Campaign Experience

CANDIDATE BACKGROUND

Social Worker, Businessman, Campaign Organizer, Social and Environmental Justice Activist, Political Candidate

In 1956 Joe’s family moved from Lexington, Kentucky to Springdale, Ohio when his father was hired as the first the football coach at Princeton High School. His mother taught at Springdale Elementary School. In 1970 graduated 12th in a Princeton High School class of 458. At Princeton lettered in football, basketball and track. Voted football defensive end All Greater Miami Conference, Cincinnati Enquirer 2nd team, and All State Honorable Mention. Received National Football Foundation, Dolly Cohen Chapter, Scholar-Athlete Award. Voted Best All-Around by classmates.

In 1970, enrolled at Duke University on a 4-year football grant-in-aid. In 1972, attended the University of Cincinnati Raymond Walters branch part-time while working as a shift worker at Ralston Purina, where he was a member of the American Federation of Grain Millers labor union. Not being drafted due to de-escalation of the Vietnam War, in 1973 returned to Duke and received a BS in Psychology in 1975.

After graduating from Duke moved to Huntington, West Virginia. In 1976 was hired as a protective service case worker for child abuse and neglect for the West Virginia Department of Welfare at the Williamson, West Virginia, Mingo County office. Managed an average caseload of over 60 families, as well as investigating complaints.

In 1978, enrolled full time at Marshall University. Received BBA in accounting from Marshall in 1979. Has completed additional hours in Marshall and University of North Carolina-Wilmington MBA programs.

In 1980 moved to Wilmington, North Carolina and began work as an accountant for Lowrimore, Warwick & Company, a medium size regional CPA firm. Assigned to the City of Wilmington, non-profit, and manufacturing company audits. Also prepared individual tax returns. In 1982 was certified as a CPA by the state of West Virginia.

In 1983 left public accounting for a business career in private industry when Joe became employed by WR Grace in Wilmington, NC as an inventory accountant for the Eastern Region. Then promoted to plant accountant of the nitrogen manufacturing facility in 1985, and then to plant controller in 1989. During this time ownership changed from WR Grace to Nitrex to Arcadian.

In 1990 transferred to Augusta, GA to become plant controller for largest nitrogen manufacturing facility east of the Mississippi River. That role expanded to become a regional plant controller for the Augusta, GA plant, the Savannah, Ga plant, the Wilmington, NC plant, and a joint venture in Augusta, Ga. During this time ownership changed from Arcadian to Potash Corporation of Saskatchewan (PCS).

In 2001 assigned to an 18-month Oracle Process Manufacturing (OPM) cost and inventory implementation as functional cost and inventory lead, working out of Northbrook, Illinois near Chicago, and Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada, as well as at manufacturing facilities in US, Canada and Trinidad. This implantation was for the world’s largest producer of agricultural and industrial nitrogen, phosphate, and potash products.

In 2003 transferred from Augusta, Georgia to Northbrook, Illinois to become the corporate cost and inventory manger, and totally restructured the cost accounting department and corporate cost accounting systems. Also finished implementing OPM for the Trinidad plant, the Cincinnati Phosphate Plant in Harrison, Ohio, as well as for purchased product for resale, and product exchanges.

In 2010 relocated to Saskatoon for six months and converted OPM from Oracle 11i to Oracle 12. This was a major upgrade that also required all cost and inventory reporting to be re-written.

In 2011, after 29 years, retired from the corporate cost manager position due to the transfer of his cost and inventory department to Saskatoon due to political pressures from the Province of Saskatchewan.

On November 7, 2011 Joe started his venture into politics. On that date Joe, his wife, his sister and two friends, working out of the northwest suburbs of Chicago, began working on Obama’s Organizing for America re-election campaign, recruiting volunteers in Illinois and focusing on the Iowa and Wisconsin ground game and phone banking. As a volunteer worked over 2000 hours. On election night he was a special guest at the McCormick center in Chicago. When Ohio put Obama over the top, the celebration was like no other celebration he ever experienced. Even more so than the 2008 celebration at Grant Park. After Romney finally conceded, President Obama spoke to the hearts of the nation.

In November 2012 that same group of five, along with other volunteers, started the Northwest Suburbs Organizing for Action (NWSOFA) chapter for Organizing for Action, a non-profit organization that advocated for President Obama’s agenda, focusing on the Affordable Care Act, immigration, social justice, women’s rights, fiscal and economics, gun violence prevention, and climate change. Joe was lead for the Climate Change team. He was also a Climate Reality Project leader, having completed training under Al Gore.

In 2013, Joe began revitalizing the First United Methodist Church of Arlington Heights Church and Society social justice program, which had been dormant for several years. It was rebranded as Faith-in-Action (FIA), and piggy backed on two existing organizations. One was the racial justice organization Community Renewal Society, which focused on Chicago and Illinois racial justice issues. The other was Faith-in-Place, which is an environmental justice organization focusing on Illinois and Chicago.

Faith-in-Action also coordinated with other suburban churches to work on local issues, as well as worked on in-house issues. One action which Joe led was to install a solar panel array on the church slanted rooftop, a beacon to the local community.

In 2015 moved from Chicago back to Springdale, Ohio, so Joe and his wife could care for his mother.

From 2015 to 2020 was a member of the Springdale Presbyterian Church where he served as Clerk of Session. Founded in 1792 had to shut down the church in 2020 due to a diminishing congregation. Joe is now a member of the First Presbyterian Church of Glendale.

Currently, Joe is a commissioner for the Synod of Covenant representing 11 Presbyteries in Michigan, Ohio, and slivers of Kentucky, Indiana, and Wisconsin, which represents nearly 700 congregations representing about 82,000 members. Joe is on the Finance committee, investment sub-committee, and budget sub-committee. He is the recording clerk for those three committees.

Joe and his wife Diane reside in Colerain Township.