The Daily Standard
Story Archive
FORT RECOVERY - Five candidates are vying for three open seats on the Fort Recovery Local Schools Board of Education. Incumbent Donald Wendel is facing off against former board member Greg LeFevre and newcomers Chris Duhamel, Mitch Fullenkamp and Dee Grieshop.
Candidates are presented in alphabetical order.
Duhamel, 57, is a truck driver and driver manager for Cheeseman Trucking of Fort Recovery, where he has been employed for 25 years. He has an associate degree in criminal justice from Sinclair Community College. Duhamel and his wife, Heidi, have three children who all graduated from Fort Recovery High School.
He has never held public office.
Duhamel said he's been heavily involved in community service over the years, including with the Harvest Jubilee and Traders Days. He said this is one more way to give back to the community.
"Working toward bettering the community is really the only reason I want to get involved," he said.
Duhamel said he has to manage a variety of people with different personalities on a daily basis as part of his job, and he's also accustomed to problem-solving when it comes to adverse situations. He also cited his active-duty military service in the Marine Corp. from 1986-1990 as experience that would lend itself well to the position.
"I'm running just to try to make a difference, give a good common-sense approach," he said. "I'm getting involved to get into another aspect of giving back. I'm a fresh guy looking at stuff from a different perspective."
Although he doesn't have any specific policies or initiatives he would pursue if elected, Duhamel said school security is close to his heart and something he would like to look into.
Fullenkamp, 35, is a purchasing manager at JR Manufacturing. He received his bachelor's degree from Wright State University. He and his wife, Katie, share four children, Gabriel, Blaine, Adele and Lydia.
He has never held public office.
Asked what experience he has that qualifies him for the position, Fullenkamp cited his 11 years at JR Manufacturing and his experience in a business setting.
"I know how to review issues and view them from a business standpoint, look at things from a bigger picture standpoint," he said.
With three of his children currently enrolled at Fort Recovery Local Schools and one who will start next school year, Fullenkamp said he's invested in the future of the school and his community.
"I'm interested in making sure the school is doing the right things for students and the community and acting in their best interest," he said.
If elected, Fullenkamp said he would enter the position with an open mind and work with fellow board members to learn the ropes and discuss long-term plans for the school district.
Grieshop, 34, is a former special education teacher and current stay-at-home mother. She graduated from Russia High School in 2007 and received her bachelor's degree in special education from the University of Cincinnati in 2011.
She and her husband, Troy, have six children.
She has never held public office.
"Being from education myself, I know what it's like in the classroom and I think that'll give me insight on how to be a good school board member," she said.
Grieshop said she would like to see communication from all staff with the school board. From teachers to bus drivers, janitors to cafeteria workers, having their voices heard would go a long way in decision making for the district, she said.
Grieshop said she's running because she has six children in the school system, and she wants to be a part of the decision making process.
If elected, Grieshop said she wants to see what's going on in the school district and work with the board to make sure it's offering the best education possible to students.
"I want to make sure we're doing what's best for all students and make sure they feel safe when they walk out the door in the morning … (I want students to be) well-prepared and well-rounded human beings," she said.
LeFevre, 51, received a bachelor's degree in engineering and is the owner of Raymath, a metal fabrication and production business. He and his wife, Toni, have four children, Joscie, Reece, Isaac and Cam.
He previously served on the school board from 2017-2021. He said he attempted to re-run in 2021 but his name did not appear on the ballot because of a technical error.
LeFevre cited his four years of experience on the school board as experience that qualified him for the position, as well as his 20 years as a business owner.
He said he is running because he believes the school district is heading in a good direction. LeFevre added that there are several new administrators in place, including superintendent Tony Stahl, who had previously served as the high school principal.
"Our overall test scores are really improving and heading in the right direction," he said. "With a new superintendent, it's important to have the right support people in place so we can continue the (progress) the school has had in the past four to five years."
If elected, LeFevre said he'd like to see continued academic improvement, which includes improved student involvement in extra curricular activities such as band and FFA. He said academics and extra curricular activities go hand-in-hand.
Wendel, 47, received his bachelor's degree from Wright State University and is employed at Cooper Farms as a distribution and logistics manager. He and his wife Brenda have two children, both of whom have graduated from Fort Recovery.
Wendel has served on the school board for four years and is currently the board president.
Highlighting his experience, Wendel noted his first year on the board was one spent navigating the COVID-19 pandemic.
"I learned the system and how we operate," he said.
In addition to his first term on the board, Wendel said his managerial experience has given him the skills to lead while working as a team.
"I'm running to give back to the community and make sure we've got sound decision making in the school system," he said.
If re-elected, Wendel said he would like to continue to grow the district's culture and commitment guide. First created in 2021, the guide includes the school district's mission, goals, culture playbook and more.
While students should always come first, Wendel said he wants to take the community into account when making decisions.
