Senator Bill Harris

In March of 1953, Bill Harris enlisted in the United States Marine Corps where he served in the Korean War as a machine gunner and a platoon commander. After Korea he attended the US Army Counterintelligence School, graduating first in his class. He received his commission in 1961 and served the remainder of his 23-year career with the USMC as an intelligence and counterintelligence officer, serving two tours of duty in Vietnam. Senator Harris retired in 1977 from the military as a Major with numerous decorations for valor and outstanding service, including two Bronze Star awards and the Vietnam Medal of Honor First Class.

After earning his B.A. in Secondary Education from the University of Arizona, and retiring from the Marine Corps, Harris and his family moved to Ashland, Ohio. In 1981, he established Bill Harris Chevrolet Dealership. The dealership was so successful that it became one of the first authorized multi-General Motor franchise dealerships. Although he retired from the business in 1995, the Bill Harris Dealership franchise is still run by his three sons and their families.

Although he had not previously held a public office, Harris was elected to the Ohio House of Representatives in 1994. While in the House, he served in a number of leadership positions including Majority Whip. In August of 2000, Bill Harris was appointed to the Ohio Senate to serve the 19 th Senate District. From 2003-2005, Senator Harris chaired the Senate Finance & Financial Institutions Committee, which plays in an integral part in developing the state’s budget. He currently serves as the President of the Ohio Senate, Chairman of the Senate Rules Committee and Vice-Chairman of the Senate Reference Committee.

During his time in the legislature, the senator has received numerous awards including Watchdog of the Treasury, Ohio Developmental Disabilities Council Leadership Award, the Career & Technical Education Award, as well as the Preservation of Democracy Award. Senator Harris recently became the first legislator to be named AMVETS Legislator of the Year twice. In addition, Senator Harris was awarded an Honorary Doctorate of Law degree from Ashland University and the Honorary Doctor of Humane Letters from the University of Akron. He has proudly maintained a 100% session attendance and voting record since joining the legislature in 1995.

The senator has served as chairman of the Ashland Area Chamber of Commerce, chairman of the Ashland United Way Campaign, director of the Huntington National Bank of Ashland and trustee for Samaritan Hospitals. He currently is a trustee for the John M. Ashbrook Center for Public Affairs at Ashland University.

Senator Harris still lives in Ashland with his wife Cay. They have eleven grown children, sixteen grandchildren, and one great-grandchild.