Ball State University, Indianapolis, launched the inaugural Ohlson Family Speaker Series program at its new Indianapolis center on Wednesday, March 14, 2007. New York Times best-selling author Chester Elton, co-author of the just released The Carrot Principle, kicked off the series. Elton and his co-author Adrian Gostick are recognition consultants to Fortune 500 companies. The series was one of the components of Ball State's Insurance Accelerator Project. The project is a collaborative partnership between the university, the Indiana Economic Development Corporation's Office of Insurance Initiatives and the industry, to grow and enhance the insurance and financial services workforce in Indiana.

Ray and Ann Ohlson, both Ball State graduates provided funding to establish this program. "The insurance business has produced great dividends to Ann and me since we graduated from Ball State," said Ohlson. "Indiana provides a great platform for insurance industry growth," continued Ohlson, "and Ball State University has positioned itself as a premiere institution serving the financial services industry." The Ohlson Family Speaker Series will continue next fall. Sponsors for the inaugural event were:

GREAT AMERICAN LIFE INSURANCE COMPANY, Cincinnati, OH