Melissa Proffitt

Melissa Proffitt is Partner-in-Charge of Client Relations, former Managing Partner of the firm and former Office Managing Partner of the firm, chairs the Food & Agribusiness Group and the Energy Group, and is former Chair of the Employee Benefits Group. Melissa is responsible for business development initiatives for the firm. She concentrates her practice in employee benefits with a focus on welfare benefit plans and qualified plans. She counsels regional and international clients on benefit issues, including plan formation and design.

Her benefit practice is concentrated in employee benefits on both regional and international levels. Her primary focus includes, but is not limited to, guidance in the design and formation of qualified pension and welfare benefit plans; compliance with the health care reform act (PPACA); general consulting on benefit matters; administrative and compliance benefit advice; 401(k) plan correction issues; fiduciary compliance; administrative contract review; DOL and IRS audits; benefit issues involved in acquisitions and mergers; implementation of welfare benefit plans including cafeteria plans, health plans, and VEBAs; tax and benefit issues regarding independent contractors; issues regarding plan qualification, private letter rulings and plan terminations; DOL and IRS issues; communication issues; plan audits; and Medicare coordination.

Her practice as founder and chair of the Agribusiness Group involves representation of numerous agriculture-related clients with regard to all legal needs. She is involved in economic development initiatives and coordinates with state and federal agencies focused on agricultural and energy initiatives. She is active in the Indiana Governor's and Lieutenant Governor's agricultural trade missions and initiatives.

Education

Indiana University (B.A., with distinction, 1982)
Indiana University School of Law (J.D., cum laude, 1985)

Admissions

Indiana

Professional Affiliations

Indiana University's Presidents Circle, honoring IU's top philanthropic donors.
IUPUI's Chancellor's Circle, recognizing IUPUI's most engaged community partners.
International Foundation of Employee Benefit Plans, Certified in Global Benefits Management

Internal Committees

Ice Miller Partner-in-Charge of Client Relations, 2019-present
Chair, Ice Miller Agribusiness Group, 2007-present
Chair, Ice Miller Energy Group, 2011-present
Member, Ice Miller Nominating Committee, 2023
Ice Miller Office Managing Partner, 2015-2018
Chair, Ice Miller Client Engagement Committee, 2015-2018
Chair of Ice Miller Employee Benefits Group, 2007-2018
Member, Ice Miller Partnership Review Committee, 2011-2019
Former: Firm Managing Partner, Office Managing Partner, Business Development Chair, Strategic Planning Committee Member, Diversity Committee Member, Practice Group Development Chair, Associate Evaluation Committee Member/Chair, Personnel Committee Member, Policy Board Member, Partner Mentor to New Associates, Paralegal Evaluation Committee Member, Attorney Evaluation Committee Member/Co-Chair/Chair

