Brian Payne

President & CEO

317.634.2423, ext. 177
brianp@cicf.org

I’m Brian Payne and my passion is to make Indianapolis a Top 10 city of choice, one that will attract and retain the most educated, creative, and community minded people in the world. Two of my personal interests are urban design and bicycling – and The Indianapolis Cultural Trail: A Legacy of Gene and Marilyn Glick is a great example of how both can be combined to transform a city.

Brian Payne is President of Central Indiana Community Foundation (CICF) and The Indianapolis Foundation. CICF is the result of the 1997 initiative between The Indianapolis Foundation, serving Marion County since 1916, and Legacy Fund Community Foundation, serving Hamilton County since 1991. Since he joined CICF in November 2000, the Foundation’s annual grantmaking has increased from $15 million to over $40 million. Under his direction, the CICF staff and board redefined the Foundation’s business model and created clarity and focus on how best to accomplish the Foundation’s mission to inspire, support, and practice philanthropy, leadership, and service in central Indiana.

An updated Strategic Plan was adopted for 2008-2010 and strengthened the Foundation’s commitment to community transformation through leadership and grantmaking, and providing resources and expertise to manage foundations for families and individuals. CICF is committed to three multi-million dollar/multi-year community leadership initiatives: CICF Family Success Initiative, CICF Inspiring Places Initiative, and the CICF College Readiness Initiative.

The Indianapolis Cultural Trail: A Legacy of Gene and Marilyn Glick is the major Marion County project of the Inspiring Places Initiative. Brian has played a lead role in creating, developing and raising funds for this eight mile, world-class urban greenway trail that will connect all six of the city’s cultural districts, as well as all of downtown’s arts, cultural, heritage, sports and entertainment facilities. Since there is nothing like the $55 million Cultural Trail anywhere else in the world, the expectation is that the Cultural Trail will become an icon for Indianapolis and play a major role in talent attraction and retention for the region, and significantly impact economic development and quality of life in central Indiana.

Prior to his CICF appointment, Brian was Managing Director of the Indiana Repertory Theatre (IRT) for seven years. The IRT, Indiana’s resident professional theatre, is nationally respected for the quality of its work, its close connection to the community, and its focus on and care in creating a supportive environment for artists. During Brian’s tenure, the IRT grew its audience and significantly increased its community and educational programs. Brian also played a lead role in raising $16.5 million to create the IRT’s endowment and to renovate the company’s historic theatre built in 1927.

Brian has been very involved in the Indianapolis community since he arrived in 1993. Currently, Brian serves on the boards of Indianapolis Downtown, Inc., Greater Indianapolis Progress Committee, the Indianapolis Convention and Visitor’s Association, and Brebeuf Jesuit Preparatory School. Other community assignments include Vice-Chair of the IUPUI Advisory Board, and a member of the Key Bank Indiana Advisory Board.

Brian has previously served as President of the Indianapolis Consortium of Arts Administrators, as a board member of the United Way, Lacy Leadership Association, and the Techpoint Foundation. One of his favorite assignments was serving as the co-chair of the Placemaking Committee of the Indianapolis Regional Center Plan 2020.

Brian has been honored with the Michael A. Carroll Civic Leadership award and the Margot Eccles Lacy Leadership Association Advancement award. He was also a recipient of IBJ’s Forty under 40 award.

Brian is a native Californian. Before making his home in Indianapolis, he was Managing Director of Shakespeare Santa Cruz for eight years and worked for various theatre producing organizations in Southern California including the La Jolla Playhouse and the 1984 Los Angeles Olympic Arts Festival. He received both his Master of Fine Arts degree and Bachelor of Arts from UCLA.