Former Ohio State basketball stars Clark Kellogg, Michael Redd and Ron Stokes earn King Arts Complex accolades
By
Ken Gordon
The Columbus Dispatch
Posted at 4:00 AMUpdated at 5:47 AM
Michael Redd, Clark Kellogg and Ron Stokes honored for good works in community
Michael Redd is accustomed to getting awards — he was an All-Big Ten basketball player and NBA All-Star — but he said an honor he will receive on Saturday means as much as any of them.
Redd and two fellow former Ohio State University basketball players, Clark Kellogg and Ron Stokes, will be honored during the VIP program at the
King Arts Complex’s annual anniversary gala at the Hilton Columbus Downtown. The three are getting the recognition for giving back to the Columbus community.
“It’s truly humbling,” said Redd, 39, a West High School graduate and New Albany resident who helps minority businesses get their start. “It means a ton to be recognized by your hometown. It’s not just another award to me. It means something special to my soul.”
The arts complex opened in 1987. It is named after Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and devoted to promoting African-American culture and heritage.
The gala is a fundraiser that helps support programs such as youth summer camps, said executive director Demetries Neely, who explained that a committee chooses the VIP honorees.
“We look at our namesake and try to honor people who are MLK-like,” she said. “One of my favorite quotes of his is, ’Life’s most persistent and urgent question is, ‘What are you doing for others?’ And I think these guys do that every day — pay it forward and pay it back. They are great ambassadors for the city of Columbus.”
Kellogg, 57, is a former Ohio Mr. Basketball at Cleveland St. Joseph High School (now called Villa Angela-St. Joseph) who played at Ohio State from 1979 to ’82, then for the NBA’s Indiana Pacers. Now a veteran CBS college basketball analyst, Kellogg and his wife, Rosie, live in Westerville and support a variety of youth- and faith-based charities.
At a glance
‒ The King Arts Complex’s gala celebration will be Saturday at the Hilton Columbus Downtown, 401 N. High St. The VIP reception starts at 6:30 p.m., the VIP dinner and program at 7 p.m. and the gala concert at 9 p.m. Tickets are $200, or $50 for the concert only. For information or to buy tickets, visit
kingartscomplex.com.
Stokes, 56, is a Canton native and was an All-Big Ten player during his OSU career (1981-85). He and his wife, Lavita, live in Blacklick and own two companies, Three Leaf Productions (a marketing and printing firm) and LARS Properties (property management and commercial painting). He also serves as the analyst on OSU men’s basketball radio broadcasts.
“I have great admiration for Ron and what he’s been able to do in terms of minority entrepreneurship,” Kellogg said. “That road is not always easy to navigate.”
Redd, whose 12-year NBA career ended in 2012, co-owns Wave Innovation Group, which invests in minority-owned local startups. He and his wife,
Achea, also are active in faith-based organizations.
“Our commitment is to the city,” Redd said. “It doesn’t feel right to do things globally without first having an impact in your city.”
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