BLOOMINGTON— Ivy Tech Community College Bloomington’s Gayle & Bill Cook Center for Entrepreneurship is set to host a significant fundraising event next week, featuring one of Indiana’s most successful business figures, John Bender, co-founder of Pizza Hut.
Bender, who is also the Chairman of Bender Lumber and First Capital Group, will be the featured speaker for the 15th annual Cook Center fundraising event, presented as a Fireside Chat. He is expected to share the remarkable story behind Pizza Hut’s founding and recount his five decades of experience in taking ventures “from concept to commercialization.”
The fundraising efforts from the event are crucial, as proceeds support both current Ivy Tech entrepreneurship students and Cook Center clients who are establishing new businesses.
Adding to the local focus, entrepreneurship students and alumni will host a pop-up shop at the event, giving attendees a chance to meet local business owners and employers who have emerged from the program.
The Fireside Chat is scheduled for Wednesday, October 15, 2025, and will take place at Shreve Hall on the Ivy Tech Community College Bloomington campus, located at 200 Daniels Way.
In addition to John Bender, other prominent leaders expected to participate in the event include:
- Erik Coyne, Chancellor, Ivy Tech Community College Bloomington
- Dan Peterson, Vice President, Industry and Government Affairs, Cook Group, Inc.
