Pulse - Volume 16: Issue 1

LO R A I N C O U NT Y’S MAGAZINE April 2023 | Volume 16, Issue 1

n i C a o r u o nty’s His L g n i t a r b t o e l ry e C 10 Businesses that Helped Build the Foundation

PLUS

Lorain County JVS Helps Adults Find New Career Paths Say Cheers to Cinco de Mayo

contents

ORAIN COUNTY

Feature

10 BUSINESSES 12 THAT BUILT

LORAIN COUNTY

12 19

As Lorain County celebrates its bicentennial, we look at some of the organizations that helped it develop and prosper.

CHOOSING 19 ANOTHER PATH

Lorain County JVS helps adult students discover new opportunities.

Departments 4 FROM THE EDITOR LINE Meet and learn more about 6 CtwoOUNTY county leaders who are working to improve the

6

everyday lives of residents.

ATALYST The Lorain County Chamber of 8 CCommerce has created a nonprofit to help boost economic development in the region.

INING We share three spots where you can 10 Dcelebrate Cinco de Mayo in style this year.

As Lorain County celebrates 22 SitsNAPSHOT bicentennial, we look at places that helped

10

build its foundation.

OPERATIONS MANAGER COREY GALLOWAY AUDIENCE AND EVENTS MANAGER JENNIFER ROBERTS PUBLISHER ■ PAUL KLEIN klein@glpublishing.com EDITOR ■ JENNIFER BOWEN SIMA bowensima@glpublishing.com ART DIRECTOR ■ RAYANNE MEDFORD rmedford@glpublishing.com

PRODUCTION MANAGER ALYSON MOUTZ COWAN CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Linda Feagler CONTRIBUTING ARTISTS Laura Watilo Blake

ACCOUNT EXECUTIVES Julie Bialowas, Sarah Desmond and Tiffany Myroniak PARTNERS & ADVISORY COMMITTEE Community Foundation of Lorain County Lorain County Board of Commissioners Lorain County Chamber of Commerce Lorain County Community College Lorain County JVS

CLEVELAND MAGAZINE OHIO MAGAZINE LAKE ERIE LIVING BRANDED CONTENT DEVELOPMENT DIGITAL MARKETING

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FROM THE EDITOR

ORAIN COUNTY

Past is Prologue OUR REGION’S ROOTS ARE STRONG. Those seem to be the same traits that would make any business succeed now. In fact, exploring Lorain County’s past success stories just might offer a good road map for how it can keep moving forward.

Of course, learning, growing and achieving is a lifelong endeavor. But the prospect of acquiring a new skill can be intimidating when you want or need to find a different job or career as an adult. So, the Lorain County JVS is answering the call to get those prospective workers into new jobs they will be ready to take.

SINCERELY,

JENNIFER BOWEN SIMA

EDITOR, PULSE LORAIN COUNTY’S MAGAZINE

ERIC MULL

As Lorain County is gearing up to celebrate a birthday — and it’s a big one — we are looking back at how it was built.

The county’s bicentennial offers us an opportunity to celebrate some of the key businesses that planted a flag, opened up shop and contributed to the county’s growth. We’ve highlighted 10 (but we know there are many more) organizations whose mark is still being felt today — from our shores to our roads to our schools, health care and manufacturing.

They did it with innovation, determination and good, old-fashioned hard work.

Plus, nominations are open for the 2023 Best of Lorain County honors. Go to pulselorainmag.com/ bolc to lobby for your favorites in dozens of categories, from dining to shopping to services. The top three vote getters in each category will be named finalists and have a chance to show off their skills at the Best of Lorain County party on July 20.

Watch for the next issue for that list.

Reflect Adapt Transform THANK YOU TO OUR MEMBERSHIP. This past year has been focused on what can we do to help secure a brighter and more vibrant future for Lorain County businesses and residents. The establishment of a Public/Private organization under the umbrella of the Chamber of Commerce has put into motion an integrated economic development strategy for Lorain County that will provide us with a roadmap for success.

Providing the opportunity for entrepreneurs to prosper and succeed is how Lorain County was established in 1824 and as we move toward our county’s Bicentennial year, we know this will be how we continue to grow the opportunifties awaiting us in the next two hundred years.

