There’s more to a tie than meets the eye.
Sure, it completes an outfit. But Regions Bank associate Brian Carman has seen where its real power lies: helping a man stand a little taller.
That’s the belief behind In Pursuit Of (IPO), the nonprofit Carman founded to provide professional attire and career readiness skills to men facing barriers to employment.
With National Necktie Day coming up Oct. 18, Carman and IPO have plenty to celebrate. The nonprofit was recently recognized at the 2026 Indianapolis Business Journal Nonprofit Excellence Awards.
It seemed a fitting time to catch up with Carman about IPO’s first year, what’s next and what he’s learned along the way.
Who:
Brian Carman, Community Lending Development and Investments partner with Regions Bank and founder of the nonprofit In Pursuit Of.
What:
In Pursuit Of was recognized as New Nonprofit of the Year at the 2026 Indianapolis Business Journal’s Nonprofit Excellence Awards. Carman was also named to the 2026 IBJ Forty Under 40 class in April.
In His Own Words:
What do you consider IPO’s biggest achievement in year one?
“It’s surreal what our volunteer-led organization has accomplished since introducing ourselves to the Central Indiana community last September. Those milestones include opening a top-of-the-line storefront featuring a fitting studio, as well as warehouse space for our surplus inventory.”
“We also purchased our Sharp-Start Shuttle, a transit van with custom clothing racks for delivery and pickup. But there’s no doubt the biggest accomplishment is the client success stories we’ve invested in and become a small part of.”
IPO currently works with over 40 community partners. Is there one initiative that’s been particularly memorable?
“The coolest thing about the extensive network we’ve built is that while our service model is the same for each community partner, their specific needs may be a bit different. That includes youth transitioning out of foster care, veterans, men re-entering the workforce following incarceration, people with disabilities and more.”
“One community partnership that was especially memorable involved working with students from the Indiana School for the Blind and Visually Impaired (ISBVI), a longtime Regions community partner. The students were traveling to New York for a field trip, which included attending a formal dinner where a national award was being presented to an ISBVI alumna. The students needed professional attire and we jumped on it. Just a month later, we also outfitted some of their students for prom.”
What have you learned about the Central Indiana community through launching IPO?
“It may sound cliche, but we have an extraordinary group of businesses and people willing to help. Our storefront, our warehouse space, the suits, the dry-cleaning services have all been provided through in-kind donations. That equates to tens of thousands of dollars from our corporate partners. Many times, I didn’t even have to ask; they jumped in and offered their support.”
What has launching and growing IPO taught you about yourself?
“There is always time to do the right thing and to help people less fortunate. Balancing my full-time role at Regions plus my family life with my wife and three-year-old son, I would’ve never thought I would have the time to do something like IPO. It’s something I’ve learned I can do through early mornings, lunch breaks, evening hours and weekends. I didn’t realize just how committed I would become.”
As IPO begins its second year, what do you hope to achieve in the next 365 days?
“We have some great things on tap for this next year. In an environment where some nonprofits that have relied on grants are struggling, we realize we have the opportunity to build our fiscal sustainability infrastructure differently rather than having to go back and mend it.”
“We’ll soon be announcing our social enterprise model with our first hired team members who’ve been served by In Pursuit Of. That model will generate revenue to help sustain our organization. Stay tuned!”
In The Words of IPO’s Community Partners:
IPO’s donation of professional attire has provided so much more than clothing. It’s given our students confidence, dignity and the opportunity to present themselves professionally as they pursue employment, interviews, internships and new careers. Your investment in them sends a clear message: someone believes in their future.”Gloria Combs, Lead Life Coach, Excel Center Meadows
The young men who attended our teen job fair all left with the biggest smiles and more confident thanks to In Pursuit Of. One mentioned he had never owned a suit or tie. You made such an impact at the success center for those young men.”Ada Day, Resident Service Coordinator, The Success Center
What distinguishes In Pursuit Of is not only the service it provides, but how it provides it. IPO operates with a deep respect for the individuals it serves, ensuring every interaction is welcoming, affirming and grounded in dignity.”Greg Keesling, CEO, Recycle Force