It’s not easy to keep a conversation going for 50 years, but the Akron Roundtable has found a way.
The speaker series is celebrating its golden anniversary in May 2026.
Hundreds of speakers have explored a wide range of topics since the roundtable began in 1976.
You may be surprised to see who spoke here.
The famous, the infamous. The glorious, the notorious. And everyone in between.
Here’s the list.
1976
May 6: C. William O’Neill, chief justice, Ohio Supreme Court
June 2: Herbert Richey, chairman, National Chamber of Commerce
Sept. 16: Paul A. Poorman, editor, Akron Beacon Journal
Oct. 14: Carla Hills, secretary, Housing and Urban Development
Oct. 28: Howard Metzenbaum, candidate, U.S. Senate
Nov. 18: Dr. William Falor, researcher and surgeon at Akron City Hospital, and Dr. Alex Guira, urologist at Akron Children’s Hospital
Dec. 9: Clifford Grum, publisher, Fortune
1977
March 3: Jack Meyers, publisher, Sports Illustrated
April 7: James A. Rhodes, Ohio governor
May 19: Harold Graham, senior vice president, Amtrak
June 16: M.G. O’Neil, president, General Tire & Rubber Co.
Nov. 10: Dr. W. Gerald Austen, president-elect, American Heart Association
Dec. 16: Dr. Brage Golding, president, Kent State University
1978
Feb. 16: David Peters, U.S. Department of Energy
March 9: John D. Backe, president, CBS Inc.
May 25: James N. Sites, senior vice president, National Association of Manufacturers
July 20: Douglas A. Fraser, president, United Auto Workers
Aug. 31: Richard Fleming, group vice president, Air Products & Chemicals Inc.
Sept. 14: John B. Connally, former governor, Texas
Oct. 19: Art Modell, president, Cleveland Browns
Nov. 16: Richard F. Celeste, Ohio lieutenant governor
Dec. 14: James O’Leary, vice chairman, U.S. Trust Co. of New York
1979
Jan. 18: Allen D. Pearson, director of the severe storms forecast center, U.S. Weather Bureau
Feb. 15: Glenn H. Meadows, president, McNeil Corp.
March 15: Thomas Moody, mayor, Columbus
April 12: I.W. Abel, past president, United Steelworkers of America
May 10: F.G. “Buck” Rodgers, vice president of marketing, IBM
July 26: Frank Mankiewicz, president, National Public Radio
Aug. 16: William E. McDonald, president and CEO, Ohio Bell Telephone Co.
Sept. 13: William G. Milliken, governor, Michigan
Oct. 11: John D. Ong, chairman and CEO, B.F. Goodrich Co.
Nov. 15: Roy Ray, mayor-elect, Akron
Dec. 20: Paul D. Phillips Sr., vice president, Standard Oil
1980
Jan. 17: Donald P. Hodel, president, National Electric Reliability Council
Feb. 14: Walter J. McNerney, president and CEO, Blue Cross and Blue Shield
March 20: William Reece Smith Jr., president-elect, American Bar Association
April 17: Richard Riley, chairman and CEO, Firestone Tire & Rubber Co.
May 15: Maurice Jobe, president, Goodyear Aerospace
June 19: Harold L. Enarson, president, Ohio State University
July 24: Dick Thornburgh, governor, Pennsylvania
Aug. 21: Gordon E. Heffern, president, CEO and director, Society National Bank and Society Corp.
Sept. 18: John W. Galbreath, developer
Oct. 16: William H. Tankersley, president, Council of Better Business Bureaus
Nov. 6: Dr. Sidney Kraus, department of communications, Cleveland State University
Nov. 20: Gary Matthews, special adviser on Soviet affairs, U.S. State Department
Dec. 18: Rene C. McPherson, chairman, Dana Corp.
1981
Jan. 15: Ralph Widner, president, Academy for Contemporary Problems and National Training and Development Service
Feb. 19: Dominic J. Guzzetta, president, University of Akron
March 19: Judge Damon Keith, Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals
April 16: James R. Cheek, deputy assistant secretary of inter-American affairs, U.S. State Department
May 21: Robert A. Liebelt, provost and dean, Northeastern Ohio Universities College of Medicine
June 18: Julia Walsh, chairman, Julia M. Walsh & Sons Inc.
July 16: John Glenn, U.S. senator
Aug. 13: Bishop Anthony M. Pilla, Cleveland Diocese
Sept. 10: Michael Danoff, director, Akron Art Institute
Oct. 15: Charles J. Pilliod Jr., chairman and CEO, Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co.
Nov. 19: M. Brock Weir, chairman and CEO, AmeriTrust Co. of Cleveland
Dec. 17: Roy Ray, Akron mayor, and John Morgan, Summit County executive
1982
Jan. 14: Lawrence Fouraker, retired dean, Harvard Business School
Feb. 18: John J. Nevin, president, Firestone Tire & Rubber Co.
March 18: Harvey Heinbach, senior executive and auto industry analyst, Merrill Lynch
April 1: Philip Caldwell, chairman, Ford Motor Co.
April 15: Beurt SerVaas, publisher, Saturday Evening Post
May 20: Charles Brown, chairman, American Telephone and Telegraph Co.
June 17: Robert W. Clark, president, Goodyear Aerospace
July 15: John D. Lockton Jr., president and chief operating officer, Warner Amex Cable Communications
Aug. 19: Dr. Edward Jennings: president, Ohio State University
Sept. 16: Frederick P. Currier, chairman and CEO, Market Opinion Research
Oct. 14: C. Jack Tankersley, chairman and CEO, Consolidated Natural Gas Co.
Nov. 18: Richard F. Celeste, Ohio governor-elect
Dec. 16: Milan Stone, president, United Rubber Workers
1983
Jan. 20: Richard M. DeVos, president, Amway Corp.
Feb. 17: Dr. Michael Schwartz, president, Kent State University
March 10: Gen. James V. Hartinger, commander-in-chief, NORAD, and commander, U.S. Air Force Space Command
April 21: Charles S. Robb, governor, Virginia
May 19: Gordon Gund, president and CEO, Gund Investment Corp.
June 16: Robert H. Dedman, president, Club Corp. of America
July 7: Samuel Riley Pierce, secretary, Housing and Urban Development
July 21: Jack Gilstrap, executive vice president, American Public Transit Association
Aug. 18: John F. Fisher, senior vice president, Bank One Corp.
Sept. 15: Dorothy Ridings, president, League of Women Voters of the United States
Oct. 20: Andrew J. Stofan, director, NASA Lewis Research Center
Nov. 17: Robert E. Mercer, chairman and CEO, Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co.
