Leadership is the operative word throughout Dr. Rick Markoff's career. Rick was elected President of Western Michigan University's Class of 1968. He was awarded the Bronze Star and Vietnam Cross of Gallantry with Palm in the U.S. Army. After settling in northwest Ohio, Rick served as President of the St. Vincent Medical Center Foundation. He was founding President of the Greater Toledo Chapter of the National Society of Fund Raising Executives, President of the Sylvania, Ohio, City Schools Board of Education, and President of the Congregation Etz Chayim Board of Directors. His community service continued in Indianapolis where he was President of Congregation Shaarey Tefilla, and Chair of the Indiana University School of Nursing Advisory Board.Dr. Markoff served as Executive Vice President of the Simon Property Group's Simon Youth Foundation (SYF), from 2002 to 2010. A nationally recognized leader in alternative education, SYF was the 2008 recipient of the Education Commission of the States' Corporate Award (previous winners included Hewlett Packard, Intel, MBNA, PBS, and Washington Mutual). The National Dropout Prevention Center/Network presented SYF with its Crystal Star Award in 2008 and named SYF an Exemplary Program in 2009. SYF also received the U.S. Community Support Award from the International Council of Shopping Centers Foundation and the prestigious Albert Sussman International Community Support Award. In 2010 SYF received a Community Partnership Award from the Mutual of America Foundation.Rick was recognized by The University of Toledo College of Education in 2008 with its Distinguished Achievement Award. He has spoken at more than 50 high school graduations from Massachusetts to Washington and Florida to Texas. Dr. Markoff taught graduate courses in Interpersonal Skills for Leaders, Management Training and Development, and Major Topics in Human Resources at Indiana University Purdue University Indianapolis while serving as Visiting Senior Advisor to the Chancellor. Rick was Founding President of the Damar Services Foundation.
