Distinguished Alumni Awards

Manager of Inclusion and Employee Engagement, LG&E and KU Energy LLC

Mr. Kendall Boyd is the current Manager of Inclusion and Employee Engagement for LG&E-KU. In that role, he is responsible for the development, review and implementation of diversity, equity and inclusion strategies and commitments, to ensure a diverse and welcoming work environment and safe space.

Prior to this role, Mr. Boyd was the Chief Equity Officer for Louisville Metro Government (2020-2021). Mr. Boyd was the Executive Director of the Louisville Metro Human Relations Commission from 2017 until 2020. Mr. Boyd has also served as the Assistant Director of Human Resources for Louisville Metro Government; Assistant County Attorney for the Jefferson County Attorney’s Office; deputy prosecutor for the Vigo County Prosecutor’s Office in Indiana; and the City Attorney for the City of Terre Haute, Indiana.

Mr. Boyd is also currently an adjunct professor for Ivy Tech Community College in Sellersburg, Indiana, where he teaches Business Law, Intro to American Government, Human Resources Management and Business Marketing.

Mr. Boyd is a proud HBCU graduate of Central State University in Wilberforce, Ohio, where he graduated with a BA in Political Science in 1998. Mr. Boyd is also a proud graduate of The University of Akron School of Law, in which he earned his JD in 2001 and from The University of Akron College of Business with his MBA in Marketing in 2003. Mr. Boyd is also licensed to practice law in the states of Indiana (2002) and Kentucky (2003).

In addition to his professional career, Mr. Boyd is an active participant in community and professional development organizations. He is a graduate of the Louisville Leadership Center’s Bingham Fellows (January 2022). Mr. Boyd is a Barrister in the American Inns of Court Organization, a Kentucky Bar Association CLE Award winner, and sits on the board of the Falls of the Ohio, the board for Wilderness Louisville, Inc., and is on the board for the Louisville Free Public Library Foundation.

During his tenure in Terre Haute, Mr. Boyd was a member of the Terre Haute NAACP Executive Committee, sat on the board of the Vigo County Minority Health Coalition, was a member of the Terre Haute Bar Association, and also sat on the board for the Sisters of Providence at St. Mary’s of the Woods.

Mr. Boyd likes to spend his free time fishing and boating, enjoying the outdoors, reading, writing and spending time with his family. Mr. Boyd is married to the lovely Carmen Owens-Boyd of Terre Haute. Their daughter, Emanuel Black, is a graduate of Indiana State University.

Thomas J. Clark ’75, ’83

Clark Guilliam Bertsch Wealth Management

A native of Akron, Ohio, Tom Clark serves as Managing Partner and financial advisor with Clark Guilliam Bertsch Wealth Management. Tom provides experienced and knowledgeable service to high-net-worth individuals in all stages of life. He has over 45 years of investment experience, with previous positions including Managing Director at Wells Fargo Advisors and Senior Vice President with First Union Securities. For three years during the 1980’s, Tom also served as the Market Commentator for the weekly live television show “In Business” on Akron’s PBS affiliate Channels 45/49.

Tom received both a BSBA and MBA in Finance from The University of Akron in 1975 and 1983, respectively. He was involved in many activities as a student, including Delta Sigma Pi (Business), Omicron Delta Kappa honorary, Order of Omega honorary, Phi Sigma Kappa fraternity, Student Center Program Board and Student Government as a member of the Senior Class Board. Tom served at the University as an adjunct instructor in Finance for over 30 years. He taught both traditional university students as well as candidates working towards a CFP® designation. Tom serves on The University of Akron’s College of Business Advancement Council, and is a former member of the Greek Alumni Board, Hilltoppers, College of Business Alumni Advisory Board and the College of Business Risk Management Advisory Board.

