Former Rep. Tom Saunders, who served 13 terms in the Indiana House of Representatives, will soon release his story to the public in a new book, ‘Tom, What Are You Doing Here? Adventures In Public Service.’
Saunders, of Lewisville, will hold a book signing at the Henry County Historical Society in New Castle from 3:30 to 5 p.m. this Saturday — sharing details about his Statehouse experiences and stories from the campaign trail with some additions from his wife, Sue.
Retired Courier-Times journalist Darrel Radford and campaign advisor Rick Whitener also contributed to the book, which includes an introduction from former WISH political reporter Jim Shella.
Prior to his 1996 induction into the chamber, Saunders held local public offices at the Henry County Assessor and a trustee for Franklin township for over two decades. Aside from his tenure in public office, Saunders’ eclectic professional background included courthouse janitor, log cabin restoration, antiques dealer, cemetery sexton and “roving elephant herder.”
In 2024, Saunders will be a town board member for Lewisville, according to information shared by his Bloomington publisher Filibuster Press.
Saunders, a Republican, left the statehouse with a reputation for prioritizing local government and infrastructure, including I-70 interchanges and an Ivy Tech campus in New Castle. He also was a moderate who regularly voted against his caucus.
He and his wife organized an annual legislative bake sale and auction benefiting the American Cancer Society, raising more than $50,000 as of his retirement.
Additionally, he received the Sagamore of the Wabash from former Gov. Mike Pence in 2017.
The book is published by Filibuster Press of Bloomington.