The University of Toledo College of Business and Innovation and the Business Engagement and Leadership Council are recognizing both business and academic excellence during their 52nd annual Pacemaker Awards today.

The event is at 7 p.m. Friday, March 27 at the Inverness Country Club.

The 2015 recipient of the Business Pacemaker Award is Steven M. Cavanaugh, the executive vice president and chief operating officer of HCR ManorCare, Inc.

In his capacity as chief operating officer at HCR ManorCare, Cavanaugh has oversight responsibility for all of the company’s day-to-day operations as well as the company’s public policy and government relations activities. He also serves as a member of the company’s Board of Directors.

HCR ManorCare is a post-acute health care services company that operates skilled nursing facilities, assisted living facilities, home health and hospice agencies and outpatient rehabilitation. It does business in over 500 locations nationwide and employs nearly 60,000 employees who provide care to over 200,000 patients annually.

A native of Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio, Cavanaugh earned a bachelor’s degree in finance, magna cum laude, from The University of Toledo. He was appointed to UT Board of Trustees by Ohio Governor John Kasich in April, 2014 and is also former chairman of the Business Advisory Council for the College of Business and Innovation.

Cavanaugh and his wife Tiffany reside in Holland, Ohio, and are the parents of two children.

“Recipients of the Pacemaker Award over the past five decades read as a who’s who of current and legendary business leaders in the Toledo region and Steve certainly belongs in that impressive roster,” said Dr. Gary Insch, dean of the UT College of Business and Innovation. “The Pacemaker Award is the college’s highest honor, recognizing an individual for outstanding achievement in business as well as contributions to the community and the University. His highly successful career, outstanding leadership and tremendous generosity make him the ideal business professional to receive this year’s award.”

“Steven and Tiffany are generous supporters of the college, and have enabled the college to pursue new initiatives,” Insch added. “They also have recently established an endowed fund to provide scholarships, which are vital to attracting talented honor students to the college. It is a gift that will impact generations to come.”

Student Pacemaker Awards are presented to UT College of Business and Innovation graduate and undergraduate students for their outstanding academic achievement, University and community service, and leadership.

The 2015 student Pacemakers are: Applied Organizational Technology – Jessie Instone; Accounting – Lindsey Shepherd, Wenchao Li; Finance – James Spieth, James McSherry; Information Operations Technology Management – Amanda Bleasdale, Alexa Jarrett; Management – Jake Tullis, Christina Koepke; Marketing/International Business – Elizabeth Weiler, Alexandra Orr; MBA – Deanna Bobak, Katie Griggs; Ph.D. – Canchu Lin.

Tags: College of Business and Innovation