EODA 2020 Excellence Award recipients selected
Commissioner Chris Abbuhl presents the award to project collaborators Jason Ricker, left, and Diane Lautenschleger.
James Schoch, executive director of Eastern Ohio Development Alliance, announced the 2020 EODA 2020 Excellence Award recipients. Recipients were nominated by EODA members and will receive a commemorative plaque.
The 2020 Excellence Award recipients are as follows:
—Emerging Business Award,Griffeth & Son Trucking (Carroll County), nominated by Chris Modranski.
—Technology Award, AVC Technologies (Guernsey County), nominated by Norm Blanchard.
—Small Business Awards, Lockport Brewery (Tuscarawas County), nominated by John Kelly; Nothing But Chocolate (Guernsey County), nominated by Blanchard; and Saunders Machine Works (Muskingum County), nominated by Matt Abbott.
—Large Business Award, Shelly & Sands (Muskingum County), nominated by Abbott.
—Tourism Awards, Appalachian Byway of Ohio (Noble, Monroe, Athens, Morgan and Muskingum counties), nominated by Gwynn Stewart, and #LiveTusc (Tuscarawas County), nominated by Chris Abbuhl.
“The first EODA Excellence Award was presented in 1992,” executive director James Schoch said. “Over the past 28 years, 106 Excellence Awards have been presented to area businesses across the EODA region in all 16 counties.”
Additionally, 2020 marks the 30th anniversary of EODA, which was established in 1990 by Dr. Sam Speck of Muskingum University and Dale Hileman, formerly of Columbia Gas. Speck became the president of EODA while Hileman served as executive director until his death in 2015. EODA was initially comprised of 13 counties but has since grown to encompass 16.
“The mission of EODA has remained constant over its 30 years of operation. EODA, through the cooperation of its 16 counties, will promote economic growth in the region,” Schoch said. “EODA would like to extend its sincere gratitude to the communities that it serves for 30 wonderful years in Eastern and Southeastern Ohio.”