Diversity Center's Annual Award Winners Celebrated

The programs may change, the faces may change and the challenges may change. But since its founding in 1927, the
Diversity Center of Northeast Ohio has not changed its commitment: an unwavering mission to “eliminate bias, bigotry and racism,” according to President and CEO Peggy Zone Fisher.

That commitment was reaffirmed at the Diversity Center’s 69th Annual Humanitarian Award Celebration, held at the Renaissance Cleveland Hotel. Top honors were given to the 2023 Humanitarian Award honorees, Robyn Minter Smyers, partner, Thompson Hine, and Chris Gorman, chairman, CEO and president, KeyCorp.

“These are not just humanitarians at work. They take it home to their communities,” says Zone Fisher. “The role of the humanitarian has become more crucial than ever. These individuals inspire action, urging us to be vocal in the face of injustice and to actively contribute to inclusive environments.” 

The Diversity Center takes “a firm stand against hate by prioritizing education,” says Zone Fisher, realizing that “knowledge is a powerful tool to dissolve fear.” 

Working with schools, companies, law firms, health care systems and nonprofits, the Diversity Center teaches tools “that translate into real-world actions that contribute to a more inclusive society,” she says. “We go into schools and teach how to be an ally for someone who doesn’t have a voice.” 

The Diversity Center operates in 11 counties, servicing urban and suburban schools. Zone Fisher says the Humanitarian Awards “are not merely symbolic; they represent individuals actively applying
acquired skills to make a difference.”

Robyn Minter Smyers

Last year, Robyn Minter Smyers accompanied her family, including two of her children who are now seniors in high school, on a trip to France. The journey, organized for the Shaker Heights High School Marching Band, included a visit to Omaha Beach in Normandy. 

“We were with young people that day who were almost the same age as the American GIs who liberated people they never met when they decided the fate of the world,” says Minter Smyers. “To me, it was disheartening when I was there to think that an army of dictators is still rolling through Europe. But we can stand up for justice like the GIs did. Right now, there is an important fight for the soul of America, and it rests on the shoulders of young people. It is our job as community leaders to support them.”

But Minter Smyers’ commitment to humanitarian efforts isn’t focused just on youth. Her leadership with many community organizations and initiatives “has focused on civil engagement, philanthropy, education and diversity, equity and inclusion over the past 20 years,” benefiting all people. 

“I’ve served on the board of the Diversity Center of Northeast Ohio since 2010 and am the immediate past president of the City Club of Cleveland, where I have served on the board since 2009,” says Minter Smyers, whose parents, Dolly and Steve Minter, were well-known Northeast Ohio humanitarians. In addition, Minter Smyers has been involved with the George W. Codrington Charitable Foundation, the Treu-Mart Fund, the Cleveland Foundation’s Committee on Student Success, the Links Inc. and the Museum of Contemporary Art - Cleveland. Minter Smyers says we need to listen closely to one another and be aware of how easy it is to demonize people who have different perspectives than we do. In her Humanitarian Award acceptance speech, Minter Smyers pointed out the “awful surge in antisemitism across the globe, anti-LGBTQ violence, ferocious attacks on the rights of transgender people, racism against Black and Brown people, Islamophobia, the whitewashing of school curricula and banning books.

“If you are like me, then right now your heart is breaking,” Minter Smyers told the audience. “We also need to invest more in institutions like the City Club of Cleveland. It’s the kind of place where civic, civil dialogue is still really happening.” 

Minter Smyers’ Humanitarian Award also reflects her work as an attorney with Thompson Hine, spotlighting her
contributions to major community impact projects, including the redevelopment of Public Square, the development of Hilton Cleveland Downtown and the current restoration of the West Side Market.

Chris M. Gorman

The deceptively simple, but clever red key is one of the most recognizable corporate logos in northeast Ohio.
But the logo of KeyCorp (and its primary subsidiary KeyBank) that looms at the top of tall buildings, including Key Tower in Cleveland, and is featured in company advertising, isn’t just well known in Ohio. KeyCorp serves 3.5 million clients in 15 states and manages $188 billion in assets. The bank’s history and mergers can be traced back to 1825.  

Chris M. Gorman is chairman, CEO and president of KeyCorp, a company that by its very size, influence
and strength is a powerful example in any community. Gorman takes that responsibility seriously.

“I have been grateful for many incredible opportunities in my career. I believe that with each of these opportunities came an obligation to serve and uplift our neighbors and neighborhoods,” says Gorman, a KeyBank employee for three decades who credits KeyCorp’s approximately 17,000 employees for much of the company’s success. “Service is central to my personal commitment — to my company and to my community — and I take that commitment to heart every day.”

Gorman says that “behind every investment, every deposit, every loan, every dollar of philanthropy and every volunteer hour — to clients or in our communities — are real lives and livelihoods impacted and often transformed.”

“I have found that listening, learning and really taking the time to understand someone’s story or challenge demonstrates respect and caring,” says Gorman, who is a member of the Business Roundtable, serves as chairman of the Ohio Business Roundtable and is a member of the executive committee of the Greater Cleveland Partnership, among other volunteer positions. “A simple follow-up such as, ‘tell me more about that,’ ensures that someone feels heard and cared for and importantly, ensures that you learn something along the way.

“We have the power to give voice to the voiceless and to put a much-needed spotlight on societal challenges.
Slowing down, being attentive and actively, earnestly engaged, goes a long way toward understanding and addressing challenges, especially in a world that moves quickly and has a short attention span.”

KeyCorp has been recognized for its many humanitarian actions over the decades. A recent honor includes being named one of only 65 2023 Leading Disability Employers by the National Organization on Disability. The award “honors those organizations that prioritize diversity, equity and importantly, accessibility — setting a high standard for others to follow,” according to the organization. 

2O23 Humanitarian Award Honorees: