LCCC leader lauded

Lorain County Community College President Marcia Ballinger received the Mike Whitmore Award for Vision in Government on Dec. 7.

The Lorain County Community Alliance gave Ballinger the award during their Annual Government Roundtable Summit at the Lorain County Administration Building in Elyria, according to a news release on the meeting.

The award is given to honor those in the Lorain County public service for “achievement, contribution, vision and leadership,” the release said.

Lorain county Commissioner Matt Lundy, chair of the alliance, praised Ballinger for her over 25 years of service to community college, which “advanced student success, workforce and economic development, strategic planning and institutional advancement,” the release said.

Lundy also noted LCCC “was recognized by the American Association for Community Colleges as the

2018 Recipient of the AACC Award of Excellence in Student Success,” as well as developed programs like GLIDE and the Innovation Fund, according to the release.

The Alliance also elected its next slate of officers which are Lorain County Commissioner Matt Lundy as chair, North Ridgeville Mayor G. David Gillock as vice chair, Sheffield Township Fiscal Officer Patricia Echko as secretary, Columbia Township Trustee Dick Heidecker as treasurer and Virginia Haynes as administrative coordinator, according to the release.

The next meeting will take place on Transportation Day, April 5, and focus on impending transportation projects in the county, the release stated.

Ballinger