Dea (Douglas) Hurston

Dea “Dee Dee” (Douglas) Hurston was born in East Liverpool and attended Horace Mann School, East Junior High, and East Liverpool High School, graduating as a proud member of the Class of 1969. After high school, she moved to Minnesota with her best friend, attended Concordia University and majored in Education. There, she met and married her husband, Osborn Hurston, and quickly moved to Los Angeles, which she hated. They then moved to San Diego, which she loves. She and Osborn raised a daughter and a son and now have two amazing grandsons. Faith and family are important to Dea and she always joked that her work as a high school teacher and successful business owner were simply jobs she did to support her career as a mother.

For the past thirty years, Dea has had a tremendous impact on the San Diego community… wearing many hats. She is a longtime arts advocate, patron, and philanthropist. Highly regarded in the community as a staunch supporter of inclusion and diversity, she is an advocate of women leaders and providing access to the arts for children. A former teacher who has successfully mentored countless women in and out of the arts, Dea is actively sought for her advice, mentorship, and financial savvy. She has proven to be a mover and a shaker who gets things done.

A former commissioner of arts for the City of San Diego, Dea is a board member at multiple organizations, a sponsor of countless diverse productions, and has chaired many fundraising events within the community. The latter has resulted in raising millions of dollars for non-profit groups in the San Diego area. She believes all service is philanthropy, not just writing a check. She actively supports numerous theatres and arts boards.

Along the way, she has received countless awards and honors acknowledging her ongoing dedication to giving back to the community, including the Standing Ovation Award, Girl Scouts Cool Woman, A MOXIE, Serving Seniors, Women of Dedication, Mo’olelo Founders Award, Patte Theatre Angel, La Jolla Playhouse Star Award, MiLady Honors, This is Gaffney Honors, Kuumba Fest NIA Award, Woman of Distinction, and Women Who Make Theatre Happen.

Outside of her work in the local arts community, she has also been an active member of multiple service and advisory boards, including the San Diego Commission of Arts and Culture, Balboa Park Task Force, San Diego State University Professional Studies and Fine Arts Advisory Board, to name a few. Dea is most proud of establishing the Hurston Fellowship at San Diego State University, which assists women, and other underserved voices, to participate in internships that lead to employment in positions that have historically been closed to them.

As an artist, Dea is also an award-winning playwright who writes captivating stories inspired by the diverse experiences and people she has met along her journey. Several years ago, she began writing again, a love from her school days, after experiencing a life changing accident. Shortly thereafter, she was diagnosed with cancer. These issues still plague her but did not stop her from taking on yet another “new” job as a writer.

During the pandemic, she began working on a holiday musical, 1222 OCEANFRONT: A Black Family Christmas, which was produced to great acclaim by New Village Arts Theatre in December of 2021. The play, her first musical, was voted San Diego’s Best Live Theatrical Performance in 2021. Dea is thrilled that play has been renewed for the 2022 holiday season. Her play, I WANT TO MARRY LITTLE STEVE WONDER, has been commissioned by the Old Globe Theatre for further development. Playwrights’ Project is set to produce her play, FAMILY, as part of its Mosaic Project in the fall of 2022. Dea’s play on aging and love, IN SICKNESS AND IN HEALTH, is now a short film she hopes to release soon. She also has a coffee table book, The Play’s The Thing, covering 30 years of theatre in San Diego.

On July 7, 2022, the San Diego community will break ground to honor Dea in a permanent way by naming The Dea Hurston New Village Arts Center in her honor. She continues to inspire and empower women to find their voices at every stage of life.

Dru Joyce II

Dru Joyce II was born in East Liverpool into a hard-working, close-knit family who instilled a backbone of faith and a set of values which affected not only him – but which ultimately molded and shaped the lives of many young people who went on to become extraordinary adults.

To this day, Dru attributes much of who he is to the training and teaching he received in his hometown. A 1973 graduate of East Liverpool High School, he was a member of the football and track teams, and played a lot of playground basketball, where his early love for the game began. After receiving a degree in Business Economics from Ohio University, he worked in the corporate world for the next 25 years, landing in Akron, Ohio.