Dec. 15: U.S. Rep. Ralph Regula, Ohio 16th District, and U.S. Rep. John Seiberling, Ohio 14th District
1984
Jan. 19: William E. Deardon, vice chairman and CEO, Hershey Foods
Feb. 16: Thomas Sawyer, mayor, Akron
March 15: Alfred S. Dietzel, director, Ohio Department of Development
April 12: Robert Schuller, senior minister, Crystal Cathedral, California
April 19: Alex McMahon, president, American Hospital Association
May 17: Lee Brodeur, president and chief operating officer, Firestone Tire & Rubber Co.
June 21: Bernard Vernier-Palliez, French ambassador to the United States
July 26: John E. Jacob, president, National Urban League
Aug. 16: Alton W. Whitehouse Jr., chairman and CEO, Standard Oil Co. of Ohio
Sept. 20: David Ragone, president, Case Western Reserve University
Oct. 4: William L. Weiss, chairman and CEO, Ameritech
Oct. 18: Judith Resnik, astronaut
Nov. 15: Clarence M. Pendleton, chairman, U.S. Commission on Civil Rights
Dec. 13: Julien L. McCall, chairman and CEO, National City Corp.
1985
Jan. 17: William E. Falsgraf, president-elect, American Bar Association
Feb. 21: E. Mandell de Windt, CEO, Eaton Corp.
March 21: William Muse, president, University of Akron
April 18: James Gels, president, Akron Beacon Journal
May 23: Saul Ludwig, executive vice president, security analyst, Roulston & Co.
June 20: Martha C. Mautner, deputy director, Office of Soviet and Eastern European Affairs
July 18: Dr. Mary Jane Jesse, vice president of scientific affairs, American Heart Association
Aug. 15: Charles Marshall, executive vice president, AT&T
Sept. 19: A.W. “Bill” Reynolds, president and CEO, GenCorp
Oct. 17: Evan Turner, executive director, Cleveland Museum of Art
Nov. 21: Dr. Colin Campbell, dean, Northeastern Ohio Universities College of Medicine
Dec. 19: Robert Mahoney, president and CEO, Diebold Inc.
1986
Jan. 27: U.S. Rep. Bill Gradison, Ohio 2nd District, and U.S. Rep. Don J. Pease, Ohio 13th District
Feb. 20: Jim Lehrer, associate editor and co-author, “The MacNeil/Lehrer NewsHour”
Feb. 27: Homer Wadsworth, former president, Cleveland Foundation
March 20: John J. Gilligan, former Ohio governor and University of Notre Dame law professor
April 17: Kenneth Haas, general manager, Cleveland Orchestra
May 15: William Friday, president, University of North Carolina
June 12: Gordon S. Macklin, president, National Association of Securities Dealers
June 19: Willam H. Webster, director, Federal Bureau of Investigation
July 17: John M. McMillion, publisher, Akron Beacon Journal
Aug. 28: Jerry Faust, football coach, University of Akron
Sept. 18: R.W. Apple Jr., chief Washington correspondent, New York Times
Oct. 16: Weldon W. Case, chairman and CEO, Alltell Corp.
Nov. 20: Keith E. Crain, vice chairman, Crain Communications
Dec. 18: Patrick C. Ross, chairman and CEO, Uniroyal Goodrich Tire Co.
1987
Jan. 15: George V. Voinovich, mayor, Cleveland
Jan. 22: Robert E. Mercer, chairman and CEO, Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co.
Feb. 19: S. Frederick Starr, president, Oberlin College
March 19: Ian Ross, president, AT&T, Bell Laboratories
April 16: Dr. Leonard L. Berry, president, American Marketing Association
May 7: Bernard L. Schwartz, CEO, Loral Corp.
May 21: Justin T. Rogers, president and CEO, Ohio Edison Co.
June 25: Wayne Angell, board of governors, Kansas, Federal Reserve Board, Washington, D.C.
July 23: William B. Coulter, chancellor, Ohio Board of Regents
July 30: Charles J. Pilliod Jr., U.S. ambassador to Mexico
Aug. 6: Gen. James Abrahamson, director, Strategic Defense Initiative Organization
Aug. 20: Stanley Gault, chairman and CEO, Rubbermaid Corp.
Sept. 3: U.S. Robert McEwen, Ohio 6th District
Sept. 17: George Conrades, vice president and group executive, IBM Information Systems
Oct. 1: Rita Dove, U.S. poet laureate, Pulitzer Prize winner
Oct. 15: Archibald L. Gillies, president, World Policy Institute
Nov. 19: R.W. Timken Jr., chairman, Timken Co.
Dec. 17: U.S. Rep. Tom Sawyer, Ohio 14th District, and U.S. Rep. Ralph Regula, Ohio 16th District
1988
Jan. 21: Don Plusquellic, mayor, Akron
Feb. 19: Dr. James Howell, senior vice president and chief economist, First National Bank of Boston
March 10: James S. Polshek, senior partner, James Stewart Polshek & Partners
April 21: Robert Boyd, chief Washington correspondent, Knight-Ridder Newspapers
May 19: William C. Zekan, CEO, A. Schulman Inc.
June 16: Paul Leonard, Ohio lieutenant governor
July 21: John Hostutler, president, Industrial Management Council
July 27: Gen. Alfred M. Gray, commandant of the U.S. Marine Corp, member, Joint Chiefs of Staff
Aug. 18: John Heldrich, corporate vice president, Johnson & Johnson
Sept. 1: Dick Crum, football coach, Kent State University
Sept. 15: James Milinazzo, executive director, Lowell Plan Inc.
Sept. 29: Sidney B. Williams, president of the board, Inventors Hall of Fame
Oct. 13: Joseph F. Hulihan, vice president,Diamond State Telephone Co. in Delaware
Nov. 17: William Hudnut III, mayor, Indianapolis
Dec. 15: Raymond D. Meyo, president and CEO, Telxon Corp.
1989
Jan. 19: W. Lee Hoskins, president, Federal Reserve Bank of Cleveland
Feb. 16: David L. Brennan, chairman, Berlin Group
March 16: George Forbes, president, Cleveland City Council
April 13: James K. Batten, president and CEO, Knight-Ridder Newspapers
May 18: Marvin L. Goldberger, director, Institute of Advanced Study
June 15: Jack Heckle, president, GenCorp
July 20: Akira Yeiri, president, Bridgestone Corp.
Aug. 17: Hanna Holborn Gray, president, University of Chicago
Sept. 21: Horst Urban, chairman and CEO, Continental AG
Oct. 15: David S. Liederman, CEO, Child Welfare League of America
Nov. 2: Cazzell Smith, executive director, East Akron Community House; Ted Schneiderman, Akron municipal judge; Tony O’Leary, Akron deputy mayor; Ted Zeigler, CEO, Community Drug Board; and Fred Zuch, criminal division chief, Summit County Prosecutor’s Office
Nov. 17: James M. Stephens, chairman, National Labor Relations Board
Dec. 14: U.S. Rep. Tom Sawyer, Ohio 14th District, and U.S. Rep. Ralph Regula, Ohio 16th District
1990
Jan. 13: Creed Black, president, John S. and James L. Knight Foundation
Feb. 15: George W. Knepper, distinguished professor of history, University of Akron
March 15: Tom H. Barrett, chairman and CEO, Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co.
