At our weekly meeting on April 29, 2016, Canton Rotarian and Club Secretary Michelle Mullaly (sponsor) introduced our newest member, Max R. Barton II, to the Rotary Club of Canton.
 
Max Barton was appointed executive director of the Canton Museum of Art (CMA) in September 2014. The Canton Museum of Art is one of Ohio's premier visual arts museums, featuring an array of national touring exhibitions, original exhibitions created by CMA curatorial staff, and a wide range of education and community outreach programs.  The Museum's world-class Permanent Collection is celebrated for its American watercolors and contemporary ceramics - a collection valued at nearly $25 million.
 
Barton served as CMA's associate director from 2013-2014, and he joined the Museum in 2012 as director of marketing and communications.  A seasoned finance, operations, and marketing executive, Barton was previously director of corporate communications and strategic planning for Myers Industries, Inc. (NYSE: MYE) in Akron, Ohio, advancing through several leadership positions over 18 years with the company, including director of investor relations.
 
From 1991-1993, Barton served as a marketing coordinator for the College of Fine & Applied Arts at The University of Akron.  He began his career in 1988 as education marketing and communications specialist for outreach programs at the Kentucky Center for the Arts in Louisville, Kentucky, coordinating statewide and national programs for performing arts and visual arts education.
 
Barton earned an MA in Arts Administration with a concentration in marketing and finance from The University of Akron.  He holds a BA in Political Science/Journalism and Theology from Bellarmine University in Louisville, Kentucky.  Barton is a native of Louisville, and he and his wife, Nancy, retired marketing director from EJ Thomas Performing Arts Hall, reside in Uniontown, Ohio.  They are active owners in the thoroughbred racing industry in Kentucky and New York, and they are also owners of a rescued thoroughbred stabled in Massillon and under training for equestrian eventing.