OWCC: Ann Reno a leader in local civic engagement

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Editor’s Note: This is the fifth of seven stories that will appear daily in the News Journal on the members of the 2018 Class of the Outstanding Women of Clinton County.

As a respected teacher for 33 years in the Springfield City School System — and an active boys’ and girls’ coach for 30 — Ann Reno’s philosophy has been “to mentally and physically educate her students by providing them with a wealth of knowledge that would allow them to live longer and healthier lives.”

In this effort, she has been extraordinarily successful, and can take pride in the accomplishments of her student athletes during regular seasons and in district/state competitions throughout the years.

She was recognized by the Ohio High School Athletic Association as the first woman in the state to coach high-school boy’s gymnastics. In 2015, she was inducted into the Springfield Athletic Hall of Fame.

Following her retirement from teaching, this nominee to the Outstanding Women of Clinton County class of 2018 has passionately dedicated her time and energy to many civic committees, both local and statewide, and has been frequently and deservedly honored for her exemplary service.

A graduate of Port William High School, Reno was Homecoming Queen, varsity basketball forward and center, and valedictorian of her senior class.

She earned a B.S. in Health and Physical Education from Wilmington College, where she played on the basketball team and was President of the Women’s Recreational Association. From the University of Dayton she received a Master’s Degree in Physical Education, along with Supervisor’s and High-School Principal’s Certification.

Since 1995, Reno has been a central figure on the Clinton County Board of Elections where, among other things, she was responsible for acquiring and implementing the optical voting equipment used today in every primary, special, and general election.

When the Secretary of State attempted to mandate what many saw as a more expensive and less effective technology, she was instrumental in a successful lawsuit to maintain the optical equipment she had initially proposed. The Ohio Supreme Court has also vindicated (and set as precedent) an important candidate-qualification ruling initiated by Reno.

Since 1994, she has been Executive Chair of the Clinton County Democratic Party, while serving on the county’s Democratic Party Central Committee.

She has also been Secretary of the Clinton County Farmer’s Union, which legislates for family farmers, and has worked to fund scholarships awarded to deserving students not only by the Farmer’s Union but also by the local “Sugar and Spice and Everything Nice” Women’s Democratic Group.

She is a member of the Wilmington tree Commission, Secretary of the Port William High School Alumni, and in January she accepted an appointment as a State Board Trustee in the Ohio Association of election Officials.

Reno’s political involvement on the state and national levels includes membership in the State Democratic Executive Committee, the 88 Ohio Democratic Chairs Association, the State Democratic Vetting Committee (responsible for the selection of Democratic candidates from Governor to Supreme Court Justices), and the State and National Farmer’s Union (which recognized her in 2015 for “Outstanding Work with Youth in Agriculture”).

She has chaired the Sixth Congressional District Democratic Caucus and was a delegate to the Democratic National Convention in Chicago. Most recently, she was asked to serve as a State Trustee for the Ohio Association of Elected Officials, in Columbus, starting in January of this year.

Reno is also a member of the Clinton County Kiwanis (a child advocacy organization) and of the Dayton Woodcarver’s Guild. She has been an advisor to Clinton County 4-H, a member of the Wilson Township Grange, and a Clinton County Grange Princess.

Tickets for the Outstanding Women of Clinton County luncheon to be held at 11:30 a.m. Saturday, March 3 at the Roberts Centre are $25 (cash or check accepted). Reservations can be made at the Wilmington News Journal, 761 S. Nelson Ave., Wilmington, OH 45177. The News Journal’s office hours are 8 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday-Friday. If you have any questions, please call 937-382-2574. Reservations will be accepted through Feb. 28.

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Wednesday is the deadline to buy tickets for Saturday’s event; call 937-382-2574.

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