65 Notable alumni of
Cleveland State University
Updated:
Cleveland State University is 913th in the world, 336th in North America, and 314th in the United States by aggregated alumni prominence. Below is the list of 65 notable alumni from Cleveland State University sorted by their wiki pages popularity. The directory includes famous graduates and former students along with research and academic staff.
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Stipe Miocic
- Occupations
- mixed martial arts fighter
- Biography
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Stipe Miocic is an American professional mixed martial artist. He currently competes in the Heavyweight division in the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC), where he is a former two time UFC Heavyweight Champion. As of November 14, 2023, he is #4 in the UFC heavyweight rankings.
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Tim Russert
- Occupations
- writerlawyertelevision presenterreporterjournalist
- Biography
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Timothy John Russert was an American television journalist and lawyer who appeared for more than 16 years as the longest-serving moderator of NBC's Meet the Press. He was a senior vice president at NBC News, Washington bureau chief and also hosted an eponymous CNBC/MSNBC weekend interview program. He was a frequent correspondent and guest on NBC's The Today Show and Hardball. Russert covered several presidential elections, and he presented the NBC News/Wall Street Journal survey on the NBC Nightly News during the 2008 U.S. presidential election. Time magazine included Russert in its list of the 100 most influential people in the world in 2008. Russert was posthumously revealed as a 30-year source for syndicated columnist Robert Novak.
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Dennis Kucinich
- Occupations
- politician
- Biography
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Dennis John Kucinich is an American politician. Originally a Democrat, Kucinich served as U.S. Representative from Ohio's 10th congressional district from 1997 to 2013. From 1977 to 1979, he served a term as mayor of Cleveland, where he narrowly survived a recall election and successfully fought an effort to sell the municipal electric utility before losing his reelection contest to George Voinovich.
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Nina Turner
- Occupations
- politicianhistorian
- Biography
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Nina Hudson Turner is an American politician and television personality. A member of the Democratic Party, she was a Cleveland City Council member from 2006 to 2008 and a member of the Ohio Senate from 2008 until 2014. Turner was the Democratic nominee for Ohio Secretary of State in 2014, but lost in the general election against incumbent Jon Husted, receiving 35.5 percent of the vote. A self-described democratic socialist, her politics have been variously described as progressive, left-wing, or far-left.
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Marcia Fudge
- Enrolled in Cleveland State University
- In 1983 graduated with Juris Doctor
- Occupations
- politicianinternational forum participantlawyer
- Biography
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Marcia Louise Fudge is an American attorney and politician serving as the 18th United States Secretary of Housing and Urban Development since 2021. A member of the Democratic Party, she served as the U.S. representative for Ohio's 11th congressional district from 2008 to 2021. The district includes most of the black-majority precincts between Cleveland and Akron.
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Norris Cole
- Occupations
- basketball player
- Biography
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Norris Gene Cole II is an American professional basketball player for the NBA G League Ignite of the NBA G League. A 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) tall point guard, he is a two-time NBA champion, winning back-to-back titles in 2012 and 2013 with the Miami Heat in his first and second years in the NBA. In his seven NBA seasons, Cole made the playoffs all but once (2016).
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Bryn Forbes
- Occupations
- basketball player
- Biography
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Bryn Jerrel Forbes is an American professional basketball player who last played for the Minnesota Timberwolves of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He played college basketball for Cleveland State and Michigan State, and became a reliable three-point shooter. He plays both guard positions.
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Connie Schultz
- Occupations
- writerjournalist
- Biography
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Connie Schultz is an American writer, journalist, and educator. Schultz has been a columnist for several publications. After several years as a freelance writer, Schultz became a columnist at Cleveland's daily newspaper, The Plain Dealer, a role she held from 1993 to 2011, winning the 2005 Pulitzer Prize for Commentary for "her pungent columns that provided a voice for the underdog and underprivileged". She also wrote for USA Today and had a syndicated column for Creators Syndicate.
