William K. McGowan, Jr.

Bill McGowan of Indianapolis died at the age of 89. A life-long resident of Indianapolis, Bill was the son of Martha (Barry) and William K. McGowan, Sr. and was happily married to his wife, Joan (Frey) for 63 years.

Bill was a graduate of St. Joan of Arc Catholic School, Cathedral High School (1953), and the University of Notre Dame (1957). Bill was blessed with lifelong friendships with fellow classmates from all three schools. After college graduation, Bill met Joan Frey, a microbiologist at Eli Lilly, who captured his heart. They were proud parents to their three children Bill, Tom, and Kathleen.

Throughout Bill’s life, he remained active in countless activities supporting St. Luke Catholic Church, Cathedral High School, Brebeuf Jesuit and the University of Notre Dame. Bill was a loyal and passionate supporter of the Fighting Irish. Bill was elected President of Notre Dame’s National Alumni Association in 1973, which enabled him to serve on the University Board of Trustees during that period. Bill also served on the Board of the Notre Dame Snite Museum of Art, now the Raclin Murphy Museum of Art for 37 years.

Bill began his 20-year career in banking at American Fletcher National Bank in 1970 as Vice President of Bank Real Estate and President of Circle Realty Corporation. Bill then served as President & CEO of Fidelity Bank of Indiana prior to its sale.

Bill became deeply involved in creating the city’s vision and mission and was recruited to serve as President & CEO of the Indianapolis Convention & Visitors Association (ICVA), now Visit Indy, and The Indianapolis Project, Inc., now Tourism Tomorrow Indy from 1984 to 2002. Bill continued to collaborate with his longtime Executive Assistant, Linda Heiden, throughout his career and together they were an impactful partnership.

Under Bill’s leadership at the ICVA, the convention business in Indy increased significantly and enabled Indy to become a top tier convention destination. During Bill’s tenure at Visit Indy, the city saw many accomplishments including welcoming the Indianapolis Colts, three expansions of the Indiana Convention Center, the addition of several downtown hotels, expansion of White River State Park, creation of a skywalk system linking hotels to Circle Centre and the convention center, enhancements in the arts and culture community, and hosting the NCAA Men’s Division I Final Four Basketball Championship and other premiere men’s and women’s amateur and professional sporting competitions.

Bill and a dynamic group of leaders created a vision for the city to become the Amateur Sports Capital of the World. The Indiana Sports Corporation was founded in 1979, and the mission of recruiting national and international sporting events became a reality with the landing of the 1982 National Sports Festival and the 1987 Pan American Games. When the city needed help recruiting the NCAA to consider having playoff games in Indy, Bill ensured the city was prepared and exceeded expectations, which was a compelling factor to the NCAA decision to permanently move their national headquarters to Indianapolis.

Under Bill’s leadership, Visit Indy created the ROSE Awards in 1991. ROSE stands for Recognition Of Service Excellence and honors non-managerial hospitality employees or volunteers who provide excellent customer service and positively influence a visitor’s experience in Indianapolis. Bill never desired the spotlight; he was known for consistently building others up and ensuring their hard work was recognized.

Following Bill’s retirement in 2002, friends and colleagues created the William & Joan McGowan Endowed Scholarship for Indiana University Indianapolis Department of Tourism, Conventions, & Event Management. In 2004, Visit Indy created the Bill McGowan Leadership Award to recognize individuals who have made significant contributions to the Indy tourism industry through their vision, passion, integrity, direction, achievement, and leadership. Some award winners include Mario Andretti, Pacers Sports & Entertainment, Madam Walker Legacy Centre, Tamika Catchings, the Lilly Family, Senator Richard G. Lugar, Peyton Manning, and David Letterman.

Bill provided leadership to many civic, arts, sports, religious, educational, and cultural organizations. Bill served four terms on the 500 Festival Board of Directors. He was awarded one of the state of Indiana’s highest honors, the Sagamore of the Wabash, four times by Governor Bowen (1975), Orr (1983), Bayh (1993), and O’Bannon (2002). More recently, Bill received the Cathedral High School Circle of Excellence Award (2023); Independent Colleges of Indiana Academy Inductee on behalf of Notre Dame (2023). Bill was proud of his Irish heritage and was named Irishman of the Year by the Indianapolis Athletic Club in 1981.

Bill was a proud member and previous President of The Hundred Club, which raises money to support the families of fallen police and fire heroes who have lost their lives in the line of duty. He was also privileged to serve on the board of the Little Sisters of the Poor. He regularly said, “If you want to get close to God, spend time with the Little Sisters.”

Besides cheering on the city of Indianapolis, Bill had the pleasure of coaching all three of his children in basketball. A few of his favorite years were spent coaching alongside his friend, and Indiana Pacers great, Jerry Harkness. Nothing made Bill happier than talking to and cheering on his children and grandchildren.

Bill is survived by his loving wife Joan Frey McGowan; his children, Bill (Michelle) of Glenview; Tom (Jennifer) of Indianapolis; Kathleen (Michael Smith) of Charlotte; and his 10 grandchildren Caroline, Tommy, Katherine, Rowan Pearl, Bill, Kylie, John, Katherine, Michael, and Lillian. He is survived by his sister, Marybeth Crossin. Bill was preceded in death by his parents; his brother, Hugh McGowan; his infant granddaughter, Kathleen Joan McGowan of Glenview.

Special thanks to cherished friend, Dr. Mike Busk, who provided outstanding care and friendship. Bill’s family is incredibly grateful for the caretakers and nurses who coordinated and provided loving care during his last years at Marquette Senior Living.

A memorial mass will be held on Monday, December 23rd at 11am at St. Luke Catholic Church. The visitation will begin at 9am prior to the memorial services. Arrangements are under the direction of Leppert Mortuaries.

In lieu of flowers, please consider making a memorial contribution to Little Sisters of the Poor Indianapolis, the Raclin Murphy Notre Dame Museum, or the IU Indy-William & Joan McGowan Scholarship Fund.