So Long And Thanks For All The Fellowship

By The Honorable Judge Caroline H. Gentry U.S. District Court, Southern District of Ohio Caroline_Gentry@ohsd.uscourts.gov

As my term as your DBA President nears its end, I find myself looking back fondly at a year filled with fellowship, great ideas, good will, and wonderful people. Those of you who are fans of Douglas Adams will recognize my riff on the title of his hilarious book, So Long and Thanks For All The Fish. The book title describes the dolphins’ farewell message to humans when they leave Earth before it is destroyed to make way for an interstellar bypass. My remarks have nothing to do with any of that, and most certainly will not be funny – but the sentiment behind the title is sincere. It has been a great year.

I hope that you are convinced, as I am, that the DBA is a terrific organization. It does an outstanding job of providing valuable services to its members, promoting collegiality, and fostering professionalism. The DBA’s greatest asset is its people – both its staff and its members. With apologies to anyone who I inadvertently leave off the list, I want to take this opportunity to thank and publicly honor the people who have given their time and talent to the DBA during the past year.

Of course I must begin with the DBA’s staff, which is topnotch and second to none. The indomitable group of Christin Albrektson, Shayla Eggleton, Kate Bertke and Lori Luebben work tirelessly and seamlessly together to accomplish every task that is put before them. Chief Executive Officer Jennifer Otchy has the rare ability to think about the big picture while paying attention to the smallest detail, is a terrific communicator, and excels at developing and supporting our members’ ideas and initiatives. We are very fortunate to have this incredible team at the DBA.

We are also fortunate to have a stellar Board of Trustees. I want to thank First Vice President Anne Keeton, Second Vice President Hon. Michael Newman, immediate past President Merle Wilberding, Prof. Ebony Davenport, Lauren Epperley, Jamie Greer, Michael Jurek, Jamar King, John Ruffolo, and Brian Wright for their work during this past year. Our Trustees have served in ways both large and small, and I thank them for their service. I would be remiss if I did not also thank past DBA Presidents David Pierce, Mary Wiseman and Fredric Young, both for their service and for teaching me how to lead this organization.

Our Section leaders are the unsung heroes of the DBA. When I called each of them last year and asked them to lead, they found a way to say yes. I thank all of them for their willingness to serve in a challenging role: Terry Posey Jr. & Jeff Sharkey (Appellate Court Practice), Jack Hilgeman & Harry Beyoglides (Bar Exam & Qualifications), Jeff Cox & Michael Sandner (Civil Trial Practice & ADR), Marcie Hunnicutt &

Lynn Reynolds (Corporate Counsel), Kyle Lennen and Prof. Thaddeus Hoffmeister (Criminal Law), Ashton Hood & Prof. Ebony Davenport (Diversity Issues), Mag. Jacqueline

Gaines & Kristie Gotwald (Domestic Relations), Ed Smith & Kristina Rainer (Estate, Probate & Trust), Dan Gentry & Hon. Peter Silvain, Jr. (Federal Practice), Misty Connors & Sara Barry (Juvenile Law), Marc Fleischauer & Gretchen Treherne (Labor & Employment), Vanda Morgan & Dana Ryan (Paralegal), Shannon Costello & Shannon Martin (Real Property), Kristina Curry & Mike Rake (Workers’ Comp & Social Security), Jordan Jennings & Kaylee Price (Young Lawyers Division), Sabra Tomb (Leadership Development), Hon. Christopher Epley & Hon. Mary Katherine Huffman (Public Service), and Karen Bradley, Julius Carter, Joseph Oehlers and Adam Webber (Certified Grievance/ Professional Ethics).

Our newest group, the Social Justice Initiative, continues to make progress. Many thanks to Mag. Bonnie Beaman Rice for her unfailingly cheerful and inspirational leadership. Thanks also to its members, who include Ericka Curran, Matthew Currie, Peg Foley, Hon. Jeff Froelich (ret.), Mag. Jacqueline Gaines, Becky Gentry, Joanna Gisel, Carl Goraleski, Summer Hawks, Stanley Hirtle, Anne Keeton, Katie Kersh, Lisa Nicolosi, Dianne Marx, Mag. Arvin Miller (ret.), Taya Onyschtschuk, Erin Otis, Hon. Walter Rice, as well as those who serve on the three subcommittees under the initiative. Finally, I thank each of you who has volunteered to assist the work of the Initiative. There is nothing that we cannot do, if we do it together.

Every November the DBA puts on an informative and enjoyable Bench Bar Conference, and this past year was no exception. The program planned by co-chairs Susan Blasik-Miller and Hon. Susan Solle featured interesting presentations from community experts on mental health issues and firearms laws, along with the traditional breakout sessions for different courts. Many thanks to our co-chairs for their terrific work.

Last but not least – a phrase that is an oxymoron for trial lawyers who believe in the importance of both primacy and recency –I thank and congratulate David Greer and Hon. Gerald Parker on the success of their ReTrial podcast series. The episodes, which are extremely well-done, feature current and former colleagues telling fascinating stories about Dayton’s legal history. This exciting project would not have been possible without the support of the DBA, Dayton Bar Foundation, Dayton Legal Heritage Foundation, and the Jack W. and Sally D. Eichelberger Foundation, as well as the work of the DBA Oral History Project. Kudos to all involved!

The list could go on and on, as DBA members volunteer to organize and host other events like our monthly Chancery Club and the 50-Year Honoree Luncheon. But all things must come to an end. I am grateful to the DBA for bringing us together and allowing us to experience camaraderie, fellowship and joy. So long, and thanks.

What a busy year! We've truly enjoyed having you as our President. Judge Gentry photographed from top left to bottom right:

Swearing in during Investiture (Jan 23); DBA New Admittee Reception (Dec 2022); DBA Chancery Club Luncheon (Sept 2022); 29th Annual DBA Bench Bar Conference (Nov 2022); DBA Annual Meeting (June 2022); Investiture Remarks (Jan 23); 50 Year Honoree Luncheon (Oct 2022); Sitting on the bench; ReTrial Podcast Launch Party (Feb 23).