Introducing the new Pierce Township Trustee, Pete Kambelos M.D.

January 4, 2021

Ladies and Gentlemen,

I am humbled and honored to have the opportunity to serve my neighbors and fellow Pierce Township citizens as a new Trustee.

I feel it important that you know a bit about me and my perspectives as your new Trustee.

First, a few words about my background. I was born and raised in a small town in Kentucky, Maysville, to Greek immigrant parents. Mom and dad asked for permission to come to this country in the interest of better opportunities for their future family for, at the time, prospects were beyond dim in post-war Europe.

My parents had nothing material when they came to the USA, only strong Christian faith, belief in themselves, and belief in the American dream. As a child, I recall our being unable to afford to heat our tiny house and living in one or two rooms with blankets over the doorways to keep the heat in. Mom and dad would drive the family to Church here in Cincinnati on Sundays down old 52, regardless of inclement weather and other obstacles, to help see that my brother and I learned our faith and traditions.

After Church, we would stop at Burger Chef for a treat at times, but mom and dad could not afford to eat, instead bringing bread and such with them to eat from home, so that we could have a burger and fries. They worked long and hard all their years for a better life. My father retired at 85 and my mom at 73 from their small restaurant in Maysville.

I learned, at an early age, that hard work was a blessing, a necessity, and a requirement. I started work at the age of 12 mowing lawns, delivering the Kentucky Post, and doing odd jobs for the neighbors. I swept the streets and picked-up trash in the neighborhood and committed myself to achieving an education, my parents’ dream for us.

After graduating valedictorian from high school, I attended the U. of Kentucky and then the U. of Louisville for medical school and then came here to Cincinnati for my postgraduate training. I had been accepted to Loyola for that but wanted to do the right thing and stay near my family as family was everything to me.

My mom wanted me to be a cardiologist, but I preferred Internal Medicine as I was always a curious kid, wanting to do a little bit of everything, and do it well, plus I enjoyed learning the whole patient and becoming an integral part of their lives as the primary doctor. This has been very challenging, heart-wrenching at times, but overall, very rewarding to my soul over the last three-fourth’s century and I have not one regret.

Immensely gratifying, also, have been the opportunities for me to be involved in the greater community, including service to my Church as councilor and president, the Academy of Medicine of Cincinnati and its charitable foundation as trustee, councilor, and president, Cincinnati State College as trustee, and many other service commitments over the years. I continue to serve as trustee of SPCA Cincinnati, as my sincere love of animals and the desire to speak for the helpless and the voiceless defines the essence of my heart.

At this point in my life, I felt a calling to further serve my neighbors and fellow Pierce Township residents as Township Trustee. My platter is full with many responsibilities but I felt I could, and should, put my people skills, fiscal discipline, experience,  and dedicated work ethic to good use especially as we, as neighbors and friends, struggle through a once in a lifetime pandemic that has affected so many families, including my own.

As Trustee, I vow to work towards a seamless and productive integration of the neighborhoods of the former Village of Amelia with the pre-existing body of the Township. Unfortunately, our brothers and sisters there have experienced much, much turmoil over the last couple of years and they deserve so much better. They are Pierce Township, we are all Pierce Township, and together with empathy and  new senses of excitement and unity we intend to march swiftly forward to improving the quality of life in the former Village and putting aside past distasteful experiences.

I will, as your Trustee, be available as a professional medical resource to my neighbors, helping in any way possible as a part of the  first class Pierce Township team to navigate the COVID-19 storm and any others that come our way.

As the belts of government are tightened, and resources become more scarce, I make every vow and promise to my fellow citizens to be a good steward of our tax dollars, yours and mine alike. In exchange for our tax investments, we expect the kinds of top notch services that Pierce has, including public safety, infrastructure, recreation, and leadership that guides the kinds of future development that make sense and preserve the quality of our neighborhoods and business corridors. I intend to share my humble wisdom and common sense as best I can to help ensure our Township’s prosperity for many generations to come.

In summary, it is my sincere goal to make a positive difference with this wonderful earthly life I have been granted and I believe I can, with your help.  I respectfully ask of each of you, your advice, your encouragement, your patience, and, above all, your prayers such that I can be guided in the right direction.

Respectfully yours,

Pete Kambelos, M.D.