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Hocking College Board of Trustees

The Hocking College Board of Trustees 

Addington, Jeanette

Jeanette Addington

Trustee

Jeanette Addington is a first-generation college student. She attended Ohio University where she earned a bachelor’s degree in Accounting and Business Pre-Law and a master's degree in Business Administration. A certified public accountant, Addington began her career with a regional CPA firm between getting the degrees. She became the firm's first female partner and eventually the managing partner. After retiring she joined Ludowici Roof Tile as chief financial officer in 2017, she focuses on keeping the company community-minded. 

Addington has served on college and school boards and organizations promoting education, humane animal concerns and economic development.

Gerry Bird

Gerry Bird

Trustee

Gerry Bird was born in Long Beach, California, and grew up in Central Ohio. Bird graduated from Miami University with a bachelor’s degree in Architecture in 1971, a master’s degree in Architecture from the Ohio State University in 1973 and a master’s degree in Business Administration from Capital University in 1983.

Gerry has been a licensed architect since 1974 and has been licensed in seven states. He was a partner in a firm that designed the original buildings at Hocking Technical College. Gerry was director of development for a hotel development company for seven years, with numerous projects throughout the eastern half of the country. In 1993, Bird Houk Collaborative was founded and provided architectural, planning and landscape architecture services. Design work included more than 30 hotels, more than five million square feet of office space, mixed-use facilities, residential, schools and university projects. Planning projects included several golf course communities, large-scale mixed use and residential. Bird Houk Collaborative merged with OHM Advisors in 2010.

Since the merger, Gerry has continued to provide consulting services as a designer, owner’s representative and developing selected projects. An Eagle Scout, Gerry has always had a love for the outdoors, and continues to travel, hike and enjoy the beauty of Ohio, the Florida Everglades and the western United States with his wife, Janice. Time with children and grandchildren is always cherished.

Gerry has served on numerous boards, advisory committees, past president of the Columbus chapter of the American Institute of Architects and is excited and honored to be a Trustee for Hocking College.

S-Brooks (1)

Stuart Brooks

Trustee

Stuart Brooks was born on May 5, 1951, in Lancaster, Ohio. He graduated from Nelsonville-York High School in 1970 and attended both Ohio University and Hocking College. In May 1965, he started working at William Brooks Shoe Factory, which would later become Rocky Boots. Then, he went on to work with his grandfather in the retail business in Nelsonville for 17 years. He then went to work for Rocky Boots and the First National Bank in Nelsonville. Brooks is married to Denise Carter-Brooks and has two children from a previous marriage. He’s been on the boards for OhioHealth in Nelsonville for six years and the First National Bank for 23 years. Brooks has six grandchildren.

Budzik_Mike_01

Mike Budzik

Vice-Chairman of the Board of Trustees

Michael J. Budzik has had an extensive career in natural resources. From 1987-95, he was the District Four manager for the Ohio Department of Natural Resources, Division of Wildlife based in Athens, Ohio. From 1995-2003, Budzik was the Division of Wildlife chief. After leaving ODNR, he became the U.S. Sportsmen's Alliance's director of recruitment and retention from 2005-2006. Currently, he serves as a liaison for the Ohio Sportsmen's Clubs and Conservation Organizations. He also works part-time in the governor's office as a member of the Ohio Department of Natural Resources Policy Staff.

Budzik has received several honors, including Special Recognition from the Ohio Senate and House of Representatives, Ohio's Man of the Year Award from the Woods and Water Conservation Association, Conservationist of the Year Award from the League of Ohio Sportsmen and Hocking College's Distinguished Alumni Award.

Budzik and his wife Melodee have two daughters and two great-grandchildren.

Forte, Leon

Leon Forte

Trustee

Pastor Leon Forté is the founding and senior pastor of Grace Christian Center in Athens, Ohio. He is a highly sought after and dynamic speaker who has traveled extensively to proclaim the Gospel of Jesus Christ. He and his wife Linda live in southeastern Ohio near Athens. 

