Pictured from left are 2014 Himsel Award Recipient Sara Arnold, Spencer County Assessor; 2015 recipient Sue Ann Mitchell, Kosciusko County Treasurer; and AIC President Al Logsdon, Spencer County Commissioner. (Photo provided)

By KAREN AVERY
Association of Indiana Counties

INDIANAPOLIS — The Association of Indiana Counties has named Kosciusko County Treasurer Sue Ann Mitchell as the 2015 Himsel Award winner. The Arthur R. Himsel Award is the AIC’’s highest honor and is named for an individual who dedicated his public career as an elected county official. Himsel was also one of the AIC’’s founding members.

For many years, Himsel served as Indiana’s representative on the National Association of Counties board of directors. Since the inception of the Himsel Award in 1984, it has been given to an elected county official who has served the interests of county government through involvement with the AIC.

The award was presented during the AIC annual conference, the largest gathering of county officials in the state. The 2015 conference took place in LaPorte County last month and included meetings designed specifically for each elected county office.

Mitchell began her public service in the 1970s while working as deputy township assessor and was later elected to a township assessor office. She has since been elected to many county offices, including assessor, auditor and treasurer. Mitchell’’s knowledge of property taxes has helped county officials statewide. She published a work in 1981 on personal property assessments, which was aimed at assisting county assessors specifically with the process.

Mitchell has also served in many statewide leadership roles and has received many awards, including Outstanding County Auditor of the year in 2007. Mitchell now serves as co-chair of the Treasurers Association legislative committee and serves as AIC Northeast District President.