Gregory Myers

Executive Director

Gregory Myers has served as the Executive Director of the Wapakoneta Area Economic Development Council (WAEDC) since 2005.  His major project since arriving at WAEDC has been the development of the 760-acre West Central Ohio Industrial Center – now one of Ohio’s first certified manufacturing sites in November 2010.  

Myers is an active member of the Ohio Economic Development Association and currently serves as a board member for the Ohio Sales Partnership, the state’s economic development sales team.

Prior to accepting the position with WAEDC, Myers spent eight years as the first executive director of the SW Auglaize County Chamber of Commerce.  Before establishing the Chamber he worked for 18 years as a regional sales representative for a Midwestern distributor of industrial and construction supplies.  He also served eight years as the mayor of Cridersville, Ohio and eleven years as a member of the Board of Education for the Wapakoneta City School District.  

He serves on the board of directors for the Armstrong Air & Space Museum, Auglaize County Public Libraries System, Auglaize & Mercer Counties Convention and Visitors Bureau, and Wapakoneta Area Chamber of Commerce.  Myers lives in Cridersville, Ohio where he is actively involved in the local historical society and serves as the volunteer museum director. 

Heather Nolte

Assistant Director

Heather Nolte has worked as Assistant Director at the Wapakoneta Area Economic Development Council since September 2009.  She received her business degree from Capital University in Columbus, Ohio, where she lived and worked for several years.  While living in Columbus, she worked as a Human Resource representative for Worthington Industries at their cylinder manufacturing facility in Westerville, Ohio.  Heather and her family moved back to their hometown of Wapakoneta in 2001.  She is involved in Women in Business, the Downtown Wapakoneta Partnership and the Wapakoneta Family YMCA.

Michael Burton

Michael A. Burton is a partner with Jauert & Burton LLP and has practiced in Auglaize, Shelby, Allen, and Mercer Counties since 1995.  He worked as a Certified Public Accountant at Price Waterhouse in Columbus for five years.  Mike’s practice focuses on administration of estates; medicaid and elder law planning; commercial, probate, and domestic litigation; and municipal law.  Mike also devotes significant time to real estate, tax and debt resolution matters.   Mike graduated from Ohio University in 1986 with a Bachelor’s of Business Administration.  He received his law degree from The Ohio State University College of Law in 1995.  Mike is a member of the Ohio and Auglaize County Bar Associations.  Mike serves on the board of the Wapakoneta Family YMCA and served as vice president of WAEDC 2005-2010.

Andrew Farley

Andrew Farley is a City Executive, Vice President for Business Banking at Fifth Third Bank.  With his position at Fifth Third, Andy makes contact with companies throughout West Central Ohio, helping new businesses as they move into the area.  Andy attended Wright State University and graduated from Excelsior University with a degree in management and marketing.  He is a longtime resident of the neighboring Lima/Shawnee area and began his banking career at Fifth Third Bank's Wapakoneta office in 1991.

Tom Finkelmeier, Jr.

Tom Finkelmeier, Jr. is Vice-President of Cornell & Finkelmeier, Inc., and is a certified insurance counselor, a certified risk manager and a certified professional insurance agent.  Tom serves the local community as Councilor at Large on the Wapakoneta City Council.  He also serves on the Board of Directors for the Wapakoneta Family YMCA, Wapakoneta Industrial Development, Armstrong Air & Space Museum Association, and the Wapakoneta Rotary Club.  Tom graduated from The Ohio State University and is a life long resident of Wapakoneta.

Ron Gasior

Ron Gasior is the Plant Manager at Ametek Westchester Plastics, the nation's leading independent toll compounder of engineering resins, alloys, reactive modifiers, and other thermoplastic materials.  He has a BSME and MBA with extensive experience in manufacturing and operational responsibilities, including P&L, strategic planning and finance management.  Ron has experience working with Fortune 200 firms as well as privately held businesses in the telecommunications, chemicals, and plastics industries.  His strengths include assessing organizational effectiveness, analyzing systems and processes, identifying and implementing cost reduction and containment projects and developing effective safety, health and environmental management systems.  Ron moved to Wapakoneta from Princeton, MA in 2005.

Steve Henderson

Steve is currently the Vice President of Planning & Development, Cristo Rey Dayton Project.  Previous to this, he owned Dome Financial Services and worked in New York for two years. He was recently appointed to the position of Wapakoneta City Council President when the seat became vacant.  Steve serves on the board of the Wapakoneta Rotary Club and is a past member of the Wapakoneta Area Chamber of Commerce.  Steve currently serves as Vice President on the WAEDC Board of Directors.  Steve is a graduate of Wapakoneta High School and Ohio University.

Teri Hirschfeld

Teri Hirschfeld is Vice President of Quality Ready Mix/Con-Ag, Inc., a leading supplier of concrete and aggregates to the construction industry in West Central Ohio. Born and raised locally, Teri returned to the area after a management career with Procter & Gamble to join the family business as a third generation executive.  Teri received a Pharmacy degree from The Ohio State University and her MBA from the Kellogg School Northwestern University.  Teri is involved in economic and business organizations throughout the 9 counties served by Quality Ready Mix and Con-Ag. She is a founder and board member of the Auglaize-Mercer Counties' Women in Business and an executive team member of the annual Grand Lake Hospice Gala Board. Quality Ready Mix was begun in Wapakoneta in the early 1920's as Quality Sand & Gravel. In three generations the company has grown to four operating locations providing ready mix concrete and aggregates throughout the area with a focus on customer service and superior technical capability.

