Marco S. Sommerville
Ward 3, Council President
618 Copley Road
Akron, OH 44320
Home: 330-434-4377
Office: 330-375-2256
Voice mail: 330-375-2800 ext. 8303
| Committees: |
Committee on Committees (Chair) |
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Date of Birth: First Elected to Office: |
7/1/1952 March 9, 1987 |
| Political Affiliation: |
Democrat |
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Marital Status: |
Wife Debra, 3 children |
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Education:
Current Employer: |
Kent State University, Cincinnati College of Morturary Science Marco Sommerville Funeral Services |
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Affiliations:
Ward Meetings:
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Chairman Joint Board of Review; member, Board of Trustees, Akron Summit Convention and Visitors Bureau; Leadership Akron, Class of 1992; trustee, Downtown Akron Partnership; past president, Akron Branch NAACP; past president, Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity; past chairman, Advisory Board to the President of the University of Akron; member, Mt. Calvary, Prince Hall Masonic Temple; member, ALKAF Temple 109; member, People’s Baptist Church Fourth Saturday of the month, 10 a.m., Ed Davis Community Center, 730 Perkins Park Dr.
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More about Marco Sommerville
Marco S. Sommerville was born July 1, 1952 in Akron, Ohio. He lived his earliest years with his parents in public housing on Akron’s East side until moving to West Akron as a grade school pupil.
He attended Crouse Elementary, West Junior High, and graduated from Buchtel High School.
His interest in science led him to pursue studies in mortuary science at Kent State University and Cincinnati College of Mortuary Science, where he earned his degree in 1974.
By 1978, Mr. Sommerville opened Marco Sommerville Funeral Services in West Akron. Little did he know at the time that his work as a funeral director would be tied to public service. Soon, he realized that both jobs are similar in that they involve serving people, which Mr. Sommerville has always held as a passion.
It wasn’t until Mr. Sommerville worked on Jesse Jackson’s 1984 presidential campaign that he gave real thought to running for elected office. He ran for Akron City Council in 1987 and was elected to serve as the Ward 3 Councilman. One of his early acts as Ward 3 Councilman was to open a grocery store in the neighborhood which had seen decline after the riots of the late 1960’s tore through the near-West Akron community.
Mr. Sommerville recalled watching with sadness as poor and elderly residents carried groceries by foot from far-away grocery stores, and knew he had to do something to offer the residents some relief. He eventually fought for, and succeeded in, securing an Aldi store on Thornton Street.
Mr. Sommerville was eventually elected Council President in 2000. Since then, he has sponsored legislation and pushed through neighborhood initiatives to make life better for residents in the 3rd Ward and citywide.
Some other notable accomplishments Mr. Sommerville achieved include:
• A historic $60 million Edgewood neighborhood overhaul in Ward 3, including Edgewood Homes, the new Helen Arnold Community Learning Center and new Akron Urban League
• Anti-youth violence initiatives such as the 40-Day Prayer Against Violence, partnerships with clergy, police and Juvenile Court, and legislative support for community policing
• Economic Development legislation to keep major employers Goodyear and Firestone in Akron
• Legislation to support locally-owned businesses
• Legislation to support programs for first-time homebuyers
• Swift response to an illegal junk yard that posed a health hazard in Ward 3
In addition to his public service, Mr. Sommerville serves as chairman of the Akron Joint Board of review, is a member of the Board of Trustees of the Akron Summit Convention and Visitors Bureau and served as presidents of the Downtown Akron Partnership, the Akron Branch NAACP and Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity.
Mr. Sommerville is a member of Mt. Calvary Prince Hall Masonic Temple, ALKAF Temple 109 and People’s Baptist Church in Akron.
