Lt. Governor Sue Ellspermann has named Indiana State Representative Bill Davis as the director of the Office of Community and Rural Affairs (OCRA). The agency was created by legislation in 2005, making rural Indiana a major focus for the first time. OCRA’s mission is to promote community prosperity to strengthen Indiana’s economy by providing capacity-building solutions to assure ready, marketable, and competitive communities for economic growth. “Bill Davis has deep experience in rural community and economic development,” said Lt. Governor Ellspermann. “His leadership in Jay County and as a state representative will make Bill a great servant leader for the Office of Community and Rural Affairs. We are excited to have him at the helm helping our OCRA team to work effectively with Indiana’s smaller communities and rural counties to grow jobs, improve their quality of place and attract talent.”
Davis was elected to the Indiana House of Representatives in 2004 and currently serves as Chairman of the Public Policy Committee, is a member of the Elections and Apportionment, Employment, Labor and Pensions and Roads and Transportation Committees. He also served on the Ways and Means Committee from 2005 through 2010.
Prior to his role on the state level, Davis retired from Meshberger Bros. Stone Corporation after 32 years in sales and marketing. He later owned and operated Limestone Products, Inc., a transportation and construction company.
Active in the state and local communities throughout his career, Davis is the past president of the Portland Chamber of Commerce and was a founding member of Jay County Development Corporation. He also served as a member of the Jay County Hospital Board of Directors.
A native of Portland, Davis is married to his wife Mary and has three daughters and eight grandchildren.