A retired Coventry school superintendent is joining the Coventry Township board of trustees.
Gary Zoldesy was appointed to the nonpartisan position Wednesday by Summit County Probate Judge Todd Mc- Kenney. He fills a vacancy on the three-member board created when trustee Brenda Patterson died in January.
Trustees David Calderone and Tom Seese were unable to agree on the appointment last month, so they passed the decision to the judge.
McKenney sought applications, then interviewed eight candidates.
The judge said he chose Zoldesy because of his experience as superintendent dealing with declining revenue while maintaining quality services.
Zoldesy, 64, is an Ashland University professor who teaches classes that help teachers move into administrative positions or administrators advance their careers.
“I’m very excited about the opportunity to serve the people of Coventry Township,” said Zoldesy, who ran for trustee last year but was one of several candidates who lost to Calderone.
He said he and his family were embraced by the community when he was hired by Coventry schools in 2003 and he saw the trustee job as a way to give back.
His first priority, he said, is simply getting to know the other two trustees so they can work together on issues.
Zoldesy will complete Patterson’s term, which runs through 2013.
He retired from Coventry schools in 2007. His experience includes serving as business manager in the Warrensville Heights school district; providing technical help to Northeast Ohio school officials as an area coordinator for the Ohio Department of Education’s division of school finance; and serving as superintendent of Western Reserve schools in Huron County.
He has a master’s degree from West Virginia University and a doctorate in education from the University of Akron.
Others interviewed for the position were Mark Bulgrin, Edward Diebold, Robert Knabe, Gary Peters, Larry Rider, William Willis and Robert Wilson.
“I thought all the applicants were well-qualified and really loved Coventry,” McKenney said.
Rick Armon can be reached at 330-996-3569 or rarmon@thebeaconjournal.com.
