Meet the Commissioners

Elected to the Board of Stark County Commissioners for a fourth time in 2024, Richard Regula has a notable history of service work and involvement in local government.  He was inspired by his father, Ralph Regula, who was the United States Representative for Ohio’s 16th Congressional District from 1973 - 2009, serving 18 consecutive terms.  Also, by his mother Mary, who was the founder of the National First Ladies’ Library located in downtown Canton, Ohio. Richard is a Stark County native and graduate of Fairless High School.  After graduation, he attended Ohio University where he received his Bachelor's degree in General Studies.  Richard began his career at Regula Brothers Transport, a trucking company that hauls dairy products.  The company became R. Straus LLC in 2009, when he became its owner. Richard is a current member of the Stark-Tuscarawas-Wayne Joint Solid Waste Management District Board and a governing board member of the newly established Carroll, Columbiana, and Stark Regional Transportation Improvement Project (RTIP).  Richard currently serves on the board of the Western Stark YMCA; is a board member of the Massillon Chamber of Commerce; is Chairman of N.E.F.C.O (Northeast Ohio Four County Organization) and Chairman of S.C.A.T.S (Stark County Area Transportation Study) In the past, Richard served as president of the Massillon Rotary Club, and as a member of the Ohio and Erie Canal Corridor Committee. He has served on the board of directors for the Stark County Farm Bureau; on the Navarre Village Council; and spent three terms as Bethlehem Township trustee. Richard is a devoted member of St. Michael's Parish. He resides in Bethlehem Township with his wife of thirty-four years, Sherry. Together they have two sons, Thomas and Garrett.

Bill Smith lives in Canton Township with his wife Diana, to whom he has been married since 1975.  They have two married children who also live in Stark County; Bill and his wife Amy and Jennifer and her husband Jerry.  Together they enjoy twelve beautiful grandchildren.  Bill graduated in 1974 from East Canton High School and has been in business at Smith’s Waco Market since 1976. After purchasing the store, he and Diana lived above the store for several years as the business grew. Bill also manages several commercial properties through Smith Properties. Bill has been a Hot Air Balloon pilot since 1988 and holds a Commercial/Instructor rating in Lighter-than-Air, Hot Air Balloons.  He has served on the Hall of Fame Balloon Classic Committee and is the field announcer for the event. Bill served as a Canton Township Trustee from 2002 through 2016, and is a past member of the Canton South Jaycees; Canton South Athletic & Band Booster Clubs; and a past Board Member of the Canton South YMCA.  He has served on the Canton Local Long Range Planning Committee and as a Levy Chairman, as well as, on a variety of other levy committees.  Bill is an Honorary Board Member of the East Central Ohio Food Dealers Association where he served as Chairman of the Board and on several other association committees.  Bill is a member of the Canton South Rotary and is on the St. Francis of Assisi Church Finance Committee.  In 2023 Bill was honored with becoming a Hall of Distinction member at Canton Local. Bill enjoys helping people and is honored for the opportunity to assist the people of Stark County as a Commissioner.

Alan Harold was appointed County Commissioner in November 2024 after having served as Stark County Auditor for nearly 14 years.  Integrity and accessibility are hallmarks of how he does the job. Alan is well-recognized as a leader in the state for financial diligence, tax, economic development, and valuation practices, and for the use of technology to make government efficient and secure. Alan served as president of the County Auditors’ Association of Ohio in 2019 and received the Richard J. Makowski Award as Outstanding County Auditor in 2022.  He has received multiple awards from the Auditor of State, from the Government Finance Officers’ Association, and from ESRI – the world’s leader in geospatial technology. Prior to being elected, Alan enjoyed 15 years in banking and private industry.  He earned an MBA from The Ohio State University and is a graduate of Mount Union College, from which he is recipient of the Ralph Regula Award for Public Service.  A native of Louisville, he was inducted into the school’s Hall of Achievement. Alan has a long history of community involvement, presently serving St Michael Church and School, where he is chair of its finance committee, and serves on the board of Central Catholic High School.  He is a board member and long-time volunteer for Arts in Stark, past president of the Avondale Homeowners’ Association, and previous involvement includes the boards of St. Joseph Senior Living, Stark County Catholic Schools, Buckeye Council Boy Scouts and United Way.  Alan has also completed Leadership Stark County and Leadership Stark County’s Government Academy. Alan and his wife, Dr. Suzanne Harold, reside in Avondale with their teen children.