Top local talent honored

NORWALK — The Huron County Growth Partnership recently recognized five award recipients during its 2025 ceremony, highlighting the people and businesses driving the county's continued success. The event reflected the partnership's focus on economic growth, innovation and collaboration across public and private sectors. Here's a breakdown of the award recipients and additional context provided by the partnership: Innovation Award The Huron County Growth Partnership awarded its Innovation Award to 100 Women Making a Difference of Huron County. 100 Women Making a Difference of Huron County gathers quarterly, each member contributing $100 to fund local nonprofits. "100 Women is an organization that is in many, many cities," Robin Bleile, a group member, said. "We gather four times a year. We learn about different non-profits and what they do and what their needs are." Since 2021, the group has distributed hundreds of thousands of dollars to area organizations. "We've been able to raise $263,500 in the four years, which is really, really fun. That first meeting we had $14,000 to start with in the very beginning, which was just totally amazing," group member Patti Wilde said. Public-Private Partnership Award The partnership's Public-Private Partnership Award went to those involved with the foundation of the Feichtner Memorial Barn/The O-Rena. The barn is a 100-by-200-foot facility built at the Huron County Fairgrounds with broad community support and a $50,000 county contribution. The project replaced aging livestock barns and has become a centerpiece of the fairgrounds' revitalization. Heath Feichtner explained that the project was born from tragedy and two grandchildren finding a special way to honor their grandfather. "Back in March of 2021, we lost my father John, and my two boys decided there that year at the County Fair they were going to sell their feeder calf and donate all the money for something here at the fairgrounds," Heath Feichtner said. The small gift they expected to give, turned into a much bigger project. "We ended up with a 100 by 200 building, insulated, has a couple big fans in it for summertime which came in really nice this year," he added. "Any of you that were at the fair knew how hot it was and this was definitely the coolest barn fair." Pushing the Envelope Award This award was given to Susan Root Moore who serves as Program Consultant for Leadership Huron County, a development program that fosters civic leaders through monthly sessions on governance, history and economic issues. Her long record of service has supported preservation and volunteer initiatives throughout the county, according to Plymouth Mayor Cassaundra Fryman. "Susie deserves the pushing of the envelope award because that is something she's been doing her entire life," Fryman said. "She sees a problem and will move mountains to make sure that it's solved." "I would like to thank Sarah Ross and the Huron County Growth Partnership for this award," Moore said. "I am truly humbled to be receiving it because I feel like it should be going to all the people that I work with as well. Because everybody is committed to what they're doing." Business Achievement Award Oglesby Construction Inc. received the Business Achievement Award. Founded more than seven decades ago, Oglesby Construction Inc. has grown into a regional leader in concrete and infrastructure projects. The company is building a new $10 million, 52,000-square-foot headquarters on U.S. 20 in Norwalk to support future growth and technology expansion. "Oglesby Construction and its predecessors have been in business for, it'll be 75 years next year, which is a real testament to the employees' ownership and hard work of everyone," Tony Whitacre, Oglesby's chief financial officer, said. The new building will allow the company to both modernize and grow, but it doesn't come cheap. "The total capital investment for our new facility will be approximately $10 million once everything is all said and done," Whitacre said. "For our future growth, we feel as though the technology we have brought into this new building will allow us to grow both in size and volume in the years to come." Business Achievement Honoree The partnership recognized Norwalk Precast Molds as its Business Achievement Honoree. The company manufactures molds and components for concrete and wastewater systems used worldwide. The company recently expanded its Norwalk facilities to add more warehouse and production capacity, continuing a tradition of locally based manufacturing since 1972. The company supplies components used in water purification and sewer waste treatment. "Our products are designed to protect the public health and also to protect the environment," Jennifer Greene, the company's chief financial officer, said. "So our focus on improving our products and new product development over the years has been critical to the success and the growth of our company."