MANSFIELD — Ron Davis has what he considers a firm foundation of experience in community service and believes he would do a good job of serving the county as commissioner.

The Democrat is challenged by Republican candidate Darrell Banks for a term that begins Jan. 2, 2017.

Born and raised in Mansfield, Davis, 65, worked at AK Steel for 40 years.

“I worked my way up to the top position — which was union president — for the last six years that I worked there,” he said. 

He has 12 years of business experience as the owner/operator of a tavern and drive-through convenience store.  

“Forty years in the steel industry is hard in and of itself, but I didn’t stop there,” he said. “I took the time to put in over 20 years of community service.”

Davis has volunteered in various capacities. He has served on the United Way of Richland County Board, Independent Living Center Board, Jury Commission, Richland Community Development Group, the Mansfield City School Fiscal Accountability Committee and the North Central State College Board.

He has also served as the Crawford-Richland CLC AFL-CIO president for 11 years, a Municipal Court mediator for three years, Fraternal Order of Police Associate for two years and Rehab Telethon volunteer for 20 years.

Entering the race to become county commissioner wasn’t always on Davis’ radar. However, many people encouraged him to give it a thought, he said.

“You’d make a great candidate with everything you’ve done,” he was told.

That includes his work with several fundraisers. Davis said fundraising has become second nature, having raised over $10,000 in food drives, over $80,000 for United Way in golf outings alone, and over $106,000 for the Ashland University Wetlands Science Building project, he said.

The wetlands project involved the building of a science lab on OH-42 to be used by area students. Davis called the project his “pride and joy,” noting that he has a soft spot for children and hopes to make a positive impact on local youth. 

Commissioners have the duty of managing over $30 million in the county general fund.

Davis said he feels comfortable working with budgets, having managed budgets as large as $50 million a year as a member of the Mansfield City School Fiscal Accountability Committee.

Many people, including elected officials, have said there is a skills gap in the local workforce.

Davis shared his thoughts on the issue, saying that for several decades children have been encouraged to get a college education.

“I’m not knocking college,” he said. “We just don’t have enough of those jobs left for those individuals to fill and we got away from our trades and jobs that now are becoming more important because they’re vacant.

“We don’t have the people to fill them — welders, electricians, I mean, you can go on and on.”

To help address this issue, Davis said children should be educated on the latest workforce trends and learn what employers want in an employee with regard to skills.

Students should ask themselves, “What should I be training for that when I get out of school I can jump right into the mix of it and I won’t have to worry,” Davis said.