Foundation appoints new board members

Appointed for another three-year term on the Foundation Board are the following Board members: Anthony Badalamenti, D.C., and Lawrence H. Oswick, D.D.S., both of Aurora; Sallie D. Bear, President of the Foundation Board, and Frederick P. Marquinez, M.D., both of Hudson; Richard J. Coe, of Ravenna; Emilio D. Ferrara, D.D.S., John Flynn, and Charles J. Mangin, Vice President/Treasurer of the Board, all from Kent; and Robin Patton, of Brimfield Township.

Also serving on the Board are: Ruth Saltzman, R.N., Secretary of the Board, Gail C. Ambuske, Ph.D., Christine Bhargava, Ronald L. Burbick, Steve J. Dean, M.D., Robert W. Egdell, M.D., Gregory E. Ferner, M.D., Gordon W. Marsh, D.D.S., James P. Myers, R.Ph., Kathy Myers, and Timothy R. Toppen, all of Kent; Neil Mann, Jr., immediate past president, and Bill White, of Ravenna; Judge Jerry L. Hayes, Karen Horky, and Howard B. Minott, M.D., of Aurora; Joan A. Kropp, of Garrettsville; and Thomas L. Strachan, M.D., of Akron.

Stepping down from the Board are Peter Chen, M.D., Anita Herington, Ph.D., and Jack Kohl, all of Ravenna.

Jim Fleming has been a volunteer at Robinson Memorial Hospital for seven years. He is a graduate of Valley Forge Military Academy and Drexel University. He retired in 2000 from Oliver Steel Plate Corp., a company he co-founded, in 1978. He and his wife, Judy, have two children and five grandchildren.

Michael Grajek, Ph.D., is a Professor of Mathematics and Dean, Emeritus, at Hiram College, where he now serves as Institutional Research Director. Dr. Grajek joined Hiram in 1973 and was the longest serving dean in the college’s 161-year history. After serving in a variety of positions, beginning as assistant professor of mathematical sciences, Dr. Grajek was named Vice President and Dean in 1997. His accomplishments include serving as one of the driving forces behind the creation of the Weekend College, assisting in the development of the Ethics Across the Curriculum program, developing Hiram’s first master’s degree program, implementing the Hiram Plan, revising the general education requirements, and developing a program in nursing that just graduated the college’s first BSN students in 2011.

In addition to his work at Hiram College, Dr. Grajek has also consulted extensively in the areas of technology, applied statistics and higher education. He was also Senior Vice President for Information Services at Pasco, Inc., in Hudson, from 2006 to 2007. Currently, Dr. Grajek serves as the President of the Hiram College Friends of the Library, and as the Chair of the Nursing Program Advisory Council. He also served for many years on the Hiram Village Council and as the Mayor of the Village of Hiram from 1983 to 1985. Dr. Grajek has one son, Timothy, who, with his wife, Tiffney, and two step-children, live in Hiram Township.

Yank Heisler is the retired Chairman of KeyBank, the 12^th largest bank in the United States; retired Chief Executive Officer of McDonald Financial Group, and recently retired as the Dean of the Kent State University College of Business Administration and Graduate School of Management. Heisler was raised in Ravenna and was an all-star athlete in golf, basketball, and football at Ravenna High School from 1962 to 1966. He was inducted into the Raven Hall of Fame for his athletic accomplishments, which also recognized his later business accomplishments. Yank graduated cum laude with a bachelor’s degree in biochemistry from Harvard College and earned his master’s degree in business administration. In addition, he also attended Northwestern University’s National Graduate Trust School, Oklahoma University’s Lending School, Duke University’s Fuqua School of Business Bank Executive Management Program and Harvard Graduate Business School’s Program for Management Development. After graduating from Kent State with his MBA, Heisler went into banking with the former Goodyear Bank in Akron. His career in banking culminated as chairman of KeyBank. Heisler has been a member of the board of directors for FirstEnergy Corporation. He was chairman of Team NEO, a regional economic development organization in Northeast Ohio. He served on the Championship Council for the Bridgestone Invitational (formerly NEC) at Firestone Country Club for approximately 10 years, the last two as president. This year, he is the Honorary Chair for the tournament. He has also been involved with the Growth Association of Greater Cleveland and numerous boards, including Kent State University Foundation Chair.

Linda Sandvoss was both a volunteer and an employee of Robinson Memorial Hospital in the 1970s. She created the Patient Representative Program, which has since developed into a professional position, nationally known as patient advocates. Patient advocates provide assistance to patients in a variety of ways including assistance with patient rights and responsibilities and other special needs of the patients. Linda served on the Robinson Memorial Hospital Board of Trustees from 1982 through 1986. She was recently appointed to the Portage County Board of Elections. Linda is a graduate of Miami University of Ohio and was the Home Service Director of Ohio Power Company in Lima. She operated her own business, Senior Paperwork Services, and was the bookkeeper for her late husband, Norman Sandvoss’, law practice. She has also served on numerous community service boards through the county. Linda has two daughters, Christina and Sharon. Linda and Norm have been active members of the community for decades. Norm served on the Foundation Board of Directors from 2000 through 2010 and was president of the Board from 2005 through 2007. Donations, in Norm’s memory, have recently been utilized to purchase Health Literacy Software in the Consumer Health Library of Robinson Memorial Hospital. Norm was recognized, in memoriam, in 2011 with the Robinson Memorial Hospital Distinguished Service Award.