Democrat and former State College Area School Board Vice President Jim Leous announced Wednesday he intends to run for mayor.

He is now the second Democratic candidate to enter the race, joining AccuWeather’s director of business development, Ezra Nanes, who formerly ran for a state senate seat.

“Local government needs to provide the bridge to economic recovery for all of us, and help rebuild a sense of cooperation and well-being,” Leous said. “I believe I can be part of the solution. That’s why I’m running for Mayor.”

Leous said the borough faces a number of looming problems, including the COVID-19 pandemic, its accompanying economic impacts, and the “fraying” of local communities.

Leous, a three-term and current member of the State College Area School Board, has lived in the area since 1986. He currently works for the Office of the Associate CIO at Penn State and serves on the IT Occupational Advisory Boards for State High Career and the South Hill School of Business and Technology.

During his time on the Board, Leous played a pivotal role as chair of the Communications Committee to work on the district’s Inclusive Excellence Policy, which was the first of its kind in the state, according to the press release.

Leous earned a bachelor’s degree in physics from Notre Dame and a master’s degree in astronomy from Penn State.

If elected, Leous would replace interim mayor Ron Filippelli, who is serving out the remainder of former mayor Don Hahn’s four-year term. He’ll need to win a primary first, which is slated for May.

“We must continue to make State College a welcoming community for all,” Leous said. “For families and students of color; for our international students and professionals; and also for veterans and non-traditional
students and their families.”