NFL Hall of Famer Floyd Little to Highlight Our Reception Aug. 7 After the Enshrinees Roundtable

Floyd Little, a member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame Class of 2010, will be the guest at an exclusive reception sponsored by the Stark Carroll Oil & Gas Partnership on Sunday, Aug. 7, following the annual Enshrinees Gameday Roundtable in Canton.

After a stellar college career at Syracuse University, Little joined the Denver Broncos in 1967. He gained more than 12,000 all-purpose yards over nine seasons, appearing in five Pro Bowls.

The reception will take place following lunch and the annual roundtable, which features members of each year’s Enshrinee Class in an unscripted, up-close-and-personal format.

“This is our second year hosting the reception, and we’re thrilled to have Floyd Little as our guest,” said Dave Kirven, Partnership chairman. “His career speaks for itself, and our guests will have an exclusive opportunity to meet and visit with him in a relaxed, informal setting.”

Kirven said the reception will end no later than 5 p.m., giving guests ample time before the NFL/Hall of Fame Game between the Green Bay Packers and Indianapolis Colts, which kicks off that evening at 8 p.m. at Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium.

Tickets for the reception are $90 and include admission to the luncheon and the Enshrinees Gameday Roundtable. Sponsorships are also available. For more information, call (330) 451-6207 or visit www.choosestark.com.

Draft Day Experience Set for April 28 in Canton

Here's an update on the Draft Night event in Canton next month.

The 2016 Draft Day Experience is set for 7:30 p.m. on Thursday, April 28, at the McKinley Grand Hotel in Canton. Food, beverages, trivia contests, memorabilia auctions and more will be featured, as guests view the first round of the NFL Draft on large video screens. An ongoing Roundtable Discussion with former NFL players will feature comments and analysis between draft picks in a format moderated by Kenny Roda of WHBC-AM in Canton.

Former NFL stars scheduled to appear include Cleveland Browns alumni Don Cockroft, Hanford Dixon, Felix Wright and Anthony Griggs. Other NFL alumni scheduled to attend include Jeff Hastings (Detroit/Pittsburgh), Marv Kellum (Pittsburgh/St. Louis) and Pro Football Hall of Famer Dave Robinson (Green Bay). 

Cost is $125 per ticket and includes the Draft Day Experience, hors d’oeuvres, beverages, a round table discussion with former NFL players, and a silent auction. Proceeds from the event will benefit the Legends Landing, a planned independent and assisted living senior care facility residence for retired Pro Football Hall of Famers and others from the NFL’s Legends Community that will be part of the Hall of Fame Village in Canton.

The Draft Day Experience is being presented by the East Central Ohio Building and ConstructionTrades Council, in conjunction with the Stark Carroll Oil and Gas Partnership and the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

Event sponsorships are available. Main sponsorships include admission to a pre-event VIP Reception at 6 p.m. with NFL alumni and other special guests.

For tickets or sponsorship information, call (330) 451-6207 or visit www.ChooseStark.com.

Power Plants in Carroll County, Lordstown and Wellsville to Bring More Jobs to Region

Recently we reported about the exciting developments surrounding the $899 million Carroll County Energy (CCE) facility, a 700 megawatt, natural gas-fired power plant to be built in Carrollton. Among the positives: The prospect of as many as 700 jobs being created during the construction of the plant.

The good news continues with the announcement of two similar facilities coming to Northeast Ohio.

A report in the Youngstown Vindicator outlined plans for an 800-megawatt, natural-gas fired plant to be built in Lordstown. The Lordstown Energy Center will be located on 17 acres in the Lordstown Industrial Park.

Clean Energy Future, which will construct the facility, estimated more than 1,000 jobs will be created in Trumbull and Mahoning counties, with an investment of more than $850 million. The company said it plans to begin construction this fall with a goal of launching commercial operations by 2018.

The Vindicator reported that the facility and associated transmission infrastructure will interconnect to the American Transmission Systems Inc. bulk transmission system.

South Field Energy LLC, a subsidiary of Advanced Power, announced plans to build a $1.1 billion, 1,100-megawatt natural gas electric generating plant in Columbiana County. Advanced Power, which is also behind the Carroll County plant, said the facility will generate electricity for the delivery and sale to the interstate transmission grid.

It will be built in Yellow Creek Township, about 3 miles from Wellsville, and will use General Electric turbine technology to produce 1,000 megawatts, enough to power more than 1 million households.

The $1.1 billion project is expected to create up to 550 construction jobs over two to three years. Eventually it will have 25 full-time employees in engineering, technical, operation, management and administrative positions.

In all, more than 2,000 jobs are expected to be created during the construction of the three facilities, and that’s good news for local workers.

“The timing is ideal for construction workers who have experienced a slowdown of late in the oil and gas industry,” said Dave Kirven, chairman of the Stark Carroll Oil & Gas Partnership. “These companies will benefit from the expertise and craftsmanship our local union members will provide.”

This article was originally written for publication in ShaleMart magazine.

