William R. Cervenik, who for the past 12 years has served as Mayor of the City of Euclid, has been named President of Villa Angela-St. Joseph High School.
The announcement was made today by Margaret Lyons, Secretary for
"Bill has been a longtime friend to Villa Angela-Saint Joseph and has demonstrated a keen understanding of its rich heritage, its strengths, and its challenges moving forward. These insights coupled with his love for VASJ and its wonderful community make Bill the right choice," said Margaret Lyons.
Cervenik, 61, is a 1972 graduate of St. Joseph High School, which merged with Villa Angela Academy to form VASJ in 1990. He received his bachelor's degree in business administration (accounting) from Cleveland State University in 1980.
He has been a Certified Public Accountant since 1983. Prior to his service as Mayor, which ended due to term limits this year, he served for 12 years on Euclid City Council. For five of those years, he was City Council President.
He assumed the council presidency after the untimely death of Joseph Farrell, a longtime St. Joseph High School teacher. Cervenik, who credits his career in politics and accounting directly to his experience at St. Joseph, also is a partner in the CPA firm Gallagher, Cervenik & Associates.
Cervenik, who was inducted into the VASJ Hall of Fame in 2009, has been a leader in numerous civic activities in the Collinwood-Euclid community for many years. He was named Euclid Chamber of Commerce Business Person of the Year in 1995 and 2006, and American Legion Citizen of the Year in 2007. He received the Euclid Hospital Community Service Award in 2008 and the Rose Mary Center Angel Award in 2009.
He has been a board member of the Regional Transit Authority (RTA) since 2006, including the last three years as Chairman of the Finance Commission. He has served on the Northeast Ohio Areawide Coordinating Agency (NOACA) Board of Trustees since 2006, including the last two years as Chairman of the Finance & Audit Committee. He has been a board member of the First Suburbs Consortium since 2004, including his role as Chairman in 2012-13. He served as a member of the Cuyahoga County Mayors and Managers Association from 2003-15.
"I am honored to serve the Villa Angela-St. Joseph High School community as its next president," Cervenik said. "VASJ plays an important role in the community, providing its students with a strong Catholic education, developing young leaders and preparing them for a successful college career and beyond. My goal will be to further the strong traditions and values of VASJ and guide its continued growth and stature for years to come."
Cervenik and his wife, Mary Kay (Gross) Cervenik, a 1971 graduate of Villa Angela, have been married for 41 years. They have two children, both of whom are VASJ graduates, Billy
Cervenik succeeds Richard Osborne '69, who is retiring June 30 after five years as VASJ President.
Villa Angela-St. Joseph High School is a Catholic, Diocesan-owned, comprehensive college-preparatory school rooted in the Ursuline and Marianist traditions and committed to the spiritual, academic and personal growth of each student.