'Leadership Ohio' Members to Tour Ohio
University
Contact: Sandee Hardin, Leadership Ohio coordinator, (937) 312-0183 or
Carolyn Bailey Lewis, Ohio University Telecommunications Center director, (740) 593-4952
ATHENS, Ohio (August 16, 2000) -- Business leaders from across Ohio will explore some of the resources and services that Ohio University’s College of Communication has available to spur economic development in southeast Ohio and throughout Appalachia during a visit to Athens on Friday and Saturday, Aug. 18-19. The 26-member class of "Leadership Ohio" will be in the area to learn about the challenges to Appalachian development.
Leadership Ohio is a non-profit corporation that educates individuals through programs that broaden their knowledge of Ohio’s challenges and opportunities. Part of the program involves meeting with civic and business leaders of different regions of the state.
"These are individuals who have a desire to help Ohio by sharing information and expertise with community leaders," said Sandee Hardin, coordinator of Leadership Ohio. "They hope to utilize a network of leaders and resources to find solutions to the state’s problems."
On Friday, Leadership Ohio members will tour area points of interest for economic development, including ACENet (Appalachian Center for Economic Networks) kitchen incubator, which allows several entrepreneurs in the food business to share the same kitchen facilities in a cost-effective way; Monday Creek Watershed, and Robbin’s Crossing historical village in Nelsonville. U.S. Rep. Ted Strickland will join the group for lunch at the kitchen incubator.
On Saturday morning, they will tour the Southeast Ohio Regional Food Bank.
From 1 to 3 p.m. Saturday, the business leaders will tour Ohio University’s College of Communication, whose E.W. Scripps School of Journalism and Telecommunications Center provide several services to the area, such as student-produced news programs that include regional news stories and the "GED on TV" program that allows viewers to prepare for a high school equivalency degree.
"Intouch," a weekly TV series, showcases regional highlights and other features to 37 counties in Ohio, Kentucky and West Virginia. Two local radio programs, "Live From Studio B," and "AM Athens," allow community leaders to discuss topics of interest. Additionally, the Telecommunications Center facilitates distance-learning opportunities at regional campus sites.
"A shortage of technical infrastructure, education, and business and technical assistance for small businesses are three factors impeding economic development in southeastern Ohio," said Hugh Sherman, associate professor of management systems in the College of Business. "The Leadership Ohio participants need to understand that people in the region have not prospered from the economic boom of the last 10 years."
Note to editors: The following events that showcase Ohio University's Telecommunications Center
and E.W. Scripps School of Journalism are open to the media. The Telecommunications Center is
located on the third floor of the RTVC Building.
- 1-1:45 p.m. Tour of Center
- 1:45-2:15 p.m. Presentations of Video Productions<
- Intouch, Newswatch, Gridiron Glory, ACTV-7 (election specials, etc)
- Countdown to Millennium, Sandra Sleight-Brennan
- Wandering Souls, Marvin Bowman
- Digital Television, Doug Partusch
- 2:15-3 p.m. Hands-on Displays
- Family Health
- On-line Services & "Wired for Books"
- Countdown to Millennium
- GED on TV
- Distance Learning
- Outreach and Scout’s Guide to the Internet
- DTV
- Studio B
