Allen County Commissioner Therese M. Brown (R-2nd) announced today that she will not seek re-election for a fifth term as Commissioner in 2026.
News release from Allen County Commissioner Therese Brown (R-2nd):
Therese Brown will not seek re-election in 2026
Tenured elected official will retire after more than four decades of public serviceFort Wayne, Indiana (August 6, 2025) – Allen County Commissioner Therese M. Brown announced today that she will not seek re-election for a fifth term as Commissioner in 2026. Brown commented, “Serving Allen County, first as a county employee, and for the last three decades as an elected official, has been an honor. Every time I run for office, I treat it like a job application. I ask myself whether I have done enough in office to be hired again by the voters of Allen County. I believe the answer is yes. I’m confident that if I ran next year, I’d win, but I’ve invested all of my adult life in public service and now I want to focus on the things that bring me joy – my family, friends, and parish. I’m announcing now to give as many people as possible the opportunity to think about whether or not they want to put their name forward and apply for the job. They’d have plenty of time to make their case to the voters.”
Brown, 65, graduated from Bishop Dwenger High School and then started her career in Allen County working in the Treasurer’s Office. She then transitioned to the Auditor’s Office, spending time as the Chief Deputy Auditor, prior to running for elected office. She spent two terms as the elected Allen County Auditor, two terms as the Clerk of the Circuit and Superior Courts, and is presently in her fourth term as an Allen County Commissioner. During her time as the Allen County Clerk, Brown decided to attain her college degree and earned a Bachelor’s degree in Business Management from Indiana Wesleyan University while working full-time. In recognition of her statewide impact on county government in a variety of roles, she was awarded the Arthur R. Himsel award in 2019 by the Association of Indiana Counties, its highest honor.
“I’ve thoroughly enjoyed learning about every facet of county government over the years,” Brown stated about her long career with Allen County, “I found that to be a successful elected official, I needed to ask a lot of questions and surround myself with the people who will have the answers. I will miss the hundreds of employees who worked alongside me over the years to get tax bills out on time, keep the financial books in order, ensure accuracy and accessibility of court records, and in my most recent role, lead Allen County toward a successful future. Allen County government employees have been like family to me, and even though I won’t be leading them out onto the field, I will always be cheering them on from the sidelines.”
Elected countywide, County Commissioners must reside in one of three districts throughout the county to ensure its citizens are well represented. Residing in Huntertown and serving in Commissioner District 2, Brown has served on a lengthy list of boards and commissions, including: Park Center, Allen County Community Corrections Advisory Board, Visit Fort Wayne, the Northeast Indiana Regional Coordinating Council, Allen County Drainage Board, Recovery Health Systems, Allen County Plan Commission, Greater Fort Wayne Inc. Board, the Downtown Improvement District, and both Indiana and Allen County’s Judicial Reinvestment Advisory Council.
Brown is married to Dan Roy and between them they have 5 adult children and 11 grandchildren. About this next phase of life, Brown commented, “I’m looking forward to setting my own schedule and spending all my time with the ones I love most. I’ve faithfully served my community and served it well for a very long time. I’m ready for something new. I’m keeping an open hand about what comes next for me.”
Brown will continue as Allen County Commissioner through the end of her current term, which ends December 31, 2026.
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