Bill Hartnett
Director
Governor Ted Strickland appointed Bill Hartnett to be Director of the Ohio Department of Veterans Services when it was created August 21, 2008 by the 127th Ohio General Assembly. As a member of the Governor’s cabinet, Bill is responsible for identifying and locating United States military veterans and their dependents who are living in Ohio, and making them aware of the state and national benefits available to them in appreciation for their service to our country.
At a time when more and more Ohioans are returning from war, Bill leads the department with a deep commitment to ensuring that all veterans have access to the benefits and services that they have earned and deserve.
Director Hartnett is a United States Navy veteran of the Korean War era. He is a member of AMVETS and the Korean War Veterans Association. He received the AMVETS-Department of Ohio Legislative Award in 2001.
An educator for more than 30 years, Bill was a teacher with several school districts in north central Ohio and most recently served as superintendent for the Madison Local School District in Mansfield. He also served as the vice president and interim president of North Central State College and as an adjunct faculty member at Ashland University.
He earned a bachelor’s degree (B.S.) in education from Kent State University, his master’s degree (M.A.) in education administration from West Virginia University and a specialist in education and theory degree from Kent State University.
Director Hartnett also represented the 73rd District in the Ohio House of Representatives from 1998 through 2006.