In an ironic twist Indiana State Director of Agriculture Gina Sheets has named Connie Neininger to her own old position within the Indiana State Department of Agriculture. Neininger will be ISDA Director of Economic Development and Trade.

Before being named to succeed Joe Kelsay as director of ISDA, Sheets, Frankfort, served as the ISDA economic development specialist. Her background was primarily in various activities related to development in Clinton County. Kelsay is now a top level manager with Dow AgroSciences.

Neininger has experience as president of the Cass Logansport Economic Development Organization, and as the White County Director of Economic Development.

Economic development at all levels from small businesses to large businesses is one of the stated goals of the new administration. The Lt. Governor seems especially focused on economic development.

Her previous experience includes working with the Meadow Lake wind farm, the BioTown USA Development Authority which was based in Reynolds, and construction of two methane conversion energy plants by Waste Management at Liberty Landfill. She also was involved in converting an ethanol plant to an iron ore pellet plant in Reynolds.

She has also chaired the group now known as Indiana's Technology Corridor. That particular project is one that Lt. Governor Sue Ellspermann and Governor Mike Pence have both touted as being very important to the development of both the economy of agriculture and the economy of Indiana overall.

She's a Michigan City native, and currently lives with her husband, Ross, in Monticello. She has a daughter and two grandchildren.

In the past ISDA has been active in trade missions abroad. No trade mission has yet been announced by Lt. Governor Sue Ellspermann. Former lt. Governor Becky Skillman headed up several trade missions to make connections between Indiana and froing businesses. She typically took ISDA personnel, including Sheets, with her on many of those trips.