!!!Please note: Information on this site is currently oudated. I new website for Benjamin Sharkey will be up and running in the near future at www.sharkeyforhoosiers.com. Please check back occasionally for updates!!!
About the Candidate
I’m Ben Sharkey and I am running for Marshall County Commissioner as a moderate Democrat. I have lived in Marshall County for about 4 -5 years all together. I have fallen in love with the county and the good people who make this community as wonderful as it is. My goal, as commissioner, is to help Marshall County continue to grow and prosper in ways that will benefit the entire community by meeting the needs of the county and helping it navigate through these very new and uncertain times. My life journey has awarded me with a myriad of different experiences that I can bring to the table to help benefit our community.
My life started in the southeastern plains of Colorado in a small farming and ranching community. While I wasn’t part of a farming family, this period of my life greatly exposed me to agricultural industries. Some of this exposure included work experience helping out on friends farms and even working for my pastor on his little ranch. These experiences gave me a general understanding of the importance of preserving our agricultural roots in the county as well as giving me a deep appreciation for what our farmers and ranchers do and sacrifice to make sure we are able to eat day to day.
I moved to Indiana in my teen years where I eventually graduated from Goshen High School. During my Junior and Senior year, I took vocational classes in public safety that included basic training in first responder first aid, firefighting, law enforcement, criminal investigation, and rescue tactics. This eventually led me to becoming a corrections officer in 2005 for the Elkhart County Sheriff’s Department. I also eventually served in private security.
During the course of my professional life, I have worked in a number of different industries, such as customer service, which has given me the invaluable skill of listening to needs. I also gained valuable management experience which taught me how to best utilize the resources that were at hand. Most importantly those experiences taught me how to lead and not just be a “boss”. I also have a variety of volunteer experience that includes visiting residents in nursing homes, helping to start and run a pet food pantry. These experiences have given me a passion to serve and have helped me understand the importance of selfless sacrifice. Currently, I work as a local truck driver, delivering to some of our great businesses in the county.
While I am not college educated, I do believe that the experiences that I have listed more than qualify me for the position of county commissioner. Why? Because I understand. I am truly from the people and understand the struggles and hardships that we all face on a day-to-day basis. I understand the sacrifices that we each must make. As an ordinary average joe, I also understand the frustration of bought and paid for politics with special interests as well as conflicts of interests. I also understand the frustrations of politicians who lack self-accountability. These are things you will not experience from me. I will not be bought and paid for and I will demonstrate the self-accountability that should be expected from ANY public servant. If I make a mistake, I WILL let you know as quickly as possible. With me as commissioner you will see as much transparency as allowed by law. With me, you will be heard and VALIDATED. With me, you will have a commissioner who truly is OF THE PEOPLE AND FOR THE PEOPLE!
To be the commissioner this county needs, I need to hear from the people. I will be posting online surveys to better understand the wants and needs of the residents of Marshall County. I encourage each and every one of you to take a few minutes to fill them out and share them. I will have paper copies available at times as well.
Please check back frequently as this website will continue to be updated with information