Ambassador Edward F. Crawford is the former Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Park-Ohio Holdings Corp. (NASDAQ Symbol PKOH) (1992 to 2019). This Cleveland, Ohio based industrial enterprise has annual revenues of approximately $2 billion and employs 8,000 associates worldwide. Park-Ohio specializes in integrated logistics systems and manufactured products.
A serial entrepreneur, Mr. Crawford was co-founder of Cleveland Steel Container in 1962, Founder of The Crawford Group in 1972 and Chairman of Crawford United since 2010.
Crawford’s grandparents both emigrated from Cork. His grandmother, Catherine McCarthy, was from New Market, Boherbue. His grandfather Healy was a Corkman. In his honor, the Mayo Society of Greater Cleveland changed their bylaws in 2014 so for the first time ever, a person without Mayo roots was honored as Person of the Year.
honoree Edward F. Crawford and Gerry Quinn
In 1948 his electrician father bundled his wife and three sons up and off they headed to sunny California. A couple days later, as they were traveling on Route 20 in Ohio, the engine in their truck blew up. Within a day his mother located an apartment for the family in Cleveland Heights and California became a faded dream. And, fortunately for the Cleveland community, the family took root in Ohio.
Mr. Crawford is committed to a balanced life of commercial activity, civic responsibility and political action. For example, as he drove on Martin Luther King Boulevard a few years ago, Crawford was shocked to see the deterioration of the Irish Cultural Garden. “Growing up in Cleveland Heights in the 50s and 60s, the gardens were still in pretty good order. They reflected the diversity of Cleveland and I thought it was very special.”
A couple weeks after first witnessing the deterioration he saw some volunteers working in the Irish Garden as he again drove by. He got out of his car and spoke with them. “After that I got on the phone and called some friends and that’s when I formed the Irish Garden Club. This resulted in a massive restoration project of Cleveland’s four acre Irish Cultural Garden. Under his leadership, the garden has become the jewel of Irish Cleveland.
One particular jewel is the massive fountain in the garden. While in Dublin on business he saw a beautiful fountain in the garden of St. Patrick’s Church. Fascinated by, it he approached the Fred Lennon foundation about funding an effort to get a duplicate fountain built for Cleveland’s Irish Garden.
“I grew up with the Lennon family and they have never sought any public recognition in any way.” Crawford was able to convince their Fred Lennon Foundation to invest in the Irish Garden. The result is the spectacular fountain.
In 2012, Edward Crawford hosted the Taoiseach of Ireland, Enda Kenny along with Ambassador Michael Collins, Consul General of Ireland Aidan Cronin and others to the Irish Cultural Garden in Cleveland.
and Irish Consul General Aidan Cronin
in the Irish Cultural Garden
His board memberships, awards and other activities are too numerous to list. A few are listed below. But a highlight is when President Donald J. Trump appointed Ed Crawford as the United States Ambassador to the Republic of Ireland in 2016.
Ambassador Crawford continues to lead and support various projects in the Irish and broader communities.
Edward F. Crawford will be inducted into the Cleveland International Hall of Fame Class of 2024 by Irish Ambassador to the United States Geraldine Byrne Nason.
Partial Listing of Edward F. Crawford Activities and Awards
PERSONAL ACTIVITIES:
- United States Ambassador to the Republic of Ireland appointed by President Donald J. Trump in 2016
- Guarantor of Kent State University Ambassador Crawford College of Business and Entrepreneurship 2021
- Founder of Aspire Entrepreneurial Workshop Series (Turning rejection into positive energy)
- Member, Board of Directors, Hillcrest Hospital (Cleveland Clinic)
- Honorable Discharge-Army National Guard-Specialist Aviation Company 107th
- Armored Cavalry (1963)
- College: John Carroll University
- Host of President George W. Bush at Fox Spring Farms (2004 and 2006)
- Presidential appointment (George W. Bush) to USO World Board of
- Governors (2007)
- Host of President Donald J. Trump at Fox Spring Farms (2016)
- Chairman, Board of Directors, Crawford United
- Member, Board of Directors, Park-Ohio Holdings Corp.
- U.S. Small Business Administration Man of the Year (1969)
- Ohio Chairman, RNC-Trump Victory (2016)
- Founder, Irish Garden Club, The Cleveland Cultural Gardens (2007)
- Member, Finance Committee, Cuyahoga County Republican Party
- Member, AAU 65+ Basketball Team
- Participant, Boston Marathon (1970)
- Golden Gloves Amateur Boxing (1956 and 1957)
- Member, Bluecoats, Inc.
- Member, The 50 Club of Cleveland
- Member, Cleveland Sports Hall of Fame Board of Advisors
- Guest Lecturer, Weatherhead School of Management (Case Western Reserve)
AWARDS:
- Ronald McDonald House Pillar of the House Award (2017)
- James A. Garfield Hall of Fame 2014 Inductee
- Mayo Society Person of the Year Award (2014)
- Our Lady of the Wayside Starlight Guardian Humanitarian Award (2013)
- John Carroll University Entrepreneurial Award (2012)
- Northeast Ohio Business Hall of Fame Entrepreneurial Award (2007)
- Rainbow Babies & Children’s Hospital Advocacy Award (2007)
- SBN Master Innovator Award (2001)
- Ernst & Young Northeast Ohio Entrepreneur of the Year Award (1995)
- Weatherhead Entrepreneurial Award
PAST ACTIVITIES:
- Former Member, Materion Corporation Board of Directors
- Former Member, Lake County of Ohio Port Authority
- Former Member, University Health Systems Board of Directors
- Former Member, Capital Resource Advisors Board of Directors
- Former Member, Continental Global Group Board of Directors
- Former Member, Leadership Cleveland Alumni Association (Class of 1985)
- Former Member, Advisory Board, John Carroll University School of Business
- Former Member, Western Reserve Historical Society Board of Advisors
- Former Member, Resilience Capital Partners Board of Advisors
- Former Member, Cleveland Tomorrow
- Former Chairman, American Cancer Society Cattle Baron’s Ball
- Former Member, Heather Hill Hospital Board of Directors
- Former Member, Leaseway Transportation Board of Directors
- Inductee, Cleveland Heights Alumni Hall of Fame
- Guest Professor, Shanghai University of Finance & Economics (Shanghai, China)
- Guest Speaker, Tsinghua University (Beijing, China)
- Former Chairman, Cleveland Olympic Torch Relay Committee
- Former Chairman, Private Industry Council of Cuyahoga County
- Former Member, Finance Committee, Rock-n-Roll Hall of Fame and Museum
- Former Member, Cleveland State University Board of Trustees
- Former Member, Corporate Council, Cleveland Museum of Art
INVESTMENTS
- Angel investor, Lola’s Restaurant, Michael Symon, First Iron Chef in America