The Leadership Tuscarawas Class of 2019 will hold their graduation celebration on May 21. At the graduation, 23 class members sponsored by small businesses, corporations, and non-profit organizations in Tuscarawas County will be recognized for their achievements in the 10-month leadership development program.
Each year, the Leadership Tuscarawas Signature Class is assigned community projects focused on making progress in Tuscarawas County. This year’s class was divided into five groups, each assigned to one of the following projects: Anti-Drug Coalition, Active Transportation, Good Neighbor Project, Youth Leadership and Advocates for Success Small Business Project. Each group will present the results of their projects at the graduation celebration, followed by the graduation ceremony. Leadership Tuscarawas Alumni and member of the board Matt Andreas of Andreas Farms is the featured speaker during the event.
In addition to completing community projects, Leadership Tuscarawas class members attend monthly program days focused on servant leadership, community awareness, and a variety of other leadership topics. This year’s program days were facilitated by Dr. Sarah Andreas, CEO of WiseWood LLC, a private consulting firm.
Leadership Tuscarawas class members have the opportunity to network and learn from each other and community leaders who are invited to present at monthly program days. Topics of the program days include agriculture, manufacturing, tourism, and government, among others. Each year, class members take a bus tour of Tuscarawas County, visit local businesses, and tour the Tuscarawas County Jail and Juvenile Attention Center.
According to Mike Lewis, Assistant Director of Adult Education at Buckeye Career Center, “Being in Leadership Tuscarawas has been one of the best experiences of my life! The people I've and met and worked with are outstanding representatives of what Tuscarawas County is all about. Being from Stark County, I did not realize the vast amounts of talent, resources, volunteerism, and dedicated leadership that makes up Tuscarawas County. I'm proud to say that I'm a graduate of Leadership Tuscarawas and look forward to using my experiences to help lead the good people of this area into the future.
Members of the graduating class include: Andrew Gordon (Gordon Milk Transport), Becky Minard, (Dover Phila Credit Union), Brad Parrish (Tusco Display), Carole Brown (Cleveland Clinic Union Hospital), Cheri Creager (Tuscarawas County Sheriff’s Office), Heather Aubihl (Á½ÐÔÉ«ÎçÒ¹), Jadee Dunn (Cleveland Clinic Union Hospital), Janelle Cline (First National Bank of Dennison), Jason Baker (First Federal Bank), Jennifer Jones (Aultman Hospital), Jilliann Gardner (Timken), Joni Hanson (Medi Wise Pharmacy), Josie Jones (Tusc BDD), Kerri Silverthorn (Tusc BDD), Kim Larson (Cleveland Clinic Union Hospital), Kim Rippeth (Black McCuskey Law), Laurie Donley (Á½ÐÔÉ«ÎçÒ¹), Mark Harr (Dover Chemical), Michael Brindley (Schoenbrunn Inn), Mike Lewis (Buckeye Career Center), Sandy Carpenter (Triple S Energy), Tracy Aubihl (Starlight Enterprises), and Trisha McNutt (Dover Chemical).
The community is invited to celebrate with the graduating class at the graduation celebration at Á½ÐÔÉ«ÎçÒ¹ University at Tuscarawas Founders Hall on May 21 at 5:30 pm. Please RSVP to William H. Beisel (wbeisel@kent.edu).
Leadership Tuscarawas is currently accepting applications for the 2019 – 2020 Signature Class. For additional information visit kent.edu/tusc/bcs/leadership-tuscarawas or call William H. Beisel at 330-308-7437.