Webinar: The Historic Summit Station
Wednesday, June 14th – 1:00 pm – 2:00 pm
Columbus’s legendary Logan’s Off Broadway, Jack’s, Jack’s A Go-Go, or Summit Station (it was known by all of these names) served as a haven for lesbians, trans, queer and their friends for nearly four decades. On June 10th, patrons of Summit Station will dedicate Central Ohio’s first LGBTQ+ Ohio Historical Marker outside of the former bar. Join us to hear from Julia Applegate, one of the community leaders that helped make this marker possible to learn how the marker application process morphed from quest to memorialize lesbian life into a documentary focused on preserving this important community her story, We will also be sharing how the Ohio History Connection’s Gay Ohio History Initiative (GOHI) is hoping to spark a memorialization of LGBTQ place-based history across Ohio in the coming years.
Presenters
Julia M. Applegate is a Senior Lecturer in the Department of Women’s, Gender and Sexuality Studies. Julia holds a Masters of Public Health and a Master of Arts in Women’s, Sexuality and Gender Studies from The Ohio State University and has 25 years of teaching experience. In addition to teaching she has served as a public health professional, an HIV/AIDS activist, a barista, swim coach, storyteller and most recently an aspiring filmmaker. She lives with her wife of 21 years, two kids, three cats, one leopard gecko and a ball python in the Glen Echo neighborhood of Columbus.
Ben Anthony is the Manager of the Community Engagement Department at the Ohio History Connection. Ben’s background in community trust building, Asset-Based Community Development and equity inform his team’s work to catalyze and empower marginalized and historically excluded Ohioans. Before joining the Ohio History Connection, Ben worked across Ohio as a community and political organizer. Columbus is now home for his wife, three incredible children and two cats. A lover of all things Ohio and the outdoors, Ben is an Ohio State and Columbus Blue Jacket fan who will sneak away to go backpacking whenever he finds the time.
Lunch & Learn: Access to Capital & Resources for Small Business
Wednesday, April 27th – 1:00 pm – 2:00 pm
Join Tim Kehoe, Director of Strategic Partnerships & Initiatives at ECDI to learn more about small businesses resources and programs available through ECDI.
Listen in over your lunch time to learn about:
- Entrepreneurial education and advising opportunities for new or established businesses throughout Ohio
- Business support programs including Women’s Business Centers of Ohio, Minority Contractor Resource Center, Food Business Incubation, & Social Enterprise Hub
- Small Business Lending programs, who is eligible, and the process for applying
- Training tools and resources available to small business owners
Presenter
Tim Kehoe serves as Director of Strategic Partnerships after joining ECDI in 2015 as Portfolio Manager focused on post-loan technical assistance for ECDI’s lending clients. His career started as an entrepreneur, and experienced both the upside and the risk of starting a small business. He has spent his career working for and with small businesses across a wide range of industries. Combining this experience with knowledge of lending programs proves to be a valuable mix of expertise for entrepreneurs needing guidance and assistance.
Webinar: Preparing for the 2024 Total Solar Eclipse in Ohio
Wednesday, April 12th – 1:00 pm – 2:00 pm
You don’t have to be a Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur’s Court to harness the power of a total solar eclipse! On April 8, 2024, we’ll experience total solar eclipse and the darkest path goes right through Ohio. If you miss this one, you’re going to have to wait until 2099!
Join us for this webinar to learn about how this event can generate an economic benefit for your community with watch parties, tourism, and much more. You’ll also hear about potential profit sharing with the sale of specially designed eclipse watching glasses.
Presenters
Amy Pulles has served as president and CEO of Prevent Blindness, Ohio Affiliate since January 2022. Working in concert with a 33-member board of directors, her responsibilities are to coordinate a paid staff of 14 and 3,600 volunteers across Ohio in implementing sight-saving programming to provide direct services to 1,000,000 Ohioans annually and educate millions of consumers about what they can do to protect and preserve their gift of sight. With Prevent Blindness since 2012, Amy has served as Vice President and as Development Director of Prevent Blindness. Previously, Amy held leadership positions with the League of Women Voters of Ohio, the League of Women Voters of Metropolitan Columbus and the American Red Cross. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from The Ohio State University.
Alan Gunner, President and CEO of Solnomo, the exclusive wholesaler of Prevent Blindness ISO certified solar eclipse glasses, serves in multiple volunteer capacities for Prevent Blindness. Alan began volunteering for the Northeast Ohio Chapter of Prevent Blindness in 2015. He serves as Chair of the Swing Fore Sight Golf tournament in Cleveland as well as serves on the Executive Council for the Northeast Ohio Chapter of Prevent Blindness, Ohio Affiliate. Alan joined the Prevent Blindness, Ohio Affiliate Board of Directors in 2021 and then the Prevent Blindness America Board of Directors in 2022. Alan serves as Vice President, Revenue Cycle Management for AEG Vision, a national 350 location full-service optometry practice organization.
