Caption (Left to Right) HCCOCO Employer Representatives –
Tom Poole, Director of Talent Acquisition at OSU Wexner Medical Center,
Mindy Sanford – Senior Advisor, Workforce Development, Partnerships & Programs at OhioHealth,
Courtney Thraen, Director of Sector Partnerships, Aspyr,
Dennis Collier – Talent Acquisition Partner at Mount Carmel Health System,
Dan Massie – Director of Professional Talent Acquisition at Nationwide Children’s Hospital 

The Ohio Economic Development Association’s annual excellence awards program recognizes the achievements of individuals and organizations in Ohio in the areas of economic and workforce development. Judged by a panel of OED members, award winners were announced at the OEDA Annual Summit in Toledo on September 6, 2024. 

The Excellence in Workforce Development Award recognizes unique approaches to workforce development and recognizes a person or organization that has developed innovative practices and programs. The winning strategy should provide direction, guidance, and motivation to Ohio’s workforce and business community.

The Healthcare Career Collaborative of Central Ohio (HCCOCO) received the Excellence in Workforce Development Award based on its precedent-setting, career exploration healthcare summit that welcomed 1,100 students from 43 unique schools located across Central Ohio. Practitioners from six major health systems led 20 hands-on demonstrations while leaders from local healthcare education programs hosted an array of interactive tables for high school students to explore, providing real-world insights to shape their career paths.