Matthew “Kip” Chase is Senior Vice President of Human Resources for Eli Lilly and Company’s International Business Unit. Throughout his 22-year career with Lilly, Kip has held roles in sales and marketing and gained experience in multiple human resource positions supporting research and development, mergers and acquisitions, Lilly China, Lilly USA, and Lilly’s global commercial business units.
Kip graduated from Wabash College and holds an MBA from Indiana University and a Master of Global Management from Thunderbird. He served the State of Indiana as a board member for Indiana’s Working Group on China and is active in civic leadership, including the executive committee and Board of Directors of the Crossroads of America Council for Scouting and the Indiana Chamber. Kip served as co-chair of the Governor’s Breakfast for Scouting in December 2025.
Kip’s Wabash service includes serving as President of the NAWM, membership on the College’s 2013 Presidential Search Committee, and participation on the advisory committee for the Challenge for Excellence campaign. He and his wife, Nicole, established the Chase-Blackwell Scholarship in 2003 for first-generation students from Bedford North Lawrence and endowed a Wabash scholarship fund in 2020 to support returning students facing unexpected hardships. Kip sponsors Lilly’s recruiting efforts at Wabash where more than 40 students have been recruited for Sales, Marketing, Finance, and HR roles over the past 10 years.
Kip and Nicole reside in Indianapolis and are the proud parents of Jack, Andy, and Will. Jack is a senior at Bishop Chatard and will attend Wabash this fall, where he will join Kip’s three nephews who are current Wabash upperclassmen.
What most excites you about the possibility of serving as a Trustee of Wabash College?
What excites me most about the opportunity to serve as a Trustee is helping Wabash build on its momentum while staying true to its mission: educating men to think critically, act responsibly, lead effectively, and live humanely. Wabash is distinctive in how clearly it knows who it is and what it stands for—and in how it delivers that promise through a demanding academic experience, a formative residential community, and a culture that calls students to higher standards.
For years, I’ve had the privilege of representing Wabash alumni around the globe, and I’ve seen firsthand how the Wabash experience continues to shape graduates as leaders in their vocations and communities. That perspective gives me deep confidence in the College’s direction, and an even deeper desire to help ensure future students receive the same transformational education.
I’m also energized by the chance to help Wabash prepare for a milestone: the bicentennial in 2032. Celebrating 200 years is meaningful, but what matters most is using that moment to strengthen the foundation for the next 200 years. I would welcome the opportunity to work with fellow Trustees, the administration, faculty, and alumni to advance Wabash’s mission, support long-term institutional strength, and keep the College thriving for generations.
What skills, experiences, and expertise will you bring to your Board service?
I would bring a combination of alumni leadership, talent and organizational expertise, and a practical, governance-oriented mindset. Over more than a decade of service to Wabash—through the National Association of Wabash Men and in other roles—I’ve worked alongside dedicated alumni to strengthen engagement, support students, and advance the College’s priorities. That experience has taught me how to listen well, build alignment among diverse stakeholders, and turn shared commitment into measurable results.
Professionally, I’ve spent 22 years building a career that spans sales, marketing, and human resources. My work centers on developing leaders, building high-performing cultures, managing change, and making disciplined tradeoffs—skills that translate directly to Trustee responsibilities.
I also bring deep experience in recruiting and connecting talent to opportunity. I take pride in helping to “ring in” new classes at Wabash, and I’m committed to ensuring we ring in many more—by supporting strategies that sustain enrollment, student success, and long-term institutional vitality.