Outside of the office, Tom serves on several community boards. He is the current Chairman for the Summit County Historical Society, the Greater Akron Musical Association (Akron Symphony) Foundation, and the Akron Advisory Board of Apollo’s Fire Baroque Orchestra. Additionally, he serves on the Professional Advisory Council of the Akron Community Foundation. Tom previously served as Chairman of Keep Akron Beautiful and as a Trustee of Old Trail School. He is a life member of the Akron Optimist Club and a charter member of The Akron Breakfast Optimist Club.

Tom and his wife Karen ’76 have three grown daughters—Jennifer, Laura, and Emily—and three grandchildren.

Bill Fritsch ’73

Semi-Retired, Formerly CEO, Digital Kitchen

Bill Fritsch, BSA ’73, is a semi–retired communications executive living on Whidbey Island in Washington. Today he consults via Zoom with leaders of “creative” enterprises serving advertising, movie/television, and travel industries.

His first career, accounting, began at Akron’s Ernst & Ernst (now Ernst & Young) in 1973. This soon led to a move to The Smither’s Company in Hudson. At Smither’s, Bill jumped on an opportunity to become part of a new product think tank. This filled his head with the idea that it would be great to get a bird’s eye view on how to think more creatively. Where better than The Walt Disney Studios? So off to California he went in 1976 in search of a “creative” future.

Shockingly, Disney hired him, and a new chapter began. As Director of Creative Services, Bill helped to launch multi-billion-dollar Disney enterprises like the Disney Channel and Disney Home Video. In the late 1980’s, Bill founded his own advertising agency, Christiansen & Fritsch, which he grew into a major west coast firm with offices in Seattle, Portland & San Francisco. The firm was sold to FCB (then the largest agency network in the US). This was a great lesson regarding the lifecycle of an enterprise. Most recently Bill served as CEO of 5-time Emmy-Award winning Digital Kitchen (creator of world-famous digital “experiences” for Atlanta Falcons, BMW, Cosmopolitan Hotel of Las Vegas, Nat Geo, HBO, LA International Airport, Gates Foundation, and Sony Pictures).

Through the years, Bill has served on many non-profit boards including Seattle Public Library Foundation, Whidbey’s Saratoga Orchestra, Pacific Northwest Art School, and Seattle Chamber of Commerce. He has been to the U of A campus several times in recent years presenting to design and marketing students, encouraging young people to pursue their dreams, and embracing the many opportunities available in today’s digital world.

Charles F. Mullen ’95, ’00

Chairman, Apple Growth Partners

Charles “Chuck” Mullen, CPA, CMA, BSA ’95, MT ’00, has served as Chairman of Apple Growth Partners since 2016. Under his leadership, the Akron/Cleveland regional CPA firm has experienced 90% revenue growth and expansion to three additional geographic markets.

A frequent speaker, Chuck has presented before the Institute of Management Accountants, The University of Akron’s National Tax Conference, the ICA Car Wash Show, and has hosted over 100 episodes of Apple Growth Partners’ weekly business podcast, “Sliced.”

Chuck holds a Bachelor of Science in Accounting and Master of Taxation degree from The University of Akron, is a graduate of Leadership Akron Class XXVI, is a 2007 Greater Akron Chamber 30 For the Future and 2016 University of Akron Outstanding Accounting & Tax Professional Award recipient.

Chuck has served on a variety of educational and non-profit boards across Northeastern Ohio.

Chuck and his wife Veronica met and became engaged at The University of Akron and are the proud parents of two grown children.

Christy L. Page ’92

Chief Financial Officer, International Association of Better Business Bureaus

During her time as a commuter student, The University of Akron was instrumental in bringing the “Big Six” accounting firms to campus to recruit for jobs after graduation and after interviewing with all six, Christy was fortunate to land a position with Coopers & Lybrand. She gained a wide range of experience in public accounting including healthcare, nonprofits, banking, defense contractors, and manufacturing. It is noteworthy to mention that the Better Business Bureau (BBB) of Akron was one of her clients beginning in her first year… little did she know what a big impact that would have later on in life! And thanks to her education from The University of Akron, as well as her experience at Coopers & Lybrand, Christy passed the CPA exam on her first attempt.