The year will afford us the chance to Reflect upon our past, as we Adapt in the present to allow us to Transform for the future. ONE Lorain County working Together!

Vi

2 LORAIN COUNTY CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

Membership Directory and Resource Guide 4 puLse ■ VOLUME 16 | ISSUE 1

226 Middle Ave., Fifth Floor, Elyria OH 44035 440-328-2550 – loraincountychamber.com

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COUNTY LINE

Mark Adams (left) and Jeff Riddell (right) share some of the initiatives they are working on for Lorain County.

At the Helm MARK ADAMS

Lorain County Health Commissioner

Meet two people who are guiding what’s happening in the county.

By Linda Feagler

JEFF RIDDELL

Lorain County Commissioner

Mark Adams’ passion for public health and service is one that’s part of his family’s legacy. As the Lorain County Health Department’s newest health commissioner, he’s dedicated to bridging the diversity gap to health care and spreading the word about what the department offers every resident, no matter their health concerns.

A lifelong Lorain County resident living in Henrietta Township, new commissioner Jeff Riddell is making it his mission to establish an accountable governmental chain of command and continue to make the area a burgeoning mecca for new industry and job growth.

What are the goals you hope to achieve as health commissioner?

I have three very specific missions.

The first is to reduce infant mortality in the county. We shouldn’t have babies dying before they’re a year old.

[Our team] will encourage moms to see a doctor before their third trimester to prevent pre-term births.

The second is two-fold. I want to get public health professionals back into the schools to have them teach students about the profession, and, in turn, perhaps more students may consider a career in public health.

The third is to expand partnerships with colleges and universities to create public health programming and internships in the field.

We need more individuals to consider a career in public health. Currently, there is a shortage in the field.

What are three goals you hope to accomplish?

We hope to get the [political] organization of the county back on a sure foot. Second, we’d like to develop the infrastructure throughout the entire county in such a way that it can attract corporations and long-term generational jobs like we used to have at the steel mill. Third, we’ll be reorganizing our meetings so they’re easily accessible to the public. Many will be held in the evening, and there will be onscreen presentations so residents can see what we’re doing and where the money we’re spending is going. I’d like to leave this position in four years having greatly improved the public trust of the commissioners and county government.

What are some initiatives you hope to launch?

We’re going to re-manage the way we handle the county’s health statistics. Much of our work will now be driven by data. Instead of looking at the fact that we make cancer-screening trucks accessible to residents, we’re going to look specifically at where cancer-clusters are in the county. And we’ll be talking to obstetricians to let them know we’re having a problem getting the word out about the importance of prenatal care, and ask for their help.

What do you like best about Lorain County?

I returned to Lorain County after graduating from Penn State because as I was growing up, our nickname was ‘the greatest location in the nation,’ and the area between Sandusky and Cleveland was called ‘the golden crescent’ because of Lake Erie. Within an hour, you can be at the Milan Melon Festival, downtown Cleveland for sports and fine arts and out on the lake heading to the islands.

If [a destination] is not within an hour, it doesn’t exist.

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LAURA WATILO BLAKE

What are the health challenges facing Lorain County?

Health statistics indicate that just about every health indicator we have, including heart disease and diabetes, has taken a downturn. There’s clearly racial disparity existing between black and brown and white populations.

What are your favorite spots to visit with your family?

At our age in life, my wife and I enjoy the fine restaurants that have developed through the efforts of the culinary programs at the Lorain County Joint Vocational School and Lorain County Community College. We, along with our four adult children and six grandchildren, also enjoy visiting the Lorain County Metro Parks and attending festivals held annually throughout the county.

Photos Courtesy of Lorain County Historical Society, Elyria, Ohio

Better for Business As a new nonprofit organization, the Lorain County Community Development Corporation is poised to boost economic development in the county.

