Past Award of Appreciation Recipients
Each year, the Canton Regional Chamber of Commerce recognizes the area’s unsung heroes at the Community Salute Awards by honoring select individuals, corporations, businesses and organizations for outstanding contributions to the greater Canton community.
Awards of Appreciation honor any or all of the following for outstanding performance that benefits the community:
- Corporations, business and organizations: the winner must have enhanced the welfare of Stark County citizens through outstanding success in business or service.
- Individual business professionals: the winner must have demonstrated outstanding performance in his or her profession, which ultimately benefits the community at large.
- Individuals in Chamber of Commerce work: the winner must consistently and for an extended period, have demonstrated outstanding performance on the Canton Regional Chamber of Commerce, producing benefits to the civic or business community.
- Individuals in short-term activity: the winner must have initiated and completed a short-term activity resulting in widespread benefits to the community.
Appreciation Recipients through the years
| 1959 | CARL O. WEIS |
| 1960 | E.T. HEALD |
| 1961 | REV. GEORGE E. PARKINSON, D.D. |
| 1962 | THE TIMKEN FOUNDATION |
| 1964 | CLAYTON G. HORN |
| 1965 | ALFRED RANSOM |
| 1966 | DOUGLAS H. WORTH |
| 1967 | REV. JOHN B. BARKER |
| 1968 | J.B. “BABE” STEARN |
| 1969 | DR. PAUL GORIN |
| 1970 | MRS. STEPHANIE M. MCCUE |
| 1971 | FELIX N. MANSAGER |
| 1972 | STANLEY A. CMICH |
| 1973 | DR. ROBERT E. TSCHANTZ |
| 1974 | STARK COUNTY HISTORICAL SOCIETY |
| 1975 | PRO FOOTBALL HALL OF FAME |
| 1976 | HOOVER FOUNDATION, RICHARD M. SCHNEIDER, EARL SCHREIBER, MRS. PAUL A.T. NOON |
| 1977 | WILLIAM K. WILSON, DEUBLE FOUNDATION |
| 1978 | HERBERT E. MARKLEY |
| 1979 | RAYMOND C. KOONTZ, CANTON ROTARY CLUB |
| 1980 | GERVIS S. BRADY, E. ROBERT SCHELLHASE |
| 1981 | BARBARA F. SCHREIBER, CANTON SCHOLARSHIP FOUNDATION, CANTON EX-NEWSBOYS ASSOCIATION |
| 1982 | THE TIMKEN COMPANY |
| 1983 | THE HOOVER COMPANY, SISTER ANN JEANNE CHISHOLM |
| 1984 | BROTHER THOMAS S. FARRELL, UNITED WAY OF CENTRAL STARK |
| 1985 | NORMAN E. JACKSON, W.R. TIMKEN, JR., GIBBONS-GRABLE CO. |
| 1986 | THE CANTON ART INSTITUTE, CANTON SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA |
| 1987 | JOHN F. BUCHMAN, RICHARD M. SCHNEIDER |
| 1988 | YMCA - WILLIAM T. CUMLER, NICK P. NAVARRA |
| 1989 | THE REPOSITORY - JOHN SIAM |
| 1990 | JOSEPH R. CUTINELLA |
| 1991 | JACK A. MAXWELL, JR., STANLEY C. EWING, DIEBOLD, INCORPORATED |
| 1992 | STARK COUNTY BOARD OF MRDD, ROBERT J. GASSER |
| 1993 | GERALD MECK, JUNIOR LEAGUE OF CANTON |
| 1994 | JOSEPH & JOANE BULSO, JANICE C. MEYER, GARY A. ZINK |
