The 2021 Touchstone Awards are coming up on October 21. We’ll reveal the winners of our journalism awards that night, but we are happy to begin announcing the community winners now.

Due to public health recommendations related to indoor events, we have decided to move the Touchstone awards to a virtual format. They will be held on October 21, at 7 pm, and will be free for members and non-members alike. RSVP to pressclub@bex.net for login instructions

We are happy to announce that Billie Johnson is being honored with a Touchstone Award for Lifetime Achievement.

Billie Johnson is the President/CEO of the Area Office on Aging of Northwestern Ohio, Inc. In this capacity, Ms. Johnson has served senior citizens for more than four decades. Through her leader-ship, the Area Office on Aging has evolved from a small divisional office of “four staff”, into an agency of more than 185 employees, 2000 senior volunteers, over 180 service providers and a host of advisors and professional Board Members.

During Ms. Johnson’s tenure, the Area Office on Aging has become a comprehensive regional office on Aging that serves more than 190,000 older adults living in 10 counties. The Area Office on Aging is considered as one of the premier Area Agencies on Aging in the United States. The agency has received eleven national achievement and innovation awards.

Ms. Johnson is responsible for the development of three, wholly owned subsidiary corporations. These separate corporations provide apartment living for low income senior citizens living in North Baltimore, Defiance and Napoleon, Ohio. She also organized the agency’s Foundation Board and has been instrumental in developing a senior campus of 46 acres, that provides a full continuum of care for older adults.

Ms. Johnson is a recognized leader in the field of aging and has served on numerous national boards and state committees. She has been a speaker and presenter nationally and internationally on ag-ing and women’s issues. In the 80’s she was invited to participate as a workshop leader at the World Conference on Women/Forum ’85, in Nairobi, Kenya. In the 90’s, she was a presenter at the World Conference on Women in Beijing, China.

Additionally, she is a leader in her community and serves on many local civic boards and foundations.

Further Accomplishments:

• Developed a ten county, regional non-profit corporation to promote the health, well being and safety of older adults, persons with disabilities and family caregivers to foster independence. The corporation has an annual budget of over $33 million dollars.
• Provided leadership for the Senior Services Levy Committee in Lucas County, and successfully passed six (6) levies for Senior Citizens in 1991, 1994, 1999, 2004, 2009, 2014 and 2019.
• Elected by her peers to serve two terms as Vice President for the Ohio Association of Area Agencies on Aging.
• Inducted into the Ohio Women’s Hall of Fame by Governor Ted Strickland in 2008.