Real estate developer honored as Indiana business leader of year
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The Terre Haute native at the helm of one of the largest real estate development firms in Indianapolis is this year’s Hoosier business leader of the year.
The Indiana Chamber of Commerce named Paul Thrift of Thompson Thrift the 2023 Ogletree Deakins Business Leader of the Year.
“He is laser focused on continued learning to keep his company and its employees on an upward trajectory,” Chamber CEO Kevin Brinegar said in a news release. “No one knows the real estate and development market better than Paul Thrift.”
The Terre Haute-based firm he co-founded is the seventh-largest developer firm in Indianapolis, according to IBJ’s 2022 ranking, scaling 7,418,907 square feet in the city. It was also named to the 2023 Inc. 5000 list of the fastest growing companies.
The firm has stacked $4.9 billion in the development of residential and commercial property in 21 states, according to a Chamber press release. Two local projects include the multifamily housing community Slate at Fishers District and the Fishers Event Center, which will house the Indy Fuel.
The company was started after Thrift and his high school friend-turned-business partner flipped a home. The company was founded in 1986 and Thrift said he’s especially proud of downtown Terre Haute projects in the two hotels, the children’s museum and the federal building.
“It’s been a long journey now – 37 years since that first house we purchased,” Thrift said in the release. “It’s been quite a ride and a lot of fun. Our story is one of providence. We have been extremely blessed.”
Thrift will be honored at the Indiana Chamber’s 34th Annual Awards Dinner. Other awards given include the Birch Bayh-Richard Lugar Government Leader of the Year, the NextEra Energy Resources Community of the Year and the Dynamic Leader of the Year