Wright State fires back at Ron Wine lawsuit

Wright State University attorneys fired back against a $4.5 million lawsuit brought by former consultant Ron Wine, filing a 12-page response in state court denying all of Wine's claims against the school.

The response was filed in the Ohio Court of Claims Monday. WSU’s non-profit research arm — Wright State Applied Research Corporation — is required to file a response in Greene County court by the end of the day today to a related suit by Wine.

WSU hired the Cincinnati-based lawfirm Dinsmore and Shohl to represent them in the case. The firm’s response denies, item by item, Wine’s assertions including:

• Wine’s firm, Ron Wine Consulting Group, secured $134 million in new contract revenue for WSU

• Wright State President David Hopkins agreed to pay Wine a 5 % performance-based bonus for money he brought into WSU

• Wright State owes Wine $4.5 million

• Hopkins met with Wine on multiple occasions from February to June 2016, where Hopkins acknowledged Wine was owed money

Wine's firm worked as a strategic consultant for WSU for several years until his contract was suspended then terminated amid controversy after he was paid $2 million.

Wine spoke about the contract in an interview with the I-Team in January, in which he said that the school didn't owe him any money and that the 5 % performance-based pay that is the basis for his lawsuit wasn't part of any written contracts. Instead, he called it a "general understanding" between himself and Hopkins and other WSU administrators.

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