People and
Partnerships

 

People and partnerships lead to success for our communities. We bring partners together, so we can do more together to help our students, our communities, and our economy.

The CEC is a backbone organization providing process facilitation and systems building support to partners who help students access and complete education pathways while breaking down the underlying barriers that hold inequitable outcomes in place. The stakeholders of the CEC help residents move up at least one level in their education or training aligned with well-paying local jobs. We believe that education is critical in helping individuals and families achieve financial security.

When we convene partners to work on complex social challenges, such as creating solutions to address the manufacturing workforce skills gap, or increasing high school graduation rates for underserved student populations, we pose the question, “What can we do together that none of us can do alone?” Complex social problems cannot be solved by singular programs. They require a system of supports, connecting programs and stakeholders around a shared goal. Consistent with our mission – we bring partners together, so we can do more together to help our students, our communities and our economy.

200+

Employee
Partners

25+

Top Tier Education
Partners

150+

Communities
Served

2020 CEC Board Members

 

James Bickel
President and CEO, Columbus Regional Health

Steven Combs
Chancellor, Ivy Tech Community College, Columbus

Joe Fuehne
Director, Purdue Polytechnic Institute Columbus

Reinhold Hill
Vice Chancellor and Dean, Indiana University
Purdue University Columbus

Larry S. Kleinhenz
Chair, Bartholomew County Commissioners

Jim Lienhoop
Mayor, City of Columbus

Chip Orben
Indiana Department of Workforce Development

Brian Payne
Airport Director, City of Columbus Board of Aviation Commissioners

Shawn Price
Superintendent, Flat Rock-Hawcreek School Corporation

Jim Roberts
Superintendent, Bartholomew Consolidated
School Corporation

Tracy Souza
President & CEO, Heritage Fund – the Community Foundation of Bartholomew County

Kelly Benjamin
Judge, Bartholomew County Circuit Court

Jesse Brand
Community Leader, Ivy Tech Community College State Trustees Member

John Burnett
President and Chief Executive Officer, Community Education Coalition

Jason Hester
President – Greater Columbus Economic Development Corporation

Angie May
President, Analytical Engineering Inc.

David Barker
Retired President, SIHO Insurance Services

Brittany Diebolt
Vice President Commercial Loan Officer, Horizon Bank

Cindy Frey
President, Columbus Area Chamber of Commerce

Rick Johnson
President/CEO, Johnson Ventures

Shannon McDonald
Accounting Analyst, Taylor Bros. Construction Co., Inc.

Kathy Oren
Executive Director, Community Education Coalition

Srikanth Padmanabhan
Vice President, Engine Business, Cummins Inc.

Angelina Rodriguez
Global Enterprise Planning Program Director, Cummins Inc.

Jim Schact
Executive Director, Corporate Responsibility, Cummins Inc.

Albert H. Schumaker, II
President, Coca Cola Bottling Company

Mark Stewart
President, United Way of Bartholomew County

Lori Thompson
Retired, Vice President Marketing, Cummins Inc.

Don Trapp
Retired, Vice President of Business Development, Cummins Inc.

Kathy Bradley
Global Account Manager, TE Connectivity

Emilie Pinkston
Community Volunteer, Chair of the Women’s Giving Circle of Bartholomew County

 
Advisor to the Executive Committee – Jack Hess, Executive Director, CivicLab: An Institute for Civic Collaboration

Supported Organizations

 

The Columbus Learning Center Management Corporation, Inc., operating as the Community Education Coalition (CEC) of Columbus, Indiana is a 501c3 “supporting organization.”

For more than twenty years since its inception, the CEC Board has worked to be reflective of the “footprint” of the community regarding equity as an imperative, yielding social and economic benefits through the practice of stakeholder engagement and collaboration.

In this spirit, the CEC Board is redoubling its efforts to be reflective of the footprint of our community in 2020. We are seeking, and will continue to seek board members of our entire community who are interested in and willing to contribute time and energy for the public good of these eleven supported organizations.