Following her time as an auditor, next Christy landed a position as Controller at Universal Screen Arts in Twinsburg (now in Hudson). Managing the accounting department for multiple catalog titles along with their screen print operation helped further build out her experience in retail and manufacturing.

In 2000, Christy accepted the position of Vice President of Finance at BBB of Akron. She served in this role until 2011 when the Board of Directors selected her as President and CEO. BBB of Akron grew significantly during her tenure with the number of BBB Accredited Businesses increasing by 55% to over 2,800 and long-term investments more than doubling in size. The BBB of Akron team won four “Outstanding BBB Awards” in operations, investigations, and innovation during that time. Plus BBB became a bigger presence through their six county service area. Christy has proudly served the BBB brand at large on many different committees/task forces, the Board of the Council of Better Business Bureaus (as Director and Treasurer), and on the Board of the International Association of Better Business Bureaus when it was formed in 2019.

Early in 2020, Christy was named Chief Financial Officer of the International Association of Better Business Bureaus. (IABBB is the network hub for 98 BBBs all throughout the United States, Canada, & Mexico.) Just as her local CEO position was advertised in March 2020, everything shut down due to COVID. She decided to manage both positions until the pandemic was over, thinking it would be only a few months. Boy was that wrong! Thanks to a great deal of hard work and dedication, Christy successfully managed two full-time positions as CFO for IABBB and CEO for BBB–Akron for nearly two years until January 2022. On February 1, 2022, she happily welcomed a new CEO at BBB–Akron and is now solely focused on serving IABBB. While it was a great deal of work, she feels as though she was in the right place at the right time to see both organizations through a very difficult time. And it proved to her that you really can accomplish more than you ever imagined!

Born and raised in Portage Lakes, Christy is a lifelong resident of the Akron area. Christy and her husband Jon earned their Bachelor of Science in Accounting degrees together, which always provided a built-in study partner. While Jon enjoyed his time as a Zip, he went on to earn a Master’s Degree in Criminal Justice from Kent State University and is now a Police Sergeant for the city of Brunswick.

Their daughter Elizabeth began her college career at The University of Akron and enjoyed participating in the Study Abroad program in England before transferring to complete her Bachelor of Science degree in Public Health at The Ohio State University. Their son Zach is a senior at Kent State University majoring in Geography with a GIS concentration and a minor in Unmanned Aircraft Systems.

Christy has been honored to serve on various boards and committees for Akron area organizations as well including Heart to Heart Communications, Lake Center Christian School, Leadership Akron, The International Institute, The Commerce Club of Akron, and Summit Artspace.

George L. Wilson ’91

President and CEO, Quanex Building Products

Mr. George Wilson, BSA ’91, was named President and Chief Executive Officer of Quanex Building Products effective January 1, 2020. Prior to his appointment to that role, Mr. Wilson served as the company’s Vice President – Chief Operating Officer since 2017. Mr. Wilson served as President and General Manager of the company’s Insulating Glass Systems Division from 2011 to 2017, and as General Manager of Edgetech I.G., Inc. which began with its purchase by Quanex in March 2011. It was then consolidated with existing Quanex operations to create the Insulating Glass Systems Division.

Before joining Quanex, Mr. Wilson served as the Vice President of Operations for Lauren Manufacturing from 2008 to 2010 and as the Vice President of Human Resources for its parent company, Lauren International, a diversified manufacturer of polymers, rubbers and plastics, from 2010 to 2011.

Beginning in 1993, Mr. Wilson served in various capacities of increasing responsibility for Federal Mogul, a Tier 1 manufacturer of various automobile components. Mr. Wilson earned a Masters of Business Administration from Indiana University and a Bachelor of Science in Accounting from The University of Akron.