Mike McDaniel joined the Board of Trustees in 2016 and serves as the secretary for the board.
He is the executive director of governmental affairs for the Krieg DeVault law firm in Indianapolis. McDaniel has a deep background in government relations and administration, having served as Indiana Republican state chairman from 1995 to 2002. He was appointed chairman of the National Republican State Chairmen’s Advisory Committee and served on the Executive Committee of the Republican National Committee.
Before that, McDaniel served as director of governmental affairs at Ball State and was director of what is now the Bowen Center for Public Affairs.
He served as executive director of the Indiana State Election Board, appointed by then Gov. Robert Orr in 1988. He was the 1988 campaign manager for John Mutz’s gubernatorial campaign and served as chief of staff for Lt. Gov. Mutz between 1980 and 1988. He was deputy campaign manager of the successful Orr/Mutz campaigns in 1980 and 1984.
From 1976 to 1980, McDaniel served as administrative assistant to two presidents pro tempore of the Indiana State Senate. In 1975, he served as research director for the City-County Council of Marion County and Indianapolis. He has been involved in every session of the Indiana General Assembly since 1974, when he began his career as a graduate student intern for then State Sen. Mutz.
McDaniel earned two Ball State degrees: his bachelor of science in 1973 and a master of public administration in 1979. His awards include a Distinguished Alumni Award from Ball State in 2008 and the Allen C. Steere Award for Professional Excellence in 2014.