Last night the Creative Region Initiative was officially kicked off as the organizers of the project and the 32 chosen catalysts met one another at the Westcott House in Springfield. There was quite an energy in the room – we have some great people in the group and it is possibly the most diverse group of people I’ve ever been involved with in my life. There is also the sense that this ambitious and unique effort is very different from any other community-based project ever executed in the past. I believe there is a ton of potential to do some projects that have a huge impact on our community and will hopefully inspire even more spin-off projects in the future and beyond.
Coalition aims to stir interest in creative class
Dayton Daily News
2/29/2008
Efforts to grow a "creative class" in the Miami Valley took shape
Thursday, Feb. 28, when the Creative Region Initiative announced which
emerging leaders it selected to be catalysts for kick-starting the
movement.
After evaluating 132 applications, a task force representing 20
community groups selected 32 people who represent a cross section of
ages, counties, occupations, ethnicity and experience, the group said.
The Creative Region Initiative is the moniker given to yearlong effort
started by the Southwestern Ohio Council for Higher Education for
growing a creative class with the help of urban theorist Richard
Florida and his Toronto-based company, the Creative Class Group….
Here is the list of catalysts:
Miami Valley’s Creative Class catalysts
Age 20-29
Sarah Ammar, communications specialist, Avetec Inc.
Kate Ervin, planner, City of Dayton
Drew Fuller, attorney for government contracts and litigation, Sebaly, Shillito and Dyer
Scott Murphy, aerospace engineer, Air Force Research Lab
Josh Rauch, student at University of Dayton and intern at the Mathile Family Foundation
Ryan Sharpiro, research coordinator, Wright State Physicians
Age 30-39
Tokz Awoshakin, executive director, Civic Life International Inc.
Catherine Crosby, assistant director, Human Relations Council, City of Dayton
Matthew Joseph, commissioner, City of Dayton
Ojustwin Naik, corporate senior product manager, Teradata
Bill Pote, president, ResConnex Inc.
Stephanie Yenn, training and development manager, Dayton Area Chamber of Commerce
Age 40-49
Susan Byrnes, director of ArtStreet, University of Dayton
Theresa Gasper, president, Full Circle Development
Lisa Grigsby, executive director, Miami Valley Restaurant Association
Patrick Martin, vice president of finance, MCM Electronics
Anne Rasmussen, contractor, Dayton Early College Academy
Ron Rollins, managing editor of content, Dayton Daily News/Cox Ohio Publishing
Dave Seyer, vice president of development, Culture Works
Sally Struthers, dean of liberal arts, communication and social sciences, Sinclair Community College
Debra Wilburn, assistant director of Career Services, Wright State University
Art Williams, manager of business services, Woolpert Inc.
Age 50-59
Linda Burrs, president and principal consultant, Step-up-to-Success Diversity Education
Dusty Hall, program development manager, Miami Conservancy District
Larry Jenkins, ASC Engineering directorate, U.S. Air Force
Marilyn Klaben, education director, The Human Race Theatre Company
Bob Parks, owner and president, The Marketing Formula
Andy Snow, photographer, Andy Snow Photography
Sharon Williamson, director of strategic communications, WorkflowOne
Age 60-69
Carol Sampson, director of community development, Wright Dunbar Inc.
Thomas Thickel, president, Levin Porter Associates Inc.
Age 70+
Bing Davis, artist, educator and community activist, Willis Bing Davis Art Studio
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