Governor, State of Ohio
—1963-1971 — 1975-1983 —
· Established Ohio's System of Two-Year & Technical Colleges
· Former President of the American Athletic Union "AAU"
· Increased state support for medical education
· "Jim Rhodes is the fastest wit I've ever met." —Bob Hope
· Expended Ohio's system of state parks, building six
· Established the Ohio Board of Regents as the coordinating body for higher education in Ohio.
· "Poverty breeds crime, disease, immorality, and delinquency."
· Built the Ohio State Fair to the largest in the country. He called it "The Showcase of Ohio"
· Led the way in building Ohio's part of the Appalachian Highway System serving southern Ohio.
· Responsible for the building of the Ohio Historical Society Center in Columbus.
· Established the Junior Fairboard, the Agriculture Hall of Fame, and The Sale of Champions
· "We must prepare each youth to graduate with a diploma in one hand and a job in the other."
· Established the Ohio Water Development Authority and the Ohio Air Quality Development Authority.
· Principal state partner in the creation of the James Cancer Hospital at Ohio State University.
· Built 85 county airports
· "The Jobs Governor"
· Built the Ohio Historical Center at the
State Fairgrounds
· Built numerous senior citizen centers across Ohio
· Founded the Ohio Association of Commodores, a group who exists to promote Ohio.
· Made Ohio the leader in development of interstate highways.
· "Three rules: No stealing. No drinking on the job. No romancing the help."
· Established the Ohio Youth Commission to deal with juvenile crime.
· "Never get so mad at someone that you can't have breakfast with them the next day."
· The greatest contribution a governor can make is to create jobs in the private sector."
· 44th Mayor, City of Columbus 1944-1952
· "Ohio has more things by accident than all the other states have on purpose."
· Born, Coalton, Ohio 9/13/1909.
· Died, Columbus, Ohio 3/4/2001.
· In 1948, selected as representative of the United States at the Olympic Games in London.
· Founded the renowed Rhodes Raiders, a group who traveled worldwide enticing businesses to locate in Ohio
· Increased two-year school enrollment from 27,000 to 147,000 students between 1965 and 1982.
· Established the Ohio Commission of Aging and in 1976 he established the Golden Buckeye Card program.
· "Profit is not a Dirty Word in Ohio."
· Expanded the State University System to 12 universities
· Ohio's
longest-termed governor
· "All the social ills among able-bodied people comes from the lack of a job."
· Established Ohio's System of Vocational Schools—built 49 facilities
· The nation's first governor to lead a trade mission to China.
· "Government does not create wealth."
· Auditor, State of Ohio 1853-1963
· Co-author of three historical novels and author of another.
· Eleven Ohio colleges and universities awarded him honorary degrees.
· Founder of the Pan-American Games
Dedicated 5/2/2013 by Governor John Kasich · Jackson Historical Society · Designer Michael Stroth · Architect: Panich + Noel Associates · Statue Cast by Alan Cotrill · Constructed by Stockmeister Enterprises, Inc. · Committee: Alan Stockmeister, Bob Ervin, Steve Evans, Bill Morgan, James Baker, Brad Long, Richard Hillis, John Kelly, Fred Mills, Janine Conrad, Dick Crawford, Richard More · Commissioners: Jim Riepenhoff, Jerry Hall, Paul Haller, Ed Armstrong
Constructed using private donations from: Ohio Association of Commodores,
MACBEA Foundation, Jewell Evans, Bellisio Foods,
OPM Metals, Stockmeister Family Fund, Steve Landerman, Steve & Becky Evans, Marguerite Hughes, Fred Daily, Ed & Sharon Armstrong, WesBanco, Eisnaugle Lewis Funeral Home, David Jenkins, James A. Rhodes Leadership
Fund, Robert Howarth
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