George Hanna was born and raised in Centralia, Illinois. He received his undergraduate degree from Purdue University in 1949. He earned his law degree from Indiana University in 1953. His university career was interrupted twice for service in the U.S. Navy. After graduating from law school, George served as a Claim's Attorney for the Chicago, Indianapolis and Louisville Railway (The Monon).
In 1954, George was appointed Deputy Prosecuting Attorney in Tippecanoe County, Indiana, and he was then elected Prosecuting Attorney for two consecutive terms, serving from 1959-1966.
George served as Lafayette School Board Attorney from 1969-1974.
In 1975, George was selected by three Tippecanoe County Judges to be a Special Prosecutor charged with seeking out corruption in the local body politic. He led a three-year investigation which produced over fifty indictments.
The Journal and Courier in 1981 said of him and his fellow Special Prosecutor, James V. McGlone, "Hanna and McGlone, and their corps of police investigators, did a commendable and thorough job of cleaning things up in the mid-1970s. They did a great public service."
One of the notable occurrences during his term as Special Prosecutor was the use of voice identification as evidence in a trial. It was a drug buy where the undercover person made the buy with a monitor, but later refused to testify. The speech sample was tested by computer analysis; it was the first case in Indiana in which such evidence was admitted at trial, and the first case in the Country where computer identification of speech was introduced.
While Mr. Hanna was an Assistant Professor at Purdue University (from 1966-1985) teaching Business Law, he authored an Instructors Manual to assist practicing lawyers who were teaching Business Law in various colleges and universities in the preparation of their class presentation, which was published by Harcourt Brace Jovanovich and Bancroft-Whitney.
In 1972, he formed a law partnership, which is now known as Hanna, Gerde & Russell, where he represents clients in probate, real estate, criminal and domestic relations matters, as well as civil litigation and estate planning.
In addition to his active practice, George was a speaker at the National School Board Convention in Dallas, Texas; and the National Meeting of the American Business Law Teachers Association in San Francisco, California.
He was named a Sagamore of the Wabash by Governor Otis Bowen. He was also named an Honorary Lt. Col. in the Indiana State Police, and an Honorary Admissions Officer for the United States Naval Academy.
EDUCATION
Bachelor of Science, 1949 - Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana
Juris Doctor, 1953 - Indiana University, Bloomington, Indiana
ADMITTED TO PRACTICE
PROFESSIONAL AFFILIATIONS
COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT
Served on the following Boards as an officer: