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Mayor announces development advisers

Mayor asks community to get involved in rebirthing Dayton

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By Joanne Huist Smith, Staff Writer Updated 12:05 AM Wednesday, January 27, 2010

DAYTON — Mayor Gary Leitzell’s dream team of accountants, lawyers, educators, and business leaders charged with promoting economic development in Dayton say they’re ready to get busy.

Leitzell, on Tuesday, Jan. 26, announced the founding of the 17-member Mayor’s Leadership Council committee.

“The Leadership Council marks a bold step in Dayton’s long recovery process. The council, which is composed of some of Dayton’s best and brightest minds, will meet regularly to discuss ideas and strategies that can help further spur our economic turnaround,” Leitzell said.

Among notables on the council is Col. Tim Donohue, 88th Mission Support Group Commander, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base.

“I think this is the first direct link Dayton has had with the base,” said David McDonald, council co-chair.

The council is tasked with fostering economic development and growth in the city by undertaking independent initiatives and by providing advice and counsel to Leitzell. They plan to meet monthly.

“The vision, we’re kind of creating as we go along,” said council member Greg Gantt, chair of the Montgomery County Republican Party. “Everyone wants to help.”

The team includes another high profile Republican, Tom Raga, a former state legislator who ran for lieutenant governor in 2006. McDonald said he believes there is a mix of Democrats and Republicans on the council.

“If we don’t have a mix, then we will look to add a Democrat to the group and we’ll do it pretty fast,” he said. “We don’t want anyone to say this is a Republican group.”

City Commissioner Joey Williams said he knows most of the council members and he believes they care about Dayton.

“It’s a pretty impressive group,” Williams said. “It’s all relatively new. We plan to speak with the mayor to understand it better.”

Council member William Duncan, who also is the Oakwood mayor, said he has loved working downtown for 35 years and he’s looking forward to doing whatever he can to move Dayton forward.

“Being a CPA in public practice, I know what it takes to attract and retain businesses,” Duncan said.

Wilburt Shanklin, local and state president of the Interdenominational Ministerial Alliance, said he’s encouraged Leitzell seems open to all of the community.

“Certainly, by his own admission, the mayor is a bit new to this. It seems he is at least interested in hearing from us. Certainly, he has a daunting task ahead,” Shanklin said. “I can either be part of the problem or part of the cure. In this case, I choose to be part of the cure.”

Members of the Dayton Mayor’s Leadership Council:

Kettering entrepreneur David H. McDonald, (council co-chair) co-founded two retail chains, the Popcorn Shops of America and the Crystal Shops. He also founded Fashion Accents, which he sold to F. W. Woolworth in 1989. McDonald spent nine years working for Elder-Beerman as senior vice president of real estate, and in 2005 founded Raven Rock Workwear Inc. He left the company during a financial restructuring in 2007 and now operates a consulting company, the McDonald Group, LLC.
Blue Ash developer Jeff Samuelson, (council co-chair) is a managing member of the JZ companies and developer of the Shoppes on Brown Street.
Phillip L. Parker, president & CEO of the Dayton Area Chamber of Commerce for 15 years. He also is involved in numerous organizations that promote economic development and business growth in Dayton and the region, including the Downtown Dayton Partnership Board.
Gregory Gantt, chairman of the Montgomery County Board of Elections and the county Republican Party. He is an acting judge in Oakwood Municipal Court and a partner in the Allbery Cross Fogarty law firm.
Thomas A. Raga, vice president of advancement at Sinclair Community College. He is a former state legislator and Deerfield Twp. trustee. He ran unsuccessfully for Ohio lieutenant governor in 2006 along with Republican gubernatorial candidate J. Kenneth Blackwell.
S. Ted Bucaro, government and regional relations director, University of Dayton. He formerly was a budget analyst for the city of Dayton. He also worked as an assistant to the city manager in Roselle, Ill., and in Huber Heights.
Anne Higdon is president and founder of the ISUS Corporation, an educational alternative and training program for students ages 16 to 21.
Larry E. Couchot is a partner in the Centerville-based Couchot, Hogenkamp, Seving & Mosier, Inc., a tax and accounting firm. Couchot started the firm in 1990.
Oakwood Mayor William Duncan a partner at Thorn, Lewis and Duncan, Inc., also a tax and accounting firm. He formerly served on the Oakwood City Council for six-and-a-half years.
Julie Liss-Katz, director of public affairs for Premier Health Partners, one of the largest employers in the city of Dayton. Her major role there is government relations. She has worked closely with city leaders and the community on the Genesis neighborhood revitalization program.
Glen Alexander, former Dayton fire chief, Moraine city manager, and fire chief/administrator of Beavercreek Twp.
Stacy M. Thompson, vice president of community development at Key Bank, has been a member of the Dayton Board of Education since 2006. She also serves on the Downtown Dayton Partnership Board and the YWCA Board of Directors.
Cassandra S. Mitchell, educator, journalism/mass communications instructor/community outreach specialist/television producer, who moved to Dayton about a year ago.
Steve LaFlame, who will serve as union liaison on the Leadership Council. He is a long-time neighborhood activist.
Col. Tim Donohue, 88th Mission Support Group Commander, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base.
Richard Haas, president of Grandview Medical Center since 2009. Prior to that, he was senior executive officer at Sycamore Medical Center from 2001 to 2009. Haas worked as an administrator at the Kettering Health Network and Kettering Medical Center from 1994-2001, holding the position of vice president for human resources and support services at each.
The Rev. Wilburt Shanklin is the pastor of the Living Word of Faith Church conducting services at 2230 W. Third St. He serves as the state and local president of the Interdenominational Ministerial Alliance. He also is chairman of the Dayton Metropolitan Housing Authority Board.