About Matt Kelty

Matt Kelty is a fifth generation Fort Wayne resident with deep roots in the community. He has long been active in federal, state, and local leadership. What's more, Matt is a successful businessman, an entrepreneur, a recognized professional, and a husband and father of four children.

Business Expertise

A 1988 graduate of the University of Notre Dame's vaunted College of Architecture, Matt is president of Kelty Tappy Design, Inc., a professional architectural design firm headquartered in the heart of downtown Fort Wayne in the Lincoln Tower. In business for eight years, Kelty Tappy Design has forever left its mark on Fort Wayne and Northeast Indiana under Matt's leadership. Kelty Tappy Design has been responsible for such successful projects as the design for Women's Care Center, the renovations of the Troy Building for Neighborhood Health Clinics, the rehabilitation of the Allen County Republican Headquarters, and the United Way Headquarters in the McCulloch-Weatherhogg House on East Berry Street. His firm is currently working on the LaGrange County Public Library and the Huntertown Town Hall. Matt's experience as both architect and small business owner provides him unique insight and experience in working with and through the Fort Wayne-Allen County matrix of government to get projects done, on-time and within budget while at the same contributing significantly to the development of the community.

Professional Achievement

In addition to being a professional licensed architect, Matt has traveled and worked extensively, studying in London, Paris, Rome, Madrid, Athens and Tangiers to hone his skills as an architect and engineer. Matt has served in a variety of other professional positions such as an Architect Engineer at Schenkel Shultz Architects & Engineers (A&E) in Fort Wayne.

He later served as the Director of the Fort Wayne office of James A&E, a large multi-disciplinary practice based in Indianapolis. Matt has also served as both the Indiana State Director of the International Masonry Institute (IMI), and as its Deputy National Director, traveling extensively in the United States lecturing to architects across the country. Matt has also served as the President of the American Institute of Architects and of the Construction Specifications Institute chapters in Fort Wayne. Governor Mitch Daniels appointed Matt to the Indiana Professional Licensing Agency for Architects and Landscape Architects. These experiences provide Matt with longtime business, professional, and personal associations with many of the area's leading business people; folks responsible for much of the economic development in Fort Wayne, key players in its future potential.

Political Leader

Always interested in opportunities to serve, Matt has been involved in political leadership at all levels. He was selected by Congressman Dan Coats for the Congressional Student Program. He later served as the Regional Political Director for the Dan Coats for Indiana Campaign, went on to become the Joint Staff Regional Director for both Indiana U.S. Senators Richard Lugar and Dan Coats. Matt was appointed Chairman of the Young Republicans (YR) for the 4th District of Indiana organizing YR chapters in eight counties in Northeast Indiana. In 1994 he worked for Senator Dick Lugar's successful re-election campaign, and later worked in Dick Lugar's grass roots organizing campaign in Iowa during Lugar's presidential bid in 1995. In 2002, Matt challenged 2-term Fort Wayne Mayor and 5-term incumbent Indiana State Representative Winfield Moses. In a race written-off by most GOP insiders, Kelty knocked on more than 10,000 doors in a 16 week sprint to come within 63 votes of an astonishing upset. Matt continues to serve as a precinct committeeman on Fort Wayne's northeast side and he volunteers to assist others in their campaign efforts.

"Rally for America"

A longtime community activist and organizer, in 2003, hours into the U.S. liberation of Iraq, Matt spearheaded and organized the massive pro-U.S. "Rally for America" held in Auburn, IN and headlined by TV and Radio personality Glenn Beck. The Fort Wayne Rally for America was attended by over 20,000 people from Indiana, Ohio, and Michigan and was simulcast around the world.

The Auburn event drew national attention and supported Glenn Beck's very successful Rally for America Tour that toured across the United States for months following the remarkable event in Auburn. Matt was asked to organize Beck's National Rally for America in Washington D.C.

"Operation Recreation"

The next year Matt again spearheaded and organized an "event" to support U.S. soldiers in the Middle East. Kelty executed "Operation Recreation" in Fort Wayne, mobilizing hundreds of volunteers to collect over 11 tons of recreational equipment to send to the troops in Iraq and Afghanistan. In one day, tens of thousands of balls, gloves, cards, games and other equipment was collected at 18 collection points in Northeast Indiana, transported, unloaded, sorted, re-boxed, addressed, and loaded on pallets and shipped with the help of the US Army's 88th Regional Readiness Command to soldiers in Iraq and Afghanistan. In addition to the successful operation, Matt also raised over $10,000 in donations to pay for the packing and shipping.

Committed to serving the community, Matt serves on the boards of the Fort Wayne Chapter of the American Red Cross, the Fort Wayne Ballet Capital Fundraising Committee, and the Allen County Right to Life Board of Advisors. Matt also served as a member of the Public Policy & Research Committee for the Drug & Alcohol Consortium of Allen County.

Husband and Father

Matt has been married to the former Tami Thomas of Kendallville, IN for 16 years and is the father of four children, Lauren (16), John (12), Allison (12) and David (10). They are active members of St. Jude Catholic Church, and when he's not working for the family or the community, he's leveraging the skills that earned him a walk-on position on the Notre Dame football team under Gerry Faust: coaching his son's CYO football team.