{{short description|American politician (born 1950)}} {{Use mdy dates|date=January 2026}} {{Infobox officeholder |name= Becky Skillman |image=Becky Skillman speaking, May 12, 2007.JPEG |caption= |order= 49th |office= Lieutenant Governor of Indiana |term_start= January 10, 2005 |term_end=January 14, 2013 |governor= Mitch Daniels |predecessor= Kathy Davis |successor= Sue Ellspermann |state_senate1 = Indiana |state1= Indiana |district1= 44th |term_start1= November 4, 1992<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.capitolandwashington.com/offices/|title=Offices|date=March 3, 2015|accessdate=July 30, 2020}}</ref> |term_end1= November 3, 2004 |preceded1= Joseph V. Corcoran<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.newspapers.com/image/179295104/?terms=Becky+Skillman+Corcoran|title=4 Dec 1992, Page 13 - The Tribune at Newspapers.com|website=Newspapers.com|accessdate=July 30, 2020}}</ref> |succeeded1= Brent Steele |birth_date={{birth date and age|1950|9|26}} |birth_place=Bedford, Indiana, U.S. |death_date= |death_place= |alma_mater= Indiana Wesleyan University |party= Republican<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.in.gov/lg/2964.htm |title=Lt. Governor: Previous Lt. Governors |publisher=In.gov |date=June 16, 2009 |accessdate=September 4, 2010 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20100914203229/http://www.in.gov/lg/2964.htm |archivedate=September 14, 2010 |url-status=dead }}</ref> |profession= Politician, Economic Development Leader |spouse= Steve Skillman |footnotes= }}
'''Rebecca S. Skillman''' (born September 26, 1950) is an American politician who served as the 49th Lieutenant Governor of Indiana, from 2005 to 2013. She is a member of the Republican Party.
In the 2024 Indiana governor's race, Skillman endorsed Suzanne Crouch in the Republican Primary.
==Early life and career== Skillman is a native of Bedford, Lawrence County, Indiana. An alumna of Indiana Wesleyan University, she began her career in politics in 1977 when she was elected to the office of Lawrence County Recorder. Eight years later she was elected as County Clerk. Skillman served as President of the Association of Indiana Counties.
thumb|left|Skillman with Navy Blue Angel #7, Major Nathan Miller, during an appearance on August 23, 2007 thumb|left|Skillman presenting a certificate declaring the Blue Angels as Honorary Hoosiers
==State senate== In 1992, after 16 years as an elected official in Lawrence County, Skillman was elected to the Indiana State Senate, where she represented all or part of Lawrence, Monroe, Jackson, Washington, and Orange Counties. Rising quickly through the leadership, she became Majority Caucus Chair, the first woman in history to serve in the Senate Republican leadership. During her 12 years in the Senate, she led the charge to include the state's small towns and rural communities in its economic development agenda. There, she authored plans for development in distressed counties and for the revitalization of downtown areas.
==Lieutenant governor== Mitch Daniels selected Skillman to be his running mate during the 2004 election. The ticket was elected over incumbent Governor Joe Kernan and incumbent Lieutenant Governor Kathy Davis and she took office in January.
As Indiana's 49th Lt. Governor, Skillman held more legal duties than any other Lt. Governor in the country. Upon taking office in 2005, Skillman also served as the Secretary of Agriculture and Rural Development under the state's Department of Agriculture and Office of Community Rural Affairs. She managed five state agencies in total, and administered more than $1 billion in programs. Other agencies under Skillman's direction as Lt. Governor included the Office of Energy Development, the Indiana Housing and Community Development Authority, and the Office of Tourism Development. Additionally, she chaired the state's Counter Terrorism and Security Council, the intergovernmental entity responsible for homeland security, and served as President of the Indiana Senate.
Skillman was also responsible for shepherding Governor Mitch Daniels's Administration's legislative agenda through the Indiana General Assembly and served as President of the Senate.
==Radius Indiana== Skillman currently serves as Chair of the Board of Directors of Radius Indiana, an eight-county economic development corporation in South Central Indiana. Prior to accepting the board chair position in 2017, she served as president and CEO, beginning in February 2013; during her tenure, Radius rose in prominence among economic development organizations in the state. She also served as the co-chair of the Indiana Bicentennial Commission, with former U.S. Congressman Lee Hamilton.
==2012 election== Skillman had considered a run for Indiana Governor in 2012 but announced she would not due to a minor medical condition.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://voices.washingtonpost.com/thefix/governors/indiana-lt-gov-becky-skillman.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121009011546/http://voices.washingtonpost.com/thefix/governors/indiana-lt-gov-becky-skillman.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=October 9, 2012 |title=Pence for governor? Indiana Lt. Gov. Becky Skillman bows out|work=The Washington Post |date=December 19, 2010 |accessdate=December 19, 2010}}</ref>
==Personal life== Skillman and her husband Steve have a son, Aaron. Skillman is a member of the Church of Christ. In August 2010 Skillman earned an associate degree in business from Indiana Wesleyan University.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.nwitimes.com/news/opinion/editorial/article_13a4bff3-b1ec-5702-b09c-e34fc4927d7d.html |title=Skillman's valuable example: finish what you started |publisher=NWI.com |date=September 9, 2010 |accessdate=November 3, 2010}}</ref>
==See also== *List of female lieutenant governors in the United States
==References== {{Reflist}}
==External links== {{Commons category|Becky Skillman}} *{{cite web|url=http://www.in.gov/lg/2938.htm |title=Official site |accessdate=October 31, 2014 |url-status=bot: unknown |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20121203105920/http://www.in.gov/lg/2938.htm |archivedate=December 3, 2012 }} *{{cite web|url=http://www.beckyskillman.com/ |title=Campaign site |accessdate=October 31, 2014 |url-status=bot: unknown |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20100820064852/http://www.beckyskillman.com/ |archivedate=August 20, 2010 }} *{{C-SPAN|1015058}}
{{s-start}} {{s-ppo}} {{s-bef|before=J. Murray Clark}} {{s-ttl|title=Republican nominee for Lieutenant Governor of Indiana|years=2004, 2008}} {{s-aft|after=Sue Ellspermann}} {{s-par|us-in-sen}} {{s-bef|before=Joseph V. Corcoran}} {{s-ttl|title=Member of the Indiana Senate<br>from the 44th district|years=1992–2004}} {{s-aft|after=Brent Steele}} |- {{s-off}} {{s-bef|before=Kathy Davis}} {{s-ttl|title=Lieutenant Governor of Indiana|years=2005–2013}} {{s-aft|after=Sue Ellspermann}} {{s-end}}
{{IndianaLtGovernors}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Skillman, Becky}} Category:1950 births Category:Living people Category:People from Bedford, Indiana Category:Lieutenant governors of Indiana Category:Republican Party Indiana state senators Category:Women state legislators in Indiana Category:American members of the Churches of Christ Category:State cabinet secretaries of Indiana Category:Women in Indiana politics Category:Indiana Wesleyan University alumni Category:21st-century American women politicians Category:21st-century members of the Indiana General Assembly