Several Northern Kentuckians are starting new chapters in their lives
As we bid farewell to a fleeting 2022 and welcome a brand new 2023 with a clean slate and expectations brimming with hope, we are making note of a remarkable group of Northern Kentuckians who are closing out important chapters of their lives.
Mike Tussey
After an amazing 60-plus years, the indomitable Mike Tussey who called play-by-play for over 2,000 football, baseball and basketball games has called his game at age 84. He is “retiring” but that doesn’t mean he’s disappearing. His diverse and extraordinary career speaks for itself.
Tussey, who now lives in Florence, grew up in the Ashland area and started his illustrious broadcast career in 1961. Along the way, he has been a radio and television personality, a police officer, a canine officer, an author, a teacher, a voice for documentaries, an in-demand speaker, a manager for his adult college-age Stan Musial Baseball team, a public information officer and more. In all phases of his careers, he earned awards and citations and accolades. His two books, You’re on the Air and Touchdown Saints (about the Thomas More football team) are examples of his accomplishments.
His life-long motto, “When one door closes, another opens,” means he isn’t finished yet.
Roger Babik
The founder and president of the Northern Kentucky nonprofit Master Provisions has announced his retirement and is starting an executive leadership transition to the organization’s second president.
Babik started the faith-based nonprofit after a 17-year career at Cincinnati Bell and has led 48 international mission trips, aggressively addressed local hunger needs and launched a special needs skills training program. The nonprofit serves over 75,000 people a month, maintains more than 250 local partnerships, supports eight international ministries and engages about 4,000 volunteers annually.
Master Provisions partners with local soup kitchens, shelters, food pantries, churches and school programs, providing food and reducing food waste people in need. It has distributed well over 22 million pounds of food to the community. It collects clothing and shoes, too, and sends supply containers to international partners in places like Togo, Ghana, Guatemala and Ukraine, to name a few.
Babik has earned an amazing legacy—and his well-established work will live on.
Judi Gerding
Judi Gerding isn’t going away, but her 50 years as leader and innovator at the Point/Arc is worthy of note.
When her son Steve was diagnosed with Rubinstein-Taybi Syndrome at a young age, Gerding dreamed of a productive life for him and that dream became the the Point/Arc, which has served those with intellectual/developmental disabilities for uncountable Northern Kentucky families for 50 years. The organization is a holistic agency with a wide-range of around-the clock services and a major force for good.
The Point/Arc serves more than 1,400 people a year through its programs and services.
Gerding will be the first to say that it takes a team to make these things happen. That’s true, of course. But a team takes a leader, and Northern Kentucky is lucky to have that person in Judi Gerding.
Frank Sommerkamp
Sadly, 2022 is the year that the community lost Frank Sommerkamp who died at age 93. He was the consummate community servant of his generation, having touched so many organizations. He lead so many initiatives, all with his signature enthusiasm and positivity. He served as head of the Spiral Festival, headed the Northern Kentucky Chamber and served on the boards of Forward Quest, Thomas More, CVG, St. Elizabeth Hospital Foundation, Tri-ED and so many other community-focused organizations too numerous to list here. He made a difference in the place we call home and we shouldn’t end this year without remembering with gratitude the difference he made in our lives.
