Walter W. Bettinger II, AHS class of 1979, was inducted in the Ada High School Alumni Association Hall of Honor on January 11 and honored at halftime of the boys basketball game. Bettinger served as CEO of Charles Schwab & Co. from 2008-2024 and is benefactor of school athletics. He provided the Icon with these reflections on his home town.
Q. What keeps you connected to Ada, Ohio?
A. Staying connected to my roots has always been important to me. No matter where the pathways of life take us, we all have a hometown and Ada is that hometown for me. I am a regular reader of the Ada Herald, Adaicon.com and news from Ohio Northern University. I find it an important way to stay informed of happenings in my hometown.
Q. How did growing up in Ada and going to the Ada Schools shape you?
A. Growing up in Ada with loving parents, a faith-filled church and caring teachers was particularly special because it combined the best attributes of a nurturing small town with the advantages of a world-class University. Attending a smaller school system allowed teachers and advisors to take a personal interest in the growth and development of students.
One of my most memorable experiences was my parents taking me to hear Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. speak at Taft Gymnasium on the campus of ONU in the winter of 1969. Although, as an eight year old, I didn't fully grasp the specifics of his words, I could tell he had a powerful message worthy of society's attention. I'm deeply grateful for the education and opportunities that growing up in Ada created.
Q. If we could turn back the clock and talk to your high school classmates, what would surprise them the most?
A. Walt is going to be a lifelong friend. Staying connected with a number of my classmates over the decades, supporting them as a friend through all life's ups and downs is proof that the relationships we form in our youth truly can stand the test of time.
Q. What do you miss about small town life?
A. There is something special about a smaller town where the community supports each other, advocates for each other and looks to lift each other up. Every time I return to Ada and see those city limit signs, a flood of warm memories from my upbringing wash over me.
Q. What was your most memorable experience in high school?
A. There are two that stand out to me. One is traveling to away golf matches with my teammates in Coach Bob Sperling's ancient Oldsmobile Cutlass; all six of us singing off-key the lyrics to whatever song was playing on station CKLW on his AM radio.
The other is learning the successful business strategy of serving others the way we would want to be served while working under John Hiester, the General Manager of the Ada Cardinal Grocery Store, during my high school years.
Q. You are a sports program benefactor. Why sports?
A. Sports are important to my wife, Teri, and me because of the doors they can open and the lessons learned from teamwork, commaraderie, as well as wins and losses. All five of our children have benefited from participating in highly competitive sports and we have witnesssed first hand the personal growth this contributed to.
Q. Do you have words of advice for children and young adults who are growing up in Ada today?
A. I would encourage young people growing up in Ada to take advantage of the opportunity to get to know as many of their classmates as possible and to take pride in their hometown. Ada is a special place and the values that growing up in a small town in the Midwest can instill in you will yield benefits in all aspects of your future life.
Q. Any reflections on your visit to Ada this weekend?
A. Visiting Ada this weekend was a reminder of how fortunate I was to grow up in a community filled with people of integrity and character. It was truly humbling to be inducted into the Ada High School Hall of Honor.
