The Akron-Canton Regional Foodbank welcomed new leaders to the organization. It recently named Katie Carver Reed as vice president and welcomed three new members to its board of directors.
Carver Reed has been with the Foodbank for 11 years. She began serving in the executive position at the beginning of 2023. She is responsible for the Foodbank’s partnerships with nearly 600 hunger-relief programs, the Foodbank’s direct service programs, oversees government compliance related to food distribution, and will lead strategy development and implementation for the organization.
Prior to her role as vice president, Carver Reed served as the director for the Foodbank’s network partners and programs department.
“Katie is a beloved Foodbanker and professional. She is known throughout the country for her work connecting the voices of the people served by the Foodbank to the heart of its mission,” said Dan Flowers, Foodbank president and CEO. “She is one of the founders of the Highland Square PorchRockr Festival and has served on many boards in the community. Her integrity and professional qualifications, love for Akron, the Foodbank, and for the people we serve make her a perfect fit for this new role.”
Before joining the Foodbank, Carver Reed began her nonprofit career at the Girl Scouts of North East Ohio where she focused on volunteer recruitment and community engagement. She earned her bachelor’s degree in political science and philosophy from Baldwin Wallace University and served as an intern for the Ohio Senate and former Congressman Dennis Kucinich.
Carver Reed is a recipient of the Greater Akron Chamber of Commerce’s 30 for the Future Award, a Torchbearers alum, graduate of the Child and Family Leadership Exchange, and a member of Leadership Akron Class 37.
“The Foodbank and our hunger-relief network have been a part of my life since my childhood, when hard times were made lighter thanks to the food they provided,” she said. “So, it has special meaning to me to do this work, and I am deeply honored to continue my service to the Foodbank and our region in this new role.”
At the beginning of the year, the Foodbank also welcomed new members to its board of directors, including Lisa Backlin, Dan Brophy and Nancy Hutchinson.
Backlin is a returning member to the Foodbank’s board of directors. Since 2020, she has served as the vice president, supply chain direct fulfillment at The Home Depot where she leads the network of customer fulfillment centers and market delivery operations. Previously, she served as the vice president, global distribution center strategy and operations at Eaton. Backlin lives in Hudson with her husband and two sons.
Brophy is new to the Foodbank’s board of directors. He is the senior vice president and regional director for the Akron, Canton and Mahoning Valley Regions of Huntington’s Private Bank. Prior to this role, he held various executive leadership roles for Huntington in strategy, finance and analytics for consumer and private banking business units. Brophy also serves on the board of directors for the Boys and Girls Club of Massillon. He, his wife and four children live in Uniontown.
“Hunger relief is important to me because when I was young, our family relied on government assistance and our local food pantries,” said Brophy. “The services the Foodbank provides families like mine are invaluable, and I’m just honored to be a part of this organization.”
Hutchinson is also new to the Foodbank’s board of directors. She is the president and general manager of The Americas Group, midwestern division of Sherwin-Williams. She is responsible for the sales and operations of 1,140 stores and the development of more than 7,500 employees. Prior to Sherwin-Williams, Hutchinson held various sales and marketing leadership roles with Akzo Nobel, Owens Corning and TOTO. Hutchinson, her husband and two daughters live in Medina.
“I’m excited and honored to serve on the Foodbank’s board as I believe it to be a very successful organization to bring community volunteers together to tackle the challenges of relieving hunger in Northeast Ohio. The Foodbank is a great way to get the youth of Northeast Ohio involved to embrace a service mindset,” said Hutchinson.
“Great leadership at the board and staff level is essential to the Foodbank’s strategic visioning for the organization’s future,” said Flowers. “The character, diverse expertise, breadth of experiences and passion these new leaders bring to our work help drive our mission forward. Our community is wonderfully represented at every level of the organization and we’re so proud to have amazing leadership.”