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The Board of Directors of Stark Community Foundation has elected Dr. Nancy Varian as its new chair, elected Bill Cook as vice chair and announced three new members: Tonja Marshall, Andrea Perry and Todd E. Pugh.
Dr. Nancy Varian has served on the Foundation’s Board of Directors since 2008, is a member of the Personnel Committee and most recently served as vice chair. She serves as a faculty member and director of the Center for Professional Development at Malone University. She and her husband, Reed, along with their immediate family, operate Varian Orchards, their family’s 325-acre farm in East Canton. Varian earned bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Mississippi State University, a master’s degree from Ashland University and a doctoral degree from the University of Akron. In addition to her service with Stark Community Foundation, she serves on the boards of Leadership Stark County and the Akron-Canton Regional Foodbank’s Community Harvest Program.
Bill Cook has been a member of the Foundation’s Board since 2012. With a strong background in banking and finance, he is also a member of the Audit and Trustee committees. Cook currently serves as vice president and senior commercial lender at Premier Bank. Prior to Premier, Cook held positions of increasing responsibility at JPMorgan Chase Bank and Commonwealth National Bank. He serves on numerous boards in the community, currently including the Children’s Dyslexia Center of Canton, North Canton Medical Foundation, Stark Economic Development Board and United Way of Greater Stark County. Cook earned both bachelor’s and master’s degrees in finance from the University of Akron.
In addition to electing Varian and Cook as officers, three new members have been added to the Board for five-year terms.
Tonja Marshall is the executive vice president of marketing and communications at Visit Canton, Stark County’s convention and visitors’ bureau. Prior to working for Visit Canton, she spent nearly a decade working in sales and marketing at the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Passionate about strengthening her community, Marshall serves on the boards of Leadership Stark County and the McKinley Presidential Library & Museum. She earned a bachelor’s degree from Ursuline College, and is a graduate of the Leadership Stark County Signature Program, Leadership Stark County Government Academy and Ohio Tourism Leadership Academy.
Andrea Perry joined the City of Canton’s staff in 2011 and has worked in various capacities including director of compliance, director of personnel and now as director of public safety, a role she has held since 2013. Prior to serving the Canton community, she worked for the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services, The Timken Company and the City of Cleveland. Perry has held a number of leadership positions with local nonprofits as a volunteer, and currently serves on the Stark County Commission Correction Planning Board, Stark County Partnership for Safer Community, Executive Committee of the Stark County American Heart Association and YMCA of Central Stark County Board of Trustees. She earned a bachelor’s degree from Malone University, a master’s degree from Ashland University and is a graduate of the Leadership Stark County Government Academy.
Todd E. Pugh is the founder and CEO of Enviroscapes, a locally-owned, multi-million-dollar landscape company headquartered in Louisville with six locations and 250-plus team members. He is also the president of Green Industry Innovators, a product development company that holds over 15 patents on equipment for the landscape industry. In the Stark County community, he is actively involved with the Alliance Area Development Foundation, Pro Football Hall of Fame Advisory Committee, Stark Economic Development Board and serves on the governance committee of Strengthening Stark. He earned a bachelor’s degree in horticulture from The Ohio State University.
Additional members of the Board of Directors of Stark Community Foundation include Brian Belden, Nancy Gessner, Greg Luntz, Karen Soehnlen McQueen, Gary Sirak and Jeff Zellers.
“We are fortunate to have these outstanding community members on our Board to guide the progress and growth of the Foundation,” said Mark J. Samolczyk, president and CEO of Stark Community Foundation. “The new leadership appointments and additions to the Board provide invaluable, diverse experience that will enhance our efforts and commitment to strengthening our community.”
About Stark Community Foundation
Stark Community Foundation is the community’s trusted partner in giving to nearly 850 individuals, families, businesses and organizations that have created charitable funds to impact the lives of others through the most effective philanthropy possible. Ranked in the top 10 percent of community foundations in the United States today, Stark Community Foundation is committed to serving donor needs and strategically addressing local issues. The Foundation and its family of donors have granted $200 million to nonprofits since 1963. Learn how you can simplify your giving and amplify your impact through our Center for Partners in Philanthropy at www.starkcf.org.