Kimberly A. Zurz (born January 23, 1959) of

Akron, Ohio Akron () is the fifth-largest city in the U.S. state of Ohio and is the county seat of Summit County, Ohio, Summit County. It is located on the western edge of the Glaciated Allegheny Plateau, about south of downtown Cleveland. As of the 2020 C ...

, is an American politician of the Democratic party who served as the Director of the

Ohio Department of Commerce The Ohio Department of Commerce is the administrative department of the Ohio state government Ohio Rev. Code § 121.01 ''et seq.'' responsible for regulating banks and savings institutions, credit unions, mortgage lenders and consumer finance busi ...

Career

A graduate of

Firestone High School Firestone Community Learning Center (Firestone CLC), previously known as Harvey S. Firestone High School, is a public high school located on the northwest side of Akron, Ohio. It is one of seven high schools in the Akron Public Schools. The high s ...

in Akron and attendee of the

University of Akron The University of Akron is a public research university in Akron, Ohio. It is part of the University System of Ohio. As a STEM-focused institution, it focuses on industries such as polymers, advanced materials, and engineering. It is classified ...

, Zurz served as an assistant to the Summit County, treasurer. She was a member of the Summit County Council from 1991 to 2003, serving three terms as president of the council. In 2003, Senator

Leigh Herington Leigh E. Herington is an Ohio Democratic politician and a former member of the Ohio Senate. Herington was a long-serving local attorney and Chairman of the Portage County Democratic Party when appointed to replace Senator Bob Nettle in 1995, ...

announced his decision to resign early from the

Ohio Senate The Ohio Senate is the upper house of the Ohio General Assembly. The State Senate, which meets in the Ohio Statehouse in Columbus, first convened in 1803. Senators are elected for four year terms, staggered every two years such that half of the se ...

, and the Democratic caucus named Zurz as his replacement. She easily won reelection in 2004 to retain the seat. With former Congressman

Ted Strickland Theodore Strickland (born August 4, 1941) is an American politician who was the 68th governor of Ohio, serving from 2007 to 2011. A member of the Democratic Party, he previously served in the United States House of Representatives, representing ...

the new Ohio Governor in 2007, Zurz was named a member of his cabinet, chosen to serve as Director of the Department of Commerce. She would serve in the post for the entirety of Strickland's tenure. With Strickland losing reelection in 2010, Zurz was out of the Commerce Department, however, he posted one last effort to appoint her to another board. It was announced by the Ohio Senate soon after that

Republican Republican can refer to: Political ideology * An advocate of a republic, a type of government that is not a monarchy or dictatorship, and is usually associated with the rule of law. ** Republicanism, the ideology in support of republics or agains ...

leadership would not accept the nomination. She has since returned to the

Akron Akron () is the fifth-largest city in the U.S. state of Ohio and is the county seat of Summit County. It is located on the western edge of the Glaciated Allegheny Plateau, about south of downtown Cleveland. As of the 2020 Census, the city prop ...

area.

References

External links

The Ohio Ladie's Gallery: Director Kimberly Zurz
Living people State cabinet secretaries of Ohio Democratic Party Ohio state senators Politicians from Akron, Ohio University of Akron alumni Women state legislators in Ohio 21st-century American politicians 21st-century American women politicians 1959 births {{Ohio-OHSenate-stub

Career

See also

References

External links