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{{short description|American politician from Indiana|bot=PearBOT 5}}
{{Infobox officeholder
|name = Michael Aylesworth
|image =
|state_house = Indiana
|district = 11th
|term_start = November 19, 2014
|term_end =
|predecessor = [[Rick Niemeyer]]
|successor =
|birth_name = Michael J. Aylesworth
|birth_date = {{birth date and age|1943|03|24}}
|birth_place = [[Hebron, Indiana]]
|party = [[Republican Party (United States)|Republican]]
|spouse = Dolores RaeHaberlin
|children = Three sons
|residence = Hebron, Indiana
|alma_mater = [[Indiana University Bloomington|Indiana University]] ([[Bachelor of Science|B.S.]])<br>[[Valparaiso University]] ([[Master of Arts|M.A.]])
|profession = Farmer
|signature =
|website =
}}

'''Michael Jerome Aylesworth''' (born March 24, 1943) is an American politician who is a current member of the [[Indiana House of Representatives]]. A member of the [[Republican Party (United States)|Republican Party]], Aylesworth was elected to the Indiana House on November 4, 2014 and was subsequently sworn in on November 19 of that year. Elected to represent the 11th district, Aylesworth's district represents southern [[Lake County, Indiana|Lake]] and [[Porter County, Indiana|Porter County]].

==Early life, education and career==

Michael Jerome Aylesworth was born in [[Hebron, Indiana]] to parents Mary Jane ([[Name at birth|née]] Olson) and John Cylde Aylesworth. He is a fifth generation resident of [[Porter County, Indiana|Porter County]], after his great-great grandfather settled in [[Boone Township, Porter County, Indiana|Boone Township]] from [[Wayne County, Indiana|Wayne County]] in the mid-1840s and purchased farmland which is still partially owned by the Aylesworth today.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.inportercounty.org/Data/Biographies/Aylesworth45.html | title =Transcribed biography of Aylesworth | author =Shook, Steven R. | author2 =''Indiana GenWeb Project'' | publisher =inportercounty.org | year =2008}}</ref> Aylesworth grew up on his family farm with his seven brothers and sisters, attending Hebron Elementary School and graduating from [[Hebron High School (Indiana)|Hebron High School]] in 1961.<ref name ="INHRCC">{{cite web | url =http://inhrcc.com/candidates/11/michael-aylesworth | title =Michael Aylesworth | author =''Indiana House Republican Campaign Committee'' | publisher =inhrcc.com | year =2014 | access-date =2015-01-30 | archive-url =https://web.archive.org/web/20150214213454/http://inhrcc.com/candidates/11/michael-aylesworth | archive-date =2015-02-14 | url-status =dead }}</ref>

After graduating high school, he attended [[Saint Joseph's College (Indiana)|Saint Joseph's College]] in [[Rensselaer, Indiana]] and graduated from [[Indiana University Bloomington]] with his [[Bachelor of Science]] in secondary education in 1966.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://ibew.capwiz.com/bio/id/80685 | title =Rep. Michael Aylesworth (R-IN 11th District) | author =''[[International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers]]'' | publisher =ibew.org | year =2014}}</ref> Aylesworth later went on to receive his [[Master of Arts in Liberal Studies|Master of Arts in liberal studies]] from [[Valparaiso University]] in 1989.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://ssl.congress.org/congressorg/bio/id/80685 | title =Rep. Michael Aylesworth (R-IN 11th District) | publisher =congress.org}}</ref>

Upon graduating from Indiana University, Aylesworth worked at [[Boone Grove High School]] in [[Valparaiso, Indiana]], where he taught social studies for one year. He was then drafted into the [[United States Army]] in 1968, being trained in communications and specializing in [[morse code]] and [[Teleprinter|teletype]].<ref name ="INHRCC"/> He was stationed in [[Korea]] and attained the rank of a [[Sergeant]] before being relieved from active duty in 1969 and being honorably discharged in 1973.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.portercountygop.com/candidates/michael-aylesworth-for-state-representative-district-11.html |title=Michael Aylesworth for State Representative District 11 |author=''[[Porter County Republican Party]]'' |publisher=archive.org |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20141125193401/http://www.portercountygop.com/candidates/michael-aylesworth-for-state-representative-district-11.html |archivedate=November 25, 2014 }}</ref> After his Army service, Aylesworth began agricultural pursuits in Porter County and operated Aylesworth Farms, Inc, leasing three small farms in the area that were involved in corn and soybean production. He subsequently purchased 165 acres of his family's farm in 1973 with the help of [[Farmers Home Administration]] beginner farmer loan guarantees.<ref name ="MASC">{{cite web | url=http://www.ciclt.net/sn/pol/po_detail.aspx?ClientCode=masc&P_ID=insh011 | title =Michael (Michael) J. Aylesworth (R-SH011) | author =''Municipal Association of South Carolina'' | publisher =ciclt.net}}</ref> By 1998, under his operation, Aylesworth's Farms amassed over 2400 acres of agricultural land.<ref name ="MASC"/> It remained under his ownership until 2003.<ref name ="MASC"/>

==Business and political career==
Aylesworth entered politics in 1976, upon being elected to the Porter County [[board of county commissioners|board of commissioners]]. He served eight years in this position from January 1977 to December 1984, where he spent part of this time serving his first two of three nonconsecutive terms as the chairman of the Porter County Republican Party from 1982 to 1991.<ref name="SEC">{{cite web | url=https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1177668/000110465904005941/a04-2895_110ksb.htm | title =Commission File Number: 333-100672 IROQUOIS BIO-ENERGY COMPANY, LLC | author =''[[U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission]]'' | publisher =sec.gov | date =February 27, 2004}}</ref> He later served one term on the Porter County Council from January 1988 to December 1992.<ref name="SEC"/>

