Who I am

About a month ago, I attended what appeared to be the monthly meeting of the Columbia Area Democratic Committee/Club.


There were only a handful of people there, split pretty equally between Columbians and people from the county committee. The one question asked that night was “what were you involved in.” Since the Colunbians at the meeting each knew each other and what all we were involved in, I thought the question was interesting. So, I gave a little information about myself and the reaction when all of us got done speaking was, “so you are all involved in Columbia.”

And only knowing one of the people from the county, I was a little stunned by the remark because when it comes to the election, it’s not the people of the county who will be electing council and school board members in May and November.

It wasn’t until a few weeks later, someone in town asked me a similar question. And I thought, wow, most people probably only know me as a staff writer/sports editor from the old Columbia News and for close to 20 years as editor of the former Columbia Ledger. So, when I started telling the person some of the things I was involved in, they were surprised.

Now that I am officially on the ballot as one of three people seeking one of the four four-year Democratic seats on borough council, I thought it might be a good idea to put my resume and other information out there. So, here goes.

Prior to joining the former Columbia News, I worked in the newsroom at WSBA Radio in York from my senior year at Columbia High School through 1984. One of the big stories during that time was the Three Mile Island accident.

At the Columbia News, I was responsible at first for covering Columbia sports and school board meetings. Later, it was a little bit of everything until the newspaper closed.

Then I moved onto the Columbia Ledger, which first debut as the Columbia Press and I was there until the paper closed in 2009.

Not only did I cover the local meetings in Columbia, West Hempfield and Wrightsville, I also gained experience covering meetings in other locations.

To say I have a good understanding of municipal governments is an understatement. I’ve covered town meetings in places smaller than Columbia and a lot larger. Seen a lot of different issues, a lot of ideas and a lot of community and government leaders come and go.

My last newspaper experience and I am being honest was not a good one, one I took for two reasons, because I needed a job and two, I did it for the town of Columbia.

So there is my work history.

As for some honors, I’ve received plaques and certificates from fire companies and other organizations in town. Four special awards I received were two from the Columbia Boy’s Athletic Association back in the 1990s and 2000; the Jimmy Sheckard Award, presented by the Susquehanna Valley Sports Hall of Fame and a Pennsylvania Newspaper Association Keystone Award for newspaper coverage of a fire many years ago of a fire on Perry Street here in town.

As for memberships, if you don’t know, I was president, coach, tournament director, commissioner and umpire for the Columbia Boy’s Athletic Association from the time I graduated high school until about eight or nine years ago. I loved working with a great group of adults, loved working with the young people of our town and meeting new people and organizing the former Kratzer Tournament.

I was also a member at one time of the Columbia Rotary Club, served a term on the Columbia Civil Service Commission and was a member of the Columbia School District’s strategic plan committee when Jon Rednak was superintendent. I am a board member for the Susquehanna Valley Chamber of Commerce.

With the high school sports programs, I’ve kept statistics for the football team for 30 years or so; kept time at track meets for the last three or four years and have been running the clock for football games at the junior high/junior varsity football games for a handful of years; been scorekeeper for wrestling for more than 10 years and basketball for a handful of years.

I am also a former member of the Hershey Hockeywriters Association and Lancaster Sportswriters and Broadcasters Association, the Susquehanna Valley Sports Hall of Fame and charter member of the Columbia High School Athletic Association Hall of Fame Committee and was also a member of the 100th anniversary of Columbia High School football program; the closing and opening ceremony committee for the high school football stadium and the 50th anniversary committee of Columbia wrestling.

I think that is it.