Commissioner Buss's Biography

Governor Mitchell E. Daniels, Jr. appointed Edwin G. Buss to be Commissioner of the Indiana Department of Correction effective August 1, 2008.

Before being appointed to Commissioner, Edwin G. Buss served as the Superintendent of the Indiana State Prison in Michigan City. Preceding his post at ISP, he was the Superintendent at the Westville Correctional Facility from 2002-2005, where he improved the operations of the state’s largest prison.

Buss began his career as a correctional officer at the Indiana State Prison in 1987 and by 1994 at the Lakeside Correctional Facility in Michigan City had been promoted to the highest rank for a uniformed officer. He joined the administrative ranks in 1997 when he was named a correctional unit team manager, responsible for three housing units and 1,850 inmates at the Indiana State Prison, then served as assistant superintendent of operations/programs from 1998 to 2001.

Commissioner Buss is a veteran having served his country in the United States Army in the mid-1980s. He has been a consultant with the National Institute of Correction for Organizational Cultural Competency work and is an auditor for the American Correctional Association (ACA). In 2005, was recognized by the Department of Correction as Superintendent of the Year. The Commissioner served as Commander of Indiana State Prison’s Emergency Squad for many years and was a charter member of the Agency’s Special Emergency Response Team (SERT).

Buss graduated from Bethel University in Mishawaka, Indiana, with a degree in Organizational Management. His wife, Dawn, also works for the Indiana Department of Correction. They have three children, Conner, Jacob, and Taylor.

Chief of Staff's Biography

dgronay@idoc.in.gov

Daniel G. Ronay was named Chief of Staff for the Department of Correction in August 2008.  Mr. Ronay began his career as a correctional officer with the Department in 1995, and he has served as the Commander of Camp Summit Boot Camp, Administrative Assistant to the Superintendent at the Westville Correctional Facility, and as Assistant Superintendent of the Pendleton Juvenile Correctional Facility. Most recently, Mr. Ronay served as the Department’s Director of Staff Development & Training.

His tenure as Director realized the advent of Computer Based Training, realignment of the Juvenile & Adult Pre-Service Academies, a revised New Employee Orientation system, numerous certification courses, and noteworthy enhancements in the Leadership and Succession Management arenas. His Division was accredited by the American Correctional Agency, and individually, he earned the distinction as a Certified Corrections Executive by ACA in the past year.

Mr. Ronay is a three tour decorated combat veteran of the United States Armed Forces from 1974 to 2006, and in 2006, he received the Meritorious Service Medal for leading his soldiers in Iraq.

In addition to being the advisor to the Commissioner, Mr. Ronay oversees the Human Resources, Strategic Planning, Staff Development Emergency Operations, Research & Technology, Registration & Victim Services, Internal Affairs, and Construction Services Divisions as well as PEN Products.

Deputy Commissioner Biographies

Randy Koester
rkoester@idoc.in.gov

Randy Koester is the Deputy Commissioner of Re-entry for the Indiana Department of Correction. In addition to directing the Department’s Legislative Affairs and Ethics Officers, Mr. Koester supervises the Re-entry, Community Corrections, Parole Services, Programs, Education, and Religious Services divisions.  

He started with the Department as a Staff Attorney in 1991, and since that time has worked as the Agency’s Legislative Liaison, General Legal Counsel, Director of Intergovernmental Relations, Executive Assistant to the Commissioner, Chief of Staff, and Deputy Commissioner of Administration. 

He began his legal career as a clerk and became a staff attorney with the Indiana Supreme Court Disciplinary Commission. He also worked for three years as a Deputy Attorney General, serving in the Criminal Appeals and Government Litigation Divisions in the Attorney General’s Office.

Randy has a Bachelor of Science Degree in Corporate and Investment Finance from Indiana University’s Kelly School of Business, and a Doctorate of Jurisprudence from Indiana University School of Law at Indianapolis.

Stanley Knight
Mr. Knight's assistant: padams@idoc.in.gov

Mr. Knight has an extensive corrections background that began in 1980 when he started as a correctional officer with the Iowa Department of Correction.  From there, he moved to Kansas, where he worked as a Corrections Counselor and Unit Manager.  In 1992, Mr. Knight came to the Indiana Department of Correction and became an Assistant Superintendent at the Wabash Valley Correctional Facility.  He has since been the Superintendent of the Henryville Correctional Facility, the Miami Correctional Facility, the Correctional Industrial Facility, and the Pendleton Correctional Facility.  In 2008, Mr. Knight was appointed as the Southern Regional Director and eventually became the Executive Director of Adult Facilities.

Mr. Knight holds an Associate's Degree in Criminal Justice from Iowa Western Community College, a Bachelor's Degree in Public Administration from Northwest Missouri State University, and a Master's Degree in Administration from Wichita State University.

Chief Financial Officer's Biography

Joseph Fistrovich
jfistrovich@idoc.in.gov

Joseph Fistrovich was appointed the Chief Financial Officer for the Indiana Department of Correction in September 2008.

Mr. Fistrovich has nearly twenty years of experience in government finance, budgeting, procurement, and asset and inventory management.  Fistrovich has spoken nationally on performance measurements and using these measurements to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of government.

Fistrovich has held many roles in budget directing and finance, including being the Lake County (IN) Budget Director from 1984 to 1988, Deputy Director of the State Office Building Commission from 1989-1990, CFO of IDOC from 1991-2005, CFO of the Criminal Justice Institute in 2006, and the Assistant Director for Health and Human Services for the State Budget Agency from 2007-2008.

