Bobcats in office: 51�� alumni leading Southeastern Ohio as mayors

Greg Fraunfelter and Luke Feeney are shown with a group of other mayors from around Southeastern Ohio during a meeting at the Ohio Statehouse

Across Southeastern Ohio, 51�� alumni are stepping into leadership as mayors, bringing with them the practical skills and values they developed in Athens. Whether their backgrounds are in education, political science or public administration, each has found a path into public service shaped by their time at OHIO.

Greg Fraunfelter, , did not originally plan to enter public office. A lifelong high school educator, he earned a bachelor’s and two master’s degrees from OHIO in education and vocational education from the Patton College of Education, specializing in exercise physiology. At OHIO, he learned how to teach, coach and connect with people—skills that remain central to how he leads today as mayor.

“When you're a teacher, especially one who’s really involved, you’re always learning,” Fraunfelter said. That mindset followed him into his role as mayor, which he began in 2016. One of his first challenges was figuring out what “economic development” meant.

“When I was elected mayor, I heard the term ‘economic development’ and didn’t know what it meant,” Fraunfelter said. “It felt like someone could put everything I knew on the tip of a sewing needle and it’d be smaller than the needle itself, so I knew I needed to continue learning.”

Greg Fraunfelter is shown speaking in front of other Ohio leaders at the Ohio Statehouse — Logan Mayor Greg Fraunfelter

So he did what any good educator would do, he became a student again. He attended a weeklong training on economic development and began applying those lessons immediately.

Fraunfelter’s curiosity and willingness to learn proved invaluable when, just months into his first year as mayor, a 12-inch water main burst. With the city’s valves malfunctioning, Fraunfelter had to make the call to shut down the entire water treatment system. For eight days, the City of Logan relied on bottled water delivered by grocery chains, with residents lining up at the fairgrounds to receive it.

“People weren’t nearly as upset as I thought they would be,” Fraunfelter said. “The community came together. That’s something I will never forget.”

Like Fraunfelter, Don Anderson did not start his career in public service, but it eventually found him. After earning his undergraduate degree in natural resources management from The Ohio State University, he completed his Master of Science in Environmental Studies at OHIO.

Anderson spent 37 years working for American Electric Power (AEP) before getting involved with the , eventually becoming mayor in 2017. Anderson said his OHIO education helped him thrive in the role and said the most rewarding part of working in public service is being able to make a difference.

“We can’t do everything, but we get some things done that benefit a lot of people,” he said. “That’s what makes it rewarding.”

Luke Feeney is shown speaking to a class of students — Chillicothe Mayor Luke Feeney

For , OHIO sparked an early interest in public service. Though he chose OHIO in part to join the crew team, his experience studying political science in Athens shaped his worldview.

“It was a great place to shape my concept of government and how politics interact with the world,” he said.

After graduation, Feeney earned his law degree from Case Western Reserve University and began working in legal aid, serving low-income residents and seniors in Chillicothe. That work inspired him to run for city auditor, and later, for mayor. As mayor, he’s focused on practical, people-first improvements: launching a dog park, rolling out curbside recycling and working closely with the Voinovich School of Leadership and Public Service. He also teaches public policy at OHIO’s Chillicothe campus.

“There’s a high level of job satisfaction in serving others,” Feeney said. “A lot of that came from my time at OU, whether it was something in a philosophy class or just the experience of being there.”

All three mayors are members of the , a nonpartisan 501(c)3 and supported by the Voinovich School. It brings local leaders together to share ideas, tackle common challenges and collaborate on regional solutions. For Fraunfelter, Anderson and Feeney, it is a continuation of the community-centered values they developed at OHIO and a reminder that their learning never really stopped.

These alumni represent a growing network of OHIO graduates who are using their education to lead, serve and strengthen their communities across Southeastern Ohio.

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