Awards & Recognition

2022-2026 IBJ Indiana 250 - Most Influential Leaders in Indiana
2006-2026 - Best Lawyers^® in America, recognized for work in the practice areas of Employee Benefits (ERISA) Law and Litigation - ERISA, special recognition for being included for 10 years
2023-2026 Best Lawyers^® in America, Labor and Employment Law – Management
2025-2026 Best Lawyers^® in America, Agriculture Law
2004-2026 - Selected to the list of Indiana Super Lawyers in the field of Employee Benefits
2021-2024 - Woman in Law Award, Lawyer Monthly
2021-2026 - Recognized as Best Lawyer by "Best Lawyers® Women in the Law Business Edition" for litigation and nonlitigation Employee Benefits Law for the State of Indiana
2024 Michael A. Carroll Award Recipient, Indianapolis Business Journal
2023 Indiana Historical Society Living Legend
2023 American Cancer Society Leadership Honoree
2020 - Honorary American FFA Degree, National FFA Organization
2019 - Woman Leader in Law, The American Lawyer and Corporate Counsel Magazines
2017 - Indy Public Safety Foundation Visionary Leadership Award
December 14, 2017 - Declared Melissa Proffitt Day by Indianapolis Mayor Joe Hogsett
2015 - Recipient of America's Most Honored Professionals Award from the American Registry
2015 - Recipient of Community Partner Award and Leadership Award from Indy Public Safety Foundation
2004-2014 - Super Lawyers - Employee Benefits Edition (no longer reporting as of 2014)
2006-2014 - Included in "Indiana's Best Lawyers" by Law.com, The National Law Journal and Corporate Counsel (no longer reporting as of 2014)
2006-2014 - Named as "Best of Class" by The Best of the U.S. Inc. Selected for 2006 - 2014 editions of "Best Lawyers in America©" (no longer reporting as of 2014)
2013 & 2009 - "Volunteer of the Year" award from Indiana Chamber of Commerce
2013 - Selected for inclusion into the Martindale-Hubbell®, Bar Register of Preeminent Women Lawyers™ (no longer reporting as of 2013)
2013 - Selected Top Rated Lawyer in Labor & Employment, featured in "Women Leaders in Law" The American Lawyer Magazine
2009-2013 - Super Lawyers - Corporate Counsel Edition/Business Edition (no longer reporting as of 2013)
2012 - Who's Who in Law Indiana Business Journal
2011 - Distinguished Barrister Award, Indiana Lawyer
2009 - Nominated to attend the Republican National Committee's Women's Summit by Indiana's National Committee Members
2008 - Invited by Governor Mitch Daniels to attend the Business and Professional Women's Leadership Summit
2008 - Named as an Influential Women by the Indianapolis Business Journal
2008 - Inducted into the Indiana Fever's "Inspiring Women"
2008 - Recipient of Torchbearer's Award from Indiana Commission for Women - Law Category
2006-2007 - Named to Midwest Advisory Committee for Managing Partner Forum
2006 - Recipient of Touchstone Award from Girls Inc. in the Law Category of Business and Industry
2004-2006 - Selected by Indianapolis Monthly as one of Indiana's "Top 25 Female Super Lawyers"
2002 - Selected for the American Biographical Institute's Notable American Women
2000 - Included in the Indianapolis Business Journal's "Forty Under 40"
Listed in Who's Who in American Law
Listed in Strathmore's Who's Who
Selected AV-Preeminent, Martindale-Hubbell, Peer Review Rating

Community Involvement

Board Memberships

Board of Directors, WNBA All-Star 2025 Host Committee, 2024-2025; Committee Member, Women Engagement & Summit Committee
Indy Chamber Foundation, Chair, 2024-2025
Vice Chair, Indiana University McKinney School of Law Board of Visitors, 2026-present
2023-2025, Go Red for Women Leadership Team
Immediate Past Chair of the Indy Chamber 2024-2025, Chair of the Indy Chamber 2022-2023, Vice Chair 2020-2021, Executive Committee, Governance Committee, Chair of the Search Committee for the next President and CEO - 2023
Board Member, Indiana Local News Initiative; Mirror Indy
Board Chair, Indiana Chamber of Commerce, 2025-2026, Board Member, Indiana Chamber of Commerce, Outside General Counsel, Executive Committee, Nominating Committee, PAC Committee, Economic Development Policy Committee, Annual Awards Selection Committee
Vice Chair of the Indiana Black Expo 2021-2025, Board Member
Board Member, Indiana Sports Corp, 2021-2025
Board Member and Past Chair, Indiana University Women’s Philanthropy Leadership Counsel, Chair and Executive Committee 2022 - 2024, Membership Working Group, Programming and Engagement Working Group, Fund Development Working Group, Grants Working Group
Founding Member, Indiana University’s Women’s Philanthropy Circle, 2025
Board Chair, Indiana University Foundation; Chair of Compensation Committee, Audit Committee, Committee on Directors
Executive Vice President, General Counsel Search Committee, Indiana University Foundation
Advisory Board Member, Indiana University Indianapolis Board of Advisors for the University Chancellor Latha Ramchand
Board Member, Indianapolis Dean's Council, Indiana University Kelley School of Business
Board Member, Ivy Tech Foundation, Governance Committee Member, 2016-2025
Board Member, STAR Financial Bank and Audit Committee
Board Member, NBA All-Star 2024 Host Committee; Legacy Subcommittee; Co-Chair of Team Connections Subcommittee; Member of Indy Experience and Community Programs Committee
Indiana University 10 Vision 2024 Task Forces: Stakeholders: Donors, Lumni, and Community Task Force, led by IU Foundation President and CEO, J.T. Forbes.
IUPUI Vision 2024 "Dream Team", a select group of 10 leaders charged with discovering great ideas to adopt when redesigning IUPUI into an Indiana University campus, to be a next generation urban research campus.
Board Member, US Chamber of Commerce
Board Member, Global Chamber
Board Member, Greater Indianapolis Progress Committee
Race and Cultural Relations Leadership Network (RCRLN)

