Tuesday, September 13, 2005
By DAVID SKOLNICK
VINDICATOR POLITICS WRITER
YOUNGSTOWN -- Gov. Bob Taft appointed the Regional Chamber head to a 12-member committee that will focus on the state's education system and how to prepare its youth for the global economy.
The Partnership for Continue Learning will hold its first meeting Wednesday in Columbus. Thomas Humphries of Girard, the chamber's president and chief executive officer, is the only Mahoning Valley representative on the committee.
Taft called for the creation of the committee during his State of the State address in January. Taft is committee chairman. Monday he announced the 11 other members, all appointed by him.
Humphries said the governor's office contacted him a month ago about joining the committee.
"I said, 'Absolutely,' because of my interest in education," he said. "The focus [of the committee] is continuous learning and education. We'll provide feedback to the education system and the governor's office."
Panel's aims
The committee will work to create solutions for pupils to achieve academically as well as advance personally and professionally throughout their lives, Taft said in a prepared statement. The group will focus on Ohio's education system from early education through post-secondary education to the work force, and will serve as a catalyst for strengthening the state's capacity to prepare pupils for the global economy, Taft said.
This is the first time the governor has appointed Humphries to a position. Members of this board do not receive a salary, and they are reimbursed only for travel expenses.
As for the other members, two are from Canton, two are from Cincinnati, and one each are from Dayton, Toledo, Bowling Green, the Columbus suburb of Westerville, Homer in central Ohio, and South Point in southern Ohio. Taft is a Cincinnati-area native.
The group includes officials from the fields of education, business and industry, economic development and government.
For the past two years, Humphries has served on an Ohio Board of Regents committee that focuses on higher education.
Humphries has run the chamber since 1997. Before that, he was Ohio general manager for Sprint Corp. He has an associate degree in business administration from Youngstown State University.
skolnick@vindy.com