Akron, OH – More than 850 business, community, and civic leaders gathered at the Greater Akron Chamber’s 118th Annual Meeting on March 12, 2025 to reflect on the bold moves, the big bets, and celebrate the strategic collaborations and leaders that have contributed to Greater Akron’s transformational progress over the last several years.
“We have been intentional about being on the brink of great things, almost there. But this year, it’s about asserting that we have delivered on concepts and ideas and turned them into great opportunities. Something like the Polymer Industry Cluster was just an idea several years ago, now look at where we are,” said Julie Brandle, GAC Board Chair and President and Founder of Metis Construction Services.
Brandle and Steve Millard, President & CEO of the Greater Akron Chamber, shared priorities and accomplishments from the Chamber’s work over the last five years to:
- Collaborate, convene and partner to benefit the business community and the region through a series of regular events and programs; joint advocacy efforts through the Akron-Canton Advocacy Alliance; joint economic development efforts through the Elevate Greater Akron collaborative; and maximizing workforce development initiatives with ConxusNEO.
- Support the growth and success of businesses by introducing employee health, retirement, and workers’ compensation benefits; focusing on inclusive growth and connectivity with the Women’s Network Leadership Institute and diversity professionals; helping small businesses navigate the Covid-19 pandemic through grant relief; supporting business expansion and retention projects; and connecting businesses to newly created resources like the Greater Akron Business Navigator.
- Bring visibility and funding to the region’s assets, companies, leaders, needs, and opportunities through storytelling efforts, recognition programs and awards, and leveraging the Akron-Canton Advocacy Alliance to inform policymakers on regional needs, opportunities, and bring funding to support regional projects.
“As a business owner, I understand the challenges that come with running a business and I’m proud of the work we have accomplished to-date to make it easier to do business and for businesses to thrive in our region,” said Brandle. “We have built a strong foundation that will carry us into the next chapter of our story.”
Millard noted how important partnerships and collaborations have been to the work of the chamber and its impact. “We recognize that this road is not one we walked alone, and we are energized by the partnerships and leadership that led us here. While we celebrated the wins of the past, we also look ahead at all the work left to do in our next chapter, and I’m excited for the possibilities.”
Throughout the evening, visual artist Jo Byrne of See Your Words captured attendees’ perceptions on Greater Akron’s key assets and their vision for our region over the next 10 years. The final art, showcased on two artboards, was presented at the end of the program to all in attendance.
‘Retiring’ of Numbers
In the spirit of collaboration, Brandle and Millard led a special recognition for John Petures, the soon to retire President of the Akron Community Foundation, and Chris Burnham, recently retired President of the Development Finance Authority of Summit County, for their contributions to Greater Akron. Both Petures and Burnham were recognized with custom Akron RubberDucks jerseys highlighting their “numbers” invested in Greater Akron over their tenure.
Petures, who will retire in June, has led his team to invest $187 million into Greater Akron through grants supporting a wide array of initiatives and causes, including arts and culture, civic affairs, health and human services, and education. Under Burnham’s leadership, his team delivered $738 million in investment in companies, deals and development opportunities in our region.
“Their ‘numbers’ reflect more than just dollars; they represent the lives changed, opportunities realized, community strengthened, and legacy that will endure for years to come,” said Millard. “We are fortunate for their leadership and the lasting mark they are leaving on our region.”
Peter Burg Economic Development Leadership Award
Tying together the invaluable connection of the arts and economic development was the presentation of the 2025 H. Peter Burg Economic Development Leadership Award to Rick Rogers, Executive Director of Curated Storefront, and former owner of Tribute Software and B.W. Rogers Company. Created in 2004, in memory of H. Peter Burg by the Chamber’s Executive Committee, this award recognizes a business leader who demonstrates an extraordinary commitment to economic and community development in the Greater Akron region.
In his acceptance speech, Rogers emphasized the importance of arts and culture to the increased vibrancy and resurgence of the City of Akron and the broader community. “Investing in the arts means expanding public-private partnerships to fund creative projects, supporting local artists through grants and commissions. We must also promote mixed-use development that merges arts with commerce, live-work spaces for artists, and incorporates great design,” Rogers said.
In a nod to the opportunity ahead for downtown development in Akron, Rogers is enthused about our future. “I choose reinvention. I choose growth. I choose Akron.”
Event photos and videos highlighting Rogers’ work and the work of the GAC can be found here, along with the Greater Akron Chamber’s 2024 Annual Report.