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It’s hard to believe that this year marks two decades since Mitch Daniels toured the Hoosier state in a recreational vehicle dubbed RV-1 in the lead-up to his election as Indiana’s 49th governor. As he traveled across the state, rather than staying in hotels, he famously accepted overnight accommodations in 125 Hoosier homes in order to learn what was on Hoosiers’ minds (and knowing Mitch, to save a few bucks).
Last weekend, former staffers organized a 20-year reunion to mark the occasion. RV-1 made the trip from the Elkhart RV Hall of Fame. As I looked around the crowd, I was reminded what was so special about the group of people who joined the Daniels administration. Many of us were in our 30s when we accepted the opportunity to join his team. Others—like Mickey Maurer, Pat Miller, Earl Goode, Harry Gonso and Chuck Schalliol—were so inspired by Mitch and his message of “Aiming Higher” that they took a break from well-established careers to serve alongside My Man Mitch.
Most of us who participated in the Daniels administration never planned to work for the state of Indiana. But the opportunity to work for someone who ran for office for the right reasons, would always do the right thing and had the wherewithal to bring about important change proved too tempting to turn down. In my case, the opportunity to work side-by-side with entrepreneurs Mickey Maurer and Pat Miller, to create the Indiana Economic Development Corp. from scratch and transform the way Indiana conducts economic development, was an opportunity of a lifetime.
Like many family reunions, stories were shared—some funny and some moving. But each story shared had two common themes: great respect and thanks for the man who dared to be bold in his agenda to improve lives for all Hoosiers and the great fortune each of us had to be a part of something bigger than ourselves.
Before Mitch Daniels, Hoosiers were known for being risk-averse and skeptical of change. For decades, the idea of completing I-69 was discussed but out of reach. Indiana remained one of two states not on daylight saving time, furthering the image that nothing changed in Indiana, and we were behind the times. A visit to Indiana’s Bureau of Motor Vehicles required taking a day off work.
But eight years of innovating, explaining, pushing, cajoling and leading by a man who exhibited courage, vision and results changed most Hoosiers’ expectations of the definition of good government. Shortly after taking the oath of office in January 2005, Gov. Daniels signaled his intentions to fellow state employees in a letter addressed to them. He wrote: “Please understand: Things are going to be different. From now on, Indiana state government will be about results.”
Under Daniels, the lease of Indiana’s toll road for $3.8 billion paid for generational investments in Indiana’s infrastructure. And Indiana achieved its first AAA credit rating in state history as “The Blade” eradicated waste and built a $2 billion surplus, employed the fewest state employees per capita in the country, passed the first Right to Work law in a northern industrial state, became a national model in education reform, and led the BMV to achieve a 97% customer satisfaction rating.
His leadership helped convince Hoosiers that we were not only open to change and the opportunity to aim higher but could also embrace change and come to expect good governance and leadership. Mitch Daniels loves the line from John Adams that, “Great things are wanted to be done.” Thank you, Mitch, for doing great things and setting the foundation and expectation for more great things to come.•
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Feltman is publisher of IBJ and CEO of IBJ Media. Send comments to nfeltman@ibj.com.
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