The Morning Journal (Lorain, OH)
New member of LCCC District Board of Trustees named
Benjamin P. Norton is new member
Benjamin P. Norton, of Avon, has joined the Lorain County Community College District Board of Trustees.
Norton was appointed Jan. 8 by the Lorain County commissioners for a term that runs through January 2029, according to a news release.
He was sworn in during the March 21 board meeting.
The nine-member board includes three members appointed by the governor, and six who are appointed by the commissioners.
Norton is president and CEO of Buckeye Community Bank, based in Lorain County.
He has been with the company since its founding in 1999 and has served as president and CEO since 2019.
“I’m honored to join the Lorain County Community College District Board of Trustees and help further strengthen the bonds between the community and a great institution,” Norton said in the release. “This is an exciting opportunity to contribute to an impressive community college that serves its students and our broader region.
“LCCC has shaped countless lives over the years, and I look forward to contributing to its future.”
Norton’s appointment to the board continues a family tradition of engagement with LCCC.
His mother, Jane Norton, served on the LCCC District Board of Trustees for 15 years, as well as the LCCC Foundation Board of Directors for 35 years.
Additionally, Jane and Ben G. Norton contributed to the development of LCCC’s renowned culinary arts program, leveraging Jane’s expertise in diet and nutrition.
Together they helped make possible the Ben and Jane Norton Culinary Arts Center at LCCC.
Benjamin P. Norton’s grandfather, C. Paul Stocker, served as an early trustee of the Lorain County Community College Foundation and was the champion for creating Ohio’s first fine and performing arts center on a community college campus: the C. Paul Stocker Fine Arts and Humanities Center at LCCC, which houses the Beth K. Stocker Art Gallery.
“We are delighted that Benjamin Norton will join the LCCC District Board of Trustees, continuing a family legacy of engagement and support of Lorain County Community College since the institution began 60 years ago,” said
LCCC President Marcia J. Ballinger, Ph.D., in the release. “Benjamin will be an invaluable asset to the work of the District Board, given his expertise in banking and finance complemented by a deep, lifelong understanding of the mission and vision of Lorain County Community College represented by his family’s six decades of impact on this college and community.”
In addition to his professional accolades, Norton has served on leadership boards for organizations in Lorain County and across Northeast Ohio, including The Stocker Foundation, The Norton Family Foundation, Lorain County Chapter of the American Red Cross, Lorain County Junior Achievement, Elyria Memorial Hospital, the Lorain County Strategic Planning Commission, Lake Ridge Academy and others, the release said.