Ohio Valley Regional Development Commission Announces Service Awards at Full Commission Meeting

 Adams County, Ohio – Every year, the Ohio Valley Regional Development Commission (OVRDC), a regional planning commission and local development district, hosts two Full Commission Meetings for OVRDC’s membership, a diverse group of county officials, economic development professionals, nonprofit and businesses leaders from 12 counties. Members and distinguished guests meet to conduct business, enjoy fellowship, give updates on funding, and share project highlights.

 

This past Friday, September 24, 2021, OVRDC hosted the Full Commission Meeting, with co-hosts the Adams County Commissioners at the historic Serpent Mound Park site in Adams County, with a business meeting, lunch and awards presentation.

This year, OVRDC welcomed keynote guest speaker John Carey, Director of the Governor’s Office of Appalachia. Mr. Carey’s remarks recognized the positive impact OVRDC members have on their community and economic development activity in the region. He encouraged continued regional collaboration in his remarks.

“The Ohio Valley Regional Development Commission has been such a big part of making things happen in our region. [In] The Governor’s Office of Appalachia…there are three of us. We really depend on…our partners, and what makes [it] work are all the members here today. It is a grassroots-based organization, and I really want to thank each of you for all you do,” said John Carey, Director of the Governor’s Office of Appalachia.

In addition to conducting the business of the OVRDC membership, recognition awards are given to highlight important regional projects and partners. This year, the following people and projects were recognized:

 

 

David Painter, Clermont County Commissioner, received the first award of the day for the Outstanding OVRDC Executive Committee Member for his engagement and dedication to the membership in service to the region.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Tammy Eallonardo, Ross County Economic Development Director, was recognized as the Outstanding OVRDC Full Commission Member Award for her engagement and dedication to the membership in service to the region.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Photo of Senator Portman courtesy of the RegisterHerald.com

Senator Rob Portman received the OVRDC Area Leadership Award recognition for many years of outstanding service to the area, and for his commitment and advocacy for the OVRDC Region, Southern Ohio, and its communities; by supporting funding for the Appalachian Regional Commission, the Economic Development Administration and other programs serving the region. Accepting the award were long-time staff members Nan Cahall and Jamie Barker.

 

 

 

 

The OVRDC Excellence in Public Service Award went to Karen Sprague, Gallia County Administrator (retired), for 37 years of service to Gallia County, many years of service to the OVRDC Project Review Committee, and exemplary commitment and advocacy for community and economic development efforts in Gallia County and the OVRDC region.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The COVID-19 Response Champion Awards were given out to regional organizations who were instrumental in helping medical personnel, businesses, and communities during the height of the COVID crisis for their leadership, response, and resilience in the OVRDC Region in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, placing the needs of community ahead of self-interest.

COVID-19 Response Champion Award Recipients included:

Phoenix Quality Manufacturing LLC, for their commitment to build a PPE manufacturing business in Jackson Ohio from the ground up, to fill the void when supply chain issues were limiting production of PPE. Their actions meant our communities and all of the US would have access to proper N-95 PPE masks that are Made in the USA.

 

The Shawnee State University (SSU) Plastics Engineering Technology Program saw the lack of PPE supplies and decided to make PPE Face Shields for area hospitals back in the March/April 2020 time frame when supplies were non-existent, and hospitals were very short of protective equipment for front-line medical professionals responding to the pandemic and caring for COVID patients.

 

The team at Bellisio Foods, Inc. are being recognized for their #FeedItForward campaign to distribute free food to the surrounding community. Volunteers served thousands of people who lined up for miles to receive food in the beginning days of the pandemic, when some shelves were bare and many people had been impacted by job closings.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Jobs Ohio and OhioSE for their PPE project supplying thousands and thousands of kits with personal protective equipment (PPE), masks, and hand sanitizer to small businesses in all twelve OVRDC counties and all across Ohio, helping 15,000 small businesses safely re-open for business in the summer of 2020.

 

About OVRDC

Ohio Valley Regional Development Commission (OVRDC) is a regional planning commission and Local Development District (LDD) dedicated to the development of Southern Ohio, providing multi-jurisdictional planning and economic development, administrative, professional, and technical assistance to local governments, nonprofits, communities and citizens in a twelve-county region. More information at www.OVRDC.org.