Pat Terrell
Principal
Patrick Terrell, principal in The Winston Terrell Group, Inc., is one of Indiana's most knowledgeable people about the operation of state and local government. Known to all simply as "Pat," Mr. Terrell is an accomplished trouble-shooter who advises people and organizations concerning methods to make the public process work for them. He is also a shrewd political strategist and organizer.
The Winston Terrell Group represents businesses and organizations before municipal and state governments in several states as well as advising clients concerning community and public relations. Based in Indianapolis, The Winston Terrell Group is the largest minority-owned firm in Indiana specializing in government affairs, public relations, and political consulting.
At Winston Terrell, Mr. Terrell coordinates client development, assists with strategic planning, and serves as a liaison between many clients and government entities. His broad yet detailed knowledge of government and politics serves to keep clients well advised on navigating the public process.
Mr. Terrell is a native of Paoli, Indiana. He graduated from Purdue University in West Lafayette, Indiana. He also served as president of the Purdue College Democrats, leading an effort to register hundreds of college students to vote. He worked on re-election campaigns for state Rep. Stan Jones of West Lafayette and Mayor Sonya Margerum of West Lafayette.
Following his graduation from Purdue, Mr. Terrell worked in 1988 on the United States Senate campaign of Jack Wickes. He coordinated the Wickes campaign's work with the successful campaign that year electing Evan Bayh as governor and Frank O'Bannon as lieutenant governor.
After serving in the Corporations Division for then Indiana Secretary of State Joe Hogsett, Mr. Terrell joined the new administration in the Indiana Commerce Department. He served then-Lieutenant Governor O'Bannon, who was also the director of the Commerce Department.
At Commerce, Mr. Terrell managed compliance reviews for millions of dollars in Community Development grants. Later, he served Lieutenant Governor O'Bannon as Special Assistant. In addition to acquiring his trouble-shooting skills in this position as he fielded numerous requests to O'Bannon from people and organizations.
Mr. Terrell served as liaison to six economic development agencies. He was appointed to the board of two of the agencies, the Small Business Development Center and the Lake Michigan Marina Development Commission. For the other four boards, he was Lieutenant Governor O'Bannon's official liaison. Those panels were the Indiana Commission on Agricultural and Rural Development, the Indiana Port Commission, the State Fair Board, and the Agriculture Department.
Mr. Terrell also became familiar with the legions of policy makers who serve in government. He coordinated the summer internship program for six years in the lieutenant governor's office, placing more than 75 people into positions in the lieutenant governor's staff and in economic development agencies. Many of those people are now mid-level or senior policy makers in government.
He performed similar human resources work after Frank O'Bannon was elected governor, serving on the transition team and on the governor's staff placing people into positions in public agencies and on state boards and commissions. He also helped select outstanding students to serve as Governor's Fellows in state government.
Leaving state government in 1998, Mr. Terrell joined the Indianapolis law firm of Lewis & Kappes as a non-lawyer principal in the governmental affairs group. He assisted clients concerning industrial utility pricing policy, health profession regulation, business regulation, telecommunications, and legislative lobbying.
Before founding The Winston Terrell Group, Mr. Terrell served two years as political director of the Indiana Democratic Party.
He focused on the 2000 re-election campaign for Governor O'Bannon and Lieutenant Governor Joe Kernan, organizing a statewide field of staff to marshal support for the ticket in communities throughout the state. He also assisted in helping Democrats preserve control of the Indiana House of Representatives in the 2000 election.
At the Winston Terrell Group, Mr. Terrell concentrates on assisting clients with strategic planning, marketing, and community and government relations.
Mr. Terrell serves on the Board of Directors for DAMAR Services and its Capitol Campaign Committee. The organization provides treatment and care for children and adults with developmental disabilities.
Mr. Terrell lives in Indianapolis with his wife, Karen.