Episode Details

On today's show I sat down with Tod Minnich, president and CEO of Honeywell Arts and Entertainment in Wabash, Indiana, a nonprofit that has grown from the historic Honeywell Center into a multi-venue quality-of-life engine for a town of about 10,000.

Minnich traces the legacy of thermostat inventor Mark Honeywell and the community center he founded in the 1940s, the 1994 performing arts expansion, and his own arrival in 2003 to stabilize finances and expand programming from 12 concerts a year to about 50 pre-pandemic.

Minnich explains acquiring and renovating key properties, including the Eagles Theatre, Honeywell House, the 13-24 Drive-In Movie Theater, Charley Creek Inn, and the Clarkson House, emphasizing philanthropy, hospitality, and community revitalization through arts access like Arts for All, drawing participants from counties across the state.

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:
- The Legacy of Mark Honeywell
- How the Honeywell Center and Honeywell Arts & Entertainment Drive Visitors to Wabash
- Honeywell's Arts for All Program

Thank you to our partners:
Greek's Pizzeria

Check out these great clips from the show:
01:13 Guest Introduction: Tod Minnich, Honeywell Arts & Entertainment
02:35 Honeywell Origins Story
04:10 Community Center Legacy
06:36 1994 Expansion and Big Acts
09:07 Tod Joins and Stabilizes
11:27 Growth Playbook
13:12 Saving the Eagles Theatre
17:02 Cook Cup Renovation Win
20:00 Eagles Today Arts for All
21:54 Honeywell House Revival
26:09 13-24 Drive-In Expansion
26:55 Saving the Drive-In
27:19 Throwbacks and Sound Setup
28:14 The Hard Economics
29:57 Quality of Life Pitch
31:43 Scaling Beyond Wabash
32:29 Eagles Renovation and Pandemic
33:04 Charley Creek Inn Revival
36:24 Ford Meter Box Legacy
39:48 Arts Academy and Clarkson House
41:34 Arts as Community Soul
43:45 Programs and Regional Reach
47:09 Visit Wabash Weekend Pitch
49:17 Rapid-Fire Indiana Round
53:51 Final Thanks and Where to Find More

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