By Brandi Makuski

The Stevens Point School Board has a new member.

Plover resident Dewey Gantz was chosen from seven applicants after about an hour of Q&A during a special board meeting on Monday night. He fills a vacancy created when Sam Levine resigned from the board last month for health reasons.

Gantz has served on the boards of the Saint Michael’s Foundation and Sentry Credit Union. A self-described accounting nerd who says he’s “boring at parties”, Gantz He has a BA in accounting is the current CFO for Sentry.

He said his philosophy on education includes learning something new everyday.

“Are we continuing to provide the best resources and learning opportunities for the next generation of leaders?” Gantz asked on his written application for the seat.

Gantz was chosen among a pool of seven applicants for the seat who was elected by popular vote of the board’s other eight members. He received a total six votes and says he intends to run for the seat during the April election.

Other applicants included UWSP professor Shanny Luft; Michael Fink, who works for the Dept. of Corrections; Timothy McDowell, a towing operator from Stevens Point who was the only applicant not present Monday; Kurt Pulvermacher, who works in commercial energy; Robert Steinke, an alternative school graduate an advocate of transgender rights; Mike Wade, who is president and CEO of Central Wisconsin Electric Cooperative.

Gantz will be sworn in at the board’s Dec. 12 meeting at Bliss Education Services Center, 1900 Polk Street.