Four Marion Technical College alumni inducted to school Hall of Fame
Tammi Cowell, John “Tom” Gleespen, Sue Jacob, and Darl Snyder were all recently inducted into the Marion Technical College Alumni Hall of Fame in honor of their accomplishments in their industries and their communities.
Four alumni have recently been honored for making a difference in their communities and fields by Marion Technical College. Of the honored were a local public servant who has done volunteer work for decades, an entrepreneur, a financier dedicated to saving taxpayers money, and a teacher dedicated to helping students find a career right for them.
The honored were Darl Snyder, class of 1983, Sue Jacob, class of 1981, John “Tom” Gleespen, class of 1975, and Tammi Cowell, class of 1991.
President of Marion Technical College, Dr. Ryan McCall, was quoted in the Marion Star about the alumni, saying, “These alumni represent the best of Marion Technical College. We are thrilled to celebrate each one and the difference they make in our community.”
Tammi Cowell is from Marion and currently serves as the Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer of Tri-Rivers Career Center. She has worked as an educator for 31 years, and was nominated for the Marion Technical College Hall of Fame by Ellen Messenger, a friend and colleague at Tri-Rivers. Tammi’s husband, Rob Cowell, also nominated her.
Cowell helped the Northmor Local School District increase its cash balance from nothing to $6 million in just five years. In her three years at Tri-Rivers, she has doubled the cash balance to $10.2 million.
Rob Cowell spoke on her financial prowess, saying, “Her financial management permitted Northmor to upgrade their athletic complex, bus garage area, and concessions building without going back to the taxpayers for additional funds. She also refinanced their bonds and saved $2.25 million.”
Ellen Messenger spoke on Cowell’s work at Tri-Rivers, saying, “She implemented cost-saving measures and managed and initiated numerous grants to improve finances at TRCC.”
Cowell earned her associate degree from Marion Technical College before going on to Mt. Vernon Nazarene University to receive a bachelor’s and master’s degree in business administration.
In her community, Cowell gives back by serving on several local and state boards, like the Ohio Association of School Business Officials, the Junior Service Guild, the Ohio Career Technical Centers Treasurers Group, the Women’s Business Council, Marion Noon Kiwanis, Women’s Club Home, and the Salvation Army and United Way. Her leadership in the community has netted her many awards.
Messenger went on to praise Cowell’s educational rigor: “She has taken her associate’s degree and continued to build on it and has given back to Marion Technical College by serving for many years as a business advisory committee member. She is a proud of her MTC degree and is a great ambassador!”
Tom Gleespen is the president of Gleespen Engineering and Surveying of Prospect, a business he has run for over two decades. He has also served as an engineer at several other, smaller communities. Previously, he worked at Marion City Engineer before becoming the deputy director of engineering for the City of Columbus and chief deputy of engineering for Franklin County, where he oversaw $60 million in capital improvements.
Sandra Gleespen, Tom’s wife and nominator, spoke on his experience: “Tom was ably prepared by his studies at Marion Technical College to receive his dual licenses as both registered Ohio professional engineer and registered Ohio professional surveyor,”
Gleespen has donated money to many causes close to his heart, such as the True Life Church, Cornerstone Alliance Church, Women’ Club Home, and more.
Mrs. Gleespen, who also is the president of T&S Gleespen Enterprises, talked about Tom’s leadership in conversation with the Star: “Tom has consistently displayed leadership in his ethical, competent and accomplished career over decades in engineering and surveying fields. It was often said, ‘If you can’t work with Tom Gleespen, you can’t work with anyone.’”
Sue Jacob was nominated by her sister Annette Walton, a member of the Marion Tech Alumni Hall of Fame. Jacob served as a teacher for more than 20 years. She started teaching at Olentangy Local and then started to work at River Valley Middle School. Jacob got an associate degree in Information Technology from Marion Tech and went on to get her bachelor’s and master’s degrees in education from Ohio State University.
Walton explained the rationale behind her nomination: “Sue has mentored many students, leading them on the path to education, with steering them in the direction of how great a place Marion is to live, raise a family and go to college. She has touched hundreds of students lives, assisting in their growth along with their education. Sue has introduced them to many of the opportunities that Marion Tech has to offer.”
Jacob has volunteered at her church by assisting with a Welcoming Committee for new members and teaching Sunday School classes. She also has had a seat on the Marion Place Theatre Board for a long time, at one point serving as board president. She has also worked with the Marion Community Foundation, and is part of the 100 Women Who Care in Marion. Jacob has served in many other positions of leadership in the community such as the Marion Area Workforce Acceleration Collaborative which helps local students prepare for the workforce.
Walton described her sister to the Star, saying, “Sue is a welcoming person, very Marion oriented, and for the last several years, she has been teaching her students about career choices, and having them investigate the great companies here in Marion, along with the career choices that Marion Technical College has to offer.”
Darl Snyder started his Marion Tech journey at 18. His mother, who was a single parent, died unexpectedly during Darl’s first year of college. Darl then withdrew from college to deal with this loss and assist with the care of his autistic sister, and had to work to keep his home. He later re-enrolled while working full time, while still landing on the Dean’s List.
Teena Snyder, a fellow alum of Marion Tech, and Darl’s wife, nominated him, and said of her husband, “He truly follows the philosophy of, ‘Failure is a lesson learned, not a reason to quit.”
Darl works for 2J Supply Company, where he is an award-winning territory manager. He also worked as the mayor of the village of Kirby for 13 years. In addition, he also served as the clerk/treasurer for 22 years and was on the council for four. While there, he worked to bring a grant for a tornado siren to Kirby.
Teena had more glowing words for her husband: “Darl’s associate of applied business degree in business management was a strong foundation for his career in radio and newspaper business-to-business sales, which led to a 30-year career in heating and cooling. This degree from MTC served as a springboard to earning his bachelor’s degree in business marketing with a minor in finance from Ashland University.”
Darl has served as a volunteer for the Marion Popcorn Festival for almost 30 years.
Teena spoke of Darl’s dedication to the Popcorn Festival, saying, “Sometimes, Darl would drive 100 miles to participate in meetings with popcorn festival committees, downtown business owners and Marion city leaders.”
Darl also spends time volunteering at churches and has coached youth basketball. He was a Marion Jaycee of the Year, and was director and president of the Miss Heart of Ohio Scholarship Pageant.
All of the inductees received a glass award to commemorate their induction. Their names will be added to the Hall of Fame, which is located in Bryson Hall on campus. Each inductee also will pick a book to be added to the library on campus. More information about the Alumni Hall of Fame can be found here.
More information about Marion Technical College can be found at the school’s website here.