ANNE GRAFFICE
Hall of Fame Resort &
Entertainment Company
Executive VP of Public Affairs
Anne Graffice joined Hall of Fame Resort & Entertainment Company (NASDAQ: HOFV, HOFVW) as Executive Vice President of Public Affairs in December 2019. In this role, Ms. Graffice oversees community, investor, media and government relations, and manages all corporate social responsibility initiatives for the Company. Ms. Graffice is responsible for furthering several of HOFV’s strategic goals, including driving wide-ranging fundraising efforts, supporting diversity planning, and promoting the Company’s mission and value proposition to investors, consumers, and the media, as well as the broader public. Ms. Graffice serves as a key voice representing HOFV when working with municipal, provincial and federal authorities, and is the Company’s primary investor relations contact. In July 2020, Ms. Graffice was a key component of the transaction that made Hall of Fame Resort & Entertainment Company public through a merger with a Special Purpose Acquisition Company.
Previously, Ms. Graffice successfully served in a similar role at the Pro Football Hall of Fame, which she joined in May 2016 as Vice President of Development & Strategic Adventures. She served as the Hall’s primary corporate and community relations contact, and oversaw diversity programs and policies; controlled development and engagement for the Hall of Fame Village powered by Johnson Controls; and developed programming for the Center for Excellence.
Prior to that, Ms. Graffice served as Executive Director of Alumni Engagement at the University of Mount Union, and was responsible for a departmental budget and endowment fund of over $200 million, as well as helping the university secure $25 million through an 18-month campaign. She has also served as Chairperson of the Stark County Convention and Visitors Bureau, where she focused on driving economic development in the region through tourism initiatives. She also sits on the Boards of the Alliance Area Domestic Violence Shelter, Alliance Chamber of Commerce and St.
Thomas Aquinas Board of Directors, and is a volunteer at the Alliance Food Pantry.
Ms. Graffice previously spent nearly a decade in wealth management and long-term retirement planning. She earned a Bachelor of Arts in Business Administration from Mount Union College and a Master of Business Administration with a leadership concentration from Tiffin University.
Ms. Graffice and her husband Jeff live in Alliance, Ohio and are the proud parents of two daughters.
The purpose of Rotary Cares is to show our support for Akron Rotary members and their families when dealing with the loss of a loved one, the hardship of illness and also to celebrate the joy of a new baby, job, marriage or other events in their lives. Please be sure to email me(click here) with any news you would like placed here. Note that information is posted only with permission of the individual(s).
Our sympathies go out to the Kohl family
Doug Kohl's mother - Katherine Elizabeth (Davies) Kohl 1933-2021
Katherine was born August 18, 1933, passed away peacefully on May 22, 2021 while listening to classical music, one of her lifetime passions. She attended her first classical concert in 1934 at Chautauqua, NY, where her mother was performing on the Institute's grand organ. Born in Erie, PA and spending many of her formative years in Toronto, ON, she studied piano at the University of Toronto and graduated from Academy High School in Erie. Katherine had a Business Degree from Lakeland Community College. Katherine and her true love, Richard (previously deceased), shared 67 years of marriage together, holding hands the whole way. Her parents were Richard W. and Mary Laing Davies. Kay is survived by her sister, Hinky Davies Wilcher (Lanny) of Mineral Springs, GA and two children, Douglas Kohl (Kathy) and Nancy Kohl Schwandt, (Bill) 6 grandchildren and 9 great-grandchildren. She and Richard moved from Erie to Cleveland in 1955 and raised their family on Cleveland's east side. Katherine was a pioneer for women's rights and advocacy. She worked for the YMCA of Greater Cleveland in Collinwood, Lyndhurst and Cleveland Heights until being recruited to be the first woman corporate officer & Director of Development for the Lake View Cemetery Association on Euclid Ave. She worked her way through the ranks in the then male-dominated cemetery field and became the first woman President of the Ohio Cemetery Association. Because of her involvement with Lake View, she became a frequently sought-after speaker on topics such as Women's Suffrage, President James A. Garfield, Jeptha Wade, and Women's History in Cleveland, all told through the stories of those laid to rest at Lake View. Her talk "Landmarks, Landscapes & Legacies" guided listeners through the history of the Western Reserve. Katherine - or Kay, Kay-Betty, Joey, or Katzin as she was known by the family - enjoyed playing and teaching piano, playing games, bocce, swimming and when younger, playing goalkeeper on a hockey team. She was a volunteer extraordinaire and a great example for her kids and grandkids, always giving back to the community. She was a Playhouse Square Red Coat, an officer The Kiwanis Club of Orange, YMCA volunteer, and Scout leader. She was a follower of Jesus and throughout her life engaged in ministry wherever she lived. Family gives thanks to the staff of Ohio Living Rockynol in Akron, OH as well as the Akron General Hospice Center, where she spent her final days. A Celebration of Life service will be held Saturday, June 12 at The Well CDC, 647 E. Market St., Akron. Visitation at 10:00AM, service at 11:00AM. Donations in lieu of flowers, can be made in her honor to the Lake View Cemetery Association Foundation or the Lander Circle Kiwanis, 3669 Lander Rd, Pepper Pike, Ohio 44124. To share a Memory, Send a Condolence or Light a Candle, visit the Tribute Wall at www.billowfuneralhomes.com (Billow, 330-867-4141)
The Rotary Club of Akron had the privilege of listening to Justice Pat DeWine Supreme Court Justice for the State of Ohio at our Tuesday, May 25, 2021 Club meeting. Justice DeWine provided the Club with an overview of the day-to-day operations of the Supreme Court of Ohio and the types of cases they review and act upon. Click here to view the meeting
Justice DeWine began his six-year term on the Supreme Court of Ohio on Jan. 2, 2017, following his statewide election in November 2016.
