AKRON – The Greater Akron Chamber is pleased to announce the appointment of new members to its Board of Directors, along with a transition in board leadership.
The new board members represent a range of industries and institutions across the region and will bring valuable perspective and expertise to help inform the Chamber’s strategic direction. They are:
Tracy Carter
President & CEO,
Trailhead Foundation
Bill Chan
Senior Vice President, Strategic Alliances,
Franklin University
Dan Flowers
President & CEO,
Akron-Canton Regional Foodbank
John Garofalo
President & CEO,
Akron Community Foundation
Jarrod Hampshire
Chief of Staff,
METRO RTA
John Lubinski
Vice President,
Hanna Commercial Real Estate
Gregg Mervis
President & CEO,
Akron-Summit County Visitors Bureau
Mary Outley
Superintendent,
Akron Public Schools
Ned Parks
Founder,
Aegis 360 Consulting
Bill Skeeles
Founder & Managing Partner,
StatePark Capital
Robert Szeles
Portfolio Manager,
Beese Fulmer Investment Management
Dustin Vrabel
Managing Partner,
Buckingham, Doolittle & Burroughs
Joe Luckring, Regional President of PNC Bank, will serve as Board Chair, succeeding Julie Brandle, President of Metis Construction Services, who has completed her term. Brandle has served on the board since 2016, and her leadership as Chair helped guide the organization through a period of growth and collaboration, while strengthening partnerships across the business community.
“Serving as Chair has been one of the greatest honors of my professional life,” said Brandle. “I’ve had the opportunity to learn from extraordinary leaders, work alongside passionate advocates for our region, and witness firsthand the resilience, innovation, and generosity that make Greater Akron such a special place.”
“We are grateful for Julie’s leadership and service as Chair of our Board and appreciate the work she has done to focus our efforts on key strategies including accelerating our support and building new resources for growth stage businesses,” said Steve Millard, President and CEO of the Chamber. “As a growing successful second stage business, her own experiences have helped shape what we can and should be doing for our region’s next wave of job creators.”
Luckring steps into the role as Chair of the Board as the Chamber intensifies its focus on a short list of key priorities—driving the growth and impact of the Polymer Industry Cluster, supporting small and mid-sized businesses, strengthening the region’s workforce, and fostering a more competitive business climate through advocacy, collaboration, and regional leadership.
“It is an honor to serve as board chair for an organization that plays such an important role in shaping Greater Akron’s future,” said Luckring. “I look forward to working alongside fellow board members and Chamber leadership to support our region’s business community.”
“Joe is a thoughtful, collaborative regional leader who understands the importance of getting results for our business community,” said Millard. “We’re lucky to have Joe take on this work as we build on the strong momentum underway across our region.”
The Greater Akron Chamber Board of Directors provides governance, strategic guidance and community leadership in support of the organization’s mission.