Brent D. Ballard, Managing Partner Emeritus of Calfee, Halter & Griswold LLP, will serve as the Chair of Playhouse Square’s Board of Trustees through June 2027. Ballard has been a Playhouse Square trustee since 2013, serving on the Real Estate Development, Government Affairs, Nominating & Governance and Executive Committees.
"Brent is knowledgeable and passionate about the city of Cleveland, and he has served the organization enthusiastically over the past decade," said Playhouse Square President & CEO Craig Hassall. "He is so supportive of our vision to grow Playhouse Square into one of the world’s premier arts districts, and it is fortuitous his leadership will guide us into the future."
"Playhouse Square, along with our other cultural treasures, distinguishes Cleveland on the national stage as we recruit talent to come here for jobs and to raise their families. It’s what helps to make our city one of the crown jewels in the world of arts and culture. As a life-long Clevelander, I joined the board a decade ago because I wanted to be part of and support this beloved and important Cleveland institution," said Ballard.
Throughout his legal career, Ballard has been a respected business and legal adviser to privately held business clients, operating as in-house counsel to the management teams and the multi-generational family owners of those businesses.
Ballard's legacy as Calfee’s Managing Partner includes leading the firm through the Great Recession and the COVID-19 pandemic while preserving its unique culture based on mutual trust and respect for the firm's members, its clients, and community partners. He has championed diversifying the legal industry, and he actively participates in community-focused initiatives that support the educational success of diverse students and the professional success of diverse attorneys and professionals. This work continues to be a focus area for Ballard as he seeks to leverage his contacts in legal and business circles to provide resources and support for diversity and inclusion goals.
He earned his J.D. at Case Western Reserve University and has been named one of The Best Lawyers in America® 2006-2024.
Ballard succeeds KeyBank Chief Information Officer Amy Brady, who served as the Playhouse Square Board Chair from July 2019 through December 2023.