Chris Ronayne
{{Short description|3rd Executive of Cuyahoga County, Ohio}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| name= Chris Ronayne
| image name= Chris Ronayne 2025.22.jpg
|office= 3rd Executive of Cuyahoga County
|term_start = January 1, 2023
|term_end =
|preceded=Armond Budish
|succeeded=
| birth_date={{birth date and age|mf=yes|1968|9|2}}
| birth_place=Chicago, Illinois, U.S.
| death_date=
| death_place=
| party=Democratic
| residence= Cleveland, Ohio
| alma_mater=Miami University, Cleveland State University
}}
Chris Ronayne is an American politician who currently serves as the 3rd Cuyahoga County Executive. He was elected to the office in 2022, defeating Lee Weingart with 63.9% of the vote.{{cite web |title=Election Results |url=https://boe.cuyahogacounty.gov/elections/GetDocumentById/9a7681f8-3cb5-4edb-9922-fc3bb10c6de4/ |website=Cuyahoga County Board of Elections}} Ronayne took office on January 1, 2023.{{cite web |author=Staff Reports |title=Chris Ronayne sworn in as Cuyahoga's County Executive |url=https://www.cleveland.com/news/2023/01/chris-ronayne-sworn-in-as-cuyahogas-county-executive.html#:~:text=Ronayne%2C%20voted%20in%20November%20to,your%20families%2C%20came%20from%20somewhere |website=Cleveland.com |date=January 2023 |publisher=The Plain Dealer}}
Early life
Chris Ronayne was born in Chicago, Illinois{{cite web |last1=Miller |first1=Jay |title=Chris Ronayne, 35 |url=https://www.crainscleveland.com/awards/chris-ronayne |website=Crain's Cleveland|date=17 May 2018 }} on September 2, 1968{{citation needed|date=February 2024}} to Kathleen and James Ronayne. He attended Bay High School, west of Cleveland, where he was captain of the school’s hockey team.{{cite web |last1=Stewart |first1=Dillon |title=Chris Ronayne: Most Interesting People 2023 |url=https://clevelandmagazine.com/in-the-cle/people/articles/chris-ronayne-most-interesting-people-2023 |website=Cleveland Magazine}} Following high school, Ronayne went to Miami University and later received a Master of Urban Planning and Development from Cleveland State University.{{cite web |title=CHRISTOPHER RONAYNE ('96 MUPDD) |url=https://levin.csuohio.edu/alumni/christopher-ronayne-96-mupdd |publisher=Cleveland State University}}
Career
Ronayne began his career on the Cuyahoga County Planning Commission prior to serving as campaign manager for then-Cuyahoga County Commissioner Jane Campbell’s successful run for Cleveland Mayor in 2001.{{cite web |title=After a career away from local politics, Chris Ronayne hopes to become Cuyahoga County executive |url=https://www.ideastream.org/community/2022-01-26/after-a-career-away-from-local-politics-chris-ronayne-hopes-to-become-cuyahoga-county-executive |website=IdeaStream |date=26 January 2022 |publisher=IdeaStream Public Media}} He then served in Campbell’s administration as the City of Cleveland Planning Director. Ronayne also worked as the city’s Chief of Staff and Chief Development Officer.{{cite web |title=Chris Ronayne |url=https://business.csuohio.edu/real-estate/chris-ronayne |publisher=Cleveland State University}} In 2005, Ronayne was named president of University Circle Inc, a non-profit that oversees the University Circle neighborhood on Cleveland’s East Side. On October 1, 2021, Ronayne stepped down as UCI President to run for Cuyahoga County Executive.{{cite web |last1=Raspe |first1=Becky |title=Ronayne stepping down as University Circle Inc. president to run for county executive |url=https://www.clevelandjewishnews.com/news/local_news/ronayne-stepping-down-as-university-circle-inc-president-to-run-for-county-executive/article_339d5cec-0cdc-11ec-8287-a75e23f45137.html |website=Cleveland Jewish News |date=6 September 2021 |publisher=Cleveland Jewish Publishing Company}}
County Executive
The 2022 Cuyahoga County executive election was for an open seat, as incumbent Armond Budish chose not to run for a third term.{{cite web |last1=Carey |first1=Tyler |title=Cuyahoga County Executive Armond Budish will not seek re-election in 2022 |url=https://www.wkyc.com/article/news/local/cuyahoga-county/cuyahoga-county-executive-armond-budish-will-not-seek-re-election-2022/95-0af717b9-d49c-4e8e-81cb-fe9c05169bf2#:~:text=Cuyahoga%20County-,Cuyahoga%20County%20Executive%20Armond%20Budish%20will%20not%20seek%20re%2Delection,second%20term%20leading%20the%20county.&text=CLEVELAND%20%E2%80%94%20Cuyahoga%20County%20Executive%20Armond,term%20in%20office%20in%202022. |website=WKYC|date=16 November 2021 }} After defeating Tariq Shabbaz in the Democratic primary, Ronayne faced the Republican nominee, former county commissioner Lee Weingart.{{cite web |last1=Staff |title=Chris Ronayne beats Tariq K. Shabazz in Cuyahoga County executive Democratic primary |url=https://www.cleveland.com/news/2022/05/chris-ronayne-leads-tariq-k-shabazz-in-cuyahoga-county-executive-democratic-primary-with-early-votes-counted.html |website=Cleveland.com |date=4 May 2022 |publisher=The Plain Dealer}} Cuyahoga County, a Democratic stronghold, gave 247,301 votes, nearly 110,000 more than Weingart received. Ronayne was sworn in on January 1 of the following year, but had a ceremonial inauguration in Downtown Cleveland on January 21.
