The Board of Trustees of North Coast Community Homes is a diverse group of talented, dedicated professionals. All members are unpaid volunteers serving staggered terms of three years in duration. We are fortunate that our trustees include expertise in the areas of accounting, financial planning, law, fundraising, banking, business ownership and management, marketing and public relations, real estate development, real estate management, real estate sales, human resources and volunteerism.
Gary Shamis, Chair
Named as one of Accounting Today’s most influential people in the industry seven times, Gary Shamis continues to be recognized for his insight, commitment to service and leadership. He is the Managing Director of SS&G Finanical Services and consults in general business, financing, service programs and growth strategy. He also has extensive experience in tax and strategic planning. He holds many leadership positions throughout the community, including Chairperson of North Coast Community Homes and Hillel at Kent State University and membership on the Boards of the Anti-Defamation League, Jewish Community Federation, Better Business Bureau, and the Montefiore Home.
Peter J. Brodhead, Esq., Vice Chair
Peter Brodhead has been a partner in Spangenberg, Shibley & Liber LLP since 1988. He is a certified Civil Trial Advocate and has been recognized by Northern Ohio Live as one of the top 50 lawyers in Cleveland and as one of Ohio’s Super Lawyers by the publishers of Law & Politics. He served as President of the Ohio Academy of Trial Lawyers for the 2003-2004 term. He is also active in the John M. Manos Inns of Court, where he is a master. A 1979 graduate of Cleveland-Marshall College of Law, Peter served a judicial clerkship before joining Spangenberg, Shibley & Liber LLP. He also served on the Board of the Ohio Academy of Trial Lawyers and has authored articles for the Ohio Trial.
Ed Pavlish, Vice Chair
Ed Pavlish is the President and principal owner of Chemical Solvents, Inc. in Cleveland, Ohio. The firm recycles industrial solvents and is totally committed to satisfying the needs of their customers with products and services that protect the environment, as well as employees, customers and communties in which the company serves. Ed and his wife Patricia are also breeders of racehorses on their 72 acre BeauRavine farm in Waite Hill. One of their horses, Cosmonaut, was their first Breeders’ Cup starter.
Ronald S. Gross, Secretary/Treasurer
Ron Gross serves as Vice President, Pension and Technical Compliance at Moskal Gross Orchosky Inc., one of the largest regional retirement planning firms in Northeastern Ohio. He is also a continuing education faculty member at Clevealnd State University and conducts seminars for pension professionals and students, including the Ohio Society of CPAs Continuing Professional Education Programs. His affiliations include membership in the American Society of Pension Actuaries, Midwest Pension Conference, Ohio Society of CPAs, American Insitute of CPAs, Jewish Community Federation, Juvenile Diabetes Foundation and Special Olympics, as well as North Coast Community Homes.
Ian J. Abrams
Ian Abrams is an entrepreneur who has created and sold many businesses, with his initial success in the scrap metal business. He enjoys riding a motorcycle and is acitive with other Harley Davidson owners in supporting philanthropic events. He and his wife Gloria were recently honored by the Agnon School where four of their grandchildren attend. He has two brothers who live in homes developed by North Coast Community Homes.
Suresh Bafna
Suresh Bafna is an entrepreneur who owns several national and international companies, including Jainco International, Inc. (jewelry wholesaler), Jainco Garments, Inc. (merchandising knitted garments for department stores), Jainco Products, LLC (importer of printed plastics packaging films, shopping bags, re-closable bags, etc.), Wrap-Tite, Inc. (wholesaler and converter of stretch films for packaging and transportation industry) and Jaincotech, Inc. (specializing in digital imaging services). He emigrated to Cleveland at the age of fourteen from India. He received his BS and MBA degrees from Case Western Reserve University.
Marilyn M. Bedol
Marilyn Bedol and her husband, Marshall, are well respected leaders in the Cleveland Community. Marilyn has served on the Board of Trustees of Mt. Sinai Hospital, the Temple Tifereth Israel where she was the first woman president, and the Jewish Community Federation of Cleveland where she chaired several committees and served as vice-president. She also was the owner of Office Placements, a company specializing in office support placement. Marilyn is now retired, but continues to share her strong leadership skills with North Coast Community Homes, the Jewish Family Service Association and volunteers her time tutoring in an inner city charter school.
