Margot James Copeland

Margot Copeland
Term: 2010-2019
Residence: Cleveland, Ohio  

Margot James Copeland is Executive Vice President and Director of Philanthropy and Civic Engagement at KeyBank, one of the nation’s largest bank-based multiline financial services companies. In her role, Copeland also serves as Chair & CEO of the KeyBank Foundation, guiding the company’s strategic philanthropic investments, in education, neighborhood prosperity, workforce development and community service. Under Copeland’s leadership, KeyBank Foundation was named to The Civic 50 four consecutive times in 2013, 2014, 2016, and 2017 as one of America’s fifty most community-minded companies, by Points of Light Foundation, and in 2014 and 2017 ranked #1 in among the financial services sector.  Formerly Copeland served as Chief Diversity Officer at Key and under her leadership Key was consistently ranked as a Top 50 or Most Noteworthy Company for Diversity by DiversityInc.

Recognizing that business and community prosperity go hand in hand, Copeland leads Key’s commitment to transforming and sustaining communities. She currently serves as trustee of the Cleveland Clinic, Say Yes to Education NY, NY, the Thomas White Foundation and the Kenneth Scott Foundation. She participates in the Executive Mentorship Program at Morehouse College; and is a member of the Business School Advisory board at Hampton University.  Copeland is the 15th National President of The Links, Incorporated, and also a member of the Executive Leadership Council.

Copeland was a delegate to the White House Conference on America’s Future.  In addition to her experience leading the Greater Cleveland Roundtable and Leadership Cleveland, Copeland’s public service is marked by her appointment to Vice Chairperson of the Cleveland Bicentennial Commission and subsequently the Cleveland Millennium Commission by former Cleveland Mayor Michael R. White, whose second term Inaugural Committee she chaired. She also served on the Transition Committee for current Cleveland Mayor Frank Jackson.

Among her many distinguished awards and honors are:

•    American Banker Magazine, Community Impact Award

•    Alumni of the Year, Hampton University, 2013

•    Esteemed Alumni, The Ohio State University/100 Years of African American Achievement

•    “25 Influential Black Women in Business”, The Network Journal

•    “Top Influential Women in Corporate America”, Savoy magazine

•    “100 Most Influential Blacks in Corporate America”, Savoy magazine

•    “Top Executives in Diversity”, Black Enterprise magazine

•    Academy of Game Changers, Spelman College

•    Torchbearer Award, United Negro College Fund

•    Humanitarian Award, The Diversity Center

•    “One of the Most Powerful and Influential Women in Ohio”, Diversity First

•    Woman of Influence – Girl Scouts of Northeast Ohio

•    “100 Most Powerful Women in Cleveland”, New Cleveland Woman magazine

•    “Cleveland Woman of Influence”, Crain’s Cleveland Business

•    “Master Innovator” , Smart Business Network magazine

•    YWCA Career Woman of Achievement Award

•    Black Professional of the Year - Black Professionals Association Charitable Foundation

•    W.O. Walker Excellence in Community Service Award, Call and Post newspaper

•    Diversity and Inclusion Award, Murtis Taylor Human Services System

•    Singular Sensation Award, Ohio Cancer Research Associates

•    The National Council of Negro Women, Cleveland Section, Community Service Award

•    Coalition of 100 Black Women, Community Service Award

•    Business Person of the Year, National Black MBA, Cleveland Chapter

•    Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc., Community Service Award

•    Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc., Community Service Award

Copeland holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Physics from Hampton University, where she has received the distinguished 2013 Alumnus of the Year Award, and a Master of Arts degree, Educational Development, College of Education, at The Ohio State University, where she was recognized as an esteemed Alumnus.  A native Virginian, she resides in Cleveland, Ohio and is the mother of three adult children, Reverend Kimberley S. Copeland, Dr. Garrison E. Copeland and Michael Patterson Taylor Copeland. She holds memberships in Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc., The Girlfriends, Inc., and formerly Jack and Jill of America, Inc.