Indiana's lieutenant governor wears many hats, as she noted during her speech, and among them she serves as preseident of the state senate, the state's secretary of agriculture and secretary of rural affairs, and heads several other agencies.

More than 50 attended the event which also featured presentations from Indiana Secretary of State Connie Lawson and Indiana State GOP political director Trent Hagerty who passed around the "Ending the Spending" petition to send to Democrats in Congress. A statement was also read, sent by Congresswoman Jackie Walorski.

Ellspermann.outlined many goals of the administration including Gov. Mike Pence's "Roadmap for Indiana," cutting taxes for Hoosiers, growing jobs in Indiana,and expanding current Indiana technology into new and different uses, including the defense industry.

"Our new governor has Indiana's best interests in mind," Ellspermann said, adding that Implementation of Pence's roadmap is "well underway." On their first day in office she said Pence issued several executive orders, including a moratorium on regulations for the business/industrial community.

On budget issues she emphasized that "we won't spend more than we take in," a statement that earned her a roomful of applause. She also confirmed the administration's continued determination to work through the legislature to provide a tax cut for Hoosiers.

"We're one of the few states that can even talk about it," she noted.

She continued that a three-year goal is to surpass the state's previous highwater mark for jub creation which occurred about 13 years ago.

The lieutenant governor also discussed job training, especially building workforce skills and technical education to meet the needs of industry. She said not all students are cut out for college degrees and that there are good-paying jobs for alternatively-trained workers. She also discussed the need to provide  opportunities to "bring young people back home" to rural communities.

Continung on the rural track with her audience, Ellspermann touched on the work of the state's department of agriculture and its new director Gina Sheets.

She then spoke directly to the local GOP faithful, emphasizing the "importance of this group. Much of your work goes unsung," she observed, "but we need you to do more. We need you to raise up young leaders, especially women. Women bring great perspective to government." She encouraged any young person interested in public service to look into the Richard G. Lugar Excellence in Public Service Series www.indgop.org/lugarseries.

In her opening remarks, Secretary of State Lawson also encouraged the local party workers and office holders. After speaking on the "struggles of surviving another Obama administration" she noted that "this is not an election year, but we can't take a break. Now is the time to re-group and re-energize."

Lt. Gov. Sue Ellspermann with her legislative director Ryan Heater and his parents Joyce and Ron Heater of Star City. (Photo provided by Francesville Tribune)

Ellspermann prefaced her keynote address with enthusiastic words for "the person you really care about here," her legislative director Ryan Heater of Star City who drove her to the event. "I worked with him for two years as a state legislator, and he is doing a tremendous job." Heater is a recent law school graduate, and the son of Ron and Joyce Heater who were also in attendance at the dinner.

Lt. Gov. Ellspermann was introduced by Republican Second District Chairman Sam Frain of Winamac who was recently reelected district chairman by a unanimous vote. Frain described Ellspermann as "quite an impressive lady."

Ellspermann was raised in Ferdinand, Ind., and earned a degree in industrial engineering from Purdue University in 1982. After working a few years in industry, she founded a consulting business, Ellspermann and Associates, Inc. Her company provided problem solving and strategic planning facilitation and training.

As she built her practice throughout North America and locally with companies such as Kimball International, Pepsi, and McCormick, she completed a doctorate in industrial engineering at the University of Louisville 1996. While managing a thriving practice, Sue was involved with the Evansville Chamber of Commerce (now the Chamber of Commerce of Southwest Indiana), She has facilitated hundreds of strategic planning and problem solving events for nonprofits all across Indiana.

In 2006, she became the founding director of the University of Southern Indiana’s Center for Applied Research. She was elected to represent Dubois, Perry, Spencer and Warrick counties in the Indiana House of Representatives in 2010. She served as vice chair of the Employment, Labor and Pensions Committee and was a member of the Small Business, Commerce and Economic Development Committee and Election and Apportionment Committee. In 2012, Sue joined Transformation Team, Inc., a strategic marketing firm located in Dubois County, as the Director of Strategic Engagement.

The evening was concluded by Pulaski County Republican chairman Blair Todd conducting an auction of donated items to raise money for the local party.

Holly VanDerAa serves as the county's vice chair, with Christy Hoffa as secretary and Michelle Schmicker as treasurer.

Frain previously served as treasurer and vice chair of the district. He was first elected chairman two years ago.

Also elected to four-year terms for the Second District Republicans earlier this month were: Dr. Deb Fleming of South Bend reelected as vice chair. Dr. Fleming also serves as the chairwoman of the St. Joseph County GOP. Janet Corwin of Peru was reelected secretary and Fulton County Chair Chad Hartzler, Akron, was reelected treasurerer.

Indiana Lt. Gov. Sue Ellspermann was the keynote speaker at the annual Pulaski County Republicans Lincoln Day Dinner Wednesday evening at West Central High School. She was joined by Indaina Secretary of State Connie Lawson. Both spoke about their work and encouraged party workers at the local level to develop young leadership.