Standing in front of a tree planted in their honor are the newest Westerville Central High School Alumni Hall of Fame inductees – Ron Jordan, Kathleen Shingledecker and Tyler Reece.
Westerville Central High School inducted three alumni into its Hall of Fame at a luncheon and ceremony held on April 21 – Ron Jordan, Tyler Reece and Kathleen Shingledecker. The school’s Superintendent’s Student Advisory Committee selected those honored from a pool of applicants who graduated at least 10 years ago, have demonstrated success in their career, and have made significant contributions to their community.
Superintendent John Kellogg meets with the Student Advisory throughout the school year. He praised the pupils for their honesty and respectful perspectives that help identify and find solutions to district-wide concerns. He also thanked this year’s group of Hall of Fame inductees for the example they have set.
Ron Jordan, who graduated in 2006, was a three-year letter winner in football and track and field when he attended Westerville Central. He also holds the distinction of receiving the school’s very first full-ride football scholarship. He thanked teacher Jim Grannis and Coach Jason Loughman for the impact they made during his high school career. While attending Eastern Illinois University, Jordan double majored in Corporate Communications and Political Science, with a minor in Pre-Law. He was the student body president for his class as well as the captain of the football team. After graduation, Jordan joined JP Morgan Chase for two years, and then completed a five-year stint in the medical device industry. He is currently the CEO of the Jordan Restaurant Group, an umbrella organization he helped found that manages franchises and real estate. Jordan now resides in New Albany, and is involved with numerous city-sponsored commissions and boards. Jordan served as a football coach for three years and has also been involved in the Extend a Paw program. He often speaks in business courses at all three Westerville high schools. Jordan has donated generous amounts of time and money to the Leukemia Lymphoma Society as a means of giving back to the community.
2007 graduate Tyler Reece made a lasting impression throughout his high school career at Westerville Central High School. In addition to exceling in academics, Reece was a member of the National Honor Society, president of Key Club, and was the founder and editor of the school newspaper. He finished in the top 10 in his class and was a National Merit finalist. After high school, he studied at Huntsman College at the University of Pennsylvania and was a Joseph Warton Scholar. He graduated with a B.A. and B.S. from the University of Pennsylvania before moving to New York City, where he works as an investor at Tail Wind Capitol. Reece volunteers at the Ali Forney Center, a shelter for LBGT youth. He was described by many high school educators as one of the brightest students they every taught.
Katie Shingledecker, who graduated in 2006, was captain of the varsity volleyball team. She also served on the yearbook committee and was a member of the National Honor Society. She participated in the Prom Fashion Show, was a student ambassador, and served on the Principal’s Advisory Committee. Shingledecker attended The Ohio State University, where she earned a Bachelor of Arts in Strategic Communications and Marketing and a Master’s degree in Sports Management. For the past five years, Shingledecker has served as the Director of Development for OSU’s Department of Athletics. She volunteers at the Mid-Ohio Food Bank and at FLIP, a local non-profit. She is also involved in the Peloton, Race for the Cure and Buckeye Cruise for Cancer.