ODVS’s Blackburn receives prestigious Community Leader Impact Award
Lead Summary
By
Ohio Department of Veterans Services-
Last week, Ohio Department of Veterans Services Workforce Manager Ryan Blackburn, as Chair of Ohio’s Military Spouse Economic Empowerment Zone (MSEEZ), accepted a national award that recognized Ohio’s efforts to create a strong and inclusive community for military spouses.
On May 18, Hiring Our Heroes, an arm of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation, presented Blackburn and other Ohio MSEEZ leadership with the prestigious Community Leader Impact Award. The recognition was made at the 6th Annual Military Spouse Employment Summit in Washington, D.C.
The Impact Award indicates Ohio “has demonstrated going above and beyond as related to the MSEEZ pillars of hire, train, and advocate to support reducing un- and underemployment for military spouses.”
“Winning this award shows the commitment from the Ohio MSEEZ to provide meaningful and impactful solutions to military spouse employment barriers in just a few short months. Awards like this continue to showcase Ohio as the premier destination for service members and military families,” said Blackburn, a U.S. Air Force veteran who has been a member of the ODVS Workforce Team since October 2016.
The Community Leader Impact Award originated in 2019 with the City of San Antonio recognized as the original recipient. The State of Washington won the award in 2020 followed by the city of Tampa Bay in 2021.
On Oct. 12, Blackburn served as emcee at the National Veterans Memorial and Museum during a program announcing Ohio was being identified as a Military Spouse Economic Empowerment Zone – just the seventh state to receive such a statewide designation. That program was highlighted by remarks of praise from Lt. Governor Jon Husted, Secretary of State Frank LaRose and ODVS Director Deborah Ashenhurst.
Ohio’s win followed the announcement in autumn 2021 that the State of Ohio was indeed being recognized as an official Military Spouse Economic Empowerment Zone.
It also delved into the many facets of the MSEEZ initiatives and confirmed the organization’s endeavors to connect military spouses with companies committed to hiring them while also encouraging collaborative efforts among local business, civic and military communities that establish employment networks in municipalities around the country.
Ohio’s MSEEZ efforts actually date to 2018, and behind Blackburn’s guidance, much of the building and cultivating of the leadership occurred during the COVID-19 pandemic. The working group now consists of 128 local and national employers that are committed to making Ohio a destination of choice for military families.
One of the first undertakings of the MSEEZ working group was to get Military Spouses highlighted on the state’s job board, Ohio Means Jobs. Veterans in the system were identified with a red, white and blue “V” next to their résumé and appeared at the top of every employer’s résumé search. Through the working group, Ohio Means Jobs will now highlight Military Spouse résumés with a red, white and blue “S” next to their name, providing the same advantage that are given to military veterans.
On May 18, Hiring Our Heroes, an arm of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation, presented Blackburn and other Ohio MSEEZ leadership with the prestigious Community Leader Impact Award. The recognition was made at the 6th Annual Military Spouse Employment Summit in Washington, D.C.
The Impact Award indicates Ohio “has demonstrated going above and beyond as related to the MSEEZ pillars of hire, train, and advocate to support reducing un- and underemployment for military spouses.”
“Winning this award shows the commitment from the Ohio MSEEZ to provide meaningful and impactful solutions to military spouse employment barriers in just a few short months. Awards like this continue to showcase Ohio as the premier destination for service members and military families,” said Blackburn, a U.S. Air Force veteran who has been a member of the ODVS Workforce Team since October 2016.
The Community Leader Impact Award originated in 2019 with the City of San Antonio recognized as the original recipient. The State of Washington won the award in 2020 followed by the city of Tampa Bay in 2021.
On Oct. 12, Blackburn served as emcee at the National Veterans Memorial and Museum during a program announcing Ohio was being identified as a Military Spouse Economic Empowerment Zone – just the seventh state to receive such a statewide designation. That program was highlighted by remarks of praise from Lt. Governor Jon Husted, Secretary of State Frank LaRose and ODVS Director Deborah Ashenhurst.
Ohio’s win followed the announcement in autumn 2021 that the State of Ohio was indeed being recognized as an official Military Spouse Economic Empowerment Zone.
It also delved into the many facets of the MSEEZ initiatives and confirmed the organization’s endeavors to connect military spouses with companies committed to hiring them while also encouraging collaborative efforts among local business, civic and military communities that establish employment networks in municipalities around the country.
Ohio’s MSEEZ efforts actually date to 2018, and behind Blackburn’s guidance, much of the building and cultivating of the leadership occurred during the COVID-19 pandemic. The working group now consists of 128 local and national employers that are committed to making Ohio a destination of choice for military families.
One of the first undertakings of the MSEEZ working group was to get Military Spouses highlighted on the state’s job board, Ohio Means Jobs. Veterans in the system were identified with a red, white and blue “V” next to their résumé and appeared at the top of every employer’s résumé search. Through the working group, Ohio Means Jobs will now highlight Military Spouse résumés with a red, white and blue “S” next to their name, providing the same advantage that are given to military veterans.