Bowling Green State University

Dr. Carol A. Cartwright, who is one of the most highly respected voices in higher education, is the first woman to take a presidential role at Bowling Green State University. She was named the president of BGSU Jan. 6, 2009, after serving as interim president since July 2008. Dr. Cartwright’s experience in Ohio was key to the BGSU Board of Trustee’s decision to name her president. She also has a keen understanding of the opportunities available through the University System of Ohio and is supportive of the vision of Gov. Strickland and Chancellor Fingerhut. Dr. Cartwright’s career has been distinguished by innovative teaching, pioneering research and national leadership. She became Kent State University’s 10th president–and the first woman president of a state university in Ohio–in March 1991. She retired as president in June 2006 and was named president emeritus. Prior to her career at Kent State, she was vice chancellor for academic affairs at the University of California at Davis and dean for undergraduate programs and vice provost at The Pennsylvania State University. Under Dr. Cartwright's leadership, student success became Kent State's top priority; many mutually beneficial partnerships were forged with businesses, schools and other universities; the status of teaching and public service was elevated; academic programs were launched in a wide range of high-demand and emerging fields; the university pioneered technologies that enhance teaching and learning; enrollment increased in quantity and quality; building and celebrating diversity became an institutional priority; new collaborations and exchanges connected Kent State to every corner of the world; the university constructed 21st-century facilities from residence halls to research labs; and Kent State successfully completed its first, major fund-raising campaign. Dr. Cartwright held prominent leadership roles on higher education’s most influential national organizations, chairing the board of directors of the American Association for Higher Education and serving on the boards of directors of the American Council on Education and the National Association of State Universities and Land-Grant Colleges. She chaired the National Collegiate Athletic Association Executive Committee and served as a member of the NCAA’s board of directors. She also served on the executive board of the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education; the Center for Research Libraries board of directors; and the American Council on Education Commission on Women in Higher Education. She currently serves on the board of directors of the American Association of Colleges and Universities; the Knight Commission on Intercollegiate Athletics; and the National Public Radio board of directors. Dr. Cartwright was a leading member of numerous regional and statewide civic and economic-development organizations, including the Greater Akron Chamber, the Northeast Ohio Council on Higher Education and NorTech. She co-chaired the Ohio Technology in Education Committee, which developed Ohio’s master plan for educational technology from preschool through graduate school. Her participation in initiatives to improve Ohio’s economy includes past service on the Governor’s Commission on Higher Education and the Economy. Dr. Cartwright also serves on the boards of directors of three companies with headquarters in Northeast Ohio: KeyCorp and PolyOne Corporation of Cleveland and FirstEnergy Corp. of Akron. The scope of her contributions to higher education led to Dr. Cartwright's induction into the Ohio Women's Hall of Fame in her first year of eligibility. She received Distinguished Alumni awards from the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater and the University of Pittsburgh; the Clairol Mentor Award in Education; the YWCA Greater Cleveland Women of Achievement Award; the Northeast Ohio ATHENA Award; and the March of Dimes Franklin Delano Roosevelt Humanitarian Award for Excellence. After announcing her retirement as president, she was honored throughout the region, state and nation, including recognition in the form of resolutions of appreciation from the Ohio Legislature and the U.S. Congress. She was awarded the title “President Emeritus” from the Kent State University Board of Trustees. In addition, the Auditorium Building on the university’s Kent Campus was named “Carol A. Cartwright Hall” in her honor. Dr. Cartwright earned master's and doctoral degrees from the University of Pittsburgh and her bachelor's degree from the University of Wisconsin at Whitewater.

