About the First Lady
First Lady Janet Holcomb is the wife of Indiana’s 51st Governor Eric Holcomb. She grew up on a horse farm near Muncie, Indiana, where horses and ponies were her first passion in life. Janet rode competitively and loved participating in regional shows and 4-H.
She also developed a love of the arts, particularly drawing, early in life and went on to complete her bachelor’s and master’s degrees in fine arts at Ball State University. She was active in a number of campus organizations and was a member of a sorority. As a master’s candidate at Ball State, Janet held a graduate assistantship with the David Owsley Museum of Art.
As the daughter and granddaughter of small business owners, some of her most valuable lessons were learned at the family dinner table. Beginning in 2009, she served as vice president of her family’s manufacturing business, R&R Engineering, which has been producing and distributing bolts and fasteners across the U.S. and Canada for 50 years. For a decade prior to joining the business, Janet supported the efforts of various campaigns at the federal, state, and local levels. She has used these experiences to champion many non-profit organizations, including veterans’ groups, social service providers, animal welfare, arts organizations, and scouting programs.
Janet's initiatives as First Lady are as broad as her interests. They include combating infant mortality, promoting the arts, supporting the state's economic development efforts, and promoting women in business. She enjoys encouraging youth organizations such as scouting, and she remains very active in the 4-H community as a guest speaker, and by inspiring young people to get involved in 4-H junior leaders programs. Janet serves on the boards of Riley Children's Foundation, the Hoosier Art Salon, and the Indiana chapter of The Nature Conservancy.
Janet particularly enjoys sharing her passion for shooting sports and personal protection with other women. Earning her pistol instructor certification in 2015, she has led training classes throughout the state, often partnering with the Indiana National Guard and members of law enforcement. She is equally passionate about getting young people involved in shooting sports and hunting and participates in many events benefiting youth shooting sports.
During her tenure, Janet has spent a great deal of time engaging with students either by reading to them or teaching them about the importance of state and local government. She makes it a point to encourage young people to continue trying new things and establish an attitude of life-long learning. Following her own advice, Janet has appeared in two holiday movies, grown giant pumpkins, learned the art of cutting cattle on horseback, and appeared in an episode of the hunting show, “Pursue the Wild”, during which she successfully completed a Colorado Elk Hunt.
Janet’s position on the Riley Children’s Foundation Board has allowed her to grow her passion for infant and maternal health. She has taken part in art therapy classes with Riley patients and attended Riley Dance Marathon to benefit kids and their families in health crises. In collaboration with the National Governor’s Association, she continues to take part in conversations regarding the unique care necessary for incarcerated mothers to bond with their children.
Janet enjoys cooking, reading, gardening, equestrian and bicycle riding, and anything that involves being outdoors, including fishing, hunting, and hiking. Making the best of a challenging 2020, Janet designed and built a backyard chicken coop with the help of friends and family. Six hens call the coop home and provide fresh eggs every day.
Governor and First Lady Holcomb are both history enthusiasts and consider it a privilege to live in the Indiana Governor’s Residence. They enjoy sharing their home with visitors and take pride in the maintenance and preservation of the Residence’s historical value.