About Our Speaker: Daniel M. Rice is the President and Chief Executive Officer of the Ohio & Erie Canalway Coalition (OECC). OECC is the regional non-profit organization working for the conservation, development and interpretation of the natural, historical and recreational resources along the Ohio & Erie National Heritage Canalway from Cleveland to New Philadelphia, Ohio.
Since 1994, Mr. Rice has worked with over 150 community partnerships and raised over $75 million in development funds for the development of the 101-mile multi-use Ohio & Erie Canal Towpath Trail and the Ohio & Erie Canalway National Heritage Area and received numerous regional and national awards. Ohio & Erie Canalway Coalition serves as the convener for Akron Reimagining the Civic Commons, a $40 million investment in public space, park and trail improvements along the Ohio & Erie Canal Towpath Trail in Akron, Ohio. Reimagining the Civic Commons is a national initiative, supported by the JPB, Knight, Kresge, Rockefeller and William Penn Foundations to create accessible, equitable and welcoming public spaces with the goal of developing authentic relationships with neighborhood residents, promoting socioeconomic mixing, encouraging environmental stewardship, and creating value creation for residents.
Since 2015, Ohio & Erie Canalway Coalition has conducted over 500 community gatherings, engaging 5,000 residents, and leveraged $40 million of private, local, state and federal investment in Lock 3, Ohio & Erie Canal and Summit Lake Parks.
He is a native of Ohio, with a B.A. in history from the College of Wooster and M.A. in American History from the University of Akron. Mr. Rice has served on numerous local, state, and non-profit boards and committees including, Board Member and Chair of Leadership Akron Alumni, University of Akron Dean鈥檚 Council, Development Finance Authority Vice Chair, Summit County, District 8 Natural Resource Assistance Committee for Clean Ohio, Cuyahoga Falls Planning Commission Chair, Ohio Historic Site Preservation Advisory Commission and Summit Lake Community Development Corporation.
About the Presentation: Since 1994, Dan Rice has served as the President and Chief Executive Officer of the Ohio & Erie Canalway Coalition, the non-profit organization working on the development of the Ohio & Erie Canalway National Heritage Area and Towpath Trail.
Working in partnership and collaboration with over 150 dedicated and passionate public-private partners, Rice has worked to implement the vision of Congressman Ralph and Mary Regula of developing 90+ miles of the Ohio & Erie Canal Towpath Trail, preserving historic buildings like the Richard Howe House and restoring trust with neighborhood residents and developing high-quality public spaces at Lock 3 and Summit Lake NorthShore Parks. Rice will share lessons learned from his 32-year career of cultivating public-private partnerships, developing authentic relationships with neighborhood residents, leveraging over $75 million of private, local, state, and federal resources for the Ohio & Erie Canalway and Towpath Trail.
About the Moderator: Bridget A. Marquis is the director of Reimagining the Civic Commons, a national initiative demonstrating that strategic investments in public spaces can connect people of all backgrounds, cultivate trust and create more environmentally and economically resilient communities. She manages the national Civic Commons Learning Network, housed at U3 Advisors, providing coordinated learning, impact assessment and storytelling across eleven U.S. communities. Prior to leading Reimagining the Civic Commons, Bridget served as program director during the start-up phase of ArtPlace America, where she developed and executed grantmaking strategies to inform and accelerate the field of creative placemaking. She is a frequent speaker and author on reimagining public space as critical civic infrastructure for equitable and resilient cities.