Webinar: Growing Global: Over a Century of the Formica Brand
Wednesday, April 30th – 1:00 pm – 2:00 pm
Description
Founded in Cincinnati, Ohio, the Formica company has evolved alongside global changes, both reflecting and influencing consumer perceptions of homes, workplaces, and entertainment spaces. Since 1913, Formica’s modern ‘insulating’ material has adapted to technological advancements in the automotive, radio, and airplane industries, ultimately focusing on the decorative aspects that shape interiors worldwide. This presentation will provide a visual overview, decade by decade, of how the Formica brand has kept pace with societal changes over the past 12 decades.
This webinar has been approved for 1.00 AIA LU continuing education credits.
Our Presenter

With over four decades in the international design industry, Renee began her career in product design at Kohler Co. She spent the past 36 years at Formica Group, ultimately leading design development teams across five continents.
Renee directed the global efforts for the company’s 100th anniversary in 2013 and acts as the brand historian, collaborating with museums and publications. A recent project was to document all products produced and marketed by Formica Corporation for a major donation to The National Building Museum in Washington DC.
Renee holds a degree in architecture from UW-Milwaukee and a master’s in industrial design from The Ohio State University. A strong advocate for education, she serves on the Dean’s Advisory Boards at both OSU and the University of Minnesota. A member of Color Marketing Group since 1986, she expanded international activities during her Board tenure, earning the President’s Award in 2008. Renee now supports the organization as Secretary. In 2018, Interior Design magazine recognized her for a ‘Lifetime of HiPness.’

Webinar: Ohio Arts Council Programs & Grants
Wednesday, March 19th – 1:00 pm – 2:00 pm
Join Ohio Arts Council (OAC) staff as they provide an overview of OAC grants available to organizations. Organizational Programs Coordinators Jim Szekacs, Patrick Roehrenbeck, and Brianna Dance will share resources to support the arts in your community and tips for writing a competitive grant proposal. The OAC is currently accepting grant applications, so don’t miss this opportunity to discover funding in support your organization’s work and get started now.
Our Presenters

Brianna Dance has administered public funding of the arts for the State of Ohio since 2011. She currently serves as Organizational Programs Coordinator for the central and southeast Ohio region, where she builds awareness of OAC funding opportunities, advises applicants on their grant proposals, recruits panelists and coordinates panel reviews for seven grant programs. Dance previously guided organizations through the state’s capital funding process at the Ohio Cultural Facilities Commission, and served in communications and exhibition roles at the OSU Urban Arts Space. Dance was a fellow of the Jefferson Center Academy for Leadership and Governance’s Next Generation of Leaders in the Arts program. She studied fine art and philosophy at The Ohio State University, where she was awarded several grants, scholarships, and a university fellowship for her artistic work and research.

Patrick Roehrenbeck is the Ohio Arts Council’s organizational program coordinator for the northeast Ohio region. He supports organizations throughout the project and operating support grant programs application process.
Prior to joining the OAC in 2021, Patrick worked in the arts non-profit sector for 20 years. His roles included executive director and development director with several visual and performing arts organizations in central Ohio. Patrick brings a unique perspective to his role at the OAC with his experience and knowledge of the funding process as a former applicant to and grantee of corporate, foundation, and public funding sources.

Jim Szekacs is the organizational grants program coordinator for the western and north central regions of Ohio at the Ohio arts Council (OAC). He oversees the administration of organizational grants and initiatives, including operating and project support grant programs. Prior to joining the OAC in 2004, Jim spent over a decade as a self-employed musician, radio show contributor, contributing music review columnist, and music instructor. Jim earned a BA from The Ohio State University where he majored in political science, graduated with honors in English, and earned a Master of Public Administration degree from The Ohio State University’s John Glenn School of Public Affairs.

