WAYNESBORO, Pa. — Chris Mabry, owner of Honey Bee Auto Sales in Waynesboro, was chosen in a 5-3 vote Tuesday to fill the Waynesboro school board position vacated in Washington Township last month.
Three candidates were on the ballot for the open Waynesboro Area School District position, which was vacated by Lindsey Weaver last month after she moved out of the district.
Candidates were Brittany Schuh, Chris Mabry and Ed Herald, husband of a former district board president. After interviews, Mabry won the election with votes from Board President Rachel Fortney, along with members Clint Pentz, Shane Harkins, Bradley Kiracofe and Shelley Krause, while Herald received votes from Linda Zimmerman, Kim Miles and Lloyd Hamberger.
Waynesboro Area School District Superintendent Rita Sterner-Hine said Mabry would be an “asset.”
She said, “We had three outstanding candidates that all did an exceptional job in their interviews.” She said the three responded to questions the board developed concerning challenges the district faces.
“I am confident Mr. Mabry will be an outstanding asset to the school board,” she said. “His interview reflected his enthusiasm to be actively engaged and willingness to serve the Waynesboro school community.”
Mabry, in a Facebook post, pointed to his years of running a business and hope for the district. He pointed to key goals:
“1) Meaningful change requires a collective commitment. One new board member alone cannot make a lasting difference unless the entire board is willing to embrace improvement and new ideas. My hope is to inspire and encourage them to do so.
“2) Rebuilding trust with the community must be a priority. Open communication, transparency, and accountability are essential to strengthening the relationship between the school district and the people it serves.
“3) I will think independently. I am not a ‘yes’ person. I will listen carefully, ask questions, and make decisions based on what is best for students, staff, and the community. Two questions I will ask in every situation — How does this benefit our students and in what ways does this create a productive work environment for our faculty?
“4) My focus will be on representing students, faculty, staff, parents, taxpayers, and the community. While the Superintendent is an important partner in district leadership, a board member’s duty is to represent the interests of the entire school community.
“5) I do not claim extensive boardroom experience or advanced degrees. Instead, I bring practical, real-world experience and a perspective grounded in everyday service.”
Mabry has operated his business for 23 years, navigating recessions, economic downturns, financial challenges, changing markets and the everyday pressures of running a small business. He said the 23 years have taught him resilience, fiscal responsibility, accountability, leadership and the importance of making thoughtful decisions with limited resources.
“My experience has been built through coaching, teaching, mentoring, ministering and years of working directly with people. I have learned the value of leadership, communication, accountability and service. I believe that real-world experience has value and can bring a different perspective to a school board,” Mabry said.
