The Business Advisory Council Spotlight shares good news about the great work that is being done by community leaders who serve as council members for the ESC.  

APRIL 2021 SPOTLIGHTS

Josh Bodimer is a resourceful member of the Gallia-Vinton ESC Business Advisory Council.  He is a Gallia County native who serves his community as a real estate agent and an auctioneer.  His involvement and love for 4-H as a youth is one of the factors that led to his two chosen career paths.  It was during a 4-H livestock sale when he first heard Auctioneer Kevin Wendt of The Wendt Group and thought to himself that it was the coolest thing he had ever heard.  He decided to attend the Reppert School of Auctioneering in Auburn, Indiana, where he received his auctioneer’s license.  Josh went on to attend Morehead University to earn a 4-year business degree with an emphasis in real estate.  The two professions have proven to be a great occupational combination.  Josh has been recently named the president of the Athens County Board of Realtors, an organization that represents multiple counties in the Appalachian region of Ohio.    
 

Josh shared that he loves serving the people in this region of Ohio and feels blessed to be supported by the community. When it comes to area youth, he believes it is important for students and young adults to have a basic foundation of knowledge in financial literacy so they can make informed decisions relative to significant real-world purchases like real estate. The ESC wholeheartedly agrees with Josh and supports curriculum opportunities to help students become savvy consumers.     

T.J. Howard is the Assistant Superintendent of South Point Local Schools in Lawrence County. While you can imagine his job entails a myriad of duties, his job description lists Curriculum Coordinator and Federal Programs Coordinator, District Testing Coordinator, District Homeless/Foster Care Liaison, and 21st Century Afterschool Program Manager as the major expectations for his position. Mr. Howard is the district’s representative on the Gallia-Vinton ESC Business Advisory Council.

 In reflecting on the positive learning experiences that evolved from working during the pandemic, Mr. Howard relayed he became very aware of the value of quality communication and the importance of two-way communication for organizations. He cited the pandemic also revealed that collaboration, shared decision-making, active listening, and teamwork are essential skills for productivity. He considers these qualities as strong points for students to develop for transition to the workforce. Mr. Howard notes that resiliency is a personal asset that he possesses and an attribute that would benefit students. He recognizes perseverance as critical in dealing with workplace situations. 

Erin Dailey, Extension Educator, 4-H Youth Development for the Jackson County Extension Office, is another valued member of the Gallia-Vinton ESC Business Advisory Council (BAC). Her career’s purpose is to help prepare youth to be successful, a goal directly aligned with the ESC organization’s mission. Erin provides the BAC with beneficial input relative to the needs of youth. In her extension office position, she provides leadership for multiple youth development opportunities outside of school. 

 

Erin shared the past year brought many workplace challenges requiring changes in the delivery of services.  She said that flexibility and adaptability have been key in negotiating the changes and she believes that youth need experiences to practice both of these qualities in hands-on situations. She further noted the ability to work with people is another important asset that students need to acquire, a belief that was brought to light more than ever during this last year. Fortunately, area students have opportunities to build these skills due to the schools, extension offices, and other partners that create excellent programs for our youth!