June ’18

Summer is the perfect time to enjoy the flowers. This shot of a beautiful succulent was captured at Anthony Petitti Organic Gardens in Nimishillen Township.

North Canton resident Barbara Smith shared her collection of Dear Jane Civil War quilts at the Canton Fine Arts Associates March luncheon. Held at the Canton Museum of Art, the program included many quilts related to the renowned historic Jane Stickle 1863 quilt, as well as others in her collection. Guests enjoyed a catered lunch.

East Central Ohio Pilots Association (ECOPA) held its annual spring awards banquet in March at Skyland Pines. The speaker for the evening was Jack Waters, who was a naval aviator and is now an experimental test pilot for The Boeing Co. His topic was “The NEW Edge of Aviation.” He shared his insights, lessons learned and real-life anecdotes on the factors that are driving the future of aviation. The purpose of ECOPA is to promote general aviation through safety seminars and social events.

What motivates or inspires you to better the community? Being futuristic and seeing the possibility of what can happen in a community gets me excited and inspires me to share my excitement with others. Working with Big Brothers Big Sisters, I became even more energized about improving the community to ensure we are leaving our community stronger than we found it and preparing our future generations for success.

What is the best career advice you’ve ever been given? The best advice I was given was to believe in myself and never give up. This advice came on the basketball court. I was an athlete growing up and was lucky to have the best coach in Stark County who taught me to push myself, practice until I couldn’t anymore and unselfishly work as a team player. These skills and lessons have shaped my work ethic.

What motivates or inspires you to better the community? The people! Stark County has the most amazing people. Whether it’s the pantry and Backpack volunteers I interact with at Stark County Hunger Task Force or my fellow North Canton Jaycees, the energy and drive they have to create positive change in the community inspires me to dive in, do more and find solutions. Our people are the greatest asset we have in our community.

What advice would you give the younger generation when it comes to advancing in their careers or strengthening Stark County? You should do what you say you are going to do, to the best of your ability, on time, without needing to be reminded. That is a mantra we have at CliftonLarsonAllen, and I believe if everyone follows this motto, you should have no problem advancing in your career and strengthening Stark County.

What motivates or inspires you to better the community? My four daughters are the driving force behind my motivation to help make Stark County a better place. They inspire me to get involved not only to better our community, but to set examples and be a better role model from them.

What advice would you give the younger generation when it comes to advancing in their careers or strengthening Stark County? Do what you love, don’t be afraid to take chances, and surround yourself with support. When I moved back to North Canton, I left a career that I no longer enjoyed. I decided to leave a position that provided my family with security and create a wholesale and retail division that generated zero revenue and zero income.

What motivates or inspires you to better the community? Being born and raised in Stark County, I have seen the advancements and continual improvements that have occurred throughout the years. It can sometimes take many volunteers many hours to take even a small step forward. I want to make sure Stark County continues to be a great place to live and work.