(Louise Gissendaner is donating one hour of her time to the winning bidder.)

Louise J. Gissendaner is Senior Vice President, Director of Community Development, for Fifth Third Bank (Northeastern Ohio). She joined Fifth Third Bank in October 1995 with over twenty-four years experience in banking and community development. In her current position, Gissendaner is responsible for working with various housing, economic and community development organizations to assist with the development of affordable housing, community revitalization and programs that assist minority business enterprises.


Gissendaner is active in the community and serves in a leadership capacity on the Boards of numerous organizations throughout Northeastern Ohio. Currently, she serves as the Board President for the Akron Urban League. Some of Gissendaner's other Board commitments include: Blossom Board of Overseers Board, Marcus Garvey Academy, and the Urquhart Memorial Foundation. In addition, she serves on the five-member city of Akron Planning Commission and is a member of the city of Cleveland's Bureau of Cultural Arts Advisory Board, East Cleveland Mayor's Advisory Committee, Local Initiative Support Corporation's (LISC) Regional Advisory Board, Main Street Lorain Advisory Committee and the Summit County Housing Advisory Board.


She has served as Chairperson for the Black Professional Association's (BPA) Annual Scholarship and Awards Gala. Gissendaner also served as Co-Chair for the Arlington Housing Options Plus Elderly Services (AHOPES) Capital Campaign Drive and Chairperson for the YWCA of Summit County's annual "Women of Achievement" luncheon.


In November 2003, Northern Ohio Live Magazine chose Louise as a "Rainmaker." Crain's Cleveland Business also honored Gissendaner in 2003 as one of their "Women of Note." In 2002, she was profiled as one of the "Women Making a Difference in Their Communities" in the Women's issue of Kaleidoscope Magazine.


In 2001, the YWCA of Summit County recognized Gissendaner as a "Women of Achievement" at their awards dinner in June, and selected her as "100 Women of Distinction" in Summit County at their Centennial Gala in September. The YWCA of Greater Cleveland also recognized Gissendaner as a "Woman of Professional Excellence" at their annual awards luncheon in May 2000.


In 1996, Gissendaner was instrumental in forming the Cleveland affiliate of the national nonprofit "Christmas in April" program, and served as its first president. This nonprofit volunteer initiative, now called "Rebuilding Together With Christmas in April," is part of a national organization that provides home painting and repair assistance to low-income homeowners.


In 1999, Gissendaner founded SANKOFA Fine Arts Plus, a nonprofit organization dedicated to the education, preservation and distribution of fine ethnic art and currently serves as its advisory board president. The Cleveland-based SANKOFA raises funds for art scholarships for African American students and promotes cultural awareness of talented African American artists through art exhibits and events organized throughout the year.


She is currently a member of the Akron and Cleveland NAACP, the Akron Urban League, the Black Professionals Association, the Urban Financial Services Coalition and Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc., a public service organization.


Gissendaner received her undergraduate degree in communications from Kent State University and resides in the city of Akron.