Two City of Akron Cabinet Members Honored
Deputy Mayor Annie McFadden named 30 for the Future; Director of Human Resources Don Rice wins Excellence in HR Award
City of Akron Press Release
From the desk of Ellen Lander Nischt
Published: 08-01-2019
Mayor Dan Horrigan is proud to recognize two members of his cabinet who have been honored with regional awards for their outstanding contributions to their professions and the Akron community.
Deputy Mayor Annie McFadden has been recognized by the Greater Akron Chamber as a “30 for the Future” award recipient. The “30 for the Future” award honors young professionals (ages 25-39) who are trendsetters in their industries, and who make an impact on the region through dynamic leadership and community service.
As Deputy Mayor for Administration and Deputy Chief of Staff, Annie McFadden oversees the day-to-day functions of the Mayor's Office, manages community relations and communications for the City, and is involved in strategic planning and special projects. Deputy Mayor McFadden represented the City in the creation of the Downtown Vision and Redevelopment Plan and the Akron-Summit County Welcoming Plan. She is currently leading Mayor Horrigan’s efforts around financial empowerment and engaging the community during the 2020 Census. Annie is also directly responsible for the success of the 2017 income tax increase that has enabled the City to bring renewed investment to our streets, and police and fire services
“Annie is an indispensable member of my team and is highly deserving of this recognition,” Mayor Horrigan said. “She brings incredible insight and organization to the Office of the Mayor, and coordinates with a wide network of local and regional stakeholders on many of my most important initiatives. She has a deep understanding and appreciation of the needs and expectations of our residents, and she works tirelessly to improve our services and communication with the public.”
Director of Human Resources Donald Rice is being honored by Crain’s Cleveland Business with an Excellence in HR Award. Crain’s Excellence in HR program honors Northeast Ohio’s top human resources professionals who are building organizations with the best people, talent, development and culture. Director Rice is being honored in the category of Diversity and Inclusion.
The City of Akron Department of Human Resources serves the City's approximately 2,100 fulltime and seasonal employees and the hundreds of applicants who seek employment with the City each year. Director Donald Rice joined the City in 2016. At that time, the City’s HR function–including recruiting, workforce development, benefits administration and health and wellness—were divided between several divisions. Director Rice was pivotal in the passage of a charter amendment that consolidated and streamlined these HR functions into one, modern Department of Human Resources.
In an effort to develop a City workforce that reflects the diversity of the community, Director Rice created a new managerial position within the City devoted to training, diversity and inclusion and developed a strategic plan for public safety (police and fire) recruiting. Changes to the process include reinstituting the Akron Police Academy to enable recruits to be paid wages during training, and increasing the maximum age for new police officers and fire fighters. As a result of these efforts, the latest police recruiting class saw a 30% increase in minority applicants.
“Don has prioritized diversity and inclusion at every step of the hiring process and beyond. I am grateful for his vision, leadership, and commitment to improving the service we provide to our employees, potential employees, and the Akron community as a whole. I gave him a charge to modernize our HR practices and to develop a workable plan to increase minority participation in our City workforce, and he has truly delivered.”
For more information about Mayor Horrigan’s diverse and distinguished cabinet, please visit www.akronohio.gov/cabinet.
