Williamson leaving partnership

BUCYRUS – Dave Williamson, who's retiring Friday as the director of the Crawford County Partnership for Education and Economic Development and Crawford: 20/20 Vision, knows the organization — or what he calls the movement — is being left in good hands.

"Our mission hasn't changed because our mission is written by the people. Nothing really changes, but we're finding that more and more people will participate in the process now," he said.

"I think our success occurs the most when we don't have to do it. We don't have to be the hands. We inspire sometimes, we influence a lot, we're kind of in your face occasionally when we need to be, but others are taking it on."

Williamson is clearly a big believer in collective efforts, but he also doesn't want the spotlight to be on him as he leaves an organization he's helmed since 2007.

"It is hard to praise, or even thank, a humble person. Dave is very passionate about servant leadership, and that means it is about all of us and not one alone, and it is up to all of us to make things happen," Michelle Failor, the partnership's communications and administrative coordinator, said.

'Servant-hearted leadership'

Gary Frankhouse, the partnership's economic development coordinator, said the reason he interviewed for the position last October was his belief in Williamson's brand of leadership.

"Dave believes in servant-hearted leadership and doesn't want accolades, but I'm a firm believer that it's his leadership that's gotten us to this point of success. There are lots of volunteers, but he's the leader who's gotten them to this point," he said.

"I was going to do a Dave Williamson proclamation day and he didn't want anything to do with it," Bucyrus Mayor Jeff Reser said. "We'll miss him, but I know he'll still be involved in things."

When Williamson came on board eight years ago, Crawford County's economic development organization was only a year old. Its 20/20 Vision component was formed in 2010, the group's 501(c )3 status came two years after that. The partnership moved into its current digs, the courthouse annex on East Mansfield Street, in 2013.

"The first couple years it was more traditional economic development. We had some success, but more and more it became apparent to me and the board that we had to do some extraordinary things in order to be successful and sustainable long-term. We had to deal in those community issues before we could do that," Williamson said.

Economic development

He said he's optimistic that as Crawford County's leaders, business people and residents continue to experience success at turning the community around, the partnership can focus more on economic development in the future.

"It's true of every business, agency, government, that you lose sight of what you're here for. Before long you do everything to sustain the organization, but nobody really remembers why the organization was formed. We want to avoid that, to the point where we're a pest sometimes," he said.

Bucyrus City Council president Sis Love remembered when Williamson first arrived on the scene here.

"He was such a shock to our community. Man, he came galloping in, and he said we've got to do something for this community to get it back to where it needs to be. I don't think he ever lost that vision of what Bucyrus and Crawford County could be. He has worked at it ever since he got here," she said.

"We were extremely lucky that we were able to get Dave. Back when all this was starting he was the ideal person to get," Deb Pinion, executive director of the Bucyrus Area Chamber of Commerce, said.

The most visible by-product right now of the partnership's efforts to turn the county around may be the Crawford County Success Center, a satellite campus of North Central State College that's set to start offering courses next month, bringing higher education to this area for the first time.

New leaders emerging

But Williamson said the community is now full of business leaders who have graduated from the partnership's Crawford Unlimited Leadership program, which coaches participants on how better to serve their organization using up-to-date workforce skills.

"I just think they're going to do great things. They'll make the difference, and they're not all young people either, but they're motivated," Williamson said.

"I jokingly say that this job would be easy if it wasn't for the people, but there would be no job if it weren't for the people. We have to constantly help people understand how important this process is and what it's about. I guess it's kind of a movement."

Many leaders in the community said they'll miss Williamson's drive directing that movement.

"He has successfully brought the business community together to create an outstanding organization to prepare the community for whatever challenges that may come. I believe that the community is in a much better position because of the efforts Dave has initiated over the years," Crawford County commissioner Doug Weisenauer said.

"Dave was a one-man show bringing to light some of the issues that were holding our county and employers from expanding. His was probably one of the first groups to join the fight on drug use and its effects in the county," commissioner Steve Reinhard said.

Bucyrus Mayor Reser called Williamson this community's George Washington.

"There's such a demand on a person like that. You've got to be encouraging, you've got to be at your best all the time. Not everything is a success, you have setbacks, but you have to be willing to try, you have to be willing to fail. And you have to have the ability to pick up the troops and rally them," Reser said.

"I hate to see him retire."

Successor sought

Williamson said a committee has been formed to search for his successor, and that the panel will also evaluate how the partnership is structured. He said some interim leadership arrangements may be made in the short term.

"We are hoping to not only carry on the momentum that has been built, but work ourselves out of a job," Failor joked.

"I think 20/20, the name, will be forgotten. It's about vision, but it's also about the year 2020, and that will come and pass," Williamson said.

"But I think the momentum, the things the people set in place by becoming aware of the issues, will last a long, long time."

thill3@nncogannett.com

419-563-9225

Twitter: @ToddHillMNJ