by Anthony Glassman

Columbus--After two delays due to severe weather, the Stonewall Democrats of Central Ohio elected the slate of officers who will lead them through this year?s municipal elections.

Russ Goodwin returns for his second term as the chapter?s president, while Don Geiner will now serve his third as the vice president for political strategy. David Gutierrez begins his first term as vice president for membership.

Brett Warner will continue to fill the post of vice president for communications until a replacement can be found. Nobody expressed a desire to take the position prior to the election.

John Manning and Jeremy Granstaff each returned for a second run as treasurer and secretary, respectively, and Brian Endicott will assume the mantle of fundraising chair.

Also announced at the meeting were the nominees for induction into the Stonewall Democrats of Central Ohio Hall of Fame. The induction will be held during the group?s annual wine tasting benefit, ?Toasting the Blues,? which will be held on May 17.

The nominees are Ohio Secretary of State Jennifer Brunner, Treasurer Richard Cordray, Director of Insurance and Columbus? first openly gay councilor Mary Jo Hudson, and Ray Brown and Rajesh Lahoti, the owners of Axis, Havana and the Union Stations in three Ohio cities.

Voting on the nominees will be held at the April 3 Stonewall Democrats meeting.

The wine tasting will be at Axis in the Short North from 5:30 pm to 8:30 pm on May 17. It is the group?s seventh annual event, and one of its largest fundraisers.

For more information about the wine tasting or Stonewall Democrats of Central Ohio?s work, go to www.stonewalldemocratsohio.org.