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Wall announces candidacy for state senate seat to be vacated by Dillon

Tom Wall.
Photo provided.

Tom Wall, eight months into his first term on the Huntington County Board of Commis-sioners, says he plans to run for the Indiana Senate seat currently held by Gary "Doc" Dillon.

Dillon, who has represented Senate District 17 since 2002, announced in late July that he would not seek re-election. He will leave the Senate when his current four-year term ends in November 2010.

District 17 includes Huntington and Whitley counties and parts of Allen, Grant, Kosciusko and Wabash counties.

Although Wall has long been active in the community, his election as a county commissioner was his first foray into politics. Wall won a three-way race for the Republican nomination to that seat in the 2008 primary with 49.25 percent of the vote, and was un-opposed in the general election when the Democrats failed to field a candidate.

Wall took office in January of this year, when he was elected president of the three-member board of commissioners.

His experiences as a county commissioner and as a businessman, he says, have convinced him that many community-level dilemmas have their roots at the state level.

"I have a solid background in business and agriculture and have quickly learned what affects our communities the most," he said in announcing his candidacy. "They are the procedures the state places on our cities, towns and counties. I feel it takes a common sense approach to solving problems and building good working relationships in all areas of government to serve the best interest of all people."

Wall, a 52-year-old Huntington native, is president of T.D. Wall Inc., a 61-year-old family business serving the manufactured and modular home and recreational vehicle industries. He and his wife of 33 years, Rosie, live on a working farm in Lancaster Township, where they raise and show Haflinger horses and other livestock. They also harvest 85 acres of hay.

Wall currently serves on the Northeast Indiana Economic Development Corporation Board. He previously served as a member of the Huntington County United Economic Development Board and as president of the Lime City Economic Development Board and the Finance Board of Huntington County.

He has been a member of the Huntington County Drainage Board, served as board chairman of the Indiana Professional Licensing Agency's manufactured home licensing division, was an eight-year member and past president of the Huntington County 4-H Fair Board and is a member of the Huntington County Chamber of Commerce.

Wall has been a state-licensed emergency medical technician for 31 years, has served as a member of Huntington County Rescue for 31 years and was a member of the Huntington Police Department reserves for 16 years. He is an associate member of the Fraternal Order of Police.

He is a member of Huntington Metro Kiwanis, the Antique Power Club, Mizpah Shrine Horse Patrol, Chief LaFontaine Saddle Club board, ABATE of Indiana, Mizpah Shrine and Moose Lodge 837.