About this time, Dru’s young son, Dru III, began playing basketball in various church leagues there, and Dru was “just a dad who got involved”, realizing the need was great for adult direction and guidance. From this humble beginning came the rise of the St. Vincent St. Mary Fighting Irish basketball team that went on to win seven state championships and a National Title under his leadership as head coach. “Coach Dru”, as he is affectionately known, is quick to acknowledge he had “a good group of kids”, which included Dru III and a young guy named LeBron James.

Coach Dru has been named USA Today’s Coach of the Year and remains as one of the nation’s most influential high school basketball coaches. He is a motivator and a mentor to countless young men, several of whom have gone on to play basketball professionally. His accolades are numerous – including being named Ohio Athletic Association’s “Coach of the Year” and “All American Coach” in the McDonald’s All-American Basketball Games. Recently, he was inducted into the Lou Holtz/Upper Ohio Valley Hall of Fame in his hometown and regularly speaks to youth, corporate employees, sales professionals and educators with his compelling message of faith, success and winning.

Currently, he serves as the Director of the Northeast Ohio Basketball Association and has authored the book “Beyond Championships: A Playbook for Winning at Life” which features what it means to step out in faith to become successful and to help others see value in themselves. His book is a blueprint for navigating teams through challenging obstacles and achieving their dreams. LeBron James credits “Coach Dru” with helping him reach his potential as both a basketball player and a man.

Dru and his wife, Carolyn, are the proud parents of four (daughters Ursula and India, and sons Dru III and Cameron) and have eight grandchildren. They are members of the House of the Lord in Akron, where Dru serves as a trustee. He also serves on the board of Emmanuel Christian Academy.

J.D. Gauron

It has been said that the true test of a man is what he does when no one is watching. When it comes to supporting others and taking delight in their successes, J.D. Gauron, Class of 1972, has led his life by uplifting and encouraging everyone around him. Many who know him say his life experiences have helped him become one of the most solid, compassionate and dependable people they’ve ever met.

Born in East Liverpool to John C. and Patricia “Pat” Gauron, J.D. was raised in a loving home and had solid family values instilled in him at a young age – values he would especially cling to following the sudden death of his father while J.D. was still in high school. His faith and his family have continued to be the tenets of his life. Married to his high school sweetheart, Susan (Hocking) Gauron for over 45 years, J.D. remains – more than ever – proud of his roots and the lessons he learned by growing up in his beloved hometown.

Following their high school graduation, J.D. and Susan attended The Ohio State University, where J.D. earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration and a degree in Business Finance with a specialty in Insurance and Risk. They returned to East Liverpool, where they proudly raised their three daughters, while Susan taught school at North Elementary for the next 35 years.

J.D. began a long career of helping others in the insurance industry and was a partner in the MEGA Insurance Group for 42 years. A member of the Gamma Iota Sigma Collegiate Insurance Society, he achieved designation of Certified Insurance Counselor in 1989. He was not only a successful insurance underwriter, but he quickly became an advocate of his community, getting to know not only his clients – but their families, and their struggles as well as their joys. Through his many personal friendships and acquaintances, he was able to rally the enthusiasm of others to make great things happen. He served as a founding member of the ELHS Alumni Association, serving as a trustee for many years. He was selected as president of the ELHSAA in January 2000, during which time many successful projects were implemented, including charity auctions which raised tens of thousands of dollars for the benefit of future alumni.

Due to his love of high school athletics, he became the founding president of the East Liverpool Potters Rebound Club and was a huge proponent of all sports programs. He served as chairman of the East Liverpool FISH organization, also serving on their board. For many years, J.D. was a trustee and chairman of the board of the East Liverpool City Hospital, where he was a part of the Medical-Executive Committee, Labor Relations Committee, and was co-chairman of the Cardiac Classic Golf Committee, to name a few. In addition, J.D. belonged to the Kiwanis Club and was a board member of the Riverview Cemetery Association. In 1994, he was the recipient of the Francis H. Lang Distinguished Service Award for Outstanding Service to the community, presented by the Jaycees.

