THE LIFE AND TIMES OF HARRY MESHEL

1924: Born on June 13 in Youngstown.

1941: Graduated from East High School.

1943: Joined the United States Navy Construction Battalion (Seabees), served for three years, including two years in New Guinea and the Philippines. Received two Bronze Battle Stars.

1949: Earned a bachelor’s degree in business administration from Youngstown University.

1950: Earned his master’s degree in urban land economics from Columbia University’s School of Business.

1960: Mahoning County chairman of the Citizens for Kennedy Committee.

1960: Lost Democratic primary for Mahoning County commissioner.

1962: Lost the Democratic primary for a county commissioner seat.

1964: Youngstown Mayor Anthony B. Flask appointed him as his administrative assistant.

1969: Named by Flask as the city’s urban-renewal director.

1970: Elected to the Ohio Senate.

1973: Sponsored a bill to establish a medical school that eventually becomes Northeast Ohio Medical University in Rootstown.

1974: Re-elected to a second four-year term in the Ohio Senate.

1974: Introduced bills that creates collective bargaining for public employees.

1974: Named Senate majority whip, a position he had for two years, and chairman of the finance committee, serving until 1981.

1976: Elected as Senate assistant president pro-tem, serving until 1980.

1977: Honored by the President’s Committee on the Handicapped at the White House for his efforts to assist the handicapped. Also, chosen by the Ohio Academy of Trial Lawyers and the Ohio Association of Public School Employees as the winner of both organizations’ “Outstanding Legislator” award.

1978: Elected to a third four-year term in the Ohio Senate.

1979: Led delegation of Ohio government officials and businessmen on a trade mission to China.

1980: Lost a congressional race to Lyle Williams, a Republican incumbent.

1981: Elected Senate minority leader.

1981: Opposition from dental and veterinary professionals forced him to withdraw a proposal to establish colleges for those professions at YSU.

1982: Won a fourth term in the Senate.

1983: Elected Ohio Senate president, serving for two years.

1985: Elected Senate minority leader, serving until 1990.

1985: Traveled again as part of a state delegation to China.

1986: YSU named its technology center Meshel Hall in his honor. Meshel was instrumental in providing about $150 million in state funding for the university during his time in the Senate.

1986: Elected to fifth term in the Senate.

1986: Elected chairman of the National Democratic State Legislative Leaders Association.

1987: Traveled to Egypt as part of a state trade mission.

1987: Campaigned with the Republican Senate president for a bond effort to improve the state’s infrastructure.

1988: Re-elected chairman of the National Democratic State Legislative Leaders Association.

1989: Proposed strengthening the enforcement of drug laws in the state by adding judges to existing courts.

1990: Worked to add a fifth general division judge to Mahoning County Common Pleas Court.

1990: Re-elected to a sixth term in the Senate.

1991: Lost Democratic leadership post in the Senate.

1991: Supported by community leaders and the governor to be president of YSU. He isn’t among the top six finalists.

1993: Resigned from Senate to become Ohio Democratic Party chairman. The 1994 election is a bad one for Democrats, and he resigned as chairman in 1995.

1994: Received the YSU Distinguished Alumni Award.

1997: Sought appointment to a vacant Ohio Senate seat. The Senate Democratic caucus selects Robert F. Hagan by a 6-5 vote.

1997: Inducted into the Ohio Veterans Hall of Fame.

1998: Appointed as a member of the Mill Creek MetroPark’s board of trustees.

2002: Named honorary chairman for Ted Strickland’s campaign for the 6th Congressional District.

2002: Gives $100,000 to YSU for two scholarship endowments.

2007: Named to a nine-year term on the YSU Board of Trustees by Gov. Ted Strickland.

Source: Vindicator files