Ohio Governor Mike DeWine has appointed former state representative Jim Buchy to serve on the Ohio Standardbred Development Commission for a term beginning Sept. 4, 2026, and ending June 30, 2029.
Buchy has been one of the most influential political advocates for harness racing in Ohio. A native of Greenville, Buchy served in the Ohio House of Representatives from 1983 to 2000 and again from 2011 to 2016. He also served as assistant director of the Ohio Department of Agriculture, bringing a strong agricultural perspective to his public service.
During his legislative career, he supported full-card simulcasting legislation in the 1980s and became a leading advocate for Video Lottery Terminals at Ohio racetracks. The resulting gaming revenues helped strengthen purses, improve racing facilities, and support racing at county fairs and commercial tracks.
In recognition of his decades of service, Buchy was inducted as the 31st honoree into the Little Brown Jug Wall of Fame in 2015. In 2017, the Ohio Chapter of the United States Harness Writers Association honored him with the Rambling Willie Award for the Ohioan who had done the most for harness racing over the preceding two decades.