WELCOME
Dear Friends,
Todate, there have been almost 500 mass shootings in our nation. At this time three years ago, there were over 300. Adding to that grim statistic are the assassinations of Minnesota legislator Melissa Hortsman, her husband Mark, and Christian leader Charlie Kirk; knifings at Walmart and other venues; the dousing and setting on fire of Virgina City legislator Lee Vogler; soaring teen suicides and suicidal ideation; and the general malaise and disconnectedness of our nation. To some, these are data points, to others horrible tragedies. But, to us at Values-in-Action Foundation, they are consequences of a nation that is crying out, “Help me!” We are in an existential crisis.
Our dear friend, Kindland co-chair and Cleveland City Council President Blaine Griffin has spoken for several years about the anger buildup in our inner cities. How can 20-30% of our population wonder where their next meal is coming from without feeling angry and disconnected? Anger is building in rural America as well - same problem, different location – with a general feeling that they are uncared for and forgotten.
Following Charlie Kirk’s assassination, Utah Governor Spencer Cox said on ABC’s This Week that government alone can’t fix this existential crisis. The solution must come from us - neighbor to neighbor, community to community. It starts with human connection. It starts with kindness. Like many social trends, society and culture can change person to person. Back in 1995, MIT did a study about human behavior and how society changes. They discovered that each of us impacts four new people every day. We can smile at the cashier at the grocery store or ignore her. We can let the person coming out of the parking lot go ahead of us, or we can ignore him. And they, in turn, influence four new people every day, who influence four new people every day, and so on. Over the course of our lives, each of us will influence a minimum of 100,000 people.
Yes, we are influenced by media and by social media. Yes, we are influenced by political discourse and by reality television. But it is the individual choices that form human behavior. When enough of those choices coagulate, they then tip society. We know how society can be tipped from the experience of Nazi Germany and the horrors of the Holocaust. But can it be tipped the other way, as well?
Kindland is Values-in-Action’s national movement to tip society back to person-to-person kindness. This movement is based on the premise that there are millions of acts of kindness ongoing, but we don’t notice them because they are drowned out by negativity. It takes five positive acts to offset one negative act in the consciousness of the human mind. Kindland seeks to have each of us doing or documenting the five positive acts through intentional acts of kindness every day. This can be done by using the Just Be Kind app (available on all the app stores) or by reporting acts of kindness done or witnessed by using #kindland on social media.
Our solution to poverty is also rooted in kindness. In the next few years, we are developing Kindland Village models in Maple Heights and Lee Harvard. These models will embed kindness through our hundreds of partners and leaders in every aspect of those communities — beautification, health, housing, jobs and job training, and education. As we show those communities that they are embedded in caring, we believe that gun violence will decrease, hope and optimism will increase, and opportunity will be tangible and attainable.
Our biggest endeavor to date will launch in 2026. We are calling this the United States of Kindness. We are asking Americans, led by Ohio and NE Ohio, to do 250 acts of kindness in honor of our nation’s 250th birthday. This campaign is already gaining traction with Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost asking all police and sheriffs departments to do 250 acts of kindness, and Steve Dackin, the head of the Ohio Department of Education and Workforce, asking every school in the state to do 250 acts of kindness. Team NEO and other major organizations like the Red Cross, iHeart Radio, University Hospitals, and United Church of Christ are participating. What they will discover is that they’re already doing acts of kindness. Last year, our Kindland movement documented 110,000,000 acts of kindness in NE Ohio. What the United States of Kindness will do is amplify the billions of acts of kindness done every year and that are endemic to the American character.
To date, since its founding as Project Love in 1994, Values-in-Action has trained more than 2.6 million students in over 9,000 schools in all 50 states. Last school year alone, we trained and engaged more than 500,000 students in kindness activities and workforce training that added to their curriculum or school culture. With your help, we will tip society and our country back to kindness.
