HOF Board of Trustees names new chairman, vice chairman

The Pro Football Hall of Fame Board of Trustees has announced the election of a new board chairman and vice chairman.  Ron Dougherty a member of the board since 2004 has been elected chairman, while Tom Schervish, a member since 2002 has been named vice chairman.  Dougherty replaces John Muhlbach, Jr., who has served as the board chairman since 1997 and Schervish replaces Judge David Dowd, Jr., who has served as vice chairman since 1992.  Both Muhlbach and Dowd are longtime board members and will remain on the board of trustees and serve on the executive committee.  Other executive committee members who were reelected to their positions include Treasurer Roger Bettis and Secretary Dave Robinson.

Dougherty	Schervish

Dougherty, the Hall’s longtime General Counsel also served for ten months as Interim Executive Director of the Hall of Fame prior to the April 2006 appointment of Steve Perry.  He is a lifelong resident of Canton, and a graduate of Dartmouth College and the University of Virginia School of Law.  In 1960, he became the third member of the law firm of Krugliak, Wilkins, Griffiths & Dougherty.  The Canton firm has since grown to 38 lawyers. 

Well known for his community involvement Dougherty was the 2003 honoree of the Wilderness Center, and in 2002 was the recipient of the Award of Merit from the Canton Regional Chamber of Commerce for Community Service.  Dougherty has been active in numerous civic and charitable organizations, including the United Way of Central Stark County, Stark County Convention and Visitors’ Bureau, Stark County Board of Elections, the Greater Canton Chamber of Commerce, the Boy Scouts of America Buckeye Council, and served as the General Chairman of the Pro Football Hall of Fame Festival.  Dougherty is a member of the Board of Directors of Alfred Nickles Bakery and a retired member of the First Merit Bank Board of Directors.  He and his wife Carole have a daughter Kerry and a son Russell.

“It is a high honor to have been asked to serve as Chairman of the Board of Trustees,” said Dougherty.  “The shoes of John Muhlbach leave a large footprint to fill.  Thankfully, both he and Dave Dowd will continue to serve on the board as members of the executive committee.  Their support and council has always been invaluable to the Board and its committees.”

Schervish, a native of Detroit, Michigan, and a graduate of the University of Detroit, is the Owner and President of Stark Management Services.  He is also affiliated with numerous other businesses including Academy Plaids, Brewster Dairy, Center Ice Sports, and Ohio Legacy Bank.

Active in civic and charitable organizations in the Canton/Stark County community, Shervish serves on several boards and various committees for such organizations as Canton Tomorrow, Inc., the Downtown Canton Land Bank Foundation, the Greater Canton Chamber of Commerce, and Stark County Citizens Council for Non-Violence, and the Stark Community Foundation.  In 2004 he was named the Community Honoree by the Canton Negro Oldtimers.   Like Dougherty, Schervish is a past General Chairman for the Pro Football Hall of Fame Festival.  

Tom and his wife Angela live in Canton and are the parents of two children, Tommy and Amanda.