Episode Details

On today's show I sat down with Fred Glass, president and CEO of Gleaners Food Bank of Indiana and former Indiana University athletic director and government leader, about how growing up in his father's Indianapolis tavern shaped his empathy and perspective.

Glass looks back on the turning points of his career, including DC internships with Birch Bayh, law and clerkship decisions, serving in Governor Evan Bayh's office, leading the Capital Improvement Board through efforts that helped secure Lucas Oil Stadium and convention center expansion, and helping Indianapolis win a Super Bowl bid.

He also describes rebuilding the culture and facilities of IU Athletics and the difficult decisions of firing coaches.

Now at Gleaners, Glass explains the organization's large-scale food distribution model, its nationwide reach, and argues food insecurity is driven by poverty, rising housing and grocery costs, stagnant wages, and declining support. He urges volunteering and donations to help address hunger affecting about one million Hoosiers.

If you like this episode and want to hear more Get IN. episodes where I interview Hoosiers making a difference, visit getindiana.com/podcast.

You are going to learn about:
- Fred Glass' Career Path
- The Capital Improvement Board in Indianapolis
- Gleaners Food Bank's Food Distribution Model
- The Reasons for Food Insecurities

Thank you to our partners:
NCW

Check out these great clips from the show:
00:00 Feeding the Line
01:20 Guest Introduction: Fred Glass, Gleaners Food Bank of Indiana
02:44 Invisible Strings and Mentors
04:57 Growing Up in a Skid Row Bar
06:34 Only Child Lessons and Perspective
09:45 Alcoholism and Hard Truths
11:01 High School Hustle and Hitchhiking
13:08 Parenting and Building Empathy
16:58 Why Law School
19:23 Comfort Zone to DC Internship
26:32 Career Choices Create Options
30:30 Governor's Office Rise
33:30 Fighting Brain Drain in Indiana
34:39 What a Chief of Staff Does
35:12 Say Yes to Big Jobs
35:55 Term Limits and Transitions
37:06 Clinton Gore Campaign
37:42 Choosing Upside Over Pay
39:25 What the CIB Does
41:47 Why Indy Owns Venues
43:03 Keeping the Colts
46:23 Building Lucas Oil Deal
52:13 Stadium Taxes Explained
53:06 Super Bowl Bid Story
58:54 IU Athletic Director Leap
01:04:15 Rebuilding IU Athletics
01:06:55 Hardest Calls as AD
01:07:44 Discernment Under Fire
01:09:25 Firing Coaches Publicly
01:10:54 Leaving Before COVID
01:11:44 Hoosiers Title Reflection
01:14:00 From IU to Gleaners
01:15:07 Inside Modern Food Banking
01:18:38 Hunger Myths and Reality
01:21:20 Why Need Keeps Rising
01:28:02 Solutions and Policy Levers
01:31:00 How You Can Help
01:34:38 Indiana Rapid Fire

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