HN Announces Two Inducted into Hall of Distinction

Hardin Northern is Proud to announce that Mr. James M. Steele , HN class of 1978 and Lieutenant Colonel Garrick D. Webb, HN class of 2001, will be inducted into the Hardin Northern Hall of Distinction as part of the 2024 commencement on Sunday, May 19 at 2 pm.

The Hall of Distinction was created to honor those Dola, Dunkirk, and Hardin Northern Graduates that have gone on to make a significant impact in their chosen fields and communities. Anyone wishing to nominate a Dola, Dunkirk, or Hardin Northern graduate can do so at hardinnorthern.org under the alumni tab.

Jim Steele-

Jim Steele took his first firefighting certification class in 1976 and immediately started running as a volunteer firefighter with the Dunkirk Volunteer Fire Department. Upon graduation he went to Hocking College and majored in Fire Science and Paramedicine. His EMS field experience was conducted mainly in the impoverished areas of lower Appalachia. Prior to completing his degree, he was hired at the Van Wert Fire Department where he spent his entire career. He rose through the ranks, promoting to Fire Chief in 1997. He focused on modernizing the department with specialized training, state-of-the-art equipment and vehicles. He remained in that position until his retirement in 2017, serving as the second longest Chief in the department’s history.

In 1987 he did receive his associates degree in Fire Science from Hocking College and then completed his Bachelors of Science in Fire Engineering from the University of Cincinnati in 1996. He was hand selected and graduated in the inaugural Ohio Fire Chiefs’ Association Ohio Fire Executive Program in 2003, which was run in conjunction with the Fisher College of Business at the Ohio State University.

Jim was an active fire service instructor receiving his teaching credentials in 1981, teaching all around the State. He was heavily involved with State Fire School and the Ohio Fire Chiefs’ Association. With the Ohio Fire Chief’s Association, he helped develop and teach in their NFPA 1021 Fire Officer 1, 2, and 3 courses. He also assisted in developing the Maxwell 21 Laws Leadership class for Ohio’s fire service. In 2009 he was one of two Ohio chiefs selected by the Great Lakes Division of the International Fire Chiefs’ Association to evaluate and then eventually teach in the Blue Card Hazard Zone Command Course.

In 2007, he was appointed by Governor Taft to serve on Ohio’s Firefighter and Fire Inspector Training Subcommittee. This body is responsible for writing the rules and regulations for all fire service training programs. He served for 10 years, including terms as the vice-chair and chairman of the committee. In 2008 the committee led the effort to pass HB 401 into law which was the first significant change in the fire service training rules since 1978.

Jim has been a leader in Ohio’s Fire Service and has spearheaded unique fire service and fire officer development courses. He has achieved numerous awards including the Ohio Fire Chiefs’ Distinguished Service award, Honorary Dean of the State of Ohio Fire School, and the 2020 Ohio Fire Educator Lifetime Achievement Award.
Jim and his wife Connie (HN Class of 1979) have two children and three grandchildren. “I always wanted to be a firefighter, and the lord blessed me with those skills and abilities.”

Lieutenant Colonel Garrick Webb-

Lieutenant Colonel Garrick Webb is the son of Kim and Kip Webb and is a 2001 graduate of Hardin Northern. He enlisted as an F-16 mechanic in the 180th Fighter Wing in Toledo, OH. He’s a 2005 graduate of Kent State University, where he earned a B.S. in Aviation Studies with a minor in Flight Technology. Garrick also holds an Associates in Aircraft Maintenance from the Community College of the Air Force.

In the fall of 2005, Garrick was commissioned as an Officer in the Ohio Air National Guard. He went on to graduate from the Air Force’s Euro-Nation Joint Jet Pilot Training (ENJJPT) program in Wichita Falls, Texas, where he trained alongside pilots from every NATO nation. From there he continued on to F-16 fighter pilot training at Luke Air Force Base in Phoenix, Arizona.

Upon completion of F-16 training, Garrick was stationed at the 180th Fighter Wing. Garrick deployed to Qatar, Afghanistan, Djibouti, Jordan, Guam, and Estonia. With the military, he’s traveled to nearly every state, as well as Spain, Hungary, Germany, Italy, The Azores and Egypt. He accumulated nearly 2,000 hours in the F-16, with 150 of those hours being combat missions in support of Operation Enduring Freedom, Operation Iraqi Freedom, and Operation Freedom’s Sentinel. For his actions he was awarded three Air Medals and an Aerial Achievement Medal. His final assignment in the military was serving as the 112th Fighter Squadron Commander in Toledo. He retired from the Air Force in the summer of 2023 after 22 years of service.

Garrick also has been employed as an airline pilot with Delta Air Lines since 2014. In his time at Delta, he has served as new hire pilot mentor where he was tasked with mentoring the next generation of Delta pilots. In the spring of 2021, he upgraded to his current position as a Captain on the Boeing 717. Garrick has also flown the Embraer 170, Boeing 737, Boeing 757, Boeing 767, and Airbus A330.

Garrick currently resides in Monclova, Ohio with his significant other Joy Chittum and their two dogs Jet and Avia. Joy is also a 30-year veteran of the Air Force and has three children: Hailey, Logan, and Braden, as well as a granddaughter, Emma.

“I have traveled the world many times over and I’m still very proud of my roots in Dunkirk. I attribute much of my success to my amazing parents who provided a solid foundation and pushed me to pursue my life goals. I’m also thankful for many wonderful teachers who believed in me and encouraged me to dream big. To the next generation, there is a big world outside of Hardin County. Don’t be afraid to step outside your comfort zone and grab your dream. If I can do it, every one of you can do it, too! Luck is just when preparation meets opportunity. Work hard, never stop learning, prepare yourself, and don’t be scared to jump on those opportunities when they arise.”