Richard W. Alford, Class of 1957
Alford graduated from Barberton High School in 1957. After graduating he earned his Associate degree in Restaurant Management in 1974 and his Bachelors in Technical Education in 1976 both from the University of Akron. Alford has taught culinary arts for 29 years at the collegiate and high school levels. He is a certified executive chef and culinary educator by the American Culinary Federation and is a certified lead judge by NICA, the National Ice Carving Association. He has been awarded chef of the year twice by the Akron Canton Chefs and Cooks Association and nominated for regional chef of the year. Alford has also received the President’s Award for NICA, earned numerous ice competition medals and was inducted into the National Ice Carving Hall of Fame in 2008.
He has coached the University of Akron ice team to four national, local and regional championships and has conducted fruit and vegetable sculpture seminars and events from Canada to Brazil and Paris to California. Alford was awarded an American Culinary Federation’s gold medal for fruit and vegetable carving in 2009 and in 2012 was awarded the ACF, Akron Canton Chapter chef professionalism. He is also the co-founder of the World Food Sculpture Association.
Alford currently resides in Barberton and is a retired Associate Professor Emeritus from the University of Akron. He has one son, Andrew.
James L. George, Class of 1970
George graduated from Barberton High School in 1970, after which, he earned his Bachelor in Fine Arts from Kent State University in 1974. After graduation, he worked at the Akron Art Museum as a preparatory and designer of exhibitions, which included proper storage, loaning of art, maintenance and moving into the newly renovated building. For a few years, George worked as a freelance preparatory designer for galleries and as a volunteer for the Columbus AIDS Task Force. He finished his career at the Cleveland Museum of Art doing everything from maintaining outdoor sculptures, constructing storage boxes for exhibitions, monitoring temperature, light and humidity in storage areas and as a courier of works of art in transit to domestic and international venues.
Some of his proudest accomplishments include accompanying artwork and overseeing installation and packaging in museums and galleries across North America, Europe and Asia. In both solo and group exhibitions, he has participated in over 35 exhibits showing paintings. He was awarded Volunteer of the Year for service to the Columbus AIDS Task Force in 1989 working his way up from working the telephone hotline, becoming a coordinator for the first benefit art auction and setting up and running a workshop for the creation of the memorial quilt for an exhibition of the Names Project national quilt.
George retired from the Cleveland Museum of Art after 21 years. He currently resides in Cleveland Heights with his spouse Patrick Kanary.
Darlene R. Hensley, PhD, Class of 1970
Hensley graduated from Barberton High School is 1970. She then received her undergraduate degree in Chemistry and Mathematics from St. Mary of the Woods College in 1974, her Masters in Polymer Science in 1992 and PhD in 1994 in Chemistry from the University of Akron.
She was Akron Public Schools Teacher of the Year in 2012 and has written several Scientific Journal articles. She is also a former Sister of Providence as well as a Navy veteran.
Hensley currently resides in Wadsworth and works part time as a math tutor at St. Vincent-St. Mary High School and as a University of Akron ITEST (Innovative Technology Experiences for Students and Teachers) Project Coordinator.
Kenneth Alan Kellar, Class of 1980
After graduating from Barberton High School in 1980 and from The Ohio State University in 1984 with a Bachelor of Science in Engineering Physics, Kellar joined the Navy from 1984-1992 eventually earning the rank of Lieutenant. He went on to earn his Master’s in Business Administration from Hood College in Maryland in 1998.
After serving in the nuclear Navy during the Cold War he was hired by the Department of Energy nuclear weapons research program where he first ensured the readiness of new nuclear operations to commence. Later he became a project manager for nuclear research construction projects.
Kellar currently works as a Nuclear Engineer in the US Department of Energy working on nuclear fuel research. He is also the owner and editor of a local newspaper and serves as Town Commissioner. He lives in Woodsboro, Maryland, with his wife, Sharon and has three children.
William Tenney, Class of 1951
Tenney started working at the young age of 12 setting pins at the bowling alley. After that, he eventually moved on becoming a caddie master while working at Loyal Oak Golf Course. While in school, he played a number of sports and was a part of the basketball regional champions in 1951.
After graduating from Barberton High School. He received his undergraduate degree from the University of Akron in 1957 after serving in the U.S. Army. He went on to earn his Master’s degree from Kent State University in 1963. He spend some years teaching and soon became a Principal finishing his career as Executive Director of Secondary Schools supervising 8 high schools and 9 middle schools, plus 7 curriculum specialists.
Tenney’s other works include Adjunct Professor at Ashland University and conducting graduate credit workshops for NE Ohio teachers and workshops for teachers in Arizona and California.
He resides in Akron with Sally, his wife of 59 years and they have four children, twelve grandchildren and 9 great-grandchildren.
Richard Andrew Velloney, Class of 1959
Velloney earned his Bachelor’s in Business Administration from the Ohio University in 1963.
Some of his accomplishments and achievements include Director of Compensation and Benefits, The Travelers, 2nd Vice President of Compensation and Benefits at Mutual of Omaha and Vice President Field compensation Services at Mutual of Omaha. He also earned his Master’s in Human Resources with honors from Rollins College in Winter Park Florida in 2004.
He was a founding team and board member of Hartford Christian Academy in West Hartford, Connecticut and has served as Deacon and adult Sunday school teacher at Westside Baptist in Omaha, Nebraska and at First Baptist Orlando in Orlando, Florida.
Velloney’s family includes he and his wife Cathy, also a BHS graduate, a son, David and his wife, Felicia and a daughter, Kimberly and her husband, Clinton. They have a total of 6 grandchildren all of which he is extremely proud.
He is currently a Compensation Consultant for Walt Disney Park & Resorts and lives in Orlando, Florida.
Jeffrey Yost, PhD Class of 1976
Yost’s education includes a Bachelor’s in Business from Miami University in 1980, Master’s from the University of Akron in 1984 and a Ph.D. in Accounting from The Ohio State University in 1989. His dissertation was given the Outstanding Managerial Accounting Award by the American Accounting Association. His first time teaching was by happenstance as the Professor was ill and he took over. Since then, he has taught numerous courses at all levels including undergraduate, masters of business administration, executive education and Ph.D. research seminars
He has had a number of publications with his research focusing on theoretical issues in accounting, finance, and information systems. His work uses economic theory, mathematical economics and game theory
Yost is currently a tenured Associate Professor at the College of Charleston’s School of Business in South Carolina and resides with his wife Regina. He has one daughter, Jessica who lives in Strongsville, Ohio.