About Mike Fox

Professional Experience

Mike has been a small business owner for more than 25 years. Mike and his father, Ben, owned and operated Dixie Hamburger for nearly a decade. He owns Fox Development and Distribution, a marketing and product distribution services company.

A former stockbroker and investment banking consultant, Mike worked for the Ohio Company for nearly eight years. He served on the Finance and Appropriations Committee of the Ohio House for 20 years and has developed a particular expertise in government finance. Mike is the creator and developer of Tutorbytes©, a digital tutoring program being designed to serve as an electronic study guide and curriculum supplement.

He is one of Ohio’s most creative and innovative public servants. Mike has been involved in public policy formulation for over 30 years. He is the longest serving legislator from Butler County in history, serving as a member of the Ohio General Assembly for nearly 23 years and chairing the Education Committee of the Ohio House of Representatives. Mike became a Butler County Commissioner in 1997 and has served on the Board of Commissioners continuously since then, serving two terms as Board President.

Education

Mike, a former teacher, graduated from Miami University in 1971 with a degree in education. He received the President’s Award from Miami University, recognizing him for his contribution to the university and education.

Mr. Fox is one of the nation’s leaders in education policy and education technology policy development and applications. As a legislator, he sponsored Ohio’s $500 million SchoolNet Plus program, which provided a computer for every five pupils in kindergarten through fourth grade in Ohio’s public schools. While a legislator, Mike wrote legislation promoting the establishment of community schools (charter schools), parental choice and education accountability. He co-authored legislation significantly upgrading teacher licensure laws in Ohio, requiring that all new elementary teachers be reading experts.

Mr. Fox was an active member of the American Legislative Exchange Council and was chairman of ALEC’s Committee of Education and Technology. In 1995, Mr. Fox was selected as the organization’s “Legislator of the Year” for his work in education policy development.

Mr. Fox also served as a Commissioner of the Education Commission of the States and a member of the organization’s Policy and Steering Committee. He remains involved in the commission, where he served as a member of the Policy Advisory Panel for two governors: Kentucky Governor Paul Patton and former Iowa Governor Terry Branstad.

Affiliations

Mr. Fox has also been active in the National Council of State Legislators, where he was a member of the Education Committee of the Assembly on the States. He has been a contributing member in the organization’s efforts to promote effective education technology initiatives at the state level.

Mr. Fox served as a member of the Advisory Board for the Milken Exchange on Education Technology, a 12-member board chaired by the former Governor of West Virginia, Gaston Caperton. MEET was an initiative of the Milken Family Foundation, dedicated to the promotion of policies at the national and state levels to expand technology access for American educators and schoolchildren.

Republican Service

Mike is one of the longest serving members of the Butler County Republican Party, beginning his service as a member of the teenage Republicans, participating as a volunteer for the Goldwater campaign. In 1969, Mike was elected President of Miami University College Republican Club. He went on to hold numerous offices in the State College Republican Organization, eventually being elected to Chairman of the Ohio League of College Republican Clubs, an organization having more than 5,000 members statewide. During this period Mike served, as he did for many years, as a Republican Precinct Committeeman.

Throughout his career Mike has been instrumental in electing Republicans to state and local offices. Following the primary election in 1970, Mike worked as a field organizer for U.S. Senator Robert Taft Jr.'s campaign, later going on to serve as a member of Senator Taft's senatorial staff.

Mike also served as Regional Political Director for the Republican National Committee, responsible for organizing five mid-western states. Additionally, he worked as an organizer for the Committee to Re-elect the President in 1972, and served as the campaign manager for the first Kindness for Congress Committee.

Mike was first elected to the Ohio House in 1974 and to the Butler County Commission in 1998, following his appointment to the unexpired term of Commissioner Janet Clemmons in October of 1997. It is notable that regardless of the political climate of the state or the nation, Mike has established a impressive record of electibility.

Nov. 5, 1974 - Michael A. Fox 57%, Richard Love 43% - 38th House District

Nov. 2, 1976 - Michael A. Fox 66%, Carl M. Kollstedt 34% - 58th House District

Nov. 7, 1978 - Michael A. Fox 73%, Earl L. Guyler 27% - 58th House District

Nov. 4, 1980 - Michael A. Fox 71%, John W. Schmitt 29% - 58th House District

Nov. 2, 1982 - Michael A. Fox 62%, Coyt F. Rains 38% - 56th House District

Nov. 6, 1984 - Michael A. Fox 71%, Jerald D. Lykins 29% - 56th House District

Nov. 4, 1986 - Michael A. Fox 62%, Mark Conese 38% - 56th House District

Nov. 8, 1988 - Michael A. Fox 76%, Calvin Ed Hassler 24% - 56th House District

Nov. 6, 1990 - Michael A. Fox 69%, Richard Von Stein 31% - 56th House District

Nov. 3, 1992 - Michael A. Fox 66%, G. Mark Johnston 34% - 59th House District

Nov. 8, 1994 - Michael A. Fox 68%, Bryan Hershner 32% - 59th House District

Nov. 8, 1996 - Michael A. Fox 65%, Donald Hershner 35% - 59th House District

Nov. 3, 1998 - Michael A. Fox 61%, Jeffrey Kitchen 39% - County Commissioner

Nov. 7, 2000 - Michael A. Fox 64%, Terry J. Bridge 36% - County Commissioner

Throughout his career Mike has supported Republican Party organizational efforts for the election of qualified, committed candidates. He has always generously provided his guidance and expertise to novice candidates facing challenges in targeted GOP races. His input as campaign strategist has been a key factor in the successful election of Judge Randy Rogers, Auditor Kay Rogers, Clerk of Courts Cindy Carpenter, Judge Joyce Campbell, Prosecutor Robin Piper, Judge Ron Craft and Judge Charlie Pater. In Mike Fox's 34 years of service to the Republican Party, he has worked tirelessly for the election of Republicans at all levels of government.

Personal

Mike is a life-long Butler County resident who grew up in Hamilton with his parents and brother and sister. He attended Hamilton Public Schools and graduated from Taft High School. His mother, Nora, is a member of the Republican Party Executive Committee and remains a resident of Hamilton. Mike's commitment to law enforcement runs deep and strong. Mike's father Ben was a thirty year veteran of the Hamilton Police Department, and Mike is a former Deputy Sheriff for Butler County. Mike and his wife, Mary Ann, who is the daughter of former State Senator Charles Jones, reside in Fairfield Township. For many years, Mike and Mary Ann were involved in the Fairfield City School activities of their two children, Ashley and Ryan. Now they are enjoying a new and exciting phase of parenthood while Ashley and Ryan are attending Miami University.

Paid for the Citizens for Fox Committee, Madge Burton, Treasurer, 3577 Lanes Mill Rd., Oxford, OH 45056