“Being named Entrepreneur of the Year by IBJ is a huge honor that I will cherish and share with all the individuals who’ve contributed to my journey.”
Justin Christian, Founder & CEO BCforwardThe Indianapolis Business Journal has named BCforward founder and CEO Justin Christian as the inaugural winner of the Mickey Maurer Entrepreneur of the Year Award. This honor recognizes Justin for building BCforward into a global force of more than 5,000 employees and making outstanding contributions to a host of community organizations.
The award feels like a win for the entire BCforward team, a sentiment articulated by Justin when he reflected on being named IBJ’s Entrepreneur of the Year.
“No one can attribute 100% of their success to their own efforts,” remarked Justin. “All of us, that includes me, are the products of countless mentors, teachers, partners, teammates, and friends. Being named Entrepreneur of the Year by IBJ is a huge honor that I will cherish and share with all the individuals who’ve contributed to my journey.”
Justin founded BCforward more than 25 years ago and grew it from a team of two to one of the largest Black-owned businesses in the United States. BCforward proudly offers Professional Services and Workforce Management solutions and serves multi-national clients in the finance, life science, technology, integrator, healthcare and government sectors.
“Indiana needs more entrepreneurs like Justin Christian, who has not only built a company with global reach but has done it while giving back to the community.”
Nate Feltman, IBJ publisher
IBJ publisher Nate Feltman will personally recognize Justin on May 14 at IBJ’s annual Fast 25 event. The event celebrates private companies in Indiana that have demonstrated the most significant revenue increases over the past two years.
“Indiana needs more entrepreneurs like Justin Christian, who has not only built a company with global reach, but has done it while giving back to the community,” Feltman said.
Christian’s commitment to philanthropy extends beyond his business endeavors. He serves on the boards of prestigious organizations such as the Lumina Foundation, Central Indiana Corporate Partnership, and DePauw University. In recognition of his outstanding contributions to student outreach, mentorship, and charitable donations, the university dedicated the Justin and Darianne Christian Center for Diversity and Inclusion.
The Entrepreneur of the Year award is named after renowned Indiana attorney and businessman Micky Maurer. Over his storied career, Maurer has played a pivotal role in the success of numerous ventures across various industries, including cable television, film production, radio broadcasting, newspaper publishing, real estate, and banking. In 1993, Maurer and his cousin, Morrie Maurer, co-founded The National Bank of Indianapolis, where Mickey remains a board member. Maurer also served as Indiana secretary of commerce in the administration of Governor Mitch Daniels and founded a not-for-profit corporate retreat, Mickey’s Camp, which has been helping raise funds for various charities for more than two decades. The Fast 25 event at which Justin will be honored will take place at the JW Marriott in Indianapolis on May 14, 2024. It will begin with Fast 25 registration and networking at 3:30 p.m., followed by a program at 4:00 p.m.
If you’d like to join us in raising a glass to Justin and mingling with leaders from the 25 fastest-growing businesses in Indiana, you can visit this link to purchase individual tickets or reserve a corporate table at IBJ’s Fast 25.