Partnership Celebrates Carroll County's New Energy Facility

From the time the Stark Carroll Oil & Gas Partnership was formed, a key member and sponsor has been the East Central Ohio Building and Construction Trades Council. This leading association of more than 20 building trades unions from six Northeast Ohio counties has been an active supporter of the oil and gas industry in Ohio and an important member of the Partnership since it was founded.

Partnership Chairman Dave Kirven (second from left)
assists with the CCE plant groundbreaking July 21

The organization helped celebrate a milestone occasion on July 21 when Dave Kirven, president of the council, who also serves as business agent for Plumbers & Pipefitters Local No. 94 and as chairman of the Stark Carroll Oil & Gas Partnership, participated with other union and state officials at the groundbreaking for the $899 Carroll County Energy (CCE) facility, a 700 megawatt, natural gas-fired power plant in Carrollton.

In addition to other incentives, Advanced Power, the project’s developer, agreed to use local vendors for products and services, and agreed to a Project Labor Agreement (PLA) with the East Central Ohio Building and Construction Trades Council.

According to an article by Matt Jaworski in the Labor Citizen, an official building and trades publication, the project is expected to employ about 700 workers at its peak, “with roughly half of the jobs going to pipefitters and boilermakers.”

“While the bulk of the workers will not be on the jobsite until 2016,” Jaworski wrote, “the work could not have come at a better time for area construction unions that started to see a slowdown in the oil and natural gas sector.”

Kirven pointed out that the unions offer a tremendous advantage in finding enough skilled tradesmen for any size job.

“In addition to the locals in the immediate area, there are more than 300 unions nationwide to draw from,” he said.

The Union Labor Life Insurance Company (Ullico), a labor-owned insurance and investment company, is a minority equity investor in the CCE project. Ullico investments are backed by the pension funds of unions such as the building trades.

According to information on the Ullico website, the CCE will generate direct economic impact of $655 million in Carroll County, and an indirect impact of more than $60 million through the purchase of local supplies and services.

This article also appeared in ShaleMart's print and online editions.

Stark and Carroll Counties Working Together for the Future of Oil and Gas

Over the past few months the Stark County Oil & Gas Partnership has worked closely with the Carroll County Chamber of Commerce to plan for the Partnership's first annual Shale Shoot Sporting Clay Championship & Utica Conference, which is coming up Nov. 5 and 6 of this year.

As published in ShaleMart magazine

Partnership Chairman Dave Kirven has had a number of meetings and conversations with Amy Rutledge, executive director of the Carroll Chamber, and other representatives to determine ways the two organizations can work more closely together to promote the oil and gas industry in the region.

While Stark County has offered its many resources for company relocation, residents moving into the area, and numerous entertainment, dining and shopping options, Carroll County is Northeast Ohio's hub of activity in the Utica Shale

A report that appeared earlier this year on the FracTracker Alliance website indicated that Carroll County is home to fully one-fourth of the state’s drilling permits, and 43 percent of all producing wells (as of the end of Q3 of 2014). Carroll County is where the majority of drilling is actually taking place in the entire state, let alone our immediate region.

After ongoing discussions dating back to late 2014, the Partnership's name is changing to the Stark Carroll Oil & Gas Partnership, to reflect the participation of businesses and organizations that are not only doing business with companies in the region, but are located in those respective counties as well.

“This is a big step for our organization, and for the companies and individuals who do business in our two counties,” said Kirven. “Not only do Stark and Carroll border one another, they offer tremendous advantages in terms of natural resources, quality of life, and business and residential opportunities.”

More details will be shared in the weeks ahead. Stay in touch with the Partnership via their blog (choosestark.blogspot.com), their website (www.choosestark.com), and their Facebook page. If you're not already a member, be sure to join the Partnership to receive all the benefits of membership, including their bi-weekly "Drill Bits" e-newsletter. Membership information is available under the “Join” tab at www.choosestark.com.

This article was originally submitted for publication in ShaleMart's print and online editions.

A New Name, a New Era, and Greater Impact

Over the past few months the Stark County Oil & Gas Partnership has worked closely with the Carroll County Chamber of Commerce to plan for the Partnership's first annual Shale Shoot Sporting Clay Championship & Utica Conference, which is coming up Nov. 5 and 6 of this year.

Partnership Chairman Dave Kirven has had a number of meetings and conversations with Amy Rutledge, executive director of the Carroll Chamber, and other representatives to determine ways the two organizations can work more closely together to promote the oil and gas industry in the region.

While Stark County has offered its many resources for company relocation, residents moving into the area, and numerous entertainment, dining and shopping options, Carroll County is Northeast Ohio's hub of activity in the Utica Shale; it's where the majority of drilling is actually taking place in our area.

After ongoing discussions dating back to late 2014, the Partnership's name is changing to the Stark Carroll Oil & Gas Partnership, to reflect the participation of businesses and organizations that are not only doing business with companies in the region, but are located in those respective counties as well.

