The Board of Directors of the Northwest Indiana Regional Development Authority has named Sherri Ziller the President and Chief Executive Officer of the organization.
Ziller was previously Chief Operating Officer of the RDA and has served as Interim President and CEO since the departure of former President and CEO Bill Hanna earlier this year.
“Sherri Ziller has played a pivotal role in the economic evolution of Northwest Indiana,” said Gov. Eric J. Holcomb. “Sherri’s continued leadership and skillset have been critical in RDA’s growth, and she will be an asset to the vibrant future of Northwest Indiana.”
“Following an extensive search, the Board determined that Sherri was the right leader for the RDA,” said Don Fesko, Chairman of the RDA Board of Directors. “She is uniquely qualified to take on this role given her track record of success with the organization, and we look forward to continuing to work with her to deliver on the RDA’s goals of making Northwest Indiana the leading area for economic growth in Indiana.”
The motion to appoint Ziller as President and CEO was made by Vice-Chairman Randolph Palmateer, who stated, “We received applications from multiple qualified candidates expressing a commitment to the mission of the RDA. The number and quality of the applications confirmed the relevancy of the RDA as a transformational agency in Northwest Indiana. That being said, one candidate stood out for her knowledge of the workings of the RDA and her commitment, and ZILLER ADD 1 service to the Authority. I am confident that under her leadership, the RDA will continue to fulfill its mission and advance the quality of life in Northwest Indiana.”
The Board vote confirming Ziller was unanimous.
“I am honored and humbled by the trust the Board has placed in me,” Ziller said. “I look forward to working with the Board, our many partner communities, and civic and business leaders throughout Northwest Indiana to build a vibrant and prosperous future.”
As President and CEO, Ziller will continue to lead the RDA’s initiatives to expand commuter rail and surface transportation assets in Northwest Indiana, and to leverage those assets to bring economic development and private investment to The Region. The RDA, in close consultation with local leaders, is establishing Transit Development Districts (TDDs) in the vicinity of all South Shore stations to accelerate that growth. For more information, visit www.nwitdd.com.
Ziller, a lifelong resident of Northwest Indiana, has been with the RDA since its inception in 2006. She holds a bachelor’s degree in political science and a master’s in education, both from Purdue University Calumet. She serves as a member of the Lake Area United Way Board of Trustees and is a member of the Southshore Leadership Society and Leadership Northwest Indiana. Ziller was a Times Media Company 20 Under 40 honoree in 2014 and was named the Up And Coming Woman in economic development by the Northwest Indiana Influential Women Association that same year. She resides in Crown Point with her husband Zach and son Robbie.
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About the Northwest Indiana Regional Development Authority Established in 2006 through a bipartisan effort including former Governor Mitchell E. Daniels, Congressman Peter J. Visclosky, key state legislators, and local elected officials, the RDA is a quasi-governmental development entity entrusted to make public investment decisions within a regional framework for supporting catalytic infrastructure projects and inducing private sector investment. Years of successful results have made it a trusted and tested partner for growth in Northwest Indiana. For more information, visit www.nwitdd.com or www.in.gov/rda
