(Columbus)—Ohio Attorney General Mike DeWine has made three appointments to the Ohio Consumers’ Counsel. The Ohio Consumers’ Counsel is a bipartisan board made up of nine members; three each representing residential consumers, organized labor and family farmers.
Michael A. Watkins of Elida was re-appointed to the board. Watkins has served as a member of the Fraternal Order of Police (FOP), Lima Lodge #21 since 1976 when he began his career as a police officer in the city of Lima. He currently is serving his third term as president of FOP Lodge #21 after working for 12 years as its secretary. Watkins was the trustee of the FOP's 6th district from 1993-1995 and re-elected to the position which he has held since 2007. As a civilian employee with the Lima Police Dept., Watkins developed a series of video and audio public service announcements and developed a television program demonstrating activities and the work of various special department units. He attended the Ohio State University-Lima campus where he studied psychology. His reappointment represents organized labor.
Sally A. Hughes of Columbus has been appointed to represent residential consumers. She is the President and CEO of Caster Connection, Inc., an industrial products distributor whose principal product lines include industrial and institutional casters and high-performance wheels from domestic and international manufacturers. Hughes serves on the board of the Ohio Chamber of Commerce and is a member of the Entrepreneurs Organization (EO), the Women Presidents Organization (WPO) and the Women’s Business Enterprise National Council (WBENC). Hughes has a B.A. in English literature and Spanish from Ohio University.
Fred Yoder of Plain City has been appointed to represent family farmers. He is the owner and operator of Fred Yoder Farms, and is a fourth-generation farmer with his family members. He is also partner and executive vice president with Yoder Ag Services, LLC, marketing seeds and consulting services. Active in many agricultural organizations, Yoder has served as president of the National Corn Growers Association and the Ohio Corn Growers Association. Yoder was the winner of the Ohio Livestock Coalition Environmental Stewardship Award in 2010.
Board members are appointed by the Ohio Attorney General for a term of three years. They require confirmation by the Ohio Senate.
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