05/01/2026
News Sun article from Wednesday.
Reasons to vote for experience, part 1 of 3 questions.
What life experiences/work history make you qualified for this position:
As the Wayne Township Trustee for the last 28 years consecutively, I have always operated with a balanced budget, proving responsible fiscal conservative stewardship of taxpayer dollars and full compliance with Indiana law. In doing so, I have successfully funded many projects for the city of Kendallville and Wayne Township including:
• The Kendallville Park Department, providing matching grants for playground builds, additional seasonal staff and to help sponsor summer activities and events. Bixler Lake Park and Campground including a new dump station and septic line.
• All of the Practice fields and fencing, storage barn, batting cage facility and fencing improvements on the ball fields at the Kendallville Outdoor Recreation Complex.
• Total restoration and ongoing maintenance of Kammerer, Weston Chapel, Perseverance, and Lakeview cemeteries including equipment and facility upgrades for cemetery care.
• Installation of a hitching post in downtown Kendallville to accommodate our Amish residents.
• And new for 2026, the paving of the roads at Lakeview Cemetery. We will begin paving the west side of Lakeview this summer and have the project completed within three years without raising taxes.
These accomplishments are in part a result of a very good working relationship with Mayor Waters and past mayors, Suzanne Handshoe and Larry McGahen and myself.
Each year, I am responsible for providing township assistance to more than 160 local households and families who are unable to meet basic needs. Assistance includes rent, utilities, food, prescription needs, and burial assistance — delivered efficiently, fairly, and according to Indiana guidelines and requirements.
While benefitting Wayne Township, I have made significant investments in fire protection with the Kendallville Fire Department, including:
• Funding and loan payments toward a $1.6 million new aerial ladder truck.
• Replacement of aging fire trucks and rural response vehicles.
• Repairs and maintenance for tankers and equipment.
• New structural fire boots for firefighters.
• Support for tornado sirens protecting township residents.
Public safety for the residents of Wayne Township is and remains a top priority of mine.
My wife Lori and I have raised our three children (Zach, Meghann and Nick) in Kendallville attending East Noble Schools, K through 12 grade. I have a Bachelor of Science degree in Public Administration (SPEA) from Indiana University, Bloomington and 40 years of experience working as a Human Resources Manager in the Tier 1 Automotive and Banking industries. With my experience as Wayne Township Trustee, I also mentor, advise and train other township trustees across the region on how to balance budgets, provide proper township assistance distribution, and demonstrate how to maintain legal compliance for Indiana State Audits.