Join us in Troy for: Incorporating the Arts in Urban Revitalization!
We have a terrific training coming up in Troy later this month (register here) on the arts as a driver of community economic development. Arts professionals from across the state will share their insights on building arts programs from scratch, pairing arts programs with comprehensive revitalization strategies, securing program funding, and creating arts programs in small towns.
Kathy Cain of the Ohio Arts Council will share information about funding opportunities for local arts initiatives and arts programs. Robb Hankins will share his experiences with starting a local arts program, and funding the program on a shoestring budget. Linda Parsons will guide attendees through the process of creating a local arts program in a small town.
If your community could benefit from injecting life into your existing arts program, or starting a new arts program from scratch, then plan on joining us in Troy on June 26th.
Training information
Incorporating the Arts in Urban Revitalization
June 26, 10AM-5PM
The Market Square Community Room
405 SW Public Square, Third Floor
Free to Main Street programs and Downtown Affiliates as a benefit of membership
$75 for Heritage Ohio Members
$125 for non-Members
Join Heritage Ohio today to start receiving member benefits!
Added bonus! While you’re here for the training, check out Troy Main Street’s special event, Sculptures on the Square. The sixth installment of this popular event features sculptor Seward Johnson’s bronze statues. Sculptures on the Square brings art into the public realm, encouraging people to come downtown and experience everything downtown Troy has to offer.
About our speakers
Kathy Cain
Program Coordinator, Ohio Arts Council
Kathy Cain joined the OAC in September 1984. During her tenure at the OAC, Ms. Cain has worked in several program areas. Currently, she is a program coordinator for organizations in the eastern and central sections of the state, including Ohio’s entire Appalachian region, Columbus and central Ohio. Ms. Cain also coordinates the Ohio Artist on Tour program and the International Music and Performing Arts in Communities Tour. The Ohio Artist on Tour program enables Ohio’s arts organizations to tap into the creative potential of Ohio artists to enrich their programming and the vitality of their communities. The International Music and Performing Arts in Communities Tour program provides the opportunity for organizations to bring international performing arts to their communities. Ms. Cain is a past recipient of the Ohio Arts Presenter Network’s Award of Merit for service to the performing arts. Ms. Cain lives in Lancaster with her husband, Gary, and enjoys spending time with her grandchildren.
Robb Hankins
President & CEO, ArtsinStark
Robb Hankins has spent the last 30 years directing city, county and state arts agencies in eight different states. He has managed annual arts campaigns, arts festivals, public art projects, arts education programs, and downtown arts districts.
Robb arrived in October 2005 to become the President & CEO of ArtsinStark, the County Arts Council. The organization called ArtsinStark today was founded in 1968 to build the Cultural Center for the Arts. ArtsinStark’s mission is “to use the arts to create smarter kids, new jobs, and healthier communities.” ArtsinStark gives out grants, manages the Cultural Center, and runs the Annual Arts Campaign. For the last 7 years ArtsinStark’s Annual Arts Campaign has made its fundraising goal every year, and has increased giving to the arts by nearly 75%. In May 2013 it raised $1.7 million, the highest amount in its 40 year history. ArtsinStark is the winner of the 2012 Governor’s Award for the Arts.
Tamara Harkavy
CEO and Artistic Director, ArtWorks
Tamara Harkavy is the founding director of ArtWorks. Since its launch in 1996 as a job-training and employment program for talented teens, ArtWorks has become a leader in employing artists of all ages, creating public art and initiating innovative arts programming for the city of Cincinnati. Under her leadership, ArtWorks has employed more than 2,500 youth and over 500 professional artists to work on countless arts projects. Many of these works of art remain in public and private venues, as testaments to the artistic talents of the participants. Tamara and her team were also the creative force behind the Big Pig Gig in 2000 and again in 2012. ArtWorks is now hard at work on its many initiatives, including its community mural program, its entrepreneurial training program, SpringBoard, and its ArtRX offerings, in which they create art for and with hospital patients and their families.
ArtWorks was the winner of the 2010 City Livability Award, by the U.S. Conference of Mayors, for its mural program. Tamara was invited by U.S. Representative Steve Driehaus to be the Key-note speaker to address the winners of the 2010 Congressional Art Competition. ArtWorks has also been awarded three prestigious Post-Corbett Awards, the Ambassador Award from the Convention and Visitors Bureau, a Community Impact Award from the American Marketing Association, and recognition from Hillary Rodham Clinton for ArtWorks’ leadership and vision.
Tamara, a 2007 Cincinnati Enquirer Woman of the Year, serves on the board of Tender Mercies and was a founding member of the Cincinnati Reds Community Fund. She has co-chaired two major events celebrating Israel’s 50th and 65th birthdays for Cincinnati’s Jewish Federation and acts in an advisory capacity for many smaller arts organizations. She has recently joined the group CEOs for Cities. She holds a master’s degree in urban planning from the University of Cincinnati and a bachelor’s degree from Arizona State. She is the mother of jazz drummer Ben Sloan, and is married to artist and real estate guy, Matthew Kotlarczyk.
Linda Parsons
Trustee, Yellow Springs Art Council
Appraiser & Art Dealer, Linda L Parsons Art Sales
Linda owns and manages an art appraisal service near Yellow Springs. She began appraising and dealing art in Denver, Colorado, with offices at the historic Zang Mansion. She later opened a business in Santa Fe, New Mexico and was a silent partner in the now defunct “Denver Rio Grande” gallery in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Her current business maintains connections in Denver, Santa Fe and Taos, New Mexico. Linda has served as board member and president of the “American Art Society” in Cincinnati, whose mission involves research and preservation of American painters and sculptors. She brings arts gallery management and business skills to YSAC.