Board Members

Dr. Margie Bennett

Board President

Margie is Professor Emerita from Mount Vernon Nazarene University, retired in June of 2011 after serving for 33 years. At the Mount Vernon Nazarene University, she was Professor of Mathematics and Director of Institutional Research.

Margie earned her B.A. in Mathematics from Olivet Nazarene University in 1969. She completed her M.Ed. in Educational Psychology at the University of Illinois in 1971 and her Ph.D. in Educational Psychology, also from the University of Illinois in 1976.

Dr. Bennett’s affiliations include the following:

National - The Higher Learning Commission (HLC): Institutional Actions Council (IAC); (HLC) Peer Reviewer and Team Chair

State - Ohio School Boards Association (OSBA): OSBA Board of Trustees and Executive Committee; Past President, Central Region; Legislative Platform Committee; Student Leadership Team; Nominating Committee; Capital Conference Planning Committee; Master Board Member

Local:
Ambassador and former Board Member, Knox County Chamber of Commerce

Vice President, Knox County Career Center

Member, Delta Kappa Gamma, Alpha Pi Chapter and the Finance Committee

Former Chair, Academic Judges, Knox County Distinguished Young Women

Member, Choir and Ladies Bible Study, Lakeholm Church of the Nazarene

Margie was first elected to the Mount Vernon Board of Education in 1987, and was most recently re-elected in November, 2019, for a term that will expire in December of 2023.

Margie was married on October 16, 1965, to Dr. Fordyce R. Bennett, Professor Emeritus and former Chair of the English Department, Mount Vernon Nazarene University. Their children and grandchildren are Kari Haxhinasto (Sokol) of Brookfield, Connecticut, with Grace (12), Ansel (8), and Micah (6); and Kristi Gruver (Aaron) of Zionsville, Indiana, with Rebecca (5) and Matthew (3).

Margie feels honored to serve the children and young people of the Mount Vernon community.

Mrs. Jody Goetzman

Board Vice President

Jody is currently serving her sixth year as the administrator and pre-k teacher at Faith Lutheran Christian Preschool located in Mount Vernon. Prior to her service to the Preschool, Jody was an account executive for five years with Flynn Sabatino & Day Agency and spent fifteen years as a midwest regional marketing specialist for Wendy’s International, Inc. Mrs. Goetzman is a graduate of Mount Vernon High School and received her AAS degree from Mount Vernon Nazarene University.

She is a member of the New Life Church of the Nazarene and serves as a member of the Knox County Career Center Board of Education. Jody was first elected to the Mount Vernon Board of Education in 2007, and was most recently re-elected in November, 2019, for a term that will expire in December of 2023.

Jody and her husband, Rick, have been married for twenty-five years. They are the parents of five children, three of whom have graduated from Mount Vernon City School District. One of their sons is working and coaching Mount Vernon Middle School football and summer league baseball. Another son is currently attending Bluffton College where he plays baseball, and a third son plays football at Findlay University. Their daughters are currently attending Mount Vernon City Schools. One is a junior and varsity cheerleader and also participates in competitive cheerleading at BCE in Powell. Their younger daughter attends Mount Vernon Middle School where she participates in volleyball and basketball. She has also participated in club volleyball and Ohio Storm softball.

Mr. Steve Thompson

Steve is the Vice President, Supply Chain, for Ariel Corporation. For the past nineteen years, he has been responsible for Ariel’s procurement, planning, warehousing, and logistics operation. He has been with Ariel for a total of 30 years. He also worked five years for the former Cooper-Rotating Division in Mount Vernon and Liverpool, England, and was also the supervisor for the Mount Vernon Developmental Center from 1976-1980.

Mr. Thompson is certified in Production and Inventory Management. He has also completed numerous business management and strategic planning courses through Mount Vernon Nazarene University, University of Michigan, and Cornell University. In addition, he has had comprehensive leadership training from the University of Texas and Bartell and Bartell.

He serves in leadership for the Church at Chapel Hill and is a member of the Knox County Career Center Board of Education. He was first elected to the Mount Vernon Board of Education in 2009, and was re-elected in 2013 & 2017. Steve has served on the Financial Advisory, Personnel and Facilities committee during his time on the board. His current term expires at the end of the calendar year 2021.

Steve and his wife, Janet, are the parents of four grown children and grandparents of thirteen grandchildren. His entire family has attended and graduated from Mount Vernon City Schools.

Steve is proud to have coached Mount Vernon youngsters in boys’ and girls’ basketball, baseball, and softball. He has also served, locally, as a mentor for the Big Brother and Big Sisters Organization.

Ms. Mary Rugola-Dye

Mary retired in 2011 after serving for 35 years as a K-5 general music teacher in the Mount Vernon City School District. For a brief time in the mid 70s, she taught in the Loudonville - Perrysville School District.

Mary has a Bachelor of Music Education from The Ohio State University and a Master of Education from Marygrove College in Michigan. She is a 1970 graduate of Mount Vernon High School.

Since 1972, Ms. Rugola-Dye has been the Director of Music at St. Vincent de Paul Church. She also serves on the executive board of the Knox County Democratic Party, and is a member of Ex. CO of Ohio Democratic Party. Mary also participates in local theater productions with MTVarts.

Mary was elected in 2013 to serve her first term as a Board of Education Member. She was re-elected in 2017 and her term will expire on December 31, 2021.

Mary has one son and two grandchildren.

Mr. Tim Workman

Tim is the owner of the Tim Workman State Farm Agency in Mt. Vernon. He has been an associate of State Farm since 1990 and has been in a leadership/owner capacity for over 25 years. He is a graduate of Mt. Vernon High School and received a Bachelor of Science degree from Franklin University with a dual major in Business Management and Marketing.

He is a parishioner at St. Vincent de Paul Church and has served on numerous boards in the Mt. Vernon area. Tim was elected to the Mt. Vernon Board of Education in November, 2019 , for a term that will expire in December of 2023. He is currently a member of the Knox County Chamber of Commerce, Voting Member of the KCH Foundation, and Business Advisory Council.

Tim and his wife, Patty, have been married over 30 years and are the proud parents of two adult children and have one granddaughter. He grew up in Mt. Vernon and is looking forward to giving back to his community in his role as a member of the Board of Education.