CATALYST

By Linda Feagler The Lorain County Chamber of Commerce continues to be at the forefront of designing innovative ways to strengthen regional economic development. In January, Chamber of Commerce President and CEO Tony Gallo announced the creation of a new nonprofit organization, the Lorain County Community Development Corporation. The 501c3 public-private partnership — organized under the umbrella of the Lorain County Chamber of Commerce — will facilitate and build on the county’s established foundation of growth and collaboration. It’s designed to cement the message that Lorain County is a prime location for corporations, businesses and entrepreneurs to open, expand or relocate.

“These 501c3s are common in the economic development world,” Gallo says. “The Lorain County Community Development Corporation will be the liaison between Team NEO [a private, nonprofit, economic development organization dedicated to accelerating business growth and job creation throughout Northeast Ohio’s 18 counties] and Lorain County and JobsOhio [a private economic development corporation that spearheads high-growth business investments and job creation]. It won’t supersede the county commissioners or the economic development in municipalities.

Instead, we’ll be there as a partner,

“We’ll be there as a partner, working with (the county commissioners and municipalities) to help existing local businesses expand and get the word out to companies outside the county about what we can offer if they decide to locate here.”

– Tony Gallo there’s a reason for them to return here because there are opportunities to earn a good living.”

“We talked with everyone who has a stake in this endeavor,” Gallo adds.

To date, mayors in the cities of Avon, Avon Lake, Elyria, Lorain, North Ridgeville and Oberlin, along with the village of Grafton, have offered financial support to the project. Although no elected officials will be on the board, an advisory council will keep them apprised of progress.

“At the end of the day, participants will realize that if a new business moves into an adjoining Lorain County town, it will also benefit their city and vice versa,” Gallo says.

“It’s going to be a win-win situation for everyone.”

COURTESY LORAIN COUNTY CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

8 puLse ■ VOLUME 16 | ISSUE 1

working with them to help existing local businesses expand and get the word out to companies outside the county about what we can offer if they decide to locate here.”

Initiatives include encouraging the continuation of traded sector business growth, focusing on short-term goals that demonstrate positive outcomes, engaging with local and regional organizations to showcase the county’s strengths, proactively communicating success stories and responding to feedback.

The corporation’s launch was a year in the making. More than 70 Lorain County civic and economic development leaders — ranging from elected officials to heads of private-sector firms and philanthropic organizations — were invited to offer input.

School superintendents, Gallo adds, were also asked to be avid participants.

“To have a strong workforce, we need to engage those students who are coming up through the ranks and are in the process of making a decision about whether or not to stay here,” he says. “We need to make sure that if they leave the area to go to college,

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FOOD & DRINK

Cheers to Mayo

Celebrate Cinco de Mayo with a taste of Mexico at these local hotspots.

By Linda Feagler

Fiesta Jalapeños On May 5, the annual commemoration of Mexico’s victory over the Second French Empire at the Battle of Puebla in 1862 — known as Cinco de Mayo — will be celebrated in style at a trio of Lorain County restaurants.

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the door and be happy,” Martinez says.

“It’s an attitude that’s a lot like what you’d find on a cruise ship.”

Favorite entrees include Enchiladas Supremas (a quartet of beef, chicken, cheese and bean enchiladas); and Stone Molcajetes (a hefty portion of 8-ounce grilled chicken, 8-ounce ribeye, shrimp, chorizo, two jalapenos and avocado accompanied by plates of

rice, beans and guacamole salad). The Signature Margarita, a refreshing concoction of fresh orange and lime juices and freshly squeezed lemon mixed with Grand Marnier and Altos tequila, makes any meal complete.

“We use the freshest, locally-sourced ingredients to give your taste buds something to be excited about,” Martinez says. fiestajalapenostogo.com

COURTESY FIESTA JALAPEÑOS

FIESTA JALAPENOS, NORTH RIDGEVILLE Owner Alex Martinez ensures the vibe in his establishment of 17 years echoes Mexico’s past and present. The decor showcases photos of famous matadors, actors and recording artists, and patrons dine to the lively beat of mariachi and cumbia music.

“I want people to leave their cares at

COURTESY DON TEQUILA, COURTESY TE’KILA MEXICAN GRILL

DON TEQUILA, ELYRIA The heart and soul of Mexico surrounds all who enter Don Tequila — right down to the replicas of sugar skulls that have been crafted through the years for the November Dia de los Muertos (Day of the Dead) celebrations honoring family and friends who’ve passed away. Mariachi tunes, along with a display of treasures staff members have brought back from trips to Mexico and a colorful mural depicting an agave farm add to the ambiance.

