About Jordan Gleason

Jordan Gleason (they/them) is an entrepreneur, attorney, realtor, community advocate, and creative with over a decade of experience launching and supporting businesses in Indiana. Jordan earned their Bachelor of Arts from Purdue University in 2008 and their Juris Doctorate from IU McKinney School of Law in 2011.  At McKinney they focused their studies on business, real estate, and intellectual property law in between brewing kegs in preparation for launching their first business with Stephen Ruby, Black Acre Brewing Company, LLC.

From 2010-2018, Jordan founded Black Acre Brewing Company, managing its general operations, a 63-seat brewpub, marketing, event planning, financial, legal, and investor teams. Under their leadership, the brewery garnered significant recognition, winning “Best New Brewery” of 2014 in Indianapolis Monthly, “Best Brewpub” of 2012-2014 in the Indy A-List, and an American Advertising Award in 2014 by the American Advertising Federation.  At the time of Jordan’s departure, Black Acre’s distribution portfolio had expanded to serve its beers across the Midwest and internationally.

At Black Acre, Jordan was not just a business leader but also a champion for equity and integrity in the workplace. Their outspoken remarks about sexism in the restaurant industry earned them local and national press recognition. In 2016, they were honored with a City Council Proclamation for their advocacy work, a testament to their contribution to the fabric of the Indianapolis community.

In 2018, Jordan left the brewery, married their wonderful spouse Katherine, and took an artistic and spiritual sabbatical before joining their dear friend Clark at Giles Law Group in 2019. Jordan’s practice has primarily involved supporting nonprofits, creatives, restaurants, breweries, and real estate investors.  Jordan is deeply passionate about helping artists and creatives achieve their professional goals and connecting with their audiences.

In addition to their entrepreneurial efforts, Jordan has a great enthusiasm for community development and nonprofit work. They served on the board of the Irvington Development Organization, eventually serving as the organization’s President.  During their tenure as IDO’s President, Jordan focused on supporting small businesses with zoning and land use projects within the neighborhood, managing the organization’s 50+ unit low-income housing development, helping Irvington achieve ODAN status on its path to becoming a Nationally Accredited Main Street through the Office of Community and Rural Affairs, and coordinating between neighborhood groups, the Department of Metropolitan Development, and elected representatives to establish the first Irvington Tax Improvement District to promote community development along the upcoming Bus Rapid Transit Blue Line.

In their own creative practice, Jordan enjoys meditating, listening to Dharma talks, writing, drawing, interior design, cooking, and baking.