Thank you for joining us in honoring kindness exemplars Randy McShepard, Dr. Michael Baston, Margaret Wong, Dr. Cliff Megerian and NCJW-CLE, represented by Marcy Schwartz and Mindi Axner. And, of course, our brave police officers from Lorain: Officers Peter Gale, Brent Payne and the late Phillip Wagner. All of these leaders make NE Ohio a Kind Land.
One last word of tribute. In the past several weeks, Values-in-Action lost our board chair Mike Gibbons and a longtime board member Raj Aggarwal. They were among the kindest effective servant leaders in our community. Their presence and energy will be sorely missed.
Sincerely,
Stuart Muszynski President and CEO Values-in-Action Foundation
The Celebration of Goodness will forever be in memory of Event Founder Sam Miller and our dear friend and former chairman Arnold R. Pinkney. In both your honors, we continue to celebrate GOODNESS in Northeast Ohio.
The Celebration of Goodness honors outstanding individuals for their extraordinary contributions to our community, their principled leadership, and for setting an inspiring example for others to follow.
2025 CELEBRATION OF GOODNESS
Thank you to all those who made this Celebration of Goodness possible. Your kindness and generosity are much appreciated.
PRESENTING SPONSORS
The Gibbons Family
COMMUNITY SPONSOR
GOODNESS SPONSORS
Cleveland Browns
HKM Direct Market Communications
RPM International Inc.
United Church of Christ Joyce & Eric Wald
WITH ADDITIONAL SUPPORT FROM
Alex Machaskee & Associates
Case Western Reserve University
Catholic Diocese of Cleveland
Cleveland Foundation
EVENT FOUNDER
Sam Miller (of blessed memory)
*Sponsors at the time of printing
Ida & Irwin Haber
National Council of Jewish Women/CLE
Steve & Loree Potash
Enid & David Rosenberg
Drs. Marcy Schwartz & Dan Simon
Team NEO University Hospitals
HONORARY CHAIRS
Dick Bogomolny
Akram Boutros, MD
Wendie Forman
Carole Hoover
India Pierce Lee
Howard Lewis
Alex Machaskee
Lisa Cynamon Mayers
Boyd Pethel
Betty Pinkney
Albert Ratner
Dan Simon, MD
PARTNERSHIPS
Our partnerships with businesses and organizations continue to flourish. In 2024, VIA proudly introduced Kindness is Served Here, an initiative with the Ohio Restaurant and Hospitality Alliance to promote kindness in the hospitality industry among servers and customers. Kindland messaging was introduced in over 60 Northeast Ohio restaurants and will expand throughout Ohio in 2026.
REMEMBERING OFFICER Phillip Wagner
Lorain Police
Together, we mourn the loss of Lorain Officer Phillip Wagner, a devoted husband, a loving father, and a brave officer. Today, we celebrate his goodness, service, and memory.
JULY 23, 2025
Lorain, Ohio
Officer Wagner and Officer Peter Gale were having lunch in their patrol vehicle in Lorain when a gunman ambushed them with a highpowered rifle. Brent Payne was shot when he arrived at the scene to assist. Officer Wagner sustained multiple gunshot wounds and died from his injuries the following day, July 24, at MetroHealth Medical Center.
HONORING
Peter Gale Lorain Police Officer Brent Payne Lorain Police Officer &
It is our honor to present Lorain police officers, Peter Gale, Brent Payne, and fallen officer Phillip Wagner with the 2025 Kindland “Ritter Way” Award.
In 2024, the “Ritter Way” award was established in memory of fallen officers Jamieson Ritter (Cleveland Police) and Jacob Durbin (Euclid Police). The award is bestowed upon those who have devoted their lives to serving and protecting our communities and to those who put their values in action every day for the sake of the greater good.
Officers Gale, Payne, and Wagner set the example for those who serve, and they represent all our heroes who put their lives on the line for the safety and wellness of others. Thank you for your goodness.
2025 CELEBRATION OF GOODNESS
Sam Miller Goodness Award
Michael Baston, J.D., Ed.D.
Cuyahoga Community College (Tri-C)
Michael Baston leads Tri-C with a clear mission: To turn potential into progress and ensure every student — regardless of background — has the tools to build a better life.
