Luke Bosso on Leading IU Indy Athletics and Building Indianapolis

Luke Bosso built one of Indianapolis's most unconventional resumes in civic life, moving from state government and the Indiana Economic Development Corp to leading Division I athletics at IU Indianapolis. Now three years in as director of athletics, Bosso oversees 300 student athletes across 18 sports and is preparing to open the James C. Morris Arena, a 3,800-seat downtown venue that represents the most significant facility milestone in IU Indy Jaguar Athletics history. Bosso traces his work ethic to his parents' habit of welcoming people in need, his years as a bat boy with the Indianapolis Indians, and mentors including former Indiana Gov. Eric Holcomb's chief of staff Earl Goode and the late civic leader Jim Morris. He discusses what it was like to serve as chief of staff at the IEDC during the COVID-19 pandemic, including a late-night chase to verify a fraudulent PPE deal that ended with a 4 a.m. phone call to 3M Malaysia. The conversation also covers what surprised him most about working inside state government, why he believes curiosity is the most underrated professional skill, and the pressure of leading an athletics department where wins and losses are always public. Bosso is a Franklin College and North Central High School alumnus who serves on the Indianapolis Zoo board of trustees and the Hoosier Lottery Commission.