Awards

IU Indianapolis Spirit of Philanthropy Award - 2009

IU Indianapolis Spirit of Philanthropy Award - 2003

About Glenn Swisher

Glenn Swisher graduated from the Indianapolis Business College in Ft. Wayne, Indiana with a business degree in 1936. Subsequently, he moved to Chicago, where he started his business career with Swift and company. While in Chicago, he met his future wife, Mary. He later moved to Indianapolis to accept a position at General Motors. Swisher served in the Army during World War II and attained the rank of staff sergeant.

After the war, Swisher began his career at Syndicate Glass, which distributed and manufactured store fixtures for the retail industry. He eventually became the President, then later its Chairperson, CEO, and majority shareholder. His associates and employees remember Swisher as generous and helpful, treating his friends in the company as a part of his family. He retired in 1994.

Swisher's exemplary leadership skills led to his service on the Board of Directors of many community charitable and business organizations. Among them are: Noble Society; Ivy Tech Community College; United States Auto Club; Artistic Media Partners; Marion County Association of Retarded Citizens; United Way Audit Committee; Salvation Army Advisory Board; Permaglass, Inc; The National Association of Store Fixture Manufacturers; Associated Colleges of Indiana; Methodist Hospital Foundation and the Boy Scouts of America, Crossroads of America Council. Glenn served as a Member and Elder of Prentice Presbyterian Church and was a member of the North Park Masonic Lodge, and the Scottish Rite and Murat Shrine.

In 1980, his associates at Syndicate Glass commemorated Swisher's generous spirit by endowing The Swisher Foundation in his honor. Dedicated to medical research and education, The Swisher Foundation has provided financial assistance to numerous Indiana educational institutions as well as to local and national organizations devoted to medical research, particularly the Mayo Clinic. In the years that followed, the Swishers built on that endowment and permitted the Foundation to flourish. Glenn served as Chairperson of the Foundation and was Chairman Emeritus at the time of his death. The Swisher Family gave unselfishly of their financial resources in the assistance of others. They viewed their success as enabling the opportunity to share with others less fortunate, and to the betterment of mankind.

In 2009, the IUPUI School of Education recognized the Swisher and his second wife Molly's generosity with an IUPUI Spirit of Philanthropy Award. Their generosity provided scholarship support for six students between 2007 and 2009. They also supported the school’s urban education initiatives. Higher education has been a high priority for the Swishers. Through the Swisher Foundation they supported numerous organizations and causes related to education and medical research and development.