Sen. Portman to receive YSU honorary degree

Staff report

YOUNGSTOWN

U.S. Sen. Rob Portman of Ohio will receive an honorary degree and speak at Youngstown State University’s Fall Commencement at 2 p.m. Sunday in Beeghly Center.

Katina Darkadakis, who receives a bachelor’s degree in fashion merchandising with a minor in marketing, will be the student speaker.

Portman, elected to the U.S. Senate in 2010, was born and raised in Cincinnati, where he lives with his wife, Jane, and their three children, Jed, Will and Sally.

Portman comes from a small-business family. When he was young, his father, Bill Portman, borrowed money to start Portman Equipment Co., where the senator, his brother and sister worked while growing up.

Portman later became a lawyer and developed his private practice, representing small businesses.

In 1993, he was a partner in the Cincinnati law firm of Graydon, Head and Ritchey when he was elected to Congress, representing the 2nd District in southern Ohio.

He served 12 years in Congress, leaving in 2005 to become U.S. trade representative, a cabinet-level position responsible for implementing and enforcing U.S. trade policy. A year later, he becamedirector of the office of management and budget.

In the Senate, Portman is a member of the finance committee, committee on homeland security and governmental affairs, energy and natural Resources committee and committee on the budget. He is also chair of the permanent subcommittee on investigations.

Darkadakis has been active both on and off campus. She has held positions such as treasurer and resident of Students in Fashion and Interiors.

She also has worked on campus as a research assistant under the supervision of Taci Turel, associate professor of fashion merchandising. In that position, she analyzed sustainable self-heating garments, 3D-printed textiles and more recently the design parameters of police uniforms to improve the functionality of uniforms without compromising comfort.