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{{Use mdy dates|date=November 2018}}
{{Infobox person
| name = Thomas Wyatt Wilson Binford
Line 5 ⟶ 6:
| caption =
| birth_name =
| birth_date = April{{birth date|1924|4|6, 1924}}
| birth_place = Indianapolis<ref name="upi-1983may11">{{cite news |url=http://www.upi.com/Archives/1983/05/11/Tom-Binford-is-a-busy-man-who-somehow-finds/4621421473600/ |title=Tom Binford is a busy man who somehow finds... |newspaper=[[United Press International]] |date=May 11, 1983 |first=Kent |last=Mcdill}}</ref>
| birth_place =
| death_date = January{{Death 14,date and age|1999|1|14|1924|4|6}}
| death_place = Indianapolis
| nationality = American
| alma_mater = [[Princeton University]]
| other_names =
| occupation = [[Entrepreneur]] and [[philanthropist]]
| years_active =
| known_for = InterimActing residentPresident of [[Depauw University]] (1975-76)<br>Chairman and CEO of [[Indiana National Corporation]] (1976–1981)
| notable_works =
}}
'''Thomas Wyatt Wilson Binford''' (April 6, 1924 &ndash;– January 14, 1999)<ref>{{cite book |url=https://archive.org/details/nationalcyclopa01unkngoog |title=The National Cyclopedia of American Biography: Current volume |publisher=J.T. White |urlyear=https://books.google.com/books?id1892 |language=7ooZAQAAIAAJ&qen |quote=%22BinfordBinford,+ Thomas+ Wyatt%22&dq=%22Binford,+Thomas+Wyatt%22&hl=en&ei=F5G1Tde_LY630QGxqZG1CQ&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=2&ved=0CDIQ6AEwAQ. |accessdateaccess-date=May 18 May, 2017|language=en}}</ref> was an [[Indianapolis]]-based [[entrepreneur]] and [[philanthropist]]. One of Indianapolis' most influential men, Thomas W. Binford, was a pioneer, visionary, and [[civil rights]] leader. He participated in civic, philanthropic, cultural, and political aspects of the city and state and was valued for his sensitivity, wise counsel, personal and financial support, and sincerity. In addition to his many personal interests, Binford spearheaded a group to buy the [[Indiana Pacers]] basketball team in 1975 and served as its president and general manager for one year. From 1974- to 1995, Binford served as the Chief Steward of the [[Indianapolis 500]], presiding over its transition from [[United States Auto Club|United States Auto]] Club governance to [[Indy Racing League]] governance.{{Citation needed|date=May 2020}}
 
==Biography==
Binford attended [[Princeton University]], where he was a member of [[Phi Beta Kappa]]. He was interim president of [[DePauw University]] in 1975-76.<ref>{{cite web He|title=Thomas eventuallyW. becameBinford presidentAppointed Acting President of DePauw |url=http://www.depauw.edu/news-media/latest-news/details/17866/ |access-date=May 18, 2017 |website=DePauw University |language=en}}</ref> Although he did not have any prior banking experience, Binford was elected [[chairman]] and CEO[[chief executive officer]] of [[Indiana National BankCorporation]], the holding company for the largest bank in the state of Indiana, from 1976 to 1981, turning the company around after it lost money during the [[1973–75 recession]].<ref name="is-1981apr162">{{cite news |last=McNamee |first=Mike |date=April 16, 1981 |title=With the job done, Binford steps down |page=54 |newspaper=[[Indianapolis Star]] |url=https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/106347682/ |url-access=subscription |quote=After five tumultuous years, Thomas W. Binford is ready for a change. "There's time to step up, and a time to step down," the chairman of Indiana National Corp. said Wednesday. "Five years ago, it was time to step up and do something. Now, it's done." What Binford did was help Indiana National turn itself around. The holding company, owner of Indiana's oldest and second largest bank, was foundering in 1976 when Binford was asked to take off his academic robes and become INB's chairman. Although he had no professional banking experience, he had what one outside expert called "a case study in turnaround management." Throughout those five years, Binford maintained that his goal was to build up Indiana National's management, to set the company on a firm footing and "to work myself out of a job." |via=[[Newspapers.com]]}}</ref> He was instrumental in bringing the [[Indianapolis Colts|Colts]] to Indianapolis. His greatest contribution was creating an environment in the city of Indianapolis where issues of civil rights and race could be discussed productively and without rancor.{{Citation needed|date=May 2020}} A street in northeastern Indianapolis was renamed Binford Boulevard in his honor.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Article Recalls Civic Leader and Former DePauw President Tom Binford |url=https://www.depauw.edu/news-media/latest-news/details/16375/ |access-date=2020-05-21 |website=DePauw University |language=en}}</ref>
[[File:Crown Hill Cemetery - 2016-10-21 - Mike Steele 23.jpg|thumb|The burial site of Tom Binford in [[Crown Hill Cemetery]] in Indianapolis.]]
Binford began serving as chief steward during the [[1973 Indianapolis 500]]. In 1978, Binford was a candidate in the [[Fédération Internationale du Sport Automobile|FISA]] presidential election but lost the election to [[Jean-Marie Balestre]] by 29 votes to 11. His most notable races includesinclude the [[1981 Indianapolis 500]] and the [[1995 Indianapolis 500]]. Binford penalized [[Bobby Unser]] one lap for illegal passes under a caution in 1981. His penalty was overruled by a USAC appeals board 5five months later. In 1995, Binford penalized Jacques Villeneuve early in the race, for a restart violation &and later gave a stop-and-go penalty forto [[Scott Goodyear]] after Goodyear passed the pace- car on the final restart. The 1995 race was his last one as chief steward before retiring in 1996.▼
 
