Current Term: 2008-2012
Previous Terms: 1993-1996; 1996-2000; 2000-2004; 2004-2008
Dean is a native of Ford City, Pennsylvania, but has been a Dayton resident since childhood. He and his family lived in the Edgemont neighborhood for 30 years and recently moved to the Madden Hills neighborhood.
Dean is a graduate of Jefferson Township High School. He has an Associate's Degree in Business from Sinclair Community College, a Bachelor's in Business Administration from the University of Dayton, and a Master's in Applied and Social Economics from Wright State University.
Dean and his wife, Phyllis, have been married for 35 years. They have three children: Leslie, Laeina and Dean Nyerere and two grandchildren, Alexis and Jaden.
In 1983, Dean joined the Strategies for Responsible Development (SRD) office at the University of Dayton as the Director of SRD-Neighborhood Development, now the Raymond L. Fitz Center for Leadership in Community. He is currently the Director of Dayton Civic Scholars Program at the University of Dayton. Dean's works as a Community Leadership Consultant with neighborhood concerns began in the early 70s with the Model Cities program, after which he continued his career as a member of the planning staff of the City of Dayton. Later, he served as the coordinator for the city's Northwest Office of Neighborhood Affairs. Dean was elected to the City Commission in a special election November l7, l993 and re-elected to a four year term in November, l995 and November, 1999.
Dean's community activities are an extensive testimony to his commitment to this city and its people. Below is a partial list of these activities:
- Chair: Dayton Poverty Reduction Forum, Workforce Development Task Force and Earned Income Tax Credit Initiative.
- Chair: Dayton Community Reinvestment Institute
- Member: National City Bank Community Development Advisory Board
- Member: Montgomery County Planning Commission
- Member: Montgomery County EDGE Program
- Member: Montgomery County Solid Waste Advisory Committee and Management Policy Committees (SWAC/SWAMPC)
- Member: Miami Valley Fair Housing Center
- Member: Housing Justice Fund
- Member: Montgomery County Workforce Development Policy Board
- Co-Founder: Ujamaa Nia Food Cooperative
- Co-Founder: Black Leadership Development Program
- Co-Founder: Dayton Dialogue for Race Relations (DDRR)
- Past Member: Goodwill Board
- Past Member: Christmas in April-Dayton
- Past Member: CityFolk
- Past Member: Montgomery County Historical Society
- Past Chair: West Montgomery County Food Program
- Past Chairman: Dayton-Montgomery County Rainbow Coalition and Co-Chair of the Ohio Rainbow Coalition
- Past President and Current Member: Edgemont Neighborhood Coalition, Inc. and Solar Garden Project
Dean has traveled to Augsburg, Germany, Oiso, Japan and Holon, Israel as part of the City of Dayton Sister City's Program. He has participated in Race Relations Conferences in Caux, Switzerland and Durban, South Africa e.g., Initiatives of Change and the World Conference Against Racism (University of Dayton NGO delegate).
Dean's key legislative initiatives include:
City Commission Office
City Hall, Second Floor
101 W. Third Street, Dayton, Ohio 45402
937-333-3644
fax: 937-333-4297
email: Commissioner Lovelace