Topic: Board of Trustees

July 8, 2016

Gov. Mike Pence on Thursday appointed Jean Ann Harcourt to the Ball State University Board of Trustees.

Harcourt, a 1975 alumna with a bachelor’s degree in business administration, is the president and CEO of Harcourt Industries, a school-supply company based in Rush County that now also produces school-spirit items, political signage, and custom printing work. The company serves some 12,000 elementary, middle and high schools across the country, making it a leading manufacturer of school pencils. Harcourt’s parents founded the company in 1956, and she joined them in 1975.

In 1998, Harcourt became the first woman to serve as chair of the Indiana Manufacturers Association. Other memberships and activities include past president, Milroy Economic Development Committee; past commissioner, Indiana Real Estate Commission; founding member of the Rush County Community Foundation; chairwoman, Jeff Linder for Congress, 2000; chairwoman, Indiana Manufacturers Political Action Committee, 1999-2000; member of the Governor’s Education Roundtable, 1999-2000; and chairwoman, state Sen. Robert Jackman’s re-election campaign, 2000.

She was named a Sagamore of the Wabash in 1988 by then-Gov. Robert Orr. In 1991, she was named Outstanding Citizen, Milroy Community Club; in 1993, she was named the Rush County Citizen of the Year, Rush County Chamber of Commerce.

Harcourt has been a leader in local, state and national GOP politics and has served as a host of the annual “Picnic With Pence” fundraiser. She was vice chair of the Indiana Republican Party in 2003-04 and was a Republican National Committee member, 1992-96. 

Harcourt’s husband, Terry Showalter, ’88, is president and owner of T-Time Designs, a golf equipment supply company in Milroy, Indiana. The couple have two children: daughter, Christian, and son, Michael. Harcourt’s father, Conrad, was a 1950 alumnus; and her siblings are sister, Janis Long, AA ’76; and brother, Joseph, ’73.

Harcourt’s term runs through Dec. 31, 2017.