Editor's note: This story appears in this week's Troy Tribune and credits Nancy Bowman as the writer. This is actually a press release from the YWCA that was edited by our editor.

The Piqua YWCA has selected Nancy Bowman as a Woman of Excellence for 2016.

Ruth Koon of Piqua was also selected as a Woman of Excellence and Mindy Bach of Tipp City was named the Young Woman of Tomorrow.

Bowman is known for being an outstanding journalist in Miami County for more than three decades. She is highly regarded by her readers and by local governmental, civic and business leaders as an excellent “hard news reporter” who can be counted on to get the facts right and maintain the highest level of journalistic integrity.

She began her journalism writing with the student newspaper at Loudonville High School in Ashland County. She continued her writing pursuit at Kent State University. After graduation, she was a writer for the Galion Inquirer and then came to Miami County after her graduation.

Her career began at the Troy Daily News as a reporter and she rose to the leadership position of managing editor. Today she is a valued reporter for the Troy Tribune and the Tippecanoe Gazette, as well as other newspapers. She is also a Communications Specialist for Upper Valley Medical Center.

Her talents are widely known because of her work with not only county government and schools, but also with the arts/culture and important fund-raising endeavors of many local organizations. Her news reporting has made a difference in many lives and local non-profit groups by raising awareness, according to her nominator, Justin Coby of Health Partners Clinic.

Bowman is a graduate of the Leadership Troy program and later served on its board. She has also been on the board for Brukner Nature Center and is currently on the Troy Dollars for College organization. She is married to Terry Burr, who is her top supporter and she said she couldn’t do her work without his support. She also credits her cat, Truman, who keeps her company when she works late at night.

“One of the most remarkable aspects of Nancy’s contribution to our community is how much time and energy she dedicates to being a reporter. She does it because she knows it is necessary to do her job well, said Jim Witmer, a former colleague.

“I have always enjoyed being a journalist,” said Bowman. “I have met many interesting people and covered many interesting stories from the courtroom to public issues of all kinds. While at the TDN, I had the opportunity to travel, including accompanying Troy’s first delegation to visit its sister city in Takahashi City, Japan, and attending the Republican National Convention in New Orleans.”

Mindy Bach is a 2016 honor graduate of Troy High School and currently a freshman at Ohio University majoring in Art. Mindy is artistic, organized, motivated, reliable and able-to-see-the-big picture according to her nominator and Edison Community College professor, Vivian Blevins, Ph.D.

Bach co-produced a performance at the Mayflower Theatre with a college English professor focusing on “Women in Theatre”. She wrote impressive monologues for the performance, helped a carpenter build the set, was the most competent teen performer in the course and helped educate the audience about the issues that girls and women face.

Mindy also wrote an essay for the Dayton Literary Peace Prize Competition in which she wrote of the challenges of her mother’s suffering from Multiple Sclerosis. During this time Mindy maintained honor roll status throughout high school while taking college classes, caring for her three siblings, her mother and their home. She did all of this while holding four jobs and still being active in the community as a Team Leader at Troy Clubhouse; Reading Buddy with first graders; Troy High School Wrestling Score Keeper and concession stand cashier. “My mother’s illness and her passing in 2015 definitely made me grow up a lot faster than other kids,” said Bach.

A talented artist, Mindy has had her work displayed at the Hayner Cultural Center in Troy, the Randall’s residence in Tipp City and the Troy Board of Education.

“Mindy has touched many lives, a nominator wrote. “She stands tall, proud, resilient—a role model for young women. Mindy is the student who is going to be the leader in her community and brings the promise of tomorrow into each week of today.”
Ruth A. Koon, also a 2016 Woman of Excellence honoree, was nominated for her countless hours of community service in shining a positive spotlight on and throughout the city of Piqua. Koon’s quest for excellence and skillset bring people together to complete a task from start to finish.

Koon, a Piqua native and married to husband Jim, attended Mount Saint Joseph College before obtaining her interior design degree from the Interior Design Society. She is an allied member of the American society of Interior Designers and also studied art through classes at Edison Community College.

She is well known for the many projects and organizations she has been involved with including, most notably, the Hotel Library Legacy Alliance which saved the Fort Piqua Hotel. Under her leadership, the Alliance raised nearly $4 million to save the historic building that now houses the Piqua Public Library, community meeting rooms, a renovated ballroom and much more. In addition to this huge undertaking, Koon played a vital role in the formation of Mainstreet Piqua and served on its board. She was the first chairperson of the Piqua Arts Council and chaired for many years the Miami Valley Fine Arts Exhibition. She was instrumental in the creation of the Music in the Parks program.

Koon also chaired the William A. Pitsenbarger Statue Committee that raised more than $100,000 to honor Piqua’s Medal of Honor Recipient. That committee is now known as the Friends of the Piqua Parks of which she is chairperson.

For her countless volunteer hours and roles in many organizations in the community, Koon received the Piqua’s highest honor, the Order of George award, in 2009.

Her accomplishments are many and include service to Piqua Catholic Center for Early Learning; Piqua Catholic School—Dollars for our Scholars; Pro Piqua Committee; Clear Creek Farm; Friends of the Piqua Public Library; Piqua Area Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors; YMCA Board of Trustees.

“The positive difference Ruth has made in our community will be seen and felt into the future,” said nominator Edna Stiefel.

For more information about the Women of Excellence Awards Luncheon planned for October 20^th or to reserve a ticket, stop at the YWCA Piqua at 418 N. Wayne Street or call 773-6626. Seating for the event is limited.