MANSFIELD — The Richland Area Chamber and Economic Development honored multiple individuals for their contributions to the local community Wednesday night.
Economic excellence award winners and volunteer service recipients were announced before the event, while the Chairman’s Award, ATHENA Award and Ambassador of the Year award were presented as surprises.
Deanna West-Torrence, founder and executive director for the North End Community Improvement Collaborative, said she was “super surprised” to receive the 2023 Chairman’s Award.
“I was just really happy for everyone who was being recognized tonight and ended up being very pleasantly surprised myself,” West-Torrence said. “It’s a big honor, I really appreciate being considered for it.”
The Chairman’s Award is meant to recognize a leader with a demonstrated commitment to community service in Richland County. West-Torrence also earned the 2020 ATHENA award, given to a woman dedicated to community improvement and helping better the lives of others.
Maddox Memorial Church Pastor Aaron Williams said in West-Torrence’s 2023 award video that some community members in Richland County may be able to “surpass [West-Torrence] in her achievements simply because of her influence.”
“I certainly tried to build on the people who were before me and the things they taught me,” West-Torrence said. “And we’ve got a whole crop of young people who work with us at NECIC who, hopefully, will build on my vision.”
The 2023 ATHENA Award was presented to Theresa Roth, director of critical care for OhioHealth Mansfield and Shelby hospitals.
“I am so honored,” Roth said. “As I chose the profession of nursing, I chose to stay in this community because of the opportunities this community has given me.
“I’m so humbled to be here among the many great women who have influenced this community and who have made it what it is today.”
The 2023 Economic Excellence Awards were presented to Dan Lew, Snow Trails and Angela Phillips for their work supporting workforce and community development in Richland County.
Dan Lew thanked his parents for helping him achieve his dream and highlighted the “culinary world for Mansfield” that first-generation, immigrant-owned restaurants have built.
“In the Korean culture, you don’t get the chance to publicly thank your parents,” he said. “I have never told my parents that I love them, and tonight gives me the opportunity to say that because they gave me every opportunity in the world to be where I am today.”
In addition to Dan Lew Exchange, Lew runs Apollo Printing and Graphics, and the nonprofit Gravity Ohio. He thanked his crew and elected officials for investing their time and money in downtown Mansfield.
Honoring the resort that makes Mansfield “the ski capital of Ohio,” interim chamber president Jay Goyal said Snow Trails has continued to upgrade its park since it was founded in 1961.
“They show no signs of slowing down and continue to be an economic engine for Mansfield,” Goyal said.
Snow Trails general manager Scott Crislip accepted the economic excellence award, dedicating it to the late David Carto.
“There are a bunch of people that make this happen,” Crislip said. “We do what we are passionate about and then, we help the community and it just happens — and it’s because of the people we work with.”
Angela Phillips, CEO of the Phillips Tube Group, thanked the Chamber and Richland County Development Group for choosing her for the economic excellence award.
“If you’re a CEO of a company, you know that you don’t get there by yourself,” she said. “We’ve been in business now for 56 years, and there have been a lot of challenges and a lot of great wins that we’ve had over the years. Tonight is a great win for us as a company.”
Phillips said steel tube “is something we all see on a daily basis — it’s in the chairs you’re sitting on.”
“Having a great dad like I did, he had his hands in a lot of different things in the community and left a lot of really big shoes to fill,” Phillips said. “We try to do our best there and hope to continue to do that for many years to come.”
Other recognized individuals at the 2023 Evening of Excellence included:
— Ambassador of the Year Erica Parnisari
— Volunteer Service Award-winner Vinson Yates
— Outgoing Chamber board members Dave Baumann, D.J. Daniels, Dave Eichinger, Dennis Fox, Natalie Lantz, Jason Murray and Steve Cummins — all winners of volunteer service awards
— Outgoing RCDG Mansfield Beautification Sector Coordinator Doug Versaw, a winner of the volunteer service award
Chief Operating Officer of the Chamber Jodie Perry closed the evening of excellence with a report on the state of the Richland County Chamber and Economic Development.
2022 was the first year the Chamber operated with its new strategic plan, with focus points of fostering economic strength, cultivating quality talent and championing community excellence.
“Richland County is a network of thriving communities, businesses and people working collaboratively to enhance the quality of life for all,” Perry said.
Perry thanked Chamber staff and local mayors for working together on funding projects, workforce development and education-workforce pipeline programs. She specifically highlighted the $7.3 million rural RAISE grant the city of Mansfield secured to help complete the Main Street Revitalization project.
“We had a great year financially and the state of the Chamber is very strong,” she said. “2023 is off to just as strong of a start as we continue our business and community-focused work for our strategic plan.”
