Miller College of Business Calendar

Ball State alumna Jennifer Wiese, '87 is the Founder and Owner of BeeFree Gluten-Free Bakery, a Noblesville, Indiana-based snack company she launched in January 2010 after herfamily's gluten- and casein-free journey, sparked by her son's autism diagnosis, revealed a gap in great-tasting, better-for-you options.With a foundation in fashion merchandising and business and professional experience spanning fashion, sales, and fundraising, Jennifer has grown BeeFree from a grassroots, farmers-market hustle into a nationally distributed brand-reaching major retailers and showing up in everyday places like grocery stores, coffee shops, and airports - while staying anchored to a "real ingredients" approach and a mission that encourages people to feel strong, fueled, and free from processed junk. Through BeeFree's nonprofit arm, BeeFree Bakes, she extends that purpose into community impact by creating job opportunities and support for adults with autism and other disabilities, demonstrating how values-led entrepreneurship can scale with both heart and results.A national speaker and poster presenter, she has presented at HIMSS, AMSN, and AACN, sharing insights on care models, staffing innovation, and performance improvement. Carrie is passionate about patient-centered care, operational excellence, and empowering teams to achieve measurable results. She recently completed her MBA in Healthcare Management to further her impact on healthcare transformation.

Marcus Hall serves as President and Partner at California Closets, a brand within the Threefold Portfolio. Marcus is responsible for operations across Indiana, Illinois, Kentucky, and Ohio. With 10+ years at the helm, Marcus leads a cross-functional team dedicated to delivering high-quality custom furniture and storage solutions within these franchise locations. His role focuses on strategic leadership, fostering innovation, and aligning teams to achieve shared goals while positively impacting clients, employees, and communities. California Closets Midwest is one brand within a portfolio of five companies within the Threefold platform. Threefold is a low leverage, permanent equity firm that partners with and grows specialty contracting companies serving the built environment.

Ready to have fun and relax? Look no further than the Miller College of Business Spring Carnival hosted by the Dean's Student Advisory Council. Hang out with us on April 4th from 9 a.m.- 3 p.m. on University Green (outside to the West of the Whitinger and South of the Architecture Buildings). Play games, network, and play volleyball. All students are welcome including newly admitted students for next year. We hope to see you there!

Born and raised on the U.S.–Mexico border in Ciudad Juárez, México, Félix Medina earned his B.A. in Hispanic Literature & Linguistics from the Autonomous University of Ciudad Juárez. He moved to Indiana in 2007 and, inspired by his father’s entrepreneurial path, launched his first company—Vedia Global—in 2014. The translation and language-services firm grew quickly, serving major clients such as the Department of Justice, the NBA, the Smithsonian Institute, the City of Indianapolis, the NCAA, and the Indiana State Museum, before being acquired by a larger corporation.After several years in the translation field, Félix transitioned into marketing and media, spending time with Telemundo and later working in the broader Indy marketing ecosystem. But the entrepreneurial call never left. In August 2025, he founded El Capitán Digital Marketing (AKA El Cap DM)—a multicultural boutique strategy agency helping U.S. companies authentically connect with Latino communities through culturally intelligent marketing, community engagement, and real-world bilingual insights.Outside of work, Félix is usually traveling, skiing, drinking great coffee, brainstorming creative ideas with ChatGPT, playing tennis, or listening to Bad Bunny. A true language lover and multicultural explorer, he speaks Spanish, English, and Portuguese, is currently studying Turkish, and has traveled to more than 20 countries—including Iceland, Turkey, Greece, Costa Rica, Jamaica, Cuba, Italy, Canada, Mexico, Guatemala, and Spain.

The Miller College of Business 21st Annual Alumni Awards is a highly anticipated event that brings together alumni. Join us on Friday, April 17, 2026 at the Alumni Center for an exciting celebration, recognition, and networking day.

Darius Norwood is an entrepreneur and CEO who stepped into the leadership of a second-generation, family-owned commercial landscaping company serving the Indianapolis area for more than 30 years. Rather than building from a blank slate, Darius has focused on rebuilding, navigating legacy systems, inherited culture, and real-world constraints while modernizing operations and repositioning the business for long-term growth.With experience across corporate environments, real estate, and entrepreneurship, Darius brings a practical, ground-level perspective on business development, decision-making under pressure, and leading through uncertainty. His approach is rooted in faith, accountability, and disciplined execution, with a belief that sustainable businesses are built by honoring people, process, and purpose, not shortcuts.Kirsten Norwood is a second-generation entrepreneur and Executive Chair of a family-owned commercial landscaping company serving the Indianapolis area for more than 30 years. A Ball State University alum, she focuses on company strategy, workforce development, and community impact while navigating the realities of family business ownership. Kirsten is passionate about faith-driven leadership, breaking barriers as a Black woman in entrepreneurship, and helping the next generation build purpose-led careers.