“We do our best to make our customers feel like family and friends,” says Melissa Calderon, assistant manager.

The menu is filled with irresistible choices that make for return diners.

Those who crave a tad bit of spice can opt for the 12-inch Burrito Durango.

Other popular requests include Molcajete; and Quesa-birria (three barbacoa quesadillas with a side of consome and fresh cilantro and onions).

Weekday happy hours from 4 to 8 p.m. enhance the merriment with a generous assortment of libations.

Don Tequila Molcajete

Te’Kila Mexican Grill Te’Kila Bowl

TE’KILA MEXICAN GRILL, VERMILION Te’Kila Mexican grill is the ideal place to recharge after a morning or afternoon of sun, sand and waves.

“It’s a little hidden gem,” says Sergio Hernandez, who owns and operates the restaurant with his family.

Appointed with decor that Hernandez describes as “thoroughly modern,” the restaurant features a menu of meticulously crafted entrees.

“We have great food and really good drinks,” he says. “But we’re also trying to include items that you won’t usually find in Mexican places.”

Examples include a sweet corn-onthe-cob appetizer seasoned with chili lime powder and a variety of bowls packed with a smorgasbord of proteins.

Hernandez’s favorite entree that “customers go crazy for:” Burrito Te’Kila, the house burrito. He suggests pairing it with a specialty cocktail or margarita. His favorite is the house Te’Kila Margarita made with freshly squeezed lime juice, agave and orange liqueur.

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pulselorainmag.com 11

10 Businesses that Built Lorain County

By Linda Feagler

celebrate its bicentennial, we look at some of the organizations that created its foundation.

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COURTESY OF THE LORAIN COUNTY HISTORICAL SOCIETY, ELYRIA, OHIO

As the county prepares to

P

ride, prosperity, pathways to the future.

Lorain County is pulling out all the stops when it comes to commemorating the county’s bicentennial and celebrating achievements and accomplishments to come.

“This year will be one of pomp and circumstance,” says Elyria city councilman Andrew Lipian, who, as chairman of the Lorain County Bicentennial Committee, is spearheading the creation of special events and programming to honor the county’s 200th birthday.

“The committee is dedicated to educating the public about the proud history of our county and what our forebearers had to endure to carve prosperity out from the area,” he says.

No observance would be complete, adds Tony Gallo, president and CEO of the Lorain County Chamber of Commerce, without recognizing the businesses and institutions past and present that form the bedrock of the county’s stellar national and international stature.

“They’re all iconic names that have played a tremendous role in making Lorain County what it is today,” Gallo says.

1

United States Steel Corporation Founded by business icons Andrew Carnegie, J.P. Morgan and Charles Schwab in 1901, United States (U.S.) Steel Corporation is renowned for supplying the materials for well-known structures that have weathered good times and bad — from skyscrapers to the battleships that helped win World War II. Emigrants from around the world made the decision to immigrate to Northeast Ohio for employment at the Lorain plant.

“My grandfather came from Italy in 1903 to work at U.S. Steel,” Gallo reflects, “and in the 1950s, the demand for good workers was so high that the company recruited workers from Puerto Rico and Mexico. Lorain is known as The International City because so many immigrants settled here to work at the plant.”

2

The American Shipbuilding Company

In the early 1800s, Lorain’s dry docks were considered to be the largest on the Great Lakes, thanks to the American Shipbuilding Company, which had relocated from Cleveland to the east bank of the Black River. Superior City was the first steel ship launched from Lorain in April 1898, and through the years that followed, the docks built 909 ships, ranging from passenger vessels and tankers to tugs and ferries. During World War II, the company contributed to the Navy’s fleet with mine sweepers, oar boats and cruisers, including U.S.S. Lorain and the U.S.S. Lorain County. Beginning in the 1960s until the company closed in 1981, the docks were known for building “super ships” — including the M/V Paul R. Tregurtha, which, at an astonishing 1,013 feet in length, remains the longest freighter in operation.

