Kenny Yuko (born August 1, 1950) is an American politician and union activist, currently serving as a member of the Ohio Senate, representing the 25th District. Previously, he was a member of the

Ohio House of Representatives The Ohio House of Representatives is the lower house of the Ohio General Assembly, the state legislature of the U.S. state of Ohio; the other house of the bicameral legislature being the Ohio Senate. The House of Representatives first met in Ch ...

, representing the 7th District from 2005 to 2012. Yuko was a political and union activist for more than two decades.

Early life and education

Yuko grew up in

Euclid, Ohio Euclid is a city in Cuyahoga County, Ohio, United States. It is an inner ring suburb of Cleveland. As of the 2020 census, the city had a total population of 49,692. History The City of Euclid was originally a part of Euclid Township, first m ...

and graduated from Brush High School. He attended

Cuyahoga Community College Cuyahoga Community College (Tri-C) is a public community college in Cuyahoga County, Ohio. Founded in 1963, it is the oldest and largest public community college within the state. Tri-C schedules on the semester basis, and offers over 1,000 co ...

and

Kent State University Kent State University (KSU) is a public research university in Kent, Ohio. The university also includes seven regional campuses in Northeast Ohio and additional facilities in the region and internationally. Regional campuses are located in ...

Career

Yuko began his career as a buyer for Polsky's Department Store, and went on to the Laborers’ Local #860 for 30 years, including 25 years as union organizer. He retired from that service in 2004. Yuko first ran for the

in 2004 to replace four-term incumbent Ed Jerse, who was unable to seek re-election due to term limits. In the 2004 primary, he defeated

Kent Smith Frank Kent Smith (March 19, 1907 – April 23, 1985) was an American actor who had a lengthy career in film, theatre and television. Early years Smith was the son of Mr. and Mrs. James E. Smith. He was born in New York City and was educated ...

. He won reelection in 2006, 2008, and 2010. Yuko served as Chairman of the Commerce and Labor Committee for the 128th General Assembly. Yuko expressed interest in an appointment to the Ohio Senate after incumbent Lance Mason resigned to take a judicial position. Ultimately, the appointment went to Cleveland City Councilwoman

Nina Turner Nina Hudson Turner ( Hudson; born December 7, 1967) is an American politician. A member of the Democratic Party, she was a Cleveland City Council member from 2006 to 2008 and a member of the Ohio Senate from 2008 until 2014. Turner was the Demo ...

. When he was sworn into his fourth term on January 3, 2011, Yuko served as the ranking member of the Commerce and Labor Committee, as well as a member of the Health and Aging Committee, and the Veterans Affairs Committee. He was also a member of the Unemployment Compensation Advisory Council; the Permanent Joint Committee on Gaming and Wagering; and the Joint Committee on Bingo and Skill Based Gaming. Yuko was a staunch opponent of S.B. 5 and looks to lead the cause of a

referendum A referendum (plural: referendums or less commonly referenda) is a direct vote by the electorate on a proposal, law, or political issue. This is in contrast to an issue being voted on by a representative. This may result in the adoption of a ...

that will repeal the changes the bill would make upon passage. He believes the current act tramples the rights of workers. Yuko currently serves the 25th senatorial district which includes the cities of Beachwood,

Bedford Bedford is a market town in Bedfordshire, England. At the 2011 Census, the population of the Bedford built-up area (including Biddenham and Kempston) was 106,940, making it the second-largest settlement in Bedfordshire, behind Luton, whilst ...

, Bedford Heights,

Cleveland Cleveland ( ), officially the City of Cleveland, is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and the county seat of Cuyahoga County. Located in the northeastern part of the state, it is situated along the southern shore of Lake Erie, across the U.S. ...

(partial), East Cleveland, Eastlake, Euclid, Maple Heights,

Mayfield Heights Mayfield Heights is a city in Cuyahoga County, Ohio, United States, and is an east-side suburb of Cleveland. The population was 18,827 at the 2010 census. History Mayfield Heights was initially built up as a streetcar suburb of Cleveland. It wa ...

Mentor Mentorship is the influence, guidance, or direction given by a mentor. A mentor is someone who teaches or gives help and advice to a less experienced and often younger person. In an organizational setting, a mentor influences the personal and p ...

(partial), Mentor-on-the-Lake,

Painesville Painesville is a city in and the county seat of Lake County, Ohio, United States, located along the Grand River northeast of Cleveland. Its population was 19,563 at the 2010 census. Painesville is the home of Lake Erie College, Morley Libra ...

Pepper Pike Pepper Pike is a city in eastern Cuyahoga County, Ohio, United States. The population was 6,796 as of the 2020 census. It is an affluent suburb of the Cleveland metropolitan area. History In 1763, sixteen pioneers settled the area along the e ...

, Richmond Heights,

South Euclid South Euclid is a city in Cuyahoga County, Ohio, United States. It is an inner-ring suburb of Cleveland located on the city's east side. As of the 2010 census the population was 22,295. Geography Acting approximately as a central point for the ...

Warrensville Heights Warrensville Heights is a city located in Cuyahoga County, Ohio, United States. It is an East Side suburb of Cleveland. The population was 13,789 at the 2020 U.S. Census. Geography Warrensville Heights is located at (41.438653, -81.523262). Ac ...

, Wickliffe, Willoughby, and Willowick; along with the villages of

Fairport Harbor Fairport Harbor is a village in Lake County, Ohio, United States, along Lake Erie at the mouth of the Grand River. The population was 3,109 at the 2010 census. Fairport Harbor is home to two lighthouses: the Fairport Harbor West Breakwater Li ...

, Grand River, Highland Hills, Lakeline, North Randall,

Orange Orange most often refers to: *Orange (fruit), the fruit of the tree species '' Citrus'' × ''sinensis'' ** Orange blossom, its fragrant flower *Orange (colour), from the color of an orange, occurs between red and yellow in the visible spectrum * ...

, Timberlake, and Woodmere; as well as parts of Painesville Township.

Personal life

Yuko resides in

Richmond Heights, Ohio Richmond Heights is a city in Cuyahoga County, Ohio, United States. The population was 10,546 at the 2010 census. Geography Richmond Heights is located at (41.558183, -81.503651). Richmond Heights borders Euclid on the west, Lyndhurst and Sout ...

, with his wife, Pam. They have two children: Angela and the late Kenneth ("Rocky").

References

External links

The Ohio Senate: Sen. Kenny Yuko (D-Richmond Heights)
''official site''
The Ohio House of Representatives: Rep. Kenny Yuko (D-Richmond Heights)
''official site''
KennyYuko.com
''official campaign site'' *''Follow the Money'' - Kenny Yuko
200820062004
campaign contributions {{DEFAULTSORT:Yuko, Kenny 1950 births 21st-century American politicians Kent State University alumni Living people Democratic Party members of the Ohio House of Representatives Democratic Party Ohio state senators People from Cuyahoga County, Ohio People from Euclid, Ohio Politicians from Cleveland