CLEVELAND, OH, Jan. 2, 2011 -- Ryan P. Nowlin was appointed to the Lakewood City Council to fill the vacancy left by Ms. Nickie J. Antonio, who was elected to the Ohio House of Representatives. Nowlin's appointment is effective on January 2, 2011, and he will be standing for election in the fall of 2011 in order to complete Ms. Antonio's term.

Nowlin shared his enthusiasm about assuming this role on City Council, "As a fourth generation resident of Lakewood, I have grown up here and remain committed to the city. As a longtime resident, I am proud to say that I have chosen our city as the community where I am raising my family. This is an exciting time for the City of Lakewood and I am thrilled about the opportunity to now give back in a real and productive way to a city that has given me so much to me."

Lakewood is a city "on the move" and its positive Moody's rating places it among the top quarter of Ohio cities. A strong rating saves the city money and is a representation of the city's financial strength. As a member of Lakewood City Council, Nowlin will work diligently with his colleagues to focus on maintaining and improving Lakewood's housing stock, public safety and attracting and retaining commercial and industrial businesses to the city.

Nowlin is an attorney with the law firm Schneider, Smeltz, Ranney & LaFond, where his legal practice centers around Family Law and Commercial Litigation. He is an Associate Member of the Judge John M. Manos Inn of Court, a member of the Center for Principled Family Advocacy and serves as a representative to the Ohio State Bar Association's Young Lawyers Section Council. Nowlin is also a participant in the Cleveland Metropolitan Bar Association's "3Rs" program, where he assists with teaching Constitutional Law to tenth graders in the Cleveland Municipal School District. Previously, he served as a Co-Chair of Lakewood's Citizens' Advisory Committee and as a member of Lakewood's Board of Zoning Appeals.

To reach Ryan P. Nowlin contact 216-696-4200 or email at rnowlin@ssrl.com