“The company was a staple,” Lipian says. “It’s what made the harbor in Lorain a focal point for the production of merchant and military vessels that helped America transfer its commerce beyond our shores. That success might secure the port as the site for a submarine base, which is the subject of much conversation.”

3

RIDGID Tool Company What started with a straight pipe wrench in 1923 has expanded into an Elyria company known for crafting more than 300 tools used around the world, ranging from wet-dry vacs to anvils and vises under the RIDGID brand.

As Ridgid commemorates its 100th anniversary, Gallo reflects on the myriad ways the company supports the county where its success began.

“They’ve given back to the community so many times,” he says. “When the Elyria City School District was preparing to construct new buildings, Ridgid provided all the tools workers used to build them. Through the years, the company has also donated clean rooms and classrooms throughout the county.” pulselorainmag.com 13

Elyria Memorial Hospital (the birthplace of Easterseals) In 1907, Elyria resident Edgar Allen was a happily married father of two. Little did he know that personal tragedy would earn him the nickname “Daddy” from countless children battling disabilities; and that grief would lead to the birth of Easterseals, a nonprofit dedicated to enhancing access to health care, education and employment for the more than 1.5 million Americans each year living with them.

When his teenage son Homer was killed in an auto accident, Allen — who’d made his fortune by supplying telephone poles to AT&T — was haunted by the thought that if Elyria had more than a makeshift hospital, his son would have survived.

He devoted his time to raising the funds to build a hospital. His goal was realized when Elyria Memorial Hospital (EMH) opened a year later in 1908.

While volunteering at EMH, Allen met an 8-yearold orphan who was receiving treatment to help straighten his legs. The pair bonded, and the child began calling him “Daddy.” Quickly realizing the acute need for a facility designed to help disabled children, Allen successfully raised funds for the Gates Hospital for Crippled Children, which opened in 1915 at EMH. It was the first facility of its kind in the country.

From there, Allen and Rotary International founder Paul Harris formed the National Society for Crippled Children in 1919 — the forerunner to the International Society for Crippled Children. To raise money for

Ford Motor Company

4

Cougars, Fairlanes and first-generation Falcons.

Considered by the United Auto Workers to be “the most modern assembly plant in the automotive industry,” at the time, it boasted the largest painting operation in the industry and earned numerous awards for worker safety, product quality and community involvement.

Ford’s connection to Lorain County remains robust. The 3,700,000-square-foot Ohio Assembly Plant, located on 419 acres in Avon Lake, Sheffield Lake and Sheffield Village, currently produces the Ford E-Series, Ford Super Duty and Ford F-650/F-750.

“Its location makes Lorain County probably one of the very few manufacturing areas that has one plant that sits in three different municipalities,” Gallo says.

“Ford obviously thinks very highly of it. Officials recently announced a $1.5 billion expansion to build electrical vehicles there — which will create 1,800 new union jobs and double the workforce.”

COURTESY OF THE LORAIN COUNTY HISTORICAL SOCIETY, ELYRIA, OHIO

5

In its 48 years of operation — from 1958 through 2005 — Ford’s Lorain assembly plant turned out 15,805,106 vehicles, including Econoline vans and their E-Series derivatives, Thunderbirds, Mercury

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the organization, the duo launched a campaign in the spring of 1934, asking donors to purchase postagestamp-sized stickers and place them on mail to show their support for the cause. The grassroots efforts blossomed into a national movement that became known in 1967 as Easter “seals” after the time of year they were introduced to the public.

For Gallo, Allen’s soft-heartedness is personal. “‘Daddy’ Allen’s story has touched me in so many ways,” Gallo reflects. “I have a cousin who was diagnosed with polio and spent time at Gates Hospital. Thanks to the medical care she received there, she’s able to walk with the aid of a brace. My cousin graduated from Kent State University and was an educator in the Elyria school system for 35 years. I was born at Elyria Memorial Hospital and, as a Rotarian, am proud of the organization’s association with Easterseals — and the fact that the first seals were printed at Wilmot Printing, where I once worked.”

