Meet Stephen Langenkamp, chief operating officer of MSA Design and a dedicated community volunteer. A born and raised Cincinnatian, Stephen is a graduate of Archbishop Moeller High School and now serves on the board, where he has overseen Black and Brown attendance increase during his tenure. He is the proud father of four and credits his wife with unwavering support of his career and pursuits. He also credits his parents and his grandmother, Fannie Mae Johnson, as influential, foundational figures in his life, and Mike Schuster as an important mentor.

“Caring is the building block for everything that I do in life,” said Stephen. “The ability and decision to care about everyone that I have encountered on my journey allows me to positively impact others on their journey.”

When it comes to his community service, organizations with caring at the heart of their mission is a unifying thread. From serving on the board of DePaul Cristo Rey to Warsaw Federal Bank (the second-only Minority Deposit Institution in Ohio) to Athletes in Action to ProKids (where he spent eight years as a CASA volunteer for children) to the Mount Auburn Community Development Corp., Stephen walks the walk and talks the talk.

“I want to leave behind a legacy of hope,” said Stephen. “I want to be seen as a fountain of hope for every person that I encounter on my journey in life.”

What life experiences has most influenced your personal mission and purpose?

Caring has always been the foundation of my life. I believe that if you genuinely care about people, you can leave them better than you found them—and that has been my goal in every space I enter. Over the years, I’ve been intentional about aligning myself with people and organizations that lead with caring first, because simply put, you are who you hang with.

Sports also played a major role in shaping me. Playing football at The Ohio State University taught me loyalty, commitment, discipline, and understanding your role—lessons that have stayed with me far beyond the field. But one of the most profound influences in my life has been my son, Seth, who is on the autism spectrum. Seth approaches life with honesty, hope, and purpose—no mask, no pretense. Watching him taught me that being decent, treating people with respect, and valuing everyone you meet are some of the most powerful acts of leadership, even though they’re not always celebrated.

What motivates you to keep moving forward in your journey?

Hope is what keeps me going. Hope gets me out of bed every morning and gives me the courage to face the world when all I want to do is hide. Hope creates a path forward, and along that path, I meet people whose dreams and aspirations matter just as much as mine. My motivation comes from understanding their hopes—and doing what I can to make sure I leave them better than I found them.

Slowing down has also been critical to my journey. Life is a sprint if you let it be, and when that becomes your constant rhythm, you forget how to be human. Learning to slow my cadence has helped me become a better listener, make better decisions, and build deeper value with the people around me. It’s a practice—one I have to work at every day—but it’s essential to how I lead and live.

What legacy do you hope to leave behind?

I want to leave behind a legacy of hope. I want to be known as a fountain of hope for every person I encounter. People remember fountains—they don’t remember drains. If someone walks away from knowing me feeling encouraged, seen, or lifted, then I’ve done my job.

That legacy started with my grandmother, Fannie Mae Johnson. She was born in Newberry, South Carolina, into a world shaped by the aftermath of slavery, and she lived a life of service, strength, and impact. Her influence was so powerful that a mural still stands in her community today. My grandmother was Black history, and she left big shoes for all of us to fill. Everything I strive to be—as a leader, a husband, a father, and a community member—is rooted in honoring that legacy by caring deeply and giving hope freely.

That legacy of hope, decency, and leadership rooted in care is what makes Stephen a 2026 We Are Making Black History honoree.