2015 TRCC/Lautenslager Service Awards

Tri-Rivers/Lautenslager Distinguished Service 2015 Award recipients were recognized Wednesday, March 18, 2015, during the Annual Board Dinner.

The first Distinguished Service Award was presented in 1993 to Jack Lautenslager, who is often referred to as “Mr. Tri-Rivers.” Mr. Lautenslager spearheaded the efforts to pass the original levy that provided the funds to build the Career Center that opened in 1976. He continued to share his expertise and talents with Tri-Rivers his entire life. Today the Distinguished Service Awards are presented in his memory to individuals or groups who donate their time, resources and/or talents in order to make Tri-Rivers Career Center and Center For Adult Education successful.

This year’s recipients will receive trophies and have their names added to the distinguished group of individuals on the Tri-Rivers Wall of Service and Recognition.

Service awards were presented to Fred & Linda Rode; Lloyd Anderson, and Tad Douce.

Fred & Linda Rode
Distinguished Service Award

Fred & Linda Rode were recognized for sharing their time and talents to Tri-Rivers as employees and then as volunteers. The Rodes retired from Tri-Rivers with 27 years of service each. “Mr. Rode as a teacher, mentor, supervisor and the Mrs. Rode with a job title of Student Services Secretary but with many other job duties such as counselor, motivator, and referee,” said Sheila Hamm, Tri-Rivers Culinary Instructor.

“During their combined 54 years at Tri-Rivers their goal was to help students and help staff help students,” said Hamm.  “They both gave generously of their time for the betterment of Tri Rivers during and beyond the school day. They both volunteered together and at separate times to be field trip advisors, judges for FCCLA, FFA, SkillsUSA at the local, regional and state levels for various contests. They also organized CTSO camp for our students, built the Tri Rivers train, helped build floats, and spent countless hours in parades representing Tri Rivers.”

Hamm said Fred and Linda connected with students and staff on a daily basis— helping teachers to grow personally and professionally. “They quietly helped students by sometimes buying a shirt or tie for an upcoming competition or simply washing and ironing a shirt previously owned, making sure a hungry student had lunch, keeping a gum ball machine full, listening and caring. Funny thing was they did the same for the staff.”

Upon retirement they established The Fred Rode Fund for students who show leadership skills and have a financial need to further their leadership training. This fund is used to help students pay registration fees, supplies or competition costs.

After retirement they continue to quietly make a difference in the lives of students and staff by volunteering to be a part of Dinner with the Teacher; Senior project judges, advisory committee member, guest speakers, chaperones, team cuisine supporters, CTSO camp speaker, judges for FCCLA, FFA, SkillsUSA at the local and regional level. “Their dedication is still as strong today as it was 20 years ago. In all the years I have never heard them say “no” to helping out a student, teacher or the school,” concluded Hamm.

 

Lloyd Anderson
Distinguished Service Award

Lloyd Anderson of Marion was recognized for his 30 plus years as a mentor to both the high school and adult welding programs.

Mr. Anderson is an Advisory Committee member, has judged welding contests, and senior projects. He also has donated materials and equipment, chaperoned overnight field trips and taught adult education welding programs. He has given lectures on blueprint reading and metallurgy.

He taught welding in Milwaukee, WI, before coming to Marion.  At one time he was a welding engineer with Marion Power Shovel. He developed different welds for different projects. He eventually became a bridge inspector.

“The welding program would not be where it is today if not for the dedication and commitment of Mr. Anderson,” said Obra Horn, Tri-Rivers Welding Instructor. “His passion and love for the trade has made the program a better place.”

Superintendent Chuck Speelman said, “Lloyd is one of the people I can when working on projects. He has a lot of knowledge.”

 

Tad Douce
Distinguished Service Award

“Tad Douce has been instrumental in the continuous development of the Tri-Rivers Engineering programs and our fantastic RAMTEC facility,” said Ritch Ramey, RAMTEC Coordinator. “Since the mid-1990’s he has participated in and helped develop the River Valley Middle School as a leader in technical education in Ohio. Many other middle school engineering programs throughout Ohio look to RVMS Technical Education as the model by which they strive to become.”

Ramey said, “Tad has moved on to TRECA/META and is now Vice President of Director of Innovation and Development. Tad has always been active in River Valley and Marion Area events. Our state 4-H Lego Robotics program books I and II were created by Tad. He was also the person who first came up with the idea that we could host the Society of Manufacturing Engineers Educational Foundation’s National Robotics Challenge in Marion in 2002 when they could no longer afford to run the operation at the Rochester Institute of Technology.”

Ramey said, “He, Ed Goodwin and I conceived the idea on a bus ride home from Rochester, New York. We thought Marion area could do a great job hosting the event because of many of the people in the audience tonight. We hosted our first event in Marion and 13 years later it has grown from a contest of 160 students and 45 teams into a contest that has more than 1200 students and 600 teams that annually attend in Marion each April. Our highly successful RAMTEC Vex Robotics League and the new RAMTEC Advanced Manufacturing & Engineering programs have grown into national prominence from this contest.”

“Tad has actively served on our advisory committees and is currently helping RAMTEC develop new online curriculum that will enable students and our adult workforce to earn Yaskawa Motoman Robotics Certification nationally, said Ramey. “He is also the first person I called when we were planning a new revolutionary concept of a “student build your own” 3D printer program for middle school students and hobbyists.”

“Tad is an integral part of the success of our school. Without his constant support, friendship and collaboration there would be no National Robotics Challenge (NRC), RAMTEC Vex Robotics League and more than likely RAMTEC. He was one of the leaders in the community that helped us create the vision.  We would like to thank our superintendent for building and completing our vision of a seamless 4^th grade through college robotics and manufacturing training facility that will continue to allow Marion to be a national leader in robotics education for many years to come. With people like Tad Douce involved it will continue to constantly improve and evolve into a world class training facility.”

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