Former councilman Andrew Grove to run for Alliance mayor
ALLIANCE − Former City Councilman Andrew Grove is planning to run for mayor in 2023.
Grove, 73, a Republican, confirmed that he took out a petition last week.
His decision comes a week after Mayor Alan Andreani announced he would not seek a fourth term. Andreani, in his third term, has been mayor since 2012.
"(Andreani) is a super guy. I've got to know even better by working there on the executive floor," Grove said.
Grove, a retired executive in the hospitality industry, served on City Council from 2018 through 2021. He left, and joined the mayor's office, where he helps with grants.
"I've got to know everybody in there and how it runs on an executive level," Grove said. "It's all been good training for me, since my office is across from (Andreani)."
Alliance City Auditor Kevin Knowles will be Grove's treasurer. Susan Grove, who is active in many Carnation City organizations, will be Grove's deputy treasurer.
"Andy Grove clearly understands the structure of the day-to-day internal operations of city management," Knowles said in a news release.
Enjoys serving others
Prior to politics, Grove was an executive for several private country clubs in Northeast Ohio. Among the clubs were Alliance, Congress Lake and Brookside.
Following retirement, Grove said he wanted to continue to serve others, and fulfilled a decade-long desire to get into public service with City Council.
While on Council, Grove served as chairman of the Finance and Claims committees. He also was on the Planning, Zoning and Housing and Safety and Judiciary committees.
“Andy Grove did an excellent job on the Finance Committee navigating Alliance City Council through difficult economic times,” Stark County Treasurer Alex Zumbar, an Alliance resident, said in a news release.
Grove said he sees hospitality and public service as similar professions because both ask individuals to serve others, which he added: "I really enjoy."
He sees the mayor's office has an extension of serving others, and believes he can "carry the ball" for Andreani and take the city, "even higher."
"I'm ready for the challenge," Grove said.
"I feel he has everything needed to make a difference for our city."
A lifelong resident of Alliance, Grove married his high school sweetheart, Susan Nash, and the couple has a daughter, Julie.
They attend St. Paul's Lutheran Church.
"I feel he has everything needed to make a difference for our city," said Susan Grove, a longtime volunteer for the Greater Alliance Carnation Festival.
Continuing, she added: "As a couple, I'm very involved in the community. He and I, together, will continue and want to do great things. I'll be by his side."
"I can handle the responsibility," Andy Grove said. "I feel strong. I feel great. I enjoy serving, and just because your retired it doesn't mean you want to sit and let the day go by. I enjoy serving others."
Reach Benjamin Duer at 330-580-8567 or ben.duer@cantonrep.com. Follow on Twitter @bduerREP.
This article originally appeared on The Repository: Andy Grove, ex-City Council member, is running for Alliance mayor
