Each year, the Martha Holden Jennings Foundation recognizes and rewards a group of Ohio’s most effective educators by presenting four individuals with top educator awards. The honors are bestowed at the Foundation’s annual Educators Retreat. These professionals are admired by their colleagues, active in their communities, and have made long-standing achievements in their field. Candidates are nominated by their school administrators, or in the case of the outstanding superintendents, by their school boards, and submit an extensive application. They are selected by a panel of leading educators. The honorees receive cash awards to be used for educational projects of their choice.

The 2011 awardees are (l. to r.): Patrick Coleman, Arthur S. Holden Teacher Award for Excellence in Science Education, Euclid High School; Dr. Karen Mantia, Ohio Superintendent Outstanding Performance Award, Pickerington Local School District; Stephenie Eriksson, Master Teacher Award, Blanchester High School; and Joseph Schuch, George B. Chapman, Jr. Teacher Award for Excellence in Mathematics Education, Hudson High School.

The Foundation sponsors the Educators Retreat each summer to give educational leaders throughout the state an opportunity to discuss critical issues in education today.

Click here to view a list of past award winners 

Dr. Brian McNulty (left), Vice President of Leadership Development for The Leadership and Learning Center, Englewood, Colorado, was the presenter at the 2001 retreat. The title of his presentation was “Leaders Make It Happen!”

Mrs. Guren, who serves as Managing Partner, Guren Family Limited Partnership, has been an instrumental leader in education in Lake and Geauga counties for more than 25 years. She has served as President, Board of Trustees of Hershey Montessori School in Concord Township since 1985. In this role, she has provided leadership to develop and expand a complete Montessori program for children from ages one to fifteen. Prior to 1985, she served as Vice President and Secretary of the school.

Mrs. Guren also serves as President, Board of Trustees, The Hershey Foundation in Cleveland. She manages all aspects of the foundation including review of grant requests, correspondence, legal, and financial affairs.  She has held and continues to hold leadership positions on several boards in both educational and community organizations throughout the Cleveland area. These include Cleveland Botanical Garden, Montessori Development Partnerships, Hawken School, The Cleveland Foundation Lake-Geauga Fund, and Jewish Community Federation, among others. She began her career in education as a school psychologist in the Willoughby-Eastlake Schools.

Mrs. Guren earned a bachelor’s degree from The University of Michigan and a Master of Education, Educational Psychology, from John Carroll University.

Mr. Raskind, a consultant to banks and private equity bank investors, has 30 years of commercial banking experience. Until its merger with the PNC Financial Services Group, Mr. Raskind served as Chairman, President, and Chief Executive Officer of National City Corporation, which he joined in 2000. He accepted the position as President in 2006. Prior to National City, Mr. Raskind had a 17-year career with U.S. Bancorp/First Bank System, holding positions of successively greater responsibility in a broad range of disciplines.  In 2010, Mr. Raskind served as Interim CEO of the Cleveland Metropolitan School District while the District searched for a new, permanent CEO.

Within the community, he has served on numerous boards including the Cleveland Orchestra, Anti-Defamation League, Jewish Federation of Cleveland, and Northeast Ohio Council on Higher Education.
Mr. Raskind earned a bachelor’s degree from Dartmouth College and a Masters of Business Administration from the Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth.

The Foundation is pleased to welcome these individuals to the Board and looks forward to the insight and expertise they will add to the group.