Mayor Ballard

Mayor Gregory A. Ballard was elected the 48th Mayor of Indianapolis on November 6, 2007 and was re-elected to a second term on November 8, 2011.

Born and raised in Indianapolis, Mayor Ballard graduated from Cathedral High School, and later received a Bachelor’s Degree in Economics from Indiana University. After graduating, he joined the United States Marine Corps, and continued his education while serving in the Marines, becoming a distinguished graduate of the Marine Corps Command and Staff College, and attaining a master’s degree in science from the Marine Corps University.

Ballard served time in the first Gulf War, with his military career culminating in his service with the United States European Command in Stuttgart, Germany, where he retired in 2001 after 23 years of service and receiving numerous awards.

In 2012, The City of Indianapolis VEX Robotics Championship (IndyVRC) was created by then-Mayor Greg Ballard with the goal of providing an opportunity for all Indianapolis high school students to participate in a world class robotics event. Initially, the program served 38 high schools around the city, later adding both a middle school and an elementary school division to the comprehensive grant program. By 2016, the IndyVRC had awarded more than 180 grants, impacting nearly 3,000 students and raising nearly $170,000 annually to support the program and city competition. Today, Indiana has more VEX IQ teams than any other state and hosts the largest VEX Robotics State Championship in the nation.

Ballard and his wife Winnie have two children, a son and daughter, and still reside in Indianapolis.