St. Clairsville resident and lawyer Michael J. Shaheen is seeking election to the office of Belmont County treasurer in 2012.
Shaheen, a practicing attorney in Belmont County for more than 20 years, currently serves on the Ohio Liquor Control Commission. He said it was his desire for public service in his home county that drew him to this election.
"During my service in Columbus, I have met a wide range of people and made long-lasting relationships throughout the state of Ohio," he said. "As a result, I had been approached about other potential opportunities for public service which would result in me being away from the Belmont County area. While I was flattered by the same, my heart is here in Belmont County with my family and our community.
"I believe the office of treasurer will provide a wonderful opportunity to use my education and professional background in a way that will provide fiscal responsibility to the residents of Belmont County. In addition, I view this as an opportunity to continue to help bring new business, jobs and investment to our Belmont County area."
Shaheen is the son of Addie Bedway Shaheen and William "Bill" Shaheen. Michael and his wife, Robyn, have two children, Hannah and James Michael (Mikey). Shaheen has been a lifelong resident of the Ohio Valley, and the family is a member of the St. Mary's Church in St. Clairsville.
While practicing law in Belmont County since 1989, Shaheen has also been involved in various business enterprises and served as general counsel and secretary/treasurer to Bedway Coal Co., a family-owned business founded in 1948 by his mother and her two brothers, Toni Bedway and John Bedway.
In 2007, then-Gov. Ted Strickland appointed Shaheen as chairman of the Ohio Liquor Control Commission, a job that required Shaheen to split his time between Belmont County and Columbus.
A lifelong Democrat, Shaheen has actively served on the Belmont County Democratic Central Committee as a precinct committeeman since 1994, and the board of the Belmont Harrison Juvenile Detention District (Sargus) since 1996 - the last six years as president of that board.
In 1996, he was appointed to the board of the Ohio Citizens for the Arts, which is an arts advocacy board that ultimately assists with funding for arts education and projects all over the state, including local schools.
While serving as juvenile prosecutor in Belmont County, Michael worked with former Judge John Malik and current Judge J. Mark Costine in the formation of the Belmont County Juvenile Drug Court. Upon leaving his position as juvenile prosecutor, Shaheen assisted with creation of the Belmont County Friends of Juvenile Drug Court, an organization that assists youths and families at risk in Belmont County. Currently Shaheen serves as president of that organization.
In 2008, Shaheen was honored as the Man of the Year by Ohio Cancer Research Associates, an organization that raises funds to provide seed money for ongoing research in the effort to find a cure for cancer. In late 2009, Shaheen also published a book, "Addie's Way," which is a memoir/cookbook inspired by the life of his mother.
In September 2010, Shaheen received the Lifetime Achievement Award from the ADC, a national civil rights organization created to help those of Middle-Eastern descent while also promoting their rich culture.
"This was very special when considering that all four of my grandparents were Lebanese immigrants," he said.