As president of Ohio’s oldest and largest community college, serving nearly 40,000 students annually, Baston has delivered results that resonate beyond the classroom and into the fabric of Northeast Ohio. In just three years under Baston’s leadership, more than 10,000 students have graduated from credit and noncredit programs, and he has championed pathways that bridge education and employment. Within a year of completing their programs, 93.8% of credit students and 98.1% of noncredit students had either entered the workforce, continued their education, or pursued advanced credentials. These graduates are entering high-opportunity fields such as health care, IT and skilled trades, demonstrating Tri-C’s powerful return on mission and investment.
Through extensive partnerships with local businesses and public agencies, Tri-C is powering the region’s talent pipeline and positioning itself as a hub for 21st-century workforce development, and, under Baston’s leadership, it has also raised a record-breaking $65.5 million in philanthropic and public investment in just three years. These funds have supported program expansion, scholarships and essential wraparound services that keep students on track to succeed.
Baston is a respected national voice in community college reform, serving on the boards of the National Association for Community College Entrepreneurship (NACCE) and the League for Innovation in the Community College and as a fellow
with Complete College America. Locally, he serves on more than a dozen boards, including the Greater Cleveland Partnership, United Way of Greater Cleveland, the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, Team NEO, Playhouse Square, Downtown Cleveland Alliance, Downtown Cleveland Inc., Unify Jobs/Unify Labs, the American Red Cross of Northern Ohio, and Bluecoats Inc. He is also a member of the Federal Reserve Bank of Cleveland’s Community Advisory Council and a graduate of the Cleveland Leadership Center’s Leadership Cleveland Class of 2024, contributing to the civic and economic vitality of the region.
His true reward is IMPACT. When students succeed, communities grow. That is the future Baston is working to build — one student, one credential and one opportunity at a time.
Beyond academics and careers, Dr. Baston leads with heart. He has made kindness a core value across all Tri-C campuses to embed a culture of compassion and community throughout the college and beyond. For his heart, his innovation, and his unwavering commitment to partnership and progress, Values-inAction Foundation is proud to honor Dr. Michael Baston with the Sam Miller Goodness Award - celebrating a leader who brings goodness into everything he does.
2025 CELEBRATION OF GOODNESS
Sam Miller Goodness Award
Cliff Megerian, MD,
FACS
University Hospitals
Cliff Megerian, MD, is Chief Executive Officer of University Hospitals (UH), a comprehensive health system with more than 50 health centers and outpatient facilities, and over 200 physician offices located throughout 16 counties.
In December 2019, Dr. Megerian was appointed the system’s President, where he led the organization through an unprecedented pandemic. Prior to that, he served as President, University Hospitals Physician Network, Physician Services and System Institutes. In these positions, he was charged with managing the clinical integration strategies, policies and practice guidelines for more than 2,500 UH employed physicians as well as the operations and infrastructure for UH system institutes. These clinical care institutes bring highly trained subspecialists together from multiple disciplines to collaborate on the best treatment for patients – promoting uniform, standard care protocols and the sharing of best practices.
A graduate of the University of Michigan Medical School, Dr. Megerian completed a residency in otolaryngology-head and neck surgery at University Hospitals of Cleveland and CWRU, and he completed a research and clinical fellowship in otology and neurotology at Harvard Medical School, Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary. He also completed a certificate program in healthcare management at Weatherhead School of Business at CWRU.
Dr. Megerian serves on the American Hospital Association’s Health Systems Committee. In addition, he serves on the boards of the Ohio Hospital Association, the Ohio Business Roundtable, and the Greater Cleveland Partnership. He is also Chair of the Cleveland Innovation District/Jobs Ohio Consortium.
As CEO of University Hospitals, Dr. Megerian also led the system to earn recognition on the Forbes list as one of America’s Dream Employers for 2025, ranking among the Top 10. Additionally, in 2024, U.S. News & World Report named UH Cleveland Medical Center Best Regional Hospital for Equitable Access – the only Ohio hospital on this inaugural list. And in 2022, University Hospitals received the AHA Quest for Quality Prize – the industry’s most prestigious honor recognizing its member organizations for their commitment to quality.
