Today Rich Spindler, an Eau Claire resident and parent announced that he will begin circulating his nomination papers for the Eau Claire School District School Board. Rarely do school districts get enough people to run for school board positions. The Eau Claire District is privileged to have a new candidate with Rich's credentials and skills.
Late last summer I had the privilege of meeting Rich Spindler for coffee. Rich was just starting to tell others about his intended candidacy and I felt privileged to sit with him to understand why he wanted this position. That Friday morning when he came into the coffee shop with his bicycle helmet tucked under his arm, I caught my first glimpse of a man that not only talks the talk but walks the walk. Or is it rides the trail.
When people talk about local control there are very few places in local control where individuals can make a real difference. Certainly city councils, county and town boards and their appointed committees are all places of influence. But the influence of how our education monies and education strategies are both created and expended can have generational impact on our community. Rich Spindler believes that with his commitment as a parent, educator and community volunteer, he can bring generational improvements to our school district and community.
But Rich is also a realist. In both his public and private business experience he has learned that bureaucratic change must be done thoughtfully as well as decisively. Rich has worked not only as an educator but also as an electrical engineer for Bell Labs. Later in his career, Spindler worked as a software programmer both in the private and public sectors.
With his masters in both engineering and mathematics as well as his PH.D. in mathematics, Rich has truly had an expanding career. All this while he has also been active in his community's public education. While he currently is serving on the Parent Advisory Council in Eau Claire, he also served on an equivalent body when his family lived in Bemidji where Rich served as a Bemidji State University faculty member. For nearly eight years Rich has been volunteering in our public school classrooms.
It wasn't until our Friday morning coffee that I truly began to understand the scope of Rich's contributions to our community and environment. Currently serving on the Board of Wisconsin Conservation Voters and past officer of the statewide John Muir Chapter or the Sierra club are strong indications of Rich's dedication and how others recognize the depth he brings to their organizations as a leader.
As Rich started off to work (Rich currently is a UWEC mathematics instuctor) donning his bicycle helmet I asked if he rides his bike often. He replied, "I have to, I told my daughter it was the best way to get around town and I best show her how it's done." As he rode down the Chippewa River bike trail that runs behind the coffee shop I decided that there was a guy I'd partner with on a tandem bike ride. Not only would he take care of his part, he'd be encouraging me to do my part too. -saw-