INDIANAPOLIS —Gov. Eric Holcomb on Friday announced the appointment of a new director for the Indiana Department of Veterans' Affairs.
Holcomb tapped Dennis Wimer, a veteran of the U.S. Air Force, to the post. Wimer spent eight years in the Air Force, rising to the rank of captain. He served as a C-141B navigator and his last assignment was the operations officer of a C-141B special operations unit.
"I have directed Dennis to make any and all necessary changes to restore the confidence of the department and the trust of Hoosier veterans," Holcomb said in a statement. "Dennis is a strong leader with a passion to serve. His experience and expertise, which combines military service with a deep knowledge of the inner workings of state and federal programs, have prepared him to transform the Indiana Department of Veterans' Affairs."
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Wimer takes over a department that has been under scrutiny following a Call 6 investigation into misused funds. Jim Brown, the former director, resigned in December, after two veterans raised concerns about the Military Family Relief Fund, which helps veterans get emergency help with food, housing, utilities, medical services and transportation.
Wimer's experience includes positions at Butler University and LADS Consulting, a family-owned civil engineering consulting firm. From 2011 to 2017, Wimer worked for the Indiana Department of Workforce Development in various roles, including associate chief operating officer, the governor's office said.
While at DWD, Wimer led multiple federal and state workforce programs, including Jobs for Veterans state grants, Jobs for Hoosiers and Hoosier Initiative to Reemploy Ex-offenders (HIRE) program.
Wimer earned a bachelor's of arts degree from Purdue University and his Master of Business Administration from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania.
His first day will be Jan. 28, the governor's office said.
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