Dinah Phillips: 'The face and the heart of the Highland County Democratic Party' to step down after 50 years

After a half century in leadership roles with the Highland County Democratic Party, Dinah Phillips has announced her retirement from an active role as the head of the party.

Phillips was elected president of the Highland County Democratic Women's Club in 1976 and served continuously until 1999 when she was elected as the chairman of the Highland County Democratic Party, succeeding Zelma Furnish. 

She also was elected as the chairman of the Southern Ohio County Chairs Association, which consists of 16 southern Ohio counties, and served in that capacity for 20 years. During that tenure, Phillips met former President Bill Clinton and Vice President Al Gore, former first lady and Sen. Hillary Clinton, former President Joe Biden, former first lady Rosalynn Carter, and current U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Warren.  

"I have served 50 years, and have enjoyed every minute of that time," Phillips said. "However, there comes a time when you know it's time to let someone else take over the reins. As Judge Davis once told me, 'You'll just know when it's time to resign.' That time has come. I will, of course, continue to be involved in the Party in whatever capacity I'm needed."  

"Dinah is a role model of how to engage and lead a diverse group of talented individuals," said Linda Emery of the Highland County Democratic Party Central Committee. "She always compliments and encourages all our Party members. She is a very wise woman. I am so grateful for her excellent leadership.”

Among the many high-profile campaigns on which Phillips worked and advised candidates included the 1992 election of Ted Strickland to Congress, when he unseated incumbent Republican Bob McEwen in the November 1992 general election to represent Ohio's 6th Congressional District. Phillips also worked to elect Strickland as governor of Ohio in 2006, when he defeated Republican Ken Blackwell. 

When contacted this week by The Highland County Press, former Congressman and Governor Strickland recalled the first time Phillips worked on one of his political campaigns.

"I believe Dinah supported me as far back as 1976 when I ran for Congress against Bill Harsha," Strickland said. "She also helped my campaign again in 1978. 

"Politically, Dinah has done so much for me. She's always very energetic. Dinah and Jim are just wonderful people. They are good, caring people who care about the community. The world needs more people like them. Frances and I dearly love Dinah and Jim as friends."

"Ted is – and continues to be – a good friend," Phillips told The Highland County Press. "He has never forgotten his friends who helped elect him as congressman and later governor. He sure isn't your typical politician. He and Frances even attended our (Jim and Dinah's) 60th wedding anniversary last year."  

In Highland County during her first year as president of the Highland County Democratic Women's Club in 1976, she worked on behalf of Rocky Coss, who was a successful candidate for Highland County prosecutor.
 
After serving as prosecutor, Coss has served many years as judge of Highland County Common Pleas Court and will be retiring after his current term.

"Rocky is one of the most respected judges in Ohio, and the Ohio Supreme Court frequently appointed him to preside over some of their most difficult cases," Phillips said.

"Dinah has been the face and the heart of the Highland County Democrat Party for many years," Judge Coss said. "She worked tirelessly for many Democratic candidates at the local, state and national level. She is well known throughout Ohio for her dedication to the party.  

"However, she is also very devoted to her husband, Jim, her children, grandchildren and large extended family, as well as her community. She was a very well-respected court reporter for many years, not just in Highland County, but in surrounding counties as well. I am very grateful to have had the privilege of knowing Dinah and her family from the start of my legal career in 1976 and counting her and all of them as good friends. She will be missed, but her legacy in the Democratic Party will endure."

"One other person I do want to single out is Judge Kevin Greer," Phillips said. "Kevin is a great judge and a great friend, and Highland County is truly blessed to have two magnificent top-quality judges in Rocky and Kevin who are well respected in the state." 

"Dinah is one of the most stalwart and dedicated Democrats I have ever known," said former Central Committee member and WVNU General Manager Pat Hays. "Her leadership as party chair and member of the Highland County Board of Elections is unparalleled. She never seeks recognition and is always working behind the scenes to make Highland County better."

Adams County Democratic Party Executive Committee Vice President and Party Chair Linda Stepp agreed. 

"Dinah Phillips welcomed me and provided guidance when I became active in the Adams County Democratic Party," Stepp said. "When I became County Chair, she introduced me to leaders at the Ohio Democratic Party and in the Ohio Democratic County Chairs Association. Dinah was always about trying to elect Democrats, but more importantly, she worked tirelessly to make sure that rural voices were heard and represented. She not only served as County Chair, but for many years was the Chair of the Southern Chairs group and her leadership and collaborative efforts resulted in bringing many high-profile candidates through southern Ohio and also led to several successful multi-county fundraising events. She and her husband, Jim, are hard-working folks whose work ethic and wisdom will be missed."

"Politics are often surprising, but as a newcomer to the local party, I was astonished to learn that Highland County Democrats had embraced the leadership of one individual – not a loud individual, not a tall individual – for over two decades," said Highland County Democratic Party correspondent Pat Lawrence. 

"The reason was soon clear. In addition to a big heart, a little 'sass' and a lot of style, Dinah brought her full commitment to the position with leadership fueled by patriotism, community and a belief in the Democratic Party. Candidates and office holders across the state recognized her value and many became lifelong friends, while neighbors across the county benefited from her years of effort, organizing dinners and good deeds. Diminutive only in size, few people in this – or any – county can match the significant impact made by Dinah Phillips."

Steve Hughes, another Highland County Democratic Party Central Committee member, recalls meeting Phillips for the first time.

"The first time I met Dinah, I wondered how does a person of her physical stature manage to fill a room with her presence?" Hughes said. "Then I was given the opportunity to interact with Dinah in both a personal and professional level by becoming the Central Committee member from Salem Township. It was Dinah who encouraged me to run for the position. 

"Dinah's leadership and unwavering commitment to the goals and ideals of the Party played a large part in my decision to seek to be the next Party Chair when she decided not to continue in that position. To be the person to follow Dinah as the Party Chair may be the equivalent of being a coach who's next in line to replace a program's all-time wins leader. Not an impossible task, but one that will require my best efforts to continue to build upon the foundation Dinah has established in her decades of service to the Democratic Party in Highland County. I'm looking forward to having access to Dinah's knowledge and expertise to help guide myself and our Party moving forward so we can continue to expand and grow in the coming years."

After 40 years of leadership to the Democratic Party on local, state and regional issues, Phillips offered her appreciation to all those with whom she served.

"It has been my honor and privilege to have been elected as president of the Highland County Democratic Women's Club in 1976 until I was elected in 1999 as the chairman of the Highland County Democratic Party," Phillips told The Highland County Press. "Those 50 years have flown by. I could not have spent 50 years in politics if it were not for my wonderful family. Jim, my husband of 60 years, never hesitated to drive me to political events all over the state – and beyond – without complaint. My three children – and three grandchildren – set up tables and decorated for special events. 

"My grandmother, Doris Smith, who was 102 when she passed, was elected to the State Farm Bureau Board in the 1950s, and served in that capacity until she was 85. She always preached to her children and grandchildren to be involved in their community, and to be public servants. Both Jim and I have tried to do just that. Jim was the longest-serving member on Highland District Hospital Board of Governors, having served 47 years. I have served 50 years in politics. I think both of us truly have served our community and have been good public servants.”  

"Without the support, encouragement, hard work and backing of the Central/Executive Committee and members of the Highland County Democratic Party, I would not have been able to have been the Chair for 30 years," Phillips said. "It is with gratitude and thankfulness that I was able to have their support during my tenure. They did all the work, and made me look good! I took the credit, but it was actually the Committee who deserves the accolades."  

• The Highland County Democratic Party will be hosting a celebratory reception for Dinah and Jim Phillips, which will be announced soon.