Mayor William Healy - Official Biography

Mayor William J. Healy II was elected to his first term as Mayor of the City of Canton on November 6, 2007.  Before becoming Mayor, he was elected in 2004 and 2006 to represent the 52nd District of the Ohio House of Representatives, which includes all of Canton and parts of Stark County.

A former small business owner, Mayor Healy spends most of his time creating new opportunities for economic development and job creation in Canton.  A large part of his strategy depends upon cooperation between local governments in the region and an increased emphasis on the development of international trade.  In 2008, area businesses made plans to spend nearly $1 billion to grow their local operations, which the Mayor hopes to use as a foundation for creating future opportunities within the city.

When not working to strengthen our local economy, Mayor Healy spends much of his time improving the safety and security of Canton’s neighborhoods.  In 2008, he added ten additional officers to the city’s police force and began to implement new strategies to combat crime and reduce the prevalence of drugs, prostitution, and gangs on city streets.

Understanding that strong neighborhoods are essential to safe communities, Mayor Healy is committed to making Canton a city where people want to live, work, and raise a family. By investing in public infrastructure, creating home rehabilitation programs, and awarding grants to neighborhood associations, the Mayor hopes to instill a sense of pride and ownership in Canton’s neighborhoods for years to come.

Mayor Healy is a 1981 graduate of Canton McKinley Senior High School.  He earned his Associate’s degree from the Stark Campus of Kent State University in Canton, a Bachelor’s degree from Rowan University in New Jersey, and a Master of Business Administration degree from the NYU Stern School of Business in New York City.

Mayor Healy is the son of the late William J. Healy, a former Democratic city councilman and long-time state lawmaker in the Ohio House of Representatives. 

Honorable Mayor William J. Healy II cordially invites you to the State of the City Annual Address

2013 Invitation

Elected Positions

Mayor

Ohio Representative for the 52^nd District

Boards and Commissions

Canton Development Partnership Coordinating Commission, Member

Canton Tomorrow, Member

Mayor’s Against Illegal Guns, Member

US Conference of Mayors, Member

Summit County Mayors Association, Member

Ribs Task Force, Member

City Boards

Canton City Health Board, President

Canton City Planning Commission, Chairman

City of Canton Community Improvement Corp., President

City of Canton Investment Board, Member

Records Commission, Member

Systems Planning Board, Member

Canton City Board of Control, Member

Northeast Ohio Mayors & City Managers Association, Member

Stark County Boards/Commissions

Greater Canton MLK Commission, Member

Kent State Stark Advisory Board, Member

Stark Co. Area Transportation Study, Member

Stark Co. Corrections Planning Board, Member

Stark Council of Governments, Member

Stark Development Board, Member

Stark Family Council, Member

Stark County Regional Planning Commission, Member

Stark-Tusc-Wayne Joint Solid Waste District, Member

Workforce Investment Board, Member

Ohio Municipal League Board of Trustees, Member

Fair Employment Practices Board, Member

Fair Housing Commission, Member

Civic Organizations/Affiliations

Carnegie Mellon’s Mayors’ Institute on City Design Symposium

Implemented Mayor’s Scholarship

Harvard University’s Institute of Politics Seminar for Newly elected Mayors

Sister city with Saltillo, Mexico

Click here to download a high-resolution JPEG copy of the official portrait of Mayor Healy.