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Biographies of Russell Township Officials

James (Jim) Dickinson, Trustee

Jim has resided in Russell since 1986. Born and raised in Cleveland, he currently lives on Pekin Road with his wife and two children.

Jim took office as a Trustee on January 1, 2002, and he had served on the Township Zoning Commision for 4 years, the last two served as Chairman.

Jim practices law in Cleveland (Cavitch, Familo, Durkin and Frutkin) where his principal areas of practice are corporate and taxation as well as estate planning, closely-held corporate succession planning and tax-exempt, charitable foundations and charities.  Jim has been admitted to the Federal District Court for the Northern District of Ohio and the U.S. Tax Court as well as being admitted to the Bar of Florida.  He has served as Chairman of the 1994 Cleveland Estate Planning Institute, Chairman of Estate Planning, Probate & Trust Law Section of the Cleveland Bar Association and is a member of the Great Lakes Region IRS Advisory Board for Tax-Exempt Organizations.  He is nationally published, has given many local and national legal seminars and is listed in the 2003-2004 edition of Best Lawyers in America.

Jim graduated from the Commerce School at Washington & Lee University in Lexington, Virginia, in 1970, Phi Beta Kappa, Summa Cum Laude. He attended the University of Virginia School of Law and graduated in 1973. Jim then entered the Judge Advocate General’s Corps in the U. S. Army and served at the Pentagon. He received the Army Commendation Medal on his discharge in 1977 for work in modernizing the Army’s criminal law proceedings records.

Besides foxhunting with the Chagrin Valley Hunt, Jim loves skiing with his family at Sunapee Ski Resort in New Hampshire as well as Vail, Colorado and Jackson Hole, Wyoming. When not on skis or in the saddle, you may find Jim in his small sailboat that he puts to good use in the area.

James (Jim) Mueller, Trustee

Jim Mueller is a graduate of Cleveland State University and attended CWRU with some work toward his MBA.  He was State Representative for Lake and Geauga Counties for four years, and Geauga County Commissioner for four terms or 16 years.

He also served as Chairman of the Geauga County Planning Commission as well as a member of the Northeast Ohio Areawide Coordinating Agency (NOACA). 

He has been Township Trustee in Russell for the past four years, and an usher at St. Joan of Arc Church in Chagrin Falls.  He is also a member of the Fraternal Order of Eagles.

Kristina Port, Trustee
 

Geraldine (Gerri) Heck, Fiscal Officer

Gerri has lived most of her life in Russell Township. She is enjoying working on her century home and renovating buildings on the farm.

Gerri received a Bachelor of Science Degree in education from Kent State University. For 34 years she taught fourth and fifth grade at Newbury Elementary School and retired so she could devote more time to the job of Township Clerk. Gerri has been Township Clerk since 1988 and was Assistant to the Clerk for 9 years before that. 

Gerri is a member of the Russell Historical Society and the Russell Civic Club and has a strong interest in history. She enjoys gardening, travel, and reading, particularly historical material.