Jim Morris, Ball State University alum, followed his heart through the core values he learned at Ball State to do the work that truly matters. 

Jim is husband to Shantel (28 years), father to Dylan (21) and Kyla (18), and the President & CEO of Greater Indy Habitat for Humanity.  Jim is in his 15^th year leading the regional affiliate that is part of the worldwide affordable housing mission. He has guided the affiliate from providing 24 housing solutions in Marion County annually to over 100 in four counties annually.

Jim graduated from Ball State University in 1990 with a Bachelor of Science in journalism and marketing. He was a member of the Delta Tau Delta fraternity and Order of Omega while also writing for the Ball State Daily News. He worked for the Sports Information Office for two years and interned for the Indiana Pacers in media relations. 

Outside of his professional life, he goes home to his wife, also a Ball State University alumnus, and his two children. His daughter is a first-year student at the University of Cincinnati, studying marketing and communications, and psychology. His son is a third-year student at Purdue University studying marketing and accounting.

Jim found he was not as interested in working the sidelines at games, but would rather watch from the stands as a sports fanatic. With this new development, he shifted to marketing to understand a new perspective on storytelling. He also wrote independently for the Indiana Arts magazine and a few other business publications. 

During his time as a fraternity member, Jim helped with several acts of community service, including their main philanthropic event, Watermelon Bust (similar to a field day but with watermelon). This campus-wide fundraiser involves all sorority and fraternity life to help raise money for the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation. 

Upon joining the workforce, Jim started off in the profit sector (for eight years) working in the residential building & development industry, both production and custom home building. Unfortunately, during these years, he faced one of his hardest tests yet; in the spring of 1995, Davis Homes laid him off at the young age of 27.

To continue paying the bills, Jim took a position as a sales manager for Velux Skylights in Indiana. He then met his wife while she finished her degree at Ball State. She took a job in Orlando, Florida, upon graduation in 1996. About six months later, they were engaged and Jim followed her south, finding a job with a custom home builder.

While on the job, a client wanted a change in her original plan. During conversations with the client, Jim reflected on his true purpose; he realized deep down that he did not care about this line of work and it didn’t reflect his true self. He believed the client should have someone working with them who truly cares about the work they are doing for others.

“My journalism education and early practice provided a spark for uncovering the truth. Discovering the truth has been and continues to be deeply a part of me. As I participated in the market space, there was a void in me that I couldn’t quite define. I experienced various moments that collectively uncovered my own truth about what I wanted to do vocationally. These moments encouraged me to pursue nonprofit work.”

In 1998, Jim left the custom home building position and transitioned to a job with a nonprofit.

Several of Jim’s values stemmed from the Ball State University journalism and student media programs. His love for storytelling has always been present, but the qualities behind this passion are curiosity and empathy.

While working at the Arts & Cultural Alliance, the founding Executive Director left and Jim was asked to step into the role. He served in that role for over six years. While the executive director, he decided to continue his education at Crummer Graduate School of Business at Rollins College through their executive MBA program. In 2008, he graduated with a Master of Business Administration concentrating in management as a Martin Bell Scholarship recipient. The Martin Bell Scholarship is a full scholarship awarded annually to one senior nonprofit executive who demonstrates outstanding leadership in the sector.  

Although Jim’s career did not follow the traditional journalistic path through newsrooms, he found a new way to tell people’s stories in nonprofit work. His current position with Greater Indy Habitat for Humanity has helped him tell the stories that make a difference through empathy and curiosity. He helps display and provide a vision for the mission and he uses storytelling to raise awareness and funding. 

Some people believe in leaving work at the office and personal life at home, but Jim does not always see it that way. His hobbies truly show his true passions for storytelling. He often writes (just for fun) and reads. One of his favorite journalists and authors to follow is Malcolm Gladwell; Jim has read all of his books and really appreciates how Gladwell sees the world with such curiosity. 

When Jim is not focused on storytelling, he is learning how to play the drums and spending time outside.