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ICON of the Month: Jon Wright

ICON of the Month: Jon Wright

By Todd Travis

Jon Wright has been an entrepreneur for as long as he can remember. He started with delivering papers at age 12, continuing on through selling candy or magazines or newspapers after that. “I was always driven to being an entrepreneur and being my own boss,” he said. “My mom and dad ran an E&L Cake & Candy in downtown Greenwood. I’m not sure it bolstered my enthusiasm for entrepreneurship because it was not easy, but I do think it helped me to stomach the more difficult parts of entrepreneurship that I’ve faced,” he added. His company, Core Managed, an IT consulting company, was just added to the Fast25 list of growing businesses in Indianapolis by the Indianapolis Business Journal.

During the 2008 recession, Wright took time from the direct marketing company he was operating and decided to look into other avenues for his future business ventures. As he looked at what he enjoyed most in the work he had been doing, he realized that managing the technology was at the top of the list. “I specifically enjoyed making sure that technology served the business purpose and was not just technology for the sake of technology. That’s something that is somewhat unique in my position – in my seat usually sits a technician or an engineer, but in our company the seat is occupied by someone who has always run a business that used technology to serve the businesses purpose,” Wright explained. “Since I liked that so much, I decided my next attempt at business should be technology-related,” he continued.

As Core Managed grows and begins to serve a market that goes beyond Indianapolis, he also spends time running a nonprofit with his wife, Jenna called “Hannah’s Wish.” The purpose of Hannah’s Wish is to come alongside people who are experiencing infertility, stillbirths, miscarriage and infant loss. “We start by giving all the hospitals and doctors’ offices our information and they give that to families on their way out the door. They go home and read it and learn about us. Along with the info, we leave a number they can send a text message to, and we buy a meal for them.” Wright explained. “We also invite them to a peer-led support group if they are interested,” he continued. Wright and his wife began this nonprofit as they were struggling with infertility themselves and had their second child not long after starting Hannah’s Wish.

What do you consider your greatest virtue? Compassion. Putting others first.

What do you most deplore in others? Narcissism

What do you like most about living in Johnson County? The people!  You can build and develop relationships easily here. There’s an extra sense of security that comes from living in such a strong community.

If you had to live elsewhere than in Johnson County, where would it be? It’d be somewhere with less harsh winters.

If you could begin life over, what would you change? I’d enter the technology business sooner! I wish I’d found my true passion sooner.

If money were no issue, how would you spend it? I’d spend it supporting children and families. (Adoption, foster care, infertility, etc.).

What makes you happiest? Being with my wife, anywhere.

What is your favorite vacation spot? Anywhere Amtrak will take me. I love trains!

What do you do with idle time? We have two girls, ages 4 and 13. Combined with a growing business, I don’t have idle time. I like it that way.

What is it that makes you angry? Nothing. It’s a waste of time. I focus on solving the problem.

What do you do to escape from reality? Travelling is probably the closest I come to escaping reality. Being on vacation is nothing like real life!

What or who is the greatest love of your life? On this earth, my wife!

Which living person in Johnson County do you most admire? My dad, Cliff Wright. Unlike me, he’s a quiet man. He is a Godly man and has lived out his convictions without talking about it.

What is the quality you most like in a person? I’m around so many influential people, that the quality that sticks out and is most exceptional is humility.

What is your greatest extravagance? All the things we do to trade money for time. Mowing and landscaping, pool service, etc.

What are your fears, phobias? I’ve recently developed claustrophobia, and it manifests itself in more places than you might think!

What has been the happiest time of your life? When our family was blessed with a second healthy child after eight years of infertility and miscarriage.

Which talent would you most like to possess? I’d like to be good at golf. It looks fun, but I can’t enjoy it while I’m bad at it.

What do you most value in your friends? Loyalty and wisdom.

Which historical figure do you most identify with? Jeffrey Lebowski

What is your greatest regret? I don’t have any significant regrets.

What tenet do you live by? That all I really am is a sinner, saved by the grace of God. I didn’t do anything to deserve it, and I’m no better than anyone else.

 

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