Culp joins Eastwood school board

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PEMBERVILLE – Eastwood Local Schools has sworn in the second new board of education member in six months.

The board, at a special meeting Nov. 2, chose Ashley Culp to replace Jim Rogers, who submitted his letter of resignation on Oct. 17.

At Culp’s first board meeting Nov. 14, board President AJ Haas said he felt she was a good representative to the district and will be accessible to the different community members.

“We felt her professional experience will bring a different side that we don’t have on the board already,” Haas said.

Culp said she was looking forward to serving on the board.

“I just wanted to have involvement in the community I live in and grew up in, and my kids go to school here,” Culp said.

She graduated from Eastwood in 2001 and has a daughter in second grade with the plan to enroll two other children in the district.

Culp, who grew up on a farm, is the regional credit officer for United Producers Inc. in Columbus. In that role, she compiles financial information to discover the best credit options for farmers.

She also collaborates with livestock marketing and risk management representatives to provide solutions for customers seeking up to $10 million in funding. Culp previously has been a swine sales representative and a livestock judging coach.

“She brings an ag background back to the board of education, which we haven’t had in a while,” said board member Denis Helm.

Fellow member Randy Rothenbuhler agreed.

“I think it’s a needed perspective to add her to the board. She has shown continued interest in the board and I think she’ll do a great job serving the district,” he said.

Culp received a Bachelor of Science in agriculture from Ohio State University in 2005 and a Master of Science in agriculture from Iowa State University in 2007 with a major in animal breeding and genetics.

“Ashley brings incredible business experience and great professionalism … and is very involved in our community activities,” said board member Darlene Krukemyer.

Culp is treasurer of the Wood County Stock Show Foundation, social media coordinator for Eastwood’s LifeWise Academy, 4-H club adviser and a Wood County Farm Bureau board member.

She also is a board member at Bethlehem Lutheran Preschool and a member of that church.

The board received five letters of interest and interviewed all five candidates, said Superintendent Brent Welker.

“She brings a lot of positive energy, she brings a lot of ideas, and I think the board is really fortunate to find someone like Ashley to serve on the board,” Welker said.

She will finish Rogers’ term on the board, which ends Dec. 31, 2023. She then can choose to run for a four-year term.

Rogers had been on the board since 2017, and his involvement with the district long preceded his tenure on the board. He was on the first Business Advisory Council in 2007 and helped the district during an extremely difficult financial period.

He cited issues with district leadership in his letter of resignation.

Haas has been selected as the new board president, to replace Rogers, who was elected to that office in January.

Rogers is the second board member to leave in six months.

The board on June 13 accepted the resignation of Sherri Sheffler, who had served as a member since 2010.

She cited personal reasons for her departure.

On June 27, the board selected Krukemyer to fill her seat. She will serve the remainder of Sheffler’s term, which expires on Dec. 31, 2023.

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