50 Park Ave East, Mansfield, Ohio 44902 (lower level one)Mon - Fri 8am - 4pm 419-774-5623 info@richlandcountylandbank.org Board of Directors Chair of the Board - Bart Hamilton Bart Hamilton’s “real” job is being the Richland County Treasurer (2006 – present). His passion is actually acting as the Chairman of the Richland County Land Reutilization Corporation. He started working in the Treasurer’s office as a Delinquent Tax Collector in 1992 and became Chief Deputy in 2002. Bart attended Kent State University, College of Continuing Studies, Ohio Public Finance Officer’s Training Program. He is a lifelong resident of Richland County who worked closely with a few forward-thinking individuals in the county to create the Land Bank. In the creation of the Land Bank, Bart took the reins, the Treasurer’s office space, supplies, and personnel to operate the day-to-day functions of the Land Bank. Bart is very active in the Ohio County Treasurer’s Association and is a member of the Richland County Advisory Board. Vice-Chair of the Board - Jeff Parton Jeff Graduated in 1991 from The Defiance College with a BS in Finance and Management, the Harry Blythe School of Banking, and many other courses through the Ohio Bankers League. Jeff’s work experience began with sales and management and led to a career in banking in 1997. Jeff joined Richland Bank in Mansfield in 1997 as a Management Associate for one year, then became a Branch Manager. In 2007 Jeff accepted the position of Branch Administration and was promoted to Assistant Vice President. Later Jeff added the retail, mortgage, and collections areas to his management responsibilities and was promoted to Vice President of Retail Operations in October 2017. In addition to the retail loan areas, he is responsible for directing the 10 branch locations of Richland Bank. Jeff plays an active role in our community, serving on the local board of directors of the National Alliance on Mental Illness, Downtown Mansfield Inc., and the Richland County Land Reutilization Corporation (Land Bank). He also enjoys serving on committees for NCSC, the Rewards Association, the Mansfield Association of Realtors, the United Way of Richland County, and Leadership Unlimited. Board Member – Joe Gies Joe Gies is the Project Coordinator for the City of Shelby which includes project management, planning, and zoning. Joe became the City’s Floodplain Manager in 2009, becoming a Certified Floodplain Manager in 2011. He was recognized as the 2012 Ohio Floodplain Management Association Floodplain Manager of the Year and received the FEMA 2015 CRS Award for Excellence. Joe has spent most of his life in Richland County and is passionate about giving back to his community. He is involved in many commissions and boards including: the Development Advisory Committee for the Muskingum Watershed District, the Board of the United Fund of Shelby, the Community Improvement Corporation of Shelby, Shelby Rotary Club, and Knights of Columbus Council #1968. A 1988 graduate of Shelby High School, Joe attended Morehead State University and the Ohio State University. He and his wife, Heather, have two children who also graduated from Shelby. Andrew is pursuing a graduate degree at Ohio University and Alexandra is attending the University of Toledo. Board Member - Jerry Holden Jerry Holden is the President and Broker for The Holden Agency. Following a career in professional baseball and graduating from The Ohio State University, Jerry furthered his education and entered the world of real estate. He has built a reputation of success in the industry by being the #1 top sales producing agent for 8 years straight in North Central Ohio and having been involved in over $200 million in real estate deals since 2005. Jerry has brought a whole new dimension to the real estate market in the state of Ohio. He has done real estate transactions all over the continental United States of America. During those travels, it brought to his attention new ways and ideas of taking care of customers and making it seamless and effortless for the customer using four key principles in his approach to every real estate transaction: innovation, integrity, vision, and partnership. The Holden Agency continues to expand into new markets and give clientele the expertise that they deserve and a new and innovative way to do business. In his spare time, Jerry enjoys spending time in south Florida, working out, golfing, watching college football, and spending time with his family. He resides in Ontario, Ohio with his wife Lindsey and their two children, Jaren and Liam. Board Member - Jim Houser Graduating in 1971, Jim enlisted into the United States Air Force, the Ohio Air National Guard, and was in service during the Vietnam era. Upon his return from military service, he became a certified Police Officer with the Crawford County Sheriff’s Department. From this position Jim joined the Richland County Sheriff’s Office, serving the department in various positions for over 25 years. He also became a Fire Investigator with the State Fire Marshall’s Office and served as a safety officer with the Department of Corrections. In 2007 Jim retired from official duty but continued serving the public as an auxiliary officer for several departments. Having been a resident of Madison Township for over 40 years, including Zoning Inspector for Madison Township, Jim ran for Madison Township Trustee and began his term on January 1st, 2018. Jim also currently serves as Transportation Specialist at Richland New Hope Industries. Jim and his wife, Debbie Harris Houser have 3 children and 5 grandchildren. They are a member of the McElroy Church of Christ. Board Member - Michael Howard In 1978 Michael received his Associates degree of Arts from the Cuyahoga Community College, then furthered his education by receiving his Bachelors in Psychology from Cleveland State University and his Masters in Military Strategic Studies from the USAF Air War College. A year after obtaining his Bachelors degree Michael became an administrative officer at the 179th Airlift Wing of the Ohio Air National Guard. From administrative officer, Michael moved through the ranks to become the Mission Support Flight Commander at the 179th where he maintained title of Commander for almost 20 years. After serving in the military for 35 years Michael retired as Vice Commander in April