DISTINGUISHED ALUMNI AWARD RECIPIENT

James R. Verdin (Jim) grew up in Mariemont and graduated with the Class of 1955. He was President and CEO of The Verdin Company, a 175 year old family business located in Cincinnati. Verdin manufactures and sells bronze bells, tower and street clocks, electronic carillons and organs. Jim was instrumental in creating the Verdin Bell Foundry on Wheels for the Ohio Bicentennial. The foundry cast bells in each of Ohio’s 88 counties as a gifts to the counties. Along with church bells and clocks, Verdin creates many unique installations using bells, clocks and towers.

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Nationwide, Verdin is involved in projects honoring veterans and first responders with custom bells and bell towers. The bell that opens and closes the New York Stock Exchange was recently cast by Verdin in Cincinnati. Greater Cincinnati projects include the “Foot Piano” at Smale Park; the glockenspiel in Covington, KY; and the World Peace Bell in Newport, KY. In Mariemont, the clocks in front of the Mariemont Inn and atop the Parish Center are Verdin clocks. The Emery Carillon in Dogwood Park was also a Verdin project.

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Jim was also a founder of three Pendleton Art Centers. Cincinnati is the largest, with more than 250 working artists in the warehouse in Pendleton-OTR. Other Pendleton locations are Middletown, Ohio and Rising Sun, Indiana. He has been honored many times for his involvement in the arts, preservation, business and community involvement. Most recently, Jim and The Verdin Company were honored by the State of Ohio for their work in honoring and hiring veterans.

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Jim passed away on August 8, 2018 at the age of 82.  His daughter and family reside in Mariemont.