Local resident ready to head school group

VW independent/submitted information

COLUMBUS — Van Wert County resident Eric Germann is poised to lead the Ohio School Boards Association (OSBA). Germann, a Lincolnview Local Schools and Vantage Career Center board member, will become OSBA president on January 1.

Public school board members from across Ohio elected Germann, who will succeed current OSBA President Ed Penrod of Logan-Hocking Local Schools in Hocking County and Tri-County Career Center in Athens County. Germann is serving as OSBA president-elect this year.

In his sixth year on the Lincolnview school board and second year on the Vantage board, Germann has served on numerous OSBA committees. They include the Board of Trustees, Executive Committee, Federal Relations Network and Legislative Platform Committee.

A past president of the Northwest Region, he also has served on the region’s executive committee for five years and was a member of the region’s Arrangements and Hospitality Team. In recognition of his dedication to professional development and service, OSBA has presented him with multiple Awards of Achievement and the Master Board Member award.

On his local boards, Germann, who has served four terms as president, has worked to facilitate economic development and tax policy and has been the board’s representative on numerous committees. He also has served as an OSBA legislative liaison, student achievement liaison and Delegate Assembly representative for both of his districts.

Active in many community groups, Germann has been president of the Middle Point Lions Club and was a founding director of the Lima Regional Information Technology Alliance. He also was president of the Midwest Electric Community Connection Fund Board of Trustees.

Germann, a resident of rural Van Wert, is a senior hosting technology engineer with Newscycle Solutions, which delivers software solutions to more than 1,200 media companies in the global news media industry. He and his wife, Karen, have five children and three grandchildren.

Germann’s term as OSBA president runs until January 1, 2017. Among his duties are acting as association spokesperson, attending regional events, serving on a variety of committees, presiding over association meetings and serving as a representative to the National School Boards Association Delegate Assembly.

In its 60th year, OSBA leads the way to educational excellence by serving Ohio’s public school board members and the diverse districts they represent through superior service, unwavering advocacy and creative solutions.