Governor Holcomb Appoints Fair Oaks Farms Co-Founder to IEDC Board

INDIANAPOLIS (April 18, 2019) – Governor Eric J. Holcomb appointed Sue McCloskey to the Indiana Economic Development Corporation (IEDC) Board of Directors today.

“To continue taking Indiana’s economy to the next level, we need the experience and perspective of key industry experts like Sue McCloskey. She knows firsthand the challenges and opportunities faced by Hoosier entrepreneurs and agriculture businesses,” said Gov. Holcomb. “In Indiana, our farmers are the most productive and efficient in the country, and I am grateful for Sue’s willingness to serve the state in this way. Her leadership will help make Indiana a magnet for jobs, boosting an entrepreneurial ecosystem and attracting talent for generations to come.”

McCloskey co-founded Fair Oaks Farms, which originally opened in 2004 and is now recognized as the No. 1 agritourism destination in the Midwest. Located in Jasper and Newton counties along Interstate-65 between Indianapolis and Chicago, Fair Oaks Farms draws more than 600,000 visitors each year, including at least 50,000 students on school trips, to its dairy, pig and crop adventures, allowing visitors to see and learn more about modern farming. Under the leadership of McCloskey and her husband, Mike, the company continues to pursue new growth opportunities, including a farm-to-table restaurant, U-pick apple orchard, and the recently-opened, 99-room Fairfield by Marriott hotel. 

Prior to establishing Fair Oaks Farms, McCloskey and her husband ran a successful dairy veterinary consulting practice in southern California before moving to New Mexico to start a 5,000-cow dairy farm. In New Mexico, they created Select Milk Producers, which is currently the fifth largest milk cooperative in the country. 

In 1999, McCloskey moved to Indiana to create one of the largest dairy farms in the country and simultaneously opened Fair Oaks Farms. She has previously served as the creative director for Fair Oaks Farms as well as a spokesperson for Fairlife, Select’s dairy-based health and wellness company. McCloskey has also served on the Board of Trustees for Culver Academies in Culver, Indiana. 

She fills a vacancy left by Angela Braly, who served as a member of the IEDC Board of Directors from 2013 to 2019. McCloskey will serve a four-year term, expiring in April 2023.