RUSSIA — Three people are running for two seats on the Russia Board of Education this Nov. 3.
Incumbent Douglas Hoying is running for re-election in order to continue to provide strong financial responsibility to the community and to uphold the deep seated moral values shared in the Russia community, he said.
“I strive to give voice to the numerous community members whose children have grown and are no longer attending school. This constituency very much wants to keep the school system academically excellent while remaining financially responsible and keeping our tax rates affordable. My background in customer service, management, and as a small business owner lends itself well to this task,” Hoying said.
He said the biggest challenges that we will face in the next 4 years will be maintaining our excellent performance with declining attendance (and thus, reduced funding from the state).
“We must continue to work creatively to keep the excellent staff and programs that we have while struggling to find ways to pay for them without asking our community for excessive additional taxes. We also will struggle to keep local control while the federal government works to implement more and more mandates on our educational system. Russia is proud of our school and we should be – so long as we can keep the ability to choose what is offered and control our curriculum,” Hoying said.
He has been married to his wife Amy for nearly 30 years and they have two adult children, Steven and Kathy, that graduated from Russia Local Schools. He is a graduate of West Union High School in West Union, Ohio and has a Bachelor’s Degree in Electronics Engineering from DeVry Institute of Technology.
He worked for 25 years as a software engineer and a customer service manager for Gleason Precision Systems before he purchased LP Hoying, LLC, a Solar Power Supply systems manufacturer in 2011. The company designs, manufactures, services, and provides training on solar power supplies and controllers that are used in the anti-corrosion industry.
Brian Pinchot is running for the Russia School Board because he would like to contribute to the Russia community and feels that a quality education is very important for future success.
“I am a fiscally responsible conservative, and feel that I would be an asset to the Russia School Board based upon my life experiences. In addition, as a result of my children’s school experiences in the Russia School District, I feel that I have an understanding of what is required for future employment/education after high school,” Pinchot said.
He is married, has three daughters and has resided in the Russia School District for twenty five years. Pinchot is a graduate of Ohio State University in 1989 with a Bachelors Degree, and has been employed at UTC Aerospace Systems (Goodrich Aerospace) for twenty years.
“I would appreciate the opportunity to assist in maintaining the Russia School District’s tradition of excellence,” he said.
Jayme Goubeaux, the other candidate for the board, could not be reached for comment.
