John Lyall

President John A. Lyall, is a native of Cleveland and first joined AFSCME as a member in 1973 when he went to work at the North Olmsted waste water treatment plant. In 1979 he joined the staff as an assistant administrator with the Council 8 Health and Welfare Fund, the forerunner of the AFSCME Care Plan.

In 1984, joined AFSCME International as part of the Ohio organizing project staff and in 1985, returned to Council 8 as a staff representative in the Cleveland Region.

Lyall was appointed Cleveland Regional Director in 1991, replacing Patricia Moss, who became First Vice President. He also was elected head of the state’s largest central labor body when he became President of Cleveland AFL-CIO Federation of Labor in 1996.

In 1999, he was appointed Council 8 Organizing Director. In 2001, with the retirement of William Endsley, he became First Vice President. With the retirement of President Patricia Moss, he became President of Ohio Council 8 in 2007.

In September 2007, at Council 8's 17th Biennial Convention in Dayton, Ohio, he was elected by acclimation to a full term as president.

Harold Mitchell

Harold Mitchell first became a member of AFSCME in 1979 when he worked for the City of Cleveland. He worked his way up through the ranks of Local 100, the union for city workers, serving as a steward, on negotiating committees, and as an elected officer.

In 1985, he was elected Local 100 President, an office he held for more than 14 years. In addition, he was elected a Cleveland Regional Vice President in 1987. Harold also served on the Cleveland AFL-CIO board for six years. In 1999 he became Ohio Council 8's assistant organizing director a position he held until 2001 when he became the Assistant to the President.

In September 2007, at Ohio Council 8's 17th Biennial Convention, he was elected First Vice President by acclimation.

Recording Secretary l Cenia M. Willis

In 2003, Cenia Willis returned to the Ohio Council 8 executive board as Recording Secretary after a seven year absence. She was elected to the office at the Council's 15th Biennial Convention. First elected as a Toledo Regional Vice President in 1987, she served on the board until 1995. A 29-year AFSCME member, she has been a member of AFSCME Local 272 and AFSCME Local 2174, representing Toledo school board employees. As a member of AFSCME Local 2174, Willis served as president, vice president, and treasurer.

In addition, she has served on the Ohio AFL-CIO Executive Board for 20 years, is a delegate to the Toledo Area AFL-CIO Labor Council, serves on the Northwest Ohio Area Labor Federation, and is the chairperson of the Toledo Chapter of the Coalition of Black Trade Unionists.

In September 2007, at Ohio Council 8's 17th Biennial Convention, she was elected to a four-year term by acclimation.

Secretary - Treasurer | Eric Clemons

In 2003, Cincinnati Regional Vice President Eric Clemons was appointed to serve as AFSCME Ohio Council 8 Secretary Treasurer, later that year, he was elected to the office at the Council's 15th Biennial Convention. Clemons had served as Cincinnati Regional Vice President since 1994. He has represented employees of the Cincinnati Metropolitan Housing Authority for 15 years as president of AFSCME Local 1027.

In September 2007, at Ohio Council 8's 17th Biennial Convention, he was re-elected to a four-year term by acclimation.

Ohio Council 8 Regional Vice Presidents

Ohio Council 8 Trustes

Kimberly N. Gaines
Peg N. McClain
Helen S. Youngblood