Stephen A. Perry

In January 2014, Trustee Stephen Perry retired from an eight-year career as president and executive director of the Pro Football Hall of Fame, in which he directed and oversaw the most extensive — and expensive — renovation in the Hall’s history. The $27 million Future 50 Project was designed to make the Hall of Fame the country’s premier sports museum.

In addition to his role at the Pro Football Hall of Fame, Perry spent 37 years with The Timken Co. Throughout his career with Timken, Perry led the accounting and human resources department and retired as Senior Vice President – Human Resources, Purchasing and Corporate Communications. Perry also has extensive leadership experience in government, at both the federal and state level. He was appointed by President, George W. Bush as the 17th administrator of the U.S. General Services Administration from 2001-05, and he served in the cabinet of then-Governor of Ohio, George Voinovich as director of the Department of Administration Services from 1991-93.

Perry began his post-high school education at Kent State University – Stark Campus. He holds a bachelor’s in accounting from The University of Akron and a master’s in management from Stanford University in California. He also attended the University of Michigan’s Executive Development program. Perry’s service includes serving on the Ohio Board of Regents (1993-2001), Pro Football Hall of Fame Board (1993-2001), Canton Urban League Board (1968-83), Mercy Medical Center Board (1984-91 and again from 2006-2015), Stark County District Library Board (1970-86), with three terms as chairman, United Way of Central Stark County Annual Campaign Chairman (1996), United Way Board (1985-2015), Pro Football Hall of Fame Festival General Chairman (1999), and the Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Kappa Tau Chapter.