James Messenger
President (Term ending 12/31/2026)
Attorney Messenger is a graduate of Ohio University and the Syracuse University College of Law and has practiced law in the City of Youngstown since 1967. Attorney Messenger has represented a number of public entities in the Mahoning County area including school boards, local governmental bodies, as well as private business, in the area of labor and employment matters including the negotiation of labor agreements in the public and private sector.
Attorney Messenger is past president of the Mahoning County Bar Association, a founding member of the Ohio Council of School Board Attorneys, and is a member of the Ohio Academy of Trial Lawyers. Attorney Messenger is admitted to practice in the courts of Ohio, as well as the U. S. District Court for the Northern District of Ohio, U.S. Court of Appeals Sixth Circuit, and the Supreme Court of the United States.
Germaine Bennett
Vice President (Term ending 12/31/2027)
Germaine had a career in education for thirty-seven years, working for the Warren City Schools and the Youngstown City Schools. She held the position of an Elementary class room teacher for 14 years, and then an Elementary Assistant Principal and Principal for 13 years. Germaine retired from Youngstown City Schools as the Assistant Superintendent of Human Resources and Labor Relations in 2007, after 10 years in that position.
Germaine holds a Bachelor Degree in Elementary Education from Central Missouri State University, a Masters Degree in Guidance from Youngstown State University, and an Educational Specialist Degree in Educational Administration from Kent State University.
She has served and chaired numerous boards, presently serving on the following: Youngstown City Scape, Secretary; Mercy Health System Foundation in Cincinnati, Vice Chair; Commissioner of The Mill Creek Metro Parks, Vice Chair; Youngstown Bon Sequor Mercy Health Regional Board. She is also a member of Youngstown Alumni Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, the Youngstown Junior Civic League, Life Member of Youngstown State Alumni, The New Century Club, and Millcreek Children’s Center.
Germaine’s church home is Tabernacle Baptist Church (Pastor Raymond Austin, Youngstown, Ohio), where she serves on various ministries. She is originally from Gary, Indiana and has been a resident of Youngstown for fifty-three years. Germaine and her husband Julius have three children and nine grandchildren.
Alfred Fleming
Secretary (Term ending 12/31/2023)
Attorney Al Fleming attended Miami University and graduated from Youngstown State University with honors. He is a graduate of the University of Akron's School of Law and has practiced law in the City of Youngstown since 1975.
He worked at the Youngstown Steel Door Company and the East Ohio Gas Company while attending undergraduate and graduate school. He clerked for Manchester, Bennett, Powers and Ullman and the Mahoning County Public Defenders Office. Fleming joined the law practice of McLaughlin, DiBlasio and Harshman following graduation from law school and then represented the Cafaro Company in real estate matters for several years before returning to private practice in 1985. His law practice is concentrated in the areas of commercial real estate, business organizations, medical-legal and estate planning.
Attorney Fleming represented the City of Youngstown on the board of the Mahoning Valley Sanitary District for several years and currently serves on the Mahoning County Children Services Board. He is a past board member of the International Institute and the Youngstown Community Health Center. He was a charter member and incorporator of the North Side Citizens Coalition.
He is a member of the American Bar Association, the Ohio State Bar Association, the Mahoning County Bar Association and the Mahoning Shenango Valley Estate Planning Council. Attorney Fleming is admitted to practice in the courts of Ohio, the Federal District Court of Northern Ohio and the Supreme Court of the United States.
