Photos courtesy of the candidates
The 2023 candidates for the Hoover Board of Education are, from left, Rex Blair, Dennis Quirk and Rachael Taylor.
Initially, there were four applicants because current school board member Amy Mudano applied for reappointment to a second five-year term. However, Mudano last week withdrew her name from consideration, saying she had come to understand that a majority of the council did not want to reappoint her and already had their mind made up on another candidate.
She said it would be a waste of time for her to go through the interview process, so she withdrew.
Hoover Councilman Steve McClinton, chairman of the council’s Education Committee, said the council has not made up its mind and still wants to interview the remaining three candidates.
He said he appreciated Mudano’s service on the school board and said that, for the most part, it’s a thankless volunteer job that may be harder than serving on the Hoover City Council.
The three remaining applicants for the school board this year are Rex Blair, Dennis Quirk and Rachael Taylor. They are scheduled to be interviewed by the Hoover City Council immediately after the council’s 5 p.m. work session Thursday, April 13 (at an estimated time of 5:45 p.m.). The council plans to make an appointment Monday, April 17.
Here is some information about each of the three applicants, based on information from their applications and interviews with the Hoover Sun:
REX BLAIR
Age: 47
Neighborhood: Greystone
Occupation: Regional operations director for DaVita (a kidney care company) in the greater Birmingham area for more than three years; previously 2½ years with SS&C Health, a financial services and health care technology company; spent 20 years in the U.S. Army, retiring as a lieutenant colonel
Education: Master’s degree from Harvard University in applied physics; bachelor’s degree from the U.S. Military Academy at West Point in engineering physics; was an assistant professor of physics at West Point
Years lived in Hoover: Graduated from Berry High School; returned to Hoover in 2017.
Hoover school ties: Berry High School graduate; two children are graduates of Spain Park High School; two other children are at Spain Park High School and two at Berry Middle School
Community involvement: Member of Spain Park Gridiron Club, West Point Society in Birmingham and Kiwanis Club of Birmingham; formerly flag football coach at Hunter Street Baptist Church
Reasons for applying: Believes his experiences in the Army, education and health care and his involvement in the community as a volunteer can help Hoover City Schools provide a premier education; wants to help the school system plan for growth while ensuring all students will receive the best education possible
Critical issues: Future school overcrowding; continued improvement in students’ performance; overcoming the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic; hiring and retaining the best leaders, administrators and teachers; external pressures on the school system to adopt and implement ideas that will ultimately lead to greater divisiveness among students and distract from the true purpose of our school systems
DENNIS QUIRK
Age: 68
Neighborhood: Ross Bridge
Occupation: Business consultant since 2013; retired from U.S. Steel Corp. after 36-year career, including stints as shift manager, foreman, tooling engineer, operations manager, organizational development manager, plant manager and general manager
Education: Bachelor’s degree in industrial management and economics, Carnegie-Mellon University
Years lived in Hoover: 10 1/2 years currently; also 1994-2003
Hoover school ties: One child who graduated from Hoover High; two children in eighth grade at Bumpus Middle School and a nephew who lives with him is in first grade at Deer Valley Elementary
Community involvement: Past board member of Hoover Softball Association; library volunteer at Deer Valley Elementary; Hoover City Dad Brigade volunteer 2012-14; Range Mental Health Feed the Needy Holiday Dinner Fundraiser (2006) in Minnesota; various high school and technical school outreach programs to encourage and develop higher work skills in Lone Star, Texas (2009-12); boards of directors for Iron Mining Association and Assumption School (2005-07)
Reasons for applying: This is a critical time for Hoover City Schools. The district is facing many major issues, including working with a new superintendent, budget issues, COVID-19 uncertainties, improving virtual instruction platforms, growing enrollment with need for future capital expenditures; believes his background in business management, managing large budgets, engaging large groups of employees and building consensus and making difficult decisions could be useful to Hoover City Schools; deeply passionate about Hoover City Schools; has flexible work schedule
Critical issues: Working with new superintendent; managing any budget shortfalls; managing increasing enrollment while improving the quality of education; increasing funding by working with superintendent and public officials; COVID-19 and associated recovery issues
RACHAEL TAYLOR
Age: 37
Neighborhood: Bluff Park
Occupation: Contracts manager/attorney for Brookwood Baptist Health for four years; previously with Alexander Shunnarah firm for three years and Wettermark Keith firm for two years
Education: Law degree from Thomas Goode Jones School of Law in Montgomery; bachelor’s degree in education from Auburn University
Years lived in Hoover: 10
Hoover school ties: Son in sixth grade at Simmons Middle
Community involvement: Volunteer at Bluff Park Elementary, Simmons Middle and Grace’s Kitchen; commissioner in Bluff Park Women’s Kickball League; executive board member in Bluff Park Women’s Rec League
Reasons for applying: Loves people and building communal relationships through shared service work; believes her confidence in public speaking and experience in interacting with the public will help the school board effectively communicate, listen and understand all involved parties; believes education is the foundation and most vital component for a successful community; had experience writing educational legislation at the state level and helped attorneys for the Alabama Board of Education
Critical issues: Hoover needs a third high school due to population growth; school board members need to get back in the classroom to get firsthand knowledge of issues classrooms are facing and how district funds are divided
Each candidate was given 16 questions to answer, including questions about the relationship between the city and school board, communication between the school board and the public, virtual learning, vaccination requirements and potential tax increases. McClinton said the questions were supplied by the public, primarily the Hoover Parent Teacher Council. See the candidates' answers to those questions here.
