Gold Key Award

For more than 40 years, the United Way has recognized community leaders and volunteers for the impact that they have made on the Stark County community. The Gold Key Award recognizes those volunteers who have continually demonstrated the highest degree of personal dedication and service in a voluntary capacity to the United Way and/or service providers.

2008 winners included Vera M. Burton of The Timken Company and Ken Douglas of Ernst & Young LLP.

Burton was nominated for the Gold Key Service Award due to her 40 years of volunteer work through The Timken Company’s United Way campaign and her work on the boards of Canton Preschool Childcare Center, United Way and YWCA.

Douglas was nominated for the Gold Key Service Award for his involvement with United Way in various capacities since the early 1990s. Now the treasurer and chair of the Finance Committee, Douglas began his work with United Way nearly 20 years ago as an allocation volunteer before taking on the role of chairing an allocation council and becoming a member of the Planning and Allocations committee.  

Previous Gold Key winners:

2007
Nancy Gessner
Nancy Pryce

2006
Robert & Linda DeHoff
Paul Feaser
Robert Hunter, Jr.

2005
George Lemon
Steve Fettman

2004
Michael Gill
Ramon Martinez
Dr. John L. Ewing Jr.

2003
Sally Efremoff
Bob Pattison
Jim Pennetti

2001
Suzanna Circle Women 
Rick DeHeer

2000
Nancy Stewart
Ann Everetts
Neil Genshaft

1999
Candy Wallace
Nan Johnston
Lou Capaldi

1998
Rabbi John Spitzer
Robert Johnson
Hortense Bobbitt

1997
Fredricka Hastings
Charlotte Greenwald
Cleo Lucas

1996
Catherine Willaman
Victoria Conley
Eileen Botchvaroff
George Botchvaroff

1995
The Repository
WHBC

1994
Carla Joseph
Leonard Wallace
David Wirsching

1993
Nancy Boylan
Al Glossbrenner
Roberta Zollinger

1992
Sheila Markley
Joy Timken
Matt Mitchell

1991
Tom Jakmides
Lucretia Alfani
Doug Worth

1990
Betty Ebert
Robert Rownd 
Nancy McPeek

1989
William Belden, Jr.
Joseph Niamtu 

1988
Eugene DeChellis
John Gasper
Nancy Merrill

1987
Henry J. Ebert
Diane Robinson 
Ed Witmer

1986
Theodore V. Boyd
Mrs. Hazel Aukerman  
Wayne Schrader

1985
John D. Jolliffe
Mrs. George R. Mercer
William L. Hunter

1984
Mrs. Joseph S. Guenther
James A. Bower
William T. Luntz

1983
Mrs. R.L. Hammond
Robert W. Waldorf
Franklin T. Dannemiller 

1982
Mrs. Herbert Fisher
James A. Conley
W.W. Steele Jr.

1981
Mrs. Walter Kobbe
Thomas Schauer
Richard Guilling

1980
Joseph S. Hoover
Mrs. James Niffenegger  
Carl R. Lothamer

1979
Norman E. Jackson
Mrs. Frank Schirack
William L. Wilson

1978
Dr. Robert L. Graham
Mrs. Leland Cope
Warren G. Smith

1977
Sheldon W. Fantle
Mrs. Leonard Narens
Edward H. Harter

1976
Harry Mestel

1975
Mrs. Edward Wilkof
Dr. Guy R. Taylor

1974
Mrs. A.R. Fries
George Wern
Jacob H. Soehnlen 

1973
Mrs. Mark Herbst
William Towell
John F. Strayer

1972
50th Anniversary – Salute to
past campaign chairs

1971
Dr. Thomas Hoover
Mrs. Paul Noon

1970
V.J. Lajeunesse  
Jeannette Riddle
William Frease
Joe Shorr

1969
Mr. & Mrs. W.R. Timken, Sr.

1968
William H. Belden
George Deal
Mrs. Katherine Claybourne

1967
Herbert Fisher
Mrs. Ralph McFadden
Mrs. Louise J. Rose

1966
Ben Dreyer
Mrs. Huber J. Snyder

1965
Mrs. Harley J. Urbach  

1964
R.L. Cunningham
E. Robert Schellhase 
William K. Riemenschneider

1963
Dr. Ralph Ramsayer
Austin Andrews
Richard Parker

1962
Basil Thurin
Smith Wildman

1961
Mrs. Raymond L. Hooper
Michael McCann
Mrs. Harry C. Frank