Visit Hendricks County CEO Pays Tribute to Former Commission Member Dick Thompson

By Jaime Bohler Smith

As the current CEO of Visit Hendricks County, I can point to a handful of moments that have shaped my professional career. While Representative Thompson played a key role in some of them, the memory that means the most to me occurred when my son Connor was born in 2009.

Dick was a member of the Hendricks County Tourism Commission at the time, representing the Hendricks County Council from 2005 until his retirement in 2016. He was a champion of tourism throughout the county and the state, using his experience as an Indiana State Representative to serve as a lobbyist for the Indiana Tourism Association for several years.

He was instrumental in increasing the Hendricks County innkeeper’s tax from 5% to 8% during his early years on the Commission. That increase has since led to millions of dollars in investments in our community, benefiting Hendricks County Parks, the Hendricks County 4-H Fairgrounds and other tourism and destination development projects that are enhancing our quality of life.

In addition to his work in tourism, he was also an educator and a proud former administrator at Tri-West High School. I’m fortunate enough to raise my kids in the Northwest Hendricks School System.

When Connor was born, Dick saw us for the first time and immediately said, “Looks like we’ve got a Tri-West Bruin linebacker with those shoulders!” At the time, I hadn’t even imagined we’d become football parents, but in first grade, Connor got his first helmet and pads. He’s still playing today. While he’s not a linebacker — since Pittsboro has two Subways and Danville got all the fast food, according to Coach Ward — he still takes the field every Friday night as a Tri-West Bruin, just like Representative Thompson said he would.

Last year, when Dick was honored as one of the inaugural Wall of Fame inductees, I proudly sat in the stands, knowing his legacy at Tri-West was just one piece of the immense impact he leaves on our community. His influence will be remembered for decades. I captured the photo above of him giving a wave as the torch left Danville to move onto the next town.

This is how I will remember him.

From the time he spent in meetings to the countless fundraisers hosted in their barn, Dick and Clara brought love and light to the community in a way that is truly unmatched.

Our thoughts and blessings go out to the Thompson family, and everyone who has been touched by the loss of this remarkable man.