Terre Haute Mayor Duke Bennett, center, at a ribbon-cutting earlier this year. Photo from mayor’s office.

By Niki Kelly
Indiana Capital Chronicle

TERRE HAUTE — Lt. Gov. Suzanne Crouch has chosen outgoing Terre Haute Mayor Duke Bennett to become the new executive director of the Office of Community and Rural Affairs.

Bennett, who was defeated in his bid for a fifth term in November, will begin in his new role at OCRA in Indianapolis on Jan. 8.

“The next chapter in Indiana’s history is quality of life, in large and small communities around the state, and Mayor Bennett understands this,” said Crouch, Indiana’s Secretary of Agriculture and Rural Development. “As communities and cities strive to build economically thriving places where people want to live, work and grow, Mayor Bennett will spread the collaborative spirit he cultivated in Vigo County around the state. Indiana will be in good hands with Mayor Bennett leading the Indiana Office of Community and Rural Affairs into the future.”

Bennett, from Terre Haute, is finishing his last term as that city’s mayor. He was first elected mayor in 2007, and his four terms ties him for second longest serving mayor in Terre Haute history. In addition to being mayor, Bennett has also served as a Special Deputy Sheriff with the Vigo County Sheriff’s Department for more than 20 years.

Young upstart Democrat Brandon Sakbun defeated Bennett, who sits on the board of Accelerate Indiana Municipalities, which is an organization representing more than 460 cities and towns as members. AIM’s goal is to help shape the dynamic municipalities of the future and make government work better for the benefit of all Hoosiers.

“I am thankful and honored for this opportunity from Lt. Gov. Crouch,” said Bennett. “As a four-term mayor, it’s obvious I love the city of Terre Haute. But, I am equally passionate about the state of Indiana, and I am excited I have the opportunity to work with mayors, township boards and local officials all around that state who all share a common goal of making their communities – and Indiana – the best it can be.”

He graduated with an associate’s degree from Indiana Vocational Technical College in 1980 and earned his bachelor’s in Business Administration from Indiana Wesleyan University in 2006.