Thermal Belt Outreach Ministry’s 2016 board officers are Stacey Lindsay, treasurer; Dave Scherping, president; Connie Lomax, secretary; and Betty Ramsey, vice president.

With the start of the new year, Dave Scherping, technology/accountability director for Polk County Schools, has assumed the role of president of Thermal Belt Outreach Ministry (‘Outreach’), succeeding local financial advisor, Mike Ashworth.

“Dave brings tremendous vision, leadership and business management abilities to Outreach.  As treasurer for the past two years, Dave has the experience to successfully lead the local non-profit as it celebrates its 25th year of service to the community and looks forward to the future,” Ashworth said.

Other officers for 2016 include Betty Ramsey, who continues as vice-president, Stacey Lindsay, who will serve as treasurer, and Connie Lomax, who re-joins the board in 2016 as secretary.

Local leader Warren Carson was also re-elected to another three-year term on the board. Joe Picone, DC, owner of the Foothills Wellness Center, is a newly elected member to the board of directors.

The officers and board members were elected at Outreach’s annual meeting in November.

For the past 12 years, Scherping has been the technology/accountability director for Polk County Schools.  He joined the Outreach board in 2014 and has served as chair of the finance and technology committees.  Dave has a degree in education from Illinois State University.

Ramsey, president and publisher of the Tryon Daily Bulletin, has served as treasurer of Outreach, chair of the Finance Committee and, during 2015, as its vice-president.  The veteran newspaper executive recently served as head of the Association for Daily Newspapers in North Carolina.

Lindsay recently retired after working in commercial and retail banking for the last 35 years. She is active in the local nonprofit community, serving in a leadership role with The Rotary Club of Tryon, in addition to Outreach. She also volunteers with the Polk County Community Foundation.

Lomax was previously employed in the technology sector as a corporate sales manager for Grid Systems and Tandy Corporation and has also managed proprietary businesses. Additionally, she is a former president of Outreach and previously served as a member of the board of St. Luke’s Hospital Foundation and as the chair of the Carolina Classical School. Lomax is a deacon and member of Grace Community Church and member of the Tryon Riding and Hunt Club.

Veteran board members Joe Epley and Bob Morgan retired from the board at the end of 2015 as their terms expired. Epley was president of Outreach for two terms.  Morgan also served on the board’s executive committee during his tenure.  Executive director George Alley says, “Joe and Bob both made significant contributions to Outreach during their time on the board. They provided tremendous leadership during some difficult times for the organization and they will be missed.”

As he left the board, Outreach president Ashworth said, “The commitment the new officers and all of our board members have shown to Outreach’s mission is inspirational. It has been an honor to work with them and I marvel at the skills and dedication they have exhibited in making Outreach more effective and efficient in serving people in need.  I know that the organization is in good hands.”

Outreach is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded in 1991. The organization’s mission is to provide compassionate assistance to Polk County residents who are unable to provide for their basic life needs. For more information on Outreach, please visit tboutreach.org or call 828-894-2988.

-Submitted by Wendy Thomas