The phrase, “They don’t make them like that anymore,” perfectly describes Joe Ignatius.Seven months ago, he joined the sales executive team at Matrix Integration, a local, woman-owned tech advisory firm that “provides the tech innovation products of tomorrow to the classroom and students of today.” Ignatius speaks in glowing terms of the company, its mission and core values, and of his colleagues.
“Matrix Integration is just night and day from competitors in the industry. The company culture, which prizes doing the right thing, commitment to excellence and leading with positivity, aligns perfectly with my career aspirations and my personal goals,” he said.
It is this alignment of core values that prompted Matrix Integrations and, specifically, Ignatius’ mentor and supervisor, John Emard, vice president of sales, to nominate Ignatius for inclusion in the 2017 TechPoint Tech 25 Award class. The TechPoint Tech 25 Awards are annual designations issued to a prestigious class of 25 individuals “who are critical and exceptional performers” in advancing the growth of local tech and tech-enabled companies, “but who — not being the CEO or other C-suite executives — don’t get celebrated publicly as often as they deserve.” Companies may only nominate a single employee, and for Matrix Integrations, Ignatius was the ideal candidate this year due to his professional and community endeavors.
In nominating Ignatius, Emard remarks that “building others up through mentoring is in Joe’s DNA. It is an honor to have (him) representing Matrix Integration and the technology industry in Indianapolis and throughout Indiana.” Emard heaps praise on Ignatius in equal measure for “his energy and positive attitude,” “his passion for technology and education” and for the “changes he makes in the children in he mentors.”
Ignatius is humbled by Matrix Integration’s generosity in nominating him and acknowledges that recognition of team players is a core value of the company. “I sincerely appreciate Matrix Integration’s highlighting my efforts to affect my immediate community and beyond, as possible. News about corporate America is often dominated with negativity, but I can genuinely say that I work with good people doing good work.”
Like his colleagues, Ignatius does his share of good works. As Emard explains, “Joe has been fully (immersed) in the Indianapolis community through technology, service and mentoring. When most people are at lunch, Joe spends his lunch hour mentoring sixth graders at Indianapolis Public Schools. On weekends, he devotes time to mentoring high school students, and many of his evenings are spent serving the homeless by reading poetry and scripture or playing trivia. Joe finds joy in serving our community.”
Asked about his passion for community service, Ignatius responded, “It’s my calling. My desire to serve young people stems largely from my own adolescent upbringing as an inner city youth in Chicago. I was fortunate enough to be grounded, educated and to make it out. I’m now in a position to mentor youth, my peers and even my elders. It would be selfish of me to fail to advocate, promote and share all that I’ve been given.” Of the youth in particular, Ignatius muses, “What they’ll see is what they’ll be.” In Ignatius, says Emard, they will see nothing less than a hero. “There’s no changing into his superhero armor, because Joe is a superhero 24/7.”
Ignatius supports various initiatives within the 100 Black Men of Indianapolis organization, including teen mentoring, Beautillion Militaire, financial literacy and collegiate connections. He also volunteers with Rainmakers and Nowak Poetry, an initiative that shares poetry and scripture with homeless populations across the country.
Quick to heap praise on Emard and Matrix Integrations, Ignatius is gracious and excited to contribute to the local community. “I will always work to give back. A lot of people aren’t afforded the opportunities that I have enjoyed in corporate America. Volunteering and mentoring is not work when it’s your passion. I’m thrilled to be at a company that supports my career aspirations as well as my professional goals. Matrix Integration’s full backing gives me free rein to be successful.”
