Founders Society: The Legacy Circle
Honoring Our Greatest Leaders: The Leadership Akron Founders Society Legacy CircleAs we enter our new 2027 fiscal year this July 1st, Leadership Akron is celebrating our Founders Society Legacy Circle members in a new transformative way. Leadership Akron wishes to thank and celebrate this distinguished group of individuals for their steadfast commitment to paying their Leadership Akron experience forward to the next generation of leaders in Greater Akron in meaningful ways with their time, talent, treasure and ties. Leadership Akron wishes to honor each of these individuals for their leadership by example in providing a continued commitment of financial and programming support for Leadership Akron.
This year, at our 2026 Annual Meeting, we will honor and recognize these 27 distinguished members of the 2026-2027 Founders Society Legacy Circle. This new annual honorable recognition is in gratitude of their continuous financial and programming support of Leadership Akron as we serve our mission to inspire, strengthen, and empower leaders across Greater Akron.
Leadership Akron expresses immense gratitude to each of these 27 community leaders of the Founders Society Legacy Circle for your incredible support of Leadership Akron. Your lifetime contributions to our organization have been vital to our sustainability and capacity to provide our life-changing leadership programs for community leaders throughout our organization’s great 42-year history.
Introducing the 27 members of the 2026-2027 Leadership Akron Founders Society Legacy Circle
LIFETIME TRUSTEES
Roger T. Read
Phillip H. Maynard
David Lieberth
SUMMIT LEADERS
David and Cheryl Venarge
Ken Babby/Akron Rubber Ducks
CHAMPIONS
Eileen Burg
Jefferson Satterfield
HEROS
W. Riley Lochridge
Barry Dunaway
ADVOCATES
William R. Feth
Anthony J. Alexander
Laura Culp
Danielle J. Kimmell
Ernest Pouttu
Scott T. Read
Michael Kolk
John W. Judge
Karen C. Lefton
Michael A. Batu
Mary Beth Carroll
Toby Gorant
Steven D. Wilt
W. Glenn Leppo
Sherry L. Neubert
Jim E. Merklin
Nicholas V. Browning
These 27 leaders by example have raised capital, financially supported, or donated in-kind to Leadership Akron individual and/or corporate financial support greater than $25,000 throughout the 42-year history of our organization.
LIFETIME TRUSTEES
have provided over $500,000 in donated support and/or raised capital throughout their lifetime. SUMMIT LEADERS
have provided over $250,000 in donated support and/or raised capital throughout their lifetime. CHAMPIONS
have provided over $500,000 in donated support and/or raised capital throughout their lifetime.HEROS
have provided over $50,000 in donated support and/or capital raised throughout their lifetime. ADVOCATES
have provided over $25,000 in donated support and/or capital raised throughout their lifetime.