Former Air Force captain and state government veteran Dennis Wimer was named new director of the Indiana Department of Veterans’ Affairs.

“I have directed Dennis to make any and all necessary changes to restore the confidence of the department and the trust of Hoosier veterans,” Gov. Eric Holcomb said in a statement announcing Wimer's appointment. “Dennis is a strong leader with a passion to serve. His experience and expertise, which combines military service with a deep knowledge of the inner workings of state and federal programs, have prepared him to transform the Indiana Department of Veterans’ Affairs.”

Wimer served in the U.S. Air Force for eight years on active duty, rising to the rank of captain. He served as a C-141B navigator and his last assignment was the operations officer of a C-141B special operations unit.

His experience includes positions at Butler University and LADS Consulting, a family-owned civil engineering consulting firm. From 2011 to 2017, he worked for the Indiana Department of Workforce Development in various roles including associate chief operating officer.

During his time at DWD, Wimer led multiple federal and state workforce programs, including Jobs for Veterans state grants, Jobs for Hoosiers and Hoosier Initiative to Reemploy Ex-offenders (HIRE) program. Wimer was a board member of the National Association of State Workforce Agencies and selected to serve as the chair of the NASWA Veterans Affairs Committee.

Wimer earned his bachelor of arts from Purdue University and his master of business administration from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania. He starts his new role on Jan. 28.