Jim Banks represents Indiana State Senate District 17. Banks is a former Whitley County Councilman and former Whitley County Republican Chairman. Banks, 32, is the Director of Business Development for The Hagerman Group, a 103-year old general contracting and construction management company headquartered in Fort Wayne . Previous to working at The Hagerman Group, Banks owned a public affairs and public relations company and worked in the public policy department at Focus on the Family.

Banks was born and raised in Columbia City and South Whitley. Upon graduating from Columbia City High School, Banks attended Indiana University in Bloomington where he received his B.A. in Political Science.

Jim Banks is active in many community organizations and serves on many boards including serving this year as President of the Columbia City Rotary Club. Most importantly, Jim and his wife Amanda are the proud parents of daughters Lillian and Elizabeth. They reside in Columbia City and are members of Trinity Evangelical Presbyterian Church.

Governing Magazine has named Senator Banks one of the top Republican rising star legislators in the country. Banks also serves as Chairman of the Taxpayer Protection Caucus in the Indiana Senate.