Emerge announces 2024 Signature Event Honorary Chair
We are pleased to announce that this year’s Signature Event, Embrace the Journey will take place on Saturday, October 19 at the Emerge Event Center. As the event has grown in attendance and support, the timing is right to bring this event home to Emerge.
“The event was created to build awareness and a base of individual and business support,” shared Elaine Bonner, Event Chair. “This event has certainly exceeded my goals and expectations. In the first two years, a total of 525 people came together to raise nearly $465,000 for the mission of Emerge. That is pretty remarkable and a testament to the community’s belief in our innovative work.”
Last year, Honorary Co-Chairs Beth and Doug Mann shared how our community has been waiting for a place like Emerge. Their organization, FLOC – For the Love of Children offers dozens of programs to serve the needs of foster youth. Beth and Doug toured Emerge and fell in love with the vision and support to bring health and hope to people suffering with substance use disorders.
Beth and Doug will be on hand this year to introduce our 2024 Honorary Chair, Jim Tressel.
Former OSU football Coach, he currently serves as President Emeritus Youngstown State University.
He is passionate about creating a healthy workforce and extending opportunities to those who are seeking to rebuild their lives. “We are honored that Jim supports this work and has devoted time in his schedule to be with us,” said Elaine.
Jim came out for a tour at Emerge last June and was impressed by the vision of the Founders in connecting substance use treatment with workforce development to support success in long-term recovery. A fitting Tressel saying goes like this “Your goals are constantly revised according to circumstance, but your purpose, your real reason for being, that supercedes everything.”
One of the greatest coaches in the history of the state of Ohio, Jim Tressel brought five national titles to the state, becoming the only head coach to win a national title at both levels of Division I college football. He finished his head coaching career with an impressive 229-79-2 record (74.2%).
Tressel served as head coach at Youngstown State from 1986-2000, leading the Penguins to 10 postseason berths in 15 seasons and four FCS national championships in six appearances in the title game. Boasting the most wins of any FCS coach in the 1990s, Tressel led Youngstown State to the 1987 Ohio Valley Conference title, and he was named OVC Coach of the Year. He was also a two-time AFCA National Coach of the Year and the 1994 FCS Eddie Robinson Coach of the Year while with the Penguins.
Tressel became the head coach at Ohio State in 2001, and he led the Buckeyes to the BCS National Championship a year later, with subsequent appearances in the championship game following the 2006 and 2007 seasons. He led Ohio State to national rankings every season, including seven finishes in the top five, and at least a share of six Big Ten titles. During his time in Columbus, Ohio, Tressel received Bobby Dodd Coach of the Year, Bear Bryant Award and FWAA Eddie Robinson Coach of the Year honors.
During his career at both universities, Tressel coached 10 national major award winners, including 2006 Heisman Trophy winner Troy Smith, as well as 73 First Team All-Americans and 80 first team all-conference selections. The Berea, Ohio, native also coached seven Academic All-Americans and three NFF National Scholar-Athletes, including 2003 William V. Campbell Trophy winner Craig Krenzel.
Tressel was a first team all-conference quarterback at Baldwin-Wallace (Ohio), where he played for his father, College Football Hall of Fame coach Lee Tressel. A member of the Youngstown State Athletics Hall of Fame, he is also enshrined in the Greater Cleveland Sports and Baldwin-Wallace Athletics Halls of Fame. After his coaching days, Tressel served as a consultant for the Indianapolis Colts and as Vice President of Strategic Engagement for the University of Akron before becoming president at Youngstown State University in July 2014.
We hope you will save the date and join us for an inspirational evening as we highlight several stories of people who are seeing a “new day” because of their time at Emerge. The evening will include an appetizer tour of some of our completed spaces on our campus, buffet dinner, silent and live auction experiences, and an opportunity to make a financial investment.
Add your name to our special mailing list to be notified when tickets go on sale. (link)
“With our capacity near 350, it is likely that we will see another sell-out crowd this year,” shared Bonner.
Thank you to this year’s sponsors who have already committed their support including Five Star Home Services, Morgan Stanley, Wright Patt Credit Union, and Aqua Pure.
For sponsorship opportunities or to donate an experience to our auction, please contact Elaine Bonner at 937.974.6120 or elaine.bonner@emergerecoverytrade.com