2023

LORAIN COUNTY’S MAGAZIN E

CALL FOR NOMINATIONS! Lorain County is filled with amazing places to dine, drink, shop and play.

We want to know which destinations top your list of favorites!

Nominations are now being accepted for the 2023 Best of Lorain County contest.

This year’s finalists will be announced in the Summer 2023 issue and invited to take part in the Best of Lorain County Party on July 20, 2023. Winners chosen at the party will be highlighted in the Fall 2023 edition of puLse. The deadline to submit nominations is April 15, 2023.

Nominate your Lorain County favorites online at

PULSELORAINMAG.COM/BOLC THANK YOU TO OUR PARTNERS! Michelle Hung David J. Moore Matt Lundy

Oberlin College & Conservatory

6

Mention “Oberlin College” in a crowd, and it’s a fair bet that someone in attendance will have graduated from there or know someone who has.

The college’s acclaimed reputation is wellearned. Founded in 1833 by the Rev. John J. Shipherd, a Presbyterian minister, and missionary Philo P. Stewart to “train teachers and other Christian leaders for the boundless most desolate fields in the West,” the institution became an advocate for progressive causes and a bastion of social justice. Co-educational at its founding, the college regularly admitted Black students. In 1844, George B. Vashon became the first Black student to earn a bachelor’s degree from the college, followed by Mary Jane Patterson who, in 1862, earned a B.A. in education, becoming the first Black woman to graduate from an American college.

“With the acceptance of African American and female students, Oberlin became a trendsetter,” says Lipian, a proud alum who earned his B.A. in philosophy in 2012. “The college also boasts one of the top 10 conservatories for music in the world. When you attend Oberlin College, you understand why it draws the lion’s share of international students. I’m honored that we have it in our community.”

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COURTESY OF THE LORAIN COUNTY HISTORICAL SOCIETY, ELYRIA, OHIO

7

Buckeye Quarry

It’s easy to see why Lorain County is considered to be the home of the “Sandstone Center of the World.” Both Amherst and South Amherst boast an impressive number of sandstone quarries initially used by settlers in the 1800s to construct gristmills and sawmills. Over the century that followed, several dozen quarry companies developed on the various quarries located there, and railroads traveled through the towns to transport the sandy rock throughout the country. At more than 200 feet deep, Buckeye Quarry is thought to have been one of the largest quarries in the world.

“Although the quarries don’t exist anymore, they were there for a reason,” Gallo says. “They allowed economic development to happen in the community.”

Spitzer Autoworld

8

In 1904, a Michigan industrialist was traveling through Lorain County in the hopes of finding a businessman who’d be interested in selling his new invention. Locals referred him to Grafton hardware store owner George Spitzer. The rest, as the saying goes, is history: Henry Ford’s Model T put Americans on the move, and more than a century later, four generations of Spitzers continue to make sure drivers ride in style in the wheels of their choice.

“A chance meeting at a hardware store in Grafton is where the Spitzer dynasty began,” Gallo reflects. “The family is still successfully running the business — and the hardware store still exists.”

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9

The Chronicle-Telegram For more than a century, four generations of the Hudnutt family have preserved a legacy built on providing the accurate, unbiased news coverage The Chronicle-Telegram is known for.

“As our industry consolidates and papers get bought up by conglomerates, they’re managed from a distance,” says Bill Hudnutt, president of Lorain County Printing and Publishing, owners and operators of The Chronicle-Telegram, Amherst News-Times, Oberlin News-Tribune and Wellington Enterprise, along with the Medina Gazette and radio stations including WEOL 930-AM. “As a result, they don’t know the pulse of the community their readers live in because they’re not located there. Since I live here, if someone doesn’t like what we write, they can come knock on my door.”

The newspaper’s history dates back to 1919, when the city’s two newspapers, The Chronicle and The Telegram, merged to form The Chronicle-Telegram.

Three years later, Bill Hudnutt’s great-grandfather, Lorain County resident A.C. Hudnutt, became a partner in The Chronicle-Telegram, and the sole owner in 1927. Following A.C.’s death in 1950, his children, Arthur D. Hudnutt and Molly Young, took the helm.

Through the decades, six additional family members have ensured the sense of fairness, honesty and purpose remains resolute.