Chief Communications Officer's Biography

Douglas S. Garrison
dsgarrison@idoc.in.gov

Douglas S. Garrison was named as the Communications Chief for the Indiana Department of Correction in February 2008. As a member of the Executive Staff, Garrison acts as the spokesperson for the Agency, keeping the media and members of the public apprised of the significant events that transpire within the Department of Correction. Garrison is charged with the responsibility of enhancing the Department’s communications effectiveness, and using new technologies and improved communication methods to advance the public’s understanding of the great advances being made in correctional services within the State of Indiana.

Garrison comes to the Department with an extensive background in media and public relations, having spent the last 13 years of his 26 year career with the Federal Bureau of Investigation as the Chief Division Counsel and public spokesperson for the Indianapolis Division of the FBI. As a member of the FBI’s Executive Management team, Doug provided advice and counsel in countless high-pressure command post situations, emergencies and investigative operations. During his career in Indianapolis, his public representation of the FBI helped establish strategic alliances across a broad spectrum of the Indianapolis business, educational, political, public safety and legal communities. After retiring from the FBI at the end of 2003, Garrison went on to head the award-winning Investigative Team (ITEAM) at WISHTV in Indianapolis from 2004 until May of 2007. As the leader of a five member team of experienced investigative journalists, Garrison’s efforts helped expose fraud, criminality, inefficiency and waste in government, and private and public programs.

Garrison received his Bachelor of Arts (with Honors) from the University of Wisconsin in 1975, where he studied Political Science, Philosophy and History. He went on to earn his Doctor of Jurisprudence (J.D.) from Indiana University in 1978. Garrison is admitted to the practice of law in Indiana.

Chief Counsel's Biography

Robert Bugher
rbugher@idoc.in.gov

Robert Bugher has served in the capacity of Chief Counsel since June 2000. Mr. Bugher has also served as Staff Counsel for the Department since his original hire in April 1995. Before joining the Department, Mr. Bugher spent three years as a private attorney at Brown and Nelson in Indianapolis. Other significant legal experience includes over four years in the Office of the Indiana Attorney General, both in the capacity of a Law Clerk and Deputy Attorney General. He also spent two years as an Associate Planner in the Office of the Columbus Planning Department located in Columbus, Indiana.

Mr. Bugher has several degrees that include a Doctor of Jurisprudence Degree from the Indiana University School of Law (1991), a Master’s Degree in Public Affairs from the Indiana University School of Public and Environmental Affairs (1985) and a Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science from Purdue University (1982).

Executive Director Biographies

Michael Dempsey
mdempsey@idoc.in.gov

Michael Dempsey was appointed Executive Director of the IDOC’s Division of Youth Services in May 2009.  Mr. Dempsey began his assignment with the Indiana Department of Correction as Superintendent of the Pendleton Juvenile Correctional Facility in June 2006. Prior to moving to Indiana, Mr. Dempsey served as the Superintendent of the Kansas Juvenile Correctional Complex for approximately two and a half years. He began his career in corrections with the Missouri Department of Corrections, starting as a Corrections Officer at the Missouri State Penitentiary in 1985. Since that time, Mr. Dempsey has held positions as a Correctional Sergeant, Lieutenant, Captain and Major. He has also held positions as Correctional Training Officer, Internal Affairs Investigator, Assistant Superintendent and Associate Superintendent.

Mr. Dempsey holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Public Administration and Criminal Justice and has been actively involved with the American Correctional Association (ACA) as a member and certified auditor. He has also been involved with the Counsel of Juvenile Correctional Administrators, working with the performance-based standards which are now being implemented in all IDOC Juvenile Correctional Facilities.

Amanda Copeland
acopeland@idoc.in.gov

Amanda Copeland was appointed Executive Director of Research and Technology in August 2009.  She joined the Indiana Department of Correction as the Director of Planning and Research in February 2007.  Prior to joining the Indiana Department of Correction, Amanda served as the Director of Research for the Indiana Criminal Justice Institute and as the Director of the Indiana Statistical Analysis Center.  Amanda has also served as a firearm analyst for the Federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives for the Indianapolis Field Office and as an adjunct professor for Indiana University-Bloomington and Ivy Tech Community College.  Amanda has received a Ph.D. in Criminal Justice and Gender Studies from Indiana University-Bloomington (2005), a Master’s degree in Criminal Justice from Indiana University-Bloomington (2003), and a Bachelor’s degree in Criminal Justice and Political Science from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln (2000).

Richard Curry
rcurry@idoc.in.gov

Richard L. Curry, Jr. was appointed Executive Director of Staff Development Emergency Operations in 2008.  He started his career with the Indiana Department of Correction in June 1992 as a correctional officer at the Plainfield Correctional Facility. After promoting through the ranks to Correctional Major, he was promoted to Assistant Superintendent at the Putnamville Correctional Facility. In December 2006, Richard was appointed as the Superintendent of the Marion County Juvenile Detention Center in Indianapolis, Indiana. Richard’s background in corrections is numerous and includes instructor qualifications in emergency response operations, thinking for a change, dealing with youth incarcerated as adults, cultural competency, and cultural diversity.

Richard is very active in his community as well. He serves as Senior Pastor at the True Tried Missionary Baptist Church in Indianapolis and participates in various community activities to assist in the repair of the troubled north-side community. Richard also served in the United States Army for 13 years, participating in Desert Shield/Storm.

Richard attended Vincennes University, majoring in criminal justice. He also attended Crossroads Bible College in Indianapolis, Indiana and Trinity Bible College, in Newburgh, Indiana, majoring in pastoral ministry and religious studies. He is a graduate of Indiana Wesleyan University with a Bachelor’s Degree in business management. Richard is currently enrolled in the Indiana Wesleyan University Graduate Studies program pursuing a Master’s Degree in Leadership.