Board of Directors

John is the President of The J.Red Group, a commercial real estate investment and asset management company focused on the hospitality, industrial and office sectors.  Mr. Comunale is primarily responsible for originating and analyzing investment opportunities, structuring investments and providing ongoing asset management to maximize asset performance. Prior to founding The J.Red Group, Mr. Comunale was part of the investment banking arm of the world’s largest hospitality services provider where he worked on a variety of debt and equity realty projects for hotels and resorts across the country.  He obtained his BSBA in real estate from the University of Denver and is an avid competitive cyclist.  Mr. Comunale co-founded the Stephen A. Comunale Jr. Family Cancer Foundation with his parents and sister to share with others his brother’s uplifting and inspiring story while battling cancer.

Monica Comunale Stevens serves as the Executive Director of the Foundation. In this role, Monica runs the day-to-day operations of our foundation, reviews grant applications, and works closely with social workers, hospital systems, and community partners to better serve the cancer community. Monica has been an active community volunteer for two decades in the Akron area for various organizations. She is an avid skier, hiker, and water sports enthusiast. She is a graduate of the Ohio State University.

Mr. Steve Comunale is the CEO and Founder of the S.A. Comunale Co., Inc a nationwide industry leading Mechanical and Fire Protection Contractor. Steve is a lifelong entrepreneur and has received numerous awards for his business accomplishments including being named “Entrepreneur of the Year” for Summit County by the Ohio State Senate and the “Stellar Performer” designation by Buckingham, Doolittle, and Burroughs, LLP. Steve also sits on the board of the Akron Art Museum and is the current Vice President of the Mechanical Contractors Association. Additionally, he is a past board member of the Interval Brotherhood Home “IBH” and Rocky Knoll. Steve’s “can do” mentality and tireless dedication to helping improve the quality of life of families affected by cancer in memory of his son Stephen A. Comunale Jr., is a driving force behind the foundation. Steve is a graduate of The Ohio State University.

Ms. Amanda Comunale joined GTP Services as the Chief Operations Officer in June 2020. In this role, Ms. Comunale is responsible for overseeing GTP’s Marketing, Strategic Planning, and Operations. Ms. Comunale’s career has spanned both the private and public sectors. Prior to GTP Services, Amanda served as the Director of VDC for Victaulic, where she was responsible for overseeing Victaulic’s global estimating, fabrication, BIM and construction technology initiatives that benefitted and supported Victaulic’s customers and its strategic growth objectives. Ms. Comunale has a distinguished history with numerous national and community organizations, including service with the MCAA WebLEM+Plus Taskforce. She received a B.A. in Political Science from Union College in Albany, New York and her Executive MBA from Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland, Ohio.

Since retiring as an office manager in her husband’s law firm and leaving behind a teaching career and a retail career, Ruthie became a member of the Board of Directors and Treasurer of the Creutzfeldt – Jakob Disease Foundation, which is a foundation, established to support the families and loved ones of individuals touched by CJD. Formerly, an active volunteer for the Akron Art Museum as a docent and fund raiser and currently a member of the Women’s Endowment Foundation Committee of the Akron Community Foundation. Ruth is currently co-chairing the capital campaign for Rotary Camp for Children with Special Needs. She also serves on the grant committee of the Comunale Family Cancer Foundation. Formerly, she volunteered for the Ohio Ballet, Temple Israel, Girls Scouts and PTA. She is a graduate of Kent State University, is married to Nicholas T. George and has two married children and two grandchildren.

Dennis McCluskey has been a Family Physician for over 30 years and has been involved in over 300 FDA trials for new medication. He has held numerous community leadership positions that included Chief of Staff for Akron City Hospital, Summit County Health Commissioner, a member of the Community Mental Health Board and Board of Trustees for Spring Hill College in Mobile, Alabama. Dr. McCluskey’s experience also includes 24 years as a Consultant/Regional Medical Director for Anthem/WellPoint Health Insurance. His family, which includes six children, grew up with the Comunale Family.

Dale Ruther a Partner of Bober Markey & Fedorovich, one of the region’s premier accounting and advisory firms. Dale is also a Board Member of Evant, Boys and Girls Club of the Western Reserve and is an honorary Board Member of Big Brothers and Sisters of Akron. Dale has previously served as a Board Member of the Nazareth Housing Development Corporation and the PKF ProfitCrew. Additionally, he is a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants, the United Way Community Investment Committee and the Construction Financial Management Association’s National Tax/Legislation Committee. Dale is a graduate of Walsh University.

Mr. Nick Betro is the newest member of our board. He is an international award-winning creative director, strategist, and proven leader who has worked with many Fortune 500 companies in the automotive, building products, healthcare, entertainment, and travel and leisure industries. He possesses the ability and talent to create succesful, result-driven campaigns and initiatives in both B2B and B2C channels. The vision to align new product development, positioning and marketing communications with geniune customer needs, motications and desires that help differentiate brands in the increasingly competitive marketplace. Nick serves on several other Board of Directors including: The Akron Marathon Charitable Corportation and Akron Roundtables. Additionally Nick is the Project Executive with University of Akron Research Foundation.

