By By ANDY HAMILTON / Niles Daily Star
NILES – The Niles Community Schools Board of Education has appointed a familiar voice to fill the seat of former vice president John Mattix.
The board unanimously voted Monday to approve as a trustee Rick McKeel, who for nine years has been the public address announcer for Vikings hoops and football. Mattix departed Monday, Jan. 22, in order to focus on the upcoming bond campaign. Scott Tyler was approved to fill the vacancy of vice president.
"I noticed that there seems to be an issue with reaching out to the community that needs to be fulfilled, I believe," said McKeel, who was a member of the first bond steering committee in 2005-2006. "I think that there's a communication issue there that needs to be better dealt with, and one of the things I feel I can do is kind help with that liaison between the board and the community."
Board president Dana Daniels said two other "very impressive" candidates showed interest in the position and were interviewed by the executive committee that included the president, Scott Tyler and formerly John Mattix. Daniels declined to reveal the other candidates.
"The reason that Rick was the best choice was one, he's got kids in school; two, he's used to working with boards in his current position; number three, his wife (Sheryl) is also a teacher," Daniels said, adding McKeel is "very intelligent and articulate."
McKeel, of 1915 Emerald Forest Lane, has been the CEO and president of New Carbon Co. of South Bend, Ind. for six years, which is a position that requires him to report to a board of directors. He also said he is a member of an organization of CEO's from Chicago.
McKeel graduated from Niles High School in 1984 and earned a bachelor's of business administration with major emphasis on financing at Western Michigan University.
He and his wife Sheryl, who teaches math at the high school, have two daughters in Niles schools: Abby is a seventh grader at Ring Lardner Middle School and Megan is in fourth grade at Howard Elementary School. McKeel has also been a coach for Niles-Buchanan volleyball and YMCA basketball.
McKeel said he was considering running for a seat on the school board this spring, and added he intends to pursue the position again at the May 8 election.
"We have a lot in the community right now at stake I think with the bond issues, with schools of choice, with all of the building facilities issues that need to be dealt with and it's going to take some good leadership … and just being in this community for so long I want to be a part of that," McKeel said.
The next meeting of the Niles board of education is Monday, Feb. 19 at 7 p.m. at the Westside Administrative Services Center, 111 Spruce St.