Ronayne began his tenure focusing on issues relating to the homeless and public transportation.{{Cite web |date=2023-01-11 |title=New Cuyahoga County Executive Chris Ronayne starts tenure with legislation on housing for homeless |url=https://www.ideastream.org/government-politics/2023-01-10/new-cuyahoga-county-executive-chris-ronayne-starts-tenure-with-legislation-on-housing-for-homeless |access-date=2023-12-28 |website=Ideastream Public Media |language=en}} As part of this emphasis, he created a new department of Housing and Community Development and appointed a Senior Advisor for Transportation.{{Cite web |last=Kaitlin Durbin |first=cleveland com |date=2023-02-13 |title=Ronayne hires first Director of Housing and Community Development, Senior Advisor for Transportation |url=https://www.cleveland.com/news/2023/02/ronayne-hires-first-director-of-housing-and-community-development-senior-advisor-for-transportation.html |access-date=2023-12-28 |website=cleveland |language=en}} He has also called for economic development efforts alongside Lake Erie, which makes up the northern border of Cuyahoga County.{{Cite web |date=2023-06-30 |title=Cuyahoga County to launch institute to protect fresh water and spur economic development |url=https://www.ideastream.org/government-politics/2023-06-30/cuyahoga-county-to-launch-institute-to-protect-fresh-water-and-spur-economic-development |access-date=2023-12-28 |website=Ideastream Public Media |language=en}} Additionally, Ronayne prioritized waterfront access, affordable housing and improved resident services during his campaign.{{cite web |title=The 2023 State of the County with County Executive Chris Ronayne |url=https://www.cityclub.org/forums/2023/06/30/the-2023-state-of-the-county-with-county-executive-chris-ronayne |website=The City Club of Cleveland}} Since taking office, he has championed the creation of Neighborhood Based Services as a way to decentralize social services offered by county government.{{Cite web |title=Novel approach: Cuyahoga County brings services directly to the community |url=https://www.freshwatercleveland.com/breaking-ground/Cuyahoga_County_Launches_Neighborhood_Based_Services_122023.aspx |access-date=2023-12-28 |website=FreshWater Media, LLC |language=en}} Ronayne said Cuyahoga County would keep $16 million invested in Israel Bonds.{{cite news |title=Cuyahoga County says it will not divest from Israel Bonds, explains why |url=https://www.ideastream.org/government-politics/2024-09-12/cuyahoga-county-says-it-will-not-divest-in-israel-bonds-explains-why |work=Ideastream Public Media |date=12 September 2024 |language=en}}
Two days after his election, Ronayne named former Sandusky city manager Eric Wobser as his chief of staff.{{cite web |last1=Durbin |first1=Kaitlin |title=Cuyahoga Executive-Elect Chris Ronayne names future chief of staff Eric Wobser among transition team |url=https://www.cleveland.com/news/2022/11/cuyahoga-executive-elect-chris-ronayne-names-future-chief-of-staff-eric-wobser-among-transition-team.html |website=Cleveland.com |date=10 November 2022 |publisher=The Plain Dealer}} He also appointed Cleveland Deputy Police Chief Harold Pretel as Cuyahoga County Sheriff.{{cite web |last1=Oprea |first1=Mark |title=Chris Ronayne to Appoint Harold Pretel as Cuyahoga County Sheriff |url=https://www.clevescene.com/news/chris-ronayne-to-appoint-harold-pretel-as-cuyahoga-county-sheriff-41953793 |website=Cleveland Scene}}
Personal life
He is married to Natalie Ronayne, who is the Chief Development Officer for the Cleveland Metroparks. They have two kids.{{cite web |last1=Sandrick |first1=Robert |last2=Goodrich |first2=Barry |last3=Sell |first3=Jill |last4=Smitek |first4=Colleen |last5=Thompson |first5=Lynn |title=Power Couples: Chris & Natalie Ronayne |url=https://clevelandmagazine.com/cleader/business/articles/power-couples-chris-natalie-ronayne |website=Cleveland Magazine}} He has previously been named to Crain's Cleveland's 40 under 40 list and Cleveland Magazine's Most Interesting People 2023 list.
References
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Ronayne, Chris}}
Category:County executives in Ohio
Category:Politicians from Chicago
Category:American nonprofit chief executives