Dr. Cliff Megerian and UH’s dedicated team of caregivers and physicians provide compassionate care and world-class research every single day. What truly sets Dr. Megerian apart is his unwavering commitment to kindness, and his belief that kindness is essential to healing. By training, Dr. Megerian is an ENT specialist. But under his leadership, UH has become known for a different kind of ENT—Extra Necessary Touches. For his deep compassion, visionary leadership, and relentless commitment to goodness in healthcare, Values-in-Action Foundation is proud to honor Dr. Cliff Megerian with the Sam Miller Goodness Award.
2025 CELEBRATION OF GOODNESS
Sam Miller Goodness Award
National Council of Jewish Women/CLE
Represented by: Dr. Marcy Schwartz & Mindi Axner
The National Council of Jewish Women (NCJW)– Cleveland Section, represented by President Dr. Marcy Schwartz and Executive Director Mindi Axner, is one of Northeast Ohio’s quiet powerhouses and an unsung hero in the fight for justice, equity, and compassion.
NCJW is a grassroots organization of volunteers and advocates who turn progressive ideals into action. Inspired by Jewish values, NCJW strives for social justice by improving the quality of life for women, children, and families and by safeguarding individual rights and freedoms.
For over 130 years, NCJW/CLE volunteers have served across Greater Cleveland — in schools, libraries, senior centers, and neighborhoods — meeting diverse needs with compassion, creativity, and action.
Guided by the Jewish principle of Tikkun Olam—the sacred call to repair the world—NCJW mobilizes a network of passionate, socially conscious women to tackle some of our region’s most pressing challenges. Through active, hands-on programming in education, literacy, poverty relief, clothing and food distribution, social isolation, and community care, NCJW doesn’t just serve the community, they lift it up, person by person, family by family. In a region grappling with deep poverty, NCJW stands as a beacon of hope. Their volunteers wrap their arms around the struggles of
others with empathy, action, and unwavering purpose, bringing healing, dignity, and love where it’s needed most.
The impact of NCJW doesn’t stop at service. Their vision is bold: to understand and address the needs of the most marginalized and to amplify often unheard voices while advocating for justice and systemic change across Northeast Ohio.
Led by Marcy and Mindi, NCJW is building nothing less than a community of care - one rooted in kindness, driven by purpose, and grounded in deep compassion. For their unwavering commitment to kindness, justice, and healing, Values-in-Action Foundation proudly honors the National Council of Jewish Women – Cleveland Section with the Sam Miller Goodness Award.
2025 CELEBRATION OF GOODNESS
Sam Miller Goodness Award
Margaret W. Wong
Margaret W. Wong & Associates LLC
Margaret W. Wong is a nationally recognized leader and one of the most distinguished immigration attorneys in America. As founder and head of Margaret W. Wong & Associates, she leads a deeply compassionate team committed to helping individuals and families find their place in the “promised land” of America.
As an immigrant, a self-starter, and a proud businesswoman, that dream is one Margaret knows well. Over 50 years ago after emigrating from Hong Kong, she started the firm after years of adversity. What was once a single desk rented for $25 is now one of the nation’s premier immigration law firms, with seven offices in the United States.
Margaret W. Wong & Associates, LLC provides high quality, efficient, and prompt services to both companies and individuals in immigration to the United States. The firm assists its clients with all types of work visas, green cards (permanent residency), J-1 waivers, labor certifications, deportation cases, asylum cases, and other matters. With over 200 years of combined experience in the field, no immigration or naturalization matter is too complex for them to handle.
In an era where immigration policy can be complex and uncertain, Margaret remains undaunted. She forges ahead— advocating not only in courtrooms, but in the halls of government, always seeking common ground that upholds the promise of the American Dream for all.