He began his final term as Porter County Republican Party chairman in 1997, holding the position until 2002. During his time as county GOP chair, Aylesworth became the president of the Indiana Corn Growers Association from 1997 to 2002 and also served two years as the president of the Indiana Corn Marketing Council from the start of its creation in 2001. He was also appointed to the national policy team of the [[National Corn Growers Association]] in 1998, serving in this position until his term as president of the ICGA expired.<ref name="SEC"/>

In April 2002, Aylesworth co-founded Iroquois Bio Energy Company, an ethanol company based in Rensselaer, where he served on the company's board of directors and was its first president.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://indianapublicmedia.org/election/2014-races/indiana-house-of-representatives-district-11/michael-aylesworth/ | title=Indiana Election 2014: Michael Aylesworth | publisher=indianapublicmedia.org | year=2014 | access-date=2015-01-30 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160303212742/http://indianapublicmedia.org/election/2014-races/indiana-house-of-representatives-district-11/michael-aylesworth/ | archive-date=2016-03-03 | url-status=dead }}</ref> He was appointed to serve as the northern director of the Indiana Department of Environmental Management, serving in the position under the administrations of [[Governor of Indiana|Indiana Governors]] [[Mitch Daniels]] and [[Mike Pence]] from June 1, 2005 until his election to the statehouse in 2014.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://chestertontribune.com/Environment/former_county_gop_chair_gets_reg.htm | title =Former county GOP chair gets region IDEM job | author =Vicki Urbanik | publisher =chestertontribune.com | date =June 9, 2005}}</ref> Aylesworth also served on the Porter County drainage board for twelve years, where he served as its chairman.<ref>{{cite web | url =http://www.nwitimes.com/elections/party/republican/michael-j-aylesworth/candidate_458f8bf4-c686-11e3-9216-0019bb2963f4.html | title =Michael J Aylesworth | author =''[[The Times of Northwest Indiana]]'' | publisher =nwitimes.com | url-status =dead | archiveurl =https://archive.today/20150130132307/http://www.nwitimes.com/elections/party/republican/michael-j-aylesworth/candidate_458f8bf4-c686-11e3-9216-0019bb2963f4.html | archivedate =2015-01-30 }}</ref>

==Indiana House of Representatives==
After incumbent Republican state representative [[Rick Niemeyer]] opted to run for the [[Indiana Senate|Indiana State Senate]], Aylesworth filed to run for his seat and declared his candidacy for the [[Indiana House of Representatives]] on February 2, 2014.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.in.gov/sos/elections/files/2014_Primary_Candidate_Abbreviated_List_March_71.pdf | title =May 6, 2014 Primary Election | author =''[[Secretary of State of Indiana|Office of the Secretary of State of Indiana]]'' | publisher =in.gov | date =March 7, 2014}}</ref> In the Republican primary, Aylesworth defeated [[Lowell, Indiana]] town council member Michael Mears 1,027 to 313 votes, or 76.6% to 23.3%.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.porterco.org/DocumentCenter/View/2709 | title =PORTER COUNTY, INDIANA PRIMARY ELECTION | publisher =porterco.org | date =May 6, 2014}}</ref> He went on to face [[Democratic Party (United States)|Democrat]] Jim Metro, a former member of the [[Cedar Lake, Indiana]] zoning board, in the general election. On November 4, 2014, Aylesworth won in the general election, with 8,526 votes to Metro's 6,511 votes, or 56.7% to 43.3%.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.in.gov/apps/sos/election/general/general2014?page=office&countyID=-1&officeID=1&districtID=-1&candidate= | title =ELECTION RESULTS: Indiana General Election, November 4, 2014 | author =''[[Secretary of State of Indiana|Office of the Secretary of State of Indiana]]'' | publisher =in.gov | date =December 24, 2014}}</ref> He was sworn into office on November 19, 2014.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.indianahouserepublicans.com/news/press-releases/rep.-aylesworth-sworn-in-supports-charity-on-organization-day/ | title =Rep. Aylesworth sworn in, supports charity on Organization Day | author =Kathryn Frakes | publisher =indianahouserepublicans.com | date =November 19, 2014}}</ref>

==Personal life==
Aylesworth lives in Hebron, Indiana with his wife Delores Rae (née Haberlin), a practicing attorney, whom he has been married to since 1971. They have three adult sons and eight grandchildren. Aylesworth is a practicing [[Roman Catholic]] and attends services at St. Mary's Catholic Church in [[Kouts, Indiana]].

==References==
{{reflist|2}}

==External links==
*[http://www.indianahouserepublicans.com/members/general/michael-aylesworth Official Statehouse Website]
*[https://votesmart.org/candidate/149616/michael-aylesworth#.VMtj22jF9xg Profile] at [[Project Vote Smart]]
*[http://openstates.org/in/legislators/INL000266/mike-aylesworth/ Profile] from the [[Sunlight Foundation]]

{{Indiana House of Representatives}}

{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Aylesworth, Michael}}
[[Category:1941 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:County commissioners in Indiana]]
[[Category:Indiana University Bloomington alumni]]
[[Category:Valparaiso University alumni]]
[[Category:Indiana Republicans]]
[[Category:People from Porter County, Indiana]]
[[Category:21st-century American politicians]]
[[Category:20th-century American politicians]]

Michael Aylesworth - Revision history

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