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CARMEL, Ind. — Representing a broader team of colleagues and community partners, Baker Hill Chairman and CEO Andy Ivankovich, Kendall County Fire Marshal and Emergency Management Coordinator Brady Constantine, along with Baker Hill’s Chief Marketing Officer Jason Archer and Chief Operating Officer Rick Griskie, were recognized Friday, Jan. 30, at the 33rd Annual Indianapolis Fire Department Recognition Ceremony for their role in supporting the rapid deployment of Indiana Task Force One (IN–TF1) during the Texas floods of summer 2025.
COO of Baker Hill, Rick Griskie, Kendall County Fire Marshal and Emergency Management Coordinator Brady Constantine, Chairman and CEO of Baker Hill, Andy Ivankovich, CMO of Baker Hill, Jason Archer with Carmel Fire Department Chief Joel Thacker.
Each year, IFD honors community partners who have made a meaningful impact in helping the department accomplish its mission. As the sponsoring agency for IN-TF1, IFD played a central role in coordinating Indiana’s emergency response.
The evening highlighted the collaborative effort behind the deployment, emphasizing how public agencies, private-sector leadership, and community partners worked together to support its first responders when speed and collaboration mattered most.
Working alongside the Baker Hill board and supported by a wider team from both the organization and community, Ivankovich helped make transportation available quickly so responders could get where they were needed most. Through this shared effort, a chartered aircraft was secured to fly IN–TF1 reinforcements from Indiana to Texas. What would have taken days by bus became an overnight journey, and by 4 a.m. the next morning, responders were already on the ground — arriving in time to make a meaningful difference.
"Andy didn’t hesitate. He asked what we needed and how fast we could move. That kind of heart, that kind of action, is what defines real leadership. He gave responders more than a plane — he gave them time when every second mattered."
—Ernest Malone, Fire Chief
IN-TF1 is one of 28 FEMA-sponsored Urban Search and Rescue teams in the country and has responded to many of the nation’s most urgent disasters. Its effectiveness depends on speed, readiness, and strong partnerships — the focus of the recognition celebrated during the evening.
A particularly meaningful moment during the ceremony came when members of the IN-TF1 team who were deployed to Texas surprised the Baker Hill representatives on stage. The reunion underscored the shared experience of the response, as those team members were also recognized with awards for their service.
“Getting IN-TF1 here fast made a difference,” said Constantine, who remained on-site in Kendall County for nearly a month during the response and recovery. “Andy didn’t just offer support — he delivered it. That action brought a highly trained team into our community when we needed them most.”
Behind the scenes, Archer helped coordinate logistics from the corporate side, while Griskie was Baker Hill’s on-the-ground leadership presence during the response. Together, they stepped in and led with conviction and heart.
During the ceremony, Ivankovich reflected on the response and the sense of community it revealed.
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“When I looked around, I didn’t see disaster coverage — I saw my neighbors. My friends. Their kids. In moments like that, you just show up, because that’s what neighbors do for one another. I didn’t do anything extraordinary. None of us did. We simply helped in the ways we could, alongside so many others who were doing the same.”
Ivankovich also acknowledged the presence and support of Indiana Members Credit Union at the ceremony, noting that their support reflected the strength of the broader community behind the response.
“Having Indiana Members Credit Union with us that evening was a reminder of what community really means,” said Ivankovich. “It’s not defined by contracts or organizations — it’s defined by people who choose to stand together when it matters most.”