“The standards we set allow me to sleep at night because I know our journalists take their jobs very seriously,” Hudnutt says. “They’re not malicious, and I don’t have to worry about a rogue editor or reporter who’s loosey-goosey with the facts. There’s a reason

people subscribe to us, and The Chronicle-Telegram is regularly voted best newspaper in the state.”

Its existence is one Lipian doesn’t take for granted.

“The Chronicle-Telegram is the public forum where Lorain County ideas and policies are debated and reviewed for the reading public and the opinionated among us,” he says. “It’s the arena where we determine our priorities and the direction of our county and cities, and has stood as a breakwall against the storms of change. One of the soothingly predictable and steady aspects of Lorain County life is that you can still open the C-T and find out what’s going on in your local community.”

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Lorain Iron Company

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COURTESY OF THE LORAIN COUNTY HISTORICAL SOCIETY, ELYRIA, OHIO

When Heman Ely, the explorer for whom the city of Elyria is named, set foot upon a parcel of 12,500 acres of wild countryside in 1817, he knew the possibilities were endless. Ely built a log house, a dam, a gristmill, a sawmill and houses to accommodate settlers migrating to the area and began building an industrial empire, which included construction of the Lorain Iron Company on the road aptly known today as Furnace Street. The firm specialized in casting kitchenware and appliances with the iron it produced, including stoves, stove parts, kettles, baking pans, skillets, cauldrons and pots.

In its heyday, the company employed 100 men in jobs involving the smelting process and tasks that included chopping wood to keep the furnace fire lit. Employees were compensated in wages that amounted to around $1 a day.

“The Lorain Iron Company is considered to be the first factory in Elyria,” Gallo says. “Ely’s endeavors allowed other industries and the city of Elyria to bloom. He was also instrumental in making sure Elyria would be the county seat.”

Choosing Another

By Linda Feagler

PATH

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“My grandma didn’t look like a grandma,” Stitak recalls with a smile.

“We’d go shopping together and have long talks about the best way to care for our complexions. It was an activity we both really enjoyed. I knew that if I went back to school for further study in the field, it would be my way of having her presence continue to be with me while I help people look their best.”

But, Stitak ruminated, should she really take the plunge and quit a fulltime job to attend school? The answer was a resounding yes from Jeff Terschak, her boyfriend of 27 years.

So, during the summer of 2020, Stitak took a deep breath and telephoned the Lorain County JVS to inquire about classes.

Little did she know then that Lorain County JVS’ Adult Career Center would be with her every step of the way to ultimately make her vision reality.

“The people I met there gave me the tools and resources to be in control of my own journey.”

SHAWN STITAK

COURTESY SHAWN STITAK / ILLUSTRATION: ISTOCK

orain’s Shawn Stitak had come to a crossroads. The 1997 Admiral King High School graduate had earned her associate degree in communication in 2001 and was enjoying a successful corporate retail career behind the Estée Lauder and Lancôme counters at her favorite department stores. As the years passed, she’d gotten to know the customers who relied on her expertise in choosing products for their specific skin care needs.

Then COVID hit, and the 44-yearold suddenly had loads of time to ponder her future during stay-at-home protocols. Stitak’s thoughts turned to the dream she’d embraced for more than two decades — that of becoming a licensed esthetician who specializes in performing skin analysis, facials, microdermabrasion and dermaplaning. It was an aspiration she’d often discuss with her beloved grandmother who passed away four years ago.

Adult students are finding pathways to second careers through the Lorain County JVS Adult Career Center.

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Preserving Traditions and Creating Memories for Over 65 Years LorainCountyMetroParks.com | (440) 458-5121

LORAIN COUNTY’S MAGAZINE April 2023 | Volume 16, Issue 1

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Lorain County It’s time to get outside and have fun.

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“In our career development programs, students get the skills they need that lead to a job in the field they’ve chosen.”

KRISTIAN SMITH

SIMILAR STORIES RESOUND throughout the halls of Lorain County JVS as students enrolled in the Adult Career Center share success stories.

Dating back to the school’s founding in 1971, the Center offers a variety of program options to meet post-secondary education and training needs.

