Ivy Tech Community College Bloomington will welcome John Bender, co-founder of Pizza Hut and Chairman at Bender Lumber Co., as the featured speaker for the Gayle & Bill Cook Center for Entrepreneurship’s 15th fundraising event, a Fireside Chat, on October 15 at 4:30 p.m.
“We are honored to welcome Mr. John Bender to Ivy Tech Bloomington as our featured speaker,” said Steve Bryant, executive director of the Cook Center for Entrepreneurship. “Mr. Bender’s history of building successful ventures offers valuable lessons for our students and community, and we look forward to hearing his expertise on what it takes to launch and grow a business.”
Bender has five decades of experience as one of Indiana’s most respected entrepreneurs. As the founder of several well-known southern Indiana businesses, he has a track record of successfully propelling ventures from concept to commercialization.
He was one of the founders of the original Pizza Hut. After leaving the business, Bender became the one of its largest franchisees in the Midwest, building a 25-store chain throughout Indiana.
He serves as chairman at Bender Lumber, an eight-store retail building materials chain in southern Indiana and is chief marketing officer and chairman at First Capital Group. He is also one of the founders and a board member of Sentry Bio Pharma services, a 20-year old company with operations in Indianapolis, Columbus, and Denmark.
Bender is actively involved in regional economic development initiatives and sits on the board of several local companies. He is a past vice chairman of the White House Conference on Small Business and has served on the Federal Reserve Small Business Committee.
Ivy Tech Bloomington entrepreneurship students and alumni will be highlighted at the event with a pop-up shop for guests to browse, shop, and learn more about the value of an Ivy Tech entrepreneurship education.
For more information and to purchase tickets or sponsorship tables, visit ivytech.edu/cookevent.
About the Cook Center Event
The Cook Center’s signature event was launched in 2010 by Ivy Tech Bloomington to bring students and the community together in a forum to hear from entrepreneurial leaders about the value of supporting innovation and free enterprise. Proceeds go to the Cook Center for Entrepreneurship Foundation Fund, supporting student initiatives and programing to serve clients at the Cook Center.
About Ivy Tech Community College
Ivy Tech Community College is Indiana's largest public postsecondary institution and the nation's largest singly accredited statewide community college system, accredited by the Higher Learning Commission. Ivy Tech has campuses throughout Indiana and also serves thousands of students annually online. It serves as the state's engine of workforce development, offering associate degrees, long- and short-term certificate programs, industry certifications, and training that aligns with the needs of the community. The College provides a seamless transfer to other colleges and universities in Indiana, as well as out of state, for a more affordable route to a bachelor's degree.
