Longtime Noblesville entrepreneur and real estate developer Rocky Shanehsaz filed Friday as a Republican candidate for one of three at-large seats on the Noblesville City Council. He says his priorities as a city leader will focus on economic development and government transparency.
“Many international companies are eyeing our community for their headquarters,” Shanehsaz said. “Attracting global industries to invest in Noblesville, rather than moving here to take ad-vantage of tax breaks or free handouts, will create new opportunities for growth. Often, the economic impact of a wonderful project fails to get quantitatively communicated to the public, and a lack of understanding leads to a lack of support, which leads to the delay or abandonment of the project. Let’s work together to plant the seeds of growth.”
An Iranian immigrant, Shanehsaz moved to the United States more than 40 years ago and be-came a citizen as a teenager. He is best known for converting the historic Model Mill building into a successful events and conference center called The Mill Top in downtown Noblesville. Shanehsaz also made headlines when he bought and relocated three historically significant homes to preserve them, paving the way for construction of Noblesville City Hall in 2005.
Shanehsaz has lived in Noblesville since 1990. He is married to Terri Shanehsaz and has two children: Abe, an attorney with Faegre Baker Daniels law firm in Indianapolis, and Ava, a fresh-man at Noblesville High School. He also helped plant three churches in Noblesville, working as a volunteer to grow several community-based projects.
The next big project on Shanehsaz’s radar will bring about drastic change to fight and solve the opioid crisis in Hamilton and Marion counties. “By far, this crisis has affected more families than any other challenge facing our communities,” he said. “I am partnering with many community leaders on a major plan that will soon be announced.”
Shanehsaz thinks it’s important to educate the public about current project and provide as much transparency as possible to gain community acceptance and trust. “The city needs visionary people who think independently and innovatively,” he said. “I will serve Noblesville with integrity and put people first.
Learn more about Rocky Shanehsaz at rockyofnoblesville.com.