Jim Banks is a candidate for Indiana State Senate District 17.  Banks is Whitley County Councilman and serves as the Whitley County Republican Chairman and Third District Republican Vice-Chairman.  Banks, 30, is the Director of Business Development for The Hagerman Group, a 101-year old general contracting and construction management company headquartered in Fort Wayne .  Previous to working at The Hagerman Group, Banks owned a public affairs and public relations company and worked in the public policy department at Focus on the Family.  In 2008, Banks ran the successful campaign for Indiana ’s Attorney General Greg Zoeller.

Banks was born and raised in Columbia City and South Whitley .  Upon graduating from Columbia City High School , Banks attended Indiana University in Bloomington where he received his B.A. in Political Science.  Banks’ passion for public policy developed in college when he interned and later worked for former Indiana 8th District Congressman John Hostettler.

Jim Banks is active in many community organizations, among them Columbia City Rotary Club, Whitley County Gideons and Whitley County Historical Society.  In addition, he serves or has recently served on boards including Northeast Indiana Workforce Development, Region 3A, Builders and Contractors Association Government Affairs Committee and Allen County Right to Life.

Most importantly, Jim and his wife Amanda are the proud parents of newborn daughter Lillian.  They reside in Columbia City and are members of Trinity Evangelical Presbyterian Church.