Two of three candidates in the running to be Ohio University's director of government relations will be on campus next week to interview with administration officials.
Jack Bantle, who chairs the search committee in charge of finding a director, said the new hire would not necessarily replace contracts OU has with other lobbyists.
We have other consultants and some will be retained
he said, adding that their contracts could be modified, but any final decision would be up to OU President Roderick McDavis.
The first candidate, Scott Williams, will come to campus Wednesday and Adrienne Dziak will visit Thursday. Both candidates will speak at an open forum at 2:30 p.m. on their respective days.
Bantle said a third -and as of now unknown -candidate would visit OU for interviews in late June.
He said Williams' and Dziak's experience with lobbying and the Ohio legislature were key factors in their selection.
Williams earned both of his degrees from OU -a bachelor's degree in political science in 1992 and a master's degree in public administration in 1995. Since December 2003, he has worked as the director of governmental affairs for the Ohio Association of Realtors. He has also worked as a legislative aide in the Ohio Statehouse.
Dziak also graduated from OU, earning a degree in journalism. Since 1998, she has worked as the director of government relations at Case Western Reserve University. She has also worked for the Northeast Ohio Council on Higher Education and for Cleveland State and Capital universities.
The new director will serve as a liaison between the university and the state legislature, governor's office, U.S. Congress and other government agencies and would report directly to McDavis and have an office in Cutler Hall, Bantle said.
Currently OU pays $28,000 yearly to the Columbus-based State Street Consultants firm to lobby the state legislature on its behalf.
For federal issues, Bantle said OU has a contract with Beverly Jones, an independent lobbyist in Washington. She is currently under a yearlong contract with the university, which expires in June and pays $36,000 and $7,500 in expenses.
And the OU College of Osteopathic Medicine retains its own lobbyist, George Dunnigan, who earns $106,362 annually. OU-COM pays half -$53,181 -and the other half is paid by the Ohio Osteopathic Association.
We have high confidence that somewhere in this group we have a government relations director Bantle said. But until they say 'yes' and do it in writing it's an open decision.
McDavis will determine the director's salary and estimated that the new hire, depending on his experience, will earn between $75,000 and $100,000 per year, Bantle said. The university might set up an advisory committee to oversee the director.
The new director will fill the position left vacant when Pam Seimer resigned in 2003, Bantle said. Seimer, who handled the university's federal lobbying efforts, left OU when her husband accepted a position at the University of Kentucky.
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Chuck Bowen
