FORT WAYNE, Ind. (WANE) — Vera Bradley has made Forbes’ list ranking the top 500 midsize employers for 2023.

Indiana was represented on the list by eight employers, with the best ranking being Vera Bradley in Fort Wayne.

Vera Bradley is best known for its flower-patterned quilted bags. (Associated Press)

The store was ranked 188 among the top midsize employers. Additionally, the business also ranked in the top five among industries that focus on clothing, shoes and sports equipment.

Between these five, Vera Bradley’s debut in 1982 marks it as the second youngest store, behind only Duluth Trading in Wisconsin.

Ball State University ranked 245 on the list. They were ranked 33 for employers in the education industry throughout the country and recognized as the best in Indiana.

Ball State University sign
Ball State University is a public research school in Muncie, Indiana that was founded in 1918

The oldest Indiana employer on the list was the Old National Bank, which was founded in 1834 and ranked at 280. Alverno Laboratories, founded in 1999, focuses on health care services and was the youngest employer based in Indiana to make Forbes’ list. The business ranked at 392.

Here is a full list of Indiana employers represented on Forbes’ ranking:

  • Vera Bradley: 188
  • Reid Health: 242
  • 1st Source Bank: 244
  • Ball State University: 245
  • Old National Bank: 280
  • Alverno Laboratories: 392
  • CNO Financial Group: 451
  • Kimball International: 489

The top of the list was headlined by many California businesses, controlling the top position on the list with Caltech and four of the top five spots within the state.

To see the full list, you can visit the Forbes website.