Bill Konyha, President and CEO of the Economic Development Group of Wabash County, will be the new director of the Indiana Office of Community and Rural Affairs (OCRA).
Lt. Gov. Sue Ellspermann announced Konyha's appointment Wednesday morning during the Indiana Economic Forum in Indianapolis.
"OCRA's mission is to 'provide capacity-building solutions which assist Indiana's rural communities in pursuing economic growth and quality of place,'" Ellspermann said. "We are extremely pleased to have someone with Bill's experience in economic and community devlepment lead our OCRA team."
Konyha told the Plain Dealer he was first approached about taking the post about 18 months ago, but didn't. During a September visit to Wabash to help the city celebrate it's recognition as being a Stellar community, he continued, Ellspermann again approached him about filling the post, which had again become open.
"So we've been talking about it since then," he said. "Then about three weeks ago she drove here from Elkhart and sat down in my office. I've always respected her because she has a Ph.D. in industrial engineering and she's really not a politician. She's a businessperson, and she's also a pretty good salesperson."
Although he will be based in Indianapolis, he said he will continue to live in Wabash.
"I love Wabash," he said. "I love everything we've done here. This is my home. I'm not leaving here. But from a professional standpoint, was this to be where I was going to end it? The opportnity to impact rural development policy statewide, the lure was just too strong.
"I still get to serve Wabash County, but I get to serve 91 other counties as well."
A past president of the Indiana Economic Development Association, Konyha, 66, is currently president of the Indiana Main Street Council and the Wabash City School Board. He said he made it clear that he wishes to continue his term on the school board.
In addition to his work with EDG, Konyha also spearheaded the city's Stellar Communities Grant committee. His future with that is still up in the air, as OCRA is one of the state agencies that oversees the program.
"I'm waiting for the attorney general to issue a ruling," Konyha said. "Since I don't get any personal benefit out of it, I'm assuming the attorney general or the regulatory people will say it's OK. I don't expect that it will have any effect on Wabash and it's Stellar Program.
"The working committee, the executive committee, the steering committee and the consultants are all strong enough that there won't be any issues."
Konyha begins his new duties on Jan. 5, overseeing a 15-person staff.