Gov. Mike Braun dumped nine members off the Indiana Economic Development Corp. on Monday and replaced them with new members, including two men from Porter County: businessman Gus Olympidis and union officer David Fagan, of Portage.

Olympidis, a past member of the board of directors of the Northwest Indiana Regional Development Authority, owns a network of Family Express convenience stores/gas stations.

Fagan is financial secretary for the International Union of Operating Engineers Local 150 and is a commissioner on the board of directors at the Ports of Indiana.

Braun didn’t retain any of the previous members in the quasi-state agency that he’s heaped criticism on for its lack of transparency.

Among those removed were Newton County’s Fair Oaks Farms co-founder Sue McCloskey.

“I spent my life building a business here in Indiana, and I know that having an entrepreneurial, high-energy team in your corner makes all the difference,” Braun said in a release.

As governor, Braun chairs the IEDC board.

One of Braun’s new appointments, John Gregg, is a former Democratic gubernatorial candidate and former Indiana House Speaker.

Improving transparency on the IEDC board was one of Braun’s campaign pledges last year.

In April, Braun ordered a forensic audit of the IEDC’s private fundraising foundation.

Braun also signed an executive order seeking financial disclosures from the foundation.

The foundation, which has been exempt from IRS disclosure filings since 2012, funded many of former Gov. Eric Holcomb’s overseas trips.

It’s declined to provide information on money spent on the trips, saying no public money was used. Some foundation donors have also not been disclosed.

The foundation’s website, however, lists five “contributors,” including the Northern Indiana Public Service Co.

Like many states, Indiana had a traditional commerce department until 2005.

Former Gov. Mitch Daniels established the IEDC with legislation stating it wasn’t a state agency. The IEDC board was allowed to create the foundation.

Other new board members include, George Thomas, a Granger entrepreneur of the companies Adorn, Duo-Form and more; Billie Dragoo, of Indianapolis, RepuCare founder and CEO; Greg Gibson, of Terre Haute, a commercial real estate, food service, and waste industry entrepreneur; Richard Waterfield, Waterfield Enterprises and Asset Management chairman; Runnebohm Construction vice president Chris King of Shelbyville; and Indiana State Department of Agriculture leader and farmer Don Lamb.

Carole Carlson is a freelance reporter for the Post-Tribune.