J.D. credits his faith with much of his success in life. He was a member, an elder, a deacon, a trustee, and worship leader at Trinity Presbyterian Church throughout the years and coached youth league basketball there. He is currently a member of Overbrook Presbyterian Church in Columbus.

In addition to daughters, Kate Gauron, Jessica Roush and Jackie Creamer, J.D. and Susan love spending time with their four grandsons, working outside, following all things Ohio State… and of course, always rooting for the “Potters”.

Dr. Michael Triplett

There are no shortcuts to any place worth going….and Dr. Michael “Mike” Triplett, Ph.D. has definitely earned a spot at the top of the ladder for his many life achievements. Certainly, he has made East Liverpool proud.

Growing up in East Liverpool, Mike recalls the challenging times he and his family experienced first-hand when his father – president of a local union – lost his job due to the socio-economic hardships of the early 1980’s. Always a self-starter and a hard worker, Mike became increasingly interested in understanding the connection between economic development and renewal, and sustainability and innovation.

A 1993 graduate of East Liverpool High School, Mike was a standout scholar and athlete. A first-generation college graduate, Mike received his Bachelor of Science in Chemical Engineering (summa cum laude) and a Ph.D. in Chemical Engineering from The Ohio State University as a United States Department of Defense National Defense Science and Engineering Graduate Fellow and University Fellow. He began his career at Procter & Gamble as a Product Development Engineer prior to attending graduate school. After completing his graduate work in lipid nanoparticle engineering, he joined Batelle, where he held roles of progressing responsibility – spanning business development, innovation, new venture development and strategy in Health and Life Sciences Global Business.

Mike is co-founder, President and CEO of Armatus Bio, Inc., a gene therapy company based in Columbus, developing next generation precision therapies for genetically driven neuromuscular diseases, and Neucore Bio, Inc., a gene therapy company developing next generation viral and nonviral precision therapeutics for genetically driven neurological disorders. In addition, he is co-founder and board co-chairman of Clarametyx Biosciences, Inc., a preclinical infectious disease company pursuing paradigm shifting therapeutics and vaccines for the treatment and prevention of bacterial biofilm mediated diseases, after serving as founding president and CEO. Mike also co-founded and served as President and CEO of Myonexus Therapeutics, a clinical stage gene therapy company developing first-ever treatments for limb-girdle muscular dystrophies that Sarepta Therapeutics acquired in 2019.

He serves on the InnovateOhio Advisory Board for the DeWine-Husted administration, the Ohio Federal Research Network Executive Review Board, and BioOhio Board of Trustees, where he is Vice-Chairman, and the Ohio Gene and Cell Therapy Council, where he is co-Chairman. He also serves as a Venture Advisor to the Ohio Innovation Fund, and is a Founding Partner of Carmen Ventures, an emerging venture capital fund created by OSU alumni. Excelling at the interfaces of business and biotech innovation, Mike is passionate about life sciences technology ventures, innovation, technology-based economic development, and STEM education.

While his accomplishments and accolades are mind-boggling to most, Mike remains a humble and generous supporter and promoter of people – never forgetting where his roots were planted. He currently resides in New Albany, Ohio, with his wife, Nanette, and daughters Victoria and Jacqueline.

Paul H. Zehnder

It’s probably safe to say that when one thinks of former radio station AM-1490 WOHI, the booming voice of Paul Zehnder quickly comes to mind. Many knew him as the “Radio Man”, the “Talk Back Guy” or the ever-present and familiar “Voice of East Liverpool”, but for countless years, that voice connected the city and its people in a thread of news and commentary that was unmistakable and memorable.

Paul H. Zehnder was a 1948 graduate of East Liverpool High School and became interested in politics and community activism at a young age. Following high school, he proudly served in the U.S. Army during the Korean War, then returned to his hometown where he was well-known for his leadership in the city of East Liverpool, Columbiana County and the tri-state area in many capacities through the years. He was a longtime member of the American Legion Post #374.

