(INDIANAPOLIS) — The Indiana Chamber of Commerce celebrated Jacob Perkins, Midwest K-12 education manager at Jeffersonville-based Amatrol, Inc., with the 2025 Jackson Lewis Emerging Leader of the Year Award at its inaugural Emerging Leaders Forum held today in Indianapolis. The event sold out with nearly 250 in attendance.
The Emerging Leader Award recognizes a young leader who has positively contributed to the Hoosier business landscape, and nominees must be 45 years old or younger and Indiana residents. Over 40 quality nominations were received from across the state and in various industries.
In his role at Amatrol – a global leader in career and technical education – Perkins’ work has had significant impact on building Indiana’s youth workforce pipeline, which has resulted in increasing the number of high school graduates finding a path to successful careers in Indiana’s key technology and advanced manufacturing industries.
“Despite facing stiff competition, our winner was a unanimous choice by the selection committee,” says Indiana Chamber President and CEO Vanessa Green Sinders. “Jacob is helping shape the future of the Hoosier workforce. And that speaks to a desired outcome of our Indiana Prosperity 2035 vision plan for the state, which is for businesses to thrive and set citizens on a path to be more prosperous and enjoy higher-wage employment.”
“Jacob led efforts to gain Indiana’s statewide adoption of cutting-edge educational programs that will enhance the advanced manufacturing process to create a more efficient, flexible and intelligent production system,” remarks Brian McDermott, Indianapolis office managing principal for Jackson Lewis. “He’s made a tremendous impact, and we can’t think of a more deserving honoree.”
Perkins says he tries to “lead by example” and “listen more than I talk.” He also shares how being an avid sportsman has positively impacted his professional approach.
“The thing I’ve really learned from sports is perseverance,” Perkins states. “There are going to be days where everything goes really well, and there are days when things are off. Learning how to deal with that and how to push through – will yourself through – that’s key in any job.”
Jackson Lewis P.C. was the presenting sponsor of the Emerging Leaders Forum and the award. Gold event sponsors were Arcwood Environmental and Lumina Foundation, and silver sponsors were IU Kelley School of Business and LHD Benefit Advisors.
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The Indiana Chamber partners with 25,000 members and investors – representing over four million Hoosiers – to achieve the mission of “cultivating a world-class environment which provides economic opportunity and prosperity.”
