Indiana Gov. Mike Braun on Monday announced nine appointments to Indiana Economic Development Corp. board of directors, replacing the current roster of board members.
The sweeping move fulfills a pledge Braun made Thursday when he confirmed he planned to dismantle and reconstruct the existing board amid his office’s probe into activities of the state agency and its spin-off venture capital firm, Elevate Ventures.
In a news release, Braun’s office said prior board members’ service would end with the appointment of the new members. The board members as of Thursday were Dominic Grote, Michael Kubacki, Sue McCloskey, Fred J. Merritt, Mark D. Miles, Amy Schumacher, John T. Thompson, and Linda E. White.
“The new board appointees—who bring experience from across the spectrum of Indiana’s economy from agriculture to manufacturing to retail—will join Gov. Mike Braun and Commerce Secretary David Adams’ mission to grow wages and build new job opportunities for Hoosiers, as well as spread economic development to all four corners of the state,” Braun’s office said in the release.
The new appointed members:
- Gus Olympidis, Valparaiso—owner of Family Express Convenience Stores and director on several boards dedicated to regional and community development in northwest Indiana
- John Gregg, Sandborn—former speaker of the Indiana House of Representatives
- George Thomas, Granger—entrepreneur and executive, Adorn, Duo-Form, Lakota Trailers, Misty Harbor Pontoons, Viaggio Pontoon Boats
- Billie Dragoo, Indianapolis—founder and CEO of RepuCare
- David Fagan, Portage—International Union of Operating Engineers Local 150
- Greg Gibson, Terre Haute—entrepreneur in commercial real estate development, hospitality and food service industry, trucking, excavation, coal, solid waste landfill development and waste industry advisory services
- Richard Waterfield, Fort Wayne—chairman of the board and CEO, Waterfield Enterprises and Waterfield Asset Management, Founder and Managing Principal of Waterfield Private Equity Funds
- Chris King, Shelbyville—executive vice president, Runnebohm Construction, professional engineer specializing in infrastructure design and construction, and land entitlement
- Don Lamb, Lebanon—farmer and director of the Indiana State Department of Agriculture
“I spent my life building a business here in Indiana, and I know that having an entrepreneurial, high-energy team in your corner makes all the difference,” Braun said in written comments. “These appointments to the IEDC board embody the Freedom and Opportunity agenda for IEDC: they hail from communities all around our state, bring experience from across the range of Indiana’s key industries, and each of them knows the importance of growing wages and creating job opportunities for Hoosiers because they’ve done it in their own communities.”
Braun, who serves as board chairman, said the appointed members were “distinguished by philanthropic efforts and a commitment to service to their state and local communities.”
Braun’s administration has enlisted Carmel-based FTI Consulting to conduct the forensic audit of the agency and its affiliated entities. The administration has also frozen all state funds associated with Elevate.
Spending from the IEDC’s affiliated nonprofit, the Indiana Economic Development Foundation, has also been suspended.