Serving as City Auditor and City Council Clerk for a number of years, Paul was also a member and secretary of the East Liverpool Planning Commission and served on the Health Board for over 20 years as well. A past president and life member of the East Liverpool Jaycees, he received the prestigious P.J. O’Farrell award. A member of the Columbiana County Election Board, he was also a precinct committeeman and a state convention delegate multiple times. Recognized for his longtime service in the GOP, Paul was named Columbiana County’s Republican of the Year in 1999.

An advocate of education, Paul was a founding member of the ELHS Alumni Association, serving on the Board of Directors from 1986-1998, and was the Master of Ceremonies for three All-Class Reunions. He helped organize the Citizen’s Scholarship Foundation which helped numerous young people over the years. He was also instrumental in establishing the Columbiana County Airport and served on its board for many years. In addition, he was a founder of the North Ohio Valley Air Authority in 1973 and held membership on the board for many years. Paul was also a member of the Society for the Preservation and Appreciation of Antique Fire Apparatus in America and was awarded one of only four local honorary memberships in East Liverpool’s Association of Fire Fighters Local #24.

A booster of his hometown, he helped begin the Tri-State Pottery Festival, and served as a charter member of the planning committee. Paul had been a City Recreational Council member at one time and organized the local effort to help save the Delta Queen, for which he was recognized by the company president for his endeavors. He was a charter member of the Sandy & Beaver Canal Association, and he also belonged to the East Liverpool, Wellsville and Columbiana County historical societies.

Paul was outspoken but quick to give the benefit of the doubt. He was interested in people and loved a good debate. During his numerous years at the microphone – many of those years he served as News Director – Paul was proud of the sixteen awards he received from the Ohio Associated Press Broadcasters Association for excellence in broadcast journalism. His “voice” will long be remembered in so many facets of East Liverpool’s illustrious history; appropriately, he would close out his broadcasts by saying “until next time… if the good Lord’s willin’ and the creek don’t rise”.

Dr. Robert A. Cain

From the time Dr. Robert A. “Bob” Cain was a young boy living in the East End of East Liverpool, those who knew him best would say he was destined to help people. Always considerate and caring, especially when it came to his parents, Max and Lora Cain – who still reside in the family home in LaCroft – Bob surprised no one when he went on to become a successful Family Practice physician with a passion for aiding the underserved.

Throughout high school, Bob was a well-rounded and well-liked student who earned the respect of teachers and classmates alike. The Salutatorian of the Class of 1978, he also served as president of his class and had the lead in the senior play, in addition to earning four varsity letters in Baseball and Cross Country. He had been sports editor of both the yearbook and the school newspaper and also worked as a sports reporter for the local newspapers while he was a student.

Bob earned the Ohio Academic Merit Scholarship that year and went on to study Chemical Engineering and Biology at the University of Cincinnati, where he was a Voorheis Scholar – the university’s most prestigious academic scholarship. Throughout his college career, he researched human population genetics, and was graduated cum laude in 1982. From there, he entered the Medical College of Ohio in Toledo, where he worked on inborn errors of metabolism research before graduating in 1987.

Following the completion of his residency in Family Medicine at Aultman Hospital, where he was named Chief Resident, Bob joined Brunswick (Ohio) Family Practice in 1990. In 1997, Dr. Cain and his team joined the Cleveland Clinic as the first group of family physicians to join the Clinic. During his 25 years there, he has served in multiple academic positions and is currently the Director of Family Medicine Education for students at the Clinic. Additionally, he has published original research and other articles in peer-reviewed publications.

Since 2013, Bob has participated in nearly twenty medical mission trips to Nicaragua and Peru. He and his teams have worked on community development projects that included public health fairs, remote medical clinics, construction of a pre-school for children at risk… and have collaborated with other non-governmental organizations there on medical education projects and home medical visits. He has also been instrumental in developing a sustainable egg program for preschoolers and a rehabilitation center for local residents afflicted by alcoholism through his association with the faith-based mission organization One Collective.

Bob and his wife, Christy, are the parents of five children. Together, they enjoy travel, grandchildren and live music as often as possible.