GALION — The Galion Port Authority executive director will address members of local service clubs, fraternal groups, and veterans organizations on Tuesday, Nov. 9.
Mark Rantala is the keynote speaker for a forum scheduled to begin at 8:30 a.m. at the Big Four Depot, 127 North Washington Street in Galion. He previously served as keynote speaker for a Realtor Roundtable held in October at the Big Four Depot.
The program is sponsored by the Galion Port Authority and is open to the public. The topic of the morning will be “Economic Development is Everyone’s Job.”
“It is obvious that both the number and size of these organizations represent a significant role in the community,” Rantala said when commenting about the number of service organizations, fraternities and veteran’s organizations in Galion. “We hope to engage their members in a community wide workforce development campaign that will benefit local businesses and the members of these organizations. We sent invitations to these dozen organizations and invited their president, secretary or other interested member to attend and participate in the discussion.”
The 45-minute program will include presentations about workforce needs in the local community in order to promote economic development, Rantala added. He noted that support of other economic development and workforce programs are critical to future growth in the community.
Galion Port Authority Board member Gary Frankhouse is scheduled to give an update on the proposed Freese Center athletic complex.
“We encourage Galion service clubs, fraternities, and veteran’s organizations to learn how they can support economic development,” Rantala said.
The Galion Port Authority hired Rantala and his firm, Economic Development Opportunity Advisors, LLC of Rocky River, Ohio, to serve as the agency’s executive director in August.
The City of Galion created the Galion Port Authority in May of 2019. Since then, the Port and its volunteer board members operated without an executive director until hiring Rantala.
For information about the Galion Port Authority, go to galionport.org.