Dennis R. Burnside
In 2007, Dennis Burnside realized his entreprenerial dream to launch his own consulting firm, BurnsideAnalytics. Using his 30-plus years of experience and predictive analytics, he is able to assist corporate clients with real estate location decisions throughout the world. His professional affiliations include the International Economic Development Council, CoreNet Global, the Building Owners Managers Association and the Institute of Real Estate Management. He aslo serves as trustee on several nonprofit organizations, including North Coast Community Homes, the Cleveland Zoologial Society, and the Cleveland Restoration Society.
Charles N. Bush, Ph.D.
Chuck Bush graduated from Wittenberg University and earned a Ph.D. in organic chemicals from the University of Illinois. He recently retired from his position of Vice President and Chief Technical Officer of Oatey Co., a Cleveland based manufacturer of solvent cements and plumbing products. His professional and community associations include participation in the Vinyl Institute (Chairman of the VI Technical Committee), the Industrial Research Institute (Chairman of the IRI Management Study Groups Committee), the Prader-Willi Syndrome Association of Ohio (trustee), Cuyahoga County Board of Mental Retardation and Developmental Disabilities (past Vice President), and many others.
Patrick T. Finley
As a recognized leader in the real estate profession, Pat Finley is Managing Partner of OMNI Realty Companies and Partner of Pride One Development. He was Chairman of the Cleveland Young Presidents Organization, involved in the Young Entrepreneurs Organization, and is past president in the Northern Ohio Chapter of the National Association of Industrial and Office Properties (NAIOP). He was selected as a member of the Leadership Cleveland Class of 2004, and in 1999 was chosen by Crain’s Cleveland Business Magazine as one of Cleveland’s 40 Under 40. In 2000 he was the winner of the NAIOP Developer of the Year award. Pat also works as a Junior Achievement volunteer teaching elementary school children.
Richard Gibson, Esq.
Richard Gibson has a diverse background including teaching English at the Taipei American School in Taipei, Taiwan, Special Assistant to the president of the music division and the vice president of production at Columbia Picures in Burbank, CA., national product manager for Genesis Professional Liability Underwriters, and now managing his own firm, Premier Professional Liability LLC, a Managing General Underwriter that specializes in providing risk transfer solutions for commercial insurance purchasers.
Richard K. Greaves
Rich Greaves is a Certified Public Accountant and is Audit Senior Manager at Ernst and Young in Cleveland. He was a close friend of former NCCH Trustee, David Jones and is now the guardian for David’s son, Brady, who lives in a home owned and maintained by North Coast Community Homes.
Margaret Hewitt
Margaret Hewitt, Vice President of Construction at University Hospitals, is an architect with more than 15 years of experience in project analysis and management. Her background includes the management of over 1,400 new construction/renovation projects at nearly 600 facilites. She received her training at the University of Illinois. She is married and has a daughter.
Howard W. “Hoby” Hanna IV
As President and Chief Operating Officer of Howard Hanna Ohio, which includes Howard Hanna Smythe Cramer, Hoby Hanna directs the business and operational efforts of Howard Hanna throughout the state of Ohio and works with the firm’s clients, branch managers and REALTORS to insure the company’s on-going reputation for excellence. Hoby is active in numerous professional, civic and community organizations, locally and nationally, including Boy’s Hope Girl’s Hope, the American Red Cross, Children’s Free Care Fund, the Western Reserve Health Care of Youngstown, and the Cleveland Chapter of the Young Presidents Organization.
Ronald D. Holman II, Esq.
