Marcus Madison joins Fund for Our Economic Future board

Former Elyria City Councilman Marcus Madison was named to the board of the Fund for Our Economic Future at its annual meeting March 16. Madison, who served as Democratic councilman for the city's 5th Ward from 2010 to 2020, has years of experience working for nonprofits, in philanthropy and public health care, according to the fund. He resigned from council in 2020 to take a job with the Community West Foundation. Madison, 35, currently is the community relations program manager for the Cleveland Clinic after working for the Community West Foundation. He also previously worked for Big Brothers Big Sisters Lorain County. Madison is a Lorain County Community College graduate and served as the student senate president there. He also earned a bachelor's degree in urban and regional studies and nonprofit administration from Cleveland State University and is a master's degree candidate in positive organization development and change at the Case Western Reserve University Weatherhead School of Management. Madison also was nationally recognized as a "35 Under 35" Leader by the Young Elected Officials Network in 2020. He joined Deryck Toles of Warren as one of the two newest members named to the board during the fund's annual meeting at MAGNET's Manufacturing Innovation, Technology and Job Center in Cleveland. "I look forward to contributing to the work of the Fund for Our Economic Future and advocating for community solutions to build better neighborhoods and drive economic growth and development in our region," Madison said in a news release. The Fund's board includes 27 funding members and eight civic members. All board members have the same voting rights and leadership opportunities. Funding members contribute a minimum of $100,000 of unrestricted funding over three years, while civic members contribute a range of skills, backgrounds and experiences that help to inform the fund's current and future initiatives but are under no financial obligation. "Our first slate of civic members brought invaluable leadership and perspective to our board, materially improving how we work to advance an equitable economy. I am thrilled to welcome Marcus and Deryck to our civic network. Both are deeply connected to their respective local communities and see the value of connection and influence across the region," Fund President Bethia Burke said in the news release. "Marcus and Deryck are a welcome addition to our board, and they were in good company among the nominees our board members and staff put forth," said William H. Gary Sr., chair of the Fund for Our Economic Future and senior adviser of national workforce issues at Cuyahoga Community College. "As we continue to advance a portfolio designed to reduce systemic racial exclusion in our region's economy, the sustained momentum behind our own efforts to make space for leaders of color is vitally important." The Fund for Our Economic Future is a nonprofit organization taking on big issues to advance a more equitable economy in Northeast Ohio. The civic collaborative brings together leaders across sectors and throughout the region to collectively invest in, test and amplify strategies to enable the region to achieve its full potential.