Mrs. Julie Deane is the Marketing Director for S. A. Comunale Co., Inc. Prior to joining S. A. Comunale, she worked for The Trillium Group and Bank One. Julie is an active volunteer in the community, involved with organizations such as Children’s Hospital, Akron Garden Club and Stan Hywet Hall and Gardens. Julie is a graduate of Lesley College.

Mr. Kevin H. Fink is a lawyer in the Los Angeles office of the law firm Alston & Bird where he practices in the Global Finance & Debt Products Group. He is a member of the America Bar Association and the New York Bar Association. Kevin received his BS in Communications from Miami University and his Juris Doctorate from the Case Western Reserve University School of Law where he graduated with honors and was a member of the Case Western Reserve Law Review and Moot Court Team. In his spare time, Kevin performs stand-up comedy and improvisational comedy at various venues and also plays soccer in Los Angeles with the Dinamo Soccuer Club.

Mr. Nick George is the former CEO and President of Buckingham, Doolittle & Burroughs, LLP where he specializes in business law and real estate. He provides day-to-day consultation to numerous businesses throughout Northeast Ohio. He is listed in Best Lawyers in America ® (2001 through present) and has been recognized as one of Ohio’s Super Lawyers™ in the 2004 through the present. Nick has a Martindale-Hubbell Rating of AV, which indicates very high to pre-eminent legal ability and very high ethical standards as established by confidential opinions from members of the Bar. He is a Member of the American, Ohio and Akron Bar Associations. Nick is affiliated with a number of civic activities including: Vice Presizdent, Board Member of the Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease Foundation; Board Member of The Rotary Club of Akron Camp for Children With Special Needs and Member of the International Council of Shopping Centers.

Brett Haverlick is a project manager with a focus on historical restoration employed by Coon Restoration, one of the premier masonry repair and historic restoration companies in the Midwest.

He has significant board experience, having served as an executive board member with the Barberton Community Foundation, an organization dedicated to improving the quality of life for Barberton residents, and currently holds the positions of executive board member and vice president with Progress Through Preservation of Greater Akron, which actively promotes and encourages the preservation, maintenance, restoration and adaptive reuse of buildings, sites and neighborhoods of historic or architectural significance in Summit County.

In addition to his extensive volunteer record, Brett brings a valued, personal perspective to our foundation as a cancer survivor, as well as a longstanding passion for our organization and its goals.

He’s been married to his wife, Janet, for almost 40 years, has three children and three grandchildren, and enjoys traveling in his spare time.

Edward Newman, CPM® was born and raised in Akron, Ohio. He is married (Judy) and is the father of three children. He is a graduate of Walsh Jesuit High School in Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio and continued his education at The Ohio State University, receiving a Bachelor of Arts degree. He is a licensed Realtor and is presently a member of the Akron-Cleveland Area Board of Realtors andz the National Board of Realtors. Newman has maintained a number of community interests through involvement with Leadership Akron, having graduated from their program in 1997, past Board Member of the Akron Shaw Jewish Community Center, the Summit County Historical Society, Beth-El Synagogue and past-President of the Board of Trustees of the American Cancer Society, Summit County, Ohio Chapter. Newman is on the Development Committee at Old Trail School.

Mr. Rennick Andreoli is President of RDA Hotel Management Company. As an active supporter of the community, Rennick has served as a Trustee for the Hotel and Restaurant Employees Health and Welfare Pension Fund, served on the boards of the Akron Community Foundation, the Akron Art Museum, Portage Country Club and the Finance Committee for Stan Hywet Hall and Gardens. He’s also a member of the Bluecoats, honorary chairman of Sugartown Express, past co-chairman of the Annual Cystic Fibrosis Golf Tournament and served on the Construction Committee for the Akron Art Museum. He also currently sits on the boards of the Akron Rotary Camp and the Hilton Advisory Ownership Council.

In addition, Rennick provided the funding and volunteer labor to build a home for the “Habitat for Humanity” program. He’s also endowed a scholarship for the University of Akron’s Hospitality Management Program that’s awarded annually to encourage students to pursue his life-long interest in the industry.

Rennick is a recipient of the Akron/Summit Convention Bureau’s Zenith Chairman’s Award for his dedication and service to the hospitality industry, the Mayor’s Award for Outstanding Business Person of the Year, the SMEI Distinguished Sales and Marketing Award and the Outstanding Philanthropist Award. In 2011, Rennick was named a Paul Harris Fellow by the Rotary Club for his service with the Rotary Camp in Akron, Ohio, and in 2013 received the William C. Zekan Award for distinguished service. He’s also received a Certificate of Special Congressional Recognition for his outstanding service to the community. In October 2014, the Akron Community Foundation presented him with the Bert A. Polsky Humanitarian Award.

Rennick served on our Foundation’s board from its inception in 2006 through 2022. His tenure included seven years as board chairman, a position he held from 2006-2013.

Ms. Susan B. Schoellkopf is the President and Owner of SBS Farms Inc. Additionally, she’s the Executive Director of The Buffalo Therapeutic Riding Center located in Buffalo, New York. She sits on numerous boards, including the United States Equestrian Foundation, the New York State Parks Commission, and the Gilda’s Club of Western New York. Stephen was a student at SBS Farms for sixteen years. He ran The BTRC shows and trained for SBS Farms. The BTRC show series has been dedicated to Stephen.

Susan served on the Foundation’s board from its inception in 2006 through 2022.