Fueling Her Legacy:
Katie Lucas

Katie Lucas Leads Lucas Oil With Heart, Vision & Commitment to Community Impact

Writers / Natalie Platt, Towne Post, & Melissa Wonser, Lucas Oil Products

For Katie Lucas, leadership is as much about values as it is about vision. A graduate of Noblesville High School and later Indiana University’s Kelley School of Business, she always knew she wanted to combine her love of business with a life of service.

“From my parents, I saw firsthand the powerful intersection of business and service,” she says. “I knew I wanted to do both in my adult life.”

Her earliest professional roles, in corporate sales with the Indianapolis Colts and as director of business development at Creative Marketing Solutions, gave her a strong foundation in marketing, sponsorships and relationship-building. Those skills helped shape how she approaches Lucas Oil’s brand, engaging new markets while staying true to her Hoosier roots.

Katie joined Lucas Oil in 2012 as a marketing consultant and steadily took on greater responsibilities in strategy, philanthropy and operations over more than a decade. In November 2022, she was appointed chief administrative officer, integrating day-to-day operations with long-term strategic planning. In February 2024, Katie was named president just as her husband, Morgan Lucas, became CEO — marking a new chapter in the family-led business, with both partners deeply aligned in vision.

As president, Katie oversees the company’s operations, long-term strategy and philanthropic initiatives. Her leadership ensures Lucas Oil maintains its global brand reputation while staying true to its heritage.

Lucas recently reflected on her first year as president.

“I have been blessed with a breadth of experience that prepared me for this,” she says. “I started my career managing sponsorships with the Indianapolis Colts where I learned a great deal about building brand partnerships, sales and maintaining solid relationships, which has helped me tremendously in this position. I have also had the ability to work in various roles at Lucas Oil and that has helped me really understand the business and build trust and confidence with our team.”

She also appreciates the professional relationship with her husband, Morgan, outside of their day-to-day lives.

“We both share the same vision for Lucas Oil, and we are very much aligned on our purpose,” Katie says. “We are both committed to making Lucas Oil and our community better.”

One of Katie’s most influential decisions as an executive was helping guide the relocation of the corporate headquarters from Corona, California, to Indianapolis. The move further strengthened the company’s deep ties to Indiana and brought leadership and operations closer together and to the community where the Lucas family has built its legacy.

“It just makes sense for our headquarters to be here,” Katie says. “Indianapolis is not only where we live — it’s where our business has grown roots. Creating opportunities, attracting talent and contributing to the state’s economic growth has been one of the most meaningful parts of my journey.”

Katie also carries forward the legacy of Lucas Oil founder Forrest Lucas, who passed away in August. Forrest built the company from humble beginnings into a deeply respected international brand. Katie honors his vision while shaping the next generation of leadership alongside Morgan.

Recognition and Impact in the Community

As a leader, Katie is focused not only on overall business strategy but also on community engagement, positioning Lucas Oil as a force for good. She oversees all of Lucas Oil’s community and philanthropic initiatives — efforts that range from pediatric and family heal thcare, mentoring youth and supporting veterans to partnering with local nonprofits to address food and housing insecurity. She emphasizes the company’s core values — service, integrity, passion, courage and teamwork — in everything she does. Service, in particular, is central for Katie.

“I believe we are put on this earth to serve others,” she says.

Katie’s leadership has earned her significant recognition. In 2022, she was named one of the Indiana Business Journal’s “Forty Under 40” for her strategic acumen and community involvement. In 2023, Katie was named Indy’s Best and Brightest and was the recipient of the Whitney M. Young Jr. Service Award by the Crossroads of America. In January 2025, she received the Exemplary Service Award at the Champions of Diversity Awards in Indianapolis, honoring her work advancing equity within Lucas Oil and supporting diverse charitable causes, including Wheeler Mission.

This year, she was also named among Indiana’s 250 Most Influential Leaders by the Indiana Business Journal, highlighting her impact on the state’s economic and civic life.

Katie also serves in numerous board roles: board chair of the Ascension St. Vincent Foundation, board member of the Indianapolis Zoo, board member of the Grit & Grace Nation Foundation, on the National Leadership Council of the National Medal of Honor Museum Foundation, on the Indiana University Women’s Philanthropy Leadership Council, and founding and inaugural chair of Called to Care, a Circle of Impact for Peyton Manning Children’s Hospital.

For Katie, the recognition is less about personal accolades and more about what it reflects: a community-minded approach to leadership. She often credits her professional inspiration to the strong female leaders she has observed up close — individuals like Allison Melangton, Sue Anne Gilroy and Melissa Proffitt, and of course her mother, Teresa Martz, and mother-in-law, Charlotte Lucas.

Legacy and Work With Ascension St. Vincent

Katie uses her influence and resources to drive enduring community impact. Serving on the Ascension St. Vincent Foundation board since 2017 — and now as chair — she helps steer philanthropic strategy to uplift health care access across Indiana.

This steadfast dedication and decades of support led to the naming of the Lucas Family Brain and Spine Hospital — a state-of-the-art, 109,000-square-foot facility on Ascension St. Vincent’s 86th Street campus — in honor of Morgan and Katie. The hospital, which opened in August, serves as a regional hub for advanced neurological care.

The hospital builds on nearly 20 years of Lucas family support for Peyton Manning Children’s Hospital and Ascension St. Vincent. Through initiatives like the Eric Medlen Memorial Golf Tournament, Katie and Morgan have helped raise more than $2.5M for neurological care and children’s health.

Balancing Work, Faith and Family

Katie is quick to point out that balance is never perfect.

With two children — Hunter and Austin — and a demanding executive role, she embraces flexibility.

“There are seasons that require more of you — whether it is a major project at work or a family health crisis,” she says. “Balance means giving yourself grace, delegating and accepting help. You can do it all — you just cannot do it all by yourself. You need a team.”

Leaving a Legacy

Katie Lucas is a hometown success story. She has taken her Noblesville and Carmel roots to the helm of a global company, championed the relocation of its headquarters to Indiana and built a philanthropic legacy through health care and community service. Katie hopes her leadership reflects a consistent set of values: integrity, teamwork and service.

“I want people to know that Lucas Oil was about more than products,” she says. “That we invested in our people, our community and the next generation. That we left Indiana better than we found it.”

For young women looking to combine career ambition with community purpose, she offers a model worth following.