Alderfer To Seek D18 Seat

December 30, 2019 at 11:24 p.m.


For over two decades, a Warsaw area financial planner has listened to his clients’ issues.

Now, Alan Alderfer, co-owner of Alderfer Bergen & Co., wants to take his listening and financial skills to the state legislature.

On Monday, he announced he will be a candidate for the Indiana House of Representatives District 18 seat in the May 2020 Republican primary election. District 18 incumbent Dave Wolkins has said he will not seek re-election and will support Alderfer’s candidacy.

District 18 includes Wabash and parts of Kosciusko, Miami and Grant counties.

In an interview Monday, Alderfer said, “At this point, I’m spending my time out listening to the community. That’s what I’m out doing, trying to figure out what are the things that people want to talk about and want me to go take a look at down in Indianapolis.”

He said one big issue for him will be health care.

“I spend four or five appointments a day talking to my clients, and all of them are really worried about health care – the cost of premiums, the high medical costs itself, the prescription drug costs, and then these insurance companies that don’t pay,” Alderfer said.

“My main point here is, I want to talk to more of the community about health care and how it affects them. I think that is the No. 1 thing that, when I’m in my office, we talk to our clients about is, is health care. So I know that’s going to be a big topic,” he said.

He and his wife of 25 years, Kristine, have twin 13-year-old daughters, one (Katherine) who has been chronically ill for almost 10 years.

“So we have been part of that medical world for going on 10 years now, and I want to be able to figure out, for local families, how can we help them,” Alderfer said.

Katherine has been fighting Juvenile Dermatomyositis since age 4. She currently represents the Riley Children’s Foundation as a Riley Champion.

“Also being a small business owner, I also want to explore, with small businesses in the community, what is it they’re up against. Is it the regulation? The red tape? What is it that the small-business man or woman is up against? I’m going to spend a lot of time talking to business owners, because, again, I’m a business owner myself and the red tape we go through every single day, I want to try and figure out how we can make that easier,” he said.

Alderfer has been a certified financial planner for 26 years, and started Alderfer Bergen & Co. 20 years ago. His staff of five advisors and five support staff members service over 1,000 clients and $300 million in investments, according to a release Alderfer provided.

He hosts the weekly radio show Smart Money Management on 107.3 WRSW-FM, Willie 103.5 FM and News Now Warsaw 1480/99.7 FM. He also is a weekly columnist in the business section of the Times-Union.

Alderfer is a co-founder of the Kosciusko County Riley Kids Fund, which helps local families travel back and forth to Riley Hospital for Children. The fund has raised over $800,000 in less than a decade.

He was named Man of the Year by the Kosciusko Chamber of Commerce in 2013.

His current board memberships include the Salvation Army, Kosciusko County Sheriff’s Merit Board, Kosciusko County Public Defender Board, Winona Lake Redevelopment Commission, Catholic Community Foundation of Northwest Indiana and the Kosciusko Community Hospital Board of Trustees.

He is a member of the Warsaw Rotary Club, Kosciusko County Shrine Club and the Knights of Columbus.

A 1986 Warsaw Community High School graduate, he attended Ball State University where he graduated in 1991 with a degree in economics. He studied at the American College to attain his certified financial planner designation. He has continued his education by attending executive courses at Northwestern/Kellogg, Duke Fuqua School of Business, The Wharton School of Business and the University of Notre Dame Mendoza College of Business.

He is a member of Sacred Heart Catholic Church, and he and his family reside in Winona Lake.

Former Indiana Sen. Kent Adams is Alderfer’s honorary campaign chairman. Next week, Alderfer will file at the Indiana Statehouse, and he will appoint a campaign chair and treasurer.

His campaign is in the process of setting up social media, but he said people can contact him by phone or email. He will be visiting service clubs in the various counties of District 18.

“I’m excited. Very excited,” Alderfer said.

For over two decades, a Warsaw area financial planner has listened to his clients’ issues.

Now, Alan Alderfer, co-owner of Alderfer Bergen & Co., wants to take his listening and financial skills to the state legislature.

On Monday, he announced he will be a candidate for the Indiana House of Representatives District 18 seat in the May 2020 Republican primary election. District 18 incumbent Dave Wolkins has said he will not seek re-election and will support Alderfer’s candidacy.

District 18 includes Wabash and parts of Kosciusko, Miami and Grant counties.

In an interview Monday, Alderfer said, “At this point, I’m spending my time out listening to the community. That’s what I’m out doing, trying to figure out what are the things that people want to talk about and want me to go take a look at down in Indianapolis.”

He said one big issue for him will be health care.

“I spend four or five appointments a day talking to my clients, and all of them are really worried about health care – the cost of premiums, the high medical costs itself, the prescription drug costs, and then these insurance companies that don’t pay,” Alderfer said.

“My main point here is, I want to talk to more of the community about health care and how it affects them. I think that is the No. 1 thing that, when I’m in my office, we talk to our clients about is, is health care. So I know that’s going to be a big topic,” he said.

He and his wife of 25 years, Kristine, have twin 13-year-old daughters, one (Katherine) who has been chronically ill for almost 10 years.

“So we have been part of that medical world for going on 10 years now, and I want to be able to figure out, for local families, how can we help them,” Alderfer said.

Katherine has been fighting Juvenile Dermatomyositis since age 4. She currently represents the Riley Children’s Foundation as a Riley Champion.

“Also being a small business owner, I also want to explore, with small businesses in the community, what is it they’re up against. Is it the regulation? The red tape? What is it that the small-business man or woman is up against? I’m going to spend a lot of time talking to business owners, because, again, I’m a business owner myself and the red tape we go through every single day, I want to try and figure out how we can make that easier,” he said.

Alderfer has been a certified financial planner for 26 years, and started Alderfer Bergen & Co. 20 years ago. His staff of five advisors and five support staff members service over 1,000 clients and $300 million in investments, according to a release Alderfer provided.

He hosts the weekly radio show Smart Money Management on 107.3 WRSW-FM, Willie 103.5 FM and News Now Warsaw 1480/99.7 FM. He also is a weekly columnist in the business section of the Times-Union.

Alderfer is a co-founder of the Kosciusko County Riley Kids Fund, which helps local families travel back and forth to Riley Hospital for Children. The fund has raised over $800,000 in less than a decade.

He was named Man of the Year by the Kosciusko Chamber of Commerce in 2013.

His current board memberships include the Salvation Army, Kosciusko County Sheriff’s Merit Board, Kosciusko County Public Defender Board, Winona Lake Redevelopment Commission, Catholic Community Foundation of Northwest Indiana and the Kosciusko Community Hospital Board of Trustees.

He is a member of the Warsaw Rotary Club, Kosciusko County Shrine Club and the Knights of Columbus.

A 1986 Warsaw Community High School graduate, he attended Ball State University where he graduated in 1991 with a degree in economics. He studied at the American College to attain his certified financial planner designation. He has continued his education by attending executive courses at Northwestern/Kellogg, Duke Fuqua School of Business, The Wharton School of Business and the University of Notre Dame Mendoza College of Business.

He is a member of Sacred Heart Catholic Church, and he and his family reside in Winona Lake.

Former Indiana Sen. Kent Adams is Alderfer’s honorary campaign chairman. Next week, Alderfer will file at the Indiana Statehouse, and he will appoint a campaign chair and treasurer.

His campaign is in the process of setting up social media, but he said people can contact him by phone or email. He will be visiting service clubs in the various counties of District 18.

“I’m excited. Very excited,” Alderfer said.
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