The International Center to Honor John Lechleiter as 2015 International Citizen of the Year

INDIANAPOLIS - April 13, 2015 - PRLog -- INDIANAPOLIS – [April 13, 2015] . . . John C. Lechleiter, Ph.D., who serves as Chairman, President, and Chief Executive Officer of Indianapolis-based global pharmaceutical giant Eli Lilly and Company, has been selected by the Board of Directors of The International Center as recipient of the 2015 International Citizen of the Year Award. The award will be presented at a tribute dinner and program at the Indiana Roof Ballroom on October 6, 2015.

Honorary Co-Chairs for the event represent a corporate and civic Who’s Who of previous award recipients, former Eli Lilly and Company top executives, global corporate community peer CEOs, and top civic leaders. This year’s Honorary Co-Chairs include:

         Mitchell E. Daniels, Jr.*, President, Purdue University

         Tim Hassinger, President and CEO, Dow AgroSciences

         Tom Linebarger, Chairman and CEO, Cummins

         Anne Nobles, Senior Vice President, Eli Lilly and Company (retired)

         Jack Phillips, President and CEO, Roche Diagnostics

         Sidney Taurel*, Chairman Emeritus, Eli Lilly and Company

         Ambassador Randall L. Tobias*, Chairman Emeritus, Eli Lilly and Compan

         Dr. Margaret Watanabe, Clinical Assistant Professor Emerita for the IU School          of Medicine

         *Past ICY award recipients

Marsha Stone, Senior Director of Enterprise Development for the Indianapolis International Airport and James T. Morris, Vice Chairman of Pacers Sports & Entertainment, will serve as Event Co-Chairs. Both event Co-Chairs are members of The International Center’s Board of Directors, and Jim Morris was honored as International Citizen of the Year Award in 2005.

The International Citizen of the Year Award was established in 1985 to honor individuals who have made an outstanding contribution to the globalization of Indiana in business, culture, education, government, medicine, research, media, sports or community service. Most recent honorees were Mayor Greg and Mrs. Winnie Ballard in 2014, and Mark Miles in 2013. [Note: A full list of previous recipients appears at the bottom of this release.]

Sponsorship, table sales, and individual ticket information will be available at a later date.

About The International Center
The International Center is a catalyst to inform, convene and connect public private and civic global objectives in Indiana. For more than 40 years, The International Center has served as a guide to the world’s cultural landscape, and a catalyst for the state’s international growth. Working in collaboration with businesses, organizations, government agencies, educational institutions and individual citizens, The Center expands Indiana’s global interest through a variety of programs and services and through convening diverse interests who share common international goals. The International Center is a member of Global Ties, U.S. For more information visit The Center’s website at www.internationalcenter.org

PAST ICY RECIPIENTS

2014     Mayor Greg Ballard and Mrs. Winnie Ballard

2013     Mark Miles

2011     Theodore M. Solso

2010     The Honorable Mitchell E. Daniels

2008     IU-Kenya Partnership

2007     Dr. Martin C. Jischke

2006     Ambassador Randall L. Tobias

2005     James T. Morris

2004     Christel DeHaan

2003     The Honorable Richard G. Lugar

2002     Rev. Fr. Boniface Hardin, O.S.B.

2001     Sidney Taurel

2000     Tony George

1999     Jeff Smulyan

1998     Bret Waller

1997     Lawrence H. Einhorn, MD

1996     Kai and Tom Binford

1995     KP Singh

1993     Margaret Sheridan

1993     Dr. Geoffrey Bannister

1991     Maestro Raymond Leppard

1990     The Honorable Lee H. Hamilton

1990     Sr. Marie Pierre Buttell

1989     The Honorable William H. Hudnut

1989     George Mikelsons

1987     The Honorable Robert D. Orr

1986     The Honorable Richard G. Lugar

1985     Riad Shaheen