Ron Holman is Partner at Cavitch, Familo, Durkin & Frutkin and his practice includes representation of complex business, commercial contract, employment and real estate disputes and class actions. He serves on the Board of Park View Federal Savings Bank and PVF Capital Corp. His community service includes Center for Families and Children (Board Chair: 2000-2002 and Vice Chair: 1997-1999), Florence Crittenton Services Fund of The Cleveland Foundation, Dartmouth Club of Northeastern Ohio, Black Men of Greater Cleveland, Inc., Planned Parenthood of Greater Cleveland and Shaker Heights Alumni Association.
Ann Nickman Jacobson
Ann Jacobson is a community leader who is a trustee of the Jewish Community Federation of Cleveland, the Solomon Schecter Day School, the National Multiple Sclerosis Society Northeast Ohio Chapter and co-founder of the Multiple Sclerosis Women’s Committee and member of the Steering Committee of the Mellen Center for Multiple Sclerosis Treatment and Research. She graduated from Boston University with a BA degree.
Craig I. Kaufman
Craig Kaufman is a senior executive with sales, operational and legal experience in the information technology and building products industries. Craig was actively engaged in senior management positions for over 20 years with Alside, a family owned company manufacturing and distributing building products. He earned a B.B.A. Degree in Business at the University of Michigan and a J.D. degree from the Law School at the University of Miami.
Elizabeth “Bette” Maier
Bette Maier is a community leader in Stark County. She served as Mayor of Hills and Dales Village between 1995 and 2004. She is currently a board member at North Coast Community Homes, the Civic Trust of Greater Massillon and has served in the past on the boards of United Way of Western Stark County, the Canton Art Museum, the Domestic Violence Project, the Aultman Hospital Womens Board, the Canton Garden Club and the Canton Symphony Orchestra.
Patricia J. Mintz, E.D.M.
Dr. Patricia J. Mintz is Dean of Academic Affairs of the Metropolitan Campus of Cuyahoga Community College. She earned her Executive Doctor of Management (E.D.M.) degree at Case Western Reserve University in 2003. She and her husband, Chuck who is the Board Chair of the Jewish Family Service, have two children. Their son, Isaac, has autism and lives in a home developed by North Coast Community Homes and their daughter, Laura, who is gifted, lives in Chicago and works for the Chicago Department of Public Health. Pat has been a strong advocate for individuals with special needs and has worked to ensure that every person has the support needed for a full and meaningful life.
Thomas A. Moore
Tom Moore is a longtime Cleveland advertising veteran who is in the Cleveland Advertising Association Hall of Fame. He is the President of Moore & Associates Inc., a marketing consultancy with emphasis on brand management, market research, marketing communications and new product development. Earlier Tom was President of Wolf/Meldrum & Fewsmith, President of the Cleveland Advertising Association between 2000-2001 and a Partner at Liggett-Strashower Advertising. He has taught graduate courses in the management department of Cleveland State University, and has served as President of the Board of the Center for Mental Retardation and other organizations.
Michael J. O’Brien, Esq.
Michael J. O’Brien is a practicing attorney and a founding partner of Cleveland-based The O’Brien Law Firm LLC. The firm emphasizes estate and trust planning and administration, probate, corporate planning, family business, family limited partnership and charitable trust and private family foundation planning. He serves as a Trustee of several charitable foundations that include The Cleveland Sight Center, The Giles Foundation, The DeWeese Foundation, and the Canterbury Golf Club.
Mary M. Ogden
Mary Ogden is a principal partner in The Ogden Post Consulting Group, a business founded on the belief that strong non-profit organizations providing community based services are critical to creating and maintaining a healthy and vibrant quality of life. She has an MBA from the University of Louisville and is a certified Myers Briggs Typology Indicator instructor. Mary is part of the program staff at the Center for NonProfit Policy where she supports the Leadership Institute for Organizational Change and teaches a workship on Outcome Based Organizations. She is a trustee at North Coast Community Homes, the Women’s Community Foundation of Greater Cleveland, and a member of the United Way Health and Caring Investment Committee.
Anne Rapacz Kimmins
Anne Rapacz-Kimmins is a Senior Vice President at National City. She has worked for National City since 1996 in several capacities, including Senior Vice President and Managing Director of Product & Marketing for the Armada Funds Group. She received a BS from Heidelberg College and an MBA from Baldwin-Wallace College.