April 19: Katherine W. Fanning, former editor of Christian Science Monitor and past president of American Association of Newspaper Editors
May 24: Christopher Harte, publisher, Akron Beacon Journal
June 21: Randall L. Tobias, vice chairman, AT&T
July 19: James M. Biggar, chairman and CEO, Nestle Enterprises
Aug. 23: Charles Otto, vice chairman, Xeros
Sept. 27: Dave Barry, columnist, Miami Herald, Knight-Ridder Newspapers
Oct. 18: E. Gordon Gee, president, Ohio State University
Nov. 15: David M. Jones, chief economist, Aubrey G. Lanston & Co.
Dec. 13: Scott Lyons, managing partner, KPMG, Peat Marwick Main & Co.; Vernon Odom, executive director, Akron Community Service Center and Urban League; Robert E. Mercer, former Goodyear CEO; Kathy Stafford, vice president for institutional development, University of Akron; and Jesse Williams Sr., Goodyear vice president for equal employment opportunity
1991
Jan. 17: Dr. C. William Keck, Akron health director and American Public Health Association president
Feb. 21: George V. Voinovich, governor, Ohio
March 28: Earle Harbison, president, Monsanto
May 16: Carol Cartwright, president, Kent State University
June 20: William H. Considine, president, Children’s Hospital Medical Center of Akron
July 18: George Aucott, CEO, Bridgestone/Firestone
Aug. 15: Richard W. Pogue, managing partner, Jones, Day, Reavis & Pogue
Sept. 19: Robert W. Teater, acting director, The Wilds, International Center for the Preservation of Wild Animals
Oct. 17: John J. McDevitt, economist, 3M Co.
Nov. 21: Gertrude Elion, scientist emeritus, Wellcome Research Laboratories
Dec. 12: John McDonald, president and CEO, BP America
1992
Jan. 16: Don Plusquellic, mayor, Akron
Jan. 30: John T. “Ted” Sanders, Ohio superintendent of public instruction
Feb. 20: Dr. E. Charles Galloway, president and CEO, Edison Polymer Innovation Corp.
March 19: Dr. Michael Salkind, president, Ohio Aerospace Institute
April 16: Rick Bay, president, Cleveland Indians
May 21: John P. Debo Jr., superintendent, Cuyahoga Valley National Recreation Area
June 18: Dolores Wharton, president, Fund for Corporate Initiatives
July 16: Joseph M. Clapp, chairman and president, Roadway Services
Aug. 20: Walter Williams, chairman and CEO, Rubbermaid Inc.
Sept. 17: Clark Hoyt, Washington bureau chief, Knight-Ridder Newspapers
Oct. 15: Dr. Peggy Gordon Elliott, president, University of Akron
Oct. 29: U.S. Rep. Dennis E. Eckart, Ohio 11th District
Nov. 19: Helen Thomas, White House correspondent, United Press International
Dec. 17: Dr. Elaine H. Hairston, chancellor, Ohio Board of Regents
1993
Jan. 14: U.S. Rep. Norman Y. Mineta, chairman, House Subcommittee on Surface Transportation
Feb. 18: Stanley Gault, chairman and CEO, Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co.
March 18: Howard L. Flood, president and CEO, First Bancorporation of Ohio
April 15: Russell R. Gifford, president, East Ohio Gas Co.
May 13: John D. Ong, chairman and CEO, B.F. Goodrich Co.
June 3: Jeanne Jones, nutrition columnist and author
June 17: Frances Seiberling Buchholzer, director, Ohio Department of Natural Resources
July 15: Kenneth L. Coss, international president, United Rubber Workers
Aug. 19: Vernon Loucks, chairman and CEO, Baxter International
Sept. 23: Dr. Norman S. Blacklow, president and dean, Northeastern Ohio Universities College of Medicine
Oct. 21: Scott Whitlock, executive vice president, Honda of America
Nov. 18: Richard L. Davidson, president, American Hospital Association
Dec. 16: Frank N. Kelly, dean, College of Polymer Science and Engineering, University of Akron
1994
Jan. 20: John L. Dotson Jr., publisher, Akron Beacon Journal
Feb. 17: Jerry L. Jordan, president, Federal Reserve Bank of Cleveland
March 24: Johnnetta B. Cole, president, Spelman College
April 21: Terry Pluto, author and columnist, Akron Beacon Journal
May 19: Robert Bergman, director, Cleveland Museum of Art
June 16: David Shriber, president and general manager, John S. Knight Center, and Karl Hay, chairman, Akron/Summit Convention & Visitors Bureau
July 21: Guion S. Bluford Jr., retired astronaut and general manager of NYMA Engineering Services
Aug. 18: Ada Deer, assistant secretary for Indians Affairs, U.S. Department of Interior
Aug. 25: Mary Means, urban planner
Sept. 15: Helen K. Cleminshaw, professor, Child and Family Development, University of Akron, coordinator of United Nations International Year of the Family for Summit County
Oct. 20: Dr. Barbara Ross-Lee, dean, College of Osteopathic Medicine Ohio University
Nov. 17: Mike DeWine, U.S. senator, Ohio
Dec. 15: Delano E. Lewis, president and CEO, National Public Radio
1995
Jan. 19: Willard R. Holland, president and CEO, Ohio Edison Co.
Feb. 16: John B. Yasinsky, president and CEO, GenCorp
March 16: Joseph T. Gorman, chairman and CEO, TRW
April 20: Dick Feagler, columnist and TV commentator
May 18: Jaqueline F. Woods, president and CEO, Ameritech Ohio
June 15: Steve Minter, executive director, Cleveland Foundation
June 29: Bruce A. Lehman, assistant secretary of commerce and commissioner of patents and trademarks
July 20: Marilyn Vos Savant, author and columnist, Parade Magazine
Aug. 17: Leonard Slatkin, director, Cleveland Orchestra Blossom Music Festival
Sept. 21: Brian Williams, superintendent, Akron Public Schools
Oct. 19: Thomas Moyer, chief justice, Ohio Supreme Court
Nov. 9: Dennis Barrie, director, Rock and Roll Hall of Fame
Dec. 14: Hugh B. Price, president and CEO, National Urban League
1996
Jan. 2: Don Plusquellic, mayor, Akron
Jan. 18: Jo Ann Davidson, speaker, Ohio House of Representatives
Feb. 15: Nancy S. Dye, president, Oberlin College
March 21: John R. Cochran, president and CEO, FirstMerit Corp.
