Ohio Northern University’s James F. Dicke College of Business Administration honored Phillip D. Caris with an Outstanding Service Award on Saturday, Oct. 18.

The award, given annually at Homecoming, honors individuals who have provided sustained and outstanding service to, and whose contributions have positively impacted, the College of Business Administration and Ohio Northern. This is the fifth year that Outstanding Service Awards have been presented by the college.

Dr. James Fenton, dean of the James F. Dicke College of Business Administration, said, "Phil Caris is a most worthy recipient for our College's annual Alumni Service Award. His volunteer work has included 14 years of membership on the Dicke College Advisory Board, including being its chair for two years.

During this 14-year period he has volunteered to mentor numerous undergraduate students, facilitated internship opportunities and job opportunities for our students, spoken as a guest lecturer to a variety of business classes, and served on numerous committees as an alumni representative. He truly cares about the Dicke College, ONU and its students and his level of volunteer service reinforces that fact. We are very fortunate to have Phil Caris as a supportive alumnus of the ONU Dicke College."

Caris, a 1982 graduate of Ohio Northern, is Cooper Tire’s vice president of sales for North America. During his 30-year career at Cooper, he has held numerous positions, including vice president of marketing, director of marketing, director of sales and marketing for Cooper’s European operations, and director of strategic marketing.

Active in the community and with ONU, Caris is a member of the College of Business Administration Advisory Board. He serves as chairman of Project H.O.P.E. and is active on the Executive Council for Boy Scouts of America, leading the Friends of Scouts fundraising campaign for the Black Swamp counsel. Caris and his wife, Cheryl, have a son, Michael Caris, daughter, Lauren Goodlet, and son-in-law, Jeff Goodlet.