Bolz Center alumnus Robb Hankins is the new President and CEO of Arts in Stark, a non-profit organization working to expand the economic, entertainment and educational influence of the arts in Stark County, Ohio.

Said Robb in an interview with the Canton Rep:

''I’ve worked many places -- too many, some might say -- but I’ve never been anywhere that I felt so much optimism just walking down the street,'' Hankins said Friday about Canton.

Asked whether he’s more an arts person or a business person, Hankins said, ''I’m definitely a manager at this point, a bureaucrat. But I try to be as creative as the artists are.

''My job is to be a bridge between the arts community and the business/political community, and to try and get these communities to realize they’re stronger together.''

Robb moved to Ohio from Eugene, Oregon, where he was the cultural services director for the city. Under his leadership, Eugene launched an ambitious cultural planning process, and adopted a new, arts-focused slogan as a city: ''The World's Greatest City for the Arts and Outdoors.''

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