Wittenberg University has hired Darren Hertz as its new men’s basketball head coach. The Miami, Fla. native served as an assistant coach at the University of Dayton since 2017 and brings with him 25-plus years of experience as a college men’s basketball coach, including 19 seasons at his alma mater, the University of Florida, working for current Chicago Bulls Head Coach Billy Donovan.

At UD, Darren worked for current Flyers Head Coach Anthony Grant. Darren helped the Flyers earn a berth in the NCAA Division I Tournament in 2023-24 while compiling a 25-8 overall record. He was also part of Dayton’s celebrated 2019-20 season in which the Flyers went 29-2, were ranked No. 3 in the country, and were projected to be a No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament before the Covid pandemic ended the season. Darren has helped coach and mentor more than 30 players who have played in the NBA.

At Dayton Children’s professional staff dinner in August, Dr. Jeff Mikutis was honored for his outstanding decades-long career, dedication, and impact on Dayton Children’s orthopaedic patients. Jeff retired from Children’s about a year and a half ago. He still keeps very busy as a physician volunteer with the Reach Out Clinic in Dayton, on the board of the Dayton Art Institute, as a volunteer at the National Museum of the U.S. Air Force, and as a reader for the Dayton Literary Peace Prize.

National Conference for Community and Justice of Greater Dayton Director of Education Lake Miller has been elected the next president of the Montgomery County Prevention Coalition, a group of more than 300 community volunteers. He becomes president of MCPC in January. In August, Lake was a panelist at the 2024 Ohio Coaching & Mentoring Network Conference. OCAM provides capacity building and workforce development for prevention professionals. He shared his experience in the field of prevention and some of the tools Dayton’s NCCJ uses. Lake is the son of Mike and Adriane Miller. Adriane is executive director of Dayton’s NCCJ.

Furniture Today Magazine has named Morris Furniture Vice President of Talent Management Max Klaben one of its 40 Under 40 Leaders. Max’s great-grandfather Morris Lieberman founded the family business in 1947. Based in New York, Max recruits top talent, develops training programs, and oversees HR functions. He leverages people data and analytics to reduce turnover, stabilize operations, and increase employee engagement. Max’s parents are Marilyn and Larry Klaben. Larry is chairman and CEO of Morris Furniture.

The Miami Valley School has selected Andrew Kahn, Class of 2007, to receive its 2024 Young Professional Alumnus Award. Andrew is principal security engineer with Unum Group. He’s at the forefront of the insurance company’s cybersecurity, protecting digital infrastructures from emerging threats. Andrew, who lives in Solon, Ohio, is the son of Linda Ohlmann Kahn and Buddy Kahn.

Jake Elder has rejoined Cox-Colvin & Associates Inc. as a principal scientist. He returns to his environmental roots focusing on environmental compliance and remediation projects in the commercial, industrial, and utility sectors. Jake recently joined the Jewish Federation’s board and is immediate past president of Temple Beth Or.

Washington Jewish Week interviewed Dayton Dragons co-principal owner Greg Rosenbaum for a feature in August. A self-described “Olympics freak,” Greg, who lives in Bethesda, Md., shared memories of the seven Olympics he’s attended, including Paris this past summer. “Over the years, I’ve learned how to maximize the Olympic experience,” he told Washington Jewish Week. “We planned a program which had us see 31 events in 15 different sports in the equivalent of 11 days. We averaged almost three events a day and focused on medal events.” Of the 31 events Greg attended, medals were handed out at 29.

Hillel Academy of Greater Dayton is one of 18 Jewish day schools across North America to comprise the Prizmah 2024-25 cohort of Engage: Growing School and Community Partnerships. Prizmah is the network for Jewish day schools in North America. Through the Engage program, school admissions staff work with Prizmah and local PJ Library partners to increase recruitment, retention, and enrollment by positioning their Jewish day schools as central hubs for Jewish communal life.

Send your Mazel Tov announcements to mweiss@jfgd.net.

To read the complete October 2024 Dayton Jewish Observer, click here.