AKRON, Ohio — Aug. 10, 2016 — Goodwill Industries serving Summit, Portage, Medina, Ashland and Richland Counties is excited to announce Ken Babby, owner and CEO, Akron RubberDucks, will present the keynote address at its 15th Annual Employee of Distinction Award Luncheon on Wednesday, Sept. 7, 2016. The speech is titled “Bringing Affordable Family Fun to QuAkron.” Tickets for the event are $30 each and reservations can be made at http://goodwillakron.org/EDL.
Babby, a native of Potomac, Md., is the founder of Fast Forward Sports Group LLC as well as owner and CEO of both the Akron RubberDucks and Miami Marlins’ Double-A affiliate Jacksonville Suns. In addition, he is the chairman of the Baseball Internet Rights Corporation (BIRCO), which manages the digital and interactive media rights of its member Minor League Baseball clubs and leagues, and includes the MiLB.TV streaming video and the First Pitch and Inside the Park apps.
Since coming to Akron in October of 2012, Babby has invested more than $7 million of private funds into Canal Park to create a memorable, unique, affordable and enjoyable fan experience. Babby previously spent 13 years in various marketing positions with the Washington Post and its online and social media counterpart, Washington Post Digital. After starting as a summer intern with the newspaper in 1999, he rose through the ranks, eventually attaining the position of Chief Revenue Officer of Washington Post Media and General Manager of Washington Post Digital.
Babby serves on numerous boards in Northeast Ohio, including: Boys and Girls Clubs of Western Reserve, Shaw JCC of Akron, Business Volunteers Unlimited (BVU), Greater Akron Chamber of Commerce, Akron Roundtable, Greater Cleveland Sports Commission, Positive Coaching Alliance (Cleveland), University of Akron Business Management Advisory Board, Summa Health System Foundation Board, Akron General Hospital Outpatient Advisory Board, and Downtown Akron Partnership. In addition, he serves on the Wheaton College Board of Trustees, his alma mater.
For more information on Babby visit, http://goodwillakron.org/EDL.
Employee of Distinction Luncheon
The Employee of Distinction Luncheon is Goodwill’s signature employee recognition event. All honorees are acknowledged at the event, listed in the commemorative program, and in the running to be named one of the top five Employees of Distinction (chosen by a panel of independent judges). In addition, all honorees will receive two free tickets to a performance at Akron’s historic Civic Theatre.
Event Details
Date: Wednesday, Sept. 7, 2016
Time: 11:30 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.
Location: Guy’s Party Centre, 500 E. Waterloo Road, Akron
Cost: $30
RSVP: http://goodwillakron.org/EDL
Event Sponsors
Thank you to the event sponsors – Silver: Eric & Nan McClenaghan and Superior Staffing; Bronze: Amer Insurance, BDO, Bober Markey Fedorovich, Bridgestone Americas, City Scrap & Salvage, CliftonLarsonAllen LLP, Fifth Third Bank, FirstMerit Bank, The Lefton Group, LLC, OMNOVA Solutions Foundation, Roetzel & Andress, Kim & Chas Schreckenberger, Marc Servodio, SS&G Wealth and Maureen Van Duser; Table: ACRT Inc.; Program Partner Gold: Akron Metropolitan Housing Authority, Community Support Services, Inc., County of Summit ADM Board, Hattie Larlham and Summit County Executive Ilene Shapiro’s Department of Job and Family Services; Silver Program Partner: Akron Bar Association, Akron-Canton Regional Foodbank, Akron Public Schools, Child Guidance & Family Solutions, County Executive Ilene Shapiro, Mature Services, Inc., Mary Anne & C. Allen Nichols, Rockynol Retirement Community, Summit DD, and Volunteer Guardian Program in collaboration with Jewish Family Service; Program Partner Bronze: Better Business Bureau of Akron, Big Brothers Big Sisters Serving Summit, Medina & Stark Counties, East Akron Neighborhood Development Corporation, Jobs for Ohio’s Graduates, ReWorks, Junior League of Akron Designer ShowHouse, Streetsboro Area Chamber of Commerce, Summit County Children Services, The Summit County Historical Society of Akron, Ohio, Torchbearers and United Way of Summit County; Media: Akronlife and WAKR/WONE/WQMX/WNWV; In-Kind: Akron Civic Theatre, Akron RubberDucks, Greater Akron Chamber of Commerce and Shulan’s Jewelers.
About Goodwill Industries Serving Summit, Portage, Medina, Ashland & Richland Counties
The Goodwill Industries of Akron, Ohio, Inc., is a not-for-profit corporation that helps individuals prepare for, find and retain employment. Operating in the five-county region of Summit, Portage, Medina, Ashland & Richland, the agency was established in 1927. It is a private, independent organization, operating as an affiliate member of Goodwill Industries International. Goodwill helps to directly strengthen the region’s workforce through its employment programs and indirectly through the net proceeds from its retail outlets and industrial services division. For more information about GIA, visit www.goodwillakron.org or call 800-989-8428.
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Contact:
Jennifer Bako
(330) 786-2519
jbako@goodwillakron.org