A caucus of Republican precinct committee members selected Ryan Moore to finish the Valparaiso City Council term of Peter Anderson, who represented the Fifth District and resigned Sept. 1.
Moore was selected by caucus on Friday. Anderson was part of the way through his second term, which ends in December 2027.
Moore has been president of the Hawthorne Homeowners’ Association since moving to the neighborhood in 2016. He and his wife have three children who have attended or attend Valparaiso Community Schools. He is assistant wrestling coach at Thomas Jefferson Middle School and has coached many of his children’s sports teams over the years.
“Ryan has deep roots in our community and a demonstrated willingness to step up and serve his neighbors,” said chairman of the Valparaiso Republicans and Valparaiso City Councilman Jack Pupillo, R-4th. “He understands what makes Valparaiso a great place to live and raise a family, and I’m confident he will bring a thoughtful, practical, and community-focused perspective to the City Council.”
An environmental scientist by training at Manchester College, Moore has spent his career in the industry. He said in a phone call Monday morning that he had reached out to Valparaiso City Council President Ellen Kapitan, D-At-Large, and told her they would probably have a lot in common.
Kapitan serves on the Valparaiso Environmental Advisory Board, and Moore said the environment has been his passion. He’s been in the environmental industry since 2001 and is currently a vice president for PFAS remediation for a company that does in-situ remediation, and has been with the company for 14 years.
A native of Greenfield, Indiana, just east of Indianapolis, Moore is a self-described “political novice” and “never thought I would be in this position.” He said a friend approached him about the possibility of stepping in to replace Anderson.
“It came about pretty quickly,” he said. Moore hopes to work across the political aisle. “My goal is not to be on the division side of the politics,” he said. “I hear a lot from people from all sides. I think there’s more common ground than there is not in 99% of the issues.
“I think our city has done really well in the 20 years since I’ve lived here,” he added of watching the offerings such as neighborhoods, restaurants and entertainment grow.
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“It’s got to be smart growth,” he added, saying he wants a good fiscal approach to running the city. “It can’t just expand to expand.”
Shelley Jones is a freelance reporter for the Post-Tribune.