(Photo Provided) Tinkler

Heritage Ohio held its Annual Awards ceremony Oct. 15 at the Midland Theatre in Newark, Ohio, as the opening of its annual conference.

Over 100 nominations were received for 11 awards. The awards honor Ohio’s best projects, places, and people who create lasting impacts through historic preservation and community revitalization.

The recipient of this year’s Ohio Main Street Director of the Year Award is Main Street Marietta’s executive director Jen Tinkler.

Tinkler is in her third year of leading the downtown revitalization efforts in downtown Marietta and is described by her nominator as someone who sits on almost every board in town, and is credited with growing great connections with the local Chamber, the Convention and Visitors Bureau, and the Port Authority.

Tinkler is a regular at Marietta City Council meetings, and has grown the organization’s partnership levels to a place where the board never thought it was possible.

Tinkler worked tirelessly with Marietta City Council over the last year to ensure that Main Street received much needed American Rescue Plan Act funding (over $100,000 after previously receiving zero funding from the city/local government), allowing the program to provide more grants for growing businesses and to update equipment they needed and grow their programming and have adequate financial reserves.

Tinkler strives for excellence in all they do, and leads a very large board with differing viewpoints and personalities and does it all with grace and excellence, Heritage Ohio said.

Heritage Ohio prompts economic growth through the preservation and revitalization of downtowns and neighborhoods across Ohio. Heritage Ohio is the designated statewide Ohio preservation partner with the National Trust for Historic Preservation. Through saving the places that matter we can all build a community and live better. Learn more about how to get involved by visiting www.heritageohio.org.