Ada resident Don Traxler recently received the Northwestern Ohio Education Association's District Service Award-Retired.

Traxler is retired from a multi-tiered career in education having taught from the elementary to the college level. He obtained his bachelor and master's degrees from Bowling Green State University and his Ph.d. from The Ohio State University.

As a retired member of NWOEA Traxler has been a supporter of the association in many capacities. Currently he is a member of the NWOEA Retired Committee, and uses his background in teacher education to work with college chapters in the association.

He also used his past expertise as a college-level instructor to represent higher education on the OEA-R Advisory Committee. He represented retired members at the national level when he served on the NEA Resolutions Committee.

Last fall, Traxler worked to defeat Issue 2. He purchased yard signs at his own expense to distribute to canvassing volunteers, as well as a huge banner, which was posted at various community functions to further publicize encouragement to defeat Issue 2.

Prior to retirement, Traxler served many years on the NEA Board of Directors as a liaison to the Student National Education Association Executive Committee. He was also a member of the Human Relations and Peace International Relations Committees.

According to the assocation, Traxler has not missed an NEA Representative Assembly in an active or retired capacity for 40 years. At the state level, he served as President of OEA from 1973 to1974, and he initiated and served on numerous sub-committees. He has testified before the Ohio House and Senate Education Committees.

He has been a delegate to the OEA Representative Assembly for 46 years. Traxler  went global when he served as a delegate to the World Confederation of Organizations of the Teaching Profession in 1973 in Africa and again in 1987 in Canada.

NWOEA also benefited from his leadership skills when he served as the NWOEA President from 1970 to 1971. In 1979 he was the first member to receive the distinguished District Service Award.

Politically involved in the public sector, he has coordinated campaigns of numerous candidates and has served on the hardin County Board of Elections.  He previously served as Ada mayor and as a member of the Ada Area Chamber of Commerce.