Through it all, Margaret has never stopped giving back. In 2012, she pledged $1.5 million to her alma mater, the University at Buffalo Law School, to support future generations of legal minds. She has also funded scholarships at Tri-C and created the Margaret W. Wong Endowed Forum on Foreign-Born Individuals at the City Club of Cleveland. Through her advocacy, generosity, and unwavering belief in the power of opportunity, Margaret has become not just a fierce champion for immigrants—but a beacon of hope in Northeast Ohio.
For her enduring commitment to kindness, community, and the American Dream, Values-in-Action Foundation is proud to honor Margaret W. Wong with the Sam Miller Goodness Award. Margaret, thank you for being a jewel in the crown of Northeast Ohio.
2025 CELEBRATION OF GOODNESS
ARNOLD R. PINKNEY AWARD FOR CIVIC LEADERSHIP
Randy McShepard
RPM International Inc.
Randy McShepard is a social entrepreneur of the highest caliber - a visionary leader whose work has consistently uplifted communities and challenged the status quo.
As co-founder of PolicyBridge, Randy helped launch a think tank and social action organization focused on poverty and urban and African American challenges. Through it, he has amplified voices often left out of the conversation while shaping policy and driving change.
He also co-founded Rid-All Green Partnership, a self-sustaining urban farm and restaurant that transformed a once-blighted area of Maple Heights into a thriving hub of growth, education, and opportunity. What was once forgotten land is now a model for what’s possible with access to fresh food, jobs, and hope. Rid-All’s youth programming and its wide range of development and educational opportunities are all centered around the important concept of environmental and food sustainability.
In his professional life, Randy serves as Vice President and Chief Talent Officer at RPM International Inc. where his leadership and corporate perspective give him a powerful platform to advocate for equity, innovation, and inclusive growth. As chief talent officer, he is primarily responsible for managing and evaluating leadership development, succession planning and executive training across RPM. This includes leading the Global Organizational Leadership Development (GOLD) team, which facilitates RPM’s diverse senior leadership development programs. In his role as vice president of public affairs, Randell coordinates external affairs for the company, including corporate philanthropy and government relations.
In his new role as Board Chair of the Cleveland Foundation, he sits at one of the most influential tables in the region, and, from this vantage point, he continues to bring people together, aligning financial and human capital to build a better future for all.
Randy McShepard is, above all, a change-maker. He is someone who doesn’t just see problems, but convenes the right people, inspires bold ideas, and mobilizes action and embodies a rare combination of humility, clarity, and resolve. Much like the namesake of this award, Arnold R. Pinkney, Randy believes in what our community is—but more importantly, in what our community can become. For his enduring commitment to civic leadership, equity, and transformation, Values-in-Action Foundation is proud to present Randy McShepard with the Arnold R. Pinkney Award for Civic Leadership.
PREVIOUS AWARD RECIPIENTS
2024
• Nic Barlage & the Cleveland Cavaliers
• Mayor Justin M. Bibb
• Micki Byrnes & WKYC
• Lillian Kuri
• Dick Pogue
• Jacob Derbin (Euclid Police) – in memoriam
• Jamieson Ritter (Cleveland Police) – in memoriam
2023
• Patricia DePompei & University Hospitals
Rainbow Babies & Children’s
• Dr. Hiroyuki Fujita
• Darrell McNair
• Bob Reitman
• Enid Rosenberg
2022
• Dr. Akram Boutros
• Bob & JoAnn Glick
• Blaine Griffin
• Howard Lewis
• MetroHealth
• Beth Mooney
2021
• Cleveland Clinic
• The Cleveland Orchestra
• Secretary Marcia L. Fudge
• India Pierce Lee
2020
• Ohio First Lady Fran DeWine
• HFLA of Northeast Ohio
• Senator Rob Portman
• Kristin Warzocha
• Michael White
2019
• Margot James Copeland
• Majestic Steel USA and The Leebow Family
• David W. James
• Bishop Nelson J. Perez
• Judge Dan A. Polster
2018
• Chief Angelo Calvillo
• Bill Denihan
• Eric Gordon
• Carole F. Hoover
• Ken Lanci
2017
• José Feliciano
• vic gelb
• Hon. Merle S. Gorden
• The Lucarelli Family
2016
• Bruce Akers
• Akram Boutros, MD
• Bill Considine
• Calvin D. Williams
2015
• Dick Bogomolny
• Cuyahoga County Prosecutor Tim McGinty
• Nacy Panzica
• Rev. Hilton Smith
2014
• Ohio Attorney General Mike DeWine
• Mt. Sinai Health Care Foundation
2013
• Governor John R. Kasich
• Sister Judith Ann Karam, CSA
• Jane and Lee Seidman
2012
• Bishop Roger Gries
• Eleanor Fanslau
• Lute Harmon, Sr.
