Barberton Foundation Taps Bodnar as Executive Director
11/21/2009 12:00:00 AM | General
Nov. 21, 2009
ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- Marty Bodnar, Associate Athletic Director for Ticketing and Marketing at the University of Michigan, has accepted the position of executive director of the Barberton (Ohio) Community Foundation. A native of Barberton, Bodnar has been with U-M Athletics since 1998 and will remain with the department until Jan. 15, 2010.
"This is a huge win for Marty and the City of Barberton," said U-M Athletics Director Bill Martin. "This is a great opportunity to go back to Barberton and provide a meaningful contribution to his hometown."
The Barberton Community Foundation is a $90 million foundation founded in 1996. It is a non-profit organization with a mission to improve the quality of life for the citizens of Barberton. The foundation is involved with economic development, distributing grants to the city, schools and non-profits and providing scholarships to college students.
"This is a unique opportunity to go home and make a positive impact on the future growth of the community where I was born and raised," said Bodnar. "This is where Renee and I lived for 12 years raising our daughter, Rachel, and our son, Jacob."
Marty Bodnar and his twin brother, Mark, led the Barberton High School basketball team to the 1976 Ohio Class AAA State High School Championship a runnerup finish the following year at the state tournament and a 51-game winning streak. The brothers went on to basketball at Michigan from 1977-81 under head coach Johnny Orr. Marty earned Academic All-America honors in 1980 and 1981.
After graduating from U-M, Bodnar received his law degree from the University of Akron in 1984. He practiced law for 14 years, including as the elected Law Director of the City of Barberton and the Chief Prosecutor of the Barberton Municipal Court from 1991 before coming to Michigan in 1998. Bodnar also received an MBA from Eastern Michigan University in 2006.
"I knew that it would take a great job for me to leave Michigan," Bodnar said. "This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to return home and serve the community that has meant so much to me. In the past 11 years, I have really enjoyed working with the great people at the Michigan Athletic Department and the University and serving the passionate fans of Michigan athletics. I will always treasure my time here."
Barberton is also the hometown of legendary Michigan football coach Bo Schembechler.
Contact: Bruce Madej (734) 763-4423