Prior to his election to the Supreme Court, Justice DeWine served on the Hamilton County Common Pleas Court from 2009-2013 and then joined the First District Court of Appeals in February 2013.
In combination with his service on the Ohio Supreme Court, Justice DeWine has committed to further the rule of law through education. He is an adjunct professor at the University of Cincinnati in both the College of Law and in the McMicken College of Arts and Sciences. He teaches Appellate Practice and Procedure to law students, and courses in Ohio Government & Politics and American Courts to undergraduate students in the political science department.
What is the jurisdiction and authority of the Ohio Supreme Court?
The Supreme Court is established by Article IV, Section 1 of the Ohio Constitution. Article IV, Section 2 of the Constitution sets the size of the Court and outlines its jurisdiction. Article IV, Section 5 of the Constitution grants rule making and other authority to the Court.
The Supreme Court is the court of last resort in Ohio. Most of its cases are appeals from the 12 district courts of appeals. The Court may grant leave to appeal felony cases from the courts of appeals and may direct a court of appeals to certify its record in any civil or misdemeanor case that the Court finds to be "of public or great general interest."
The Supreme Court of Ohio consists of 6 Justices and a Chief Justice. The Justices are elected to six-year terms on a nonpartisan ballot. Two Justices are chosen at the general election in even-numbered years. In the year when the Chief Justice runs, voters pick three members of the Court.
A person must be an attorney with at least six years’ experience in the practice of law to be elected or appointed to the Supreme Court. Appointments are made by the Governor for vacancies that may occur between elections.
The Supreme Court of Ohio has appellate jurisdiction in cases involving questions arising under the Ohio or United States Constitutions, cases originating in the courts of appeals, and cases in which there have been conflicting opinions on the same question from two or more courts of appeals. The Supreme Court hears all cases in which the death penalty has been imposed. These cases currently include both appeals from courts of appeals affirming imposition of the death penalty by a trial court and, for capital crimes committed on or after Jan. 1, 1995, appeals taken directly from the trial courts. Finally, the Supreme Court's appellate jurisdiction extends to review of the actions of certain administrative agencies, including the Public Utilities Commission.
Other Supreme Court Authorities:
The Ohio Constitution grants the Supreme Court exclusive authority to regulate admission to the practice of law, the discipline of attorneys admitted to practice, and all other matters relating to the practice of law.
The Ohio Constitution also gives the Supreme Court authority to prescribe rules governing practice and procedure in all courts of the state and to exercise general oversight over all state courts.
How does a Case get to the Ohio Supreme Court?
90% of all cases are heard in State courts.
Over 1000 jurisdictional appeals are filed at the Ohio Supreme Court level every year.
43 cases were reviewed by the Ohio Supreme Court in 2019.
Parties appealing to the Ohio Supreme Court submit briefs.
Briefs are reviewed by Justices and a law clerk who prepares a document about the case for the Justices.
After reading the briefs, oral arguments are scheduled.
Individuals are provided 15 minutes to argue their case in front of 7 judges
Hearings are scheduled for 2-3 days every 2-3 weeks.
Judges hold a conference and decide who will write the decision
Whichever Justices are in the majority of the decision must decide who will write the opinion.
Opinion is circulated to the other Justices
After reviewing the Opinion, the Justices vote on the case again.
Decision by the Ohio Supreme Court cannot be appealed to the U.S. Supreme Court if it is a State law. If Federal law, the case can be appealed to the U.S. Supreme Court.
For further information on the Ohio Supreme Court, go to www.supremecourt.ohio.gov
Plan to participate in Happy Dollars during the Tuesday meetings?
We want to bring even more joy to our meetings and include a photo associated with what you are happy about!!
Simply email it to Cheryl Warren (click here to email her) and put HAPPY DOLLAR PHOTO in the subject line. Photos must be received by 5pm on the Monday prior to the meeting. Those sending photos will be called on first during the meeting to share your happiness as we show the photo!
Even if you don't have a photo, plan to share your joy during our meetings - you will all have a chance to do so as usual after the photos run!!
If you also wish for the information/photo to be included in our newsletter that will go out after our meeting, please indicate this in your email and provide me with a brief description of the reason you are submitting it (such as "So happy that my son Joe has received his Master's Degree from The University of Akron in the field of ABC!). This text will only be used for the newsletter - you will share it at the meeting!!
We are happy to share that you as supporters can now use the Amazon Shopping app on your mobile phone to sign up for AmazonSmile and select "Rotary Camp for Children With Special Needs Inc" as their favorite charity. This is a great opportunity to engage with your supporters to help increase your AmazonSmile donations.
Feel free to send these sample messages out to remind your family/friends and co-workers who may also wish to support the Camp via Amazon Smiles:
Sample Message:
Want to help make a difference while you shop in the Amazon app, at no extra cost to you? Simply follow the instructions below to select "Rotary Camp for Children With Special Needs Inc" as your charity and activate AmazonSmile in the app. They'll donate a portion of your eligible mobile app purchases to us.
How it works: 1. Open the Amazon app on your phone 2. Select the main menu (=) & tap on "AmazonSmile" within Programs & Features 3. Select "Rotary Camp for Children With Special Needs Inc" as your charity 4. Follow the on-screen instructions to activate AmazonSmile in the mobile app
By building on a proven concept — such as efforts to stamp out malaria in Zambia — Rotary’s new multimillion-dollar Programs of Scale grants help make good better.
The Otto and Fran Walter Foundation has pledged $15.5 million to The Rotary Foundation to start a Rotary Peace Center in the Middle East or North Africa.
