Lewis W. Adkins Jr. recalled packing up a 15-year-old Camaro with bald tires and a broken flywheel 30-plus years ago to come to Akron.
“I had never been, at that time, west of Jersey and came to a place that I now love, Akron, with all my worldly belongings,” he said.
Years after earning his law degree from University of Akron, Adkins went on to become chairman of his alma mater’s board of trustees.
Adkins presided over his final board meeting June 11, and his colleagues honored him with an honorary doctorate of Humane Letters degree, which will be awarded at a future commencement ceremony.
Adkins’ term expired after eight years on the board, where he spent four year as an officer, two years as vice chair and his remaining time as chairman.
Adkins also has served on the University of Akron Foundation and the University of Akron Research Foundation Board of Trustees. He presided over the appointment of current university President R.J. Nemer, a friend of Adkins’.
In honor of Adkins’ work at the university, fellow board member Christine Amer Mayer, president of the GAR Foundation, vowed to make a donation to the James R. and Catherine D. Williams Scholarship Fund, created by Adkins to reward academic achievement of Black Law Students Association members.
Adkins’ community involvement includes affiliations with the Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, the Cleveland Urban League, the Greater Akron Chamber of Commerce, the Summit County Consumer Affairs Board and the Akron Urban League.
In the meeting, Amer Mayer shared her respect for Adkins’ perseverance from humble beginnings to highly regarded positions of community leadership.
Nemer said he commended Adkins for always answering the phone during their shared time working together at UA.
“All that plus your mitigated charm, wicked sense of humor and sartorial splendor,” fellow Board of Trustees Thomas F. Needles laughed.
The chairman position will be filled by Michael J. Saxon, a current board member who was appointed in 2022. This position is chosen internally by the board.
Saxon is a UA alumni and previous vice chair of AmTrust Financial. He will remain on the board until 2031.
Gov. Mike DeWine will appoint a new board member to replace Adkins.
This article has been updated to correct the spelling of Michael J. Saxon’s name.
Reporter Julia Pentasuglio can be reached at jpentasuglio@gannett.com.
This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: University of Akron Board Chair Lewis W. Adkins Jr. ends term at his alma mater
Reporting by Julia Pentasuglio, Akron Beacon Journal / Akron Beacon Journal
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