Jesse L. Moore was a respected leader, advocate, and mentor in Greater Lafayette, Indiana, whose career advanced equity, economic opportunity, and institutional excellence. As Purdue University’s first Director of Supplier Diversity, Jesse drove a vision to make the university a national leader in supplier diversity—helping increase Purdue’s diversity spend by more than 300%. His work opened contracting and career pathways for diverse businesses across the state. Before Purdue, Jesse brought decades of experience in economic development, public policy, and diverse business advocacy. He served as Business Advocacy Manager for the Greater Indianapolis Chamber of Commerce, Executive Director of the Indianapolis Black Chamber of Commerce, Director of Economic Development and Small Business at the Indiana Chamber of Commerce, and held leadership roles with BAA, LLC, the Indianapolis Department of Parks and Recreation, and Community Action Against Poverty. He effectively managed large teams and budgets and was a skilled strategist, lobbyist, and program builder.

Jesse spent significant time—and his own resources—mentoring young students and entrepreneurs, opening doors, offering guidance, and investing in others’ success. His leadership was recognized with numerous honors, including the Sagamore of the Wabash, Purdue Distinctive Service Award, Mayor’s Advocate of Diversity in Business Award, SBA Minority Business Advocate of the Year, and the Jesse L. Moore Supplier Diversity Annual Award from Insight into Diversity Magazine. He earned a B.S. in Business Administration, cum laude, from Martin University. A committed civic leader, Jesse served on many boards and committees—locally and statewide—helping shape workforce development, community services, and diversity initiatives.

The inaugural Jesse Moore Memorial Scholarship is being established at the time of his passing to ensure that his life and legacy are honored and his efforts continue by supporting students pursuing higher education and technical careers. Money raised here will help to fund annual scholarships by providing seed funding for an endowment that will support awards to students in perpetuity. Our immediate goal is to launch the inaugural scholarships, with the first scholarship slated for awarding during the 2026 school year. All donations will be administered in partnership with the Greater Lafayette Indiana Black Expo. In lieu of flowers, please consider a gift to continue Jesse’s legacy. Every contribution, large or small, matters—please give today.