E46 Trailblazing Leadership with Justin Hilton

Todd Bertsch & Justin Hilton in the Bolt Podcast studio

In this powerful episode, Leadership Akron President and CEO Justin Hilton joins host Todd Bertsch to explore what it truly means to be a trailblazer. From his journey as the first African-American architect intern under Robert P. Madison to his leadership across higher education, corporate, and nonprofit sectors, Justin shares lessons on courage, context, and curiosity. He opens up about vulnerability, faith, mentorship, and the power of designing not just a career—but a life. A conversation filled with wisdom, humility, and hope for the next generation of leaders.

Discussion points from this episode:

People over tasks as a transferable leadership principle
Building a personal board for wisdom, peers, and service
The legacy of Robert P. Madison and the gift of belief
Reframing sleep disorder and limits into resilience
Redefining success as who you become in pursuit
Using design thinking to architect your life
Art, vulnerability, and meeting your past self
Practical steps to schedule your inner circle
Mental fitness tools for stress, clarity, and growth

Justin Hilton’s Bio

J. Everett Hilton began his professional career as an architectural designer over 30 years ago. Within that timeframe, he worked in the Greater Akron and Cleveland areas on a plethora of projects including: the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, the new Cleveland Browns Stadium, the Great Lakes Science Center, the downtown Cleveland Public Library, the Continental Airlines concourse at Cleveland Hopkins International Airport, and the Quicken Loans Arena, home of the Cleveland Cavaliers.

Mr. Hilton then became an assistant professor and coordinator of architectural design and orientation at Kent State University’s College of Architecture and Environmental Design. Over a seven-year span, his work was recognized through multiple Outstanding Teaching Award nominations and extended beyond the classroom in contributions to collegiate student recruitment, advising, retention, and diversity efforts.

Mr. Hilton was then specially selected to spend two years working with Kent State University’s Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs and Provost as a special analyst and success solutions consultant; after which he was promoted to Senior Associate Vice President for University Relations. In this role, he developed and implemented strategies for the university’s marketing, media relations, government relations, and regional development, and was second in charge of a mission-critical area that employed and managed nearly 100 professionals and a multi-million-dollar annual budget.

Mr. Hilton was again promoted and became the university’s first Senior Administrator for Community Outreach, where he developed, curated, and leveraged community relationships, resources, and initiatives to execute and advance the mission and vision of the president and university at large. After 20 years at Kent State, Mr. Hilton joined The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company’s Global Project Management Office as a program director, in which he led some of the company’s highest-priority and highest-profile projects and initiatives. Most recently, Mr. Hilton was named President and CEO of Leadership Akron and now heads an organization that inspires, strengthens, and empowers leaders to drive impactful change within the Greater Akron community and beyond.

Mr. Hilton has continually augmented his professional career as a motivational speaker/contemplative conversationalist and an artist, and by serving on numerous boards of directors for schools, universities, businesses, associations, foundations, and nonprofit and community organizations. His awards include inductions to the Greater Akron Chamber’s 30 for the Future class, Kaleidoscope’s 40 Under 40, the 27th Signature Class of Leadership Akron, and Cambridge Who’s Who Executive of the Year—all while also functioning as the chief executive officer of two business enterprises.

Among all this, Mr. Hilton has studied and lived overseas in seven different European countries, was the first and youngest African American male to attain a Master of Architecture degree from Kent State University’s College of Architecture and Environmental Design, was the first and youngest African American Senior Administrator for Community Outreach and Senior Associate Vice President in the 115-year history of Kent State University, and is now the first African American President and CEO in the 42-year history of Leadership Akron.