Melina Kennedy, a Democrat who lost to Greg Ballard in last year's Indianapolis mayoral election, has joined Cummins Inc. as director of executive communications, a spokeswoman for the Columbus-based company said Wednesday.
As part of the corporate communications team, her duties will include research and speechwriting for CEO Tom Linebarger.
Kennedy will be based at the diesel engine maker’s downtown Indianapolis office in OneAmerica tower.
Her hiring is part of an effort to build the company’s corporate communications team, said Carol Casto, executive director of the department. Mel Raines, a vice president of operations for the Super Bowl Host Committee, also has joined the team.
“We needed to grow it to support what we think will be a $30 billion business in the next couple of years,” Casto said.
The communications department consists of 20 employees and could grow to include 30, she said.
Kennedy, a former environmental law attorney for Johnson Smith LLP, previously served as deputy mayor for economic development under former Indianapolis Mayor Bart Peterson.
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