Stivers, Republicans Continue To Play Politics With BWC

 Promoted to the front page. -Jerid

Cross posted at ProgressOhio:

After first overseeing the disasterous Coingate scandal, Republicans are continuing to play politics with the Bureau of Workers' Compensation. This time, led by State Sen. Steve Stivers (R-Hilliard), they are threatening to block Gov. Strickland's nomination of a highly qualified AEP executive, Marsha Ryan, as BWC administrator. Just how qualified is Ms. Ryan to lead the BWC? Well, according the Dispatch:

Ryan, a Toledo native, moved back to Ohio last fall to take her current post at AEP, leaving her job of two years as president and chief operating officer of Indiana Michigan Power.

She has worked for AEP since 1990, serving in executive positions in government affairs, marketing, customer care and field operations. Before that, she worked for more than 18 years with the Ohio Department of Commerce, the Ohio attorney general, the Consumers' Counsel and the Public Utilities Commission of Ohio.

Ryan has also served on the board of State Auto Mutual Insurance since 2002. Despite mountains of evidence to the contrary, Stivers had the audacity to say this:

But state Sen. Steve Stivers, R-Upper Arlington, who sits on the bureau's Oversight Commission as a nonvoting member, said it doesn't appear that Ryan has enough experience in the insurance industry or management background.

Ryan served in executive positions in four different areas at American Electric Power, served as the Chief Operating Officer of Indiana/Michigan Power, sat on the board of a major insurance company, and has 18 years of state government experience in a variety of agencies. And on top of that impressive resume, she is eager to take the job:

In an interview, Ryan said there's probably not a tougher job in state government but that she's ready for the challenge.

"That's why I want to do it," she said. "I'm definitely up for it."

Ryan said the dominant trend throughout her professional life has been how to "fix things, improve things and make processes that work well." She wants to re-establish "professionalism, accountability and transparency" at the bureau.