwest region, all client success, field operations and full profit and loss.

Denhart was also involved in his alma mater Purdue University, serving as volunteer as the Campus Relations Leader (CRL) for six years.  As the CRL, he oversaw the recruiting cycle, relationships with the deans, faculty, administration, student organizations and research collaboration.  Denhart drove the partnership to new levels where student interaction increased, hiring increased and collaborative research increased by ten times.

Denhart serves as an advisor to the Don Wood Foundation and Questa Education Foundation Coalition for Advancing Postsecondary Education and Training Advisory Council, GE-Reagan Foundation Scholarship Program, Purdue Honors College Dean’s Advisory Board and Purdue Student Life Vice Provost’s Advisory Council.

A native Hoosier, Denhart is a graduate of Purdue University and has received the Distinguished Alumni Award from the University’s Polytechnic Institute, Outstanding Leadership Award from the Purdue University Office of the Vice Provost for Student Life, and was inducted into the Professional Practice Hall of Fame from Purdue University.  He resides in Noblesville with his wife, Rhonda.  They have two grown children, Jake and Nicole.