Updated: 9:05 a.m. Wednesday, Jan. 13, 2016 | Posted: 7:02 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 12, 2016

Here’s who applied to be Middletown’s next economic development director

By Mike Rutledge

Staff Writer

MIDDLETOWN — 

A former downtown development manager for the city of Cincinnati, the city manager of Steubenville, and several other people who have led economic-development efforts as far away as Kansas and Texas are among the 21 people who have applied to become Middletown’s economic development director.

“There is a lot of talent out there,” said City Manager Doug Adkins, who declined to name the eight candidates who were interviewed.

Interviews were conducted Friday by “a combination of staff and local business people,” he said.

Among others who applied are Harrison’s economic development director, the manager of projects and business development for REDI Cincinnati, and a recent senior economic development specialist for Dayton.

Adkins said he intends to bring two candidates in for final interviews to see how they mesh with current city staff.

“One of the things Middletown has been criticized for in the past is not involving the community in major decisions, and this is one of our key positions in the organization, so it’s important we have the chamber and the business community involved and believing we’ve hired the best candidate that we can get,” Adkins said.

Here is a closer look at some of the people who applied for the position, which pays between $75,656 and $99,562:

·                       Timothy M. Boland, the city manager of Steubenville since 2014, who from 2007-2013 was city administrator of Pataskala, Ohio; and before that (1999-2007) was economic development director of Delaware County, the nation’s 12th-fastest growing county from 2000-2005.

·                       William E. Bradley Jr., who lists addresses in Portland, Ind., and Morrow, Ohio, has been executive director of Jay County Development Corp. in Portland, Ind., since 2007.

·                       Judy L. Brinegar, president and partner of Baldwin Creative & Company in Beavercreek, who previously was vice president of finance and marketing for Dayton Development Coalition (2002-2008).

·                       Fred D. Burkhardt of Kettering, president and CEO of Geneva Analytics Ltd. and previously executive vice president of the Logan County Area Chamber of Commerce in Bellefontaine.

·                       Larry Arnold Calhoun of Conroe, Texas, the executive director of Conroe Industrial Development Corporation, the Greater Conroe Economic Development Council and the Conroe Visitors and Convention Bureau since 2006.

·                       Jennifer K. Ekey of Maineville, economic development director for the city of Harrison since May 2008, and before that, an economic development specialist for the city of Hamilton.

·                       Jake Fryman, a Carlisle Village Council member who works as an associate at Dorothy Lane Market in Springboro.

·                       Rebecca Jantonio, a senior economic development specialist for the city of Dayton from July 2010 to July 2015, and before that, an independent business development specialist.

·                       Dustin Lester of Cincinnati, the manager of projects and business development for REDI Cincinnati, the Regional Economic Development Initiative of Greater Cincinnati. He previously worked from 2012-2014 for Northern Kentucky Tri-ED, (the Tri-County Economic Development Corporation), and before that, the Metropolitan Sewer District of Greater Cincinnati.

·                       Jeff McElravy of Cincinnati, who was the downtown development manager for the city of Cincinnati’s Department of Trade and Development from December 2014 to April 2015, and before that worked in other economic-development positions for Cincinnati.

·                       Gregory A. Miller, who has served as economic development director for the Junction City Chamber in Kansas, the city of Moss Point, Mississippi, and other places.

·                       Rhonda Ramsey Molina of Fairfield, president of Community Systems Group LLC, and a former deputy director for innovation and outreach of the Community Anti-Drug Coalitions of America.

·                       David Zak of Tiffin, president and CEO of Seneca Industrial and Economic Development Corp., and a former vice president of economic development for the Greater Springfield Chamber.