Most incredibly successful business executives have distinct qualities. Intellect and skill come into play, but so does common sense and intuition.
Combining all that with a plan for both the world today and the future they clearly envision is an excellent way to describe Roger Searle Penske and his approach to the incredible business empire he maintains, which employs some 73 thousand individuals with annual revenues of $43 billion globally.
While the financial acumen speaks for itself, it’s no secret that racing is the greatest passion of his life and his Motorsports accomplishments are second to none, having captured nearly every possible championship over several decades of competition in almost every discipline of racing, including a mind boggling twenty Indianapolis 500 victories.
While his 2019 acquisition of the coveted Indianapolis Motor Speedway was deemed by many in motorsports as the crowning business achievement in a truly storied career, Penske knew there was something missing in open wheel racing and was determined to foster change.
After witnessing the NXG Youth Academy’s commitment to racing for some time that is led by Rod Reid, which in turn allocates opportunities and resources for minorities pursuing careers in all phases of the racing industry though karting programs, he began to map a blueprint for placing a minority driver behind the wheel in hopes they’d climb the ladder all the way to the NTT IndyCar Series.
Every great effort needs help, and Penske received that and then some when his own IndyCar team driver and 2016 Indy 500 winner Will Power spoke rather glowingly of a young man he had driven competition karts against by the name of Myles Rowe.
With Reid serving as the team principal Force Indy Racing with Rowe behind the wheel has prospered, winning a USF Pro Championship in the 2023 season and setting Rowe in place to graduate up to the Indy NXT Series where earlier this month at Iowa Speedway he became the first black driver to win a race in that series as part of the quest to win the Indy NXT Championship this season.
Penske is impressed with Rowe’s talent as well as his professional demeanor and spoke to me at Iowa after the historic victory.
“He (Rowe) drove one heck of a race today, and we’re all very proud of him and the entire team,” Penske said during an interview conducted in his exquisite Motorhome adjacent to the race team garage area.
The efforts to change the culture of motorsports aren’t limited to those behind the wheel and working on the race cars, as evidenced by the ongoing initiatives demonstrated by those within Penske Entertainment.
Jimmie McMillian was a successful attorney and partner at a leading Indianapolis Law firm when he accepted the position of Chief Diversity Officer and Senior Corporate Counsel at Penske Entertainment, and he too shares the vision of success that comes through hard work and networking the blueprint at hand.
“The objective is to make our experience more inclusive to all through various levels of participation in motorsports with sponsors and teams to create opportunities,” McMillian said. “We welcome everyone to learn of the vast potential that exists and how it can happen for them, regardless of background.”
Penske’s future vision for these ongoing initiatives is clear, recognizing the fact that there is much more work to be done.
“I’m proud of our various accomplishments to date and those in the organization that have contributed, but there are both goals and objectives that remain within our plans moving forward,” Penske said.
Another barrier that has been shattered is the emergence of Caitlyn Brown.
In 2023, she became the first female tire changer to go over the wall for an Indy 500-winning pit crew when she did so for Team Penske’s Josef Newgarden. The trek to that opportunity came after laboring in Penske’s NASCAR garages in North Carolina while gaining the valuable experience that’s needed today in a truly competitive job market.
“She’s a hardworking, intelligent young lady who has shown what one can indeed accomplish when they’re afforded the opportunity,” Penske added.
The fact that he practices the same methodical approach to diversity within the workplace should come as no surprise to those who have followed his various business interests. It provides even more hope for the next generation who will someday seek the exact same type of opportunities that could very well impact their respective careers.
Danny Bridges, who would like to thank longtime Penske Public Relations Executive Merrill Cain for giving me this truly superb opportunity with Mr. Penske, can be reached at 317-370-8447 or bridgeshd@aol.com.
Danny Bridges is an award-winning journalist and a longtime sports columnist for the Indianapolis Recorder. He covers college, professional sports and especially all things IndyCar racing. He can be reached at 317-370-8447 or at bridgeshd@aol.com.
