The Dayton Foundation is pleased to announce the appointment of Janice L. Culver, CPA, as its new Governing Board chair. A Governing Board member since 2017, Jan has chaired the Foundation’s Marketing and Public Relations Committee and most recently served as Board vice chair and member of the Executive and Grants Committees. After 25 years of service for KeyBank NA, Culver retired in 2013 as its chief fiduciary officer in Cleveland and returned to the Dayton area. She began her two-year term on July 1, 2024.
Want to learn more? Read five fun facts about Jan below.
- Jan’s love for Dayton began before she moved here. Jan’s family lived near Washington, D.C., before settling in Dayton when she was eight years old. Before her move, her grandmother gave her a children’s book about Dayton’s rich history of innovation – such as the Wright Brothers and the invention of the cash register. She still remembers how excited she was to move to Dayton after reading the book.
- Jan’s mother helped nurture her interests. An avid church and community volunteer, Jan’s mother, Dot, taught her to “greet everyone and every day with a smile.” She wanted her children to be comfortable doing things such as public speaking, even signing them up for appearances on the television show Romper Room. This led Jan to compete on Centerville High School’s speech team in extemporaneous speaking. She jokes that she hasn’t stopped talking since.
- Girl Scouts was a big part of her childhood. Jan and her childhood friends participated in Girl Scouts through high school, which allowed her experiences such as visiting Washington, D.C., and taking a photo with Congressman Paul Schenck on the steps of the Capitol Building. She credits scouting for teaching her leadership and life skills, including wilderness preparedness. However, she most enjoyed the camaraderie she shared with friends and the satisfaction of accomplishing tasks together as a group.
- Scouting played another important role in her life. She met her husband, Gene Kurtz, through a Junior League friend whose sons were in Gene’s Boy Scout Troop. Gene, a United States Air Force officer who was new to Dayton, mentioned to the friend that he’d like to meet someone who enjoys dancing. After affirming that Jan liked to dance, the two were introduced and began dating. Jan points out that, funny enough, it would be months before they finally went out dancing. They recently celebrated 27 years of marriage.
- Jan has diverse musical interests. From learning to “feel the music” from her piano teacher Mrs. Worley in the first grade to singing in the church choir, music always has been a big part of Jan’s life. The self-proclaimed “Swiftie” and past chair of Dayton Performing Arts Alliance is a champion for local performing arts organizations and enjoys listening to a diverse and eclectic musical repertoire. These experiences help her to connect with people of all ages through the power of music and dance.
To read more about Jan and her appointment as Governing Board chair, click here.