April 18: Martin D. Franks, senior vice president, CBS Inc.
May 16: Samir F. Gibara, president and chief operating officer, Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co.
May 30: Hugh B. Price, president and CEO, National Urban League
June 20: Ralph Hofstad, executive director, Russian Farm and Community Project
July 18: Linda Allard, designer and author
Aug. 15: Richard Scott, president and CEO, Columbia/HCA
Sept. 19: Gary Blonston, Washington bureau chief, Knight-Ridder Newspapers
Oct. 17: William Muse, president Auburn University
Nov. 21: John F. Fiedler, chairman and CEO, Borg-Warner Automotive Inc.
Dec. 19: Robert W. Gillespie, chairman, CEO and president, KeyCorp
1997
Jan. 16: Dr. Marion Ruebel, president, University of Akron
Feb. 20: David L. Burner, CEO, president and director, B.F. Goodrich Co.
March 20: Roger Sellew, president and CEO, Advanced Elastomer Systems
April 17: Dorothy S. Ridings, president and CEO, Council on Foundations
May 15: Rosabeth Moss Kanter, professor, Harvard University School of Business Administration
June 19: Michael W. Wickham, president and CEO, Roadway Express
July 17: James E. Dalton Jr., president, CEO and director, Quorum Health Group
Aug. 21: Mitchell D. Kahan, director, Akron Art Museum
Sept. 18: Paul A. Goble, director of communications, Radio Free Europe
Oct. 16: Frances McGovern, author, “Written on the Hills: The Making of the Akron Landscape”
Oct. 30: Robert Stanton, director, National Park Service
Nov. 20: I. Michael Heyman, secretary, Smithsonian Institution
Dec. 11: Brian D. Tucker, publisher and editorial director, Crain’s Cleveland Business
1998
Jan. 15: John M. Goff, superintendent, Ohio Department of Education
Feb. 19: David A. Daberko, chairman and CEO, National City Bank
March 19: James D. Oelschlager, president and chief investment officer, Oak Associates
April 16: G. Benjamin Oliver, president, Hiram College
May 7: Michael J. Boyd, president and CEO, Boyd Group/Aviation Systems Research Corp.
May 21: Tami Longaberger, president, Longaberger Co.
June 18: Walter G. Sellers, president, Kiwanis International
July 16: Gordon M. Bethune, chairman and CEO, Continental Airlines
Aug. 20: Liane Hansen and Will Shortz, NPR hosts, “Weekend Edition”
Sept. 17: George Becker, international president, United Steelworkers of America
Oct. 1: Mary Lynn Cusick, national president, Public Relations Society of America
Oct. 15: Cedric W. Dempsey, president, National Collegiate Athletic Association
Nov. 19: Barbara A. Greene, executive director, Summit Education Initiative
Dec. 17: John G. Glenn, U.S. senator, Ohio
1999
Jan. 21: Robert A. Taft, governor, Ohio
Feb. 18: Steve Love and David Giffels, co-authors, “Wheels of Fortune: The Story of Rubber in Akron”
March 18: William Kirwan, president, Ohio State University
April 1: George V. Voinovich, U.S. senator, Ohio
April 22: Hodding Carter III, president, CEO and trustee, John S. and James L. Knight Foundation
May 20: Michael J. Marks, executive director and CEO, Health Museum of Cleveland
June 17: Janet C. Leach, editor and vice president, Akron Beacon Journal
July 15: Roger E. Herman, strategic business futurist and author
Aug. 19: Joseph P. Viviano, vice chairman, Hershey Foods Corp.
Sept. 16: Carmen Policy, president and CEO, Cleveland Browns
Oct. 7: Ted Kennedy Jr., attorney and advocate for the civil rights of persons with disabilities
Oct. 21: David B. Cooper, retired associate editor, Akron Beacon Journal
Nov. 18: Wojtek Chodzko-Zajko, president, International Society on Aging & Physical Activity
Dec. 16: Luis Proenza, president, University of Akron
2000
Feb. 3: Don Plusquellic, mayor, Akron
Feb. 17: Susan Tave Zelman, superintendent, Ohio Department of Education
March 16: Hunter Hurst, director, National Center for Juvenile Justice
April 20: Steven L. Smith, astronaut, space shuttle Discovery
May 18: William B. Rogers, president, Trust for Public Land
June 15: John L. Dotson Jr., president and publisher, Akron Beacon Journal
July 20: David Fink, president and CEO, Inventure Place
Aug. 17: Marsha Johnson Evans, national executive director, Girl Scouts of the USA
Sept. 7: Michael Feldman, creator and host, Public Radio International, “Whad’Ya Know?”
Sept. 21: David A. Lieberth, chairman, Imagine: Akron
Oct. 19: Clark Hoyt, Washington bureau editor, Knight-Ridder Newspapers
Nov. 16: Robert L. Darbelnet, president and CEO, American Automobile Association
Dec. 21: H. Peter Burg, chairman and CEO, FirstEnergy Corp.
2001
Jan. 18: James B. McCarthy, Summit County executive
Feb. 15: Lt. Gen. Daniel Christman, superintendent, U.S. Military Academy at West Point
March 1: Dr. Sylvia Rimm, child psychologist, Family Achievement Clinic, Cleveland Clinic
March 15: John C. Nicolls, senior vice president, architecture and design, Hyatt Corp.
April 5: Morris Weinberg, lead counsel, U.S. Attorney’s Office, Southern District of New York
April 19: Mike DeWine, U.S. senator, Ohio
May 17: Mary Regula, founder and president, National First Ladies Library
June 21: Frederick J. Schwab, president and CEO, Porsche Cars North America
July 19: Jill Ker Conway, past president, Smith College
Aug. 16: Leon Harris, co-anchor, CNN, “Live This Morning”
Sept. 20: Theodore Gup, author, “The Book of Honor: The Secret Lives and Deaths of CIA Operatives,” and Shirley Wormser, professor of journalism, Case Western Reserve University
Oct. 18: Lee Hamilton, director, Woodrow Wilson International Center for Students
Nov. 15: Christopher M. Connor, chairman and CEO, Sherwin-Williams
Dec. 20: Kevin M. McMullen, chairman and CEO, Omnova Solutions
2002
Jan. 17: Daniel Colantone, president of Greater Akron Chamber, Dennis E. Eckart, president and CEO of Greater Cleveland Growth Association, and Edward Hill, professor of urban studies and public administration at Cleveland State University
Feb. 21: Ya-Hui Wang, music director, Akron Symphony Orchestra
March 21: Dr. Esther Sternberg, integrative neural immune program chief, National Institutes of Mental Health
April 18: Carol A. Cartwright, president, Kent State University
May 16: Peter J. Pestillo, chairman and CEO, Visteon Automotive
June 20: James N. Crutchfield, publisher, Akron Beacon Journal
July 18: Sharon Darling, president and founder, National Center for Family Literacy
Aug. 15: John West, director, Liquid Crystal Institute, Kent State University
Sept. 9: Steve Pomerantz, vice president, Institute for the Study of Terrorism and Political Violence
Sept. 19: Sylvester Small, superintendent, Akron Public Schools
Oct. 17: Rob Loos Jr., partner, TLC Entertainment
Nov. 21: Cynthia Capers, dean, College of Nursing, University of Akron
Dec. 12: Thomas A. Waltermire, chairman and CEO, PolyOne Corp.
