Full Biography for Jim Yunker

Candidate for
Board Member; Forest Hills Local School District

Biography

Age: 52

Family: spouse: Dawn (BS, University of Illinois); two children: 5th grade son and 3rd grade daughter, both attending a Forest Hills elementary school

Education: BS, Education ('69), MA, public relations ('74), Ball State University; EdD, higher education administration ('77), Indiana University. Named Outstanding Alumnus of the Year by the Department of Journalism, Ball State University, 1995.

Occupation: President & CEO, Smith Beers Yunker & Company, Inc., an international management and fund-raising consultancy serving the non-profit sector with offices in Cincinnati, Chicago and St. Helens, England.

Professional Experience: High School Journalism Teacher, New Haven, Indiana; Assistant Director of Alumni & Development, Ball State; Director of Development, American Bar Association's Fund for Public Education; President, Oklahoma Independent College Foundation; Vice President of External Relations, Regent's College, London, England; Certified Fund Raising Executive (CFRE) by the National Society of Fund Raising Executives; and speaker/teacher at local, regional and national conferences.

Board Experience: Trustee, Anderson Foundation for Parks & Recreation; Member, Advisory Board, Chicago Philanthropy; Member, Board of Directors, American Association of Fund Raising Counsel; Executive Committee member and Treasurer, Board of Directors, Association of Philanthropic Counsel; past president of the Board, Frank Lloyd Wright Home & Studio Foundation; past secretary of the Board, Think First Foundation; former member of the BSU Journalism Alumni Council; former member of the board, Big Brothers, Norman, Oklahoma; and past vice president of the boards of the Cincinnati and Chicago chapters of the National Society of Fund Raising Executives.

Volunteer Involvement: Mercer Elementary since 1995: lunchroom helper, classroom Dad, Great Aspirations Advocate Mentor, Accelerated Schools Coach, and Principal Selection Committee; Pride of Turpin Committee, Turpin Athletic Boosters; YMCA Indian Princess & Trailblazer Programs; Anderson Foundation for Parks & Recreation; Men's Group Treasurer, Heritage Universalist Unitarian Church; sponsor of Knothole Baseball Mustangs, APD Basketball Wizards, and SCSA Soccer's Tie Dye Tornadoes; former Jr.-Sr. High youth group director, Memorial Presbyterian Church, Norman, Oklahoma; former Big Brother; and member of Rotary Club of Cincinnati, Sigma Chi Alumni Chapter of Cincinnati, Anderson Area and Greater Cincinnati Chambers of Commerce.

Reason for candidacy: "Because It Matters" is the theme of Jim Yunker's candidacy. To him, the following are among the priority issues which matter: Safe schools, Excellent teachers, Excited and engaged students, Class size, Funding, and Parental involvement.

License plate: Give 5 Jim supports a national effort of the Independent Sector encouraging "Just five hours a week...just 5% of your income to the causes you really care about. That investment could change somebody's life. And it's hard to imagine a better return than that. Give Five!"