More details will be shared in the weeks ahead. Stay in touch with the Partnership via this blog, our website, and our Facebook page. And, if you're not already a member, be sure to join to receive all the benefits of membership, including our bi-weekly "Drill Bits" e-newsletter and more.

The 'Shale Shoot' Makes Its Debut in November

The Stark County Oil & Gas Partnership will debut a brand-new event in November, and it's already drawing the attention of sporting clay enthusiasts in Northeast Ohio.

The first annual Shale Shoot Sporting Clay Championship & Utica Conference will take place in Carrollton on Thursday Nov. 5 and Friday, Nov. 6. Final details are still being set, but it will kick off with the Shale Shoot event (dinner included) at Upland Sporting Clays on Thursday, followed by a Utica Conference at Atwood Lake on Friday.

The Carroll County Chamber of Commerce will co-sponsor the event. For more information or to sign up to receive updates via email, click this link: Shale Shoot 2015.

Ohio Valley Expo: Dave Kirven, chairman of the Stark County Oil & Gas Partnership, attended the Ohio Valley Oil & Gas Expo, April 28 and 29 at the James E. Carnes Center in St. Clairsville.

The two-day expo included a network reception, one-day vendor displays, trade professionals and speakers from the oil and gas industry.

Dave also spent time distributing literature about membership in the Stark County Oil & Gas Partnership, the upcoming Supply-Demand-Price Expo in Canton on March 13, and the Shale Shoot in Carrollton Nov. 5 and 6.

Keep an eye on the Partnership's website at www.choosestark.com for updated details on future events.

Stark County Oil and Gas Partnership Promotes Understanding of the Industry, Economic Growth

True to its name, the Stark County Oil and Gas Partnership has become a leading voice promoting the economic impact of the oil and gas industry on the region.

According to Chairman Dave Kirven, the organization’s purpose is three-fold: to promote a understanding of the oil and gas industry; to promote oil and gas extraction efforts that are environmentally responsible; and to encourage the use of Stark County residents and businesses in the development, extraction and processing of oil and natural gas.

As published in ShaleMart magazine

The partnership describes itself as an alliance between local governments, chambers of commerce, labor, education, development groups and employment organizations.

“We believe Stark County is the ideal place for companies involved in the oil and gas industry, and their employees, to locate, live, work and shop,” said Kirven. “Our activities are focused on making that a reality as the fracking boom continues in Northeast Ohio and throughout the state.”

The partnership seeks to assist companies as they move into Stark County by directing them to local services, organizations and businesses that can make their move as seamless as possible.

Stark County boasts major interstate highways, access to rail, a neighboring airport, an abundant supply of water, and major metropolitan areas that offer outstanding residential, dining and shopping opportunities. Those factors and more make Stark County the ideal location for any business.

The partnership also points to Stark’s educated and skilled workforce, as well as the training provided through local colleges, the local building trades, and local employment organizations, as an added benefit to attracting businesses involved in the oil and gas industry.

Each year the partnership sponsors several events and seminars designed to inform and educate the community about the safety and effectiveness of fracking, and to bring together business and civic leaders in a networking environment.

“The Utica shale play continues to become a larger piece of the nation’s energy pie, and Ohio has benefitted immensely from the safe fracking practices that are in place,” said Kirven. “Stark County is experiencing an ongoing influx of oil and gas companies and their support industries, and we will continue to encourage those companies to ‘Choose Stark’ when deciding where to locate in Northeast Ohio.”

Canton Seminar Focuses on Energy Opportunities for Minorities, Women

More than 100 people assembled at the Pro Football Hall of Fame Event Center in Canton on June 10 for “Energize Canton,” a half-day event organized by the Ohio office of the American Petroleum Institute. The seminar was presented as a community conversation about the energy industry and focused career opportunities available for minorities and women, particularly in Canton and Stark County.

Dave Kirven speaks

Dave Kirven, chairman of the Stark County Oil & Gas Partnership, participated in a panel discussion in his role as business agent for the East Central Ohio Building & Construction Trades Council.  Dave emphasized the opportunities available in the trades and the advantages of entering those careers.

Ron Ponder of WHBC radio served as master of ceremonies for the day. Mayor William Healy of Canton spoke to the group about opportunities in the city and responded to some questions from the audience.

For more coverage of the event, please click here to read a review from The Repository in Canton.

Ohio's Shale Boom Getting Closer

Only a fraction of Ohio's horizontal drilling wells are producing to this point, meaning the state's shale boom is still on the horizon.

That was the highlight of one of the presentation's at this year's Ohio Oil & Gas Expo at the IX Center in Cleveland. Dave Kirven and Brodie Haer represented the Stark County Oil & Gas Partnership at the expo.

According to Peter MacKenzie of the Ohio Oil & Gas Association, most of the wells are waiting for pipelines and other facilities to be completed. MacKenzie's comments were included in an article published on Cleveland.com.

More than 200 exhibitors and 1,500 people attended the expo. Complete coverage can be found here: Ohio shale gas boom closer than many realize.