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Annie Easley
- Occupations
- computer scientistengineermathematician
- Biography
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Annie Easley was an African American computer scientist and accomplished mathematician who made critical contributions to NASA's rocket systems and energy technologies over her 34-year career. As a black female in America during the 1950s, she faced heavy adversity throughout her career and was often underrepresented and disregarded. Despite these barriers Easley demonstrated perseverance and determination to make a name for herself in a line of work dominated by males. She demonstrated exceptional skills in mathematics, data analysis, and code development across projects focused on alternative energy sources, improved power systems, and launch capabilities enabling space communication and exploration.
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Koo Bon-moo
- Enrolled in Cleveland State University
- Graduated with master's degree
- Occupations
- chief executive officerbusinessperson
- Biography
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Koo Bon-moo was a South Korean business executive, who gained worldwide fame as the renamer and business executive of the LG Group.
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Frank G. Jackson
- Occupations
- politicianlawyer
- Biography
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Frank George Jackson is an American lawyer and politician who served as the 57th Mayor of Cleveland, Ohio from 2006 to 2022. He was first elected on November 8, 2005, unseating incumbent Jane Campbell, and re-elected in 2009, 2013, and 2017. Having served four full terms, he is the longest-serving mayor in Cleveland history. On May 6, 2021, he announced he would not seek re-election in 2021.
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Ron Kuby
- Occupations
- radio personalitylawyer
- Biography
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Ronald L. Kuby is an American criminal defense and civil rights lawyer, radio talk show host and television commentator. He has also hosted radio programs on WABC Radio in New York City and Air America radio.
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Timothy F. Murphy
- Enrolled in Cleveland State University
- Graduated with master's degree
- Occupations
- politicianpsychologistteacher
- Biography
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Timothy Francis Murphy is an American former politician and psychologist who served as the U.S. representative for Pennsylvania's 18th congressional district from 2003 until his resignation in 2017. The district included several suburbs south of Pittsburgh. A member of the Republican Party, he also represented the 37th Senate district in the Pennsylvania State Senate from 1996 to 2003. Murphy consistently carried the 18th district with at least 58% of the vote, including unopposed re-election bids in 2014 and 2016.
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Louis Stokes
- Enrolled in Cleveland State University
- In 1953 graduated with Juris Doctor
- Occupations
- lawyerlecturerpoliticianjudge
- Biography
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Louis Stokes was an American attorney, civil rights pioneer and politician. He served 15 terms in the United States House of Representatives – representing the east side of Cleveland – and was the first African American congressman elected in the state of Ohio. He was one of the Cold War-era chairmen of the House Intelligence Committee, headed the Congressional Black Caucus, and was the first African American on the House Appropriations Committee.
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Peter Kirsanow
- Occupations
- lawyer
- Biography
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Peter N. Kirsanow is a partner with the law firm of Benesch, Friedlander, Coplan & Aronoff, working within its Labor & Employment Practice Group in Cleveland, Ohio. He is a black civil-rights commissioner and a member of the United States Commission on Civil Rights (a part-time appointment), serving his fourth consecutive 6-year term, which he was reappointed to by House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer in December 2019. He is the longest-serving member among the current commission. He was previously a member of the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) from January 2006 to January 2008.
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Jim Les
- Occupations
- basketball coachbasketball player
- Biography
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James Alan Les is an American basketball coach and former player who is the head coach of the UC Davis Aggies men's team. A former point guard, Les played seven seasons in the National Basketball Association (NBA) after his college career at Bradley University.
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Steve LaTourette
- Enrolled in Cleveland State University
- In 1979 graduated with Juris Doctor
- Occupations
- politicianpublic defenderlawyer
- Biography
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Steven Clare LaTourette was an American politician who served as the U.S. representative for Ohio's 19th congressional district and then Ohio's 14th congressional district from 1995 to 2013. He was a member of the Republican Party. On July 30, 2012, it was reported that he would retire at the end of his term and not seek re-election. He subsequently co-founded a lobbying firm.
