Jimmy Battrell Announced as Next CEO of the Management Council

COLUMBUS, Ohio, March 12, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- The Board of Trustees of the Management Council of the Ohio Education Computer Network (OECN) is pleased to announce the appointment of Jimmy Battrell as the new CEO of the Management Council, beginning this June. Mr. Battrell has an extensive IT background in the education industry. He has worked within the OECN for twenty-seven years in various leadership capacities at the SEOVEC and META Information Technology Centers (ITCs).

Board Chair Tyler Smith observed, "The Management Council plays an important role in the technology and services schools rely on every day. Jimmy understands that responsibility, and the Board is confident he will continue strengthening the work and partnerships that serve schools across the Ohio Education Computer Network."

The Management Council provides an array of technology services and supports to Ohio's ITCs and schools, including teaching and learning resources; financial software; student information systems; a cloud of redundant, resilient hosted environments; internet and eRate support; cybersecurity strategies and programs; communications tools; the statewide education job board; and application software supporting school IT needs.

The Management Council has also expanded services and now provides IT solutions to state agencies such as the Department of Education and Workforce, the Department of Higher Education, the Governor's Office, Job and Family Services, and the Department of Children and Youth, among others. Management Council staff have been instrumental in creating systems to support initiatives such as the Governor's Merit Scholarship program, Pandemic EBT, FAFSA completions, early childhood school readiness assessments, and the new statewide attendance dashboard introduced by Governor DeWine in his State of the State address this week.

Mr. Battrell's initial appointment is for three years, through the summer of 2029. He will be replacing Geoff Andrews, who is retiring. Jimmy shared, "I am looking forward to supporting the children of Ohio through our work with ITCs, schools, and state agencies. I thank Geoff for his leadership growing the size, scope, and strength of the organization over the past eleven years; we will build on that legacy as we carry out our work together in service, partnership, and commitment to Ohio's future — our young people."

Contact: Jessica Madison, The Management Council
Phone: 614.840.9810
Email: [email protected]

SOURCE The Management Council