Karen Buchwald Wright P’05 ’09 H’24 at the dedication of the Buchwald-Wright Gallery at The Gund in 2011.
Karen Buchwald Wright P’05 ’09 H’24, a local business leader and philanthropist whose generosity enhanced both Knox County and the College, died Oct. 15 at the age of 71. A former CEO of Ariel Corporation in Mount Vernon, she was a member of the Kenyon Board of Trustees from 2002 to 2009.
A longtime benefactor of Kenyon, Wright and her family supported numerous efforts linking the College with the wider community. These included endowing a scholarship for local students, supporting internship opportunities in Ohio, and spearheading the creation of the Wright Center as Kenyon’s first satellite space in downtown Mount Vernon.
Across the county, other philanthropic efforts left their mark. She established the Ariel Foundation in 2009 to improve the quality of life and increase opportunities in Mount Vernon, and projects bearing her fingerprints include the 250-acre Ariel-Foundation Park, the Wright Family Medical Pavilion at Knox Community Hospital and the Woodward Opera House.
“Karen was a remarkable partner and leader who left an impressive legacy, both at Kenyon — which two of her sons attended — and in Mount Vernon,” said President Julie Kornfeld. “Her dedication to improving the lives of others in her community through philanthropy is inspiring, and her visionary investments in higher education and elsewhere will continue to provide opportunities for generations to come. She was a powerful woman leader, and I am grateful to have had the opportunity to have known her."
Born in Mount Vernon on the Fourth of July in 1954, Wright attended St. Olaf College in Minnesota. She worked for various companies in the state before returning to Ohio in 1980 to join Ariel, the company launched by her father that became a leading manufacturer of compressors used in the natural gas industry and Knox County’s largest employer. Wright, a mother of four sons, led Ariel as president and chief executive officer from 2001 to 2021.
Over the years, she and her family developed strong ties to the College: Her son and current Ariel CEO Alex Wright ’05 has been a member of the Kenyon Board of Trustees since 2016, and his spouse, Libby, is a member of the Class of 2005. Alex’s late brother, Hunter, attended the College as a member of the Class of 2009, and his spouse, Katie, is a member of the Class of 2010.
The family’s contributions to the College have been many. It was their gift that allowed for the restoration of the former Buckeye Candy and Tobacco Company building in Mount Vernon that opened in 2017 as the Wright Center. It is now home to the Office for Community Partnerships; the College’s film program; and SPI (Science Play-Space Initiative), a nonprofit that welcomes local families to engage in science-based play.
The Wrights endowed a faculty position in the economics department to explore the traditions and values that have built American democracy and free enterprise, and their support has extended to the arts as well, including The Gund’s main exhibition space, the Buchwald-Wright Gallery, and community engagement programs through The Annex in Mount Vernon.
Last year, the family announced a new scholarship for top Mount Vernon High School students attending Kenyon and a fund supporting internship experiences for students who are from Ohio or who choose to intern in the state.
More broadly, Wright’s desire to revitalize her hometown led to involvement in projects to build the Grand Hotel and renovate The Alcove and other commercial and residential properties in downtown Mount Vernon. She was a strong supporter of the Kokosing Gap Trail, the city’s tree-planting programs, and many other projects.
She also had an abiding interest in America’s founding — including the principles of the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution and free markets — and became a major supporter of George Washington’s historic Virginia home, Mount Vernon.
Wright is survived by her husband, Tom Rastin; her sons Alex (Libby), Andy (Jenn) and Sam (Tate); her mother, Maureen Buchwald; daughter-in-law Katie; seven grandchildren; and a brother, Kurt (Heide). She was predeceased by her son Hunter; her father, James; and, in youth, her brother, Philip.
A celebration of life service will be held Saturday, Oct. 25, at 10 a.m. at Hodges Chapel of the Mount Vernon Nazarene University and streamed at mvnu.tv under “Live Events.” Burial will be private.