2003
Jan. 16: Rep. Sherrod Brown, Ohio 13th District; Rep. Steve LaTourette, Ohio 14th District, and Rep. Tim Ryan, Ohio 17th District
Feb. 20: Robert Essner, chairman, president and CEO, Wyeth Corp.
March 20: James Dielman, national service consultant, Junior Achievement
April 17: Jane Campbell, mayor, Cleveland
May 1: Ronald A. Brown, director of planned giving, Princeton University
May 15: Craig A. Masback, CEO, USA Track & Field
June 19: Dr. Michael F. Hogan, director, Ohio Department of Mental Health
July 17: James Lenehan, president and vice chairman, Johnson & Johnson
Aug. 21: Stephen A. Perry, administrator, U.S. General Services Administration
Sept. 18: Richard Davidson, president, American Hospital Association
Oct. 2: Len Komoroski, president of Cleveland Cavaliers and Gund Arena, and Jim Paxon, president and general manager of Cleveland Cavaliers
Oct. 16: George W. Knepper, professor emeritus of history, University of Akron
Nov. 20: Sandra Pianalto, president and CEO, Federal Reserve Bank of Cleveland
Dec. 11: Patrick Schiavone, design director, Ford Motor Co.
2004
Jan. 15: Dan Rice, president and CEO, Ohio & Erie Canalway Corridor Coalition
Feb. 19: Wayne P. Lawson, executive director, Ohio Arts Council
March 18: Robert Keegan, chairman, CEO and president, Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co.
April 1: Dennis Archer, president, American Bar Association
April 15: Lt. Gen. Paul T. Mikolashek, inspector general, U.S. Army
May 20: Robert C. Farley, president, Team NEO
June 17: Lawrence W. Small, secretary, Smithsonian Institution
July 22: Watts Wacker, CEO, Firstmatter LLC
Aug. 19: Don Plusquellic, president, U.S. Conference of Mayors
Sept. 16: Larry P. Arnn III, president, Hillside College
Oct. 21: John Walcott, Washington bureau chief, Knight-Ridder Newspapers
Nov. 18: Dr. Lois Margaret Nora, president and dean, Northeastern Ohio Universities College of Medicine
Dec. 16: Kathryn E. Sullivan, president and CEO, Center of Science and Industry
2005
Jan. 20: Dr. Stevan E. Hobfoll, director, Summa-Kent State University Center for Treatment and Study of Traumatic Stress
Feb. 17: Stanford Ovshinsky, president and chief technology officer, Energy Conversion Devices Inc.
March 17: Joseph L. Galloway, senior military correspondent, Knight-Ridder Newspapers
April 21: Roger Duncan, deputy general manager, Austin Energy
May 19: Kenneth L. Gladish, national executive director, YMCA of the USA
June 16: Kenneth E. Fry, president, Scenic America
July 21: Kevin Boyle, associate professor of history, Ohio State University
Aug. 18: Gunter E. Weller, professor of geophysics emeritus, Alaska Climate Research Center, University of Alaska
Sept. 15: Fred Nance, managing partner, Squire, Sanders & Dempsey
Oct. 20: Henry E. Flanagan Jr., headmaster, Western Reserve Academy
Nov. 17: James W. Griffith, president and CEO, Timken Co.
Dec. 15: Gigi Kwik Gronvall, fellow at the Biosecurity Center and assistant professor of medicine at University of Pittsburgh Medical Center
2006
Jan. 19: Judge Andrew P. Napolitano, senior judicial analyst, Fox News Channel
Feb. 16: Anthony Chan, managing director and senior economist, JPMorgan Asset Management
March 16: Joe Leonard, chairman and CEO, AirTran Airways
April 20: Rob Curley, director of new media and convergence, Naples Daily News
May 18: Christina De Paul, dean, Corcoran Gallery of Art & Design
June 1: Lauren Rich Fine, managing director, Global Research Securities & Economics, Merrill Lynch
June 15: John D. Ong, former U.S. ambassador to Norway
July 20: Steven J. Gage, president and CEO, MAGNet
Aug. 17: Dr. Wil Blechman, past president, Kiwanis International
Sept. 21: Frank Jackson, mayor, Cleveland
Oct. 19: Alberto Ibarguen, president and CEO, John S. and James L. Knight Foundation
Nov. 16: Carolyn J. Lukensmeyer, founder and president, AmericaSpeaks
Dec. 14: Angela Glover Blackwell, founder and CEO, PolicyLink
2007
Jan. 18: Ted Strickland, governor, Ohio
Feb. 15: Stuart Levey, undersecretary of terrorism and financial intelligence, U.S. Treasury Department
March 15: Lester A. Lefton, president, Kent State University
April 19: John C. Green, director of Ray C. Bliss Institute of Applied Politics, University of Akron
May 17: Edward R. Moss, publisher, Akron Beacon Journal
June 21: Richard D. Cochran, president and CEO, Western Reserve Land Conservancy
July 19: Peter J. Elliott, U.S. marshal for the Northern District of Ohio
Aug. 16: David E. Gilbert, president and CEO, Greater Cleveland Sports Commission
Sept. 20: Christopher Wilkins, music director, Akron Symphony Orchestra
Oct. 18: Howard Gudell, principal, SGI Global Business Advisors, and founder of Ohio Israel Chamber of Commerce
Nov. 15: Stephen Post, professor of bioethics at Case Western Reserve University and author of “Why Good Things Happen to Good People”
Dec. 13: Anthony J. Alexander, president and CEO, FirstEnergy Corp.
2008
Jan. 17: G. Gordon Gee, president, Ohio State University
Feb. 21: Ted Curtis, vice president of capital planning and facilities management, University of Akron
March 20: Eric Fingerhut, chancellor, Ohio Board of Regents
April 17: Ed Kowalchick, executive director, Association of Boarding Schools
May 15: David Lawrence, president, Early Childhood Initiative Foundation and University Scholar for Early Childhood Development & Readiness, University of Florida
June 19: Dr. Toby Cosgrove, president and CEO, Cleveland Clinic
July 17: Edna Landau, director of career development, Colburn School
Aug. 21: Diane Casey-Landry, senior executive vice president and chief operating officer, American Bankers Association
Sept. 25: Kathrine Switzer, marathon runner and broadcaster
Oct. 16: Todd Purdum, author and national editor, Vanity Fair
Nov. 20: Timothy R. Toppen, president and CEO, Veyance Technologies
Dec. 11: Christine Brennan, author and contributor, USA Today
2009
Jan. 15: Mark Schweitzer, senior vice president and director of research, Federal Reserve Bank of Cleveland
Feb. 19: E.J. Dionne, columnist, Washington Post.
