Rob Montagnese
Chair
Mr. Montagnese is the President and CEO of Licking Memorial Health Systems. He holds a Bachelor of Arts in Business Administration with a concentration in accounting from Wittenberg University and a Master of Healthcare Administration from The Ohio State University. Additionally, he is a certified public accountant (CPA) and a member of the Ohio Society of CPAs and the Healthcare Financial Management Association.
Steven Cohen
Vice Chair
Steven Cohen is an owner and past president of Screen Machine Industries (SMI), a position he held for 18 years. He was responsible for overall operations and strategy of a business designing and manufacturing large, remote-controlled portable screening and crushing equipment for the mining industries. His company sells equipment worldwide and has received many accolades for its international successes.
J. Andrew Crawford, Esq.
A partner at Newark, Ohio law firm of Reese Pyle Meyer PLL since 1989, Crawford is a 1981 graduate of Indiana University Bloomington School of Law, where he was the managing editor of the Indiana Law Journal. Crawford has extensive experience in litigation, general business and real estate law.
Bruce Hawkins
Highlights of Bruce Hawkins’ work experience include 18 years as the CEO of the Management Council of the Ohio Education Computer Network (technology organization serving all of Ohio’s Schools), over 11 years as Knox County Educational Service Center superintendent and 11 years of experience as local superintendent and county office supervisor.
J. Park Shai III
J. Park Shai III is the president and founder of Shai Commercial Real Estate Ltd. in Granville, Ohio.
A fixture in the local business landscape for more than two decades, Shai’s entrepreneurial instincts and management acumen have resulted in several successful business launches through the years, including catering and landscaping companies.
Cheryl L. Snyder
Cheryl L. Snyder is chief retail officer and senior vice president at Park National Bank, a bank with $7 billion in assets headquartered in Newark, Ohio. Snyder has direct responsibility for all consumer loan portfolios, including indirect lending and residential home lending. Her responsibilities also include branch administration, retail deposit delivery, Freedom Years and the Fair and Responsible Program.
Marion Mulligan Sutton
Marion Mulligan Sutton served as chairperson for Jones Metal Products Company in West Lafayette from 2001 to 2019. Prior to this, she served as vice chair from 1993 to 2000, with oversight for the Jones Zylon Company, a division of Jones Metal Products. She has been a member of the board of directors since 1981. Marion is the third chairperson of the company, following her father, Edwin F. Mulligan, and her grandfather, Frank E. Jones.
Paul M. Thompson
Thompson is president and CEO of First Federal Savings in Newark. He is responsible for the overall management of the company and the establishment of objectives, policies and strategic plans. He provides leadership and direction to all departments. Thompson has 30 years of banking experience. He holds a Bachelor of Science in Business (Finance) from Miami University in Oxford, Ohio.
Gordon “Gordy” Yance
A resident of Mount Vernon, Mr. Yance retired in 2011 after working 33 years for First-Knox National Bank. He was CFO from 1978–2002 and served as president from 2002–2011. After his retirement, he served as chairman of the board.