Webinar: Ohio’s First Female Architects
Wednesday, March 22nd – 1:00 pm – 2:00 pm
Ohio has over 4,000 listings on the National Register of Historic Places. Of those, very few are attributed to women architects. In celebration of National Women’s Month, we will look at some of the buildings in Ohio designed by pioneering women architects, as well as other historic buildings outside of our state that were designed by women with Ohio roots. We hope you’ll join us to learn more about this important legacy.
Presenters
Melinda Shah is an architect with Schooley Caldwell who has spent 20 years working on historic buildings for public and private clients. Through this experience, she has gained valuable knowledge of how to work with existing buildings to preserve them while bringing them to life for new and modern uses. She is also experienced at working with the various requirements for buildings listed on historic registries, in districts with design review, and with historic tax credits. She has worked on over 30 buildings listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Melinda received both her Bachelor and Master of Architecture degrees from the University of Cincinnati, where she had the opportunity to co-op with other design firms and gain significant experience in preservation design. In addition, she received a Certificate of Historic Preservation from the University of Cincinnati.
Amanda Fuson is an architectural designer who has been with Schooley Caldwell since in 2015. She is a graduate of Miami University and has a Master of Architecture and a Master of Historic Preservation degree from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago. Her role involves architectural design and document support on various projects, including the Hoster Brewery, Newark Arcade, Lakeside, and Perry County Courthouse. Outside of work, Amanda loves to travel and see new places — she caught the travel bug when she lived in England for a year as a child. She is also obsessed with all things history (art, architectural, film, U.S., European…really, any).
Webinar: Certified Local Government (CLG) Grants
Wednesday, February 8th – 1:00 pm – 2:00 pm
This webinar will be to discuss the now open federal fiscal year 2023 CLG grant program. We will provide an overview of the grant program with project examples and will answer any questions that participants would have about potential projects or applications.
Presenter
Adam Eltrich is the Grants Manager for the State Historic Preservation Office of the Ohio History Connection. Adam has been in this role for nearly five years. Prior to working in the State Historic Preservation Office, Adam worked for the City of Columbus, Department of Public Service and the State of Ohio, Department of Commerce. He has an BA in History and Political Science from Baldwin Wallace University in Berea, OH and an MA in Public Administration from the University of Akron. Adam resides in Hilliard and is originally from Lorain.
Webinar: First Ladies Foundations
Wednesday, March 8th – 1:00 pm – 2:00 pm
Come learn about the park! First Ladies National Historic Site is the home to an extensive collection of stories, places, and artifacts. Representing all of the First Ladies of the United States – past and present – our site covers a large expanse of American history. Join us virtually as we explore the lives and legacies of the first ladies, the historic buildings at the park site, and our museum and research library.
Presenters
Rebekah Knaggs serves as a Park Guide and Volunteer Coordinator at First Ladies National Historic Site in Canton, OH. As a park guide, Rebekah gets to work with the public through programing, house tours, education for students, digital media, and community outreach. First Ladies National Historic Site is the third National Park detail she has had, along with William Howard Taft National Historic Site and James A. Garfield National Historic Site. Rebekah has an MA in History-Museum Studies and license in Historic Preservation from Cleveland State University, following a BA in Archaeology and license in Historic Preservation from the University of Cincinnati. Outside of work, she exercises her passion for historic preservation and history with various community groups in her hometown of Medina, OH.
Webinar: JobsOhio Vibrant Communities Program
Wednesday, January 25th – 1:00 pm – 2:00 pm
Join the JobsOhio team as they share the latest information on the Vibrant Communities Program.
The State of Ohio has long been home to many of the most economically dynamic and livable communities and urban centers this country offers. JobsOhio recognizes that some smaller and mid-sized cities that make Ohio culturally rich have struggled to compete as companies and talent migrate to major metro areas. These smaller communities are part of the social fabric of Ohio and a vital part of the State’s economy. They need resources that will better position them to attract more private investment and create new opportunities for their residents.
The Vibrant Community Program recognizes that distressed communities may not have adequate resources to develop and implement economic development projects that can attract private investment and create new jobs. The program was established to assist distressed small and medium sized communities with the implementation of catalytic development projects that fulfill a market need and represent a significant reinvestment in areas that have struggled to attract new investment.
Learn which communities are eligible for funding, what projects are allowed, and how the grant funds work in your community.
Presenters
Kristi Tanner is a senior managing director at JobsOhio. Kristi is certified as an economic development finance professional through the National Development Council and served several years as a member of Ohio’s Development Finance Advisory Council. Prior to JobsOhio, Kristi was an assistant director and chief operating officer for the Ohio Department of Development. She graduated from Morehead State University in Kentucky with a bachelor’s degree in communication and marketing.
Kristi has led economic development efforts at the local, regional and state levels, including establishing the governor’s first regional economic development office in Southern Ohio. In fact, she was instrumental in the transition and startup of JobsOhio.
Webinar: Ohio Arts Council Grant Programs
Wednesday, January 11th – 1:00 pm – 2:00 pm
Join Ohio Arts Council (OAC) Organizational Programs Coordinator Brianna Dance as she provides an overview of the OAC grant programs available to organizations. Learn about how the OAC can support your organization and about recent changes to grant programs. The OAC is accepting applications now for 2023-24. Don’t miss this timely opportunity to discover funding available to your organization through the Ohio Arts Council.