March 19: Thomas J. Strauss, president, Summa Health System
April 16: Stuart Lichter, president, Industrial Realty Group
May 21: Paul Helmke, president, Brady Center to Prevent Gun Violence
June 18: Alan Tonelson, research fellow, U.S. Business & Industrial Council Educational Foundation
July 16: Sam Speck, commissioner, International Joint Commission on Great Lakes Public Policy Committee
Aug. 20: Larry Schweiger, president, National Wildlife Foundation
Sept. 17: Jim Gibbons, president and CEO, Goodwill Industries International
Oct. 15: Ellen Stirn Mavec, chairman, Campaign for the Cleveland Museum of Art
Nov. 19: Joe Gingo, president and CEO, A. Schulman
Dec. 10: Fred Cummings, president, Elizabeth Park Capital Management
2010
Jan. 21: Baiju Shah, president and CEO, BioEnterprise
Feb. 18: Richard Herman, co-author, “Immigrant Inc.”
March 18: The Rev. Gloria White-Hammond, founder, My Sister’s Keeper
April 15: Joel Smirnoff, president, Cleveland Institute of Music
May 20: Walter W. Bettinger II, president and CEO, Charles Schwab Corp.
June 17: Terry Schwarz, interim director, Cleveland Urban Design Collaborative, Kent State University
July 15: Jeff Shesol, author, “Supreme Power”
Aug. 4: Tim Finchem, commissioner, PGA Tour
Aug. 19: Joe Kanfer, chairman and CEO, GOJO Industries
Sept. 16: Richard Umbdenstock, president and CEO, American Hospital Association
Oct. 21: Noah Adams, senior correspondent, NPR
Nov. 18: Tina Tchen, director of the White House Office of Engagement
Dec. 9: Mody Al-Khalaf, director of cultural and social affairs, Cultural Mission of the Royal Embassy of Saudi Arabia
2011
Jan. 31: Sherrod Brown, U.S. senator, Ohio
Feb. 17: Dr. Frank Douglas, president and CEO, Austen BioInnovation Institute
March 17: Gary Hanson, executive director, Cleveland Orchestra
April 21: Maureen O’Connor, chief justice, Ohio Supreme Court
May 19: Richard K. Vedder, professor of economics, Ohio University
June 2: Caleb Porter, head soccer coach, University of Akron
June 16: Evalyn Gates, executive director and CEO, Cleveland Museum of Natural History
July 8: Corbin Bernsen, actor, writer and director, “21 Hill”
Aug. 18: Stan Austin, superintendent, Cuyahoga Valley National Park
Sept. 15: Richard Smucker, CEO, J.M. Smucker Co.
Oct. 4: John Kasich, governor, Ohio
Oct. 20: Steve Marks, CEO, Main Street Gourmet
Nov. 17: Dr. Jay Gershen, president, Northeast Ohio Medical University
Dec. 8: Robert W. Briggs, president, GAR Foundation
2012
Jan. 9: Rob Portman, U.S. senator, Ohio
Feb. 16: Joe Pusateri, owner and president, Elite Homes
March 15: Eric Nuzum, vice president for programming, NPR
April 19: Rick McQueen, president and CEO, Akron-Canton Airport
May 17: Ned Hill, dean and professor, College of Urban Affairs, Cleveland State University
June 21: Michael Alkire, chief operating officer, Premier Healthcare Alliance
July 19: Jim Tressel, vice president for strategic engagement, University of Akron
Aug. 16: Eric Anthony Johnson, executive director, University Park Alliance
Sept. 20: Dr. Sarah Friebert, director, Haslinger Family Pediatric Palliative Care Center, Akron Children’s Hospital
Oct. 18: Dr. Tim Stover, president and CEO, Akron General Health System
Nov. 15: Glen de Vries, board president, Dancing Classrooms of New York City
Dec. 13: Richard Kramer, chairman, president and CEO, Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co.
2013
Jan. 17: Ronald M. Sega, vice president and enterprise executive for energy and the environment, Ohio State University
Feb. 21: William Strickland Jr., president and CEO, Manchester Bidwell Corp.
March 21: Rochelle Behrens, founder and CEO, The Shirt By Rochelle Behrens
April 18: David Adkins, executive director and CEO, Council of State Governments
May 16: Ken Babby, owner and CEO, Akron Aeros
June 20: Shannon O’Neil, senior fellow for Latin American studies, Council on Foreign Relations
July 18: Terry Bowden, football coach, University of Akron
Aug. 8: Thomas Nobbe, executive director, Gay Games
Sept. 19: Timothy Dimoff, founder and president, SACS Consulting
Oct. 17: James Bennett, senior vice president, Merchandise Mart Properties
Nov. 21: Amy Freitag, executive director, New York Restoration Project
Dec. 12: Mark Masuoka, executive director and CEO of Akron Art Museum, Paul Jarrett, executive director of Akron Symphony Orchestra, and Jarrod Hartzler, executive director of Tuesday Musical Association
2014
Jan. 16: Frank LaRose, state senator, and Ted Celeste, director of Next Generation
Feb. 20: Jennifer Bradley, fellow, Brookings Institution
March 20: Dick Hayhurst, retired professional baseball player, author and broadcaster
April 17: Bob Spitz, author, “The Remarkable Life of Julia Child”
May 15: Roderick McNealy, principal, McNealy Advanced Communications
June 19: Steven Dettelbach, U.S. attorney, Northern Ohio District
July 17: Diane Laney Fitzpatrick, author, “The Journey of a Thousand Miles … Is for Amateurs”
Aug. 7: Scott Scarborough, president, University of Akron
Aug. 21: U.S. Rep. Marcia Fudge, Ohio 11th District
Sept. 18: Alison Malmon, founder and executive director, Active Minds
Oct. 16: Beverly Warren, president, Kent State University
Nov. 20: Jimmy Haslam, owner, Cleveland Browns
Dec. 11: Marty Kress, vice president, research business developer, Ohio State University
2015
Jan. 15: Mark Cohen, publisher, Akron Beacon Journal
Jan. 27: Steven Johnson, author, “How We Got to Now: Lessons from History’s Unsung Innovators”
Feb. 19: Thomas N. Tyrrell, founder and CEO of GLBio; Peter Niewiarowski, professor of evolutionary biology at the University of Akron; and Ven Ochaya, director of entrepreneurship and sustainability MBA programs, Baldwin Wallace University
March 19: Ellen Mosley-Thompson, professor of geology, Ohio State University
April 16: Virginia Albanese, president and CEO of FedEx Custom Critical; Traic Buckner, director of specialty programs at Akron Public Schools; Mark Scheffler, president of Leadership Akron; and Robb Briggs, president of the Northeast Ohio Council on Higher Education
May 15: Dr. Louis Sullivan, former U.S. secretary of Health & Human Services
June 3: Michael Morell, former deputy director, CIA
June 18: David Greene, NPR host, “Morning Edition”
July 16: Dr. Thomas Malone, president and CEO, Summa Health
Aug. 20: Danielle Sarver Coombs, associate professor, School of Journalism and Mass Communication, Kent State University
Sept. 17: John Norquist, author and urban developer
Oct. 15: Craig Kenkel, superintendent, Cuyahoga Valley National Park
Nov. 19: John Farber, head of school, Old Trail School
Dec. 10: Chuck Jones, president & CEO, FirstEnergy Corp.
