(INDIANAPOLIS) — The Indiana State Department of Agriculture has hired Andrew Carty as the new director of the economic development division.
Carty grew up in Arkansas where he worked for a USDA Certified Organic produce farm, ran an urban agriculture program for a local municipality and enjoyed spending time on his grandparent’s farm raising beef cattle. He is a graduate of Hendricks College, where he received a bachelor’s degree in environmental studies. Carty went on to receive a master’s degree from Indiana University in public affairs, specializing in environmental policy and economic development.
Prior to ISDA, Carty directed the Central Indiana Small Business Development Center hosted by Butler University in partnership with the Indiana Economic Development Corporation and the U.S. Small Business Administration. While there, his team served almost 1000 clients, helping them generate over $30M in capital infusion and helping over 70 pre-venture entrepreneurs transition to business ownership. In addition, Carty consulted nationally as a leader within the Economic Development Practice at Thomas P. Miller and Associates where he supported community policy and strategy development locally, regionally and at the state levels.
“We are thrilled to welcome Andrew to the team,” said Bruce Kettler, ISDA director. “This role is crucial to our department and his economic development background, paired with his agriculture history and previous work experience make him the perfect candidate for the position.”
As the director of economic development for the department, Carty will be responsible for managing staff and overseeing economic focus areas, such as, agritourism, biofuels, hardwoods, the Indiana Grown program, international trade and livestock. He will manage a variety of projects and will encourage agribusiness expansion, attraction and retention for the state.
He will also be a liaison to the Indiana Economic Development Corporation and will support Director Kettler who is the director of agribusiness development for the IEDC.
“I look forward to expanding the great work that has already been done in this department and I am excited to learn more about Indiana’s robust agricultural assets,” said Carty. “The opportunity to highlight the phenomenal stories we have in our state, promoting more export development, innovation and business retention and expansion activities statewide, is one we can’t afford to miss.”
Carty is an avid outdoorsman and has a passion for urban agriculture. He resides in Indianapolis with his wife, Hannah.
Visit www.isda.in.gov for more information on the Economic Development Division.
