Thomas S. Acker, S.J. Ph.D. 
 Administrator

Fr. Acker received his Doctorate Degree in Biology from Stanford University. While continuing research on reproduction in insects, he completed studies in theology and was ordained as a Jesuit Catholic Priest. He taught biology for two years at John Carroll University in Cleveland and seven years at the University of Detroit Mercy.

In 1972, he received a Fulbright Scholarship to Nepal and worked to redo and implement a new biology curriculum for the entire country. Following Nepal, he was an Associate Professor of Biology at the University of San Francisco and then became Dean of Arts, Sciences, and Business at St. Joseph's University, Philadelphia.

In 1982, he was elected as President of Wheeling Jesuit University and served there for eighteen years. He was then elected President Emeritus. He moved to southern West Virginia to work in economic development. Here he built and directed a new public college campus combining five public colleges, was able to obtain a health clinic in a struggling area of southern West Virginia, and secured over $45 million in grants that promoted southern West Virginia. During this period, he served as Dean at Future Generations Graduate School while they were obtaining their accreditation from the Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association.

In his eleven years in southern West Virginia, he was Chairman and CEO of the Higher Education Foundation and the CEO of Forward Southern West Virginia, Inc. In 2010, he was elected President of the Greenbrier Valley Chapter of Sigma Xi and headquartered it at the West Virginia School of Osteopathic Medicine. With the cooperation of his colleagues, they increased the membership fourfold in one year. 

 He was elected in mid-December, 2012, to lead Sigma Xi — the international honor society of research scientists, engineers and technicians — during the organization’s first open electronic vote by its general membership. (In the past, only delegates have voted). He will join the nonprofit’s board in July as president-elect designate and take his post as president July 1, 2013.

August 1, 2012, Father Acker  become administrator of St. Joseph Catholic Church in Randolph, Oh.  Fr. Tom can be reached by calling the rectory at 330-628-9941 or at acker5@earthlink.net..
 

Steven Gies                                  

Permanent Deacon       

Ordained in 1999, Deacon Gies came to St. Joseph's Church in 2003. He is involved in many aspects of the church, including the GOF program and assisting Father Tom with the Mass. Deacon is also very active in a prison ministry and the Eagle Scout program of the Boy Scouts of America.

Deacon can be reached by calling the rectory at 330-628-9941

 

James "Ike" Holzapfel
Principal,  St. Joseph School

Mr. Holzapfel has been a parishioner whose children attend St. Joseph School.  He and his wife, Monica have twins in first grade, a boy in sixth grade and a girl in Pre-K.  Before coming to St. Joseph's, he served as principal of Roberts Middle School In Cuyahoga Falls for five years, served as assistant principal at Bolich Middle School in Cuyahoga Falls, and taught high school math at Tallmadge High School prior to that.

Mr. Holzapfel said his passion is to personalize education for kids.  He plans to identify kids' learning styles, and engage local businesses centered around polymer schience and rubber development to provide not just field trips but hands-on learning experiences.  He feels that St. Joseph School has a great learning enviroment, very caring and nurturing and very challenging with high expectations for the kids.  He wants to take and engage the students in leadership to be leaders of not only the school but also the community as they grow up.

He can be reached at the school by calling 330-628-9555 or email at 
stjoeelemmogadore@youngstowndiocese.org. 
 

Sandy Blazewick
Executive Assistant