BESTOhio Board
Jack Everson
Director
Jack Everson has a vast 34-year background in manufacturing turnaround management. He has transformed manufacturing plants at Campbell’s Soup, Owens Corning, Ball Manufacturing and Cargotec with modern efficiency and profitability programs using Lean Sigma initiatives. Everson is President of Platinum Horizon Group, a consultancy company specializing in business transformation and currently focused on Workforce Development. He has utilized turnaround techniques in government while serving as Mayor of Chillicothe, Ohio and in his current role as Ross County Commissioner. He also leads the BESTOhio Industry Sector Partnership for Shawnee State University initiating workforce development programs in six counties in south-central Ohio.
Renee Conley
Vice Chair
Renee Conley is a Talent Acquisition Specialist at Austin Powder Company in McArthur, Ohio. She specializes in recruitment, communication, and problem-solving. She has experience in the whole recruitment cycle, from talent acquisition to client management, With her great communication skills and her ability to build strong relationships, she feels that she is in the right profession. She has a passion for workforce development, and her lifelong goal is to solve the workforce crisis. She is excited to be part of the BESTOhio team.
Jeff Vandlen
Chair
Jeff Vandlen currently serves as the Human Resources Manager at the General Mills plant in Wellston, OH. In this role, Jeff provides strategic HR leadership for a site of approximately 1,000 employees supporting one of General Mills most beloved brands – Totino’s. Jeff has spent approximately 15 years working in Human Resources for General Mills, including generalist roles in manufacturing sites in Iowa and Michigan. He also spent time leading talent acquisition efforts for several corporate functions, prior to returning to his manufacturing roots in southeast Ohio.
Angie Duduit
Secretary
Angie Duduit is the Director of Workforce Development for Shawnee State University and serves as its chief employer relations contact. She also serves on the advisory boards for the SSU Kricker Innovation Hub and the Ohio Cyber Range Institute. Under her direction at SSU, the university has received more than $1.3 million in grant sub-awards for its participation in the Ohio Manufacturing Workforce Partnership, Good Jobs Challenge, and the Ohio Cyber Range to support regional workforce efforts to promote careers in manufacturing and cybersecurity.
Prior to coming to Shawnee State, Angie managed Public Affairs for more than 18 years at the uranium enrichment facility in Piketon, and she has extensive experience in media, community, government, and employee relations and crisis communications. A graduate of Leadership Portsmouth, she is a Past President of the Kiwanis Club of Portsmouth and previously served on the board for the Southern Ohio Port Authority and the Pike County Chamber of Commerce.
Terry Craig
Terry is a Senior Staff Manager at GE Aerospace and has over 36 years with the company.
GE Aerospace is a world-leading provider of jet and turboprop engines, as well as integrated systems for commercial, military, business, and general aviation aircraft. Terry has held various positions with the company including Product Support Engineer, Quality Manager, Manager of their FAA Repair Station, and Manager of Development operations. He earned a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering from the West Virginia Institute of Technology in 1986 and a Master of Science in Engineering from Ohio University in 2006. In addition, he is a registered Professional Engineer in the state of Ohio and holds three US patents for GE Aerospace.
Gary Chaffin
Gary Chaffin is a Senior Manager in production at the YSK Corporation in Chillicothe, Ohio.
YSK is a Machine Shop that mass produces engine and suspension parts for the Honda Accord, Civic, and CRV. Gary joined YSK in 1995 and worked in Production for 16 years as an Operator, Team Lead, Sr. Team Lead, and Production Supervisor. He then worked for four years in the logistics area in Production Control as a Master Scheduler Material Buyer before moving into a manager position. He then took his first Manager position on the logistics side before moving back to Production as a manager. He currently also serves as the Lead on YSK’s Cost Improvement Team and on the YSK Board of Directors. His personal mission is “to create Ohio’s Manufacturing leaders of tomorrow by giving them the skills they need today.”
Sean Garvey
Sean Garvey is the Maintenance Manager at Kenworth Truck Company in Chillicothe. He is a manager who excels at process improvement by utilizing data to make statistically driven decisions, and he believes in growing business partnerships in South-Central Ohio. A native of the area, Sean understands the importance of attracting new business and sustaining it through the development of local talent. He holds an Associate’s Degree in Industrial Automation from The University of Rio Grande and a Bachelor’s Degree in Industrial Systems Engineering from Ohio University, and he is currently working to earn a Master’s Degree in Leadership from Ohio Christian University.
He has utilized his education to hold various positions of increasing responsibility at several local businesses with the most recent and longest tenure being at Kenworth, where he has worked in Manufacturing Engineering and Maintenance. In 2018, Sean was assigned as the Project Manager for a $139M paint finishing expansion to the Chillicothe Plant, where he oversaw the project from conception through commissioning. He has also received two Manufacturing Leadership Awards from the National Association of Manufacturers. When Sean is not working, he enjoys spending time with his family, serving at his local church, and spending time in the outdoors.
Todd Cron
Todd is the Human Resources Manager at Fluor-BWXT Portsmouth LLC (FBP) with more than 25 years of Human Resources and capital management experience in both the Financial and government contracting sectors. FBP is the current prime government contractor to the Department of Energy (DOE) and is responsible for the Decontamination and Decommissioning of DOE’s Portsmouth Gaseous Diffusion Plant, a former Uranium enrichment plant to the United States Government, located in Pike County, Ohio.
Prior to joining FBP in 2012, Todd worked for several of the largest Finance institutions in the world from 1996 to 2012. Most notably, he worked for JPMorgan Chase from 2003 to 2012 as an Executive Recruiter and HR Business Partner, supporting global and domestic operations around the world with a specialty in talent management and recruitment. He worked for Huntington Bank and PNC Bank, formerly National City Bank, from 1996 to 2003.
In addition to his current role with FBP, Todd serves as an Executive Board Member for the State of Ohio’s Workforce Development Board (WDB) – Area 1, which represents Pike, Scioto, Brown, and Adams counties. He is also an active member of the Society for HR Management and served as a Board Member of their South Central Ohio Human Resources Council (SCOHRC) chapter from 2019-2022. Todd holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration from Franklin University and received his Associate in Applied Sciences from Columbus State Community College.
Ryan Bouts
Ryan Bouts is the CEO of Sole Choice, a shoelace manufacturer in Portsmouth, OH.
Mary Beth Guthrie
Mary Beth Guthrie is a dedicated professional with a passion for human resources and talent acquisition. She currently serves as the Human Resources Recruiting Supervisor at Bellisio Foods Inc in Jackson, and she brings more than a decade of invaluable experience to her role.
Her journey with Bellisio Foods began in 2011 when she initially joined the company in an operator position in production. Over the years, her commitment to excellence and eagerness to learn propelled her through various roles within the organization. With each new position, Mary Beth seized the opportunity to expand her skill set and deepen her understanding of the company’s operations.
Mary Beth plays a pivotal role in identifying and attracting talent to join Bellisio Foods. She oversees the entire union recruitment process, conducts interviews, and makes final hiring decisions. She is dedicated to the success of Bellisio Foods and is a strong advocate for the company’s core values and commitment to the community.