History Of The Foundation

Under the leadership of Reggie Brockman, the Kidney Foundation of Greater Cincinnati was founded in 1966 by a group of renal professionals and lay leaders as a local arm of the Kidney Foundation of Cleveland.

First Board: Officers included: Nelson Runge, president; Mildred Combs, secretary; and Kathy Runge, treasurer.

Medical Advisory Board: Renal professionals led by Dr. Gordon Margolin and Dr. Clark West organized the Medical Advisory Board in 1966. The MAB established the Research Grant Award program in 1983. View list of grant recipients and published research

The agency was an affiliate of the Cleveland Kidney Foundation until 1969 when it was incorporated as a nonprofit agency under the name of the Kidney Foundation of Southwestern Ohio. In 1980, the Foundation affiliated with the Community Chest and disaffiliated with the National Kidney Foundation. Two years later the name Kidney Foundation of Greater Cincinnati was adopted.

Fund-Raising Efforts

The first fund-raising event was a dinner in the Continental Room of the Netherland Plaza with Dr. William Jones, president of the National Kidney Foundation, as featured speaker (1967).
The Masked Ball and the Trick or Treat candy sales began (1968).
The Bengal Bash was founded by Reggie Brockman (1970).
The Annual Reverse Raffle began (1988).
The Annual Kidney Classic golf benefit began (1985).
Entertainment Books and Candy were sold.
A Sporting Clays Shoot was held (1996).
Car donations began (1996).
The Tribute to the Clooneys gala event honored Nick, Rose Mary and George Clooney (1995).
United Way and Community Chest funding began (1980).
Tribute honoring Nick Clooney’s 50 years in broadcasting (2002).
Bracket Bash (2005)

Location, Board President & Staff

Office Location

1966 - Old Men's Home on Burnet Avenue was the first office location.
1969 - Executive Building on Seventh Street
1980 - Auburn Avenue office
1982 - 2350 Victory Parkway office
1987 - 2330 Victory Parkway
1998 - 2200 Victory Parkway, Suite 510

President Board of Trustees

1966-69 Nelson Runge
1969-71 Edward Hogan
1971-73 J.B. Buse
1973-76 Albert Heekin III
1976-78 Henry Hilberg III
1978-80 Walter Cassady
1980-82 Michael Higgins
1982-86 Elroy Bourgraf
1986-88 James Roetenberger
1988-90 Mary Anne Brennan
1990-92 Michael Florez
1992-94 David Cassady
1994-96 Chris Stubbins
1996-97 Michael Florez
1997-98 Janet Turek
1998-99 John Strietmann
1999-00 Randy Nutter
2000-01 Mike Wirthlin
2001-02 Kelly Devitt
2002-03 Randy McCorkle
2003-04 Chip Wood
2004-05 Dave McAdams
2005-07 Doug van der Zee
2007-2008 Karen Raver

Administrative Staff

1966 Robert Valerio was the first executive director
1969 Executive director Barbara Hunt was hired
1971 Executive director Ted Webber was hired
1982 Executive director Stan Stock was hired
1982 Executive secretary Mary Seta [later promoted to executive director] was hired
1985 Public Relations/Health Education coordinator Terry Susskind was hired
Later hired as Communications Coordinator
1991 Special programs coordinator Rose Mary Denning was hired
Later hired as Youth Health Education Coordinator
1999 Linda Parrish hired as Administrative Assistant
1999 Health Education coordinator LaVonya Humphrey was hired
2000 Mary Sutton and Jennifer Tierney as Administrative Assistants
2001 Health Education coordinator Thurman Williams was hired
2002 Executive director Leslie Ostrander was hired
2003 Pam Beck hired as Development Director
2003 Vanessa Warneke hired as Communications Director
2003 Andrew Stallworth hired as Public Health Education Director
2004 Brenita Brooks hired as Development Director
2006 Brenita Brooks hired as Executive Director
2006 Julie Poux hired for development and communications