Search Results for: FLEX

FLEX Member Highlight: Ashley Sheffer


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Ashley pictured with Co-Owner Shaun Alcorn

Congratulations to FLEX member Ashley Sheffer, owner of Core Goods in Oil City. Core Goods was awarded a $5,000 grant through the Get on the Trail Business Plan Contest, sponsored by the Oil Region Alliance.

Core Goods is a store that sells bulk foods, produce, grab and go items and more. 

Ashley wrote a concept paper and business plan, and presented her ideas to a panel of judges before being awarded the grand prize in the contest. Ashley’s plans include expanding the number of bulk bins in the store, as well as installing a filtered water station and adding a supply of reusable containers, all to offer more for trail users.

This article was published in the Future Leaders & Entrepreneurs Exchange’s (FLEX) November 2019 edition of the FLEX Your Ideas (FYI) Newsletter.

Gaining Skills & Experience Through FLEX Involvement


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Network with other young professionals, have fun, make friends, volunteer in the community—all benefits of getting involved with FLEX. Did you know you also have the opportunity to gain leadership and professional skills by becoming more engaged with the group?

By participating in a committee, you can help plan our events and speaker series, promote the group, attract and retain members, assist in coordinating volunteer efforts, and much more. Not only do you help FLEX grow and have something new to add to your resume, but you also gain skills and experience that will allow you to grow as a professional.

“Since becoming involved in FLEX, I’ve had opportunities to lead a meeting, plan and organize events, and learn to network effectively,” said Kat Thompson, current FLEX Vice President/Secretary and incoming President. “I can now use these skills at my workplace, benefiting both myself and my employer.”

At our Annual Meeting on October 25, we elected next year’s officers, as well as chairs for our three committees (see below). All attendees at the Annual Meeting got involved in brainstorming future activities for FLEX. Each person wrote ideas for events, volunteer activities, and speaker series topics on a note card, and the note cards were then passed around for other attendees to rate.

We’re looking forward to looking through all the note cards at our upcoming committee meetings and carrying out some of these ideas in 2020. Whether you’re interested in serving on a committee, sharing an idea, or learning more about how you can get involved, we want to connect with you! Email flex@venangochamber.org or contact any of the new officers below to get in touch.

Welcome 2020 FLEX Officers!

President – Kat Thompson
VP/Secretary – Saxon Daugherty
Events Committee Co-Chair – Ashley Smith
Events Committee Co-Chair – Rachel Stiller
Membership Committee Chair – Laura Ordaz
Marketing Committee Chair – Tessa Byham
*Click names to email chairs

This article was published in the Future Leaders & Entrepreneurs Exchange’s (FLEX) November 2019 edition of the FLEX Your Ideas (FYI) Newsletter.

FLEX Member Highlight: Corey McCullough


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Local young professional and author Corey McCullough recently announced that all of his books are available through Bookshare, a free-to-join program with over 700,000 ebooks available for people with reading barriers.

Bookshare makes ebooks available in audio, large text, Braille, and more. Readers can read on the device of their choice, and it is free for U.S. schools and qualified students. Members must have a qualifying reading barrier to join Bookshare. Examples include: dyslexia, learning disabilities, visual impairments, and physical disabilities.”

Corey’s book titles include: The Fallen Odyssey, The Fallen Aeneid, and A Knife in the Dark. “I am so incredibly proud to have my books available through this program,” Corey said.

Corey is a  writer, copy editor, proofreader, and author, and through his freelance business, has tackled nearly 5,000 writing and editorial projects. He is a Cranberry High School graduate and currently lives in Seneca.

Visit bookshare.org for more information, and learn more about Corey’s books at thefallenodyssey.com.

This article was published in the Future Leaders & Entrepreneurs Exchange’s (FLEX) October 2019 edition of the FLEX Your Ideas (FYI) Newsletter.

How Has FLEX Shaped You? Members Share Testimonials


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FLEX is devoted to providing a setting where young people can build relationships and develop themselves professionally. Here are some testimonials from FLEX members who truly believe in the FLEX mission and have seen the effects in their own lives.

One of my top goals in joining FLEX was to get more involved in my community. Through volunteer, social, and professional development events, I have achieved that goal. Being a part of leadership has also helped me expand my skill set in planning and organizing events and networking. Plus, I’ve made a lot of new friends and it’s really fun!

Kat Thompson

FLEX has broadened my knowledge of Venango County and the opportunities in the area. We’ve hiked Two Mile, attended shows at the Barrow, and participated in a guided informational tour of Franklin. Through personal connections made at socials, I have been able to get involved with organizations and give back to my community through volunteering.

Laura Ordaz

Joining FLEX has introduced me to new people, different activities and events, and places I may not have explored. The members are extremely inviting and helpful. A recent FLEX event gave me the opportunity to speak with other professionals and led me to my first job interview since moving here! It’s a great way to get your name out there and open new doors.

Deborah Thompson

FLEX gave me the opportunity to create a social circle and flourish in Venango County, and when I decided I wanted to thrive elsewhere, it helped me, too. My employers at the job I landed were impressed with the marketing and leadership skills I learned through FLEX and asked that I utilize those talents at work.

Marissa Dechant

Since my participation in FLEX as a college intern at the Chamber, I have seen the group grow tremendously as I have also grown in my career. The personal connections and leadership experience I’ve gained have shaped me into the professional I am today.

Ashley Cowles

These are just some of the ways FLEX has had an impact in the lives of young professionals in our region. We encourage you to attend an upcoming event or reach out to a FLEX member to learn more about opportunities the group brings.

Learn more about FLEX at venangoflex.org

This article was published in the Future Leaders & Entrepreneurs Exchange’s (FLEX) September 2019 edition of the FLEX Your Ideas (FYI) Newsletter.

FLEX Member Highlight: Laura Ordaz


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Laura Ordaz, the FLEX Membership Committee Chair and a 2019 Young Professional of the Year nominee, recently got a job promotion! She works for Komatsu Mining Corp. out of their Franklin office—a global company that provides industrial mining equipment.

For four summers, Laura was an intern at Komatsu and has been employed as an “associate engineer” since January 2018 Recently, she was promoted to “engineer,” and her job responsibilities include assisting with the design and development of mining machinery, preparing part and assembly models, completing detailed drawings and documentation for records, taking responsibility for professional growth by attending trainings on software and products, and taking trips to mine to see machines in operation and further understand their capabilities, limitations, and applications.

Congratulations, Laura, and keep up the great work!

This article was published in the Future Leaders & Entrepreneurs Exchange’s (FLEX) May 2019 edition of the FLEX Your Ideas (FYI) Newsletter.