Who Are We?
What started as a phone call, typical back-and-forth brainstorming, and a couple of letters to the local newspaper has blossomed into an organization and this site. Out of the impending shadow of DHL’s departure–and the seal of fate that many have given Wilmington, Clinton County and southwest Ohio–has come ENERGIZE Clinton County. The name comes from the energy we felt when we chose not to accept this fate and began to contemplate the now-available opportunities, and the amazing potential for our hometown.
As many might respond to this crisis with a sigh of relief for not having to be amidst the storm to come, we have recognized our fortune for finding ourselves right in the middle during this striking time. Both of us have been missing from Wilmington for the last five years; doing what so many young people from small, Midwestern towns do…leave in search of “something else.” Being home at this time, and feeling that “fierce urgency of now,” we are now dedicated to working hand-in-hand with the community that reared us in advocating not only what will save Clinton County from collapse, but what will bring its potential to life and be the example of what is to come for our country.
Mark Rembert and Taylor Stuckert
Wilmington, Ohio
Mark Rembert
Mark is a co-founder and director of Energize Clinton County. Mark grew up in Clinton County and is a 2003 graduate of Wilmington High School.
Mark is a 2007 graduate from Haverford College where he earned a B.A. in economics, completing his major at Bryn Mawr College where he wrote a quantitative thesis on competitive balance in Major League Baseball. As a student at Haverford, Mark worked for the Office of Admissions, helped to reform student government, and founded the Haverford College cornhole club. In 2006 he received a John C. Whitehead Grant from Haverford to work as a research intern at the Economy League of Greater Philadelphia, a regional public policy think tank. He now serves on the Haverford College Corporation.
After college Mark lived in West Philadelphia and worked for a start-up public relations firm. In the fall of 2008, Mark returned to Wilmington after receiving an invitation to serve as a Peace Corps volunteer in Ecuador where he hoped to expand his interest and knowledge in economic development. He has since deferred his service to stay in Clinton County and continue his work with Energize Clinton County.
Taylor Stuckert
Taylor is co-founder and director of Energize Clinton County. He moved to Clinton County 1996 and is a 2003 graduate of Wilmington High School.
In 2005 he graduated with a degree in philosophy from Butler University in Indianapolis, Indiana where he served as Election Day precinct manager, chaired a campus political group, and was a member of Amnesty International, philosophy club and local and state campaigns. Following college, Taylor moved to New York City, and worked for Jones Day, an international law firm, before accepting an invitation to the Peace Corps. While living in New York, he volunteered for NYCares, Earth Day New York, Green Apple Music and Arts Festival, and was a member of New York Road Runners.
In January 2008, Taylor joined the Peace Corps as a volunteer in Bolivia where he worked in the Agriculture Extension program, serving four rural communities. He returned to Wilmington prematurely after the program was evacuated from Bolivia in September, 2008. After planning to re-enroll in the Peace Corps for service in Ecuador, Taylor decided to defer his service and continue his work with Energize Clinton County.
12 Comments Add your own
Leave a Comment
Some HTML allowed:
<a href="" title=""> <abbr title=""> <acronym title=""> <b> <blockquote cite=""> <cite> <code> <pre> <del datetime=""> <em> <i> <q cite=""> <strike> <strong>
Trackback this post | Subscribe to the comments via RSS Feed
1. Katie Wiederhold | November 20, 2008 at 10:21 am
Mark and Taylor,
What you guys are trying to do is so great! I’m not in the area now, but I’ll be back for 6 weeks in December. If you want/need some help with this initiative from the marketing/communication side let me know.
Best,
Katie
2. Theresa Rembert | November 21, 2008 at 9:10 am
Congratulations, Mark and Taylor. I know you guys have put in endless hours in the past ten days getting this initiative before the public eye. I hope enough people get behind it to compel public and private officials to help make it happen. You are catalysts with creative courage.
3. Ron Rembert | November 21, 2008 at 11:38 am
Mark and Taylor, what a great website! Your efforts to build a network among residents in Clinton County and beyond who envision a hopeful future for our community are inspiring. Sharing your gifts and spreading your enthusiasm has an ‘energizing’ effect that is truly contagious. Thanks
to all in our community who are working together for such positive goals.
4. miles jaffe | November 21, 2008 at 8:23 pm
Mark: congrats on opening up this website. I wish you well, and hope that you and your successors will bring energy and creativity to Wilmington in its hour of need.
all the best from New Zealand, miles
5. Sherry Stuckert | November 22, 2008 at 12:36 am
Taylor and Mark, your hard work and innovation is an inspiration to us all. We have much to be proud of in Wilmington, OH and you two are making it known. Thanks to your boundless dedication, we will no longer be viewed as “just” a small town in Ohio. We have so much to offer and I learn more of what exactly that is from you both everyday. THANK YOU!
‘Hope springs eternal…’
6. Laura Hanson | November 22, 2008 at 4:49 pm
Mark and Taylor, I’m grateful for such gifted residents of Clinton County. I’ll look forward to hearing more in person, but for the record: friends like you make me proud to be an Ohioan. Change begins at home.
7. Dan Lesage | December 3, 2008 at 10:13 am
Taylor and Mark…your Mom brought to my attention your site. I love it! Good luck on your efforts to create positive energy to the Clinton County Region. Coming from a Realtor, you guys ROCK! I may use some of your information in my blog site.
8. Andy Rembert | December 18, 2008 at 2:13 pm
What a great effort, Mark and Taylor! Sounds like a very worthy cause. Maybe you can get some economic stimulus and infrastructure money.
9. Nathan Coates | December 22, 2008 at 11:14 pm
Great site, great ideas, great job, guys!
Count me in to research, write letters, or whatever else you need.
10. John McVicar | February 16, 2009 at 4:29 pm
I spotted your efforts for energizing Clinton County on a renewable energy search of google. I commend your efforts. As you keep pushing for fed money for your county, I thought I would let you know about a new initiative here in Canada. Our federal budget was introduced last month and included a renovation tax credit. I can get a 15% tax credit right off my taxes up to a max of $1500 on whatever I spend of a home renovation nature over the next 12 months. You can well imagine that every business in this country that has products related to the home renovation industry is now advertising specials and promos geared to customers who will want to take advantage of that tax credit. I’ll be redoing some kitchen cabinets that I hadn’t planned on doing for a few years plus a total repainting of our house. Interesting thought for your country.
Cheers,
John McVicar
Kitchener Ontario Canada
11. KellyAnne Hanrahan | March 3, 2009 at 7:31 am
You guys make me proud to be an American… This is just the spirit and enterprise we need!
I can’t thank you enough – I wish you and Clinton County the very best… You are pushing the human race forward.
12. Jessica Johnson | July 17, 2009 at 7:52 am
I heard you both on the news this morning, after I heard the unfortunate announcement of the ABX layoffs. It was awesome to learn more about what you have been doing for our home. Keep up the great work, and let me know how to help!