Greenville, OH – The Individual Development Program Committee of the Greenville Business & Professional Women’s Club (BPW) hosted the November 14, 2024 meeting which was held at the Winery at Versailles in Versailles. The committee consisted of Chair Deb Niekamp and members Sue Huston, Desteni Mason, Leah Dumas and Shelly Acker.
Denise Elsas was introduced by committee member Desteni Mason. Elsas has been a workforce specialist for 16 years and works for Darke County Economic Development. She works closely with local companies to build talent pipelines that support business growth and explore new opportunities for workforce development. Three main issues being addressed are: Help the workforce with affordable housing; childcare facilities (possibly in work place) and transportation to and from work. Ohio Means is an agency that is available to get a person back in the workforce. Darke County is on target to lose 14% of the current population by 2025. They are working on securing our teenagers to stay or come back to Darke County for their work careers. Some programs offered are:
- The Impact STEMM2D for high school students scheduled for March 7, 2025.
- Ohio Tech Credential to up-skill the workforce. $300,000 came back to Darke County since 2019 from this program.
- Job Shadow week for juniors and seniors with 55 different companies participating.
- U-Science testing for student’s aptitude and interest to establish a good match for their career.
- A pilot program with Miami University freshmen students on interning in rural communities.
- STEAM Camp comprised of twenty-eight 7th and 8th graders learning about manufacturing and health care.
Elsas is revitalizing the Leadership Darke County course which is a ten month program. Seventeen applicants are scheduled to attend the 2025 class. For further information on this topic contact the Darke County Economic Development through Melanie Nealeigh at mnealeigh@darkecounty.com or 937/548-3250.
The November BPW meeting focuses on the Business & Professional Women’s Individual Development Program which was developed to further enhance leadership and communication skills for working women. A state-wide speak-off competition is held for those who have completed the course.
The Greenville BPW Club’s mission is to achieve equity for all women in the workplace through advocacy, education, and information. The Club holds fundraisers through the year to raise money to grant scholarships to the young women of Darke County. They meet the second Thursday of every month for a dinner meeting. Information on BPW can be found on Facebook at Greenville BPW. Those interested in learning more about the Club can contact Membership Chair Susan Fowble at 937/423-2387 or fowble51@gmail.com