People

Two appointed to Wood County Park District Board
Wood County Probate Court Judge David Woessner has appointed Jonathan Smith and Kathleen Attwood to the Wood County Park District Board of Commissioners.
Both will serve terms beginning Jan. 1, 2024, and continuing through Dec. 31, 2026.
Smith is currently the COO for Smith Bonds and Surety and a partner with SL & Associates. He is concluding his service on Perrysburg City Council on Dec. 31.
While on Perrysburg City Council – including a role as council president – Smith served on the Recreation Committee, the Finance Committee and the Fort Meigs Cemetery Board. He was also a past member of the Perrysburg Board of Zoning Appeals.
Smit is a member of Perrysburg Rotary, the Perrysburg Chamber of Commerce and St. Rose Parish.
Attwood is a Wood County Master Gardener with a strong history of volunteer work at the W.W. Knight Preserve and the Reuthinger Preserve. She is an active member of the Country Garden Club of Perrysburg and is also a member of the Friends of Wood County Parks.
She has served on the boards of the Country Garden Club of Perrysburg, the Toledo Museum of Art Library League and the Alliance Francaise de Toledo.
Smith and Attwood replace outgoing Wood County Park District Board members Tom Myers and Bill Cameron.

Gavarone honors Gardner
State Sen. Theresa Gavarone (R-Bowling Green) honored Chancellor Randy Gardner. The former legislator is retiring from the Ohio Department of Higher Education effective Jan. 1, 2024.
“For over 30 years as a legislator, Randy earned a reputation as one of the best in our state's history, fighting tirelessly for education, victims of crime, water quality and many other issues,” Gavarone said. “He used this background to become an exceptional chancellor in 2019, working hard to help Ohio's next generation succeed. Randy is a mentor and friend who has given so much to move our state forward.”
Gardner was appointed to the Ohio House of Representatives at the age of 26. From there, he served as a long-time legislator for 33 years in both the Ohio House and Ohio Senate. Gardner held multiple leadership roles in both chambers and was a champion for education throughout his tenure.
In 2019, Gov. Mike DeWine appointed Gardner as the chancellor of the Ohio Department of Higher Education to oversee the state's public two-year and four-year institutions and Ohio Technical Centers and carry out the state’s policies on higher education.