Harry Meshel

Infobox Person
name = Harry Meshel

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image_size = 200px
birth_date = 1924
birth_place = Youngstown, Ohio
death_date =
occupation = Political leader

Harry Meshel (born 1924 in Youngstown, Ohio) is a former American politician who served as a Democrat in the Ohio State Senate. Meshel is noted for his legislative efforts on behalf of the disabled, economic development, and solid and hazardous waste disposal.

Early years

He was born into a Greek-American familycite web | url = http://www.helleniccomserve.com/hellenicprojectfundraiser.html | title = Hellenic Project | publisher = Helleniccomserve.com | accessdate = 2007-11-14] and worked in a steel mill in his youth. Following naval service during the Second World War, Meshel earned a bachelor's degree in business from Youngstown College and a master's degree in urban land economics from Columbia University. In 1950, he became a limited instructor at Youngstown College, while also working in investment, real estate, and insurance.cite news
first = Mark
last = Niquette
title = Dinner fetes Harry Meshel: Meshel's Senate career was marked by his work on behalf of the handicapped, economic development and YSU, colleagues say
work = The Vindicator
date = July 14, 1993]

Political career

In the 1960s, Meshel waged two unsuccessful campaigns for Mahoning County commissioner. He became an administrative assistant to Youngstown Mayor Anthony Flask in 1964, and served as urban renewal director in 1969. Meshel entered electoral politics in 1970, when he ran for a seat in the Ohio State Senate. In 1971, he was elected to the 33rd District of the Ohio Senate, and he was re-elected five times. Meshel became the Senate's majority whip and chairman of the Senate Finance Committee.

In 1980, Meshel ran for a seat in the United States House of Representatives but lost to Republican incumbent Lyle Williams. That same year, the Democrats lost the majority in the state Senate and Meshel replaced Oliver Ocasek, who had been president of the Ohio Senate, as the party's leader in the senate. Meshel served as minority leader from 1981 to 1982.

During his five terms in the Ohio Senate, Meshel was credited with helping to secure almost $150 million in capital improvements for Youngstown State University. In addition, he secured more than $160 million in grants and loans from the Ohio Department of Development for economic development projects. Meshel also worked to create the Northeastern Universities College of Medicine, the College of Osteopathic Medicine at Ohio University, the Wright State University School of Professional psychology, and other programs.

Later years

In 1993, Meshel resigned from the Ohio Senate to become chairman of the Ohio Democratic Party, a position he held until 1995. Meshel currently works as a lobbyist and also serves as a trustee of Youngstown State University. He was recently honored for spearheading the creation of the Youngstown Historical Center of Industry and Labor, which celebrated its 15th anniversary in September 2007.cite news
first = Don
last = Shilling
title = Museum celebrates 15th anniversary
work = The Vindicator
page = A-1
date = September 28, 2007]

References

See also

* Election Results, U.S. Representative from Ohio, 19th District