The Probate Court of Suffolk County, Mass., has named Ricky (Rick) D. Gildow of Bellefontaine as a trustee of the Sloan Industrial School, established under the terms and provisions of the Last Will and Testament of Earl S. Sloan.
Gildow succeeds the late Harold D. Marker as a trustee and joins surviving trustees Charles R. Earick and Thomas J. Simon.
Currently employed as the economic development coordinator for the Greater Logan County Area Chamber of Commerce, Gildow retired in 2014 from The Ohio State University as director of the Transportation Research Center and as president of the Transportation Research Center Inc. During his 36-plus year career at TRC, he held various management positions, with the last 21 years as president and a member of the board of directors.
In addition, Gildow has an extensive record of service to the community, including serving for 18 years as a councilman for the City of Bellefontaine. He is currently serving on the board of directors of the Mary Rutan Health Association, Mary Rutan Hospital and the West Liberty Cares and Affiliates. He is the chair of the The Greater Logan County Community Improvement Corporation and the chair of the Bellefontaine-Logan County Finance and Development Authority.
His awards include induction into the Bellefontaine High School Athletic Hall of Fame in 2008, the BHS Distinguished Alumni Award in 2018 and the honor of serving as commencement speaker in 2018. He is also a recipient of the Greater Logan County Area Chamber of Commerce Richard J. Rupp Leadership Award, the Governor of Ohio recognition for leadership and promotion of economic development in Logan County and the Commissioners’ Commendation for Service to Logan County.
A 1972 BHS graduate, Gildow received an AA degree in business administration from Southern Ohio College in 1974, a BA degree in business administration from the University of Findlay in 1987 and an MBA from The Ohio State University in 1991.
He and his wife, Mary, reside in Bellefontaine and are the parents of Katie (Kelly) Buffkin and have five grandchildren.
Dr. Sloan was a native of Zanesfield who formulated and patented “Sloan’s Liniment” in the early part of the 20th century. He was born in 1848 and died in Boston in 1923.
Under the terms of the Last Will and Testament of Earl S. Sloan, the Sloan Industrial School provides funds for the purchase of vocational educational equipment for students in the Bellefontaine City School District and the Ohio Hi-Point Career Center.
To date, funds in excess of $15 million have been expended for the benefit of local students.