Gov. Bob Taft appointed Jo Ann Davidson, 73, as the third woman to Ohio State’s Board of Trustees yesterday. She will serve a nine-year term.
Davidson will replace George Skestos, whose term expired this month.
Davidson was the first woman to serve as speaker of the Ohio House of Representatives until the end of her term last year.
“Jo Ann Davidson is a proven leader and one of the most admired and respected people in Ohio,” said OSU President William “Brit” Kirwan. “She brings a wealth of experience on state government and she has a wide range of influential contacts and friends. She can be of enormous help to the university in our dealings with state government.”
During Davidson’s time in the legislature, the House passed several bills including education, economic development and campaign finance reform.
Kirwan said the governor’s decision was influenced by Davidson’s “reputation as a wise and highly ethical person who cares deeply about the quality of education.”
The state had been criticized for under-funding higher education while Davidson was in the House. With her position on OSU’s Board of Trustees, Davidson will be in a different position regarding the issue of education financing.
“She knows the state budget and the budget process perhaps better than anyone else on the face of the earth,” Kirwan said.
Orest Holubec, director of boards and commissions, said Davidson’s experience as House speaker will be beneficial to the university. He said Davidson knows how the institutions work.
“Jo Ann Davidson has a great reputation for bringing people together and working toward a common goal,” Holubec said. “She’ll bring this experience to an already strong board to help continue build the recent improvements of the university.”
Davidson has no college degree, but has received honorary doctorates from several universities in Ohio.
She has served on the Board of Trustees at Franklin University since January 1996 and at Findlay University.
“She has made many contributions to Franklin University,” said Franklin University President Paul Otte. “She is inquisitive and has brought a unique perspective to the university.”
In addition to Davidson, the governor also appointed a new student trustee, Joseph Shultz, a sophomore in agri-business and applied economics.
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