2016
Jan. 28: Dan Horrigan, mayor, Akron
Feb. 18: Renee Powell, golfer and educator, LPGA
March 17: Dorothy Ridings, board member, Commission on Presidential Debates
April 21: Jason Kelly, New York bureau chief for Bloomberg News, and Kishore Lulla, group executive chairman of Eros International
May 19: Dr. Johnnetta Cole, president emerita, Spelman College and Bennett College for Women
June 23: R.J. Nemer, senior vice president, golf division, IMG
July 21: Former U.S. Rep. Patrick J. Kennedy, founder, Kennedy Forum
Aug. 18: Dr. W. Gerald Austen, surgeon-in-chief, emeritus, Massachusetts General Hospital
Sept. 15: Theaster Gates, founder and artistic director of Rebuild Foundation
Oct. 3: Patrick Carney, drummer for The Black Keys, and David Giffels, author
Oct. 20: E.J. Dionne, columnist, The Washington Post
Nov. 17: David Baker, president, Pro Football Hall of Fame
Dec. 8: Stephen Steinour, president and CEO, Huntington Bancshares
2017
Jan. 19: Benjamin Zander, conductor, Boston Philharmonic
Feb. 16: Dr. Brian Harte, president, Cleveland Clinic Akron General
March 16: Sofie Karasek, co-founder of End Rape on Campus, and Beverly Guy-Sheftall, professor of women’s studies at Spelman College
April 12: Sam Quinones, author of “Dreamland”
April 20: Dr. Daniel Isenberg, founding executive director, Babson Entrepreneurship Ecosystem Platform
May 18: Linda Teodosio, Summit County Juvenile Court judge, and North Carolina Rep. Marcia Morey, former juvenile judge
June 16: Brian Mosteller, former director of Oval Office operations for Barack Obama
July 20: Deborah Wince-Smith, president and CEO, U.S. Council on Competitiveness
Aug 17: Chief Calvin Williams, Cleveland Division of Police
Sept. 21: Matthew J. Wilson, president, University of Akron
Oct. 19: Deborah Delisle, chief executive, Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development
Nov. 16: Melissa Merryweather, director, Green Consult-Asia
Dec. 14: Michele Campbell, executive director, LeBron James Family Foundation
2018
Jan. 18: Carolyn Warner, co-founder and chairman, Corporate/Education Consulting Inc.
Feb. 16: Gregory Vincent, president, Hobart and William Smith Colleges
March 15: Jewelle Bickford, partner and financial adviser, Evercore Wealth Management
April 19: Victoria Rogers, vice president of arts, John S. and James L. Knight Foundation
May 17: André Gremillet, executive director, Cleveland Orchestra
June 21: Paul Schmitz, senior adviser, Collective Impact Forum
July 19: Bill Albrecht, publisher of Akron Beacon Journal, and Brad Harmon, publisher of Columbus Dispatch
Aug. 16: Jim Donovan, sports director, WKYC Channel 3
Sept. 20: Brig. Gen. Stephen Cheney, CEO, American Security Project
Oct. 18: Dr. Cliff Deveny, interim president and CEO, Summa Health
Oct. 29: Christine Amer Mayer, president of GAR Foundation; Steve Millard, president of Greater Akron Chamber; Jason Dodson, chief of staff to county executive; and James Hardy, chief of staff to Akron mayor
Nov. 15: Jude Kearney, president, KearneyAfrica Legal Advisors
Dec. 13: Majora Carter, urban revitalization strategist
2019
Jan. 17: Mike DeWine, governor, Ohio
Feb. 21: Brandon Chrostowski, founder, president and CEO, Edwins, Leadership & Restaurant Institute
March 21: Dr. Tomislav Mihaljevic, CEO and president, Cleveland Clinic
April 18: Virginia C. Drosos, CEO, Signet Jewelers
May 13: Jay Haas, PGA Tour Champions player, and Miller Brady, PGA Tour Champions president
June 20: Dr. Janet Kavandi, director, NASA Glenn Research Center
July 18: Paul Helmke, professor, School of Public and Environmental Affairs, Indiana University
Aug. 7: Bill Zawiski, Ohio EPA; Elaine Marsh, Friends of the Crooked River; Deb Yandala, Cuyahoga Valley National Park; and Akron Mayor Dan Horrigan
Aug. 15: Larry Arnn, president, Hillsdale College,
Sept. 19: Tom Ridge, chairman, Ridge Global
Oct. 17: JoDee Winterhof, senior vice president, Policy & Public Affairs Human Rights Campaign
Oct. 31: Pete Earley, author and mental health advocate
Nov. 21: Bernard Coleman, global head of inclusive engagement, Uber Technologies
Dec. 12: Karen Freeman-Wilson, president, National League of Cities
2020
Feb. 20: Leah Werner, senior program manager, Corporation for Supportive Housing
March 6: Sherrod Brown, U.S. senator, Ohio
June 25 (virtual): Renato “Ren” Camacho, president and CEO, Akron-Canton Airport
July 30 (virtual): Debra Adams Simmons, executive editor for culture, National Geographic Magazine
Aug. 20 (virtual): Chris Horne, publisher, The Devil Strip
Sept. 24 (virtual), Frank LaRose, Ohio secretary of state
Oct. 15 (virtual): Dr. Julius Bailey, author, “Sustaining Democratic Hope in this Gut-Wrenching Age of Racism, Hypocrisy and Bad Faith”
Nov. 19 (virtual): Para Jones, president, Stark State College
Dec. 10 (virtual) Dr. Elizabeth Menefee, chief medical officer at Child Guidance and Family Solutions, and Dr. Jeffrey Moore, vice president and medical director of Portage Path Behavioral Health
2021
Jan. 22: David Giffels, author, “Barnstorming Ohio: To Understand America”
Feb. 18: Dr. Marnie Walston, pediatrician, Akron Children’s Hospital
March 18: Paul Dolan, owner, chairman and CEO, Cleveland Indians
April 15: Jeff Reutter, aquatic biologist and limnologist
May 20: Gary Miller, president, University of Akron
June 17: Rachel Cargle, public academic and writer, Elizabeth’s Bookshop
July 15: Regina Benjamin Cooper, deputy director, National Digital Inclusion Alliance
Aug. 19: Dominic Moore-Dunson, co-founder of Akron Black Artist Guild, and Francine Parr, artistic director of Millennial Theatre Project
Sept. 16: Ali Noorani, executive director, National Immigration Forum
Oct. 21: Mark Krikorian, executive director, Center for Immigration Studies
Nov. 18: Dave Yost, attorney general, Ohio
Dec. 9: Nicole Mullet, executive director, ArtsNow
2022
Jan. 20: Jodi Wellman, leadership coach and facilitator
Feb. 17: Jessica Jones Capparell, director of government affairs, League of Women Voters of the United States
March 17: Hans von Spakovsky, senior legal fellow and manager of election law reform, The Heritage Foundation
April 21: Lisa King, executive director, Summit Metro Parks
May 19: Jennifer Carlson, assistant director, Ohio Department of Aging
June 16: Todd Diacon, president, Kent State University
July 21: Carey Jaros, president and CEO, GOJO Industries
Aug. 18: Qasim Rashid, human rights attorney
Sept. 15: Michael Crawford, chairman, president and CEO, Hall of Fame Resort & Entertainment Co.