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Pamela Evette
- Occupations
- politician
- Biography
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Pamela Sue Evette is an American politician and businesswoman and the 93rd lieutenant governor of South Carolina since 2019. A member of the Republican Party, she was the CEO of Quality Business Solutions in Upstate South Carolina before her election as lieutenant governor. She is the first lieutenant governor to be elected on the same ticket as the governor. She has been in office since January 9, 2019, when Henry McMaster began his first elected term as governor.
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Jane L. Campbell
- Occupations
- politician
- Biography
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Jane Louise Campbell is an American politician who served as the 56th and first and to date only female mayor of Cleveland, Ohio from January 1, 2002, to January 1, 2006.
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Ed FitzGerald
- Years
- 1968-.. (age 56)
- Occupations
- lawyer
- Biography
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Edward "Ed" FitzGerald is an American politician who served as the first Cuyahoga County Executive from 2011 until 2015. He was the Democratic Party nominee for governor of Ohio in the 2014 election, and was defeated by the incumbent, John Kasich. Before being elected county executive, FitzGerald served as mayor of Lakewood, Ohio; a Lakewood city councilman; an assistant Cuyahoga County prosecutor; and a special agent with the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
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Robert T. Bennett
- Occupations
- politicianlawyer
- Biography
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Robert T. Bennett (February 8, 1939 – December 6, 2014) was an American attorney, CPA, and political executive who was the chairman of the Ohio Republican Party from 1988 to 2009 and again in 2012 and 2013.
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Frank Lausche
- Occupations
- lawyerpoliticianbaseball playerjudge
- Biography
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Frank John Lausche was an American Democratic politician from Ohio. He served as the 47th mayor of Cleveland and the 55th and 57th governor of Ohio, and also served as a United States Senator from Ohio for two terms (1957–1969).
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Mary Jo Kilroy
- Enrolled in Cleveland State University
- In 1977 graduated with Bachelor of Arts
- Occupations
- politicianlawyer
- Biography
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Mary Jo Kilroy is an American attorney and politician who served as the U.S. representative for Ohio's 15th congressional district from 2009 until 2011. She is a member of the Democratic Party from Ohio. She was defeated in her November 2, 2010 re-election bid. In 2012, she ran in the newly redrawn, Columbus-based 3rd congressional district but lost in the primary.
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Pape Badiane
- Occupations
- basketball player
- Biography
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Pape Badiane was a French professional basketball player who played 23 times for the men's French national basketball team between 2007 and 2008. He died on 23 December 2016 in a traffic accident.
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William O'Neill
- Occupations
- judgelawyer
- Biography
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William Michael O'Neill is an American lawyer, judge and political figure. He was elected to the Ohio Supreme Court in 2012, for a term beginning January 2013. He served as an appellate judge on the Ohio Eleventh District Court of Appeals for 10 years. Twice, O'Neill was the Democratic nominee for U.S. Representative in Ohio's 14th congressional district. He announced on October 29, 2017, as a candidate for Ohio Governor in the 2018 election. On December 8, 2017, he announced he would resign from the Supreme Court on January 26, 2018.
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Kid Leo
- Occupations
- disc jockeymusic executiveradio personality
- Biography
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Lawrence James Travagliante—better known by his on-air moniker Kid Leo—serves as both General Manager and afternoon disc jockey on Little Steven's Underground Garage on Sirius XM Radio. He first began in radio in 1973 at noted Cleveland rock station WMMS (100.7 FM, "The Buzzard"). During his 16-year tenure, WMMS was consistently one of the highest-rated radio stations in the country. In 1988 he left to work as an executive at Columbia Records, where he served until 2002. Since 2004, Travagliante has been involved with Underground Garage. He also currently operates his own consultancy, LJT Entertainment.
