By Gina Holt
Enquirer Contributor

Candidates for the Boone County attorney race are gearing up for a seat left open by a long-time incumbent.

J.R. Schrand, R-Union, won a heated primary against C.J. Victor and Robert Neace. He will now face Democrat Howard Tankersley of rural Boone County.

The position opened when veteran Democratic incumbent Larry Crigler decided not to run again.

Mr. Schrand, 40, is a partner with Jones, Dietz and Schrand. He graduated from NKU's Salmon P. Chase Law School in 1997.

He is the son of Dr. James Schrand, Florence family doctor and well-known Boone County School Board leader.

Candidate Schrand and his wife, Kathy, have three children: Trey, 11, Tucker, 5, and Mia, 1.

"I am the only candidate who possesses the business and legal experience necessary to administer all of the responsibilities of the county attorney's office," said Mr. Schrand. "I have an MBA along with 11 years of practical business experience, which are both invaluable for the county attorney position because one of the major job duties of the county attorney is to advise our fiscal court on business-related issues."

If elected, he plans to work with police to keep the county safe, use his business and legal experience to provide sound and timely advice to county officials, eliminate waste of taxpayer money, and support the effort of teachers to maintain discipline in the classroom.

Mr. Tankersley, 40, opened his private general practice in Florence in January. He and his wife, Sarah, have two children, Elizabeth, 12, and Rachel, 9, who attend Boone County Public Schools.

He graduated from Chase in 1993. He worked as a public defender in Kenton County from 1993 to 1995.

He worked for Taliaferro, Mehling, Schirooni, Carran and Keys in Covington from 1995 to 2001.

He served as the city attorney for the former city of Crescent Park, which merged with Fort Mitchell.

He is a veteran of the U.S. Coast Guard and sits on the board of the Northern Kentucky Bar Association, the Dinsmore Homestead and the Legal Aid of Bluegrass

"I think one of the highest challenges is to be a public servant," said Mr. Tankersley. "I think I have something to offer. I'm willing to do the work.

"I have the experience, the knowledge and the qualifications to hold the office," he said. "I'm the only candidate with courtroom and trial experience."