By Jud Fisher—
MUNCIE, IN — Ball Brothers Foundation presented its annual Fisher Governance Award to John West, a founding board member of the Muncie Land Bank. The award was presented at the Greater Muncie Chamber of Commerce’s 2024 Annual Meeting & Dinner on November 12.
This award highlights Dr. West’s strong leadership as a board member and as former board chair, recognizing his strategic vision, financial oversight, and dedication to advancing the Muncie Land Bank’s mission to address property abandonment and the revitalization of local neighborhoods.
Dr. West has played an integral role in the Muncie Land Bank since its founding in 2017, helping to lead efforts to establish it as the first land bank of its kind in Indiana. Drawing on his role as an urban planning professor, Dr. West led a group of Ball State University students in visiting other successful land banks in cities across the Midwest and secured initial funding to bring national land banking leaders to Muncie to help shape the organization’s early vision.
As the founding board chair, Dr. West helped the organization establish its identity and develop transparent and efficient processes for acquiring and restoring vacant, tax delinquent, blighted, and undesirable properties in the city of Muncie. During his four-year term as chair—from 2017-2022—Dr. West and a group of dedicated board members actively brought together city leaders, nonprofit organizations, neighborhood groups, foundations, and consultants to help align neighborhood revitalization efforts and to ensure that properties in Muncie go to responsible buyers with resources and plans to restore them.
In addition to establishing financial policies and transparent processes for acquisition and transfer of abandoned and blighted properties, Dr. West has also led strategic planning efforts for the organization, including creating metrics for success.
During Dr. West’s tenure as board chair and now as a board member, the Muncie Land Bank has continued to build on its partnership with Ball State University’s Urban Planning program where Dr. West now serves as department chair. Over the past several years, immersive learning projects have provided students with real-world exposure to urban planning challenges in Muncie, leading to innovative redevelopment strategies in three neighborhoods: the Old West End, Industry, and Whitely.
“John West has been instrumental in the success of the land bank as a board member,” wrote Nate Howard, Executive Director of the Muncie Land Bank, on West’s nomination. “He stepped in as Interim Executive Director during a critical transition, stabilizing both operations and finances. His ability to create effective frameworks, facilitate meaningful discussions, and develop measurable success has enhanced the land bank’s credibility and effectiveness within the community it serves.”
Dr. West’s impact also extends beyond the boundaries of Muncie, as his academic work and experience in helping to establish the Muncie Land Bank have positioned Dr. West as one of Indiana’s top authorities on land banking. Dr. West has presented at land bank conferences across the country and has led a statewide coalition to draft land bank legislation. These efforts have continued to enhance Muncie’s reputation at statewide and national levels.
Upon receiving the Fisher Governance Award, West emphasized the collective efforts behind the Muncie Land Bank’s success: “This award represents the dedication of the entire land bank team, board members, city leaders, and foundation partners who believed in our mission. We’ve created something that has shaped this community in important ways, and I’m honored to have been part of that.”
As part of West’s recognition as an exceptional leader, Ball Brothers Foundation granted $10,000 to the Muncie Land Bank for operations or further board development. West also received a specially designed award hand-crafted by Brent Cole, associate professor of art at Ball State University’s Marilyn K. Glick Center for Glass.
Previous recipients of the John W. and Janice B. Fisher Governance Award include:
- Ryan Hunter, Boys & Girls Clubs of Muncie (2023)
- Marta Moody, Cardinal Greenways (2022)
- Heather Williams, ecoREHAB (2021)
- Ron Fauquher, Innovation Connector (2020)
- James Rosema, Muncie Mission Ministries (2019)
- Leigh Edwards, Muncie Civic Theatre (2018)
- John Craddock, Community Enhancement Projects (2017)
- Ron Orebaugh, Delaware County Soil & Water Conservation District (2016)
- Juli Metzger, Project Leadership and Boys & Girls Clubs of Muncie (2015)
- Pat Botts, Greater Muncie, IN Habitat for Humanity (2014)
- Nancy Turner, Muncie Public Library (2013)
- Jeff Parsons, Youth Opportunity Center (2012)
- Teresa Willman, Cardinal Greenway, Inc. (2011)
Nominations for the Fisher Governance Award are accepted between March 1 and August 15 each year.
About Ball Brothers Foundation
Ball Brothers Foundation is one of the state’s oldest and largest family foundations. Annually, the foundation awards over $8 million in grants to support place-based initiatives related to arts and culture, education, the environment, health, human services, and public affairs. The Muncie-based private foundation gives priority to projects and programs that improve the quality of life in the foundation’s home city, county, and state.
