Former Mishawaka Mayor Bob Kovach dies at 81. His legacy touches whole state of Indiana.

Former Mishawaka Mayor Bob Kovach, whose governmental career included legislative and executive posts at the city, county and state levels, died Sunday at his home after a lengthy illness. He was 81.

Kovach was the only Democrat since 1959 to win election as mayor of Mishawaka. He won the mayor’s office in 1979, defeating Republican Maggie Prickett, who began GOP domination in mayoral races in 1963 and had won four terms. After one term, Kovach chose not to seek re-election. And no Democrat has been elected mayor ever since.

“I never knew anybody that knew more about government and politics,” said Bob Nagle, who ran for mayor in 1987 and said he first got to know Kovach in college. “When I ran for mayor, I got a master’s degree in politics and government just going over to Bob’s house.”

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Kovach is being remembered as an adviser and educator with grit, someone who could always be trusted to tell it like it was. Those who knew him well say he was always quick to talk politics, help think up solutions and join friends for a Stroh’s beer at the DeAmici’s or BK social clubs in Mishawaka.

“There isn’t a community in Indiana that he didn’t have some connection to,” Mishawaka Common Council President Gregg Hixenbaugh said. “He had a Rolodex like no other, so anytime you wanted to talk to a decision maker for personal or professional reasons, Kovach knew somebody.”

With an eye for economic development, Hixenbaugh called Kovach “father of Tax Increment Financing in the state of Indiana.” His recognition of how other states were using TIF districts allowed localities in Indiana to grow developments like the University Park Mall and Edison Lakes area in Mishawaka.

Kovach’s most memorable contribution as mayor may be his work to attract Liberty Mutual Insurance to downtown Mishawaka at a time when companies were fleeing city centers.

“He is responsible for stabilizing our downtown when it could have gone the other direction in a big hurry and at a time when it was the most critical point in downtown Mishawaka’s history,” Mayor Dave Wood said. “He saved it.”

The Liberty Mutual building recently reopened as Mishawaka’s new city hall after the insurance company decided in 2019 to sell its downtown site.

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He also was influential in shepherding the creation of the Battel Community Center, City Clerk Debbie Ladyga-Block said.

“He was just a wealth of information that so many people wouldn’t have known if it hadn’t have been for Bob Kovach,” Ladyga-Block said. “He was just a great guy that was bigger than life.”

Before running for mayor, Kovach had served on the city council and as state senator. He went on to hold key posts in the administrations of Govs. Evan Bayh and Frank O’Bannon.

He served as Bayh’s legislative liaison director and then was appointed executive director of the Indiana Department of Commerce.

When O’Bannon was lieutenant governor, Kovach served as his executive assistant and then chief of staff. With O’Bannon’s election as governor, Kovach became his legislative director. In dealing with legislators, Kovach was known for establishing trust with Republicans as well as Democrats.

Wood and Jeff Rea, Mishawaka mayor from 2003 to 2010, shared similar memories of meeting Kovach early in their careers in his smoke-filled office in the basement of the Indiana Statehouse.

Rea, lobbying at the time for a repeal to Indiana’s inventory tax, said Kovach cut straight to the point with a couple of frank questions; “Do you know that generates $1 billion a year for the state budget and that budget goes to schools and roadways?” And, “Tell me where I’m going to get $1 billion and how I’m going to fund those things if I get rid of your inventory tax?”

“I came away thinking, ‘I gotta be better prepared when I come down, because this guy knows policy inside and out, knew the budget, had read 1,000 bills and I think had probably not missed a word,’” Rea said. “There was probably nobody more prepared than Bob.”

Kovach lived with the O’Bannon family for eight years in Indianapolis. While there, he advised O’Bannon on education and community development issues, and became one with the family, reading Dr. Seuss to the O’Bannon’s grandson, former First Lady Judy O’Bannon said.

“Kovach used to read to him these stories, lying in bed, smoking a cigarette, talking at the top of his lungs, and that kid just loved him,” Judy O’Bannon said. “You’d hear him downstairs because I’m sure he was reading for his audience.”

He also was involved in education at the local and state levels. For part of 22 years, with time away while serving full-time in government, Kovach was a classroom teacher and counselor with South Bend schools. He also was executive director with Ivy Tech in Indianapolis for nearly three years. His final governmental service was as a St. Joseph County commissioner. He retired from that position at the end of 2012, but still retained interest in community affairs.

He put his English degree from Ball State to use regularly, writing his own speeches and teaching English at Lincoln school, said Jim Olson, who served as city attorney when Kovach was mayor.

Kovach also was a member of three school boards, including Mishawaka schools, the Indiana School for the Deaf and the Indiana State Board of Education.

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He was given two Sagamore of the Wabash awards — the highest honor an Indiana governor can bestow — for his service to the state.

“His entire life was almost public service,” Olson said. “Most of us, if we did one of those things would be good. He did five or six, which was pretty amazing.”

Kovach is survived by his wife, Barbara, his two daughters and eight grandchildren. The family is planning a private service and has asked that memorial contributions be made to the Mishawaka Education Foundation.

Tribune columnist Jack Colwell contributed to this report.

Email South Bend Tribune education reporter Carley Lanich at clanich@gannett.com. Follow her on Twitter: @carleylanich.

This article originally appeared on South Bend Tribune: Former Mishawaka Mayor Bob Kovach worked at the local, county and state level