The Deerfield Township Trustees hired Captain Douglas Wehmeyer in September 2002 to supervise the Fire Inspection, Fire Investigation, and Community Outreach Programs. Captain Wehmeyer is certified by the State of Ohio as a Firefighter Level II, Paramedic, Fire Safety Inspector, Fire Instructor, Fire Safety Inspector Instructor, and Hazardous Material Technician. He is also certified by the Ohio Board of Building Standards as a Class IV (FPI) Building Inspector and by the NAFI National Certification Board as a Certified Fire and Explosion Investigator. Captain Wehmeyer has extensive training in fire and arson investigation and is a graduate of the National Fire Academy's Fire and Arson Investigation Program and Interview, Interrogation, and Courtroom Testimony Program. Captain Wehmeyer began his fire service career as a second generation firefighter in 1989 with the Lockland Fire Department, where he served for 10 years, achieving the rank of Lieutenant. In addition to Lockland, Wehmeyer was employed by several area departments as a Part-time Firefighter prior to being hired as a Career Firefighter with the Village of Woodlawn in 1995. In 1996, he was promoted to Fire Marshal, where he supervised the Fire Prevention and Fire Investigation Bureaus. In 1999 Wehmeyer was promoted Captain where he continued to oversee the Fire Investigation Bureau, in addition to supervising EMS Operations for three years and the Training Bureau for one year, prior to accepting full time employment with Deerfield Township. While employed by Woodlawn, he was also a member of the Hamilton County Specialized County Arson Taskforce (SCAT) where he serving as the Taskforce's Operations Officer and Central Team Leader. Captain Wehmeyer has been a member of the Warren County Fire Investigation Team since October 2002, serving as the Team's President. Captain Wehmeyer was honored in 2003 as the Deerfield Township "Firefighter of the Year." In 2004 he was honored by the Warren County Prosecutor's Office receiving the prestigious "Erroll D. Butt Outstanding Investigator Award" as a result of his work on an aggravated arson case that was successfully prosecuted. Captain Wehmeyer is a contracted faculty instructor for Bowling Green State University where he is the lead instructor for basic fire investigations at the College's Semi-Annual State Fire School. He is also an adjunct faculty instructor for the Warren County Career Center, where he provides instruction for students attempting to obtain State certification as firefighters and/or certified fire safety inspectors. During his seventeen year career, he has expanded his fire service education in several areas including: Incident Command, Safety, Leadership, Fire Company and Personnel Management, Rapid Intervention, and Accountability.

Kenneth I. Pargament is a licensed clinical psychologist. He received his Ph.D. from the University of Maryland, completing an internship at Rutgers Medical School and post-doctoral training in the School of Public Health and Hygiene at John Hopkins University. He is professor of psychology at Bowling Green State University where he teaches courses in individual, marital, and family therapy, supervises clinical psychology graduate students, and conducts research on stress and coping. He is a fellow of the American Psychological Association and the American Psychological Society. He has published numerous articles on stress and coping, and has received national attention and awards for his research in this area. Dr. Pargament practices psychology at 3454 Oak Alley Court, Suite 300, in the Westgate area of Toledo easily accessible to the major highways Interstates 23, 75, and 475, and in the Psychological Services Center at Bowling Green State University. He offers individual, couples, and family therapy to people who are experiencing problems with stress, depression, anxiety, physical illness, and interpersonal conflicts. In addition, he has worked extensively with people encountering existential, spiritual, and religious problems. His phone number is (419) 537-6959 in Toledo and (419) 372-8037 in Bowling Green.

Nancy Buck is Associate Professor of Viola at Arizona State University. She holds degrees in performance from the Oberlin Conservatory and the Cleveland Institute of Music. She has previously been on the faculty of Bowling Green State University and the Pennsylvania's Governors School for the Arts. Buck is currently a board member of the American Viola Society and is an active presenter for the American String Teachers Association. Buck is also in demand as a recitalist and masterclass clinician throughout the United States. She has performed with the Canton Symphony, Michigan Chamber Symphony, Toledo Symphony and Phoenix Symphony. Her chamber music experience includes performances with the St. Lawrence and Maia String Quartets, the Red Rocks Music Festival, the Aspen and Sarasota Music Festivals, and the Schleswig-Holstein Music Festival.

Tim Olt is principal tuba of the Lima Symphony Orchestra and is a member of the professional tuba quartet All the King's Tubas. He also has performed with the Cincinnati Opera Orchestra, Cincinnati Symphony and Pops Orchestras, and the Tallahassee Symphony Orchestra. He is currently on the faculty of Bowling Green University.

Peggy Schmeltz was appointed to BetterInvesting's board of trustees after serving as the chairman of the board, president, regional coordinator and director of training for the National Investors Association Advisory Board. In addition to her responsibilities as a trustee, Peggy is a director of the NAIC Growth Fund. Previously to her appointment to the board, she served as a member of the Individual Investors Advisory committee of the New York Stock Exchange. In 1982, Peggy and her husband were the joint recipients of the Investment Education Institute's Distinguished Service Award in Investment Education. Peggy has made countless guest speaker appearances on the topic of investing for Chapters, conventions and local organizations in more than 35 states. She has a bachelor's and master's degree in business from Bowling Green State University (BGSU), and served as director of the BGSU Foundation Board. Peggy is the founder and chairman of the Northwest Buckeye Chapter in Ohio, and is a member of two investment clubs. She helped form more than 100 investment clubs, many of them while assisting her husband, Bill, a finance professor, teaching on Air Force bases. There, Peggy taught BetterInvesting's principles to master's program students. Her volunteer experience includes serving as a Girl Scout leader, Bowling Green Girl Scout president and district chairman of Girl Scout leaders. For many years her volunteering included serving as the buyer of the Wood County Hospital gift shop, in Bowling Green. She also was the city co-chairman of the United Way and publicity chairman for Easter Seals. She currently lives in Bowling Green and has four children.