| 1995 | CULTURAL CENTER FOR THE ARTS, JERROLD L. LOCKSHIN |
| 1996 | EUGENE A. DECHELLIS, MALONE COLLEGE |
| 1997 | TARGET |
| 1998 | CATHOLIC COMMUNITY SERVICES, DAVID EWING |
| 1999 | RABBI JOHN SPITZER, STARK DEVELOPMENT BOARD |
| 2000 | HAROLD OSWALD, STARK STATE COLLEGE OF TECHNOLOGY |
| 2001 | MERCY MEDICAL CENTER’S, MERCY P.A.L.S. PROGRAM |
| 2002 | THE AULTMAN HEALTH FOUNDATION, FISHERS FOODS CORP. |
| 2003 | STEPHEN C. COON, GARY R. SMITH, INNIS MAGGIORE GROUP |
| 2004 | VICKY STERLING, THE EMPLOYMENT SOURCE, THE STOCK PILE |
| 2005 | JAMES A. BOWER, FOUNDERS OF RICHARD D. WATKINS, CANTON COMMUNITY CLINIC, GAETANO M. CECCHINI, MURLI, MANOHAR, M.D.,PH.D., RICHARD D. WATKINS, COMMUNITY SERVICES OF STARK COUNTY INC. |
| 2006 | THE JOSEPH A. JEFFRIES CO. INC., MARY A. REGULA, THOMAS W. SCHMIDT, CHARLES L. WEBSTER |
| 2007 | AMERICAN RED CROSS - STARK COUNTY REGIONAL CHAPTER, RONALD G. JOHNSON, PH.D., STARK METROPOLITAN HOUSING AUTHORITY |
| 2008 | THE AKRON-CANTON AIRPORT/ FREDERICK J. KRUM, DR. SHEILA A. FISHER, DR. FREDERICK C. WHITTIER |
| 2009 | MARTHA MAGOON, MD, CLEARVIEW GOLF CLUB, WILLIAM , RENEE AND LARRY POWELL, “KIMONO AS ART” EXHIBIT, CANTON MUSEUM OF ART, ARTSINSTARK |
| 2010 | GOODWILL OF GREATER CLEVELAND AND EAST CENTRAL OHIO, STARK COUNTY DISTRICT LIBRARY, DR. ADRIENNE O’NEILL AND THE STARK EDUCATION PARTNERSHIP |
| 2011 | DENNIS & LYNNE BIERY, MARIA BYINGTON, STARK COUNTY PARK DISTRICT, BOB FONTE, DIRECTOR, RAYMOND WILKOFF |
| 2012 | AULTMAN’S WELLNESS ON WHEELS, BEV JORDAN, ROBB HANKINS |
| 2013 | LEO E. DOYLE, MENTAL HEALTH AND RECOVERY SERVICES BOARD OF STARK COUNTY, PATHWAY CARING FOR CHILDREN, PROGRESSIVE CHEVROLET |
| 2014 | EARLY CHILDHOOD RESOURCE CENTER, JEFFREY DREYER, KENT STATE UNIVERSITY AT STARK, ROBERT L. LEIBENSPERGER, STEVEN J. KATZ |
| 2015 | CAROL SHAHEEN, YWCA CANTON, CHILDREN'S NETWORK OF STARK COUNTY, NAMI STARK COUNTY, TIMKENSTEEL, UNITED WAY OF GREATER STARK COUNTY, THE REPOSITORY (SPECIAL AWARD OF APPRECIATION) |
| 2016 | BETTY SMITH, EN-RICH-MENT; CYNDI MORROW, WISHES CAN HAPPEN; HABITAT FOR HUMANITY; STARK COUNTY HUNGER TASK FORCE; THE PRESCRIPTION ASSISTANCE NETWORK OF STARK COUNTY, INC.; THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS FOR BOTH CANTON REGIONAL CHAMBER AND JACKSON-BELDEN CHAMBER (SPECIAL AWARD OF APPRECIATION) |
| 2017 | JRC; JERRY SCHROER, THE SCHROER GROUP; MEALS ON WHEELS OF STARK AND WAYNE COUNTIES; MICHAEL GALLINA; SISTERS OF CHARITY FOUNDATION OF CANTON |
| 2018 | CHILD & ADOLESCENT BEHAVIORAL HEALTH; KAY PORT; LAMAR SHARPE; REFUGE OF HOPE MINISTRIES; RICHARD MCQUEEN; SCORE CANTON |
| 2019 | CANTON BLUECOATS, COMMQUEST SERVICES, DR. JAY GERSHEN, GIRLS ON THE RUN EAST CENTRAL OHIO, JOE HORRIGAN, STARK COUNTY COMMUNITY ACTION AGENCY |