BACC Announces Award Recipients
Shane Oschman has been selected by the BACC Board of Directors as the 2013 recipient of the Directors’ Award, designed to be chosen by the Board of Directors and awarded to an individual or organization which has earned special recognition. As Bradford Area Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Ron Orris said of Oschman, “Shane never says no. Whenever a community organization seeks his help, Shane will be there, giving of himself in whatever way he can, to help their event, fundraising effort, or project succeed. We are very fortunate to have Shane on our side.” Oschman was selected as the 2013 Directors’ Award recipient, based not only on his dedication and commitment to the Bradford community, but also in appreciation of his unfailing support for the Bradford Area Chamber of Commerce and the ongoing impact he has had on the Chamber.
Oschman, a native of Seneca, Pennsylvania, relocated to Bradford in 2006. Currently, as Assistant Vice President and Manager of the Main Street location, Oschman plays a significant role in representing the bank’s genuine commitment to its hometown community. Early on in his Bradford career, Oschman was quoted while presenting a contribution on behalf of Northwest as saying, “We've always been very community-minded. We're a community bank. We were founded in Bradford. This is our hometown, and we want to help our community neighbors.” This spirit of community giving and supporting hometown efforts is something Oschman has consistently demonstrated through his personal efforts as well.
A graduate of Leadership McKean’s inaugural class in 2007, Oschman has used his leadership skills to benefit local business, civic, arts, and educational organizations. He serves or has served as: a member of the Bradford Area School District School Board; Past President, Kiwanis Club of Bradford; President, the Guidance Center; President, Bradford Creative and Performing Arts Center (BCPAC); and Past President, Bradford Area Chamber of Commerce. He has also actively participated in the Downtown Bradford Revitalization Corporation, as past Race Director and current Treasurer for the Willow Creek Triathlon, and with Bradford Little Theatre, the Bradford Area High School, and Kiwanis Kapers through numerous directing, performing, and light design roles.
Before, during, and after his time as President for the Bradford Area Chamber of Commerce, Oschman has been an active and influential member of the Bradford business community. When the concept for the 200 Club fundraiser was brought to the Chamber, Oschman was key in carrying the idea through to completion, and he has been instrumental in its success every year. Oschman initiated the Business After Hours series, helped start the Summer Soiree, played a critical role for several years of the Kinzua Outdoor and Travel Show, and can always be counted on to support the Chamber’s events and efforts with both his time and talents.
BACC’s other annual awards, the Exemplary Business Award and the Community and Spirit Award, are determined by membership vote. Ron Orris, Executive Director of the Chamber, described this year’s results, saying, “We received a record number of votes from our membership this year for the annual awards. We are always pleased to see our members participating in this process – their support of the nominees means a lot to all of us. Our membership clearly agreed that all of the nominees deserve recognition, and we are looking forward to honoring them at our Annual Meeting and Awards on April 4th at the Pennhills Club.”
The 2013 recipient of the Exemplary Business Award is Hollenbeck-Cahill Funeral Homes. The Exemplary Business Award is awarded to a for-profit business that demonstrates a well-planned, commendable, and thorough approach to business development. They must also exemplify the unique “hometown” charm of the area in their manner of administration, customer service and quality of product or service.
Hollenbeck-Cahill Funeral Homes, Inc. is the result of a merger in 1987 of The Hollenbeck Funeral Chapel and the Francis D. Cahill Funeral Home, two funeral establishments with 95 years of combined service to Bradford area families. The location at 33 South Avenue was originally built in 1887 by Otto Koch as a working funeral establishment. In 1919 Mr. Otho B. Chatley purchased an interest in the business and it was operated as the Koch-Chatley Memorial Chapel. In 1964, Brooks Hollenbeck purchased the building and moved his funeral home to the present location and operated the Hollenbeck Funeral Chapel at this location with his son, Gale Hollenbeck, and he continued to operate the funeral home until the merger. The location at 372 East Main Street was originally opened in 1937 by Gordon Healy. The Healy Funeral Home was McKean County’s first residential funeral home. Gordon Healy operated the funeral home until his death in 1957. Upon his death, Mrs. Marion Healy ran the funeral home under a Widow’s License until 1963, when Francis D. Cahill purchased the funeral home. He, along with his son Michael F. Cahill continued to run the Francis D. Cahill Funeral home until the merger. In 1993, Gregory A. Buckner became a partner in the firm. Upon the retirement of Gale Hollenbeck and Francis Cahill, Gregory Buckner and Michael F. Cahill operated the funeral home until Mr. Buckner retired in 2006. Michael F. Cahill is now the owner of the funeral home and operates both locations.
