Nancy Boomhower's speech to STRS Board, August 14, 2008

Good afternoon. My name is Nancy Boomhower. I am a 30 year retiree from Medina County. I taught first grade in Brunswick and now teach GED parttime at the Medina County Jail. At the present time, I am President of the Medina County Retired Teachers Association and a member of CORE.

I wanted to take this opportunity to say thank you and good luck to John Lazarus. We retirees are very grateful to John for the time that he spent on the Board helping to look out for our interests. He did this in sickness and health. Mostly in sickness.

I would also like to extend a welcome to Mike Nehf as he begins his position as our new director. Hopefully, this will be a time of peace and cooperation, as much progress has been made in establishing a better, more open and trusting relationship between the retirees and the STRS board, staff and administration. It has not been easy, but then nothing that is worthwhile is easily achieved.

We are looking forward to continuing to work together for the good of all educators.