Kane chosen to succeed Trent on Kettering school board

The Kettering City Schools Board of Education has named Jennifer Kane to fill the seat vacated by former member James Trent.

She was one of nine candidates who sought the position after Trent stepped down following his arrest on a misdemeanor charge of sexual imposition.

Kane, a former vice president with Provident Bank in Cincinnati and a retail banking senior officer with Bank One in Dayton, has also held several community volunteer positions.

She will be introduced to the public at the board’s next regular meeting on Tuesday.

“It was a difficult decision, but we believe Jennifer will be a valuable asset to our school district and to the Kettering community,” board president George Bayless said in a prepared statement following Thursday’s selection.

A 2009 graduate of the Dayton Chamber of Commerce’s Leadership Dayton, Kane has a bachelor’s degree from Wittenberg University and studied French business practices and culture at the Centre d-Etudes Francaises in Avignon.

She has been president of the Junior League of Dayton, president of the Southdale Elementary School Parent Teacher Organization, is currently a parent representative from Van Buren Middle School on the district’s Instructional Services Council and is a tri-chair of the Citizens for Kettering City Schools levy campaign.

She and her husband, Dan, have three children who attend Van Buren Middle School.

Kane could not be reached for comment Thursday.

Others who sought the voluntary position, for a term that runs through 2015 were Kettering residents Sue Ellen Boesch, Darren Cooper, Don Fortener, Toby K. Henderson, Andrew Storar, Frank Spolrich, Bryan Suddith and Dan D. Weiner.

Trent, a former teacher, principal and superintendent in Kettering, had been the board vice president. Member Julie Gilmore has been appointed vice president. Other members are Jim Ambrose and Lori Simms.

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