Executive director hired

A new executive director will be in the office Tuesday.

Jay County Development Corporation announced the hiring of Ceann Bales as its new executive director on Thursday afternoon. She will start next week.

“My involvement here in Randolph County with rural economic development really just sparked my passion in ensuring that rural communities are still vital,” said Bales, a Randolph County resident who last year completed her doctorate in organizational leadership from Indiana Wesleyan University last year. Her dissertation focused on rural leadership and how to help communities grow. “That just really continued to grow my passion for this field.”

When the job with JCDC came open, she visited each of the municipalities in Jay County.

“I just loved to see what was happening there,” she said. “You could see good things happening.

“It just seemed like a perfect match to really blend my education, my past experience and just my love for this area and this region to really work toward growing Jay County.”

Jay County Development Corporation president Angela Paxson said Bales came highly recommended by those who have worked with her in the past. Those individuals commented about her ability to connect with people, her positive attitude and her attention to detail.

She presented 30-, 60- and 90-day plans for Jay County.

“We were all impressed by the amount of research she did before even coming in,” said Paxson. “We could tell that she was enthusiastic about taking Jay County to the next level, working with our partners in the region. She just all around seems like she’s going to be a really good fit for us.”

JCDC has been without an executive director since Travis Richards resigned and left the role in mid-November.

A nominating committee made up of Jay County Commissioners president Chad Aker, Dunkirk Mayor Jack Robbins, Jay County Council member Bryan Alexander, Portland City Council member Dave Golden, John Jay Center for Learning executive director Rusty Inman, JCDC board member Barb Street and Paxson, reviewed 26 applicants for the job and conducted interviews with a pair of finalists. The committee made a recommendation to the JCDC board, which voted Tuesday to extend a job offer to Bales.

Paxson said communication skills, a desire to work with all partners involved and a passion for Jay County and the region were key factors they were looking for.

“We are thrilled to welcome Ceann as our new executive director,” she said. “Her vision, leadership and passion for community engagement is exactly what we need to drive Jay County Development Corporation forward. We are excited to see all of the great things we will accomplish together.”

Bales is working remotely as an adjunct professor for Ashland University in Ohio. She most recently served as director of public policy and alliance initiatives for Indiana Alliance of YMCAs. She was previously the CEO of Randolph County YMCA.

A Randolph County native and graduate of Randolph Southern High School, she is a former president and CEO of Randolph County United and former executive director of Girls Incorporated of Wayne County.

She has also been involved in work toward the construction of trails in Randolph County.

Bales received a bachelor’s degree from Purdue University in 1993 and later earned a master’s degree from Ball State University. She lives in southern Randolph County, where her family’s farm is located.

As Executive Director, Bales will lead JCDC’s strategic initiatives focused on business retention and expansion, workforce alignment, entrepreneurship, and community development. She will work closely with local governments, business leaders, and regional partners to drive sustainable economic growth across Jay County.

Referencing her plans for her first 90 days, she said the first step will be building partnerships and connecting with community leaders. She’ll also be assessing opportunities for growth in Jay County, meeting with businesses and industries to determine their needs and looking for “clusters” of businesses that can feed into and support each other. She added that strategic planning and goal-setting, including engaging with the community, will be important early on.

Ultimately, her goal is to help the community grow.

“I just feel blessed,” said Bales. “I feel blessed for the confidence the board has in bringing me on. … I’m just ready to learn and ready to serve. I’m really excited to get going.”