AUSTINTOWN Board of education

Four candidates are running for two four-year seats. (* denotes incumbent)
DR. DAVID W. RITCHIE *
Age: 65
Home: 332 Rutland Ave.
Employment: Retired podiatrist
Education: New Castle High School graduate, New Castle, Pa.; Pennsylvania State University; Ohio College of Podiatric Medicine
Family: Wife, Elaine; three children; seven grandchildren
Priority: "I will work to upgrade proficiency tests and get parents to work with teachers, enabling them to understand pupils' activities and problems. By offering a varied course of study, I will work to get the best educational value for our tax dollars."
GENE F. BENYO
Age: 58
Home: 6830 Fairview Road
Employment: Retired chief executive officer, Northeast Fabricators
Education: Austintown Fitch High School graduate; attended Youngstown State University
Family: Wife, Patricia; three children; seven grandchildren
Priority: "Replacement of the Austintown Middle School building. This will, in the long run, result in a tremendous cost savings to the community in maintenance, energy, busing and transportation, educational services, athletic and recreational facilities while increasing the educational opportunities for the children by centrally locating the new building to the high school and library campus."
MICHAEL W. CREATORE
Age: 41
Home: 6495 Bay Meadow Court
Employment: Principal, LPL Financial Services
Education: Campbell Memorial High School graduate; attended Youngstown State University; Regis University (completing B.S. in business administration)
Family: Wife, Cheryl; two daughters
Priority: "To get spending under control. Every resident has the right to seek employment at the school district; we need to change the practice in place now. Our choice should be the best person, not who you are related to or support for school board."
PETER C. FRASER
Age: 56
Home: 5225 W. Rockwell Road
Employment: Letter carrier, U.S. Post Office
Education: Leetonia High School graduate; Youngstown State University (B.A.. political science)
Family: Wife, Brenda; three children
Priority: "To re-establish the prominence of an Austintown Fitch education. My daughter told me that she not only had to compete against other high school students from around the country for a class position, but against students from around the world. She was accepted to Lehigh University, where she completed a five-year program in four years. This was because of the foundation she received at Fitch. Maintaining this standard for our highest-level students must be done while bringing the standards up for the students at the opposite end of the education spectrum."