Lebanon Reporter

Community

April 30, 2012

VIDEO: Meet the 2012 Primary Election Candidates

The Lebanon Reporter

Each year before the election, The Lebanon Reporter introduces readers to the candidates in opposed races. Republican candidates in the May 8 primary are vying for their party's nomination for Boone County Council, Auditor and Coroner. Scroll down to see each candidate's education, experience and community activities, as well as a short video interview.

The candidates were asked these three questions:

  • What do you want voters to know about you?
  • What do you hope to accomplish if elected?
  • What separates you from your opponents?

Here is a brief description of the duties for each office:

Auditor:

  • Fiscal officer of the county
  • Keeps accounts and issues warrants for the payment of claims.
  • Responsible for all documents, books, records, maps and papers deposited in the office
  • Provides clerks with estimates of assessed valuations and estimates of taxes
  • Distributes funds collected to appropriate governmental agencies

Coroner:

  • Determine the manner of death in cases involving violence or casualty, or when someone is found dead in unexplained circumstances
  • Obtain police assistance for investigation
  • Employ a qualified physician to direct the autopsy
  • May act as sheriff if the sheriff is incapacitated or disqualified; has authority to arrest the sheriff when a warrant is issued

County Council

  • Holds financial powers of the county
  • Sets the county's tax rate
  • Imposes the tax levy
  • Makes appropriations from the county treasury
  • Adopt the annual budget
  • Sets salaries for county employees

SOURCE: Here is your Indiana Government

Beth A. Butner - Auditor

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Education: Lebanon High School, 1979; Ivy Tech Community College, accounting classes.

Experience:

  • Boone County Auditor’s Office, 8 1/2 years experience — Duties included payroll and insurance for all Boone County employees.
  • Boone County Clerk’s Office, 6 years — Deputy clerk position serving the general public, as well as bookkeeping.

Community or volunteer Activities:

  • BMV Task Force committee member.
  • Women’s Republican Club member.
  • Past Vice President Precinct committee member.
  • Past member of Kappa Delta Phi Sorority.

Melody S. Price - Auditor

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Education:

  • BSBA — Indiana Wesleyan University.
  • University of Indianapolis — undergraduate classes.
  • Omega Small Business/Commercial Lending Certificates.
  • Association of Indiana Counties/Ivy Tech — Certified County Official, 9/2010; County DIPLOMA. program, 9/2010.

Experience: [edited for length]

  • 3 years as auditor.
  • 4 years in Center Township of Marion County, assistant to CFO: Processed all accounts receivable and payable, reconciled bank accounts and  payroll backup.
  • 35 years of banking, 12 years as Zionsville branch manager.

Community or volunteer activities:
[edited for length]

  • Zionsville Rotary - past president, secretary.
  • Relay for Life.
  • Zionsville Methodist church - past board chairwoman.
  • Zionsville Chamber - twice board president.
  • Boys and Girls Club - board.
  • Association of Indiana County Auditors - district vp.
  • Republican Women Club - treasurer

Deanna Willhoite - Auditor

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Education:
2003 — Bachelor’s degree in business administration, magna cum laude, with a concentration in business management, Northwood University.
Indiana Certified Level 1 Property Assessor.

Experience:
Current Boone County Treasurer.
Prosecutor — Office Manager.
Auditor — Deputy Auditor.
Superior Court II — Secretary/Bailiff.
Kingsbury Rehab Center — 1990-1997.
HR Director — Payroll, Benefits, Training, Accounts Payable, Supervisor.
Office Manager — Accounts Receivable, Supervisor.

Community or volunteer activities:
Boone County Women’s Republican Club — member/past treasurer.
Center Township — Vice Precinct Committeeman.
Boone County Fourth of July Committee.
Indiana Republican Convention — Delegate.
Election poll worker.
Witham Family YMCA — Part-time employee and cycling instructor.

 

H. Ronald "Ron" Beck - Coroner

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Education:

  • Bachelor of Science in electronic engineering from Purdue University.
  • Project Management Institute — Certified Project Management Professional.
  • EDS — consulting professional graduate with highest honors and negotiations skills.

Experience: [edited for length]

Over 12 years as deputy sheriff; road deputy and investigation leader;  Past First Responder; Crime scene investigator; Relationships with three coroners; Designed/implemented Lilly laboratory.; Clinical trials; Medical classes; assisted in surgeries; ormed own company; U.S. secret clearance.

Community or volunteer activities: [edited for length]

Member/volunteer — Traders Point Christian Church.; Volunteer/board member emeritus, Habitat for Humanity; Volunteer — Humane Society; Precinct Committeeman, Eagle 18; Chairman emeritus, Computer Science Board at Franklin College; Consultant — Purdue, Wabash College; Pilot, Make a Wish

John Glendenning - Coroner

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Education:

  • Graduate of Lebanon High School and Indiana University School of Nursing with distinction with an A+ in human anatomy and physiology.
  • Attended medical and trauma seminars to study the care of newborns, pediatrics, adults and geriatrics.

Experience:

  • Advanced emergency medical technician.
  • Student nurse in the ER at Wishard and later as an RN at Methodist Hospital’s ER.
  • Worked last 13 years for LifeLine Helicopter as a certified flight registered nurse.

