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Coming together a renewed focus for Putnam County Chamber
After being able to come together this time last year after facing definite challenges in 2020 and 2021, change continues to be the guiding element for businesses to grow in Putnam County.
That change has included a renewed commitment from leadership in the Putnam County Chamber. Also part and parcel is up-and-coming and seasoned business leaders prospering together, as was evidenced at the Chamber’s annual dinner Saturday evening.
Speaking from his purview serving as the Chamber’s past president, it was a year of rebuilding and capitalizing on the success of businesses as a whole for Andrew O’Hair. Tapping into the night’s theme, he related the foundation of racehorses being their “collective” physical, mental and emotional status.
Coming out of two years compounded by Covid, as well as the retirement of Brian Cox as the Chamber’s executive director, O’Hair related that there was a need to effectively start from scratch and keep this growth at the forefront.
“To this point, hopefully all of you have started to see a lot more from the Chamber in the past several months, and that’s going to continue on,” O’Hair assured.
The aggregate of people and what they can bring has become the focus. As such, bringing in Madison Hanna as the Chamber’s new executive director, O’Hair said, “completely changed” its trajectory. The transition was eased by the commitment of the Chamber’s board and Cox coming through to mentor Hanna.
Taking the reins from O’Hair, Beau Battin knows it is not his first rodeo, as he put it. Still, the Chamber’s board is made up of leaders like Vice President Brooke Trissel, Secretary-Treasurer Amy Trusty and O’Hair as past president. This is not withstanding several new members including Jeff Gibboney, Laurie Hardwick and Neysa Meyer.
“I cannot tell you how much I appreciate the spirit and the heart of the volunteer,” Battin said. He as such acknowledged the service of past board members like Jinsie Bingham, who, as it was calculated, was attending her 53th Chamber dinner.
“I love the input of our businesses here on how we are going to help them,” Battin added. “How we’re going to get them more recognition; how we’re going to expose them to a clientele that maybe they wouldn’t have gotten without us.”
With Battin remarking that he, Hanna and the board want to hear this input, it was noted that the Chamber is finalizing new resources and encouraging business owners and employees to connect with each another at various events. These include lunch-and-learns and After Hours apart from ribbon-cuttings.
Battin described Hanna as dynamic with a vision for helping to “paint the story” of Putnam County as a place to live and work. For her part, noting that she is a Pittsburgh native and has lived in Bainbridge since becoming the Chamber’s head, she honed in on the community as people caring for one another.
“If you live, work and do business in Putnam County, then the viability and livability of this community must be of concern to you,” Hanna yearned. Her stead was believing businesses must have a “unified voice” to come together and encourage success overall.
“No idea is too crazy,” Hanna declared. “We are here to serve you and help you create an environment where we can all operate at our fullest potential.”
Apart from honoring Almost Home owner Gail Smith as its Citizen of the Year, the Chamber sought to embody that potential by awarding the Rookie Business of the Year and seeing a father-and-sons team chosen as the Business Leaders of the Year.
Hanna said that while their business is new to the community, Tosh and Joel Everson are “nothing short” of Putnam County legends with a passion for building relationships. With whiskey as the binding agent, The Whisk came out of that passion.
“This has been a dream of ours that we didn’t know could be real,” Tosh shared, professing appreciation for the “epic” support of The Whisk from patrons and fellow business leaders alike. “It has been a lot of hard work, but the most rewarding thing to see realized.”
“The reality is, however people might feel in that space, they feel that way because you're there,” Joel said for his part with The Whisk being (O)urs. “Thank you all so much for bringing yourselves so that people can feel safe and welcome and loved, and we’re so grateful.”
Battin related that empathy, accountability, compassion, trust, grit, selflessness and vision define Paul, Tim and Bob Jedele. Apart from operating both the Greencastle and Cloverdale McDonald’s, he noted how Jedele Enterprises has supported numerous causes in the community.
Even though Paul and Tim now own the restaurants after they “kicked Dad to the curb,” they both emphasized that vision which Tim believed in when he arrived in 1995. Tim pointed to supporting their employees’ growth as, “a big part of the Arches.”
“It’s been a wonderful ride,” Bob said about his time working the restaurants from Jan. 11, 1995, to retiring on Dec. 31, 2021. He also could only express thanks for the community’s support.
Additionally, Putnam County Community Foundation Director Neysa Meyer was named the Chamber Director of the Year, but was not in attendance.