2011
• Case Western Reserve University
• Cleveland Metropolitan School District
• Bennett Yanowitz
2010
• The Phyllis and Debra Ann November Children’s Fund
• The Giant Eagle Foundation
2009
• Dan McCarthy
• Burt Saltzman
2008
• Norma Lerner
2007
• Dr. Eugene Sanders
• Harlan Diamond
2006
• Mayor Frank Jackson
• Arnold Pinkney
2005
• The Cleveland Foundation
2004
• Rev. Otis & Edwina Moss
• Sally and Sandy Cutler
2003
• Alex Machaskee
2002
• Steve Minter
• Gordon Heffern
2001
• Bishop Anthony Pilla
• Barbara Byrd Bennett
OHIO COUNTIES WITH SCHOOLS USING KINDLAND PROGRAMMING
At least one (1) school using Kindland programming
November 2025
Zero schools reported using Kindland programming
Together, We’re Building a Kinder Countr y
Welcome to the United States of Kindness, a national movement inspiring every American to take part in 250 Acts of Kindness, building a culture of compassion, connection, and unity across the nation.
Our Mission
To establish kindness as a defining national value, leaving a legacy of unity that extends beyond America’s 250th anniversary.
The United States of Kindness challenges every person, organization, and community to participate in 250 acts of kindness, one for every year of our nation’s history. These acts can be large or small, but together, they form a movement that connects people and restores hope in what we share as Americans
This is more than a campaign. It is a call to act with intention, to notice the good around us, and to celebrate kindness in every form. Each story and every act contributes to a shared goal: making kindness the cornerstone of America’s 250th year.
The United States of Kindness officially launches in 2026 with a collective challenge: Do 250 Acts of Kindness. Join us in creating a legacy of compassion and unity that defines America’s next chapter.
The Challenge is simple.
Participate in 250 acts of kindness throughout 2026, individually or as part of a school, company, or community Acts can be big or small: helping a neighbor, thanking a teacher, mentoring a student, or giving back to your community. Every act counts. Share your story and inspire others to do the same. Together, we will show the world that kindness is America’s greatest strength.
Download the Just Be Kind App!
Easily report acts of kindness using the Just Be Kind kindness reporting app.
Sharing acts of kindness will inspire others to do the same! Let’s work together to create a nationwide ripple-effect of kindness.
The Just Be Kind app creates a community of kindness right at your fingertips. Access and download the app here and start posting today.
Read a story about kindness? Share it with us!
See someone do something kind? Share it with us!
Did you do something kind? Be proud. Post it!
The Just Be Kind Way of Life
Transform your community through acts of kindness. The Just Be Kind App strives to promote these acts through rewards and through a panoramic view of kindness in the community. Simply log your act of kindness, accrue points, and watch kindness blossom all around you.
Add An Act of Kindness
Document acts of kindness by simply selecting the plus sign. Select the category that best fits an act of kindness. Add details and video or photographs to highlight your act of kindness and select submit.
Kindness in the Community
Discover how small acts of kindness influence the whole through Kindness in the Community. You can observe kindness within your own community and get inspired to pass it on.