Presenters
- Brianna Dance, Organizational Programs Coordinator
Webinar: The Dayton VA Medical Center – Past, Present, and Future
Wednesday, November 9th – 1:00 pm – 2:00 pm
On November 9, the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) will partner with Heritage Ohio on a webinar
focusing on two new initiatives at the historic Dayton VA Medical Center (VAMC). Founded in 1867 as
one of the original branches of the National Homes for Disabled Volunteer Soldiers, the site originally
served Union Civil War Veterans. Today the Dayton VAMC provides world-class medical care on a
National Historic Landmark Campus.
This webinar will include information on the National VA History Center (NVAHC), which will occupy two
historic buildings on the VAMC campus. Once complete, the NVAHC will be the central location for
seminal artifacts and archives of historic significance from across hundreds of VA locations. The site will
provide storage, preservation, and access to these materials, as well as a museum and education center.
The VA will also present plans to look for private-sector partners to redevelop a series of vacant historic
buildings on the Dayton VAMC campus.
Presenters
- Michael Visconage, VA Chief Historian
- Alec Bennett, VA Senior Historic Preservation Specialist
Webinar: Small Business Administration Tools and Programs: Orientation for Economic Developers
Wednesday, October 12th – 1:00 pm – 2:00 pm
- What programs does SBA have to support Main Street Small Businesses?
- What tools does the SBA make available to small businesses to help them succeed?
- How does the SBA Cleveland District Office work with local economic development officials?
Small businesses around the country became much more aware of the SBA during the pandemic due to the highly popular Paycheck Protection Program, Economic Injury Disaster Loan program, Shuttered Venue and Restaurant Revitalization Grants, and more. However, with those programs now sunset and businesses resuming a “new-normal,” what resources are still available from the SBA. How can local Economic Development operatives leverage those resources to help their core merchants thrive?
Presenter
Raymond Graves is the Lead Lender Relations Specialist for the SBA Cleveland District Office. He was previously the credit officer and loan officer for a Chicago-based Certified Development Company, operating the SBA 504. He started his career at SBA at the Columbus Ohio district office and has spent the last 25 years working in small business finance in various roles. He is an NDC-certified Economic Development Finance Professional and a graduate of The Ohio State University and Tufts University (Medford, MA).
Webinar: Partners for Sacred Places
Wednesday, September 7th – 1:00 pm – 2:00 pm
The religious landscape across the US is changing rapidly as many congregations are closing, merging, or otherwise changing their relationship with their buildings and properties. Partners for Sacred Places works with congregations, judicatories, and preservationists across the faith spectrum to help congregations make decisions about their property with an eye toward community-minded approaches for transitioning sacred buildings and properties. This webinar will look at the current situation of religious properties as well as some of the resources in Partners’ recent publication Transitioning Older and Historic Sacred Places.
Rochelle (Shelly) Stackhouse, MDiv, PhD will provide an introduction to Transitioning Older and Historic Sacred Places: Community-Minded Approaches for Congregations and Judicatories, a new resource for congregations contemplating changes in the ownership or use of their buildings, and describe the tools and approaches this guide offers to church and community leaders.
Presenter
Born in Cleveland, Ohio, The Rev. Dr. Rochelle A. (Shelly) Stackhouse was ordained in the United Church of Christ in 1982. A graduate of Princeton Theological Seminary, she has served churches of varying sizes as Senior, Solo, Interim and Transitional Pastor in Michigan, New York, New Jersey, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, and Connecticut. She now serves as Senior Director of Programs for Partners for Sacred Places. She received a PhD from Drew University in Liturgical Studies and has taught at numerous seminaries, most recently Yale and Lexington. She is the author of one book and numerous book chapters and articles. She currently lives in Connecticut.
Webinar: Glass History in the Glass City
Wednesday, August 3rd – 1:00 pm – 2:00 pm
Toledo, Ohio is often referred to as the Glass City due to the rich glass manufacturing history from the early city founding. Glass manufacturing and innovation are indeed synonymous with Toledo, but the inventions and industry creation has spanned multiple glass genres and platforms through several generations and has had a much broader impact than many realize. This session will look in depth into the history of the glass innovations in Toledo and will touch briefly on the major Toledo glass companies founding and technologies. This session will delve into the manufacturing processing improvements from Libbey Owens Ford (LOF) and the impact of those on both the architectural world as well as other industry. We’ll look in depth at how those process improvements impacted workforce conditions, products, markets, and future innovation. We’ll also investigate the current state of glass in the Glass City to show how innovation and ideas still drive the city today. The Glass city moniker is still absolutely relevant, and we’ll share some of the current developments in glass.
Presenter
Kyle Sword is the Business Development Manager for Pilkington North America and heads the company’s interests in historic restoration. Kyle has worked for Pilkington for 15+ years,mostly in glass manufacturing. He has a ceramic engineering degree from The Ohio State University and an MBA from California State University, Sacramento. Kyle is involved with a variety of different technological developments in the glass industry. Kyle spreads glass education and looks for new opportunities to provide value for customers creating products with coated and flat glass products.