KATHLEEN A. McGRADY

1976 Graduate

Retired Educator

Nominated by: Patrick McGrady ‘82

Kathleen graduated from Clay High School in 1976, is a graduate of Bowling Green State University, and has a Master’s Degree in Music Education from Vandercook College of Music. She recently retired after 34 years of public school teaching, with 17 years at Northwood Local School District, where she was honored as “Teacher of the Year” in 1996, and Director of Bands at Springfield Local Schools in Holland, Ohio from 1999-2015. 

An avid participant in OMEA competition, her high school and middle school bands consistently earned superior ratings at District and State adjudicated events. She has served OMEA in numerous capacities, including District President, District Secretary Treasurer, State Secretary, CO-Chair of Performances for 2007 State Conference, Band Chair for the 2012 State Conference, and the All-State Ensemble Coordinator for the 2016 OMEA State Conference.   Kathleen currently serves on the Bowling Green State University Alumni Band Board and ProMusica Board of Directors and is honored to represent 6,000 music educators for the state of Ohio as the President-Elect for the Ohio Music Education Association.

Among her honors, she was chosen as Springfield High School’s “You Made A Difference Award” and “Middle School Teacher of the Month”. She was one of ten Band Directors from the United States selected to be on Staff for the All-American Marching Band performing at the new Euro Disney Park in Paris, France. She was recognized with the “Outstanding State Chair Award” by the American School Band Directors Association and was selected as the 2015 Buckeye Cable Sports Network “Teacher of the Year” resulting in the “Kathy McGrady Fine Arts Scholarship” and the “Kathleen McGrady Legacy Scholarship” both given every year to a deserving senior from Springfield High School. She was also the recipient of the Ohio Music Education Association Outstanding Music Educator of the year for 2015.

In addition to being on staff at the College of Wooster Music Camp, she maintains an active schedule throughout the year as Guest Conductor and Clinician. She is also a staff conductor and Scholarship Representative with the Blue Lake Fine Arts Camp in Twin Lake, Michigan and the Ohio Ambassadors of Music which will be traveling this summer through seven countries for their 2017 European Tour.

Ms. McGrady maintains professional affiliations with the National Association for Music Education, Ohio Music Education Association, National Band Association, World Association for Symphonic Bands and Ensembles, American School Band Directors Association, the International Bandmasters Fraternity Phi Beta Mu, and is a lifetime member of Tau Beta Sigma.

THOMAS KELLER

1968 Graduate

Nominated by: Jeff Keller ‘77

Dr. Thomas Keller graduated from Clay High School in 1968. He was the Junior and Senior Class President and made all-conference teams in football and baseball. Upon graduation he went on to obtain his Master’s, Specialist and Doctorate Degree in Education from the University of Toledo. Dr. Keller taught for 25 years at Arizona State University in the W.P. Carey School of Business where he specialized in strategic management, leadership, and entrepreneurship. He was the recipient of the Outstanding Teacher of the Year Award and was often listed in the Senior Surveys as one of the most influential professors at Arizona State University. Mr. Keller retired from Arizona State in 2005. 

Dr. Keller has been an active entrepreneur. His consulting firm provided strategic planning and leadership training to some of the nation’s largest corporations and public organizations. After retiring from teaching and selling his consulting firm, he has devoted most of his free time to volunteer work with the Oregon City Schools where he 1) assisted the District with the development of its strategic plan, 2) started the Keller Family Scholarship for Clay students considering careers in education, 3) launched the Course Relevance Program which brings in individuals with expertise to assist teachers in the delivery of selected portions of their curriculum, and 4) started the Keller Family Employee Recognition Program honoring outstanding teachers, administrators and staff.