An occasional update as to who’s moving and making across the Greater Cincinnati nonprofit community…
Cincinnati Association for the Blind & Visually Impaired earns industry award
The Cincinnati Association for the Blind and Visually Impaired received the 2020 Employment Growth Award from National Industries for the Blind, the largest employment resource for those who are blind. This honor was given in recognition of CABVI’s success at increasing employment retention, growth, and upward mobility for the blind.
Cincinnati State names new board president
George Vincent has been elected chair of the Cincinnati State Technical and Community College board of trustees. Vincent has been vice chair since 2018. He is currently managing partner and chairman of Greater Cincinnati’s largest law firm, Dinsmore & Shohl LLP. Outgoing chair Mark Walton (’78) will continue as a board member.
The board also named John Silverman, as vice chair, and Justin Howe, secretary. Silverman is managing principal for the local office of Midland Atlantic Properties, and Howe is senior human resources manager for digital technology at General Electric.
Chamber announces We Are Making Black History honorees
The Cincinnati USA Regional Chamber announced its 2021 We Are Making Black History honorees presented by Frost Brown Todd and Ohio National Financial Services. Throughout February, the Chamber will recognize seven Black leaders living and working in our region. The tribute will culminate at a future virtual event with details to come.
2021 honorees:
- Eric Ellis is the author of “Diversity Conversations” and president and CEO of Integrity Development Corp.
- Kala Gibson serves as executive vice president, head of Business Banking, and chief enterprise corporate responsibility officer for Fifth Third Bank.
- Gee Horton is a self-trained Hyperrealist visual artist who has recently transitioned from a career in the corporate world to focus primarily on making art and building communities.
- Crystal L. Kendrick, president of The Voice of Your Customer, has more than 25 years of global and domestic marketing experience specifically targeting underserved international and niche populations.
- Sonia Jackson Myles has more than 20 years of experience in corporate America. She is founder, president and CEO of The Sister Accord LLC dba The Accord Group LLC.
- David Kirk is a licensed architect in five states with over 30 years of diverse architectural experience on public and commercial projects. Since 1986, he has been president/CEO of DNK Architects, Inc.
- Tyran Stallings is an educator, philanthropist, investor, and business owner. He founded The DAD Initiative, Inc., a nonprofit focused on the development of African American youth through mentorship, cultural and career exposure, and innovative programming.
Elementz welcomes new general manager
Elementz, the Cincinnati region’s hip-hop cultural arts organization, welcomes Damian Hoskins to the role of general manager. Hoskins will work with the organization’s executive leadership, board of directors and key stakeholders to advance the mission of the nearly 20 years old arts organization. Hoskins previously worked at ArtsWave, where he served as vice president of arts impact, and most recently at Cincinnati Youth Collaborative.
Jewish Hospital receives FACT accreditation, changes name of Blood Cancer Center
The Jewish Hospital – Mercy Health has received accreditation by the Foundation for the Accreditation of Cellular Therapy (FACT) at the University of Nebraska Medical Center for demonstrating compliance with their International Standards for Cellular Therapy. It is the only hospital in Cincinnati to hold this accreditation. FACT is an internationally recognized accrediting body for hospitals and medical institutions offering stem cell transplant. With the new accreditation, the hospital is changing the name of its Blood Cancer Center to Mercy Health – Cincinnati Cancer and Cellular Therapy Center at The Jewish Hospital.
Learning Grove brings on new board member
Learning Grove announced that Brandy Jones, vice president of external affairs at the Southwest Ohio Regional Transit Authority/Metro, has joined its board of directors.
Library Foundation adds five new board members
The Library Foundation of Cincinnati and Hamilton County has welcomed five new members to its board of directors:
- Ryan Adcock is founding executive director of Cradle Cincinnati Connections, a collaboration between health and civic leaders working to reduce infant mortality in Hamilton County.
- Lee Ann Bissmeyer was an investment advisor with both UBS and Fifth Third Securities. She is an elected member of the city of Montgomery Council, and president of the Board of Trustees of the Montgomery Community Improvement Corporation.
- Stephanie Crockett works as a designer with Elevar Design Group and also maintains licenses in real estate.
- Christie Bryant Kuhns is the vice president of community relations at UC Health. She served in the 131st Ohio General Assembly of the Ohio House of Representatives.
- Kristen Smitherman-Voltaire is the community and citizenship manager at Turner Construction.
Maverick Chocolates celebrates two winners at 2021 Good Food Awards
Maverick Chocolate, a Findlay Market merchant, received two awards from the 2021 Good Food Awards for their 80% Tanzania dark chocolate and their Rüya Turkish Coffee dark chocolate collaboration bar. The Good Food Awards celebrate foods they find to be tasty, authentic, and responsibly produced. The addition of these two awards make it the fourth and fifth time Maverick Chocolate has received this honor.
Renaissance Covington welcomes three new board members
Renaissance Covington has announced the appointment of three new board members.
- Ashton Cooper: A partner at Glenmar CPAs, Cooper had the honor of working with MORTAR Covington’s first cohort this past fall.
- Chelsey Lonneman O’Connell: O’Connell is a project manager for Orleans Development in downtown Covington, a real estate company specializing in historic development.
- Rebecca Sheehan: Sheehan is an attorney at DBL Law practicing primarily in the areas of healthcare and employment law.
Santa Maria Community Services names new board treasurer and managers
Santa Maria Community Services has announced a new board treasurer, Leah Bluemel, and new managers, Meg Thomas and Danny Burridge.
- Leah Bluemel, Treasurer, is a CPA and has experience in manufacturing, real estate, retail, and hospitality. She is currently controller for The Salyers Group, Inc. located in Covington.
- Meg Corwin, new Workforce Development Director, has been Santa Maria’s education program director since August. She is a Ph.D. candidate in at The Ohio State University, and a Fulbright Scholar.
- Danny Burridge, Youth Development Program Director is a teacher and Ph.D. candidate in sociology at the University of Pittsburgh.
Sew Valley featured in national trade report
Sew Valley – a local nonprofit focused on sustainable, apparel-focused, small batch manufacturing – is featured in the Urban Manufacturing Alliance‘s new report “Sewn Trades Manufacturing in the U.S.: From pre-COVID state of the industry to frontline responses to PPE Demands.” The report shares research about the industry pre-pandemic and about how five organizations trained local residents during the pandemic – putting money in the hands of workers – while protecting frontline workers through PPE production.