Former Board Memberships

Board Member, AgriNovus, 2019-2024
Former Board of Directors, 500 Festival, 2015-2022
Former Capital Campaign Cabinet Member, 500 Festival Foundation, 2021 - 2023
Board Emeritus, The International Center
Event Chair for International Citizen of the Year event honoring Governor Holcomb 2018, Former Governance Chair, Executive Committee and Development Committee Member
Former Board Member, Indiana India Business Council
Former Statewide Co-Chair, American Cancer Society ResearcHERS, 2019-2020
Founding Member and Past Chair, Indy Public Safety Foundation, 2013-2021; Public Safety Foundation Search Committee for IFD Chief and Public Safety Director, 2012-2014
Former Board Member, National FFA Foundation Sponsors' Board, 2017-2020
Former President and Board Member of Women's Fund of Central Indiana
Former Board Member, Central Indiana Community Foundation
Former Member, Indy Bicentennial WOW Committee
Former Board Member, Indiana State Fair Foundation Advancement Committee, 2017-2019
Former Advisory Board Member for the Kinsley/Solstice Group
Former Advisory Board Member to the Office of International & Cultural Affairs Member, Race and Cultural Relations Leadership Network, Greater Indianapolis Progress Committee
Former Advisory Board Member to the Center for Leadership Excellence
Former Vice President of the Board of the Indy Chamber LLC
Former Board Member of Energize-ECI
Former Board Member, Develop Indy, appointed by Mayor Ballard
Former President and Board Member of Woodstock Country Club
Former Board Member, Children's Museum
Former Board Member, Indianapolis Opera Board of Directors
Former Board Member, Secretary, Executive Committee, Executive Director Search Committee, 50th Anniversary Planning Committee, appointed by Mayor Ballard for Greater Indianapolis Progress Committee
Former Member, Export Advisory Council, Indy Chamber
Former Board Member, Social Health Association

Political Involvement

Ground Floor Group, Representative Jefferson Shreve
Key Advisor, Jefferson Shreve for Indianapolis Mayor, 2023
Delegate to the Republican National Convention, 2004, 2008, 2012, 2016, 2020, 2024
Member, Finance Committee for Senator Mike Braun
Member, Todd Young, U.S. Senate Campaign Steering Committee
Finance Chair, Kelly Mitchell for Congress (Indiana 5th Congressional District)
Campaign Chair, Kelly Mitchell for Treasurer, 2014-2020
Co-Chair to Senator Jim Merritt’s campaign for Indianapolis Mayor 2019
Member, Luke Messer U.S. Senate Finance Committee, 2017-2018
Co-Chair of the Indiana Leadership Committee for Governor Kasich's Presidential Campaign, 2016
Transition Team Lead for Mayor Greg Ballard, 48^th Mayor of the City of Indianapolis, Chair of Indianapolis Mayor Greg Ballard's Personnel Committee, responsible for all transitional hiring for the city, 2008 - 2016
Member, Mayor Lloyd Winnecke, Evansville, Finance Committee for Reelection, 2015
Deputy Mayor of Education Selection Committee, City of Indianapolis, 2012
Finance Chair, Committee to Elect Lt. Governor Becky Skillman 2005-2012
Chair, "Women for Ballard" Initiative for Mayor Greg Ballard's Re-election Campaign
Member, "Sister Cities Visioning Team" and Indianapolis Sister City Committee invited by Mayor Greg Ballard
Member, Department of Public Service Commission on Reform, City of Indianapolis
Former Board Member (20 years) and Former President (8 years), Richard G. Lugar Excellence in Public Service Series; Head of Search Committee for New Director, Former Finance Chair
Selected to Serve on the 2007 Meritorious Presidential Rank Awards Selection Panel
Vice Chair of the Marion County Republican Central Committee, 2004-2007
Member of the Presidential Electoral College, 2004

