Noblesville Mayor John Ditslear is pleased to announce that Jeffrey Spalding has been hired as the new city controller. Spalding will begin his new role on Monday, February 27.
“Jeff has a wealth of experience in finance and management. He knows numbers, but he also knows a great deal about policy and government. I believe he will be a great benefit to our city in his new role,” Ditslear said.
Spalding comes to Noblesville from the City of Elkhart (Indiana) where he held the same position and oversaw a $70 million budget. He previously served under Mayor Greg Ballard as the Office of Finance and Management director for the City of Indianapolis/Marion County.
For 13 years, Spalding served as the senior fiscal analyst for the Indiana House of Representatives Republican Caucus. He also has experience leading finance and policy analysis offices at the Tennessee General Assembly, Indiana Department of Transportation, and Indiana Commission for Higher Education. Spalding said his previous employments provide him with a broad perspective on municipal finance and an understanding of how and why state laws affect the finances of local communities.
“What makes me unique is my experience at both the local and state levels. I feel I know municipal finance from the bottom up and the top-down,” he said.
Spalding graduated from Hanover College magna cum laude with a degree in economics in 1982. He earned his MBA in finance from Washington University in St. Louis in 1984. In his free time, Spalding enjoys cycling and playing tennis and golf. He has a 13-year-old daughter, Elly.
Spalding said it was Noblesville’s authenticity that interested him in the job.
“I like a community that is authentic and its people have a sense of belonging and heritage. Noblesville has that, compared to other communities that are trying to manufacture it,” he said.
Spalding replaces Mike Hendricks, who is leaving the city on February 17 for a job in the private sector.
“I cannot thank Mike enough for his 23 years of service to the City of Noblesville and the numerous roles he has undertaken during his time here,” said Ditslear. “Mike excelled in every role and built a strong foundation with the creation of the Controller’s Office last year as we transitioned to a Second Class City.”
