HCA honors Johnson for dedicated decade of leadership
Holmes Center for the Arts board president Cheryl Shaver, right, unveiled a portrait of former HCA executive director Holley Johnson, who accepted the accolade humbly on behalf of all of those who invested themselves in time, money and effort into building the HCA center.
For the past decade, Holley Johnson’s name has been synonymous with the Holmes Center for the Arts as its executive director.
Earlier this year, Johnson took on a new executive director role as the head of the Holmes County Education & Community Foundation.
However, on Friday, April 4, Johnson stepped back into the spotlight at HCA for one brief shining moment when she was — much to her surprise — honored in a ceremony thanking her for her tenure there and for bringing the entire HCA facility to life with her passion and vision.
Board member Cheryl Shaver welcomed attendees and talked about how easy it was to celebrate a person who has meant so much to the organization, from its early years through the growing season to where it is today, a thriving arts community in a new state-of-the-art facility.
“This is your vision,” Shaver said while unveiling a portrait of Johnson that will now hang in the art center. “We are so proud of you and what you’ve done. You’ve brought the community together. We built (the facility) and it’s full.”
Holmes County commissioner Joe Miller was on hand to read the commissioner’s proclamation honoring Johnson.
He spoke about how a small percentage of people have the drive and desire to make something of this magnitude a reality.
“I would say 10% of the people are movers and doers,” Miller said. “When you do something, you have to go to work.”
He said Johnson did just that, leading the community to build the center.
Recently retired Ohio State Representative Darrell Kick has worked with Johnson on many levels, and he said watching her work and seeing her dedication to the center was inspiring.
He said he can recall watching the request for funding to support the building of the center come across his desk, wondering if there was a need for and support of such a concept.
“My initial thought was, ‘It’s Holmes County. Do we need that? Do we want that? Is there really a vision for that?’ Then I met Holley,” Kick said. “It was clear the vision was there, the need was there and the support would be there, and it was because of Holley, not to take anything away from anyone else.”
He said seeing how it grew and blossomed was incredible.
Current HCA teacher Lydia Havener said she owed a great debt of gratitude to Johnson, noting that she helped her develop the dance program.
“You’ve given me so much space and freedom to learn and grow as a teacher and director, to pour into the lives of so many students,” Havener said to Johnson. “You’ve built something so important, and you’re going to leave such a legacy.”
Fellow teacher and dance director Abi Besse also expressed her gratitude to Johnson, noting that the former executive director set an amazing example of how to teach, choreograph and connect with people and build relationships.
Finally, Johnson, whose husband Matt had gotten her to the HCA on false pretenses to keep the event a secret, spoke about how the HCA took the vision of not only her but many people who poured themselves into making this iconic new gem of Holmes County a reality.
“It wasn’t really my vision,” she said. “I got the vision from the people of this community, from people teaching me how to (lead).”
She said she only agreed to serve as executive director until they found someone to fulfill the role.
Ten years later, this new creation was complete thanks to plenty of donations, grants and hard work, the vision blossomed into one that has seen more than 600 young people enjoy the facility this past year, and her instrumental role in the process was being honored.
“I was learning from this community, and there was no way I could have done this by myself,” Johnson said. “This is not a one-man show.”
Johnson said handing the reins over to new executive director Shannon Olsen was a true blessing because she knew that with Olsen’s talent and leadership, along with the incredible staff, HCA would be in great hands moving into the future.
Olsen said watching Johnson lead the center was inspiring, and she learned much from her friend and mentor.
Olsen referred to a Bible scripture that states that people will live in houses they will not build. She said she feels like that statement hits home. She didn’t create this new facility, but she feels very at home taking the reins from someone who has helped build this new place that for many is now home and should be for many decades to come.