Generations of Love for Lake County
In the early 1950s Morris Beverage, Sr. moved to Kirtland, Ohio from West Virginia with his wife Mary Lou for a job opportunity at the Fisher Body Division of General Motors in Euclid. They were one of many families that joined Lake County’s population boom around that time with the county showing steady population growth of 75,979 in 1950s to 212,801 in 1980s.
Their son Morris, Jr. was the first Beverage born in 7 generations outside of West Virginia since emigrating from Scotland. Up until this time, all other male relatives of Morris Sr. had worked in coal mines. His decision of wanting something better would have rippling effects for generations. In moving to Lake County, he would expose Morris, Jr. to better educational opportunities. Morris Jr. would be the first in his family to graduate from college when he received his degree from Lakeland Community College, the institution he now serves in the role of President. Around the same time Clayton and Mary Maynard would move from West Virginia to the Northeast Ohio area for better job prospects.
They would move to Mentor, Ohio, when their youngest daughter Connie was in first grade. The couple would become members and serve as the first janitors for a new church called Willo-Hill Baptist Church in Kirtland, Ohio. Mary would continue in that role for 51 years. Morris Sr. was also active at Willo-Hill serving as Head Usher where he would greet all church goers at the entrance every Sunday for decades. Morris Sr. and Clayton also worked together volunteering for the church’s Sunday School program. His grandparent’s involvement at Willo-Hill was Morris III’s first example of giving back and taking care of your community. It is also where his parents met and were married. The second generation of Beverages would also choose Lake County to start and raise a family, purchasing a home in Mentor in 1983 where the couple still resides.
Growing Up in Lake County & Gaining Experience
Morris Beverage III and his two sisters attended the Mentor Public Schools where he thoroughly enjoyed the social interactions with his peers. He took full advantage of opportunities to develop close, life-long friendships that are still flourishing to this day. He graduated in the class of 1995 where his impact would later welcome his induction into the Mentor High School Alumni Hall of Fame in 2019.
Upon completing high school, Morris continued his education at Lakeland Community College where he was able to experience first hand the “blood, sweat, and years” of his father, Dr Morris Beverage Jr. ‘s dedication to quality, affordable education. Morris would later be inducted into the Lakeland Community College Hall of Fame in 2017. Morris then continued on to Bowling Green University where he naturally gravitated towards classes to assist him in becoming an entrepreneur and a financial adviser later in life. After accepting an internship with Merrill Lynch, which would turn into a full time position, Morris transferred to Cleveland State University where he graduated with his Bachelors of Science in Business with a concentration in Economics. He went on to finish his MBA from Cleveland State University as well.
Entrepreneur and Philanthropist in Lake County
Ribbon Cutting for Lighthouse Advisers, est. 2017
Morris Beverage III has over 20 years of financial services experience working with some of the world’s largest banks and investment firms.
In 2015 he created M. W. Beverage Financial Services, which served as a first phase to what has ultimately become Lighthouse Advisers. In the years since its inception, the business increased their revenue from approximately $275,000 with 3 employees to $2.5 million in approximate revenue with 13 employees in 2023.
United Way of Lake County’s Matthew A. Logies Ambassador 2017 award recipient
In addition to that incredible growth, Morris and his partners are most proud that Lighthouse Advisers has been able to infuse over $700,000 into local nonprofits through sponsorships, donations, and fundraisers. Additionally, the culture within Lighthouse Advisers encourages employees to invest countless hours serving on event and fundraising committees, as well as taking on leadership roles as board members.
Because of the years of dedication to the community, Morris was honored to receive the Mentor Chamber of Commerce’s 2020 Business Leader of the Year award. Morris is committed to modeling this important company objective and his ongoing and extensive fundraising involvement can be viewed here.
Following his election to become Lake County Commissioner, Morris sold his equity in Lighthouse Advisers and started M.W. Beverage, Inc. which provides personalized financial planning for customers.
Morris, his wife Kerri, and his two children
Family Life in Lake County
Morris considers his greatest stroke of luck to be that of meeting his incredible wife Kerri Beverage. Her relationship and partnership has been an inspiration, contributing to the success of building a life in Lake County.
Kerri is a second generation Perry High School graduate whose grandparents also moved to Lake County in the 1950s. Morris and Kerri decided to move to Perry Village to continue the third generation of raising a family in Perry. Kerri and their two children are the primary motivation for every project and endeavor that Morris pours his energy into.
Having spent 49 years in Lake County, Morris feels blessed to have reaped the benefits of the hard work of many before him and he is committed to working on an increased quality of life for the next generation and beyond.
For Morris Luke 12:48 is a driving principle, “For unto whomsoever much is given, of him shall be much required: and to whom men have committed much, of him they will ask the more.” It is not enough to just achieve the status quo but to actively foster a future that the generations to follow are able to thrive.
Support of Lake County’s 4H Youth and Farming Community
Morris was introduced to the Lake County 4H community through a close friend who worked as an advisor and instructor for the saddlehorse program. From that introduction bloomed a love and admiration in Morris for the families that work to keep the county’s agricultural and farming traditions alive here in Northeast Ohio.
Morris has been a strong supporter of 4H youth and their families ever since. He and his family have become permanent fixtures at 4H events and the annual 4H Livestock auction. Many of the livestock he has purchased has gone to help feed those in need across Lake County through contributions to local nonprofits, and helped further support the 4H program.