Nonprofit ABCD Inc. names new CEO to lead Canton agency

Tomier Davenport has been named the new CEO of The ABCD Inc. He will succeed founding CEO Will Dent later this year.

The Repository | October 3, 2025

CANTON − Tomier Davenport has been named the new CEO of The ABCD Inc.

He will succeed founding CEO Will Dent later this year.

The nonprofit organization was started in 1973 as part of the Community Developers Program of the United Methodist Church. Its services include housing, home repair, vocational training, and transportation.

“Tomier has been a vital part of ABCD’s growth and strategy for many years," Dent said in a prepared statement. "His experience, leadership, and deep ties to our community make him the right leader to guide us into the future."

Davenport brings more than 20 years of senior leadership experience across the fields of education, community development, financial services, and nonprofit governance.

“It is an honor to be entrusted with leading ABCD, an organization I’ve long admired and supported," Davenport said in a statement. "Together with our board, staff and partners, we will continue to advance opportunities, equity and economic empowerment across the region."

Davenport has been deeply involved with ABCD for more than a decade, serving as treasurer from 2018 to 2021, as vice board chair from 2022 to 2023, and most recently as chairman of the board since 2024.

In addition to his board service, Davenport serves as an assistant principal and administrator with Canton City Schools, where he directs alternative education programming, equity-focused initiatives, and community-school partnerships. He is also senior pastor of True Light Christian Ministries.

Earlier in his career, Davenport held mortgage leadership roles at Key Private Bank and Charter One Bank, and served as associate director of the Community Building Corp., overseeing affordable housing revitalization projects.

He earned a master's in educational administration from Ashland University and a bachelor's in business administration from Heidelberg College. He is a licensed real estate agent and former chapter president of Omega Psi Phi fraternity's Kappa Tau Chapter.

Davenport has also been recognized as "Community Volunteer of the Year" by KeyBank in the Canton District.

He and his wife Kim, live in Canton and have a son and a daughter.