The Values-in-Action (VIA) Workforce Training program prepares workforce-oriented 11th and 12th grade students in the soft skills needed for employment through proven character and values development techniques, community mentorship, and job placement opportunities. Are you interested in changing the life of a youth? Check out our mentorship program!
Goals of VIA Workforce Training:
Develop ethical and passionate teens with workforce readiness, soft skills, and attributes of character that are indicators of future success
Provide underserved students access to job placement services, career exploration, and assessment tools keeping them on track toward achieving their vocational goals
W O R K F O R C E
Soft Skills Taught:
How it works
Each new mentor participates in a brief, 30-minute mentoring orientation (virtual meeting) with a workforce advisor ahead of the first scheduled class with students.
The mentor meets with the students for a 45-minute session three times throughout the12–16week training session. This can be virtual if needed. 1 2 3
Each mentor will be assigned 2-5 students.
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your work and dedication inspire us.
At KeyBank, we believe achievements that have a positive impact on people a nd the community should always be recognized. Making a difference is never easy, and we never stop being thankful for the people who do it.
As we celebrate 200 years of service to our clients, our colleagues, and our community, we remain committed to a better, kinder future for all.
KeyBank congratulates all of this year's Celebration of Goodness honorees for making a difference.
Congratulations to our beloved friends, Dr. Cliff Megerian and Dr. Marcy Schwartz, on receiving the Sam Miller Goodness Award.
Your dedication and kindness to the people who know you, and the community at large, is indescribable and selfless. We are blessed to call you our friends.
y
With much love, Ida and Irwin Haber
h n
We celebrate the kindness and caring of all of this year ' s award recipients with a special shout out to Dr. Cliff Megerian & NCJW/CLE.
Sincerely,
Eric & Joyce Wald
Proud to support the
and the extraordinary individuals who lead with kindness, integrity, and impact
At HKM, we believe that goodness isn’t just something to admire — it’s something to amplify. Through powerful communication, meaningful partnerships, and deep community roots, we’re honored to help share messages that matter.
Ma
atulations, rgaret!
e and respect, arol Machaskee and Family
Committed to Our Community
At Case Western Reserve University, we know the importance of goodness, caring and respect to improve our city—and well beyond. We're honored to count this year's Celebration of Goodness awardees among our many dedicated partners and friends.
Congratulations to the 2025 recipients— and thank you for all that you do for Cleveland and our community.
Michael Baston, J.D., Ed.D.
Randy McShepard
Cliff Megerian, MD, FACS Professor, Department of Otolaryngology, School of Medicine
National Council of Jewish Women/CLE
Margaret W. Wong Society of Benchers, School of Law
Celebration of Goodness
Congratulations to our board chair and recipient of the Arnold R Pinkney Award for Civic Leadership Randell McShepard, recognized for his visionary civic leadership
“Serving on the Cleveland Foundation board is rewarding because it allows me to contribute ideas and perspectives that matter for the health and vitality of my hometown and its citizens ”
The Most Reverend Edward C. Malesic, JCL along with the faithful of The Catholic Diocese of Cleveland extend their sincere
Congratulations
to Margaret W. Wong on receiving the Sam Miller Goodness Award from the Values-in-Action Foundation.
CUYAHOGA COMMUNITY COLLEGE (TRI-C ® )
SALUTES
Michael A. Baston, J.D., Ed.D. President, Cuyahoga Community College on receiving the Sam Miller Goodness Award
We applaud your continued leadership and the positive values you exemplify at Tri-C and throughout the community.
CONGRATULATIONS to all the award recipients:
SAM MILLER GOODNESS AWARD
Cliff Megerian, MD, FACS, University Hospitals
National Council of Jewish Women/Cleveland
Margaret W. Wong, Margaret Wong & Associates LLC, Cuyahoga Community College Foundation Director
ARNOLD R. PINKNEY AWARD FOR CIVIC LEADERSHIP
Randy McShepard, RPM International Inc.
KINDLAND “RITTER WAY” AWARD
Lorain Police officers Phillip Wagner, Peter Gale and Brent Payne
Congratulations to this year’s honorees.