Jeff Berding, Foundation President
Jeff Berding is Co-CEO of FC Cincinnati, who, with Carl H. Lindner III, founded the club as a USL franchise in 2015. With three seasons of record-setting success on and off the field in the USL, Berding led the club’s expansion efforts that successfully resulted in the club’s ascension to Major League Soccer for the 2019 season and then the opening of TQL Stadium in 2021. Prior to founding FCC, Berding spent more than 19 years as an executive with the Cincinnati Bengals where he led the Sales and Public Affairs efforts for the NFL team. Berding also previously served for three years as volunteer president of Kings Hammer Soccer Club. Berding was first elected to the Cincinnati City Council in November 2005, and was then twice re-elected in 2007 and 2009, where he chaired the Rules & Government Operations Committee and was vice-chair of the Finance Committee. Berding is a fifth-generation Cincinnatian, born and raised in Westwood where he attended St. Xavier High School. He graduated cum laude from Miami University, and earned his MBA from Xavier University with honors.
Keith Blake
Keith Blake has taken an active role in the West End community as a member of the West End Community Council since 2001. He currently serves as its President. Blake has also served on the board for Invest in Neighborhoods (IIN) and CPD Citizens on Patrol Program (West End Unit). Keith is an IT professional with BT Americas Inc., with past roles at CBTS and Procter & Gamble. He focuses his work on development, administration and support of solutions (applications, data networks, voice over IP).
Kelly Blake
Kelly Blake is President/Owner of Lumen Marketing Consultancy, a marketing firm that helps clients achieve greater success through strategy, planning, and execution. Kelly began her career with Ford Motor Company, spending time in Detroit, Los Angeles and San Francisco. Upon relocating back to Cincinnati, Kelly worked for AHS, Inc. as Executive Vice President and for Intrinzic Marketing & Design as Director of Marketing Services.
Kelly held a variety of leadership roles in the Cincinnati Chapters of the American Marketing Association (AMA) and Association for Corporate Growth (ACG). She was also a member of the Cincinnati Business Courier 40 Under 40 Class of 2010. Born and raised in Ft. Mitchell, Kentucky, Kelly has grown up in the Greater Cincinnati community and resides in Cincinnati with her husband and two sons.
Dennis Carroll, Treasurer
Dennis Carroll is the Chief Operating Officer of FC Cincinnati where he oversees all internal operations for the club, including finance, administration, IT, operations and construction. He joined FCC after a 10-year stint with the Philadelphia Union where he ended his stay as the club’s Senior Vice President of Finance. Carroll began his professional career at PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) before he joined the Philadelphia Eagles’ finance staff as Financial Analyst, where he oversaw the financial planning for non-football events at Lincoln Financial Field, managed merchandising’s financial operations and was part of the team’s advance travel staff. Carroll is a Certified Public Accountant.
William Harsh
William Harsh is the Executive Director of the Whitman Harsh Fund, a private family foundation focusing on investing in Education Entrepreneurship and Innovation, specifically in the K-12 sector. Prior to WHF, he worked at the Robin Hood Foundation, a grant making organization that attempts to alleviate poverty in New York City. Mr. Harsh currently sits on the Housing and Homelessness Committee of Robin Hood’s board. He earned an A.B. in Politics from Princeton University and holds an M.P.A. in Nonprofit Management from Columbia University. From 2012-2014 William served as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Costa Rica.
Karl Kadon
Karl Kadon, a native Cincinnatian, has been active in the Cincinnati soccer community since high school through SAY and CRC soccer, both as a referee and as a coach. Kadon is active in the community through volunteerism with his church and children’s school, and for De Paul Cristo Rey’s annual fundraiser. He is also a past member of the Dan Beard Council Board of Directors and an Assistant Scoutmaster and Merit Badge Counselor for BSA at the troop level.
Don Larson
Don is a native Cincinnatian. He graduated with high honors in Finance from Ohio University in 1973. Don spent his entire 43 year professional career in Cincinnati working for American Financial, Great American Insurance Company, and the Lindner family, rising to become President & Chief Operating Officer for Great American before retiring in 2017.
Don has significant corporate and non-profit Board experience and currently serves on five boards, including the Grand Teton Music Festival Board in Jackson, WY. He and his wife Lynn have been married 40 years and enjoy their retirement lifestyle split between Cincinnati, Jackson and Sarasota, FL.
Martha Lindner
Martha Lindner is a committed philanthropist who has a strong focus on education and a strong passion for helping impoverished children throughout the world. Lindner and her husband Carl, led efforts to found Cincinnati Hills Christian Academy, a private, non-denominational Christian school offering grades kindergarten through 12th grade. Martha is an avid volunteer in the community, particularly with Back2Back Ministries, where she serves as a board member. This international Christian non-profit organization is dedicated to being a voice for orphans. In addition, Lindner has served as a board member of Stepping Stones and the Children’s Theatre. Lindner was also on the founding team of Horizon Community Church. She is a Cincinnati native and earned a Bachelor of Finance degree from the University of Cincinnati. Martha has been married to Carl H. Lindner III for 46 years and they are the proud parents of four and grandparents of six. Her husband, is Co-CEO of American Financial Group and the Managing Owner and CEO of FC Cincinnati.
Tabitha Lindner
Tabitha Lindner is originally from Rabbit Hash, Ky. and now lives in Cincinnati. Tabitha graduated with a B.A. in communication arts from Xavier University and has spent her career in staff recruitment and marketing with organizations including Landor Associates. At Landor, she managed the regional and global brand identity and packaging development for P&G Old Spice and global Oral Care (Crest, Oral-B, etc.) through concept ideation, design development and implementation. Lindner is active in the community with organizations including the Junior League, Boys and Girls Club of Wilmington, Del., Ronald McDonald House, Shelterhouse, Stepping Stones and Dress for Success.
