The Role of the County Executive and Issues Involving Summit County
Sep 28, 2022 7:30 AM
Summit County Executive Ilene Shapiro
The Role of the County Executive and Issues Involving Summit County

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County Executive Ilene Shapiro became the fifth Summit County Executive in August of 2016. As Executive, Ilene manages a budget of nearly a half billion dollars and ten departments including: Administrative Services, Communications, Community and Economic Development, Finance and Budget, Human Resources, Job and Family Services, Law and Risk Management, Sanitary Sewer Services, Public Safety and the Medical Examiner. 

Ilene Shapiro served on Summit County Council for nearly ten years, three of those as Council President. Ilene served on various committees during her tenure on Council, including serving as the Chair of the Planning and Economic Development Committee for seven years. 

Executive Shapiro is an accomplished business leader with a history of successful business ventures for high growth, established, turn-around and start-up organizations and led Shapiro Consulting, which specialized in the areas of Sales, Marketing, Business Planning, Workforce and Economic Development. 

Shapiro currently serves on The University of Akron Research Foundation Board (UARF), the County Executives of America Board of Directors, the Northeast Ohio Four County Regional Planning and Development Organization (NEFCO) Board, and is a member of the Greater Akron Area ATHENA PowerLink governing body. Executive Shapiro is the Chair of the Summit County Transportation Improvement District, and serves on the Summit County Information Technology Board, the Board of the Akron Community Foundation, the Conexus Workforce Development Board and NACo's Community, Economic and Workforce Development Steering Committee. She is an alumnus of both Leadership America and Leadership Akron. She is a past President of the Women's Network and is a founder of the Women's Endowment Fund of the Akron Community Foundation and was formerly the Chair of the Summit County Green Task Force. 

In recognition of her distinguished work, Shapiro was awarded the U.S. Small Business Administration Women's Business Advocate for the State of Ohio and the Judith A. Resnick Woman of the Year Award for Inspiration. In 2007, she was recognized with a Women of Professional Excellence Award from Women's Network Inc. and in September 2008, Shapiro was honored as the 2008 Northeast Ohio Athena Award Recipient sponsored by ATHENA International and Inside Business Magazine. In 2011, the Akron Urban League awarded Ilene the distinction of being named as a Pioneer at their annual Pioneer and Protégé's recognition event. In 2015, she received the Harold Stubbs Award for Government.