Melanin Magic | Fred Payne | President and CEO United Way of Central Indiana

As commissioner of the state’s Department of Workforce Development, Payne oversaw the agency responsible for Indiana’s employment and re-employment services, with more than 1,000 employees. The department administered more than $9.6 billion in unemployment insurance benefits to over 908,000 people during the coronavirus pandemic. He also served on the governor’s Workforce Cabinet and chaired the governor’s Health Workforce Council.
Before joining the department, Payne spent over a decade at Honda Manufacturing of Indiana in various roles, including chief administrator, general counsel, and compliance officer. He’s credited with starting several key initiatives, including the Office of Inclusion and Diversity, Corporate Governance, and Risk Management.
Payne serves on the board of directors for the Indy Eleven Foundation, Indianapolis Urban League, and Honda Federal Credit Union.
Payne is an Indiana University Maurer School of Law and Grambling State University graduate. He has experience in private law practice.