Staff Information

Our main telephone number is 330-972-7814 and our fax number is 330-972-5269.

	Mr. Edward L. Miller, PE - Executive Director - 330-972-6527 Ed was President and CEO of the Asphalt Institute prior to becoming the Rubber Division's first Executive Director and an officer of the Division. He earned a BS in Civil Engineering from the US Air Force Academy, MS in Civil Engineering from the University of New Mexico, MBA from the University of Oklahoma and is a registered Professional Engineer. He retired from the Air Force in 1992 after a 20-year career in engineering as well as teaching graduate school as an Assistant Professor and consulting in 15 countries throughout Asia, Europe, Middle East and South America. He is active in community work, such as running an orphanage is South Korea, as board chair for developing homes for abused and unwanted children in Kentucky, teaching children in elementary schools in Ohio and coaching cross-country and track in four states. Within the Rubber Division, Ed is responsible for providing the daily operational leadership as well as serving as a spokesperson, developing partnerships with other organizations and in maintaining good communications with the Executive Committee, Rubber Groups and the American Chemical Society. Ed is the staff liaison to the Steering, Executive, Nominating, Science & Technology Awards, Partnership Development and Subdivision Advisory Committees.
	Mrs. Melanie Avdeyev - Meetings & Executive Assistant - 330-972-7814 Melanie joined the Division in June 2006. She joined already having 5 years of experience assisting the Executive Director of a Non-Profit association. Melanie has had several positions at Rubber Division; Office Manager, Meetings Manager, Exposition & Futures Sites Manager and the most recently Meetings & Executive Assistant, part-time. With her well-rounded experience at the Rubber Division she will continue to coordinate logistics for semi-annual Rubber Division meetings and specialty events assisting the Expositions & Meetings Manager and the Executive Director.
	Mrs. Lakisha Barclay - Accounting Manager - 330-972-6696 Lakisha joined the staff in July 2007. Her background includes Summit County Children Services, the U.S. Air Force, and owning and operating her own tax and accounting service. Lakisha's responsibilities include the day-to-day financial management of the Rubber Division, as well as long-term planning and reporting. She is the staff liaison to the Finance & Budget and Business Affairs Committees.
	Mrs. Beth Berkheimer - Expositions & Meetings Manager - 330-972-7424 Beth joined the Division on July 1, 2009. She joined us as a Certified Meeting Professional with 20 years of experience at GOJO Industries, Inc., most recently as a Meeting Planner. Her job responsibilities are researching, visiting and negotiating future meeting sites including hotel, convention centers, Convention & Visitors Bureaus and /or other localities providing space for meeting function rooms, social events and other activities held at semi-annual Rubber Division meetings, as well as specialty conferences. She manages the logistics for the Spring & Fall Meetings to include the Science & Technology Awards Banquet, Sponsors Reception, registration and other logistics. She is also responsible for the Annual Meeting and Conference on Tire Science and Technology in Akron, OH. She is the staff liaison to the Exhibits & Future Sites Committee, the Rubber Recycling Topical Group, Service Awards Committee, 25-Year Club and Local Coordinating Committee.
	Ms. Missy Beynon - Membership Assistant - 330-972-6685 Missy joined the Division in December 1994 as a Student Assistant while studying at The University of Akron. After graduating with a BA in English, she worked for a non-profit in the oil industry before returning to the Division in January 2001. In 2002, Missy received her MA in Writing.
	Mrs. Karen May - Marketing & Membership Manager - 330-972-7815 The Rubber Division welcomed Karen May as the new Marketing Manager in February 2007. She is responsible for the marketing of all the Rubber Division events and activities and also has added sponsorships to her role. Karen brings more than 17 years of work experience in communication, marketing and public relations. A large part of her career has been devoted to developing strategic communication plans that have aided nonprofit organizations in fundraising and publicity and assisted a publicly-held company with public relations, marketing and employee communications. Karen most recently was with Akron Children’s Hospital, serving more than five years as the Director of Development Communications. She also was the Vice President of Communications at the Akron Community Foundation. Karen spent more than 10 years at Telxon Corporation where her tenure included work in public relations, investor relations, marketing communication and employee communication. Karen graduated magna cum laude from The University of Akron with a bachelor’s degree in Business and Organization Communication. She was a member of the Leadership Akron Class XVIII and is a current member of the organization’s alumni. She is the staff liaison to the Marketing & Communications Committee.
	Ms. Linda McClure - Technical & Student Programs Manager - 330-972-7978 Previous to working for the Division, she supported the sales reps and tracked orders for Continental Carbon and was the assistant to the Director of Employee Benefits at GenCorp. During our expositions, stop by our booth or the paper sales area to meet Linda and discuss Division activities and programs. Linda is the staff liaison to the Program Planning Committee and the Student Affairs Committee.
	Ms. Christie L. Robinson - Education & Publications Manager - 330-972-6938 Christie Robinson obtained her B.A. in English at Eastern Connecticut State University in Willimantic, Connecticut, in 2001. She continued on with her graduate studies while teaching high school English and working at the US Navy base in Mayport, Florida. Christie’s Masters in Education is in Adult Learning with a specialization in English and was received in 2005 from the University of North Florida in Jacksonville, Florida. Currently she works as the Education and Publications Manager for the Rubber Division, ACS in Akron, Ohio. Christie is in charge of all on-site seminars and workshops, online courses, scholarships, publications, and the management and all aspects of the Rubber Chemistry and Technology journal. Additionally, she manages the Rubber Division’s Journal Assistant and is the staff liaison to the Education and Publications and Scholarship Committees as well as the Editorial Board of the Rubber Chemistry and Technology journal. She is also responsible for the investigations, contract negotiations, and acquisitions of printers, editors, and instructors.