Oct. 20: Christine Fowler-Mack, superintendent, Akron Public Schools
Nov. 17: Jerika Richardson, senior vice president of equitable justice and strategic initiatives, National Urban League
Dec. 8: Christopher Wilkins, music director and conductor, Akron Symphony Orchestra
2023
Feb. 3: U.S. Rep. Emilia Sykes, Ohio 13th District
Feb. 16: Stephen Satterfield, food writer and Netflix host
March 9: Katie Moon, Olympic gold medalist in pole vault
April 20: Loretta J. Mester, president and CEO, Federal Reserve Bank of Cleveland
May 18: Cindy Hohl, treasurer, Freedom to Read Foundation
June 15: Brent Leggs, executive director, African American Cultural Heritage Action Fund, and senior vice president, National Trust for Historic Preservation
June 22: Towanda Mullins, chair of the Sojourner Truth Project; Lisa King, executive director of Summit Metro Parks; and Leianne Neff Heppner, president and CEO of Summit County Historical Society.
July 20: Michael Chadsey, director of PR for the Ohio Oil and Gas Association, and Erin Fitzgerald, owner of Erin Fitzgerald Consulting
Aug. 17: Richard J. Kramer, chairman, CEO and president, Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co.
Sept. 21: David Pelleg, Department of Finance, Kent State University
Oct. 19: Daniel J. Flannery, professor and director of the Begun Center for Violence Prevention, Research and Education, Case Western Reserve University
Nov. 16: Stephen Lenn, managing partner, Phoenix/Scottsdale, Brennan Manna & Diamond
Nov. 30: Geoff Korff, founder and CEO of Galenas; Dr. Doug Smith, chief clinical officer of Summit County ADM Board; Judge Joy Malek Oldfield of Summit County Common Pleas Court; and Victoria L. Ferrise, attorney with Brennan Manna Diamond
Dec. 14: Theron Brown, educator and pianist
2024
Jan. 30: Shammas Malik, mayor, Akron
Feb. 15: Dr. John Langell, president, NEOMED
March 21: Margaret Mitchell, computer scientist and chief ethics scientist, Hugging Face
April 17: Joshua Darr, associate professor of communications, Newhouse School at Syracuse University
May 16: Dr. Jennifer Savitski, chair of the department of obstetrics and gynecology at Cleveland Clinic Akron General
June 20: Dr. Kumar Sanketh, research and development director of packaging, specialty plastics and hydrocarbons, Dow Inc.
July 18: Chris Bloomfield, vice president of multimedia rights, Learfield
Aug. 15: Valaida Fullwood, author, “The Soul of Philanthropy: Examining The Power and Possibilities of Black Giving”
Aug. 29: Carla Chapman, member of Black Giving Collective; Lauren Marsh, president of Akron Urban League Young Professionals; Justin Hilton, president of Leadership Akron; Bishop Joey Johnson, founder of The House of the Lord; and John Petures Jr., president and CEO of Akron Community Foundation
Sept. 19: Jonathan Franks, founder and owner, Lucid Public Relations
Oct 16: Eva Fyling, president, Chief Dull Knife College
Nov. 21: Dr. Tonya Matthews, president and CEO, International African American Museum
Dec. 5: David A. Lieberth, president, Akron History Center
2025
Jan. 16: Jeannette Sorrell, founder and conductor, Apollo’s Fire
Feb. 20: Linda Nageotte, president and chief operating officer, Feeding America
March 20: Dr. Lisa Petit, superintendent, Cuyahoga Valley National Park
April 17: Madhu Sharma, executive director of the International Institute of Akron, and Farhad Sethna, attorney at Immigration America
May 15: Maribel Perez Wadsworth, president and CEO, John S. and James L. Knight Foundation
June 26: Akron Innerbelt panel: Esther Thomas, director of diversity, equity and inclusion for Akron; Siqi Zhu, director of planning and urban technology, associate principal and planner at Sasaki; and Mordecai Cargill, co-founder and creative director of ThirdSpace Action Lab
July 17: Dr. Cathy Faye, executive director, Cummings Center for the History of Psychology
Aug. 14: Jon Husted, U.S. senator, Ohio
Sept. 18: Charles Marohn Jr., founder and executive director, Strong Towns
Oct. 16: Alex Shephard, senior editor, The New Republic
Nov. 12: Dr. Vivek Murthy, 19th and 21st U.S. surgeon general, The Together Project
Nov. 20: Brett Crozier, CEO, LTA Research
Dec. 11: Mark Elsdon, author, “Gone for Good? Negotiating the Coming Wave of Church Property Transition”
2026
Jan. 22: Daniel M. Rice, president and CEO, Ohio & Erie Canalway Coalition
Feb. 19: Brian Windhorst, senior NBA reporter, ESPN
March 19: Lynne Tracy, retired ambassador, U.S. State Department
April 7: Paul Tazewell, Oscar-, Emmy- and Tony-winning fashion designer
May 21: Daryl Tol, president and chief executive officer of HATCo and acting president and CEO of Summa Health
This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: Who spoke at Akron Roundtable? The complete list
Reporting by Mark J. Price, Akron Beacon Journal / Akron Beacon Journal
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