Community or volunteer activities:
Volunteer firefighter, volunteer reserve deputy sheriff, volunteer with the Boone County Board of Health, volunteer as a Boone County weather watcher, volunteer at Shalom House, volunteer as a registered nurse with Ambassadors for Children.

Shon J. Hough - Coroner

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Education:

  • Diploma from Zionsville Community High School.
  • 3 years at University of Southern Indiana.
  • Wayne Township Fire Academy — firefighter, EMT, Hazmat and officer training.
  • Indiana Coroner’s Association — Certification for Medicolegal Death Investigator.

Experience:

  • 2 years as deputy coroner with the Boone County Coroner’s Office (2010-current).
  • 9-year career fireman with Wayne Twp. Fire Dept.

Community or volunteer activities:
Serving God through active participation at Horizon Christian Fellowship — help lead Youth Group trips; peedway Masonic Lodge No. 729, Indianapolis Valley of the Scottish Rite, Murat Shrine, Beacon of Hope Center for Women, People’s Burn Foundation.

ined

Heather Essex-Gallagher - County Council

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Education:
Graduated from Zionsville Community High School and Marian College, B.A.; attended Lebanon High School.

Experience:

  • IU School of Nursing, project manager and grant coordinator.
  • Clerk for Eagle Township Trustee.

Community or volunteer activities:

  • International Dyslexia Association Indiana Chapter, board member.
  • Zionsville PTO board member, fundraiser and volunteer.
  • Sunday school teacher.
  • Youth sports volunteer, fundraising.

Jim Hundley - County Council

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Education:
B.S. agricultural economics, agri-business and finance, Purdue University.

Experience:
Division sales manager for global company, owner of Boone Mutual Agency Inc. since 2006.

Community or volunteer activities:
Past president, Lebanon Kiwanis; past president, Boone County 4-H fair board; vice president Boone County 4-H Council; past president Boone County Extension Board.

David Rodgers - County Council

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Education:
Western Boone High School, 1989; B.A. in Social Studies Education, Minors in English and Political Science — Purdue University, 1993; M.A. in American Studies — Purdue, 2002; Master of Public Affairs (Policy Analysis) — IUPUI, in progress.

Experience:
19 years teaching U.S. history and government at Zionsville High School; six years on the Jackson Township Trustee Advisory Board; Completing first term on the Boone County Council.

Community or volunteer activities:
Boone Economic Development Corporation board; Tri-Area Library finance committee; Boone County Courthouse Centennial committee chairman; volunteer for Family Voices Indiana, Boone County 4-H, Shalom House; Purdue Alumni Boone County; Rock Church Community Thanksgiving.

Stephen Schanke - County Council

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Education:
MBA in Governmental and Not-for-Profit administration; B.S. degree from Purdue in Engineering Management; Project Management Certificate from Penn State Harrisburg; Currently I am an adjunct Project Management instructor at Keller Graduate School, DeVry University.

Experience: [edited for length]
31 years with IBM in positions from engineering research to corporate worldwide program manager. After retirement, I worked at the United Way of Central Indiana — Community Service Council as SAVI director and with UW agencies.

Community or volunteer activities:
Boone County APC; Zionsville BZA; Board, IBM credit union; Indiana State Certified EMT-EVOCC; Upper Allen (PA) Township Volunteer Fire Department; First Aid Instructor; Board Member, Instructor, Department Head, Mechanicsburg Art Center School; Artist and working Potter; Boy Scouts of America

Debby Shubert - County Council

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Education:
Graduate of Lebanon High School.
Graduate of Academy of Hair Design.

Experience:
Served two terms (8 years) on Boone County Council at Large.
Center Township Advisory Board.
Precinct and Vice Precinct Committeeman.

Community or volunteer activities:
Boone County Convention and Visitors Bureau.
Maple View Board of Directors.
Boone County Child Protection Team.
SOS “Sharing Our Services.”
Attend Centenary United Methodist Church

Craig A. Triscari - County Council

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Education:
Graduate of Purdue University, BA; Webster University, MA; Army Command and General Staff College, MMAS; U.S. Military Defense Information School; and U.S. Army Ranger and Airborne School.

Experience:
Business Owner — Trilegion Inc. (risk management, crisis management and business continuity management).
Retired U.S. Army Lieutenant Colonel and combat veteran.
Former member of Indiana National Guard and U.S. Army Reserve.

Community or volunteer activities:
Current member of the board of directors of non-profit company, Indiana InfraGard.
Author for local veteran affairs articles — Examiner.
Former military readiness group leader, and Infantry Association chapter president.

Marcia Wilhoite - County Council

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Education:
Life resident of Boone County.
1976 graduate of Lebanon High School.
1980 graduate of University of Notre Dame, Bachelor of Business Administration.
Certified Public Accountant since 1983.

Experience: [edited for length]
Indiana CPA Society; Boone County Council (2004-present); Boone Redevelopment Commission secretary (2001-present); Boone Solid Waste Board, president; Wilhoite Family Farms/Land Company; Fairway Farm, Inc; Boone REMC board; 4-H Building; Project; Budget committees.

Community or volunteer activities: [edited for length]
Centenary church; Psi Iota Xi; Indiana and Boone pork producers; LEF — founding board member and treasurer (1991-1997); 4-H assistant leader, Capital Campaign.; Cancer Society BBQ Cook-off; Committee to Elect Judge Edens, treasurer

 

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