Making a Difference: Linda & Barry Allen

Lisa Allen, 67, has spent a lifetime in Oglebay and Wheeling Park. Her earliest memories include waiting for the bus at the end of her neighborhood street with an excited gaggle of friends and siblings, packed lunches in hand, to join hundreds of community friends at Oglebay Day Camp.She fondly recalls the retro, round-nosed 1960 buses bouncing along National Road, with Jon Banco overseeing the camp in those days.

Toward the end of each summer, the Day Camp Carnival was a highlight. Lisa remembers hiking the Oglebay hills with her friends and counselors, collecting plankton leaves to use as carnival currency. Even today, the scent of summer rain hitting hot asphalt instantly transports her back to those cherished camp days.

As a teenager, Lisa worked as a lifeguard at Oglebay, earning $1.60 an hour. She recalls her boss, Tom Pinto, asking her to help at Schenk Lake or set up tables for events in the Pine Room. After earning a Parks and Recreation/Management degree from Ohio University, she returned briefly to Oglebay to help open the new indoor pool at the lodge and to work with the National Training Center, where she saw firsthand the impact of a well-trained, empowered staff on guest experiences. Lisa is the immediate past chair of the Oglebay Foundation and is a current board member.

Barry Allen, 61, a proud son of Tennessee, discovered Oglebay later in life. His first memories include driving through the Festival of Lights, attending Oglebay Institute’s Board Benefit, watching fireworks from the hillside with their budding family and running six miles through the hills of the park on the morning of their wedding at Palmer House. “Lisa and I got in our early morning run, made breakfast for all of our kids and some guests and got married later that day. It was a full Oglebay Park kind of day!” Barry recalls with an easy laugh. Today, the couple has six children and 16 grandchildren.

Throughout their professional careers, they have championed leadership development and collaborative problem solving, as well as inspiring organizations to hire the best people while providing ample, ongoing training and support. “Great guest experiences can become memory-makers when each person recognizes their role in the organization’s success, feeling personally connected to the mission and outcomes of the business. Ongoing leadership training and support can inspire those experiences,” Lisa explains.

Lisa and Barry direct their financial support of the Oglebay Foundation toward leadership development and staff training. Their contributions have helped the Foundation leverage West Virginia Tourism grants, allowing Oglebay to train all staff in personal ownership and new service standards for the recently renovated Skyline and Trace restaurants.

Additional support from the Allens has funded training in customer-centric service and conflict resolution. “Our parks are an extraordinary asset to the Wheeling community. Investing in leadership and staff development is a long-term investment in the parks themselves,” Lisa says. “Great experiences lead to repeat visits and loyal and devoted guests. And when a committed guest thinks, ‘Wow, this park is amazing — how can I support it?’ their influence comes full circle by learning about, understanding and supporting our Oglebay Foundation.”

Barry nods in agreement. “Oglebay is an essential part of our lives. Why wouldn’t we give back in a way that develops leaders and provides training to make it even better for everyone today and for future generations?”

Talk about making a difference in the parks.