|
|
 |
Ben Konop
|
Lucas County Commissioner Ben Konop
|
Commissioner Ben Konop took office in January of 2007 after being overwhelmingly elected by the citizens of Lucas County.
Though this is Commissioner Konop’s first time in elected office, this is not the beginning of his love of public service. In 1993, Congresswoman Marcy Kaptur appointed Commissioner Konop to be a Page in the United States House of Representatives. After witnessing first hand the ability of public servants to make a positive difference in the lives of Americans, Commissioner Konop knew he wanted to devote his life to public service.
Upon graduation from the public schools of Lucas County, Commissioner Konop attended Emory University where he received a Bachelors Degree in History. During his years at Emory, he was also fortunate enough to study History and Literature at Oxford University in England. Commissioner Konop went on to receive his law degree from the University of Michigan Law School.
After receiving his degree, Commissioner Konop moved to the nation’s capital and practiced law at the international law firm, Fulbright & Jaworski, LLP. Though he represented Fortune 500 companies in litigation, he also served in several volunteer legal projects and helped to start a mentoring program for at-risk junior high school students.
Commissioner Konop found the practice of law rewarding, but his heart remained in public service. In 2004, Commissioner Konop ran for the U.S. Congress against an entrenched, well-funded incumbent Mike Oxley. He campaigned vigorously throughout the district, including a grassroots walking tour from Urbana to Mansfield, a distance of over 150 miles. Though he came up short on election night, Commissioner Konop received the highest percentage of votes against his opponent in over 20 years and more votes than any other congressional challenger in all of Ohio. Following his hard fought campaign, Rep. Oxley decided to retire and not seek reelection in 2006.
Following his congressional campaign, Commissioner Konop returned to Lucas County and as a Visiting Professor at the University of Toledo College of Law teaching corporate, environmental, legislative and election law. In December of 2005, Commissioner Konop announced that he would be running for Lucas County Commissioner. Commissioner Konop ran on the platform of progressive change for Lucas County. He championed issues like brain drain, energy efficiency and job creation. Commissioner Konop won the May primary and went on to receive the nomination of the Lucas County Democratic Party. Throughout the rest of the campaign, Commissioner Konop continued to introduce progressive ideas to move Lucas County into the 21st century. Commissioner Konop was an intense campaigner. He went door-to-door weekly, attended nearly every meeting he was invited to, he visited churches, coffee shops, and barbershops sharing his message of “Vision and Values for Lucas County.” On Election Day, voters responded to his message and elected him to the Board of County Commissioners with nearly 65% of the vote.
Currently, Commissioner Konop sits on the Board of Directors for several organizations in Lucas County including Connecting Point of Toledo, Big Brothers Big Sisters of Northwest Ohio and the Catholic Club of Toledo. Commissioner Konop continues to teach Election Law at the University of Toledo College of Law and is donating his salary earned from teaching to establish a scholarship for economically disadvantaged, evening law students.
Commissioner Konop credits much of his success to his parents, Alan and Barbara Konop. Both have been active in their pursuits of social justice; Alan as an Attorney and Barbara as a teacher, social worker and active community volunteer. Commissioner Konop attends Etz Chayim Synagogue in Toledo and lives in Downtown Toledo’s Warehouse District.
|
|
|
|
