Legionnaire of the Day: Ron Runyan
By Matt Dungan, Staff Writer
6/17/2008
Mr. Runyan has served in Panama and in Desert Storm for his country. During the Desert Storm operations he served on the nuclear cruiser USS Longbeach as a Gunners Mate Missile. During the Persian Gulf War his ship was used to protect the USS Enterprise from air attacks. He joined the staff of Boys State to help make a difference in the leaders of tomorrow.
He has only been the Director of Boys State for two years but he has been able to keep it all together during the transition from Michigan State to Northwood—a true testament of his leadership abilities. He says his top two favorite moments of Boys State are one, on the final day when the boys who go to Nationals are chosen and two, the growth he sees in the boys from the beginning up until the end of the week.
He loves to see how the boys have learned by the end of the week to respect their government and their veterans. He would like to tell any up and coming politicians to remain honest and loyal to their voters and to stick to their principals.
When asked what job he thought was the most important at Boys State he that he felt all jobs were important. Mr. Runyan in his closing statement said that he just wants everyone here at Boys State to apply the knowledge they will have learned here to their daily lives after this week.