Login | November 23, 2024
Court Executive Officer Bob Gainer bids the court goodbye
SHERRY KARABIN
Legal News Reporter
Published: November 22, 2024
As an undergraduate majoring in business and organizational communication at The University of Akron, Barberton, Ohio native Bob Gainer was not planning on a career in the court system.
But after gaining some sales and business experience at a packaging manufacturer, he landed a position in the Summit County Court of Common Pleas Probation Department.
And although he changed job titles a few times during his decades-long tenure at the court, he never left.
In early November Gainer embarked on a new chapter in his life after retiring as court executive officer (CEO) in the Summit County Court of Common Pleas General Division, a position he held for more than eight years.
“The judicial system has been a wonderful place to work,” said Gainer. “During my time with the court, I worked for 35 judges, each one with unique needs and personalities.
“It has been an absolute honor and extremely rewarding,” he said. “I did not know a great deal about the court system when I first graduated or the many opportunities that existed within it, but it has been a rewarding career.
“No two days were alike; each one had different challenges,” Gainer said.
While his last day in the office was Nov. 8, Gainer’s official retirement date is Dec. 31.
“Although I won’t be in the courthouse, I will continue to be available to answer questions through the end of the year and perhaps beyond,” said Gainer.
In an email, Summit County Court of Common Pleas Administrative Judge Alison McCarty described Gainer as “the consummate professional,” adding that he is “truly one of the nicest people you will ever meet.”
Judge McCarty said his “calm and confident leadership” has served the court extremely well over the years.
“Bob has helped guide us through the stress of handling high profile court cases, Covid shutdowns and changing protocols, and technology upgrades that have led to new ways of conducting court. Bob has managed to gain the respect of every judge that has worked here over these past 30 years, as diverse as they have been in background and personality.
“His institutional knowledge is difficult to replace,” Judge McCarty stated.
“Bob is an outstanding administrator whose presence will long be missed at the court,” she added. “We wish him well.”
While the judges search for his replacement, Summit County Common Pleas General Division Assistant Court Executive Officer Ken Teleis and Director of Human Resources Nicole Quester will serve as interim CEOs in November and December respectively.
Teleis, assistant CEO since June 2022, has known Gainer for 24 years.
“Bob has so much institutional knowledge because he has worked in so many different capacities at the court,” said Teleis. “We have developed a great synergy working together as a team, serving the judges and carrying out the mission of the court.
“He is a pleasant and likable person, who helps to make some of the more stressful aspects of working in the court easier.
“He recruited me to join the staff of the court in 2021,” said Teleis.
“We’ve become very good friends as we worked together to find solutions to various problems,” Teleis said. “I will truly miss Bob. Whoever takes his place will have big shoes to fill.”
While Gainer spent the bulk of his career working in the common pleas general division, when he graduated from The University of Akron in December 1990 he started as a salesperson at Mid-West Poly Pak Inc., a plastic bag manufacturer.
He was later promoted from outside sales to the assistant general manager, where his duties included payroll, production scheduling and human resources.
“It was a smaller company and the skills I learned proved very useful in the court system,” said Gainer.
When he joined the Adult Probation Department in January 1995, he was the work release coordinator and the LEADS (Law Enforcement Automated Data System) operator.
“I provided computer background checks for the court,” he said.
Four years later, he was promoted to special projects officer in the court executive office of the general division.
In August 2001, he took on the role of assistant court executive officer, serving until December 2015 when he became interim chief executive officer.
He was appointed CEO on Feb. 1, 2016, where he’s been responsible for overseeing judicial support, providing leadership, planning, direction and supervision of the operations within the general division.
As court executive officer, he played a key role in resolving complex and sensitive issues that impacted the day-to-day functioning of the general division.
Gainer earned his Ohio Supreme Court Judicial College certification as court manager in 2012 from the National Center for State Courts Institute for Court Management.
Looking back on his time as CEO, he said the most rewarding and challenging years were during the pandemic.
“At the time of the shutdown, we were able to get a new video conferencing system up and running in a matter of seven or eight days, which allowed our judges to have remote courtroom proceedings,” said Gainer. “During that same period we developed and provided a plan for our employees to have the ability to work remotely.”
In 2023, the Summit County Jail and the courts in the county completed a $12 million state-of-the-art video conferencing upgrade using CARES Act (Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act) funding.
“Thanks to the county officials and the CARES Act funds, all the courts in the county and the jail utilize a consolidated video conferencing system,” said Gainer.
Outside of the court, Gainer has been active in the community.
He currently serves as president of the Sigma Nu Housing Corporation at The University of Akron.
When his son and daughter were growing up, he spent a lot of time coaching youth baseball, basketball and football, including being president of the Manchester Youth Basketball Association for six years.
“My son Grant now plays football at UA, where he’s studying sales and marketing,” said Gainer. “My daughter Rachel is getting an M.S.L. (Master of Studies in Law) from Akron Law.
“My wife Dawn and I have been married since 1996,” he said. “She is an interior designer for the architecture and engineering firm GPD Group in Akron.”
Although he is retiring from the court system, Gainer does plan to continue to work part time as an administrative services manager for a local company.
He also wants to travel and spend more time with his family and friends.
“After 30 years in the court system, it seemed like the right time to leave,” said Gainer. “We have great leadership and we now have a full staff after three phenomenal years of hiring, promotions and employee retention.
“In 2022 Judge Joy Malek Oldfield started a leadership group that meets on a weekly basis,” said Gainer.
“I think this helped us pick up our momentum quite a bit. Judges Kathryn Michael and McCarty have continued it. It’s important because it allows us to discuss issues and stay on the same page.
“We’re as strong as we’ve ever been and I’m confident that will continue,” Gainer said.