Here are a few items worth mentioning…

Congressman-elect Jim Baird (IN-04) has selected former state director Mike McMains to lead his transition activities for both Indiana and Washington, D.C. operations.  McMains, who served as state director for former U.S. Sen. Dan Coats (R-IN), will lead efforts to build Baird’s administration, setting up office locations and ensuring that the Congressman-elect can immediately represent the district when he is sworn in on January 3rd, 2019.

Indiana Attorney General Curtis Hill was elected by his peers this weekend as the vice chair of the Republican Attorneys General Association (RAGA).  RAGA is the only national organization whose mission is electing Republicans to the Office of State Attorney General. Hill had previously served on the RAGA Executive Committee.

At the organization’s 29th Annual Awards Dinner, the Indiana Chamber of Commerce honored four prominent business, government and community leaders for their dedication to business excellence in 2018. The award winners, who all took the stage at the Indiana Convention Center, were previously announced in September.

  • Purdue University President Mitch Daniels is the Ogletree Deakins Business Leader of the Year. Daniels has redefined what a modern institution of higher education can look like through incorporating a business mindset and taking calculated risks. Among his efforts: emphasizing value via tuition freezes, establishing the Purdue Global online institution and the Discovery Park District live-work-play venture.
  • The Government Leader of the Year is Indiana Chief Justice Loretta Rush, who has expanded the use of technology to allow the court system statewide to operate more efficiently. She is also a national voice on the opioid crisis; under her leadership, Indiana’s courts have taken important steps to support the expansion of drug treatment efforts.
  • Jim Hallett, CEO and chairman of the board of KAR Auction Services, is the Dynamic Leader of the Year. He is the driving force behind the innovative and highly successful enterprise that employs 17,500 worldwide and is Indiana’s 12th largest public company. An enthusiastic champion of the state’s attributes, he is also the owner of the Indy Fuel hockey team.
  • The Republic Airways and Lift Academy Community of the Year is Jasper, which is both embracing its rich German heritage and manufacturing history while also demonstrating a willingness to adapt and look ahead. Approximately $200 million in current projects is propelling the city, including Jasper River Centre, a $30 million mixed-use development along the Patoka Riverfront, and the 75-acre Parklands of Jasper.