11 26 2024 Clay Robbins receives 2024 Sachem Award

Clay Robbins receives 2024 Sachem Award

INDIANAPOLIS - Governor Eric J. Holcomb honored Clay Robbins, chairman and CEO of Lilly Endowment, Inc., with the 2024 Sachem Award. A ceremony was held for friends, family and colleagues to celebrate Robbins as the recipient of the state's highest honor.

"Clay is a transformational leader in Indiana, and his humble service to our great state truly represents the very best of what it means to be an exemplary Hoosier," said Gov. Holcomb. "His thoughtful approach to philanthropy and heart for improving the lives of Hoosiers will continue to inspire those who seek to create positive change in their communities, and it is for this reason, and many more, that I am bestowing my eighth and final Sachem to Mr. Robbins."

The Sachem Award is presented annually by the Governor to recognize an individual whose lifetime of excellence and moral virtue has brought credit and honor to Indiana.

Robbins is a lifelong Hoosier, having been born and raised in Indianapolis. A member of the first graduating class at Perry Meridian High School, he graduated from Wabash College in 1979, where he was a religion major and a Lilly Scholar. Robbins earned his J.D. in 1982 from Vanderbilt Law School and worked as an attorney and partner at Baker & Daniels law firm where he focused on tax-exempt organizations, estate and gift tax and immigration law. He joined the Lilly Endowment in 1993 and has served in leadership roles ever since.

Lilly Endowment was founded in 1937 by J.K. Lilly, Sr., and his sons Eli and J.K., Jr., to support the causes of religion, community development and education. Guided by the aims and values of its founders, Robbins' leadership at the Endowment, one of the nation's largest private philanthropic organizations, has advanced initiatives that further these causes, which have improved the quality of life and place for thousands in Indiana and beyond.

Robbins has also made a difference in the lives of others by serving in volunteer leadership roles at several Indiana institutions and organizations. He has been a member of the board of the Central Indiana Corporate Partnership since its founding in 1999. Additionally, he is a former board member of United Way of Central Indiana, the Greater Indianapolis Chamber of Commerce, the Greater Indianapolis Progress Committee and Damar Homes, Inc., a nonprofit residential program providing services to school-aged children and young adults with developmental disabilities. Robbins is also a former director and president of the Indianapolis Chamber Orchestra.

Robbins resides in Indianapolis with his wife, Amy. He enjoys spending time with his three sons and their families.

A headshot is available for download by clicking here.

Sachem (Say-chum) background:

In 1970, Gov. Edgar D. Whitcomb introduced the Sachems, a group of business, industry, publishing, banking and legal leaders, who served as state hosts, welcoming visitors to Indiana and promoting the state's culture and economy. The organization's name came from the Algonquin term applied to village leaders, implying wisdom, judgment and grace.

Following Whitcomb's term, the Sachem project was not pursued, and the organization dissolved in 1989. Whitcomb visited Gov. Daniels in 2005 to acquaint him with the concept. Gov. Daniels recreated the Sachem to underscore the importance of moral example; achievement alone without exemplary virtue does not qualify a person for this recognition.

Including Robbins, nineteen Sachem Awards have been bestowed by an Indiana governor since the honor was revived in 2005. Each Sachem honoree receives a specially designed sculpture.

Previous recipients include civic leader Jim Morris (2021), Holocaust survivor Eva Mozes Kor (2017) and Rev. Theodore M. Hesburgh, president emeritus of the University of Notre Dame and world statesman (2006). Robbins is the eighth Sachem honoree named by Gov. Holcomb.

Click here for a complete list of recipients.

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