- Junior Achievement renovates headquarters.
- ICAN Housing adds board members.
- Canton/East Sparta KOA receives awards.
- Golden Key celebrates anniversary.
Visit Canton’s downtown office is moving again.
The Stark County Convention and Visitor’s Bureau will relocate from an office inside Onesto Lofts on Second Street NW about two blocks to the northeast to 401 Market Ave. N.
It’ll increase the office space from 2,401 square feet to 4,094 square feet with an additional 892-square-foot meeting and training room. The building previously housed Citizens Bank and the United Way of Greater Stark County, which now is on an upper level of the building.
Visit Canton CEO Allyson Bussey talks about the entrance and greeting area at what is soon to be Visit Canton’s new home at 401 Market Ave. N in Canton.
Allyson Bussey, president and CEO of Visit Canton, said it’s the third space she and Tonja Marshall, the chief marketing officer, have built out together.
“So we feel like we kind of know now like what really works for us and have learned a lot about the process,” she said. “We feel pretty confident that it’s going to serve all our needs for a long time. That’s our goal. Because we needed room to grow, and now we have it.”
Visit Canton CEO Allyson Bussey, right, and Tonja Marshall, chief marketing officer, talk about the training and meeting room in what is soon to be Visit Canton’s new home at Fourth Street NW and Market Avenue N in Canton.
It’s also a prime location across from Centennial Plaza, where a majority of downtown events occur. Marshall said the organization can help inform visitors of other locations of interest in the greater Canton area.
“So we definitely will be playing a major role in that and helping direct visitors within the downtown footprint and beyond,” she said.
Coincidentally, the bank’s green walls are the same color Visit Canton uses in its logo, which also is undergoing a redesign. The football-shaped “o” in Canton will be the shape of Ohio with football laces extending from a star in the city’s location.
Transitioning the logo, moving offices and hiring two new positions ― an administrative operations coordinator and a guest promotions coordinator ― are expected to be complete in early 2024.
Visit Canton CEO Allyson Bussey talks about the office space at what is soon to be Visit Canton’s new home at 401 Market Ave. N in Canton.
Bussey said job applications will be accepted through early December and interviews will occur after the first of the year. The new hires will bring Visit Canton’s full-time staff to 12.
They all should be working from the new office by mid-February, Bussey said, and there’ll be a grand opening to celebrate the move.
Visit Canton also has a satellite office at the Hall of Fame Village.
Junior Achievement
Junior Achievement of North Central Ohio also celebrated renovations with a ribbon-cutting and networking event at 4253 Executive Circle NW earlier this month.
A newly installed history wall at Junior Achievement headquarters.
The nonprofit teaches financial literacy, career readiness and entrepreneurship skills to young people. Renovations involved adding a history and donor wall designed by local artist Mac Love of ART X LOVE and a new Burton D. Morgan Foundation Student Collaboration Zone.
“Working closely with the Burton D. Morgan Foundation and Kent State University at Stark, this area marries technological innovation, educational impact, and community partnerships to give our local students a home to sharpen their skills and futures,” Tyler Adams, vice president of development at Junior Achievement, said in an email.
Company Program students use the new collaboration zone.
It allows students to schedule times to work on their Junior Achievement Company Program products or services and use virtual reality to explore careers with Transfr.
In addition to the Burton D. Morgan Foundation, the project received funding from the Paul & Carol David Foundation, Timken Foundation, Hoover Foundation and J.M. Smucker Co.
ICAN Housing adds board members
ICAN Housing, which provides housing support to people who are homeless, mentally ill or low-income, has appointed two new board members.
Dorian Chenault of Charter Communications and Crystal Brodzenski of Medina County Board of Developmental Disabilities joined the board in October.
“The addition of these new members will further strengthen ICAN Housing’s commitment to continuous improvement within the housing realm and strong client outcomes,” Julie Sparks, ICAN Housing executive director, said in a prepared statement. “We are excited to channel Dorian and Crystal’s expertise and energy into furthering our mission.”
Chenault is originally from Canton and lives in Bedford. He also serves on the board at the Stark County Minority Business Association.
“ICAN’s housing mission, vision and values all resonate with me deeply, and I look forward to helping guide the services offered by ICAN Housing,” he said.
Brodzenski lives in Canton with her family and said she’s ready to assist with ICAN’s important work, especially in the city.
“I look forward to working with a committed agency and board on such an important topic within our community,” she said.
Canton/East Sparta KOA receives awards
The Canton/East Sparta KOA Holiday at 3232 Downing St. SW has received the Kampgrounds of America (KOA) Founder’s Award and President’s Award. The awards were recently presented at the KOA’s annual convention in Las Vegas.
The Founder’s Award is KOA’s highest award for customer service and quality. The President’s Award is given to campgrounds that meet “exceptional” quality standards and have high customer service ratings.
“Our campground owners and thousands of dedicated employees are essential to providing the superior level of outdoor hospitality KOA guests expect and it’s an honor to recognize this hard work,” Toby O’Rourke, president and CEO of Kampgrounds of America, said in a prepared statement. “Our President’s and Founder’s awards are driven by camper feedback and an extensive annual review process.” These award-winning KOA owners have made the right investments in their campgrounds and their staff to provide the best outdoor experience in North America.”
Golden Key celebrates anniversary
The Golden Key Center for Exceptional Children celebrated its 15-year anniversary this month.
The center at 1431 30th St. NW in Canton serves children in preschool to eighth grade who are on the autism spectrum or have other cognitive disabilities.
The longest-serving employee is 85-year-old Barb Ross, who started in November 2011.
“We have been lucky to secure strong tenured employees over the years, especially in a field where burnout is high,” Terry Frank, co-founder and executive director, said in a prepared statement. “But Barb’s commitment is impressive and something we all aspire to have.”
Reach Kelly at 330-580-8323 or [email protected] X, formerly known as Twitter: @kbyerREP