Indiana’s Brian Renner Receives NASCA’s National Distinguished Deputy Award

Brian Renner, Deputy Commissioner of Operations, Facility Administration and Public Works for the State of Indiana, was awarded the Distinguished Deputy Award from the National Association of State Chief Administrators (NASCA).

RICHMOND, VA, September 28, 2023 /24-7PressRelease/ — NASCA, an association devoted to state Chief Administrative Officers and their senior leadership teams, presents the annual award to honor administrators for a career of accomplishments in state government operations.

Brian received the honor September 19th 2023, during NASCA’s award ceremony at the 2023 Institute in Indianapolis, Indiana.

“Brian Renner has worked for the State of Indiana for 45 years. He has given his life to public service and his contributions spans decades and impact runs deep. There is not a state agency or state employee that has not benefited from his talents that he so unselfishly gives. From early mornings to late at night to weekends and holidays, there isn’t time that he is called upon and does not answer.” says Rebecca Holwerda, Commissioner, Indiana Department of Administration.

Brian started as a temporary parking attendant in 1978. After graduating from college, he officially started his career with the state as an auto mechanic in 1982. Early in his career, he revolutionized how the state’s fleet services operated. He moved the department from a small building that was part of the State’s Central Hospital to its own dedicated space now known as the McCarty Street Garage. He laid the foundation for a well-oiled operation to now service more than 9,400 vehicles.

Below are a few highlights of the projects Brian has completed over the last few years that will have a lasting impact on the infrastructure and how the state of Indiana delivers services.
• Neuro Diagnostic Institute – in 2019, the State built a $120M, state-of-the-art, 159 bed hospital that replaced a deteriorating institution, Brian was responsible for this project and had to balance building a new hospital and closing an old institution that serviced patients without interruption. He completed the project on time and within budget.
• State House Exterior Renovation – The Indiana State Capital was completed in 1888 and is home to all executive offices, state senate, house of representatives, and state supreme court. It is a constant project to ensure structural integrity of the building. Brian has masterfully navigated the various phases whether it is first dealing with stakeholders such as the governor’s office, statewide elected officials, and historic preservation to ensure all entities are heard, and modern conveniences are introduced.
• Indiana State Police Laboratories and Posts – There are three regional Indiana State Police laboratories and posts, all built over 40 years ago and were in desperate need of an upgrade. Under Brian’s leadership, we developed a plan to build new facilities, by designing one building and using the blueprints at all three locations. This cut down significantly on cost and future maintenance by having identical buildings
• New Capital Projects – The state has started nearly $2B of new capital projects that Brian is currently overseeing. He is responsible for the bid packages, working with construction managers, meeting with stakeholders, staying on deadline, and within budget. Some of these new projects include: Archives, School for the Deaf and Blind, Indiana Law Enforcement Academy, Westville Correctional Facility, and Potato Creek Inn.

“While capital projects get all the attention, it is really the everyday mundane projects that keep state government working. Brian has the institutional knowledge without being institutional. He knows about every building on campus when things were replaced or need to be replaced. He takes care of the behind the scenes of converting our campus to district chilled water or upgrading the electrical switch gear and back-up power. On Christmas day, he gets the call from the state hospital that pipes burst and is immediately at the hospital assessing the damage and getting the repairs started.” Rebecca Holwerda, Commissioner, IDOA.

The National Distinguished Deputy Award was established to recognize deputies of state Chief Administrators for outstanding contributions to the work of state government operations.

ABOUT NASCA

The National Association of State Chief Administrators (NASCA) is the leading organization advancing professional development and best management solutions for the administrative functions of state government. The association provides state Chief Administrators with the opportunity to increase their knowledge of state government administration through education, networking and information exchange on state government trends, leading edge innovations, standards and best practices.

NASCA’s mission is to help state Chief Administrators and their teams strategically transform state government operations through the power of shared knowledge and thought leadership.