March 19, 2008

Holdman files for state senate seat

Wells County councilman Travis Holdman was in Indianapolis today filing the appropriate paperwork to announce his candidacy for the Indiana State Senate seat for District 19.

Well known locally through his involvement in the Wells County Republican Party, serving the past 12 years as either party chairman or vice-chair, Holdman says he hopes to “make state government something better than what it is” in filling the seat “vacated by the untimely passing of the Honorable David Ford.

“We lost a statesman, a great law maker and a great man in Senator Ford,” Holdman said.

A practicing estate planning attorney and a former Wells County Deputy Prosecutor, Holdman resides in Union Township in Wells County with his wife of 35 years, Becky, who is a teacher at Ossian Elementary School. They are the parents of two children, LeAnne, the Legislative Director for Congressman Mike Pence, and Wesley, who recently received a commission as a Second Lieutenant in the U.S. Air Force.

Holdman also does bank consulting work, having been involved in community banking for 15 years as a bank CEO, bank holding company CEO and Chairman of the Board. He was appointed by Gov. Mitch Daniels to serve on the Indiana Department of Financial Institutions Board in 2005 and 2006.

He was elected to the Wells County Council in 2006. He and his wife are active members of the Zanesville United Methodist Church where he teaches Sunday school, is in the choir and serves on several committees. He also currently serves on the Board of Trustees for Huntington University as well as the area YFC board and the national YFC/USA Board of Directors. He is completing a term as president of the Huntington University Foundation.

Holdman’s sees the key issues at the state level of government to include economic development, technology, government efficiency and controlling government spending.

“Certainly, maintaining the technology push, which Senator Ford was known for, will continue to be an important initiative,” he stated.

“A local legislator once told me that he felt the mark of a good legislator is not always making new laws,” he continued. “‘Sometimes a good legislator prevents more laws from being made.’ That seems to be good advice.”

The caucus to choose a replacement for Senator Ford has been scheduled for next Saturday, March 29 at 10 a.m. at Bluffton High School.

Email Mark Miller

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