RD Oja Steps Away from Syracuse’s Corp. Challenge

SYRACUSE, N.Y. ‰ÛÒ Dave Oja, of Syracuse, has announced that he is
stepping away from the position of Race Coordinator of the J.P. Morgan
Corporate Challenge® Syracuse following more than a quarter of a century
overseeing the Syracuse area‰Ûªs largest annual road running event.

“I really can‰Ûªt overstate how much I‰Ûªve enjoyed coordinating local
operations for Syracuse‰Ûªs edition of the J.P. Morgan Corporate
Challenge®,” says Oja. “Planning and overseeing the amazing growth in
both the size and the complexity of the event have been enjoyable and
satisfying challenges throughout the past 26 years. And in each of those
26 years, I‰Ûªve been enormously grateful for the team efforts of our
race committee members, volunteer groups, Onondaga County Parks staff,
host municipalities, law enforcement and emergency service agencies,
vendors, team captains of participating companies, Corporate Challenge®
Series administrators, and J.P. Morgan Chase & Co. management.”

Oja, who will be 65 in July, assumed the position as the local
coordinator of what was then the Manufacturer‰Ûªs Hanover Corporate
Challenge in 1991. The event attracted 3,143 entrants from 211 companies
in its 1990 edition. Since then, the event has attracted as many as
8,559 entrants; initiated successful shuttle busing, recycling, and site
security operations; enhanced its emergency medical services
operations; and grown from zero to more than 250 company hospitality
tents on site during the event.

Although he‰Ûªll be stepping away from the event that hosts the
Syracuse area‰Ûªs largest annual road race field, Oja will continue to
direct the event that hosts the Syracuse area‰Ûªs best annual road race
field and only road race national championships: the Syracuse Festival
of Races, whose silver-anniversary edition is scheduled for Sunday, Oct.
1, 2017.