Hollenbeck-Cahill Funeral Homes, Inc. is committed to helping families create memorial services that will be long remembered for the manner in which they pay respect to the unique lives that have meant so much to family and friends. Hollenbeck-Cahill Funeral Homes, Inc. pride themselves on the breadth and depth of options they make available to families at their time of need or on a prearrangement basis. As one nomination for Hollenbeck-Cahill Funeral Homes read, “With a long and reputable business history in Bradford, Hollenbeck-Cahill Funeral Homes has a tradition of helping families say farewell to their loved ones with respect and honor. The business is active in the Bradford area, involved with the community and its people. Any type of loss is difficult, but Mike Cahill treats people with great care, personal concern and dignity.”
The other honorable nominee for the 2013 Exemplary Business Award was Sportsman’s Outlet, Inc.
The 2013 Community & Spirit Award goes to four individuals whose impact in the Bradford community is legendary: George B. Duke, Sarah B. Dorn, Harriet B. Wick, and Howard L. Fesenmyer. The Community and Spirit Award is given to an individual or organization that has made a significant, positive impact in the Bradford area and its economic well-being through volunteer, civic, religious, cultural and/or business activities.
The generosity of George Duke, Sarah Dorn, Harriet Wick, and Howard Fesenmyer is well-known throughout the Bradford community. Nearly every organization and campaign throughout the Bradford area has benefited from their extraordinary philanthropy.
As the owner of Zippo and as a philanthropist, George Duke follows in the footsteps of his mother, Sarah Dorn and aunt, Harriet Wick. Under Duke’s leadership the Zippo corporation, along with the Philo and Sarah Blaisdell Foundation, have been longstanding and generous supporters of community programs. As the Executive Director of the Philo and Sarah Blaisdell Foundation, Fesenmyer plays a key role in overseeing the foundation’s contributions.
Duke has been active as a member of the University of Pittsburgh at Bradford Advisory Board since 2000, and was recognized by the Cathedral of Learning Society as a Lifetime Giver. He has also been a member of Futures Rehabilitation Center’s Board of Directors and Trustee of Futures’ Endowment Trust, as well as a member of the Pennhills Club Board of Directors and Executive Committee.
One focus area for the Blaisdell Foundation is education. They have made generous contributions throughout the local school system, to the Bradford Area Public Library, and to the University of Pittsburgh at Bradford. Some examples of the impact made by the family and the foundation on the University of Pittsburgh at Bradford campus include the Harriet B. Wick Chapel, Sarah B. Dorn organ, and the Blaisdell Fine Arts Challenge, which raised money to build Blaisdell Hall, Pitt-Bradford's fine arts and communication arts building. Additionally, the family provides scholarships for students annually through the Miriam Barcroft Blaisdell Scholarship. Fesenmyer has also been a leader in fundraising efforts for the campus, and was honored in recent years with the naming of Fesenmyer House, one of the newest residence halls. Fesenmyer, a retired Zippo Manufacturing Co. executive, has served as chairman of numerous building and scholarship funding campaigns.
Other community organizations that receive support from the Blaisdell Foundation – led by Dorn, Wick, and Fesenmyer – include the Friendship Table, the Bradford Family YMCA, the YWCA of Bradford, Beacon Light Behavioral Health Systems, and others too numerous to name.
As the nomination for these four individuals explained, “If you can think of a worthy cause in the Bradford area, a campaign that has been successful . . . then it has most likely had the support of George Duke, Sarah Dorn, Harriet Wick, and Howard Fesenmyer behind it. Their presence is seen everywhere throughout the Bradford community.”
The other honorable nominee for the 2013 Community & Spirit Award was Todd Hennard.
The 2013 BACC Annual Meeting and Awards held on Thursday, April 4th at the Pennhills Club will begin with a social hour at 6pm, followed by the awards presentation at 7pm. The evening will feature heavy hors d’oeuvres, desserts, refreshments, and a cash bar. All Bradford Area Chamber of Commerce members, their employees, and their guests are invited to attend. For more information or to RSVP, contact the Bradford Area Chamber of Commerce office at 814-368-7115. Sponsorship opportunities for the event are available, contact the Chamber office for details.
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