Champion Award
The Champion Award is an honor bestowed by the Bluecoats organization to a member of the Northeast Ohio Community whose leadership and service to the community through the arts, culture, and/or community leadership disciplines has positively impacted the Northeast Ohio community.
2025 Recipient
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President, University of Mount Union
Gregory L. King began his duties as 14th president of the University of Mount Union on March 1, 2023.
A native of Bedford, Ohio, King graduated from Mount Union in 1989 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in business administration and sport management. He joined the staff at Mount Union that same year as the institution’s first intern of the Wayne Manzilla Diversity Internship Program. King then earned a Master of Education degree in higher education administration from Kent State University in 1993 and recently completed the Association of Governing Boards of Universities and Colleges (AGB) Institute for Leadership and Governance in Higher Education for Aspiring Presidents.
Since 2008, King has served the institution as the vice president for advancement, managing and overseeing the University’s fundraising activities to advance the mission and strategic goals of the institution. During his tenure as the institution’s chief fundraising officer, Mount Union has successfully completed and exceeded three fundraising campaigns. Since 2021, King has also served as interim vice president for enrollment services with a focus on rebuilding the admission team and stabilizing enrollment.
In addition to his current roles, King has also previously served the institution in various roles in advancement, enrollment services, and student affairs. As a member of the institution’s administrative team, he has also had the opportunity to develop skills in leadership, management, trustee relations, diversity and inclusion, budgeting, financial aid, alumni and community relations, academics, and marketing.
A longtime member of the Alliance community, King has been a member of numerous organizations and boards. He and his wife, Callie, also a Mount Union alumna, reside in Alliance.
2024 Recipients
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Jeff's Motorcars
Many know Jeff Doll as the owner of Jeff’s Motorcars. However, Jeff is indeed one of the top general contractors in Stark County, specializing in resurrecting old vacant buildings. One of his well-known projects is the mansion that he salvaged and turned into “The Social at the Stone Mansion” restaurant. When Bluecoats started construction on the new EN-RICH- MENT building, Jeff was the first person to volunteer his company’s assistance to do the demolition work. Additionally, he started calling other sub-contractors and building material suppliers and was instrumental in getting them to also donate labor and materials. This resulted in over $200,000 savings on the project. Jeff’s contribution of labor and expertise has definitely helped make the construction of the EN-RICH-MENT Arts Education Center a reality.
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RT Hampton Plumbing & Heating
Darren Elliott, the president of R.T. Hampton Plumbing & Heating (one of the largest HVAC contractors in Stark County), has been instrumental in building the new EN-RICH-MENT Arts Education Center. He donated all the labor and materials for installing the plumbing system, including the fixtures. This resulted in over $300,000 savings on this project. However, he did not stop there. He made phone calls to other sub-contractors and building material retailers he works with and got them to also donate to the project resulting in additional savings. His enthusiasm for helping EN-RICH-MENT’s students has encouraged others to donate. Darren’s contribution of his expertise, labor, and materials contributed greatly to making the EN-RICH-MENT Arts Education Center a reality.
2023 Recipient
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President & CEO, National First Ladies’ Library
Canton Native and Bluecoats alumnus Patty Dowd Schmitz is the 2023 recipient of the Champion Award. This award, which was created to honor individuals whose leadership in the community through the arts and humanities has positively impacted the Northeast Ohio community, is the perfect honor for Patty. Recently, she was named the President & CEO of the National First Ladies’ Library, a point of pride for Canton and our community, and something that we at the Bluecoats organization are so very proud of!
Her discerning vision, knack for history, and dedication to her values will serve the First Ladies’ Library as well, as it has served the many organizations that she has lent her service to across Ohio, Illinois, Colorado, and Wisconsin. Recently she helped the Bluecoats organization celebrate our 50th Anniversary by producing and co-authoring the impeccable coffee table book 50 Years Of Excellence which chronicles the wonderful history of our organization.
Schmitz received her master of science in journalism from Northwestern University and her bachelor of science in journalism, with minors in American history and political science, also from Northwestern. She is a graduate of Hoover High School, and - in addition to her participation in the Bluecoats in the 80s - she is a former member of the Canton Symphony Chorus.
2022 Recipients
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Founder, Executive Director - EN-RICH-MENT
Few members of the Canton community have had a greater impact on this community’s youth than Betty Smith. After an incredible career run- ning a recovery home in Chicago for women and children, Betty’s “retirement” included founding, scaling, and operating En-Rich-Ment of Stark County, a gem of an institution that provides free after school and weekend performing arts and life skills classes to the youth of our community. On any given day, Betty can be found administering the nonprofit, teaching the kids, or advocating for the benefit of En-Rich-Ment. It is hard to understate just how much Betty works to improve her community through this program and through advocacy for everyone’s quality of life in Canton, OH. Bluecoats is especially proud of Betty’s work leading the En-Rich-Ment drumline, and watching young kids flourish behind a drum.
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President - Pro Football Hall of Fame
Jim Porter is the seventh president of the Pro Football Hall of Fame, but his leadership in the arts, culture, and humanities in Canton and Northeast Ohio extends throughout his entire career. Before his work at the Hall of Fame, Jim was the publisher of the Canton Repository and even chaired the city’s Hall of Fame Enshrinement Festival. A long-time fan and advocate of the Bluecoats organization and other performing arts programs in Northeast Ohio, Jim has proven to be a passionate advocate of the benefits of performing arts and other cultural programs in the area. In fact, Jim was pivotal in the creation of Bluecoats Party in the Plaza in 2021, a new arts festival and free Bluecoats concert in downtown Canton. He was passionately engaged as a constituent and advocate of the Bluecoats organization as it returned from the canceled 2021 season.