Harold “Kip” Reader, Esq.
As Managing Partner at Ulmer & Berne LLP, Kip Reader ensures an integrated management and leadership approach to the firm’s development, client service, business and operations. His areas of practice concentration include business litigation and insurance coverage litigation. Kip was named to “Ohio’s Super Lawyers” by Law & Politics and Cincinnati magazines (January 2007 and 2008) and also named to Best Lawyers in America, Commercial Litigation, Woodward/White (2007 and 2008). He serves on the Boards of North Coast Community Homes (past Chairman and trustee), American Red Cross Cleveland Chapter, Business Volunteers Unlimited, and the Case Western Reserve School of Law.
Richard S. Rivitz, Esq.
Rick Rivitz is Managing Partner at Kahn Kleinman. He provides corporate, securities and real estate counseling to middle market companies, real estate developers and owners, insurance companies and financial institutions. His professional and community associations include membership in the American College of Mortgage Attorneys, former member of the Council of the American Bar Association’s Section of Real Property, Trust and Estate Law, life trustee and counsel to Menorah Park Center for Senior Living, and past National Vice President of American ORT and past president of the American Counsel Association.
Dick Russ
Dick Russ has been reporting the news to people of Northeast Ohio for more than 30 years. He currently holds the position of Managing Editor of Cleveland’s NBC affiliate, WKYC-TV, Channel 3. His professional honors include membership in the Ohio Broadcasters Hall of Fame and the prestigious Silver Circle Award from the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences. He is a ten time winner of the regional Emmy Award and a two time honoree by the Ohio Society of Professional Journalists as the state’s outstanding television documentarian. Besides serving as a Trustee for North Coast Community Homes, he also is a Trustee of the Center for Mental Retardation.
Charles J. Scheidt, Jr.
Charlie Scheidt is used to working under rigorous performance parameters. As past president and chief executive officer of Commerce Exchange Bank in Beachwood, Charlie was able to turn around an erratic performance by generating an increase in net income and a higher ROI within one year. He now works as an independent financial consultant and assists others in improving their financial performance.
Douglas L. Weintraub
As Managing Director of Socius, Doug Weintraub is responsible for developing and implementing strategic relationships with business partners that are vital to the growth and performance of the company. He also manages and maintains involvement with many additional ventures focused on residential and commercial real estate development that date back to his return to the Akron area in 1986. In 1999, 2000 and 2001, Doug was recognized as one of Accounting Today’s Top 100 Most Influential People in Accounting. Doug also serves on the boards of Innovative Process Administration, LLC, Voxmobile, LLC, Jumpstart, Inc., the Sports Museum of America and the Akron Jewish Federation.
Judy R. Williams
Judy Williams is a retained executive search specialist with 14 years of successful recruiting experience in corporate, agency and consulting environments. Prior to entering executive search, Judy gained broad-based management experience with Procter & Gamble Company and IBM Corportion. Her professional and community affiliations include membership in the Society for Human Resource Management, the National Black MBA Association, past trustee of The Center of Families and Children and The Cleveland Public Theater.
Michael T. Gavin, Esq., Trustee Emeritus
Mike Gavin is a retired vice president and partner at Mansour, Gavin, Gerlack & Manos Co., L.P.A. He has also been affiliated with the Garfield Heights Board of Zoning Appeals, served as Deputy Registrar of Motor Vehicles, Chairman of the Lyndhurst Civil Service Commission, member of the Cuyahoga County Board of Mental Retardation and Developmental Disabilities, and member of the Geauga County Board of Mental Retardation.
"Throughout the 23 year history of North Coast Community Homes, we have been priviledged to meet and work with very special people, some of whom have been brought to us by circumstances in their lives.
Many of our Trustees have children or family members with disabilities and they, along with the fellow Board members, give selflessly of their expertise, time and resources to support our mission."
Stephen McPeake, President & CEO
North Coast Community Homes
