TRR photo by David Hulse Vincent Zike

Zike will be on the ECS ballot

By DAVID HULSE

ELDRED — Vincent “Vin” Zike of Glen Spey will be running unopposed for the vacancy on the Eldred Central School Board on May 21.

After 33 years, Zike is a recently retired U.S. Army colonel who served with the Green Berets. His most recent duty was with Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers in Europe (SHAPE) at Mons, Belgium, where he served as a liaison with civilian organizations dealing with U.S. forces in Bosnia.

Zike entered the service as a private during the Vietnam War and won a direct commission based on combat action in Vietnam. A master paratrooper, he has been awarded numerous decorations, including four Purple Hearts and “a couple of” Bronze Stars. “They give you medals for everything in the Army,” he added.

A three-year resident, he volunteered for the school board for several different reasons. “I’ve been in government service 33 years. It’s time to contribute to the local community, rather than the nation. I have the background for it. I’m used to working with multimillion dollar budgets and I’ve got a lot of leadership experience.”

Zike says he would not have run against retiring incumbent Norman Sutherland, but “I heard no one was running,” he said.

In civilian life he has been employed as an engineer, at Electric Boat, the naval submarine builders and now owns and operates his own business, Challenge Coin Company, which produces emblematic collector coins for the military, police and fire departments.

Beyond the community service, there is the “ungodly amount of taxes we pay… It’s important for community members to accept responsibility for the budget.”

He is married to Jacquie Morris, Principal of Chester Elementary School and former MacKenzie principal. Zike has two children, ages 16 and 18, by a previous marriage.