Indy Architect Considers Gubernatorial Bid
July 28, 2016 at 4:25 p.m.
By Jennifer [email protected]
Schellinger, 46, Indianapolis, informed the 23 members who attended he hopes to decide in the next two weeks if he will run for Indiana's governor.
Schellinger spent Sunday and Monday visiting with city council and county council members in Lake County.
He arrived Monday evening at the Warsaw Municipal Airport, and then met with with Kosciusko County's Democrat Party members at Pizza King.[[In-content Ad]]He said he plans to meet Democratic leaders in Fort Wayne and the southeastern part of Indiana in the next few weeks.
"I want to make sure I reach out and meet people so they know who I am before I decide to run for Indiana's governor," he said.
Schellinger, who has served as president of CSO Schenkel Shultz, an Indianapolis-based architectural firm for the past 10 years, said his parents influenced him to consider running for governor.
"My mom and dad raised me to have a strong sense of social responsibility, and now that they they have passed away, it is time to be the leadership," he said.
A South Bend native, Schellinger has served on various public boards, including the Indiana Capital Development Board, Indiana Sports Corp. Board, Catholic Community Foundation Board and been a board member on the Indiana Construction Roundtable.
While he has served on these boards, he said board members have suggested he consider getting into public service.
"I'm only 46 years old and had a long discussion about this with my wife, and I have been reaching out, deciding if me running for governor is the right thing for the state of Indiana," Schellinger said.
Schellinger lives in Indianapolis with his wife Laura and three sons, Nick, John and Zack.
He grew up in South Bend in a family of eight siblings where he attended St. Joseph High School. He and his four brothers played football and wore the number 50 on their jerseys. He said the number is significant because if he decided to pursue running for Indiana governor and be successful, he would be Indiana's 50th governor.
After graduating from St. Joseph High School, he received a football scholarship and attended Butler University for a year. He transferred to the University of Notre Dame, where he studied architecture. He graduated in 1987 and began a career at CSO Schenkel Schultz.
He said he hopes to apply the skills he learned at CSO Schenkel Schultz in working with others to reach goals if he decides to run for governor.
"I have realized companies, cities, the state and the federal government does not run by itself," Schellinger said. "I thought someday I would step out and try to give back and use the skills I have and grown to know as a child to lead people in a way that is focused."
He defined himself as being in a non-traditional profession. There has never been an architect, that he knows of, that has run for or been elected for governor. He said 31 of Indiana's governors came from a legal profession and most had legislative experience.
"I would help us as Hoosiers to define our values and reach out to develop our vision and implement the vision in a way that has never been done before," Schellinger said.
He said he supports all-day kindergarten and No Child Left Behind.
"I want to study these issues and learn more about them so I can better support them," he said.
Tony Garza, chairperson for the Kosciusko County Democratic Party, said he was glad Schellinger visited Warsaw.
"Tonight was an invaluable opportunity for our members to meet someone who is potentially running for governor of Indiana," Garza said.
Schellinger, 46, Indianapolis, informed the 23 members who attended he hopes to decide in the next two weeks if he will run for Indiana's governor.
Schellinger spent Sunday and Monday visiting with city council and county council members in Lake County.
He arrived Monday evening at the Warsaw Municipal Airport, and then met with with Kosciusko County's Democrat Party members at Pizza King.[[In-content Ad]]He said he plans to meet Democratic leaders in Fort Wayne and the southeastern part of Indiana in the next few weeks.
"I want to make sure I reach out and meet people so they know who I am before I decide to run for Indiana's governor," he said.
Schellinger, who has served as president of CSO Schenkel Shultz, an Indianapolis-based architectural firm for the past 10 years, said his parents influenced him to consider running for governor.
"My mom and dad raised me to have a strong sense of social responsibility, and now that they they have passed away, it is time to be the leadership," he said.
A South Bend native, Schellinger has served on various public boards, including the Indiana Capital Development Board, Indiana Sports Corp. Board, Catholic Community Foundation Board and been a board member on the Indiana Construction Roundtable.
While he has served on these boards, he said board members have suggested he consider getting into public service.
"I'm only 46 years old and had a long discussion about this with my wife, and I have been reaching out, deciding if me running for governor is the right thing for the state of Indiana," Schellinger said.
Schellinger lives in Indianapolis with his wife Laura and three sons, Nick, John and Zack.
He grew up in South Bend in a family of eight siblings where he attended St. Joseph High School. He and his four brothers played football and wore the number 50 on their jerseys. He said the number is significant because if he decided to pursue running for Indiana governor and be successful, he would be Indiana's 50th governor.
After graduating from St. Joseph High School, he received a football scholarship and attended Butler University for a year. He transferred to the University of Notre Dame, where he studied architecture. He graduated in 1987 and began a career at CSO Schenkel Schultz.
He said he hopes to apply the skills he learned at CSO Schenkel Schultz in working with others to reach goals if he decides to run for governor.
"I have realized companies, cities, the state and the federal government does not run by itself," Schellinger said. "I thought someday I would step out and try to give back and use the skills I have and grown to know as a child to lead people in a way that is focused."
He defined himself as being in a non-traditional profession. There has never been an architect, that he knows of, that has run for or been elected for governor. He said 31 of Indiana's governors came from a legal profession and most had legislative experience.
"I would help us as Hoosiers to define our values and reach out to develop our vision and implement the vision in a way that has never been done before," Schellinger said.
He said he supports all-day kindergarten and No Child Left Behind.
"I want to study these issues and learn more about them so I can better support them," he said.
Tony Garza, chairperson for the Kosciusko County Democratic Party, said he was glad Schellinger visited Warsaw.
"Tonight was an invaluable opportunity for our members to meet someone who is potentially running for governor of Indiana," Garza said.
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