Hubbard native continues under Strickland

Gov. Ted Strickland, a Democrat, retained a Hubbard native as the Ohio inspector general, a position he held for more than eight years under two Republican governors.

Strickland announced Tuesday that he reappointed Thomas Charles, 64, for the job that pays $115,668 annually.

Charles’ office investigates allegations of wrongdoing by state agencies and officials in the executive branch of state government. The office is heading up the task force investigating investment practices at the state Bureau of Workers’ Compensation.

Besides his investigation into the “Coingate” scandal at the BWC, Charles’ 2005 inquiry into benefits received by the staff of then-Gov. Bob Taft led to the governor’s being found guilty of four misdemeanor ethics counts.

Charles is a 1961 graduate of Hubbard High School, and attended Youngstown State University. He entered law enforcement in 1963 as a cadet radio dispatcher at the Canfield post of the Ohio State Highway Patrol.

During his 31-year career at the highway patrol, he also served at the Warren post and supervised the Warren post’s motor vehicle inspection operations.

After retiring from the patrol, Charles, who now lives in Pickerington, served as executive director of the Office of Legislative Inspector General.

In September 1998, then-Gov. George V. Voinovich, a Republican, appointed Charles inspector general. When Taft, also a Republican, began serving as governor in January 1999, he retained Charles and kept him as inspector general through his eight years of running the state.

Strickland, a Lisbon Democrat, retained Charles because he’s “played an absolutely essential role in beginning the process of restoring Ohioans’ trust and faith in their government.”

Inspector general is not among the governor’s 23 Cabinet positions, but the person holding the post serves at the pleasure of the governor.

Also Tuesday, Strickland named state Sen. Kimberly Zurz of Green, D-28th, as director of the Department of Commerce, a Cabinet position. Zurz, 48, will earn $115,689 annually in her new job heading one of the state’s chief regulatory agencies. Zurz, whose Senate district includes all of Portage County and a portion of Summit, is the 15th Cabinet appointment by Strickland, who began serving as governor Jan. 8.

Zurz's resignation will require the Ohio Senate Democratic caucus to appointment a replacement. The 12-member caucus last month appointed Capri Cafaro of Liberty, D-32nd, and Jason Wilson, D-30th, to replace two outgoing state senators: Attorney General Marc Dann of Liberty and U.S. Rep. Charlie Wilson, D-6th, respectively.

When Zurz’s replacement is selected, 25 percent of the Senate Democrats will   be appointees.