2016
CHRIS GARTEN
Indiana state senator (District 45)
When Chris Garten first made his
name in Southern Indiana, it was
through selling some of the finest coun-
tertops in the area.
His company, Signature Countertops,
is what he calls the cornerstone of his
service in the community. From there,
he served at multiple organizations,
including Scott County’s Chamber of
Commerce.
“Since then, we’ve grown signifi-
cantly,” Garten said of his company.
“We just added a huge robot to our
floor. We’ve grown to the tune of 30
percent to 35 percent. We’ve hired an
additional eight to 10 jobs. We hope
to add another four to five by the end
of the year. We’ve just been blessed to
have a lot of good people.”
What separates his company from
competitors, he said, is the quality of
his product. He imports directly from
quarries in places like Brazil and Italy,
where he picks from the finest granite,
marble and quartz.
But before his life in business, Garten
was a soldier.
“I served in the Marine Corps,” he
said. “I deployed in Iraq twice, once in
2003 and again in 2005. I just feel like
God has given me a heart of service.”
That heart of service drew him to a
different
field in
2018, when he became an Indiana state
senator, representing District 45. It was
that same call to service that brought
him to the military that also drew him
into the world of politics.
During his first year in the Indiana
General Assembly, Garten was the only
freshman legislator to author and pass
a standalone bill, something that brings
him a fair amount of pride.
To him, it’s all about what he calls
constituent services. Garten wants to be
on the front lines helping his constitu-
ents navigate bureaucratic processes,
often taking the time to personally point
them toward the right resources.
What pushes him to go above and
beyond stretches back to his childhood.
“The reality for me is that I grew up
very poor in a broken home,” Garten
said. “I had a lot of people that stepped
in and intervened in my situation. I had
a lot of people step up and provide love
and care for me. I’m talking countless
people who answered the call. For me
not to intervene and help out and give
back as much as I can would be selfish.
That’s why God has called me to ser-
vice through so many outlets.”
May / June 2020
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