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Executive Director

Duke Bennett was appointed by Lt. Gov. Suzanne Crouch to serve as the executive director of the Indiana Office of Community and Rural Affairs in December of 2023.

Bennett was elected as mayor of Terre Haute in 2007 and served for four terms through 2023. He also served on the board of Accelerate Indiana Municipalities for 13 years and was elected board president in 2015.

Prior to becoming mayor of Terre Haute, Bennett worked as director of operations at Hamilton Center, a mental health center serving west central Indiana. He was originally hired by Hamilton Center in 1995 as director of information systems. Additionally, he has served on several boards including Vigo County Lifeline, American Red Cross and United Way Allocations and volunteered as a coach for The Boys and Girls Club.

Bennett earned an associate degree in telecommunications from Indiana Vocational Technical College and a bachelor’s degree in business administration from Indiana Wesleyan University.

He and his wife have two grown children and four grandchildren.