Forté grew up in Columbus, Ohio, and in 1990, he founded a church in Athens. Grace Christian Center's current home on Johnson Road was built in 2003, and also houses the Francine C. Childs Early Learning Center.

Forté attended Word of Life Bible College (World Harvest), was ordained through Victory Christian Center and received a master's degree in theology from Jacksonville Theological Seminary.

ben-mitchell

Ben Mitchell

Chairman of the Board of Trustee

Ben Mitchell is the global extrusion coatings sales manager for Dura Coat Products, Inc. (an Axalta Coatings Systems Company). He earned a Bachelor of Science in Comprehensive Sciences and a Master’s of Business Administration from Urbana University. He’s also studied at the University of Louisville and the University of Southern Mississippi.

Mitchell has served on many industry committees and authored or co-authored books and articles. Aside from the Hocking College Board of Trustees, Mitchell is also a trustee for the college’s foundation and served as a trustee for Urbana University from 2010-2014.

Board Packet/Minutes

December 7, 2023

October 5, 2023

August 17, 2023

June 15, 2023

April 20, 2023

February 23, 2023

December 8, 2022

October 13, 2022

August 18, 2022

June 16, 2022

April 14, 2022

February 17, 2022

December 9, 2021

October 21, 2021

August 19, 2021

June 24, 2021

February 18, 2021

December 10, 2020

October 22, 2020

September 8, 2020

June 25, 2020

May 19, 2020

February 20, 2020

January 28, 2020

December 19, 2019

October 24, 2019

August 22, 2019

June 25, 2019

April 29, 2019

February 21, 2019

December 10, 2018

October 11, 2018

August 27, 2018

June 4, 2018

April 16, 2018

February 15, 2018

December 12, 2017

Special Meeting: November 14, 2017

October 24, 2017

August 1, 2017

June 14, 2017

April 11, 2017

February 16, 2017

December 13, 2016

November 17, 2016

September 29, 2016

August 9, 2016

June 9, 2016

April 26, 2016

February 9, 2016

December 8, 2015

November 19, 2015

October 27, 2015

September 24, 2015

July 29, 2015

June 25, 2015

April 30, 2015

April 28, 2015

April 14, 2015

February 12, 2015

December 12, 2014

December 8, 2014

December 2, 2014

November 10, 2014 - Special Meeting

October 15, 2014

October 2, 2014 - Emergency Meeting

November 10, 2014

September 23, 2014

August 5, 2014

June 26, 2014

May 27, 2014

March 25, 2014

February 27, 2014

February 20, 2014

January 30, 2014 - Retreat

January 30, 2014 

December 10, 2013

October 22, 2013

September 24, 2013

August 27, 2013

July 9, 2013

May 28, 2013

April 23, 2013

March 26, 2013

February 26, 2013

January 22, 2013

November 27, 2012

October 23, 2012

September 25, 2012

August 28, 2012

July 24, 2012

June 26, 2012

May 22, 2012

April 24, 2012

March 27, 2012

February 28, 2012

January 24, 2012

December 29, 2011

November 29, 2011

October 25, 2011

September 27, 2011

September 14, 2011

August 23, 2011

July 26, 2011

July 21, 2011

June 28, 2011

June 9, 2011

June 3, 2011

May 24, 2011

April 26, 2011

March 22, 2011

February 22, 2011

January 25, 2011

December 14, 2010

November 2, 2010

September 28, 2010

August 24, 2010

July 27, 2010

June 22, 2010

May 25, 2010

April 28, 2010

March 16, 2010

January 26, 2010

December 15, 2009

November 10, 2009

September 29, 2009

August 25, 2009

June 23, 2009

May 26, 2009

April 28, 2009

March 31, 2009

February 24, 2009

December 16, 2008

November 24, 2008

October 28, 2008

September 30, 2008

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