Binford suffered a cerebral hemorrhage while he was at his office in Indianapolis and later died at [[Indiana University Health Methodist Hospital|Methodist Hospital]].<ref name="nyt-1999jan172">{{cite news |last=Siano |first=Joseph |date=January 17, 1999 |title=Thomas Binford, 74, Executive Who Guided Indianapolis 500 |newspaper=[[New York Times]] |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1999/01/17/sports/thomas-binford-74-executive-who-guided-indianapolis-500.html?pagewanted=all}}</ref> He is buried at [[Crown Hill Cemetery]] in [[Indianapolis]].<ref name="Crown Hill Autos2">{{cite news |date=2011 |title=Indianapolis Auto greats |work=Celebrating Automotive Heritage at Crown Hill Cemetery |publisher=[[Crown Hill Cemetery]] |url=http://www.crownhillhf.org/docs/IndianapolisAutoGreatsHandout.pdf |url-status=dead |access-date=September 10, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120913203018/http://crownhillhf.org/docs/IndianapolisAutoGreatsHandout.pdf |archive-date=September 13, 2012}}</ref>
▲Binford began serving as chief steward during the [[1973 Indianapolis 500]]. His most notable races includes the [[1981 Indianapolis 500]] and the [[1995 Indianapolis 500]]. Binford penalized [[Bobby Unser]] one lap for illegal passes under a caution in 1981. His penalty was overruled by a USAC appeals board 5 months later. In 1995 Binford penalized Jacques Villeneuve early in the race, for a restart violation & later gave a stop-and-go penalty for [[Scott Goodyear]] after Goodyear passed the pace-car on the final restart. The 1995 race was his last one as chief steward before retiring in 1996.
 
Binford was the inspiration for the name of the brand of tools on the Tool Time show-within-a-show on the [[Tim Allen]] TV series [[Home Improvement]].
 
He is buried at [[Crown Hill Cemetery]] in [[Indianapolis]].<ref name="Crown Hill Autos">{{cite news |url=http://www.crownhillhf.org/docs/IndianapolisAutoGreatsHandout.pdf|title=Indianapolis Auto greats|publisher=[[Crown Hill Cemetery]]|work=Celebrating Automotive Heritage at Crown Hill Cemetery|date=2011|accessdate=2012-09-10}}</ref>
 
==References==
{{Reflist|30em}}
 
==External links==
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[[Category:American sports businesspeople]]
[[Category:American motorsport people]]
[[Category:20th-century American philanthropists]]
[[Category:National Basketball AssociationNBA executives]]
[[Category:Businesspeople from Indianapolis]]
[[Category:Burials at Crown Hill Cemetery]]
[[Category:20th-century American businesspeople]]
[[Category:Home Improvement (TV series)]]
[[Category:Park Tudor School alumni]]
 
 
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