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James R. Dodson
CEO, The Dodson Group, Inc.
9100 Keystone Crossing, Suite 750
Indianapolis, IN 46240
Jim Dodson is Chief Executive Officer of The Dodson Group,
Incorporated, a firm he and friends formed in May 1986. The
firm helps small and mid-size businesses improve procurement
practices for overnight package delivery, long distance telephone,
travel services, and office supplies. The Dodson Group was
ranked by Inc. Magazine as one of the fastest growing private
companies in 1993 and 1994 and has received numerous civic
awards for helping the disadvantaged in the Indianapolis community.
In 2002, Dodson created SaveItNow! Franchising Systems, a
wholly owned subsidiary of The Dodson Group to distribute
its products and services through a franchise network.
The original concept for the Dodson Group came from an organization
Dodson founded while attending Purdue University called Student
Purchasing, Inc. This not for profit organization helped fraternities
and sororities reduce costs of dairy products, trash pickup
and other services through aggregating purchasing volume.
At Purdue, Jim was a member and officer of the Phi Gamma Delta
Fraternity and served as Representative to Purdue’s
Board of Trustees. Jim was selected Outstanding Greek Man
in 1982 and was the recipient of the G.A. Ross Award given
to the outstanding male graduate in 1983.
After graduation, Dodson went to work at Procter and Gamble
in brand management in Cincinnati, Ohio. Later, he moved back
to Indianapolis and worked for Ameritech before starting the
Dodson Group in 1986. Jim is married and has four children
ages 16 to 10. Jim’s activities outside work include
being a trustee and officer for the Indianapolis Children’s
Museum, trustee of Hanover College, member and director of
the Hundred Club, member and director of Indiana Grant Makers
Alliance, past president of the Dayspring Food Shelter, past
director of the 500 Festival, past chair of Young Life in
Indianapolis, past director of Lambda Iota of Phi Gamma Delta.
Jim was a 1997 Jefferson Award Recipient for volunteer service
for the State of Indiana, and was a finalist for entrepreneur
of the year in Indiana in 1994 and 1995. Jim received IU’s
Spirit of Philanthropy award in 2002.
In 1992, Jim and business partners Tom Jackson and Jay Geshay
formed the Sycamore Foundation and began funding it with 10%
of the profits from The Dodson Group. The Sycamore Foundation
has two programs: Driving for Dreams Golf Tournament which
has helped raise over $300,000 for local nonprofits, and the
Indiana Achievement Awards which annually recognizes our Indiana's
six most effective nonprofits, and has awarded $240,000 to
those recipients.
©2003 Indiana Grantmakers Alliance, Inc.
32 East Washington Street, Suite 1100
Indianapolis, Indiana, 46204
Phone: (317) 630-5200 | Fax: (317) 630-5210
Email: info@indianagrantmakers.org
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