Wayne Allen | Daily Times

Members of the Ohio State Bar Association as they deliver food to Neighbor to Neighbor Ministries on Monday.

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Wayne Allen

PDT Staff Writer

The executive director of the Ohio State Bar Association (OSBA), Denny Ramey along with members of his staff and board were in Portsmouth, Monday to deliver donations to the Neighbor to Neighbor Ministries Food Pantry.

Ramey grew up in Portsmouth and still has family living in the area. Ramey has announced his retirement effective July 1, 2013 after 33 years with the OSBA.

“I grew up on Spring Street, in fact my dad still lives over in that direction. I went to Highland School right around the corner there,” Ramey said. “Today, the Ohio State Bar Association employees bought food and contributed to the Neighbor to Neighbor program here. There was a number of people and staff who donated money. They did all of this in my honor because I grew up here. They wanted to do something in Portsmouth because of me.”

Ramey said he is aware of the great need in the area having some of his roots in Portsmouth.

“I think it’s wonderful you have people doing this kind of thing. I know there is a great need down here. It’s a wonderful thing this (Neighbor to Neighbor Ministries) exists and we are happy to made a contribution to it,” Ramey said.

According to the OSBA, “since 1980, Ramey has been part of the OSBA, serving as its executive director for 25 of those years. Early in Ramey’s tenure, he was responsible for building a new headquarters for the OSBA. He helped the bar leadership undertake the financial risk of purchasing land and constructing an office building for the Association. The building was completed in 1991.

Ramey currently oversees a staff of 70, an annual budget of $12 million, and a membership totaling nearly 29,000 members.

The OSBA, under Ramey’s guidance, has received numerous awards for its public information and education efforts over the years.

Ramey earned a Bachelor of Business Administration degree from Ohio University, an MBA degree from Capital University (Columbus) and the Certified Association Executive designation from the American Society of Association Executives. Ramey previously held positions with the Ohio Society of Certified Public Accountants, the Engineers Foundation of Ohio and Transit Warehouse Company.

Ramey now resides in Upper Arlington. He is the father of two adult children, Beth and Brian.

Following his official retirement date, Ramey will continue to be available as a consultant to the OSBA. The OSBA Board of Governors has a succession planning process in place and will initiate its search for a new executive director in the coming months.”

In July Portsmouth Attorney Todd Book was elected to serve a three-year term as District 8 representative on the Board of Governors of the OSBA.

Book was with Ramey Monday to help make the delivery.

“It’s great to recognize and honor Denny for his service. It’s good to see someone from southern Ohio do well and he did well and has been leading the legal profession for all these years in Ohio,” Book said. “For him to want to come back and help support the community that helped raise him, is a good thing.”

Dan Mullins, Neighbor to Neighbor Ministries food pantry director said donations like the one made on Monday means they can help more people.

“This means we can buy more food. When people donate canned food It makes the variety of different that we can give away,” Mullins said.

Mullins said Neighbor to Neighbor Ministries will be holding a food drive on Saturday Jan. 26 from 9 a.m. - 4 p.m. at Central Baptist Church located at 1646 Highland Ave.

He said during this time people will be able to use the church’s circle driveway to donate food.

“We will have people available to unload the cars so people will not have to get out,” Mullins said.

He said the demand for their services has done nothing but rise. He said last year they gave away 215,000 pounds of food. Based on early calculations, they are expected to exceed that number. At the Portsmouth location food is given away twice a month, once a month at a location in Minford and once a month in Franklin Furnace.

For more information about Neighbor to Neighbor Ministries visit them 1640 Highland Ave. in Portsmouth or call them at 740-353-2842.

Wayne Allen may be reached at 740-353-3101, ext. 228, or wallen@heartlandpublications.com.