Latest news with #TracyRichardson
Yahoo
14-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Child care measures pass Ohio House committee
Children at day care.(Getty Images) An Ohio House committee approved two different bills targeting help for child care in the state, though members of the committee expressed concerns about state funding on the topic. Ohio House Bill 2, proposed legislation that creates a cost-sharing model for child care, passed the House Children and Human Services Committee on Tuesday, moving the measure for possible full House vote. The language of the bill is the same as language included in the House version of the budget, passed last month. That budget proposal is still awaiting final approval, as the Senate works on its own draft before the two chambers come together to reconcile their drafts and create a final draft to send to the governor by the end of June. House Bill 2 would cap child care assistance at 400% of the federal poverty level. The cost-sharing model in the bill would split the cost between the employer, employee, and the state, after an employer applies for the financial assistance. The state would put in 20% of the cost, and the employer and employee would each pay 40%, according to the bill. Child care providers are not required to be a part of Step Up to Quality, the state's child care and early learning provider rating system, under the bill. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX The bill was passed 12 to 1, with only state Rep. Sarah Fowler Arthur, R-Ashtabula, voting against it. 'I do still have some significant concerns with the fact we incentivized, through Step Up to Quality, a number of providers to not be providers for the last period of time,' she told the committee. She added that she stood against the bill 'because I have concerns about the state subsidizing child care going forward.' Fellow Republican state Rep. Tracy Richardson, of Marysville, voted in favor of the bill, but looked to the future of the measure and the language in the budget for needed changes. 'I will support the bill, but I want to publicly state that I believe that our finance committee may have some work to do on this bill, maybe look at perhaps some potential reduction in overall funding,' Richardson said. She said the same thing about a second bill passed by the committee on Tuesday, a bill which would appropriate $10.25 million each for the next two years for grants aimed at expanding 'child care capacity' and establishing an employer-based child care learning lab, among other resources for grant applicants. Ohio House Bill 41 would require the Ohio Department of Children and Youth to oversee a grant program 'to assist employers in retrofitting or equipping their onsite or near-site child care facilities, in building new child care facilities, or in partnering with child care providers, government entities, nonprofit organizations or others on initiatives to create child care capacity within their communities to support the workforce,' according to an analysis of the bill by the Legislative Service Commission. 'I see this being a potential, really strong pilot program, providing dollars necessary for those facilities that matter, particularly in areas where we are most impoverished,' Richardson told the committee before voting in favor of the bill. 'I do think, fiscally, our finance committee should take a closer look at the overall appropriation.' Fowler Arthur voted against the bill, along with Rep. Gary Click, R-Vickery, but neither made statements as to why they were voting against the second child care measure. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE
Associated Press
08-05-2025
- Business
- Associated Press
SKB Cases Names Tracy Richardson Senior Vice President of Commercial Sales, Announces Sales Team Optimization
ORANGE, CA, UNITED STATES, May 8, 2025 / / -- SKB Cases has announced the appointment of Tracy Richardson as Senior Vice President of Commercial Accounts. Tracy joins SKB as a seasoned sales leader with nearly two decades of experience driving commercial and government business growth in the rugged protective case and tactical gear industry. 'Tracy's track record of success in this industry is undeniable,' said John Saxon, SKB's CEO. 'We are confident she is the right person to lead SKB's commercial sales team in its mission of delivering the world's best cases—and customer service—to all the diverse markets and verticals we serve.' Most recently, Tracy served as Director of National Sales – US, Commercial and Government Divisions at NANUK, where she spent over five years expanding market share, strengthening key account relationships, and leading national sales strategy. Prior to NANUK, Tracy was Vice President at Westminster Inc., where she led high-performing sales teams and delivered consistent revenue growth. She also held a pivotal sales leadership role at Pelican Products, Inc. for over eight years, managing West Coast commercial sales and building a reputation for deep industry expertise and customer-first focus. 'Tracy brings to SKB a unique blend of strategic vision, tactical execution, and passion for delivering value to end users across a wide range of industries,' shared SKB Cases President and COO, Daniel Jewell. 'We're excited to have her on board as we continue our journey of innovation and growth.' In addition to bringing on Tracy Richardson, SKB will optimize the sales team to shift focus to two strategic divisions: Commercial Accounts and Consumer Accounts. Juana Quezada will now be the VP of Inside Sales and Customer Experience. Starting her career in the accounting department at SKB, Juana has spent more than 30 years in leadership roles across departments. She embodies a wealth of experience in manufacturing and sales processes, and has been fundamental in cultivating the relationships that have been important drivers of SKB's success. In her new role, Juana will serve as the lead for key accounts management and special projects for both Commercial and Consumer Accounts. Heading up the Consumer Sales division is Will Steven, VP of Consumer Accounts. Will started at SKB in 2013 as the product manager for the Music division where he built a reputation for innovative product development that greatly expanded SKB's offerings in Photo/Video and Pro A/V markets, and established SKB as the premier protective case supplier for these customers. In this new role, he will oversee the sales teams for all consumer-focused product verticals, including Music, Pro AV, Photo/Video, and Sports. Steve Kerpan will continue to service the Sporting Goods side of Consumer Accounts as Director of Sports Sales, under Will Steven. Steve joined SKB in 2008, where he helped shape the Sports division by partnering with key industry brands and establishing SKB cases as the customer-favorite protective case for archery and shooting sports. Throughout his tenure at SKB, Steve has worked to develop and maintain critical relationships with brand partners, distributors, dealer networks, and collaborators within the industry to uphold and champion the SKB brand; he will continue to do so as a part of the Consumer Accounts division. ### About SKB Cases: The first SKB case was created in 1977 by Steve Kottman and Dave Sanderson, who engineered what would eventually become the industry's premier lightweight molded guitar case—just the first of many innovations that have since cemented SKB's global reputation as a leading manufacturer of superior equipment transport solutions. Today, under the guidance and leadership of MPE partners, SKB has expanded its operations into three factories with over 500 employees. SKB's innovative solutions can be found on all seven continents, where they help diverse industries around the world to protect their livelihoods, build better products, and get the job done—usually in the toughest environments where protection of sensitive equipment is mission critical. For more information on SKB Cases or SKB products, contact the SKB Sales & Marketing Team at (714) 685-5232 or visit CeeCee Vandiver SKB Cases +1 714-685-5232 email us here Legal Disclaimer: EIN Presswire provides this news content 'as is' without warranty of any kind. We do not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the author above.