Sandra Mackey, Chair
Sandra Mackey is the Chief Marketing Officer of Bon Secours Mercy Health, one of the nation’s largest Catholic health systems with 57,000 associates, 43 hospitals and more than 1,000 points of care spanning seven states. Before joining Mercy Health in 2017, Mackey served as senior vice president of marketing and communications for the Arthritis Foundation, where she was responsible for national strategic marketing initiatives. She recently served on the board of directors for Saint Joseph's Mercy Care Foundation in Atlanta and is a current board member for Conduit Health Partners. Mackey is a member of the national Women Business Leaders (WBL) organization.
Mark Mallory
Mark Mallory serves as the Director of Community Development for FC Cincinnati. He was Cincinnati’s first directly elected black mayor, having served two terms from 2005 to 2013. Before serving as Cincinnati’s 68th mayor, Mallory was elected as an Ohio state senator from 1999 to 2005. He also served as a state representative from 1995 to 1999, following his father William L. Mallory, Sr., who also served in the Ohio House for 28 years. Mark is President of Mark Mallory & Associates Consulting. He earned his B.A. in management from the University of Cincinnati.
David Pepper
David Pepper is serving his second term as the Chairman of the Ohio Democratic Party. Born and raised in Cincinnati, Pepper began his public service career in 2001 when he was elected to Cincinnati City Council, and was later elected to the Hamilton County Commission Board of County Commissioners in 2006. He and his wife Alana are the parents of two sons, Jack and Charlie. Pepper is also the author of “The People’s House,” an Ohio-based political thriller, and its sequel, “The Wingman.” Putnam will publish his third book in 2020. Pepper has served on numerous non-profit boards over the years, including Talbert House, YMCA of Cincinnati and the Cincinnati Scholarship Foundation, and he currently serves on the national board of the New Leaders Council.
Dr. Lakshmi Sammarco, Vice President
Dr. Lakshmi Sammarco was appointed Hamilton County Coroner in February 2012 and was later elected to the position in November 2012 and 2016. She is the first female coroner and Asian-Indian elected to a political post in Hamilton County. Dr. Sammarco is a board-certified neuroradiologist with previous faculty positions at UCLA Medical School and The Cleveland Clinic. Dr. Sammarco serves on the board of Boys Hope Girls Hope Cincinnati and on the advisory committee for the Indian American Chamber of Commerce. She has also served on the board for the Council on Child Abuse (COCA), Rights and Safety Subcommittee of the Mayor's Immigration Task Force (co-chair). Dr. Sammarco is married to local orthopedic surgeon, Dr. Jim Sammarco and mother to Josi and James, and their pet parrots, Cannoli, Mango and Spooky Ghost.
Nicholas L. Simon, Secretary
Nicholas L. Simon is a partner at KMK Law where he advises companies, financial institutions and investors in corporate, finance and commercial transactions. Simon has represented numerous clients in the sports industry, including leagues, teams, owners and college conferences in a range of matters, including mergers and acquisitions, stadium and team debt financing, equity financings, media, apparel, naming rights, sponsorship and other commercial matters. Simon is a member of Class 14 (2019) of the Cincinnati USA Regional Chamber's C-Change Program, as well as the Cincinnati Bar Association and American Bar Association. Simon and his wife, Jenni, and son Teddy (4) are also involved in Cincinnati Children’s Champions Program. Prior to joining KMK Law, Simon was an associate at Covington & Burling LLP in Washington, D.C.
David Spaulding
David is an experienced leader in the construction industry and is the President of Lithko Contracting, one of Cincinnati’s largest private companies and one of the nation’s leading concrete contractors. Prior to this role, he served in leadership positions for Turner Construction Company for 14 years, including Vice President and General Manager, which included being Principal in Charge of the construction of both TQL Stadium and the Mercy Health Training Facility for FC Cincinnati.
He is an engaged member of the Cincinnati community with a passion for volunteering. In addition to the FC Cincinnati Foundation, David serves on the board of CVG Airport and REDI. He is also an Executive Board Member of Kings Hammer and is active in YPO and CRBC.
David is married to his high-school sweetheart, and they have three children. He spends his free time with his family usually on the sidelines of the kid’s soccer games and contributing to many important organizations. He values building relationships and giving back to his community.
Steve Wanamaker
Steve Wanamaker is the Founder and CEO of Lead Tribune Media Group, and resides in West Chester, Ohio, with his wife Kim and three children. The Wanamaker’s also founded Inspire Magazine, which they then sold to Gannett, a leading Fortune 500 company, in 2004 when they were both 34 years old. Steve is also a graduate of the Lindner College of Business at the University of Cincinnati, where he was a member of the Army ROTC program. Upon graduation, he received his commission as an officer in the U.S. Army, rising to the rank of captain. Steve is also the recipient of the 2019 West Chester - Liberty Chamber Alliance Businessperson of the Year Award, which is the organization’s most prestigious award given to recognize leadership and community impact.
Bonnie K. White
Bonnie White founded Bonnie K. White & Associates Inc., a full-service advertising agency in 1982. She was recognized with the 2009 Silver Medal Award - the American Advertising Federation’s highest honor – from the Cincinnati Ad Club for her contributions to the advertising industry and the community. White’s past roles include sales for WCPO-TV where she was the first woman in broadcast sales in Cincinnati, and she was also the director of children's programming and producer of the “Uncle Al Show.” White served 10 years on the board of the Cincinnati chapter of the American Marketing Association, and held two terms as president. She was also a founding board member of ACT (Accountability and Credibility Together), serving two, two-year terms as board chair. White was a four-year member of the Cincinnati Red Cross Communications Committee and was a member of the Chatfield College board for five years.