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It's official: Pence names Ellspermann to the ticket


5/21/2012 10:01:00 AM

 By BRIAN A. HOWEY

NASHVILLE, Ind. - Republican gubernatorial nominee Mike Pence officially named State Rep. Sue Ellspermann to the ticket.

The two appeared in Ellspermann's hometown of Ferdinand at 10 a.m. today as the Pence campaign emailed out the announcement to supporters. Additional stops by the pair will be made at noon in Evansville and at 3 p.m. in Indianapolis.

"Sue Ellspermann has the integrity, business background and experience in state government that will make her a great Lt. Governor," said Pence.  "She will be a tremendous asset as we work to bring more jobs to Indiana."

Ellspermann has had a very successful career in engineering and management. She holds a bachelor's degree and a PhD in industrial engineering from Purdue and the University of Louisville. Ellspermann founded her own consulting business, which she ran for 20 years before joining the University of Southern Indiana in 2006 as the Director of the Center for Applied Research and Economic Development.

In 2010, Ellspermann decided to run for the Indiana House of Representatives to help tackle the multitude of challenges facing rural Indiana. She was elected to represent Dubois, Perry, Spencer and Warrick counties. Ellspermann served as Vice Chair of Employment, Labor and Pensions Committee and was a member of the Small Business, Commerce and Economic Development Committee and Election and Apportionment Committee.

"Mike Pence's top priority is job creation," said Ellspermann.  "As an engineer, I understand the importance of technical skills development in our workforce to attract high wage, high tech jobs to Indiana."

Ellspermann and her husband, Jim, live in Ferdinand. They have four adult daughters.

She was first elected to the Indiana House in 2010, upsetting Democratic Majority Leader Russ Stilwell. She was part of a GOP wave that established a 60-seat majority and allowed Gov. Mitch Daniels to forge education, labor, anti-abortion and government reform.

After HPI broke the Ellspermann angle, the Pence campaign received a number of recommendations on her addition to the ticket.

She offers a new administration an academic and business background. Ellspermann is the founding director of the Center for Applied Research at the University of Southern Indiana. The Center helps leverage the intellectual capital located at USI throughout the counties in the region with projects ranging from economic impact studies and community surveys to analytical chemistry.

Pence said he wanted a running mate who could succeed him as governor and has legislative experience.


 

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