BUCYRUS — The Crawford Partnership for Education and Economic Development announced on June 8 that after a three-month national search, it has hired Lisa Marcum to become its new workforce development manager. Marcum will begin her new role on Monday, July 10.

“I couldn’t be more excited about this new chapter in my career,” said Marcum. “This is a unique opportunity to combine my experience, education, and passion for Crawford County to help businesses, education, nonprofits, and government tackle the tough workforce challenges of today and tomorrow. I can’t wait to get started and contribute.”

Marcum has more than three decades of experience in the private sector, working first for printer RR Donnelly in Willard and more recently for the corporate headquarters of Mansfield-based pump manufacturer Gorman Rupp. There she served the company as an Information Technology (IT) professional, serving as administrator for several key corporate IT systems that supported 1,000 employees at domestic and international facilities in the United States, Canada, and Europe, as well as supervising a help desk team handling more than 10,000 services requests a year.

Clint Knight, the administrator for the Area 10 Richland-Crawford Workforce Board, welcomed Marcum to the region, saying, “I’m pleased to see Crawford County add someone with Lisa’s qualifications to focus on workforce development. I look forward to working with her to drive regional initiatives forward and assisting local businesses with their hiring and training needs.”

Marcum’s education began with her first degree in electronic engineering from the University of Akron. She later went on to earn her bachelor’s in business administration (BBA) from Mt. Vernon Nazarene College. In 2016, she received her master’s in business administration (MBA) from Mt. Vernon as well, graduating near the top of her class.

Melinda Crall-Cauley, the executive director of job and family services, was pleased with the announcement, saying, “We are happy to see the Area 10 Richland-Crawford Workforce Development Board invest additional dollars into Crawford County’s workforce development efforts over and above what we receive as part of our program allocation. We also look forward to Lisa promoting our programs and connecting us with more businesses as part of the Crawford Partnership’s business retention and expansion efforts.”

Born and raised in Tiro, Ohio, in rural Crawford County, Marcum has consistently demonstrated a strong commitment to community, youth, and education. Over the years, she has served as a substitute teacher, 4H advisor, junior achievement instructor, athletic coach, little league association treasurer, preschool board member, and athletic booster president. In 2020, she was also elected and is currently serving her first term as Auburn Township’s fiscal officer.

David Zak, the president and CEO of the Crawford Partnership, said in making the announcement, “We were fortunate to have 40 people from seven states apply for this position, and we ended up with some exceptional candidates. In the end, it was a very hard decision to make, but Lisa won it with her excellent academic credentials, deep private sector and industry experience, notable track record of community service, as well as her energy, enthusiasm, and work ethic. We couldn’t be more pleased to have her join the Crawford Partnership team.”

Submitted by the Crawford Partnership for Education and Economic Development.