Beverly Smith
There aren’t very many people who can say they have lived in the same house all their lives. But loyal Rocky River native Beverly Smith was just 10 days old when her parents brought her home from the hospital in 1936, and she’s never lived anywhere else.
Smith’s family has deep River roots, including having the roadway, Smith Court, named after her ancestors. Smith has been a professional ballerina, a teacher, a playwright, an actress and a singer with a group at the Senior Center. She has used all those talents to help make Rocky River a better place to live, especially for older adults.
Mayor Pamela Bobst praises Smith’s long-time volunteerism with the Rocky River Senior Center:
“Beverly is absolute sunshine. She has a very positive attitude, is a great ambassador for the city and gives back in a lot of ways,” says Bobst. “I enjoy talking and listening to her about what it was like growing up as a child here.”
Smith is happy to tell anyone, for instance, about Rocky River’s historic “Sand Pit,” a social gathering spot where, for years, the fire department and local families would burn discarded Christmas trees along Detroit Road at Linda Street.
“I’m not anyone special,” insists Smith, who graduated from Rocky River High School in 1954. “A lot of people come here, settle here and stay here because River is that kind of community where you can do that. In 13 more years, I hope to make it a century of living here.”
David Lipinsky
Ever since David Lipinsky became the executive director of the Rocky River Chamber of Commerce in July 2023, he has been riding a wave of activity as its new leader. But that hasn’t knocked Lipinsky off balance. He and his wife are paddleboard and surf athletes who compete across the country, including events in Rehoboth Beach, Delaware, this past summer.
“It’s a great hobby to have, being so close to the water here. We have a great surfing community,” says Lipinsky, who grew up in Hudson and graduated from Miami University in Oxford, Ohio.
Lipinsky has a diverse career background, including positions with JMI Sports, the Cleveland Browns, the Lake Erie Monsters, the City of Cleveland and the Greater Cleveland Partnership. All have allowed him to bring unique experience to his position with the Chamber.
Through his leadership and with his team, Lipinsky plans to continue to provide resources for the Chamber’s 470 members.
“A big piece of what we do is also creating quality events that not only affect the community in a positive way, but provide return on investment for our members,” notes Lipinsky, citing Taste of River and the Rocky River Business Expo as two of the most popular events.
Becoming the Chamber’s executive director also has its fun perks, Lipinsky says, especially if you enjoy dining out.
“My wife and I are definitely concentrating more on Rocky River when we go out to a restaurant or bar, now more than ever,” he says. “It’s mostly because we want to see and meet everyone in the business community. But also, it’s been great to try some places that were not on our radar before. We are seeing different sides of the community that we didn’t really know before.”
