BACKGROUND
A native of the African continent, Berthran Ugeh was born in Kano, Nigeria and moved to Maryland to attend college at 17. After earning a bachelor’s in both computer science and mathematics at Towson University, he returned to his homeland and worked in his family’s logistics business. It is only looking back that he can see God’s hand in that decision because he wanted to stay in the States, but his father asked him to come home and work alongside him. For seven years the two worked closely, Berthran bringing the skills learned at university to the beverage distribution business his father had started almost three decades before.
Then, in a heartbeat, he lost his father to a heart attack, and life changed again.
“I was mad at God,” he says of the loss, “and it took time to get through the grief and anger.”
Born into a Christian family, Berthran grew up with a steady faith but has learned that there are always places in life where that relationship needs to grow deeper and find renewal. “It’s a development process,” he says. “God lets things happen for a reason, and you come to find more meaning and revelation in what you go through.”
Such was the case with the death of his father and now, rather than being angry, he is grateful for those seven years he didn’t miss. “They were so instrumental in my life and helped shape the man I am today,” he says.
His years of management consulting, advising companies on opportunities in emerging markets, and traveling between the States and other continents led him to relocate to Indiana in 2016. You might say Berthran was primed and ready when he landed in Indy, because he hit the ground running and seven years later in addition to his career as a financial advisor with Merrill Lynch, he serves on the boards of Elevate Indy, the Library Foundation, and the International Marketplace Coalition (IMC), and is the president of African Council of Indiana. He also enjoys the “great synergy” he has found within C7.
He calls Westfield home with his wife of 16 years, Linky, and their two daughters and two sons. They are active, particularly with youth activities, at Northview Church, Carmel, where his children are now moving toward the strong foundation he grew up with.
Each of his interests outside of work helps him invest in his passion for creating community and impacting the next generation. Of course, with four children, that’s on his mind often, but it’s also very present to him as he works with immigrants and refugees. His work with the IMC, for example, focuses on just three square miles of Indy, where he and other volunteers support growth and develop community among the 160 nationalities represented there. Everyone struggles with similar needs and challenges, and helping underrepresented communities work together to thrive brings him joy.
Berthran is hopeful for the community of Indianapolis, and brings to bear the thing he feels God has most wired him with: the ability to care for others and see the big picture, helping the people around him sift through challenges and make decisions.
“This world would be a better place if we all just cared for each other,” he says.
UGEH'S IDEAS FOR A BETTER INDY
BERTHRAN UGEH TRIVIA
Favorite hobby besides work? Travel and golf
Go to snack and beverage? Not a snacker, but Berthran must have lots of coffee with caffeine
Favorite restaurant, locally? Jamaican Breeze Sports Bar and Grill
Favorite place for a vacation? Dar es Salaam, Tanzania
Secret Dream? Not his dream, but the dream of others for him: to run for office. (“I’ve been told the same thing by so many people, ‘You have to do this!’ but I always say, ‘never going to happen! I’m a technocrat.’”)
Connect with Berthran at bugeh1@gmail.com.
A native of the African continent, Berthran Ugeh was born in Kano, Nigeria and moved to Maryland to attend college at 17. After earning a bachelor’s in both computer science and mathematics at Towson University, he returned to his homeland and worked in his family’s logistics business. It is only looking back that he can see God’s hand in that decision because he wanted to stay in the States, but his father asked him to come home and work alongside him. For seven years the two worked closely, Berthran bringing the skills learned at university to the beverage distribution business his father had started almost three decades before.
Then, in a heartbeat, he lost his father to a heart attack, and life changed again.
“I was mad at God,” he says of the loss, “and it took time to get through the grief and anger.”
Born into a Christian family, Berthran grew up with a steady faith but has learned that there are always places in life where that relationship needs to grow deeper and find renewal. “It’s a development process,” he says. “God lets things happen for a reason, and you come to find more meaning and revelation in what you go through.”
Such was the case with the death of his father and now, rather than being angry, he is grateful for those seven years he didn’t miss. “They were so instrumental in my life and helped shape the man I am today,” he says.
His years of management consulting, advising companies on opportunities in emerging markets, and traveling between the States and other continents led him to relocate to Indiana in 2016. You might say Berthran was primed and ready when he landed in Indy, because he hit the ground running and seven years later in addition to his career as a financial advisor with Merrill Lynch, he serves on the boards of Elevate Indy, the Library Foundation, and the International Marketplace Coalition (IMC), and is the president of African Council of Indiana. He also enjoys the “great synergy” he has found within C7.
He calls Westfield home with his wife of 16 years, Linky, and their two daughters and two sons. They are active, particularly with youth activities, at Northview Church, Carmel, where his children are now moving toward the strong foundation he grew up with.
Each of his interests outside of work helps him invest in his passion for creating community and impacting the next generation. Of course, with four children, that’s on his mind often, but it’s also very present to him as he works with immigrants and refugees. His work with the IMC, for example, focuses on just three square miles of Indy, where he and other volunteers support growth and develop community among the 160 nationalities represented there. Everyone struggles with similar needs and challenges, and helping underrepresented communities work together to thrive brings him joy.
Berthran is hopeful for the community of Indianapolis, and brings to bear the thing he feels God has most wired him with: the ability to care for others and see the big picture, helping the people around him sift through challenges and make decisions.
“This world would be a better place if we all just cared for each other,” he says.
UGEH'S IDEAS FOR A BETTER INDY
- MORE COLLABORATION. From his perch, he sometimes sees more silos than collaborative effort. “If there’s one thing I would ask for our city and state, it’s for more collaboration in general. The more we work together, the more we can see great changes happen. There’s such a huge need for joint work and unity and if there’s one thing I would champion, it would be that,” he says.
- CARING FOR OTHERS IN SPECIFIC WAYS MAKES A DIFFERENCE. He recently witnessed again the power of standing with someone in the midst of their struggle, and was astonished at the difference the simple act of kindness made. It didn’t take long and it wasn’t rocket science. It was listening, being there, and letting them know they weren’t alone.
- KEEP COMING TO C7. Having a community of men, especially Christian men, matters. “We underestimate its importance; we think we can do it by ourselves,” he says. “But the opportunity to relate with someone who truly cares, in a safe space to process what you’re going through – there’s not a lot of spaces where we can do that.”
BERTHRAN UGEH TRIVIA
Favorite hobby besides work? Travel and golf
Go to snack and beverage? Not a snacker, but Berthran must have lots of coffee with caffeine
Favorite restaurant, locally? Jamaican Breeze Sports Bar and Grill
Favorite place for a vacation? Dar es Salaam, Tanzania
Secret Dream? Not his dream, but the dream of others for him: to run for office. (“I’ve been told the same thing by so many people, ‘You have to do this!’ but I always say, ‘never going to happen! I’m a technocrat.’”)
Connect with Berthran at bugeh1@gmail.com.