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Terry Pluto
- Occupations
- sportswriterjournalist
- Biography
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Terry Pluto is an American sportswriter, newspaper columnist, and author who primarily writes columns for The Plain Dealer, and formerly for the Akron Beacon Journal about Cleveland, Ohio sports and religion.
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Ike Nwamu
- Occupations
- basketball player
- Biography
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Ikechukwu Sean Nwamu // is an American-born Nigerian basketball player for SLUC Nancy of the LNB Pro A. Internationally he represents Nigeria, and he participated at the AfroBasket 2017.
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Paul Hackett
- Years
- 1962-.. (age 62)
- Occupations
- military officerlawyer
- Biography
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Lieutenant Colonel Paul Lewis Hackett III is an American lawyer and veteran of the Iraq War who unsuccessfully sought election to the United States Congress from the Second District of Ohio in the August 2, 2005, special election. Hackett, a Democrat, narrowly lost to Republican Jean Schmidt, a former member of the Ohio House of Representatives, providing the best showing in the usually solidly Republican district by any Democrat since the 1974 election. Hackett's campaign attracted national attention and substantial expenditures by both parties. It was viewed by some observers as the first round of the 2006 elections. In October 2005, Hackett said he would seek the Democratic nomination in 2006 to challenge incumbent U.S. Senator Mike DeWine; however, he dropped out of the race on February 14, 2006, and said that he would return to his law practice.
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Franklin Edwards
- Occupations
- basketball player
- Biography
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Franklin Delano Edwards is an American former professional basketball player who was selected by the Philadelphia 76ers in the first round (22nd pick overall) of the 1981 NBA draft. A 6'1" point guard from Cleveland State University, Edwards played in 7 NBA seasons from 1981 to 1988. He played for the 76ers, Los Angeles Clippers and Sacramento Kings.
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Dennis E. Eckart
- Occupations
- politicianlawyer
- Biography
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Dennis Edward Eckart is an American lawyer and politician who is a former member of the United States House of Representatives. Eckart, a member of the Democratic Party, represented Ohio's 11th congressional district from 1983 to 1993, and Ohio's 22nd congressional district from 1981 to 1983. Before being elected to Congress, Eckart served in the Ohio House of Representatives from 1975 to 1980.
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Angelin Chang
- Born in
-
United States - Occupations
- pianistlawyer
- Biography
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Angelin Chang is a Grammy award-winning classical pianist and professor of music at Cleveland State University. She heads the university's keyboard studies program coordinates the university's chamber music program, and teaches music and law. Prior to joining Cleveland State, she was faculty at Rutgers University.
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Mark Spain
- Years
- 20th Century
- Occupations
- journalist
- Biography
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Mark Spain is a weekday television news anchor at WSET-TV in Lynchburg, Virginia. Formerly, Spain worked alongside Paige Kelton on Action News at WJAX-TV/WFOX-TV in Jacksonville, Florida, anchoring all evening newscasts.
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Benita Y. Pearson
- Occupations
- judgelawyer
- Biography
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Benita Yalonda Pearson is a United States district judge of the United States District Court for the Northern District of Ohio and formerly a United States magistrate judge on the same court.
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Bert Wolstein
- Occupations
- businessperson
- Biography
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Bertram Leonard Wolstein, known to his friends as Bart and publicly as Bert L. Wolstein, was an American real estate developer, sports team owner, and philanthropist based in Cleveland, Ohio. He founded Developers Diversified Realty Corporation (now SITE Centers), which at the time of his death was the 4th-largest developer of shopping centers in the United States. In 1979, he purchased the Cleveland Force Major Indoor Soccer League team, and attempted to purchase the Cleveland Browns in 1998. He retired from active business in 1997, and became one of the most generous donors in the United States in his final years.
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Ed Feighan
- Occupations
- politician
- Biography
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Edward Farrell "Ed" Feighan is a former American politician. He served as a member of the Ohio House of Representatives, and as a Democratic Party U.S. Representative from 1983 to 1993, serving Ohio's 19th congressional district.
