Lake Campus summit speaker urges western Ohio pride

Wright State University held its 2nd annual Lake Campus Regional Summit March 16 in James F. Dicke Hall on the shores of Grand Lake St. Marys.

Reinvest. Innovate. Give back. And be proud out loud.

These were the messages delivered March 16 at the Lake Campus Regional Summit by Jeffrey Monfort, a successful business leader who serves as president of 75 McDonald’s restaurants in Western Ohio.

About 200 education, business and government leaders attended the second annual summit, which was held in James F. Dicke Hall on the shores of Grand Lake St. Marys.

“I started at 16 behind the counter, and now I own the counter,” said Monfort, who himself operates four McDonald’s restaurants in the area.

Monfort said residents need to better broadcast the fact that they are proud to live and do business in the area.

“We are the region’s best billboards and image ambassadors,” he said. “The next generation needs to know they can have high aspirations without having to move away.”

The summit—titled “Past, Present, and Future: Improving the Quality of Life in West Central Ohio”—was hosted by Lake Campus Dean Bonnie Mathies.

The summit also included several presentations:

• Nancy Bowen, a faculty member at Ohio State University-Lima, and Julie Miller, development officer for the Western Ohio Educational Foundation, detailed regional partnerships between educational institutions and businesses that create jobs.
• Teachers and students from Celina City Schools demonstrated how technology is being used in the classroom, including the use of iPads, iPods and smartphones.
• A review of the College Community Arts Council and how art projects sponsored by the council attract employers to the area.

The summit participants also took part in roundtable discussions to brainstorm ideas on improving the economy and quality of life in western Ohio.

Ideas included better matching high school students with careers to fill local jobs, promoting manufacturing as a viable career, investigating the business needs of local companies, producing a work force adaptable to change, holding career fairs in elementary and middle schools, and putting more emphasis on writing and developing a strong work ethic.

Action spurred in part by last year’s summit included introduction at the Lake Campus of a four-year degree in mechanical engineering and the incorporation of more agricultural courses in associate-degree courses, electives and high school programs.

“We will continue to communicate with you, listen to your ideas,” Wright State Provost Steven Angle told the gathering. “We are here for this region.”