HALL OF FAME FESTIVAL CHAIRMAN, GEORGE LEMON, TO BE FEATURED SPEAKER AT FRIDAY'S MEETING

 

George Lemon, a retired business leader and long-time community activist recognized for his ability to get things done and bring people together for positive change, is serving as general chairman of activities for the 2015 Pro Football Hall of Fame Enshrinement Festival. The world-renowned festival will celebrate the 52nd anniversary of the annual enshrinement of football players, coaches, and contributors into the Pro Football Hall of Fame, in the annual “One of a Kind Celebration!” planned by the Enshrinement Festival department of the Canton Regional Chamber of Commerce. 

 

Lemon is leading the chairmen of 26 Canton Regional Chamber of Commerce committees, who hold in excess of 350 meetings throughout the year, to attend to the massive details of planning and staging several Enshrinement Festival events.  He is well-known for his reputation for getting involved, getting things done, and bringing people together for positive change.

 

His strong leadership skills led to a 23-year career in the U.S. Army and National Guard.  As a Commissioned Armor Officer and Helicopter Pilot, he commanded numerous Army units including a Helicopter Group located at the Akron Canton Airport.  He retired from Military service as a Senior Aviator and Intelligence Officer at the rank of Major.  He was employed at AMETEK for 25 years, a Fortune 500 company, where he held a variety of positions, including Vice President of Marketing and Sales. He founded Technical Products Group, Inc., and led this very successful business as its president until his retirement in 2007.

 

Lemon served on United Way’s Board of Directors, and in 2005, he received the United Way of Stark County’s prestigious “Gold Key Award” for outstanding community service. His active membership in the Canton Museum of Art was instrumental in bringing the first two nationally-known African artists, Bing Davis and Dean Mitchell, exhibits to Canton Museum of Art and Stark County Schools. As the Chairman of the Board of Directors at Goodwill Industries, he was instrumental in leading the initiative to bring the $5-plus million dollar community campus at Goodwill to Canton, Ohio. He is a past Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Canton Regional Chamber of Commerce.

 

He is a member of the Aultman Health Foundation and Aultman Dunlap Hospital Board of Directors and is current President of the Aultman Foundation.  He serves as the President of the Stark State College Foundation Board, and Stark State College honored him as “Alumnus of the Year” at their commencement ceremonies in 2003. In May of 2010, he was presented with the Ohio Association of Community Colleges’ Distinguished Alumnus Award which highlighted his contributions toward the improvement of the community, professional achievement, volunteer service, participation in public service organizations, and involvement in civic functions. George and his wife Kaleen reside in Jackson Township, have four children and thirteen grandchildren.