Keith Horner

Keith Horner is Superintendent of Wapakoneta City Schools.  He received his teaching degree from The Ohio State University and graduate degrees from the University of Dayton.  Keith serves on the Board of Directors for the Wapakoneta Family YMCA and the Armstrong Air & Space Museum Association.  He is also involved in community service through Rotary and Sertoma Clubs.  Keith is a lifelong resident of Northwest Ohio and has lived in Wapakoneta for 15 years.

Mark Jarvis

Mark Jarvis is President and owner of The Building Company of Wapakoneta and of Mark R. Jarvis Management Company and the President and founding member of Health Professionals Management Company.  Since 2007, Mark has also worked as a realtor for Yocum Realty, focusing on Commercial and Industrial Sales and Leasing.  Prior to earning his MBA from Tiffin University in 2002, Mark worked in education at the secondary and post secondary levels, including Vice President and Chairman of the University Cabinet at the University of Northwestern Ohio.  Mark is very active in the local community, serving on the Wapakoneta City Schools District Leadership Team, Home Savings Bank Board of Directors, Wapakoneta Area Job Ready Sites Community Improvement Corporation, and Allen County Visionaries Board of Trustees.  Mark has lived in Wapakoneta for twenty years.

Clay Kantner

Clay Kantner is the President of AIP Logistics, Inc., a local company that specializes in multi-mode logistics with a heavy dose of technology.  Clay received his business degree from Ohio Northern University and has worked in this family owned company for many years.  Clay sits on the board of the Wapakoneta Chamber of Commerce and is a Wapakoneta Rotary Club member.  Clay is a life-long resident of Wapakoneta.

Rodney Metz

Rodney Metz is the Mayor of the City of Wapakoneta and serves as the WAEDC Board President.  In addition to his civic duties, Rodney is employed as an electrical maintenance technician for Fenix Wire LLC, a local manufacturer of wire products and for White Feather Foods, a local pork rind manufacturer.  Rodney is a co-owner of Dad's Toy Shop in Wapakoneta, a family-owned hobby shop in downtown Wapakoneta.  Rodney served the Wapakoneta community for 18 years on City Council prior to being elected as mayor.  Rodney is a life-long resident of Wapakoneta.

Lonnie Pedersen

Lonnie Pedersen has a long history in the telecommunications field, and he currently holds the position of Chief Operating Officer at TSC, Wapakoneta's local telecommunications provider.  Lonnie serves in many leadership roles around the community, including Board of Director positions for Com Net Inc., Minster Bank, Telcom Insurance Group and OSLECA, Ohio Small Local Exchange Carrier Association.  Lonnie earned a degree in business administration from Buena Vista College in Storm Lake, Iowa.  He moved to Wapakoneta in 1990 from Spencer, Iowa.

Bill Rains

Bill Rains is the Safety Service Director for the City of Wapakoneta.  Bill moved to Wapakoneta from Fostoria, Ohio in July 2009, where he was also the safety service director.  Bill has served on economic development boards for Williams County and the City of Fostoria.  He graduated from the University of Toledo.

Dave Reichelderfer

Dave Reichelderfer is the Solid Waste District Coordinator for Auglaize County.  Previous to this position, he was the operator of Auglaize County's Job Training Program.  Dave has a business degree and is a lifelong resident of the Village of Cridersville, a neighboring community.

Carl Wintzer

Carl Wintzer is Vice President of G. A. Wintzer & Son Company, a local manufacturing company of quality feed, oils and grease established in 1848.  Carl graduated with a business degree from Miami University and has worked in the family business his entire  career.  He is a certified high pressure boiler operator, holds a waste water treatment class 1 license and has had numerous management training courses.  Carl is a life long resident of Wapakoneta.

Deb Zwez

Deb Zwez is publisher of the Wapakoneta Daily News and The Community Post in Minster. She grew up in Kenmore, NY, and after earning a Bachelor's Degree in Communication Arts from the University of Dayton accepted a job at the Wapakoneta Daily News. She worked as the business and farm editor in the mid-1980s, and for a couple years as a reporter for the Daily Chief-Union in Upper Sandusky. Deb returned to Wapakoneta early in 1989 and has been a resident ever since. She spent six years as managing editor of the newspaper before changing directions to serve as executive director of the Wapakoneta Area Chamber of Commerce. She returned to journalism in 2001, as publisher of the Community Post and in 2006 was also named publisher of The Evening Leader. In January 2012 she was named publisher of the Wapakoneta Daily News. She serves on the board of directors for the Wapakoneta Family YMCA, the Wapakoneta Chamber of Commerce, Downtown Wapakoneta Partnership and the Wapakoneta Waves Swim Team and is a member of the Wapakoneta Rotary Club.