Leadership Hancock County

How We Began

Celebrating the Birth of Leadership Hancock County: A Story of Collaboration and Community Impact

Back in January 1994, Nancy King, Hancock County Home Economist, sat down with Thomas Seng, CEO of Central Indiana Power, to hatch an idea that would shape the future of leadership in our community.

Together, Nancy and Thomas, along with Thomas P. Miller and Bobby Keen, embarked on a journey to form the initial Leadership Hancock County steering committee. This dedicated group, including luminaries like Thomas Miller, Steve Vail, and Judy Crist, met several times to turn their vision into reality.

Thanks to the tireless efforts of Karin Blue and Mike Burrow, Leadership Hancock County was established as a 501 C (3) non-profit organization. But it was the collective hard work of the entire steering committee, which also included Bill Riggs, Linda Bond, and Marcia Parker, that truly brought the organization to life.

From the get-go, Leadership Hancock County set out to make a difference. Early projects, such as educating about the duties of elected officials and raising awareness about domestic violence, laid the groundwork for the impactful work that would follow.

But the journey didn’t stop there. Through the dedication of individuals like Gene Behler, Tim Raun, and Debbie Clause, Leadership Hancock County continued to evolve, taking on projects like the creation of a virtual courthouse for public information access and designing the Hancock County flag, now proudly flown by the Hancock County Community Foundation.

Today, Leadership Hancock County stands as a testament to the power of collaboration and community leadership. With nearly 25 individuals benefiting from its programs each year, it continues to nurture and develop the leaders of tomorrow, thanks to the hard work and dedication of its founders and supporters.

As we celebrate this journey of growth and impact, let’s remember the vision and commitment that brought us here—and the endless possibilities that lie ahead.

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Nancy King

Life and Career

Nancy King graduated from Warrensburg High School, Missouri, and earned a B.S. in Foods and Nutrition from Central Missouri State in Dietetics. She earned a Masters of Allied Health Education from IUPUI. She formerly worked as a dietician for the Warrensburg Nursing and Medical Center and for the Indiana School for the Deaf. Nancy also worked as an educator for the Purdue Extension of Hancock County before retiring in 2003. She was a member of the Greenfield Christian Church.

Nancy was critical to the beginning of Leadership Hancock County. She met with Thomas Seng, CEO of Central Indiana Power, and they realized there were no leadership organizations in our community. Nancy immediately led the charge to convene other leaders in our community, Bobby Keen and Thomas P. Miller. Together, the four of them created a steering committee to discuss how to begin such an organization and Leadership Hancock County was formed.

Nancy was a member of the Indiana Extension Agents Association and the Hancock County Extension Representatives for 23 years. She established and maintained various organizations including The Alliance for Community Education, the Hancock County Library, the Greenfield Christian Women’s Club, the Hancock County Red Cross Chapter, the Hancock County Food Pantry, the Hancock County 4H Queen Pageant, the Hancock County Mental Health Association, and Leadership Hancock County. She was a member of the Indiana State Fair Queen Committee for 12 years and co-owned “Laugh and Learn Presentations.” Nancy was also a member of the U&I Hancock County Extension Homemakers and was current President of the HRH Volunteer Guild and served on the Hancock Hospital Foundation Board.

Nancy performed 25 years of service for the Indiana Association of Family and Consumer Sciences and 24 years of service for Epsilon Sigma Phi National Honorary Extension Fraternity. She was a member of the AAFCS Extension Section, a member of Senior Services, and a member of the Greenfield Kiwanis Club. Nancy also judged foods for county and state fairs.

Nancy earned many awards over her life including the 2003 State of Indiana Sagamore of the Wabash Award, the Community Service Award for the Greater Greenfield Chamber of Commerce, the 2003 Lorraine Caldwell Award of Career Excellence, and the Set a Good Example Foundation 2008 Todd Kaminski Community Award. She was also awarded the Paul B. Crooks Distinguished Extension Agent Award, the 2003 IEEA Career Award, and the National Association of Extension Home Economists for Continued Excellence Award of at least 12 years of service.

The Leadership Hancock County Board offers a class scholarship in Nancy's honor.