of 2015. Michael’s hobby in retirement is serving the Community. He has served on the Board of the United Way, Metro Housing, Friendly House, AAA Districts, Foundation Academy, Richland Newhope Industries, County Board of Developmental Services, and Chair of the Ohio State University at Mansfield Board. Michael has 4 amazing children, one beautiful grandchild, and currently resides in Ontario, Ohio. Board Member - Cliff Mears Cliff received his Bachelor of Arts degree in Communications from the University of Toledo. He came to Richland County when he was recruited out of MBA school to work in the Industrial Relations Department of the former Westinghouse Company. Cliff has worked with some of the largest and most prestigious organizations in the country, including the National Geographic Society and the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, DC; Dunn & Bradstreet and Revlon Health Care in New York; and Armour Pharmaceuticals in Kankakee, Illinois. While at R. R. Donnelley and Sons Company for more than 25 years, he held positions of increasingly greater responsibility including Data Analyst in Finance. He worked at the former General Motors plant in Mansfield in Indirect Materials Management. Cliff taught Communications courses at the University of Toledo and at North Central State College for more than 20 years. Cliff feels compelled to give back to the community that allowed him to have such good fortune in the private sector. His interest in perpetuating the local art scene is demonstrated by his commitment to the Mansfield Playhouse, which is the second-oldest continuing-producing community theater in Ohio. He served on their Board of Trustees for over 20 years, most of that time as Business Manager. He was elected and served as at-Large Mansfield City Councilman from 2012 through 2019, then elected Council President in 2020. Cliff became Richland County Commissioner the following year and joined the Land Bank at that time. Cliff is involved in numerous boards and organizations and is a member of St. Peter’s Catholic Church. He has been married to his wife, Cheryl, for over 40 years, and they are proud to say they raised their two successful children, Katie and Daniel, here in Richland County. Cliff and Cheryl have four grandsons: Sam, Charlie, Max and Henry. Board Member - Mayor Timothy L. Theaker Mayor Timothy L. Theaker was elected Mayor of Mansfield, Ohio on November 8, 2011, obtaining 59.34% of the votes. Prior to being elected, Mayor Theaker was Director of Facilities Management Services for MKC Associates, Inc. in Mansfield, Ohio. He began his service with MKC in 2005, where he created and developed a new division responsible for offering facility services to new and existing clients. Theaker is a hands-on manager with over 25 years of diverse experience, including information technology, marketing, procurement, contract administration, employee relations, and management. From 1979 to 2005, Theaker served in management positions with the Sprint Corporation while it was located in Mansfield. At Sprint, he gained a reputation as an innovative thinker and a leader who cared deeply about the best interests of his company and co-workers. In addition to a steady progression of promotions within Sprint management, he also earned Sprint’s Excellence Award. Mayor Theaker believes it is important to give back to the community. His involvement on commissions and boards throughout the community is an important part of his life. He held several positions with the Miss Ohio Scholarship Program, including member of the Board of Directors. Other service included Greater Mansfield Aquatic Conference, Mansfield City Schools – Computer Advisory Team, Woodland Swim and Tennis Club, Richland County Schools – Business Advisory Committee, and the Mansfield Jaycees. He currently serves on the Richland County Regional Planning Commission, the Community Corrections Board, the Richland County Solid Waste Authority, Downtown Mansfield Board, Braintree Board, the Visitors and Convention Bureau Board, MANCI/RICI Citizen’s Advisory Committee, the Richland County Youth & Family Council, North Central State College Foundation Board, and the Richland Community Development Group. Mayor Theaker is a life-long resident of Mansfield, graduating from Mansfield Senior High School in 1971. He earned his Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from Bowling Green State University in 1979. Theaker and his wife, Ann, who is a retired teacher from Madison Local Schools, have been married over 35 years. They have two daughters, who also graduated from Mansfield Senior High School. Chelsea, a graduate of Miami University, recently married Taylor Mobley, and they have moved to Amsterdam. Libby, who went on to graduate from the Culinary Institute of America, is working in the food industry and lives in New York City. Board Member - Tony Vero Anthony “Tony” Vero was born and raised in Canton, Ohio and he took permanent residence in Richland County in the fall of 2004. Tony is married to Melanie Vero who also works in Richland County, and they have one daughter named Aubriana. Tony graduated from Miami University in Oxford, Ohio with a Bachelor of Arts in History and Political Science. He continued his education, graduating from the University of Akron School of Law, and is licensed to practice law in the state of Ohio. Prior to taking office on January 3, 2017, Tony worked in the private sector (manufacturing industry) for ArcelorMittal Shelby in the areas of Human Resources, Labor Relations, and Workers’ Compensation. The Village of Lexington Council appointed Tony to fill a vacant Council seat in October of 2012, due largely in part to his service to the community. Tony volunteered with the Lexington High School Football team, the Lexington Blueberry Festival, and the Lexington Bicentennial Celebration. He chaired the Bicentennial Commitee, working with a group of community-minded Lexington residents to incorporate 14 events into Lexington’s Bicentennial year. He later ran for a full-time council seat, where he served as a councilman until December 31, 2016, following his election as a commissioner. Tony is also a member of the Richland County Republican Party Central Committee. Member © Copyright 2021 | All Rights Reserved | Richland County Land Bank | Site Created by Design by Cline