MANSFIELD — The North Central Ohio Hall of Excellence will induct three new members at its 6 p.m. ceremony on April 10 at the James Kehoe Center in Shelby.
This event will honor three north central Ohio residents whose vision, creativity, and community involvement exemplify excellence in our region.
A closer look at the three inductees is below.
Matt Miller
Matt Miller is the mayor for the city of Ashland.
Matt Miller’s visionary approach to development, growth, and quality of life is summed up in his desire to make Ashland “Sparkle.”
This simple statement has led to countless improvements to Ashland’s downtown, parks, and public spaces, many of which leveraged state and federal resources.
The sum of these efforts can be described as transformative.
Perhaps just as impactful is Matt’s enthusiastic leadership style which has instilled a sense of optimism and pride throughout the community.
Ashland has become a destination for dining, entertainment, the arts, and wonderful events like the Ashland Balloon Fest, which attracts people from across the country each summer.
Behind his public persona, Matt is a man of faith whose beliefs align seamlessly with his public position as CEO of a city that he loves.
Ashland sparkles because of the steady, enthusiastic, and infectious leadership of Matt Miller.
Through his leadership, Ashland has become a place where entrepreneurs are eager to establish their businesses, families are excited to live, and everyone thrives.
Duana Patton
Duana Patton, Chief Executive Officer of Ohio District 5 Area Agency of Aging.
When reviewing letters of support for Duana’s nomination into the Hall of Excellence, reviewers were struck by the nearly unanimous references to innovation, leadership, community involvement, and personal integrity.
Duana leads with her heart, while also leading with vision for the future of the District 5 Area Agency on Aging. She actively mentors members of her team for whom she sees potential to do great things within the organization.
Duana advocates for the District 5 AAA with all who might impact our community and its residents. She serves on numerous local, statewide, and national boards and committees.
Her vision provided leadership for the development of the Hawkins Center facility which serves as the home base for District 5 AAA and its myriad services to residents in more than nine counties in Ohio.
More recently, her team has completed Ritter’s Run, a new 12-unit apartment concept for seniors.
For more than 34 years, Duana has been a champion for the rights and well-being of older adults and individuals with disabilities in District 5, throughout Ohio — and beyond.
Betty Preston
Betty Preston is retired as the V.P. Institutional Advancement for North Central State College.
In 1989, Byron Kee asked Betty to join North Central Technical College and re-charter its Foundation.
Over the next 24 years, Betty guided the Foundation’s managed assets from $0 to $6,000,000.
She accomplished this by tirelessly leading a dedicated team through countless activities including special events, capital campaigns and personally developing meaningful relationships with donors who became good friends.
Betty brought Rock-n-Ribs to the campus in 1990 and helped organize the event for nearly 25 years.
She developed the Entrepreneurial Hall of Fame in 2002, the predecessor to the Hall of Excellence today.
She shepherded the name change from North Central Technical College to North Central State College to better represent the evolving role of the institution in our community.
She organized and led the first capital campaign for the college, oversaw grants and government relations, and handled a number of other tasks including admissions, advertising, and more.
Her leadership brought the Kehoe Center to life, preserving a Shelby landmark, and providing a remarkable asset to NC State in support of its mission.
She has also lent her talents to numerous boards and fundraising efforts, perhaps most notably the Kingwood Gardens Welcome Center, Gift Shop, and Gateway Café.