Who is Josh Blanton?
Growing up in the tri state area, I attended high school in Southern Ohio while spending weekends with my Dad in Ashland. My career has taken me around the world and I lived in South Carolina and Alabama before returning to Ashland. I have a wife, Cesiah, and two sons. Jack (9 years old) and Elouan (almost 2 years old), as well as our dog, Monty.
Serving as your City Commissioner the last four years has been extremely rewarding. We have had many accomplishments as well as challenges. But I have accomplished nothing alone. Our city staff is incredible and serve our citizens with the professionalism and passion they deserve. It would be an honor to continue serving our city.
I feel that being a City Commissioner is a great honor but also a great responsibility. When considering my choice for any public office, I want to know the experience of the candidate and why they are qualified. As I now seek to be your next Mayor, I believe the skills I have learned throughout my career are even more relevant. With that in mind, below is a brief resume that describes exactly why I feel I am qualified for the job:
1982: Born at KDMC in Ashland, KY.
2000: Graduated high school, Symmes Valley High School
2003-2005: Worked at CR Thomas restaurant while attending college.
2005-2008: Worked in security department at KDMC.
2007: Graduated from Ohio University (Bachelors Degree). I had to take significant time off from school due to working my way through. Getting through undergrad was a huge achievement for me.
2008: Started at AK Steel as an intern. After 2 months, I was given a supervisor position at the coke plant. By 2011, I was the Section Manager of the ovens department. After the plant closed, I moved to the Blast Furnace, where I was the manager of raw materials.
2012: Accepted a position with Special Metals in Huntington.
2013: Earned a Masters Degree (MBA) from Ohio University.
2014: Managed a battery recycling facility in Florence, South Carolina.
2015-Present: Accepted the position of Plant Manager for Vesuvius in Wurtland, KY. I have worked for Vesuvius in different capacities, traveling all over the world.
2016-Present: Adjunct professor of Marketing at Marshall University. Teaching at the university level has been extremely rewarding and I am so thankful for this opportunity.
2020-Present: Serving as Ashland City Commissioner.
I was the fourth generation of my family to work at Armco/AK Steel and I am incredibly proud of that.
My professional career has been extremely rewarding. I am a major proponent of servant leadership and I try to practice it every day. The men and women (thousands, over the years) I have been blessed to lead are truly amazing people. Other relevant skills I have in depth knowledge of include:
Supply Chain Management
Budgeting
15 years of leadership experience
Capital Expenditures (CapEx)
I currently manage a budget of $30 million and have experience being accountable for much higher. I understand finance and important actions like discretionary spending, fixed and variable costs, and other relevant financial factors.
In 2016, I decided to get involved in the community. A small group called Build Ashland had recently been formed to do trash pick ups and I decided to jump in. That decision has changed my life. Seeing people come together and have genuine care for their town was amazing to me. Do we post photos of the group doing good deeds? Absolutely! And that is exactly why we consistently have hundreds of people at our clean ups and 7,000 people on our group page.
Other than Build Ashland, I have served on boards for the following nonprofits and/or causes:
- Young Men’s Conference (speaker and committee)
- Ashland Tennis Center Commission
- Ashland Foundation for Children with Disabilities
- Northeast Kentucky United Way
- Foundation for the Tri State
- Firkin Fest Committee Member
- Vice President, Young Professionals Association of the Ashland Alliance
- Young Professional of the Year, 2017
- Paramount Arts Center, Board Member
- Supporter, Ashland Animal Rescue Fund
Being a part of these groups hasn’t just meant showing up to meetings. I have given hundreds of hours of time, thousands of dollars, and most importantly, genuine passion to these wonderful organizations. Attached to this post are several photos through the years of places I’ve worked and people I’ve met.
Deciding to run for office is easy. Backing up that decision with years of education, experience, and public service is what counts.
#BlantonForMayor #AKY