“When it comes to vocational education, the tide is really turning from what the perception used to be,” says Kristian Smith, director of the Lorain County JVS Adult Career Center.

“These days, companies are placing a growing emphasis on employees earning certificates or specific credentials versus following a college-degree track. In our career development programs, students get the skills they need that lead to a job in the field they’ve chosen.”

Nine Career Development programs — Automotive Service Technician, Cosmetology, Dental Assisting/Radiography, Esthetician, Manicurist, Phlebotomy Technician, Precision Machine Technology, State Tested Nurse Aide and Welding/Fabrication — are designed to ensure students receive the education, training and industry-recognized credentials that are helpful for job entry and advancement. The programs include placement assistance and employability-skills training, opportunities for trade certifications and credentials in a variety of skilled areas and financial aid options. Before enrolling in one of

COURTESY LORAIN COUNTY JVS

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Building Our Workforce

After completing the 600-hour esthetics course taught at the Career Center in 2021, Stitak passed her Ohio state license exam and is now a practicing esthetician and assistant manager at Spa Catawba on Marblehead.

“The hardest part of returning to school was walking into the building after not being inside a classroom for 20 years,” she says.

But Stitak adds she needn’t have worried. Her fears disappeared as Lorain County JVS staff and instructors helped her apply for financial aid and follow a curriculum that’s tailor-made for older students who have responsibilities they must tend to outside the classroom.

“The people I met there gave me the tools and resources to be in control of my own journey,” Stitak says. “They allowed me to explore different avenues and continue my education as they thoroughly prepared me to pass my state boards. Whatever your age, the staff knows you’re nervous. They go out of their way to say, ‘This is your moment.’”

“Best of all,” she adds, “they made my class feel united as we worked together to stay on track.

Even now, if I have questions about what skills I should list on my resume, I’ll stop by or pick up the phone, and there’s someone at LCJVS who’ll help me.”

the programs, students are required to attend an information session.

The Adult Career Center also creates customized programs for businesses of all sizes in a variety of industries, continuing education courses for adult students who need recertification in their field and special-interest classes for those wishing to gain knowledge for personal enrichment.

Smith points with pride to the offering he says has made the most significant impact: The Lorain County JVS Adult Diploma Program. Funded by the state and free to individuals who qualify, it gives Ohio residents 20 years of age and older the opportunity to earn a high school diploma along with industry-recognized credentials in the automotive, health care or manufacturing fields “Many of the students who come through the program are the first members of their family to earn a high school diploma,” Smith says. “The Adult Diploma Program not only helps them do that but also makes sure there’s a job waiting for them when they complete it. Suddenly, they have a high school diploma and the marketable skills to earn a decent wage — along with the ability to pursue advanced education if they choose to.

It’s such a game-changer.”

©2023, Ridge Tool Company. All rights reserved.

As esthetician Stitak reflects on the rewards her Lorain County JVS education has led to, one thing is certain. She intends to pay it forward.

“My goal is to one day teach at Lorain County JVS,” Stitak says. “I’m proud of the school and the education I received.

When I left there to begin this new phase of my career, I never felt so ready for anything before in my life. I wasn’t lost because my teachers gave me direction.

“LCJVS,” she adds, “is a hidden gem that more people need to know about.”

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snapshot

ORAIN COUNTY

Building Blocks

Check out a place that has made an impact on county history.

T

22 puLse ■ VOLUME 16 | ISSUE 1

COURTESY LORAIN HISTORICAL SOCIETY

he cornerstone for the building that is referred to as the Carnegie Center was laid on August 19, 1903. The building project was funded with a $30,000 gift from the Andrew Carnegie Building Foundation, along with support from the local community. Shortly thereafter, the building opened as Lorain Public Library — a true Carnegie Library for the city.

One hundred and ten years later, in August of 2013, the Lorain Historical Society collaborated with the City of Lorain, Lorain City Council and the Lorain Port Authority to acquire ownership of this building. It is now home to the administrative offices, community meeting room, gift shop, historic display center and education center of the Lorain Historical Society.

The building is open to the public for tours, shopping in the gift shop or research on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.

— Linda Feagler

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