Tressel to speak at chamber dinner
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STEUBENVILLE -- The title of the event might indicate that it’s a meeting and awards dinner, but for Emily Byers, the evening will be about a lot more.
“It’s a celebration, rather than your typical meeting,” Byers said while discussing the Jefferson County Chamber of Commerce’s annual event. “It’s a celebration of all of our individuals coming together and honoring all of the individuals who have had an impact on Jefferson County.”
This year’s event, the 118th for the organization, has been scheduled for Oct. 28. It will feature staples of chamber of commerce dinners -- from a look back at the past year, to several individual awards and a keynote address from Lt. Gov. Jim Tressel, Byers, president of the chamber, explained.
“We are a staple in the community,” Byers said while reflecting on the chamber’s 12 decades of service to the area. “A lot of people associate us with just networking events and things like that. More importantly, we are a connector of business owners, the community and resources. We support economic development, new and existing. We are passionate about continuing growth in our county.”
Among those being recognized will be Tom Timmons. A longtime employee in the banking industry, he will receive the lifetime achievement award. He and his family have been active members of the community, including service on numerous local boards, including the United Way of Jefferson County and the county’s Red Cross chapter. He’s a longtime member of the Steubenville Kiwanis Club and a member of the Steubenville City School Board.
Ann Quillen will receive the community impact award. A Wintersville resident, Quillen served two terms as executive director of the Ohio Valley Health Center -- from 2008 through 2015 and from 2020 through June, when she retired for good. Under her direction, the health center has been able to expand its services and grow its mission of providing quality health care to the uninsured and underinsured residents of the area.
Recipients of the young professional and ambassador of the year awards will be announced at the dinner, which again is being held in the Christ the Teacher Academic Hall and Conference Center on the campus of the Franciscan University of Steubenville.
Byers said the building, which opened in October 2024, is a great location for the annual event. It will be the third consecutive year it has hosted the chamber. Helping to work out the details are Joe Wallace, the university’s executive director of community relations, and Chris Krivoniak, executive director of alumni relations.
“They take very good care of us,” she said, adding that the university wants to make sure members of the community are able to see the results of all of the construction that has been taking place on the campus during the past several years.
“The campus is beautiful,” said Byers, who will complete her second year in the chamber's top post in January. “Sometimes I think that some people believe there is a divide between the campus on the hilltop and the rest of Steubenville. There is not. The dinner is really a great opportunity to bring people up on the hill and see what they have.”
Students and staff will be on hand to direct dinner guests to parking areas, provide shuttle service to the hall and help guide them into the banquet area.
Tressel brings experience on many different levels to Steubenville. He’s had success as a football coach, directing Youngstown State to four national titles and Ohio State to one. He has served as president as YSU and is the state’s currently lieutenant governor. He has joined with Gov. Mike DeWine and the Ohio Department of Education and Workforce to create the Team Tressel Fitness Challenge, a school-based health and wellness initiative for students in elementary and middle schools across the state.
It won’t be the first time Tressel has spoken at a chamber event -- he delivered the keynote at the 2003 meeting and awards dinner, which was held just a few months after he led the Ohio State football team to a 31-24 double-overtime win over Miami in the national championship game at the Fiesta Bowl.
“He has many hats,” Byers said. “I think that his role in leadership, whether it is under any of the hats he wears, is important to us. We are an organization of leadership, and I think he is a great example of that.”
As always, chamber members will play a big part in the evening. For example, the Center of Music and Art in Wintersville will provide entertainment, and the Steubenville Big Red band will perform. Decorations are being provided by Exquisite Creations by Joel and Elevated Events. Awards are coming from Knight Time Kreations in Toronto, Byers added.
She explained that staff and members from surrounding chambers of commerce are supportive of each other, and likely will be part of the evening.
“We all have the same mission, and we’re neighbors,” Byers said. “We do our best to support one another. We go to their events when we can, and they come to our events when they can. Plus, we have joint events, and we try to do a tri-county chamber business after hours once a year, and it’s always the best attended one.”
Byers explained that the chamber wants to make sure that members from all parts of the county -- and the Tri-State Area -- feel they are well represented. Part of that is the weekly Chamber on Tour initiative during which Buster Bowman, the organization’s marketing and events coordinator, visits members and invites Chamber Ambassadors on a tour that is well documented. It’s a way for businesses to showcase what they have to offer, Byers said.
And, Byers, Bowman and Leanna Lulla, the membership coordinator, said they are working on other promotions and events for the coming months.
The evening will begin with a reception at 5 p.m., and the dinner and program will follow at 6 p.m. Tickets are $75 for members and $125 for nonmembers (there are a limited number of tickets available to nonmembers, Byers said.) Tables of eight are available for $525. For information or to purchase tickets, call the chamber office at (740) 282-6226, or visit jeffersoncountychamber.com/events.