Since 1996, the Kent State Stark Alumni Chapter has annually recognized outstanding alumni who attended Kent State University at Stark. Award recipients are chosen based on excellence in a profession; excellence in service to the community; and excellence in service to Kent State Stark.
The 2009 recipient, Dick Maggiore, president and CEO of the Innis Maggiore Group, was recognized at the Kent State Stark Scholarship Luncheon, Friday, Oct. 9, at The University Center, 6000 Frank Avenue NW in Jackson Township.
After graduating from Canton’s Lehman High School, Maggiore was enrolled at Kent State Stark before moving to California to pursue a bachelor’s degree from San Francisco State University. In 1977, he joined forces with Chuck Innis to build what is now recognized as one of the nation’s leading advertising and public relations firms in the marketing practice of positioning. The Innis Maggiore Group, with locations in Canton and Youngstown, was named Northeast Ohio’s fastest growing agency by Advertising Age magazine for three consecutive years. A noted industry “hall of famer” for pioneering dimensional outdoor advertising, Maggiore is the author of the book, The CEO’s Number One Responsibility: Identifying and Articulating Your Brand’s Position, which lays out sound counsel for chief executive officers about building and promoting their companies’ brand differentiation.
He has been recognized with several awards, such as Canton Chapter’s American Advertising Federation’s Ad Person of the Year; Canton Regional Chamber of Commerce’s Community Salute Award; and the Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year Award, among others. Very active in the community and a frequent visitor at Kent State Stark’s events and activities, Maggiore has been a member of the campus’s Advisory Board since 2003. He has also lent his knowledge to the university as a visiting professor of marketing and public relations courses.
Maggiore serves or has served on the board of directors for numerous area organizations, including Child Welfare League of America, Canton Regional Chamber of Commerce, Stark Development Board, First Merit Bank, Canton Advertising Federation, American Association of Advertising Agencies, Player’s Guild of Canton and Pathway Caring for Children.
A resident of North Canton, Maggiore and his wife, Kathi, have two sons, Nathan and Jeffrey.
Jackson TWP, Ohio —
