Past Award of Merit 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.
The Award of Merit is awarded to single individuals for continuous civic activities and dedication that goes beyond business or professional responsibilities.
Merit Recipients through the years
| 1946 | H.W. HOOVER |
| 1947 | PAUL B. BELDEN |
| 1948 | JOSEPH M. MARKLEY |
| 1949 | E.A. MCCUSKEY |
| 1950 | W.W. STEELE |
| 1951 | T.K. HARRIS |
| 1952 | OSCAR E. BARKEY |
| 1953 | EDGAR W. JONES |
| 1954 | FRED K. DOMER |
| 1955 | HAROLD M. NOAKER |
| 1956 | JOHN B. QUINN |
| 1957 | W. ROBERT TIMKEN |
| 1958 | RALPH K. RAMSYER, M.D. |
| 1959 | SANFORD S. LAZARUS |
| 1960 | LESTER H. HIGGINS |
| 1961 | WILLIAM E. UMSTATTD |
| 1962 | FREDERICK M. BROD |
| 1963 | GARRISON R. HOSTETLER |
| 1964 | VICTOR J. LAJEUNESSE |
| 1965 | HENRY H. TIMKEN, JR. |
| 1966 | WILLIAM H. BELDEN |
| 1967 | RALPH E. FURBAY |
| 1968 | JOSEPH S. HOOVER |
| 1969 | AUDREY PRENTICE |
| 1970 | NORMAN E. JACKSON |
| 1971 | JOHN D. HAWKINS |
| 1972 | RICHARD G. GILBERT |
| 1973 | GEORGE L. DEAL |
| 1974 | PHILIP C. FLEISCHER, SR. |
| 1975 | MRS. HARLEY J. URBACH |
| 1976 | BEN M. DREYER |
| 1977 | CHARLES S. WHITE |
| 1978 | ROBERT M. RYBOLT |
| 1979 | RALPH T. SHIPLEY |
| 1980 | DR. THOMAS H. HOOVER |
| 1981 | WARREN G. SMITH |
| 1982 | HARRY MESTEL |
| 1983 | MRS. JOHN H. FELLOWS |
| 1984 | THOMAS A. SCHAUER |
| 1985 | RICHARD A. GULLING |
| 1986 | GEORGE N. SWALLOW |
| 1987 | JAMES L. POWELL |
| 1988 | WYN E. MCCOY |
| 1989 | ROBERT JOLIET |
| 1990 | RONALD K. BENNINGTON |
| 1991 | THEODORE V. BOYD |
| 1992 | RICHARD ANDERSON |
| 1993 | THOMAS W. SCHERVISH |
| 1994 | JANE G. SCHIRACK |
| 1995 | MICHAEL P. GILL |
| 1996 | WILLIAM L. LUNTZ |
| 1997 | ROBERT L. MANG |
| 1998 | SHEILA M. MARKLEY |
| 1999 | WILLIAM BELDEN, JR. |
| 2000 | F. STUART WILKINS |
| 2001 | RANDOLPH L. SNOW |
| 2002 | RONALD W. DOUGHERTY |
| 2003 | JOHN R. WERREN |
| 2004 | PAUL R. BISHOP |
| 2005 | WILLIAM D. CLARKE |
| 2006 | ROBERT & LINDA M. DEHOFF |
| 2007 | ROBERT & HORTENSE BOBBITT |
| 2008 | RABBI JOHN SPITZER |
| 2009 | AMBASSADOR W.R. TIMKEN JR. WARD J. TIMKEN |
| 2010 | ROBERT F. BELDEN |
| 2011 | DON HART |
| 2012 | RONALD J. MANSE |
| 2013 | STEPHEN A. PERRY |
| 2014 | JOSEPH R. HALTER |
| 2015 | Randall C. Hunt |
| 2016 | William C. Shivers |
| 2017 | Thomas E. Cecconi, Renee Powell (Special Award of Distinction) |
| 2018 | Judith E. Barnes Lancaster, Esq. |
| 2019 | Edward J. Roth, III |