Ralph Eugene Spelbring, BA

Mr. Spelbring is a chemist and educator who enjoyed more than 30 years of success before his retirement from the field in 2009. He graduated from DePauw University in 1967 with a Bachelor of Arts in chemistry and taught science and chemistry at the high school level throughout Indiana until 1972, when he became a chemist for Whitehall Laboratories. Mr. Spelbring remained with Whitehall Laboratories until 1991 and worked as a chemist for Apex Pharmaceutical between 1993 and 1995, concentrating his work on materials analysis and quality assurance for a variety of consumer products. In 1997, he returned to the classroom as a substitute teacher for schools throughout Indiana and Michigan, and since 2011, he has been a commercial driver and the co-owner of Scenic Hill Farm, a family venture. Mr. Spelbring was a United States House of Representatives candidate serving several Indiana districts for over two decades, and a two-time candidate for both the Elkhart County Council and the Indiana General Assembly and considers his work in politics to be the highlight of his career. As a lifetime member of the Elkhart Jaycees and the American Chemical Society, Mr. Spelbring remains active in both his field and his community.