Email:

pglehmku@iu.edu

Areas of Interest:

Economic Development

Human Resources

Public Finance

Philip G. Lehmkuhler is the regional director in the Office of Internet Connectivity and Growth (OIGC), National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) at the US Department of Commerce working to implement the Broadband Equity Access and Deployment (BEAD) and Digital Equity Programs. BEAD Program is a $42.45 billion state and territory formula grant program providing funding for technical assistance, broadband plans, and to construct and deploy broadband in unserved and underserved areas across the nation. He leads a team of state program officers that support Minnesota, Wisconsin, Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Kentucky, Ohio, and West Virginia in implementing the BEAD program to support the closing of the digital divide across the region.

Lehmkuhler is also the founder of Mid-America Management and Consulting, LLC, and serves as a consultant for community, business development and renewable energy projects in Indiana and Texas. He teaches several public budgeting and finance classes at O'Neill.

Appointed to Indiana State Director of USDA Rural Development in 2009, he managed a federal economic development agency during an economic downturn. Led a federal economic development agency with over forty programs that invested more than $6.5 billion in housing, community, and business programs in rural Indiana. Directed agency programs that invested over $187 million in rural businesses and more than $635 million in community development helping over 1.2 million Hoosiers. Oversaw federal housing programs that assisted over 42,000 families with purchasing safe and affordable housing. Managed over one hundred staff with an annual operating budget of over $9 million.  Under his leadership, Rural Development program investment increased by 260% in Indiana.

Before joining USDA Rural Development, Lehmkuhler served as manager of economic development and members services of the Indiana Municipal Power Agency (IMPA) where he was responsible for programs that included economic development strategic planning, website design assistance for local economic development organizations, aerial photography, a site and building database, economic impact analysis, and networking and business recruitment opportunities with site selectors and high-level corporate executives.

Prior to that, he served as the manager of the Economic Development Division of the Indiana Department of Commerce. There, he managed five economic development divisions of Business Recruitment, Business Retention and Expansion, Small Business, International Trade, and Tourism and Film. He managed the State of Indiana economic development tax credit and grant incentive programs.

Before working at Commerce, he worked 14 years on community and economic development projects while working for members of Congress. Some successful projects include securing funding for Jeffersonville’s downtown revitalization project as well as moving the Town of English which is the second largest community relocation in U.S. history.

Lehmkuhler’s affiliations have included the International Economic Development Council (IEDC), Indiana Economic Development Association (IEDA), Mid-America Economic Development Council (MAEDC), Government Finance Officers Association and the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM). He also has served as a member of the Board of Directors for the American Cancer Bio- Repository (ACB) in Kentucky.

Lehmkuhler earned his Master in Public Administration (MPA) from the University of Louisville and his bachelor’s degree with majors in public finance, public policy, and organizational management from Indiana University Bloomington. He received a certification in Leadership Decision Making from the Harvard University Kennedy School of Government in 2015. He also received certification in economic development from the Economic Development Institute at the University of Oklahoma in 2007. He is certified as a Professional in Human Resources (PHR) from the Human Resources Certification Institute (HRCI) and completed the OSHA 30- hour training.

He was born and raised in Jasper, Indiana. He and his wife, Sarah, have three children and live in Indianapolis.