Thursday, February 19, 2026
11 a.m.
Ryan Gard is Vice President for Cintas Corporation’s North Central Region, where he leads with a commitment to operational excellence and talent development. Cintas, a Fortune 500 company, provides essential services to over one million customers across North America.Ryan earned his bachelor’s degree in Operations Management from Ball State University in 2006 and immediately began his career with Cintas as a Sales Representative. Over the past two decades, he has navigated a dynamic career path through roles including Sales Manager, Enterprise Training Manager, and General Manager, culminating in his current executive leadership position. He remains engaged with his alma mater as a member of the Miller College of Business Leadership and Management Advisory Board.Anchored by his guiding philosophy, “When you start to give 99% is when you start to fail,” Ryan is passionate about building strong leaders and driving performance. Outside the office, he enjoys coaching his son’s travel baseball team, spending time outdoors, and being with his family.
12 p.m.
Ball State applied behavior analysis graduate student Jayda Peoples will present her research on the effectiveness of using video modeling to increase vocational and vocal skills in children with autism. She will discuss how these strategies teach independence, help skill generalization, and provide engaging resources for children with autism in school settings and their community.This event is a part of the University Libraries' Virtual Lunch and Learn Series and is free and open to the public.
6:30 p.m.

The top 10 finalists from the preliminary rounds will present their 3MT live in front of an audience!