Governor on hand to congratulate 'chief' alum
Strickland attends 24th annual State Government Alumni Luncheon

By George Mauzy

Less than six months into his first term, Ohio Gov. Ted Strickland has already gone where no sitting Ohio governor has gone before: Ohio University's annual State Government Alumni Luncheon, which attracted more than 150 people to the Statehouse on Tuesday.

He became the first sitting governor to attend the luncheon, held at the Statehouse for the first time, in its 24-year history. The event is hosted by the university each year to honor the multitude of alumni and friends who work in state government.

Strickland had some very good reasons to attend. First, he is a former U.S. congressman for the Athens area who enjoyed a long and successful working relationship with Ohio University. Secondly, his chief of staff, John Haseley, was being awarded this year's State Government Alumni Award. Since 1985, the award has been given to Ohio University alumni and friends who have outstanding achievements in public service.

"There is no person in my 65 years of life that has the unique combination of skills and values that make up John Haseley -- he is a unique person," Strickland said. "I would not have run for governor if not for John Haseley. We made the decision to run together."

A 1987 graduate of Ohio University, Haseley was chief of staff for the former congressman from 1998 through 2005. The son of Luther Haseley, a retired Ohio University education professor, Haseley grew up in Athens and went on to work for former Ohio Gov. Richard Celeste, former U.S. Sen. John Glenn and 6th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals Judge Guy Cole.

Ohio University Board of Trustees member and 1990 graduate Scott Borgemenke, who serves as the chief of staff to the Ohio House Speaker Jon Husted, presented the State Government Alumni Award to Haseley.

"I grew up in Athens, and I am a real townie." Haseley said in accepting the honor. "The ubiquitous Art Gish, Rev. Jed, Souvlaki's, Springfest, Burrito Buggy and Halloween: It's all OU. I love Athens. It's a magical place."

Also recognized at the luncheon was Gayle Channing Tenenbaum, legislative director of the Public Children Services Association of Ohio, who received the Dan Schneider Strategic Leadership Award given annually at the event. She is a board member for the Ohio Air Quality Development Authority, a Senior Policy Fellow for Ohio University's Voinovich School of Leadership and Public Affairs and teaches courses for the university's master's of public administration program and its Leadership Institute.

The award honored Tenenbaum for her more than 40 years of public service. Given for the third time, the award recognizes an individual who leads by creating public value and inspires others to make change for the better.

The award is named for the late Schneider, a former Voinovich Center senior policy fellow who worked as director of the Knox County Department of Human Services for 14 years before taking a position at the Public Children Services Association of Ohio in 1987. He remained there until his death in 2003.

"Receiving this award touches my heart and soul more than any other award I have received or may receive in the future," Tenenbaum said. "Dan and I were public servants together who served the children and families in our state. We all stand on the shoulders of those who came before us. I stand on Dan's shoulders, and I hope that I can continue to give leadership and service and be worthy of this recognition."

"Gayle is a mentor, friend and a strategic leader," said an emotional Jessica Schneider Chance, a colleague of Tenenbaum and daughter of Dan Schneider. "She is a courageous woman. I am very proud that she won this award that is named for my father."

State Sen. John Carey of Wellston, Ohio, a 1981 Ohio University graduate and chair of the Senate Finance and Financial Institutions Committee, delivered the luncheon's keynote address. He talked about his childhood growing up near Wellston and his days at Ohio University as a student of Voinovich School Director Mark Weinberg, a political science professor.

"I always wanted to be in politics since second grade," Carey said. "I want people to be able to stay and live in small towns like Athens and Wellston and others all over southeastern Ohio. Through the governor's budget, we want to make sure people who normally can't afford to go to college can do so."

Carey, Haseley and Borgemenke were just a few of the numerous Ohio University alumni in attendance who hold high-ranking state government positions in the state.

Ohio University President Roderick J. McDavis opened the luncheon by acknowledging the contributions of the Ohio University Public Affairs Advisory Committee, which has played an important role at the university for more than 20 years. He said the original idea to create the Voinovich Center, which recently was granted school status, came from this committee, whose members are active in teaching and internship and job placements for Ohio University students.

"This luncheon brings together our alumni who work on any level of state government in the Columbus area," McDavis said. "Most importantly, it is a great chance to network and celebrate the contributions of a lot of good people."

McDavis hosted the luncheon on behalf of the Voinovich School of Leadership and Public Affairs and Ohio University's Department of Political Science.

George Mauzy is a media specialist with University Communications and Marketing. All photos by University Photographer Rick Fatica.

Posted 05-16-07