Meet the Executive Eli Lilly and Company Leadership Team: Bart Peterson
Meet the Executive Eli Lilly and Company Leadership Team: Bart Peterson
Bart Peterson joined Eli Lilly and Company in June 2009 as senior vice president of corporate affairs and communications. He is a member of the company’s executive committee.
Peterson received a bachelor’s degree from Purdue University in 1980 and earned his law degree at the University of Michigan in 1983.
Prior to joining Lilly, Peterson was Managing Director at Strategic Capital Partners, LLC from June 2008 to June 2009. During spring 2008, Peterson was a fellow with the Institute of Politics of Harvard University’s Kennedy School of Government. During the 2008-2009 school year, Peterson was a Distinguished Visiting Professor of Public Policy at Ball State University. He continues as a fellow with the University’s Bowen Center for Public Affairs.
From 2000 to 2007, Peterson served two terms as Mayor of Indianapolis, the nation’s 12th largest city. He also served as President of the National League of Cities in 2007. As mayor, Peterson led a transformation of public education in Indianapolis as the only mayor in America with the authority to create new schools by issuing charters. He was responsible for 16 charter schools and won Harvard University’s prestigious Innovations in American Government Award for the initiative in 2006. He was also instrumental in the business expansions of FedEx, Rolls Royce, and WellPoint in Indianapolis, and the construction and development of major projects such as Lucas Oil Stadium, the Conrad Indianapolis, Simon Property Group’s world headquarters, the new Indianapolis International Airport’s Col. H. Weir Cook terminal building, and the future Indiana Convention Center expansion and J.W. Marriott Hotel.
Along with Indiana University, Purdue University, Lilly, and the Central Indiana Corporate Partnership, he created BioCrossroads, a focused effort to push Indianapolis to the forefront as a life sciences capital. Peterson was honored by the National Association of Clean Water Agencies with their city government leader of the year award for his efforts in cleaning up the Indianapolis waterways.
Prior to running for office, Peterson served as a member of Indiana Governor Evan Bayh’s leadership team, first as his aide for environmental affairs and later as chief of staff, and was an attorney with IceMiller, an Indianapolis law firm.
Peterson is a founding member and board chair of The Mind Trust, a non-profit organization promoting entrepreneurship in education. He is also a board member of the Regenstrief Foundation and the Christian Theological Seminary, as well as a member of the Board of Advisors for Ball State University’s Bowen Center for Public Affairs. In 2012, Peterson was appointed by the US State Department to the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Business Advisory Council.
Source: Eli Lilly and Co. Press Releases – Executive Bios