The cartoon image of someone getting an idea is a light bulb turning on above his head.

When it comes to Jack Cohen, that bulb never shuts off.

“He’s always coming up with ideas. That brain never stops,” said Patti Jo Lambert, who worked with Cohen for 12 years on the board of the Butler County Tourism & Convention Bureau. “From the Jeep festival to so many other events he’s spearheaded and originated … Jack Cohen has been a great ambassador for Butler County.”

Cohen was the first chairman of the tourism board of directors in 2001 and became its CEO and president in 2003. He’ll officially retire from that position July 31.

He moved to Cranberry Township in 1991 and opened a Safari Sam’s trampoline park. It was there that he learned a bit about Butler County history.

And his wheels started churning.

“Just talking to people, I learned that the Jeep originated in Butler and other interesting facts about the county,” Cohen said. “At that time, people were losing their jobs, feeling depressed … Nobody seemed motivated about the history and potential of this region.

“Glenn Anderson, a county commissioner, wanted to form a county tourism bureau and asked if I wanted to take part. I loved the idea. The Jeep thing was organized and just took off in popularity.

“People don’t realize what’s in their own backyard. Once you show them, everybody climbs onboard,” he added.

Cohen’s guidance led to an antique cars museum in the works, golf courses working together, the Miracle League taking off, and the Penn Theater and Kaufman House being restored, among other projects.

“They were going to close the Kaufman House (in Zelienople), and there was no way we could let that happen,” he said. “That’s a valuable piece of county history, as is the Penn Theater. Those places need to be preserved.”

Cohen felt the same way about the Jay Bee Circus and antique cars. He’s found a way to preserve both. The Jay Bee Circus is a miniature, handmade, motorized circus crafted by the late Butler artist Jimmy Bashline.

“The (Butler County) Historical Society eventually gave it away, and we had to get it back,” Cohen said. “We discovered that a Mercer County man had it stashed away and was going to put it up for his child with special needs to enjoy.

“He couldn’t find anyone to build it with him. I started talking with the guy, and we got the circus back. The Butler Eagle has the perfect room for it and that was the place to set it up and show it off to people. It shows a bit of real history in this county.”

Cohen worked with John Pro of the Butler Old Stone House Region chapter of the Antique Automobile Club of America, to keep Butler antique cars here.

“I bought an antique coupe about 10 years ago, and the tourism bureau had a couple of cars … It was a joint venture to figure out where to store them, what to do with them,” Pro said. “Right now, we have them stored in an old building near New Castle Road.

“We’ve got about eight cars now; the oldest is more than 115 years old. Another is 102, and most of the others are at 85. We want to get a museum set up to house and show off these cars.”

The cars come out for local parades now, but are unseen otherwise.

“We would prefer not to keep them in a garage,” Cohen said. “We want people to see them. It’s part of the history of Butler County.”

Amy Pack, who will take over as the tourism bureau’s executive director in July, has worked with Cohen for years.

“He’s always had the ability to dream big, yet he comes up with ideas that are the right fit for the people and venues we have,” Pack said. “Jack’s always had good instincts as to what to pursue.

“The biggest thing I’ve learned from him is that a lot of things are possible with good planning and teamwork. Jack comes up with ideas that are uniquely us. We’ll work together to achieve a common goal, always with progress in mind.”

Cohen referred to golf and Moraine State Park as “true gems” when it comes to outdoor activities in the county. He’s found ways to market both.

“Moraine State Park has something for everybody,” he said. “It was a matter of bringing people into the county, to experience that, then come back. That’s one of the reasons bringing the state bowling tournament here was so important. Multiple weekends of hundreds of people coming in from all over the state … They loved our golf; they loved Moraine.

“The state bowling has been back here a few times since that first time. They recognize Butler County for the valuable asset that it is.”

When the U.S. Open golf tourney was played at Oakmont, Cohen worked at the information desk there.

“People asked me where they could golf around here,” he said. “I just smiled. We set up shuttle service from hotels in Butler down to Oakmont — and many of those people golfed in our county while they were here.”

Cohen got golf courses to work together and offer golf packages to the public. Golf groups from Canada make use of those offers every year.

In the year 2022 alone, $601 million was spent by visitors to Butler County. From 2009 to 2018, available hotel rooms in the county ballooned from 1,409 to 2,948.

“Jack is just a go-getter,” Lambert said. “He gets an idea; he sees it through to completion. He knows people. He has connections. He gets things done.”

Cohen referred to the Miracle League All-Star Game, held annually at its complex in Cranberry Township’s Graham Park, as “a natural.” The Miracle League enables special needs youths and adults to play baseball.

“Again, people come in from all over for that event,” Cohen said. “The Pittsburgh Pirates get involved, and it’s a memorable day for everyone.”

This year, Cohen and his staff succeeded in bringing the Can-Am Police-Fire Games to Butler County, an event featuring first responders from all over the world who compete and befriend each other.

There will be roughly 900 different games and 52 events taking place during one week in July all over the county.

“We owe it to honor those people, No. 1,” Cohen said. “And it’s another opportunity to take pride in our community and our resources. We couldn’t do an event like this without numerous volunteers and supporters stepping forward.

“They do so because they’re now proud of where they live. That’s the most important thing. I have a tremendous staff I’ve worked with all these years. None of these things happen without them. We work together and turn ideas into meaningful projects.”

Pro recognizes the man behind those ideas.

“If this county had an award for glory, Jack Cohen would get it, hands down,” Pro said. “That man has helped so many people, done so much, makes everything and everybody around him better.

“The best part? He’s always looking for more.”