Four graduates who attended Penta Career Center were recognized as outstanding alumni on November 9. They are Nikki (Thomasson) Depner, Brian Dilley, Austin Flores and Tricia (Rahe) Germann.
The alumni were recognized during a special evening banquet, which began with a gourmet meal served by students in Penta’s culinary program.
Following the meal, the group assembled outside the auditorium to unveil the names of this year’s honorees engraved on the Outstanding Alumni Wall. The group then adjourned to the auditorium for the awards presentation. Each recipient received an outstanding alumni award.
Superintendent Ed Ewers commended the alumni. “Tonight, we are proud to recognize these four former students who have demonstrated excellence and success in their careers.”
He continued, “Our outstanding alumni are advocates of career-technical education. They recognize the support and guidance of Penta staff who helped them build skills and self-confidence to be successful in life.”
Mr. Ewers noted the alumni take pride in their careers and are proponents of community service. “They are involved in volunteer activities on both a professional and personal level. Their professional and personal achievements confirm that Penta Career Center makes a difference in the lives of our students.”
Ms. Depner, a 1996 graduate of the administrative office technology program, has enjoyed a 25-year career in marketing management, public relations and graphic design with many diverse experiences.
She is the marketing director with Gallon, Takacs and Boissoneault in Maumee.
She credits her success to “one decision that changed my entire leif–coming here. Penta equipped me with the necessary tools for what was to come. This is a great honor.”
Mr. Dilley is a 2005 graduate of the construction electricity program and is a prefabrication manager for Lake Erie Electric in Bowling Green.
“It’s an absolute pleasure to be here and I thank Penta for bestowing this honor upon me,” he said.
He attributed his success after school to the lessons he learned at Penta.
“The staff was always so supportive of me. The skills and experiences I obtained prepared me to begin work as an apprentice right after high school.”
As a senior, he worked as a pre-apprentice at Transtar Electric, where he remained working as an apprentice. He briefly worked for two other places before joining his current company in 2009.
Over the years, he has worked his way up to the management position he holds today.
“The lessons I learned here laid a strong foundation for my career,” he concluded.
Mr. Flores, a class of 2011 graduate of the culinary arts program, owns Flores Food Group.
He acknowledged an interest in cooking from an early age. “I love that cooking makes people happy,” he said and credits one of his instructors for helping him at Penta.
“Chef [Jim] Rhegness took me under his wings and has been a tremendous mentor ever since,” he said. After graduating, Mr. Flores attended the Culinary Institute of America where he earned a degree in hospitality management while also receiving a joint degree from Cornell University.
He has managed kitchens for Marriott and Ritz-Carlton hotels, as well as several luxury resorts from Puerto Rico to Hawaii.
He left the industry to pursue his dream of opening his own food truck and catering business in New York. “My business has grown substantially since that time,” he said.
Ms. Germann was a member of the class of 1991 and the cosmetology program. She recalled as a child wanting to cut and style hair, often working on her Barbie dolls.
She said Penta was the perfect place to pursue her passion. “My education and skills at Penta helped prepare me for an amazing career,” she said, adding, “I was ready for work the day I left and never looked back.”
She is currently a cosmetologist at Mini Mall Beauty Salon in Bowling Green and, with her husband, owns Germann Landscape Services and Germann Family Enterprises.
Each year, Penta recognizes alumni who are working in a successful career. Since the award’s inception in 1993, 179 former high school or adult education students have been honored with the award.