Yahoo
22-03-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Bipartisan bill would require Ohio schools to recite Pledge of Allegiance daily
COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) — Ohio public school districts would be required to recite the Pledge of Allegiance every day under a new bipartisan bill. State Reps. Tracy Richardson (R-Marysville) and Sean Brennan (D-Parma) introduced House Bill 117 to require public schools to establish a specific time and manner for the daily recitation of the Pledge of Allegiance. Schools would also be 'highly encouraged' to develop and implement lessons related to the American flag and the pledge, although participation would not be necessary. 'As a veteran American Government and History teacher, I have always firmly held to the fact that our public schools were, in part, created to instill our young learners with a sense of loyalty to our country,' Brennan said. 'I encourage every adult in Ohio to set the expectation and model for our young people the importance of reciting the Pledge of Allegiance, respect for the American flag, standing when veterans march by in a parade and other actions that further this goal.' Could same-sex marriage be on the ballot in Ohio? Under H.B. 117, school districts would have to make these policies publicly available online. School districts would not be allowed to require anyone to participate or infringe on their Constitutional rights. In the U.S., states are permitted to require public school participation, but laws cannot infringe on the First Amendment right to choose whether or not to participate, regardless of age. Four U.S. states — Florida, Utah, Pennsylvania and Texas — currently require parent permission to opt out of the pledge, but Ohio's law would not require parental consent. This would repeal and replace a current Ohio law, which requires districts to clarify if reciting the pledge is a part of the schools program and protects teachers' right to lead their classroom in the pledge if they wish to. Ohio higher education bill one step closer to law In central Ohio, many school districts already recite the Pledge of Allegiance daily. Canal Winchester and South-Western City School representatives confirmed all students recite the pledge daily, and Hilliard schools have a district policy requiring daily recitation. Other districts recite the pledge less frequently. Grandview Heights said its students recite the pledge daily in grades K-3, and then weekly for all other grades. Pickerington representatives said they say it daily in grades K-8, and weekly in high school. A Reynoldsburg representative said the district does not have a specific policy or consistent cadence for reciting the pledge, and a Bexley spokesperson said the district encourages, but does not require it. In 1954, President Dwight Eisenhower encouraged Congress to add the words 'under God' to the pledge. This updated, 31-word pledge would be the pledge required under H.B. 117. 'Reciting the Pledge of Allegiance builds nationalism and unity by promising to be faithful to our American values,' Richardson said. 'We live in the greatest country in the world and the Pledge of Allegiance helps to remind us of this.' The bill had its first hearing in the House Education Committee on March 11, but does not yet have a second hearing scheduled. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
17-03-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
State lawmakers introduce Pledge of Allegiance bill
DAYTON, Ohio (WDTN) — Lawmakers at the Ohio Statehouse want Ohio school districts to create a policy for students to cite the Pledge of Allegiance. Ohio House Bill 117 would require the board of education for each district to create a policy with a manner and time for students to cite the Pledge of Allegiance each day. No words in the Pledge of Allegiance should be changed by the district's policy, according to the bill. If someone doesn't want to participate in the Pledge of Allegiance, the bill would allow the student to not participate. 'The policy shall not require any person to participate in the recitation or otherwise infringe on one's constitutional rights,' said the bill. The introduced bill suggests educators assist in the increase of knowledge on citizenship, American flag and Pledge of Allegiance with lessons. 'In the interests of promoting excellent citizenship skills, schools and teachers are highly encouraged to develop and implement lessons related to the American flag and pledge ofallegiance,' said the bill. The policy must be posted to where the public can view, if possible on the district's website. State Rep. Tracy Richardson (R-Marysville) and Sean Brennan (D-Parma) are listed as primary sponsors for the bill. The following area state representatives are listed as cosponsors: Diane Mullins (R-Hamilton) Levi Dean (R-Xenia) Jennifer Gross (R-West Chester) Thomas Hall (R-Madison Township) Ty D Matthews (R-Findlay) As of date, the bill sits in the Ohio House Education Committee. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
