West Virginia Executive Fall 2020 | Page 139

Eriks Janelsins

President & CEO , Oglebay Foundation
Growing up in the old farm town of New Palestine , IN , Eriks Janelsins , president and CEO of the Oglebay Foundation , learned the keys to success — showing up , working hard and being positive — during his first job baling hay for local farmers .
“ It was hot , hard work , but each day you felt like you accomplished something significant ,” he recalls . “ I learned a lot about farming and life , which translates into my work today . It still seems like the harder I work , the luckier I get .”
Not only did Janelsins learn the meaning of hard work during his childhood , he also discovered his love for travel and the outdoors . His parents were both educators , and the family spent part of every summer vacation on driving tours across the country visiting national parks .
“ Our time spent in Grand Teton National Park always seems like my most vivid childhood memory ,” he says . “ Staying in a cabin , hiking trails up and down the mountain , skipping rocks across the bright blue lake with the Grand Teton as a backdrop — that was a fairly perfect week .”
In 2002 , Janelsins earned his undergraduate degree at Wabash College in Crawfordsville , IN , where he played college football . Afterward , he launched his career in philanthropy as an AmeriCorps VISTA , which brought him to his home among the hills in Wheeling and introduced him to his future at Oglebay .
“ I was part of the Mid-Atlantic Environmental Health Corps working on community-based solutions to a wide array of projects from Pittsburgh to Southern West Virginia ,” he says . “ When I look back on my time as an AmeriCorps VISTA , I ’ m struck by the amount of time it takes for many projects to really take root in a community . I feel fortunate to have stayed in Wheeling to see ideas that were launched 20 years ago coming to fruition .”
Throughout his life , Janelsins has been consistently drawn to the idea of helping people . In his former role as director for the Oglebay Institute ’ s Schrader Environmental Education Center and his current role at the Oglebay Foundation , he has helped to create a positive culture through generous philanthropic gifts . Oglebay Resort and Wheeling Park are nationally unique as self-supporting public park entities . Through the combination of philanthropic support and the operation of successful commercial enterprises , the organization is able to operate and grow the 2,400-acre park system .
“ I love being part of an organization with such a positive impact on the health of the community , from outdoor recreation , youth education and sports programs to the economic impact of our operations as a tourism leader and major employer ,” he says . “ My work is really to support donors who want to make impactful investments and support the leadership exploring
BLAIR DOWLER-WADE
Janelsins on the grand lobby ’ s curved staircase .
TRACY A . TOLER PHOTOGRAPHY
new opportunities to provide unique and healthy experiences in the parks .”
Outside of his career , Janelsins continues to help others through personal philanthropy and community service , which he believes are learned behaviors . He serves on the board of directors for The National Association of Park Foundations and the board of chapter advisors of the Psi chapter of Phi Gamma Delta , an undergraduate fraternity at his alma mater . Janelsins is also a member of the executive committee of FACTS Impact , which extends a helping hand to individuals experiencing barriers to employment and empowers people to transform their lives and contribute to their communities .
“ Both of my parents were very active in the community through youth sports and their church ,” he says . “ In college , I created a community service program as part of our football team where we would volunteer in the community each Friday of the season that we had a home game .”
While he learned service and kindness from his parents , Janelsins was inspired by the generosity of West Virginians during his time as an AmeriCorps VISTA .
“ Our state is blessed with so many leaders in every county who give selflessly every day ,” he says . “ When you are surrounded by great people , it really inspires you to seek new opportunities .” •
“ Nothing in this world can take the place of persistence .”
– Calvin Coolidge
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