Dobry, Harlan D.

Harlan D. Dobry, C.C.E., 90, was born in St. Paul, Neb., and lived in Cedar Rapids, Iowa from age eight. The retired president of the Canton (Ohio) Regional Chamber of Commerce died Wednesday, Oct. 14, 2009.

A graduate of McKinley High School in Cedar Rapids, he attended Coe College and the State University of Iowa. He was a graduate of the Institute for Organization Management, jointly-sponsored by the U. S. Chamber of Commerce and Michigan State University, and the Academy for Organization Management, co-sponsored by the U. S. Chamber and University of Notre Dame, the highest level of organization management education available anywhere. In 1969, he had completed the requirements to earn the Certified Chamber Executive professional designation from the American Chamber of Commerce Executives Association. The requirements were years of very successful local chamber management, service to the local community, and extensive service to the Institute for Organization Management. To date only 450 executives have earned the profession's highest designation since the program was started in 1938.

In Cedar Rapids he was employed as personnel manager by Wilson & Co., Inc., the meatpacking firm. His community activities included president of these organizations: Cedar Rapids Jaycees, Jaycee Charities, Inc., the YMCA's Allied Industrial League, and the Cedar Rapids Personnel Managers Association. He was a member of Westminster Presbyterian Church and Cedar Rapids Chamber of Commerce.

In 1956, Dobry entered the chamber of commerce movement as assistant general manager of the Green Bay, Wis., Association of Commerce, where he was employed for four years.

Subsequently, he served as executive vice-president for four years of Tri-Cities Chamber of Commerce in Granite City, Ill., and executive vice-president of Kokomo, Ind., Chamber of Commerce for seven years.

Dobry came to Canton in 1971 as president of the Canton Regional Chamber of Commerce. Following his retirement in 1988 from managing the Chamber, he remained on the chamber staff for four years as the first executive director of the Leadership Stark County program.

He was a member of Rotary Club of Canton, Professional Football Hall of Fame Club, Retired Executives and Professional Mens Club, AARP, Heritage Foundation, Cultural Center for the Arts, Leadership Stark County Alumni Association, National Rifle Association, and the Canton Club. After retirement, he served as a counselor for small business firms as a member of the Buckeye Chapter of the U.S. Service Corps of Retired Executives (SCORE) and The Philomatheon Society of the Blind, Inc.

Dobry was affiliated with several professional associations. They were Chamber of Commerce Executives of Ohio, past president; Ohio Chamber of Commerce Board of Trustees, past member; Ohio Metro Cities Chamber of Commerce Executives, past member; American Chamber of Commerce Executives Board of Directors Nominating Committee, past member; U. S. Chamber's Institute for Organization Management National Board of Regents, past member; U. S. Chamber and the University of Notre Dame's Academy for Organization Management Board of Regents, past member; U. S. Chamber and Michigan State University's Institute for Organization Management Alumni Association, past vice-president; Canton Community Improvement Corporation, past fiduciary officer; Ohio Small Business Coalition, past board member; Buckeye Tourist Association, past board member; National Association for Community Leadership, past member; and the Ohio Community Leadership Development Council, past member.

Dobry was also a past member of U. S. Small Business Administration Region V Advisory Council, Canton Mayors Economic Development Committee, North East Ohio Aviation Council, Greater Stark County Growth Association, Ohio Development Council, Great Lakes States Industrial Development Council, Ohio Urban Coalition, Citizens Advisory Committee of Stark County Area Transportation Study, and Stark/Wayne Vocational Facilities Consortium.

He was also active in a number of community organizations. They were Consumer Credit Counseling Service of Stark County, co-founder and past board member; City of Canton Income Tax Board of Review, past chairman; 1980 City of Canton Census Enrollment Promotion Task Force, past chairman; Mayors Blue Ribbon Citizens Committee on Financial Status of City, past secretary; Kent State University College of Special Programs Advisory Board, past member; Kent State University Canton Weekend MBA Program Advisory Committee, past member; Malone College Citizens Advisory Council, past member; United Parish Community Organization's Summer Work Program for Disadvantaged Youths, past treasurer; Postal Customers Council of Canton U.S. Post Office, past member; United Way of Central Stark County Voluntary Action Center, Advisory Council member; and the Community Christmas Committee, past member.

During the 16 years he served as the chamber's chief paid executive, he was instrumental in the initiation of several major new chamber programs. They were Canton/Stark County Convention and Visitors' Bureau, Leadership Stark County, Small Business Council, Business Counseling Services, Stark County Safety Council, Canton Regional Chamber of Commerce Chair of Free Enterprise at Malone College, City and County Government Oversight Committees, International Business Council, Annual Washington D.C. Fly-In Trip, Small Business Management Breakfasts, Meet Your Congressman Breakfasts, State Legislative Luncheons, annual publication of a Buyers and Sellers Guide, and the installation of the chamber's first integrated office automation system. He established the chamber's first Economic Development Department and hired the director, established the first Community Research Department, and hired the first researcher. He also developed the presentation which resulted in the chamber earning the coveted accreditation designation of our chamber as one of the very best in the country by the U. S. Chamber of Commerce for the first time. In addition, the Downtown Canton Association merged into the chamber.

During Dobry's tenure as the chamber's president, he played a vital role in the development of the annual Pro Football Hall of Fame Enshrinement Festival activities put on solely by the chamber. They were the fireworks display, Ribs Burn-Off, the national televising of the Grand Parade, Balloon Classic Invitational, and the Drum Corps International Competition, Festival Volunteers' Appreciation Party, the two- and five-mile races, and the Souvenirs Committee. He represented the chamber on the Overall Hall of Fame – Chamber of Commerce Joint Policy and Coordinating Committee.

He received a number of honors. The board of directors of the chamber established the Harlan Dobry Annual Leadership Stark County Scholarship and the Leadership Stark County Alumni Association awarded him an honorary membership. The U. S. Chamber and Michigan State University's Institute for Organization Management recognized him for excellent service as an instructor and class adviser, and the Chamber of Commerce Executives of Ohio awarded him an honorary life membership. He was named a Paul Harris Fellow by Rotary International and the Stark County Safety Council honored him with an Award of Appreciation for “guidance, motivation, and professionalism in organizing and supporting the Council.” AARP gave him its American Spirit Award for outstanding community service.

He was preceded in death by his wife of 54 years, Charlotte (Wencil) Dobry.

He is survived by his son, Steven D. Dobry and his wife, Shirley, and grandchildren, Ann Dobry and Charles Dobry, all of North Canton, Ohio.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to the Philomatheon Society of the Blind, Inc., 2701 Tuscarawas St. West, Canton, OH 44708, or Leadership Stark County, 222 Market Ave. North, Canton, OH 44702.

There are no calling hours. A private family service at Reed Funeral Home in Canton, Ohio will be held with Pastor C. David Morgan officiating.