The Clark State College Board of Trustees unanimously accepted the appointment of Sharon Evans of Springfield as Board chairperson during their Jan. 21 reorganization meeting. Evans will replace David Ball of Fairborn who has served as Board member since 2015 and chairperson since 2023. Ball will continue his term as a Board member through 2026.
“I deeply appreciate David Ball’s continued service to our students and the region,” said Jo Alice Blondin, Ph.D., Clark State president. “He is a strong leader, an exceptional problem-solver and a valuable advisor who constantly demonstrates support and concern for our students, staff, faculty and community members.
“I welcome the opportunity to work with Sharon Evans and Becka Rowland-Buckley in their roles as chair and vice chair, respectively. I am confident that Clark State will continue on a path of growth, student-centeredness and financial excellence under their leadership.”
Evans was most recently reappointed to the Clark State Board of Trustees by Ohio Governor Mike DeWine in 2022, having also served from 2003-2008. During her tenure, she has previously served as both vice chairperson and chairperson and was awarded the Ohio Association of Community Colleges 2023 Maureen C. Grady Award for Special Achievement for furthering the mission of community colleges in Ohio and throughout the nation. A retired deputy director of contracting, Enterprise Information Systems, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base and an avid community volunteer, Evans led Clark State to receive the American Association of Community Colleges Award for Outstanding Board and CEO Relationships.
Also during the meeting, Becka Rowland-Buckley of Beavercreek was appointed as vice chairperson, replacing Evans. Rowland-Buckley, a graduate of Clark State, served 20 years as a civilian civil engineer program manager for the United States Air Force, retiring after 25 years as the leader and architect of the Serco Workplace and Facilities Management Solutions, a global facilities and technology consulting practice. In 2024, Rowland-Buckley was inducted into the Greene County Women’s Hall of Fame for her extraordinary contributions to community service and education.
The meeting also welcomed Board members appointed by DeWine on Dec. 19, including Michael McDorman of Springfield and Kyle Hall of Urbana, who were both reappointed to the Clark State College Board of Trustees, and newly-appointed Board member Manuel Lopez Ramirez of Springfield. All will serve terms beginning Dec. 19 and ending Nov. 30, 2030.
Kyle Hall is third generation business owner, currently serving as president of the Hall Company, a world-wide electronics supplier with clients including General Electric, Philips, Siemens and Honeywell. He previously served on Boards for the Dayton Development Coalition, Urbana Lions Club and the Champaign County Chamber of Commerce. A Clark State Board member since 2016, he earned his bachelor’s degree in marketing from Wright State University.
Michael McDorman has been president and CEO of the Greater Springfield Partnership since 2006. Prior to this position, McDorman held a variety of positions at Ohio Edison and served as a Board member for the Clark County Convention Facilities Authority; Springfield and Clark County Community Improvement Corporation; Junior Achievement of the Mad River Region; United Way of Clark, Champaign and Madison Counties; and the Greater Springfield Convention and Visitors Bureau. He joined the Board in 2014.
Lopez Ramirez is the current program manager of customer operation initiatives with LexisNexis, as well as a Board member with El Puente Learning Center in Dayton and Del Pueblo, Inc. in Springfield. He earned two associate degrees in technology from Clark State, a bachelor’s degree in management information sciences from Franklin University and a master’s degree in business administration from Franklin University. In 2023, he was awarded the Clark State Distinguished Alumni Award. Lopez Ramirez replaces Peggy Noonan of Springfield who is retiring from the Board of Trustees.
Additional Board members include Andy Bell of Springfield, a retired principal of Brower Insurance; Mitchell Hurst of Springfield, a controller with The Yost Superior Company; and Ben Vollrath of Bellefontaine, president of the Logan County Chamber of Commerce.
Clark State’s Board of Trustees oversees the operations of the college and are appointed by Ohio Governor Mike DeWine for six-year terms.