The Morning Journal (Lorain, OH)
2019 Difference Makers to be honored at gala
Leadership Lorain County will celebrate outstanding community activism of this year’s 2019 Difference Maker Award honorees Feb. 15 at the 16th annual Difference Makers Gala and Excellence in Leadership Awards
The event will take place at the Lorain County Community College Spitzer Conference Center, 1005 N. Abbe Road in Elyria.
The Gala will honor individuals and an organization for their remarkable leadership and significant impact on the Lorain County community and beyond, according to a news release.
The Difference Makers Gala honoree selection committee is made up of three Lorain County community leaders and two Leadership Lorain County Board members who went through an extensive review process of each of the nominations, the release said.
Judson Laipply, inspirational comedian and Evolution of Dance creator, is the keynote speaker. The honorees: Eric Nord Award for Excellence in Leadership to Thomas D. Stuber
Thomas D. Stuber, president and CEO of The LCADA Way, and an adjunct professor of addiction counseling at LCCC and Ashland University.
Stube, married to his wife, Susan, for 43 years, has two children and three grandchildren.
He started his career in addictions in 1980 at The Lakeland Institute and remained for 38 years working to resolve the impact addiction has on individuals, families and the community.
Stuber left and returned to Lorain County to head up The LCADA Way in 1999. Under his leadership, The LCADA Way provides treatment services in Lorain, Erie, Medina counties, and soon to be Cuyahoga County.
He spearheaded a campaign that lasted 14 years to get a rule lifted, which limited residential treatment facilities to only 16 beds. This rule has been around for 53 years.
Stuber is a Big Brother and is a former Big Brother Big Sister board member. He currently serves as president of the Ohio Alliance of Recovery Providers and sits on the advisory boards of Lorain County Recovery Court and Lorain County Veterans Court.
Excellence in Leadership award to Barbara Thomas
Barbara Thomas, CEO of Kendal at Oberlin, has over 40 years of leadership experience in the long-term care profession.
Thomas has served as Kendal at Oberlin’s executive director since its inception in 1992.
She was promoted to CEO in 2003 with the establishment of Kendal Northern Ohio, a nonprofit supporting entity overseen by the board of Kendal at Oberlin.
Under this governing entity, Kendal at Home and Kendal Community Outreach, LLC were created by 2010 to expand services into the larger community.
Thomas’ service to the field of aging includes United Way of Greater Lorain County; LeadingAge Ohio; LeadingAge Washington D.C.; LeadingAge Leadership Academy; Peace Church Risk Retention Group; Peace Church Health Insurance Program; Lorain County Metropolitan Development Corporation; and Mercy Health.
Excellence in Leadership Award to Victor Leandry Victor L. Leandry, director of El Centro de Servicios Sociales Inc., started his career as a community social worker in Ponce, Puerto Rico, and moved to Lorain in 1991.
El Centro is a bilingual/ bicultural, nonprofit, social services agency celebrating 44 years of serving the community, specializing in services for the Hispanic/Latino community.
Leandry’s professional background was providing direct clinical services to adults, children, couples and families.
He is a member of Mercy Health board of directors, Lorain County Human Services Planning Committee, Lorain Police Department Advisory Board, Lorain County Mobility and Opportunity for a Vibrant Economy Board and Ohio Latino Connection.
Leandry served as the Midwest Affiliate Representative chair on the council and a board member for UnidosUS. UnidosUS is the largest Latino civil rights advocacy organization in the United States and has almost 300 affiliate member organizations in 41 states, the release said.
Emerald Award for Inspirational Leadership to Danielle M. Locke
Danielle M. Locke, a nonprofit and philanthropic adviser, has spent nearly 20 years in the nonprofit field in management, fund development, marketing and communication roles.
Locke is a chartered adviser in philanthropy, having completed her certification in October 2015 and is a graduate of Leadership Lorain County “Best Class of 2015.”
She is a 2005 graduate of Cleveland Bridge Builders and in 2011, was selected one of NEO “25 under 35 Movers & Shakers” award by the 20/30 Club of Cleveland and Small Business Magazine.
Her current volunteer and leadership roles include: Dean’s Stakeholder and Alumni Advisory Committee, Maxine Goodman Levin College of Urban Affairs, Cleveland State University; Advancement Network board member; AdNet national conference cochair; Firelands Association for the Visual Arts development chair and board member; Lorain County Bar Association Fee Arbitration panelist; administrator for Nonprofit Communicators of Lorain County; and development committee for LakewoodAlive.
Locke lives in Lakewood with her husband, Bill, their 2-1/2 year-old son, Ethan, and cat Costner.
Excellence in Leadership Award to Nordson Corporation Foundation
Nordson has a long history of giving back to the communities where they live and work.
Nordson strongly believes it is their responsibility as a corporate citizen to share its success with its communities, which is it donates five percent of its U.S. pre-tax profits to support charitable endeavors every year, the release said.
It continues to positively impact more people worldwide through volunteering, donations, scholarships and more. Employees get involved through six community engagement programs that together create The Nordson Impact.
Nordson represents a key pillar of the Nordson Impact, enabling the company to award grants to nonprofits throughout the United States.
Since 1989, Nordson Corporation Foundation has awarded more than $60 million in grants.
In 2017, Nordson Corporation Foundation gave 362 grants totaling $6.3 million.