Community Events

"Community Engagement & Leadership," Indiana Conference for Women Leadership Series, October 10, 2025
Engage Indiana Series - Central Indiana, December 20, 2024
"Stepping Out In Style," Dress for Success, September 20, 2024
Indiana Agriculture Roundtable, August 16, 2024
Presenter, Indiana Repertory Theatre’s Celebrity Radio Show, February 9, 2024
Indiana Living Legends, Indiana Historical Society, August 24, 2023
Indiana Commission for Women International Women's Day Event, LEAD Panel, March 8, 2023
Participant in Indy Chamber Ambassadors and Indy Chamber Policy Summit with Governor Eric Holcomb and House Speaker Todd Huston and Senate Pro Tem Rod Bray, June 22, 2022
Engage Indiana: Business as a Force for Good, December 2, 2021
Event Chairperson, 2018 "International Citizen of the Year Dinner" honoring Governor Eric Holcomb, The International Center
Vice-Chair, 2015 "International Citizen of the Year Dinner" honoring Dr. John Lechleiter, The International Center
Event Chairperson, September 9, 2014 "International Citizen of the Year Dinner," honoring Mayor Gregory A. Ballard and First Lady Winnie Ballard
Council of Judges for the 10th Anniversary Torchbearer Awards.
Member, Velocity, Vibrant Economic Development Advisory Group for Downtown Indianapolis
Appointed to Alpha Chi Omega Foundation Nominating Committee, 2012 – 2014
Executive Leadership Member, Heart of Gold Ball Indianapolis, 2013
Chair, Girls Inc. Touchstone Awards, 2012; BOLD Committee Member, Girls Inc. 2012
Honorary Chair of Dress for Success Stepping Out in Style Committee, Chair of 2007 Capital Campaign, Model 2008, 2012
Program Chair, Leadership United – the United Way Executive Women's Leadership Program

Liberty Fund Conferences

January 2025 - “Benjamin Franklin and the Virtues of Liberty” - Naples, FL
February 2024 - "Liberty, Leadership, and Citizenship: Episodes in American History” - Naples, FL
January 2023 - "Liberty and Responsibility in the Films of Clint Eastwood" - Naples, FL
January 2022 - "The Darkening Hero" - Fort Lauderdale, FL
June 2021 - Virtual Reading Group, "Free Speech and Its Enemies" - Indianapolis, IN
March 2021 - "Virtual Town Hall with Alain Bertaud" - Indianapolis, IN
January 2020 - "Ideas on Economic Freedom" - Naples, FL
January 2019 - "Rediscovering Tocqueville's Democracy in America” - Naples, FL
October 2018 - "Human Nature, Civility, and Mores" - Indianapolis, IN
July 2018 - "Executive Leadership Seminar" - Denver, CO
January 2016 - "Liberty, Political Power, and Prudence"
January 2015 (Director) - "Community and the Roots of Liberty" - Jekyll Island, GA
October 2013 - "Tocqueville on Aristocratic and Democratic Liberty" - Avignon, France
April 2013 - "Liberty, Leadership, and Citizenship: Episodes in American History” - Santa Fe, New Mexico

Trade Missions

Governor Holcomb - India 2019
Governor Holcomb - Israel 2018
Mayor Greg Ballard - Italy and Slovenia 2015
Governor Pence - China 2015
Governor Pence - Japan 2013
Mayor Greg Ballard - Australia 2012
Lt. Governor Skillman - Japan 2011
Governor Daniels - China and Japan 2010
Mayor Greg Ballard – India 2010
Governor Daniels – China and Japan 2009
Mayor Greg Ballard – Brazil 2009
Governor Daniels – Japan 2007
Governor Daniels – Germany and United Kingdom 2007
Lt. Governor Skillman – Taiwan and Vietnam 2006
Governor Daniels – Japan and S. Korea 2006
Lt. Governor Skillman – Central America 2006
Governor Daniels – Japan and Taiwan 2005

Leadership Exchange (LEX) Trips:

Boston, 2024
Zurich, Switzerland, 2023
Nashville, 2022
San Diego, 2021
Indianapolis, 2020
San Antonio, 2019
Denver, 2018
Seattle, 2017
Minneapolis, 2016
Toronto, Canada, 2015
Nashville, 2014
Cologne, Germany, 2013
Portland, 2012
Indianapolis, 2011