Ohio Revised Code Title I. State Government § 121.05

Except as otherwise provided in this section, in each department, there shall be an assistant director designated by the director of that department. In the department of health, there shall be two assistant directors, each of whom shall be designated by the director of health. In the department of transportation, there shall be an assistant director for business management, an assistant director for field operations, and an assistant director for transportation policy, each of whom shall be designated by the director of transportation. In the department of insurance, the deputy superintendent of insurance shall be the assistant director. In the department of administrative services, there shall be two assistant directors, each of whom shall be designated by the director of administrative services. In the department of commerce, there shall be two assistant directors, each of whom shall be designated by the director of commerce. In the department of job and family services, there may be up to two assistant directors, each of whom shall be designated by the director of job and family services. In each department with an assistant director, the assistant director shall act as director in the absence or disability of the director and also shall act as director when the position of director is vacant, except that in the department of transportation, the department of health, the department of commerce, the department of administrative services, and the department of job and family services, the director shall designate which assistant director shall act as director in the director's absence. In each department without an assistant director, the director shall designate a deputy director to act as director in the absence or disability of the director.

A director may designate any of the director's assistant directors or a deputy director to serve in the director's place as a member of any board, committee, authority, or commission of which the director is, by law, a member. The designee, when present, shall be counted in determining whether a quorum is present at any meeting. The designee may vote and participate in all proceedings and actions of the board, committee, authority, or commission, provided that the designee shall not execute or cause a facsimile of the designee's signature to be placed on any obligation, or execute any trust agreement or indenture. The designation shall be in writing, executed by the designating director, filed with the secretary of the board, committee, authority, or commission, and shall be in effect until withdrawn or superseded by a new designation.