History
Founded at the 1936 Republican National Convention in Cleveland, the Ohio Young Republicans have worked diligently for nearly 75 years to engage younger generations in the political process and help elect capable Republican candidates. In that time our organization has been led by Chairmen from every corner of the Buckeye State. Some of the more notable alumni are highlighted below.
Congressman Oliver P. Bolton – Chairman 1948-1949
(1917-1972) Mr. Bolton first served his country as a member of the One Hundred and Seventieth Cavalry, Ohio National Guard, before sending five years in the service, one of which was in the Pacific Theater on the staff of C-2 section of Fifth Amphibious Corps. He then went on to become a member of the United States House of Representatives from 1953-1957 and 1963-1965. He was the son of long-serving Representative Frances P. Bolton (R-Ohio), who represented a district including the eastern Cleveland suburbs from 1940-1969, and Representative Chester Castle Bolton (R-Ohio), who preceded his wife in the House of Representatives from 1929-1939.
The Honorable Alvin I. “Buddy” Krenzler – Chairman 1951-52
(1921-) Mr. Krenzler served in the United States Navy before beginning a distinguished legal career that included stints as an assistant Ohio Attorney General, director of the Ohio Narcotics Investigation, deputy registrar of the Ohio Department of Motor Vehicles and trial attorney for the Internal Revenue Service in Washington, D.C. Krenzler then served as a judge of the Cuyahoga County Court of Common Pleas and to the Eighth District Ohio Court of Appeals from 1970 to 1981, before President Ronald Reagan nominated him to the United States District Court for the Northern District of Ohio on November 17, 1981 to the seat vacated by Don John Young. Confirmed by the United States Senate on December 9, 1981, and received his commission the next day. Krenzler assumed senior status on January 1, 1992. He retired on July 6, 1992.
Congressman John C. Ashbrook – Chairman 1955-56
(1928-1982) Mr. Ashbrook was first elected to public office in 1956, when he served the first of two terms to the Ohio House of Representatives. During that time, he also served as Chairman of the Young Republican National Federation from 1957-59. In 1960 his father’s old seat in the U.S. House of Representatives opened up, and Ashbrook ran for and won it.
In the 1972 presidential election, Ashbrook ran against incumbent Richard Nixon in some state primaries as an alternative conservative candidate. His slogan “No Left Turns” was illustrated by a mock traffic symbol of a left-turn arrow with a superimposed No symbol. To this day, his campaign, although of minimal immediate impact, is remembered fondly by conservatives who admire Ashbrook for having stood for their principles.
In 1982, after announcing his intention to seek the Republican nomination to challenge incumbent Democratic U.S. Senator Howard Metzenbaum, Ashbrook passed away.
The Ashbrook Center for Public Affairs at Ashland University is named for Ashbrook.
The Honorable Paul Matia – Chairman 1968-69
(1937-) Mr. Matia was the Assistant Ohio Attorney General from 1966 to 1970 and a member of the Ohio Senate from 1971 to 1975 and again from 1979 to 1983. He was Cuyahoga County (Ohio) Common Pleas Court Judge from 1985 to 1991 and appointed in 1991 by President George H.W. Bush as U.S. District Court Judge (N.D. Ohio). He became Chief Judge from 1999 to 2004 and sat by assignment on the U.S. Court of Appeals (6th Circuit). Matia still practices in Cleveland with the firm of Porter Wright Morris & Arthur.
Ohio Young Republican Chairmen
| Alvin Griffith | Youngstown | |
| Bryon Jacoby | Westerville | |
| Charles Wertz | Toledo | |
| Edward P. Trepinski | Toledo | 1946-47 |
| Charles H. Jones | Cincinnati | 1947-48 |
| Oliver P. Bolton | Cleveland | 1948-49 |
| William E. Halley | Columbus | 1949-50 |
| John R. Lloyd, Jr. | Cincinnati | 1950-51 |
| Alvin I. Krenzler | Cleveland | 1951-52 |
| John H. Hermanies | Cincinnati | 1952-53 |
| Henry M. Miller | Wapakoneta | 1953-54 |
| H. J. T. Herzog | Dayton | 1954-55 |
| John Ashbrook | Johnstown | 1955-56 |
| George C. McConnaughey, Jr. | Columbus | 1956-57 |
| John C. Young | Columbus | 1957-58 |
| Wallace R. Steffen | Cleveland | 1958-59 |
| Richard O. Michael | Cincinnati | 1959-60 |
| Gene Wadell | Akron | 1960-61 |
| Alan Cooper | Middletown | 1961-62 |
| Harold Duryee | North Canton | 1962-63 |
| George Wright | Cuyahoga Falls | 1963-64 |
| Fred Young | Dayton | 1964-65 |
| James Betts | Cleveland | 1965-66 |
| Kay Stephens | Dayton | 1966-67 |
| Brian A. Freeman | Columbus | 1967-68 |
| Paul R. Matia | Cleveland | 1968-69 |
| Roger Gillespie | Hamilton | 1969-70 |
| Allen P. Buchmann | Cleveland | 1970-71 |
| Frank C. Dunbar III | Columbus | 1971-72 |
| M. Shad Hanna | Bowling Green | 1972-73 |
| Roger Yurchuck | Columbus | 1973-74 |
| James Turner | Columbus | 1974-75 |
| Roger Kleckner | Sandusky | 1975-75 |
| B. Lynn Eckhard | Mansfield | 1975-76 |
| Donald G. Thibaut | Columbus | 1976-77 |
| Pete Couladis | Athens | 1977-78 |
| James A. Murray | Waverly | 1978-80 |
| Barcy A. Francis | Newark | 1980-82 |
| Palmer C. McNeal | Columbus | 1982-84 |
| Sue Pohler | Columbus | 1984-86 |
| Patricia M. Duffy | Columbus | 1986-87 |
| Dale H. Fellows | Willoughby Hills | 1987-89 |
| Jim Hoops | Henry | 1989-90 |
| Dale H. Fellows | Willoughby Hills | 1990-91 |
| B.J. Kresnye | Mentor | 1991-93 |
| Michael Berning | Kettering | 1993-94 |
| Bill Kittner | Cincinnati | 1994-95 |
| John Birmingham | Toledo | 1995-97 |
| Brian Fox | Pickerington | 1997-99 |
| Michael Harlow | Toledo | 1999-01 |
| Ron Lisy | Bedford | 2001-03 |
| Nicholas J. Wahoff | Columbus | 2003-05 |
| Heather Harlow | Cincinnati | 2005-07 |
| Lisa M. Stickan | Highland Heights | 2007-09 |
| Ryan Johnson | Concord Township | 2009-2011 |
| Monique Cox-Moore | Canton | 2011-2012 |
| Brian Wollet | Mentor | 2012-current |