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Shawn Richards
- Years
- 1972-.. (age 52)
- Occupations
- politician
- Biography
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Shawn Kenneth Richards is a Saint Kitts and Nevis politician from People's Action Movement.
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Ken McFadden
- Occupations
- basketball player
- Biography
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Ken "Mouse" McFadden is a former basketball player. He attended Seward Park High School in New York. He played at Cleveland State University from 1985–1989. He helped lead Cleveland State to three postseason appearances and a trip to the Sweet Sixteen. His number 10 is one of only four numbers to have been retired by Cleveland State. He scored 2,256 points for the Vikings from 1985 to 1989, which is still the Cleveland State record for career points scored. He finished his college career as the all-time leading scorer in Mid-Continent Conference history. He also played in the CBA and USBL. He then went to work for Cleveland State's athletic department before being fired for accusing associate athletic director Chris Sedlock of writing numerous papers for basketball players.
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Christopher A. Boyko
- Occupations
- judgelawyer
- Biography
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Christopher Allan Boyko is a senior United States district judge of the United States District Court for the Northern District of Ohio.
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Jerry Dybzinski
- Occupations
- baseball player
- Biography
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Jerome Matthew "Jerry" Dybzinski is an American former professional baseball shortstop. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Cleveland Indians, Chicago White Sox, and Pittsburgh Pirates.
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Robert E. Sweeney
- Occupations
- politicianlawyer
- Biography
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Robert E. Sweeney was a U.S. Representative from Ohio and a son of another former Representative, Martin L. Sweeney.
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Terrence O'Donnell
- Occupations
- judgelawyer
- Biography
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Terrence O'Donnell is a former associate justice of the Supreme Court of Ohio.
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Bohdan A. Futey
- Occupations
- judgelawyer
- Biography
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Bohdan Andrew Futey is a senior judge of the United States Court of Federal Claims.
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James V. Stanton
- Occupations
- politicianlawyer
- Biography
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James Vincent Stanton was an American lawyer and politician who served three terms as a U.S. Representative from Ohio from 1971 to 1977.
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Genevieve R. Cline
- Occupations
- judgelawyer
- Biography
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Genevieve Rose Cline was a judge of the United States Customs Court and the first woman to serve in the United States federal judiciary, serving as an Article I federal judge.
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Donald C. Nugent
- Occupations
- judgelawyer
- Biography
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Donald C. Nugent is a senior United States district judge of the United States District Court for the Northern District of Ohio.
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James Anthony Griffin
- Occupations
- Catholic bishopCatholic priest
- Biography
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James Anthony Griffin is an American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. Griffin served as bishop of the Diocese of Columbus in Ohio from 1983 to 2004. He previously served as an auxiliary bishop of the Diocese of Cleveland in Ohio from 1979 to 1983.
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Jamie Callender
- Occupations
- politician
- Biography
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Jamie Callender is an American lawyer and college professor who has served as a member of the Ohio House of Representatives since 2019. He represents the 57th district which includes the Lake County communities of Concord Township, Kirtland, Kirtland Hills, LeRoy Township, Madison, Madison Township, North Perry, Perry, Perry Township, Waite Hill, Willoughby Hills, as well as most of both Mentor and Painesville Township. He currently is Chairman of Public Utilities and Finance, as well as serving on Civil Justice, Joint Education Oversight Committee, Rules and Reference Ohio House Committees.
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Charles J. Carney
- Occupations
- politiciantrade unionist
- Biography
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Charles Joseph Carney was a U.S. Representative from Ohio from 1970 to 1979.
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Eric Brown
- Occupations
- judgelawyer
- Biography
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Eric S. Brown is the former chief justice of the Ohio Supreme Court. He was appointed by Governor Ted Strickland on May 3, 2010, following the death of Chief Justice Thomas Moyer on April 2, 2010. Brown was the first Jewish Chief Justice in Ohio history.
