After serving 41 years on the Kent State University at Tuscarawas Branch District Board of Trustees, Roger Lile will retire as of Sept. 30, 2020. A retired Tuscarawas County Common Pleas Judge, Lile has served on the Board of Trustees since 1979 and has held several offices, including Fiscal Officer, Vice Chairman and Chairman. Since 1998, he has been a member of the Tuscarawas County University Foundation, serving both as vice president and president.
Lile credited the leadership of other trustees and campus deans throughout the years for enabling him to remain on the board for such a long period of time. He acknowledged the current dean, Dr. Bradley Bielski, for doing a phenomenal job in guiding the campus.
“The other reason I remained on the board is my belief that education is the great equalizer in our republic,” he said.
The Tuscarawas County University Branch District was formed by the Tuscarawas community as a governing body of the Tuscarawas Campus. The Branch District contracts with Kent State University to provide higher education services to Tuscarawas and surrounding counties. Throughout a 50-year history, the Branch District has grown to incorporate more than 180 acres, with four major buildings and focuses on sustaining educational opportunities for students and meeting the needs of the community.
“Through his years of service on the Board of Trustees, Judge Lile has made a significant impact to the Kent State Tuscarawas campus and to the entire community with his leadership and direction,” said Bielski. “I am very thankful to Judge Lile for making vast and lasting positive changes throughout Tuscarawas and surrounding counties.”
During Lile’s time with Kent State Tuscarawas, the campus has grown from the original Founders Hall to include the Science and Advanced Technology Center, the Tolloty Technology Incubator, and the world-class Performing Arts Center.
“Kent State Tuscarawas began as a field of corn but has truly become a field of dreams, and I have been privileged to be a part of it all,” said Lile.
The Tuscarawas Branch District Board of Trustees recently honored Lile at their last meeting, which was attended by Kent State University President Todd Diacon. The Tuscarawas County Commissioners also recognized Lile during their meeting last week.
“You’re not one that sits back and watches things happen. You are the one that make things happen,” said Commissioner Chris Abbuhl to Lile before the board issued a resolution in Lile’s honor.
The Tuscarawas County Commissioners are responsible for appointing members to the Tuscarawas District Branch Board of Trustees. Kiley Kendall of Dover has recently been appointed to fill Lile’s seat. Kendall, a Kent State Tuscarawas alumna, is a financial advisor with Edward Jones. She joins current board members Frank Rose, Sally O’Donnell, Michael Ernest, Darlene Finzer, Blair Hillyer and Robin Waltz.
“Judge Lile and the other members of the board have provided the long-range vision of the campus,” said Bielski. “The board is an essential component of Kent State Tuscarawas and has done a tremendous job for our campus and our community.”
Lile served as judge of the Court of Common Pleas in Tuscarawas County from 1981-1998. He graduated from Case Western Reserve University School of Law with a juris doctorate in 1970, after obtaining his bachelor’s degree in history from Case Western Reserve University in 1966. He also served in the U.S. Army as a special agent in the 109th Army Intelligence Group. Formerly from New Philadelphia, Lile currently resides in Dover.