Drayer, 29, grew up in Washington Twp. and attended Incarnation Catholic School in Centerville and Archbishop Alter High School in Kettering. His mother, Ann, is a nurse and active volunteer, while his father, John, owned a car dealership.
“I grew up in a business environment with a family business,” said Drayer, who was active at Alter as a baseball player, a choir member, had the lead role in the school musical “Guys and Dolls,” and was a member of Students Against Drunk Driving.
When Drayer graduated in 1999, he followed in the footsteps of his four siblings.
• John Drayer, his older brother, graduated in 1988 and works in human resources for TATA Communications in Cincinnati. John is married and has three children.
• Jonell Drayer Voskuhl, graduated in 1986 and married David Voskuhl of Bellbrook. She works as the business manager of Brilliant Smiles and lives in Xenia with her husband and two children.
• Janine Drayer Grindstaff graduated in 1984 and works as an administrator in a doctor’s office. She lives in Mason with her husband, Mike, and their two children.
• Jennifer Drayer McDonald graduated in 1982 and is married and lives in Pennsylvania with her three children.
Joseph Drayer studied biology at Bowling Green State University for two years. In was in his volunteer role as the school mascot, “Freddie Falcon,” that he got to meet BGSU head football coach Urban Meyer, now head coach at the University of Florida.
Drayer transferred to Wright State University, studied economics and business and worked full time there. His first job was working in the office of the dean of the Business School and followed with a promotion as the student assistant to the Provost in the President’s office.
Nancy Dull, who works in the President’s office, showed Drayer a photo of her niece, Emily Fennig, and insisted he meet her. The couple dated and married in 2006.
“I thought she was totally out of my league,” Drayer said.
Emily was a cheerleader at Beavercreek High School who earned a degree in organizational communications from Wright State.
“We ended up working together at Work Flow One, which had been The Relizon Company,” he said.
In 2007, the couple traveled to Spain and France with a study abroad program sponsored by the University of Dayton. He earned his master’s in business administration. The Drayers also won a City Beautiful Award, and Joseph ran unsuccessfully for a seat on the Centerville City Council.
“I love Centerville and I wanted a chance to do something good for the community,” said Drayer, who runs marathons, volunteers for A Special Wish Foundation and is a member of Generation Dayton, a young professional’s organization. “I want to help Centerville to continue to improve.”
Drayer currently serves with John Biels on a committee established to showcase local eateries and restaurants.
The Drayers were both laid off in October 2008 when Work Flow One down-sized their office. Emily took the opportunity to remain at home with their son, William, 2, while Joseph was quickly snapped up and is now an account representative for P & R Communications in Dayton.
Drayer volunteers as a lector and religious education teacher at Incarnation Church where he and Emily have also started a Young Family Fellowship group.
Contact this columnist at (937) 432-9054 or jjbaer@aol.com.
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