We’re excited to welcome Heath to MDLF! Heath is in charge of IT/Cyber Business Development at Artisan Electronics and lives in Bloomington.

About Heath:

Heath Murray was born and raised in small-town Indiana, With blue-collar trappings, and a salt-of-the-Earth work ethic Heath is always ready to lend a hand. Heath spent seven years as a police officer before leaving law enforcement to finish a bachelor’s degree in Information Systems Security and joining the Department of Defense (DoD) as a contractor in 2015. In 2017, Heath joined Artisan Electronics, Inc. and quickly moved into a management role, overseeing the company’s internal IT department, as well as running an IT/Cyber Security contract for the DoD located at NSWC Crane. He volunteers his time at Ivy Tech Community College in Bloomington, sitting on the Entrepreneurship and IT advisory committees. He is also one of the founders of the Bloomington chapter of the Defense Entrepreneurs Forum (DEF) and is the DEF2020 Conference Director. Heath is currently earning his Master’s degree in Corporate Innovation and Entrepreneurship from Penn State University, and in his spare time, he enjoys playing Dungeons and Dragons; reading, writing, and drawing; and spending time with his wife and their dog.

What's your vision for Indiana? How does this relate to your decision to join the program?

I applied to The Mitch Daniels Leadership Foundation to help bring a voice to Indiana’s defense industry, small businesses, and public safety. These are underrepresented sectors, yet I believe they can have a tremendous impact on our state and should be a driving force when it comes to the economy. While our large companies are a necessity - and very much a driving force for our economy - the defense industry, small businesses, and public safety rely on innovation and often, are overlooked as a driver for economic development. I believe this can and should be changed and we can show the rest of the country that Indiana is home to innovation and these underrepresented sectors, which embody Midwestern values, can lead the charge.

What's your favorite quote?

"Skills can be taught. Character you either have or you don't have." - Anthony Bourdain

What's something you're reading now?

Principles: Life and Work - Ray Dalio

Check out our blog to see more about our newest class of Fellows.