Steve Kilo: An Early Calling to Public Service

The public service bug first bit Steve Kilo on the ball fields and in the recreation center of Brook Park, Ohio.

Kilo was born and raised in the quiet suburb located about 15 miles southwest of downtown Cleveland.

“It was there, as a Little Leaguer and frequent rec center visitor that I learned the importance of how having great community amenities and programs could positively benefit residents and families,” says Kilo, now the director of human resources with the City of Strongsville, Ohio, less than 10 miles from his hometown.

When a teenage Kilo went in search of a part-time job, “I knew exactly where I wanted to be, and that was assisting the athletic director at the rec center.”

A 1984 graduate of St. Edward High School, Kilo spent his time outside of school helping to run the baseball, softball, football and basketball leagues for kids and adults in the area. He even came back during his college breaks to administer the leagues and help with the recreation center’s day-to-day operations.

Kilo went on to earn his bachelor’s degree in sports management from Bowling Green State University in 1988. Three years later, he saw an opening for a full-time job opportunity at the rec center he knew so well.

“Once the opportunity to work full-time became available in Brook Park, I was hired as a deputy director in 1991,” says Kilo. “I now had the opportunity to develop, create and implement programs and services for the city I grew up in, and it was exciting.”

Kilo remained in that role for more than six years. In 1997, he was accepted to Cleveland Marshall College of Law. He continued to work full-time for the next four years, while earning his juris doctorate through the College’s evening program. He ultimately took and passed the Ohio State Bar Exam in February 2002.

“It was also at this time that a neighboring community, Strongsville, was about to open a state-of-the-art recreation and senior center,” says Kilo, who took a position as recreation program supervisor with the City of Strongsville in December 1997.

He was named the City’s recreation and senior director in 2004, overseeing more than 20 full-time and 200 part-time employees.

“I had now reached a point in my professional career where I believed I would remain for the [rest] of my public life,” says Kilo. “Little did I know where my career would turn in a few short years.”

The City of Strongsville had long operated without a human resources department. In 2008, however, the City hired its first HR director, who stayed in that role until late 2010. That’s when the City’s mayor approached Kilo with an offer to become the City’s next human resources director.

He officially took on that title in January 2011. Fifteen years later, he’s still grateful for the opportunity to make an impact on the Strongsville community and beyond.

“Being able to serve and be at the forefront of contributing to the City’s mission has raised my desire to bring continuous positive impact not just to the City of Strongsville, but to the entire public sector,” he says.

“There are so many opportunities and challenges that every local municipality face and being able to have creative solutions and ideas to help establish a better future for everyone is what continues to excite me today.”

He’s equally enthusiastic about the role he continues to play as a PSHRA member. Kilo joined the Association in January 2012, and he has since served as a member of PSHRA’s publications, national conference and research committees, as well as being a board member and president of the Northern Ohio Chapter.

“I have found that one of the best ways to contribute and make a difference is in being involved in PSHRA and taking lead roles with like-minded agencies and groups that share the vision for a better public sector,” he says.

“The public sector continues to evolve daily and being able to serve and have a positive influence on the future is what makes a career in public sector HR so rewarding.”