Board of Trustees

Our Library Board of Trustees is appointed by the Stark County Commissioners and the Court of Common Pleas for seven-year terms, and holds fiduciary responsibility for the Stark Library system.

About the Board Members

Steven Pittman

President

Steve brings smart business strategy to the library board, backed by more than 40 years of experience in mergers and acquisitions, tax strategy, financial accounting, and strategic planning.

Joining Bruner Cox LLP, a regional accounting and financial service firm in 1978, Steve became its managing partner in 2011. In 2016, Bruner Cox merged with CLA, the eighth largest U.S. accounting firm, and Steve became Managing Principal of its Eastern Ohio Region. In December 2020, Steve retired from CLA but remains active as a board member for several Northeast Ohio based companies.

Steve earned a bachelor of science in business administration from University of Akron and a master’s degree in business administration from Baldwin-Wallace College.

Steve is a past trustee and chairman of Quest Recovery Services, past president of the Jackson Township Rotary Club, past president of Junior Achievement of North Central Ohio, a former board member of Canton Regional Chamber of Commerce, and is treasurer of The Builders Exchange of East Central Ohio.

Susan Rodgers

Vice President

Susan’s love of books is rooted in a childhood spent in the stacks of the library searching for the next great read. Her passion for reading led to a career in law, which enables her to provide a smart legal perspective to the board. A partner at Buckingham, Doolittle & Burroughs LLC, Susan serves as a member of the Executive Committee and as a chair of the Employment & Labor Practice Group.

Susan earned a law degree from the University of Cincinnati College of Law and a Bachelor of Arts from The Ohio State University.

An active member of the community, Susan also currently serves on the GentleBrook board, and was a member of the ninth class of Leadership Stark County.

Robert F. Belden

Board of Trustees

Bob brings a smart foundation of operational and management experience through his tenure as chairman and CEO of The Belden Brick Company in Canton. Always a forward-thinker, he is eager to make an impact on the future of this dynamic organization.

As an active community builder, Bob has served on the board of many organizations including Canton Central Catholic High School Board, The Canton Student Loan Foundation, The Sisters of Charity Foundation of Canton, and Stark County Historical Society to name a few.

Bob holds a Bachelor of Science in Mathematics from the University of Notre Dame and an MBA in Operations Research/Management Science from the University of Michigan Graduate School of Business.

Robin Mingo-Miles

Board of Trustees

Robin has over three decades of experience in community outreach, stakeholder engagement, and program management. She has always strived to empower individuals to live their best lives regardless of their circumstances or where they live.

Currently serving as the Director of Community Health and Economic Initiatives at Alliance for Children and Families, Robin collaborates with community partners and business leaders to close critical gaps and create growth opportunities for the population she serves.

Robin previously dedicated 30 years to the Stark Metropolitan Housing Authority, where she held several leadership roles, including Director of Resident and Community Affairs. In this capacity, she developed and implemented programs to improve residents’ quality of life, managed grant funding, and fostered partnerships with community leaders.

As a former board member of the Early Childhood Resource Center and Lake Center Christian School, Robin recognizes the critical role education plays in shaping children’s futures and understands that literacy serves a foundational element for their long-term success.

In addition to serving on the Board of Trustees for the Stark Library, Robin also serves on the Stark County Child Fatality Review Board and is a member of the Stark County Capital Campaign Committee. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in Communications from Slippery Rock University.

Dr. David Beer

Board of Trustees

Books aren’t just paper and words for David, they are some of his oldest friends. He is thrilled to serve on the board to help the community steward the artistic and intellectual treasures of humanity for all people. Day to day, David is Professor of Political Science and Program Director of History and Political Science at Malone University.

He holds an A.B. from Georgetown University in Government and an M.A. and Ph.D. in political theory from the Catholic University of America. David is also an ordained priest in the Anglican Church of North America and serves as the Canon for Capacity Development of Anglican Diocese of the Great Lakes.

A native Ohioan, he lives in Canton with his wife and five children, and they often walk to the North Branch as well as regularly visiting the Main Library and other locations.

Daniel Petricini

Board of Trustees

Dan is a lifelong bookworm and library lover. One of his earliest childhood memories is being read the stories of Roald Dahl by his school teacher Mother, which he credits for fostering his love of reading and curiosity from an early age. Professionally, Dan is a Senior Assistant Prosecuting Attorney for the Stark County Prosecutor’s Office.

As a member of the board Dan is excited to foster and expand the library’s unique position as one of the last truly public gathering spaces and a place of exciting community engagement.

Dan earned a law degree from the University of Akron in 2009, and a Bachelor of Arts in History from Kent State University in 2006. He lives in Plain Township with his wife and two daughters (who he hopes will like The Hobbit as a bedtime story soon).

Meeting Schedule

All Board of Trustees meetings are open to the public and are held at the Main Library at 5:00 p.m. Click the meeting date to view the agenda and related documents.

August (no meeting)