Bob Schultz, APR
#HaveYouHerd: For today’s #FridayFeature, we decided it would be best to head to the heart of the city! Bob Schultz is the Senior Vice President of Marketing, Communications, and Events for Downtown Indy, Inc., where he works hard on improving and elevating downtown Indianapolis. To learn how he does so, keep on reading.
Bob Schultz received his bachelor’s degree in Business/Corporate Communication from Purdue University and later received a master’s in Pastoral Theology with Adult Training from Loyola of Chicago. Bob has had years of experience in marketing and events by assisting Eli Lilly and Co., the University of Notre Dame, the 2012 Super Bowl Host Committee, and many more. In Bob’s current position as the Senior Vice President of Marketing, Communications, and Events for Downtown Indy, Inc., he is responsible for developing and implementing the organization’s strategic marketing, coordinating their event schedules, and leading the #BackDowntownIndy COVID-19 recovery efforts. On top of all of that, Bob is also a ballroom instructor and a wedding officiant. Who knew!
We asked Bob what elevating Indianapolis looks like to him, and he said, “Elevating Indianapolis is about focusing on the positive narrative of our great city and believing that even more greatness will follow. A challenge we encounter is that we need to believe that Indianapolis is not just a product but a community. And as a community, we must continue to be bold, but not cocky or exclusive.”
Bob also had some great advice to offer those interested in elevating their community. “Take the time to listen before acting,” he said, “Understand before responding. There are a lot of opinions out there on what needs to be done and how. But, as the late Senator from New York, Daniel Patrick Moynihan, once said, ‘You’re entitled to your own opinions, but not your own facts.’ ”
Currently, Bob is working on bringing Indianapolis residents and visitors back by using the Back Downtown campaign to reposition the city as a vibrant, safe place for all to enjoy. Getting the community back downtown is a crucial part of elevating the local businesses. He has some thoughts about the naysayers. “The naysayers on social media suggest Downtown is a crime-ridden, homeless apocalyptic hell hole, which couldn’t be further from the truth. I would imagine that most of those naysayers have spent an hour or less Downtown since March 2020. The truth is that 96% of all the crime in our city/county has happened OUTSIDE of Downtown.”
We need more people like Bob in our community who are elevating downtown Indianapolis to be an excellent place for people to live and visit. To keep up with Bob’s great work, you can follow him on Facebook (@DowntownIndy), Twitter (@IndyDT), Instagram (@downtownindy), or their website https://www.downtownindy.org/.