Past award recipient bios as they appeared in that year's event program (*deceased)
EMERGING LEADERSHIP: Pamela A. Daiker-Middaugh, ‘88 JD
Pamela Daiker-Middaugh is a 1988 graduate of the Cleveland-Marshall College of Law. As a student, she enrolled in the college’s Street Law Program. Following her graduation, she was hired as Street Law’s assistant director and a year later, became the associate director. Under her guidance, the program expanded its outreach to at risk children referred by the County Juvenile Court and its Violence Anonymous Program.
Since 1994, she has been the staff attorney for the college’s Law and Public Policy Clinic and its Community Advocacy Clinic. In 1997, she also took on the responsibility of coordinating the College’s Pro Bono Program. Last year, more than 150 students, faculty and staff volunteered 7,000 hours of service to a host of area organizations.
Ms. Daiker-Middaugh is a volunteer herself. She serves as Guardian Ad Litem for both the Cuyahoga County Juvenile Court and the Cuyahoga County Domestic Relations Court. She also serves as President of the board of trustees of the Cleveland Rape Crisis Center.
Her professional affiliations include chairing the Cleveland Bar Association’s Young Lawyers Section, participating in the Association’s People’s Law School, serving as a committee member of Just Solutions, a forum to address justice system issues, and more. As chair of the Cleveland Bar’s Education Initiative, she designed a program that encourages attorneys and law students to teach law-related education in public schools. In December, the Education Initiative won the Public Education Program Award from the American Bar Association.
LIFETIME LEADERSHIP: Daniel R. McCarthy Sr., ‘54 JD
Daniel R. McCarthy graduated cum laude from the Cleveland-Marshall College of Law in 1954. He served as class president, the student speaker at his graduation ceremony, and the first co-editor of the Law Review “the nation’s first law review for a night law school.”
A lifelong Clevelander, he is the founder of McCarthy, Lebit, Crystal & Haman Co., L.P.A., a firm well-regarded and well-known for its expertise in tax law. All of the firm’s named partners, as well as many of its attorneys, are Cleveland-Marshall alumni.
Mr. McCarthy has established two scholarships at his alma mater. Both the McCarthy, Lebit, Crystal & Haiman Co. Endowed Scholarship and the Daniel R. McCarthy Endowed Scholarship support law students who are academically gifted and in need of financial assistance.
As a community volunteer, Mr. McCarthy served four years as the first special master for school desegregation in Cleveland. His accomplishments included establishing the Office on School Monitoring and Community Relations. In 1994, he was awarded the Ellis Island Medal of Honor from the National Ethnic Coalition of Organizations for his “exceptional humanitarian efforts and outstanding contributions to the country.”
Mr. McCarthy also served the nation as an infantry sergeant who saw combat duty in the European Theatre of Operations during World War II and was wounded at the Battle of the Bulge. For his valor, he received the Purple Heart, Bronze Star, Combat Infantryman’s Badge, two Battle Stars, a French medal, a Victory medal and more.
GEORGE B. DAVIS AWARD: Steven W. Percy, ‘79 JD
Steven W. Percy, chairman and chief executive officer of BP America, Inc., graduated from the Cleveland-Marshall College of Law in 1979.
Three years ago, Mr. Percy volunteered to join the Cleveland State University Foundation which assists the University in developing private gift support. He was elected chairman of the Foundation and continues to serve in that capacity.
Under his leadership, the board was restructured, its role expanded dramatically and the Foundation was revitalized to play a significant role in the development of private gift support for Cleveland State University.
With his guidance, the Foundation established a sound and prudent asset management program for the endowments of the University, the Foundation and the Alumni Association. Since his chairmanship began, the Foundation’s endowment has increased from $10 million to $22 million and the Foundation has increased its efforts in support of the University’s fund raising initiatives, helping triple the amount raised annually.
CIVIC ACHIEVEMENT: Senator C. J. Prentiss, ‘69 BA/’77 Med
Senator C.J. Prentiss was born and raised in Cleveland. She received a B.S.Ed. in 1969 and a M.Ed. in 1977 from Cleveland State University. The Senator is now in her fifth commitment to urban education.
Senator Prentiss served four terms in the Ohio House of Representatives, where she was the ranking minority member of the House Education Committee. In the House, she represented the 8th District, which included the Collinwood and Glenville areas of Cleveland and the cities of Euclid and Bratenahl.
Senator Prentiss is now in her first term in the Ohio Senate, where she represents the 21st District which includes parts of the cities of Cleveland and Euclid, as well as East Cleveland, Cleveland Heights and Bratenahl. She serves on the following Senate committees: Finance and Financial Institutions; Economic Development; Technology and Aerospace (ranking minority); Education and Health, Human Services and Aging. She is also president of the Ohio Legislative Black Caucus, which represents the eighteen African-American members of the Ohio General Assembly.
Senator Prentiss’ public service also includes a six-year term as an elected member of the State Board of Education.
SPECIAL ACHIEVEMENT: Lloyd G. Trotter, ‘72 BBA/’01 D. Bus.Adm.
Lloyd G. Trotter holds a 1973 bachelor’s degree in business administration. He is the president and chief executive office of GE Industrial Systems, a $5 billion global business headquartered in Plainville, Connecticut and one of 11 major business of the GE Company. GE Industrial Systems has more than 40,000 employees in over 90 major manufacturing facilities and 300 sales and service offices worldwide.
Mr. Trotter began his career in 1970 as a field service engineer with GE Lighting. He subsequently held production and technology positions of increasing responsibility in GE’s Lighting, Gas Turbine, Appliances, and ED&C businesses. He was elected vice president and general manager of manufacturing for ED&C in 1990. Two years later, he became president and CEO of the electrical distribution and control business and continues in that capacity for GE Industrial Systems. He became a senior vice president at GE in 1998.
Mr. Trotter is active in many professional and community organizations and is known for his commitment to volunteerism and mentoring. He is a trustee of the GE Fund, the founder and an active member of GE’s Afircan American Forum, and leads GE’s commitment to America’s Promise, through which the firm’s employees will perform one million hours of volunteer service by the year 2000.
HONORARY DOCTOR OF HUMANE LETTERS DEGREE: Herbert E. Strawbridge
Herbert E. Strawbridge has had a distinguished career as a business and civic leader in Cleveland.
He was affiliated with the former Higbee Company for 32 years, starting in 1955 as Assistant to the President and retiring in 1987 as Honorary Director. His other positions included Vice President/Treasurer, Director, Vice Chairman of the Board, President and Chief Executive Officer.
Mr. Strawbridge was instrumental in the redevelopment of The Flats. He founded the Leadership Cleveland program in 1977, chaired the Greater Cleveland Growth Association, served as president of both the John P. Murphy and Kulas foundations, and has been affiliated with countless other business, charitable, civic, cultural and educational organizations.