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Zachary Ellis-Hayden
- Occupations
- association football player
- Biography
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Zachary Ellis-Hayden is a former footballer who played as a defender. Born in Canada, he represented Barbados at international level.
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Vlado Dimovski
- Enrolled in Cleveland State University
- In 1994 graduated with Doctor of Philosophy in finance
- Occupations
- economistpolitician
- Biography
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Vlado Dimovski, Slovenian economist, philosopher, politician, consultant and university professor, * 21 July 1960, Postojna, Slovenia.
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Francis Allegra
- Years
- 1957-2015 (aged 58)
- Occupations
- judge
- Biography
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Francis Marion Allegra was an American federal judge on the United States Court of Federal Claims.
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Billie Lawless
- Occupations
- sculptor
- Biography
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Billie Lawless is an American sculptor.
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John J. Babka
- Occupations
- politicianlawyer
- Biography
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John Joseph Babka was an American lawyer and politician who served as a Democratic U.S. Representative from Ohio for one term from 1919 to 1921.
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William Edwin Minshall, Jr
- Occupations
- politicianlawyer
- Biography
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William Edwin Minshall Jr. was an American lawyer and politician who served ten terms as a Republican member of the United States House of Representatives from Ohio from 1955 to 1974.
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Henderson Haverfield Carson
- Occupations
- politicianacademiclawyer
- Biography
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Henderson Haverfield Carson was a U.S. Representative from Ohio for two non-consecutive terms in the 1940s.
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Marc Mencher
- Occupations
- video game developer
- Biography
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Marc Mencher is an American executive in the video game industry, who has written multiple articles and books about gaming careers, such as the 2003 book Get in the Game: Careers in the Game Industry. He is best known as co-founder and CEO of the recruiting agency GameRecruiter.com, and is a frequent contributor to game developer trade magazines and websites such as Gamasutra.
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Anthony A. Fleger
- Years
- 1900-1963 (aged 63)
- Occupations
- politicianlawyer
- Biography
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Anthony Alfred Fleger was a U.S. Representative from Ohio.
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Robert Maynard Murray
- Occupations
- politicianlawyer
- Biography
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Robert Maynard Murray was an attorney, banker, businessman and member of the United States House of Representatives from Ohio for one term from 1883 to 1885.
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James H. Cassidy
- Occupations
- politicianlawyer
- Biography
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James Henry Cassidy was a U.S. Representative from Ohio for one term from 1909 to 1911.
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Ken Carpenter
- Occupations
- journalist
- Biography
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Ken Carpenter, is an American journalist and journalism professor. He was an editor and reporter at The Plain Dealer in Cleveland (1980–87); a senior editor at The National Sports Daily in New York (1989–91); managing editor at Golfweek magazine in Winter Haven and Orlando, Fla. (1992–98); founding editor of Golfweek.com in Orlando, Fla. (1998–2001); copy editor at the Tampa Tribune (2001–02) and Orlando Sentinel (2002–03); and founding editor and publisher of TheGolfGazette.com.
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Arthur H. Day
- Occupations
- politicianjudgelawyer
- Biography
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Arthur Hiram Day was an American lawyer, politician, judge, and college football coach. A Republican, served two terms as an Ohio State Senator in the 1920s and a six-year term as a justice of the Ohio Supreme Court, from 1935 to 1940. Day was the head football coach at Trinity University in Waxahachie, Texas for one season, in 1912.
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James C. Connell
- Occupations
- judgelawyer
- Biography
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James C. Connell was a United States district judge of the United States District Court for the Northern District of Ohio.
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Karen Kovacik
- Years
- 1959-.. (age 65)
- Enrolled in Cleveland State University
- In 1990 graduated with Master of Arts
- Occupations
- university teacherwriterpoet
- Biography
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Karen Kovacik is a former poet laureate of the American state of Indiana from 2011 until 2013. George Kalamaras succeeded her.
