Deceased judge's seat on Huron court filled

7/16/2006

COLUMBUS - Attorney William R. Steuk of Huron was appointed by Gov. Bob Taft to fill the vacancy created on Huron Municipal Court by the death of Judge Ralph Pisano, Jr.

Mr. Steuk, whose term on the court will begin Friday, is with the Sandusky firm of Flynn, Py, & Kruse. He received a bachelor's degree in history from the University of Michigan and a law degree from Ohio Northern University.

"This is bittersweet," Mr. Steuk said. "[Judge Pisano] died tragically. He was only 55 years old. He was well loved and well respected, and deservedly so. I have a lot of work to fill his shoes and live up to the expectations he set forth."

A Republican, Mr. Steuk will have to run in 2007 for the right to complete the rest of Judge Pisano's term and would run again in 2009 for a full term of his own.

A review of campaign-finance records with the Ohio secretary of state's office shows that Mr. Steuk has contributed to both Democratic and Republican candidates, including Mr. Taft when he was secretary of state in 1994.

Mr. Taft also appointed Vickie Graymire, trauma program manager and clinical nurse specialist at St. Rita's Medical Center in Lima, to the State Board of Emergency Medical Services for a term ending Nov. 12, 2007.

Ms. Graymire, a Lima resident, replaces Kathryn Jo Haley, who resigned. Ms. Graymire received a bachelor's degree in nursing from Bowling Green State University and a master's degree from Wright State University near Dayton.