The Rotary Club of Dayton presented its annual Irv Bieser Peace Award to Judge Walter H. Rice, recognizing more than five decades of service to the Dayton community and his commitment to justice, rehabilitation, second chances, and successful reentry.
Club President Kelly Lehman and Peace Committee Chair Carolyn Rice (no relation) presented the award during the Club’s September meeting, where Judge Rice also delivered the keynote address on the rule of law.
The Irv Bieser Peace Award recognizes individuals whose work makes a significant contribution to promoting peace in the community and continues the legacy of longtime Dayton Rotarian and peace advocate Irv Bieser.
“Judge Rice embodies all that is great about this community: service, selflessness, and dedication to others,” Lehman said. “We are humbled to recognize this great man for all the incredible work he has done in the community.”
A Lifetime of Service to Justice and the Dayton Community
Judge Walter H. Rice’s career in law and public service spans more than six decades. A Pittsburgh native, Rice earned his bachelor’s degree from Northwestern University in 1958 and both his law degree and MBA from Columbia University in 1962. He began his legal career as an assistant Montgomery County prosecutor in 1964, later entered private practice, and returned to the prosecutor’s office as First Assistant Prosecuting Attorney in charge of the Criminal Prosecution Division.
Rice was elected to the Dayton Municipal Court in 1969 and joined the Montgomery County Court of Common Pleas in 1971. President Jimmy Carter appointed him to the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Ohio in 1980. Rice later served as Chief Judge of the Southern District from 1996 to 2003 and continued his judicial service as a senior federal judge. In 2019, Dayton’s federal building and courthouse was officially named the Walter H. Rice Federal Building and U.S. Courthouse in recognition of his extraordinary career of public service.
Throughout that career, Rice championed an approach to justice that balances accountability and public safety with rehabilitation and the opportunity for people to rebuild their lives. He helped establish Dayton’s federal reentry court and co-chaired Montgomery County efforts to reduce barriers facing people returning from incarceration. His extensive community service also included work on race relations, homelessness, youth development, access to legal services, and the preservation of Dayton’s aviation heritage.
That commitment to service extended well beyond the courtroom. Rice served as a founding trustee of the Aviation Heritage Foundation and Montgomery County Volunteer Lawyers Project, co-chaired the Dayton Dialogue on Race Relations and Montgomery County Ex-Offender Reentry Policy Board, and supported numerous organizations addressing poverty, homelessness, youth development, and community opportunity. The University of Dayton and Wright State University awarded him honorary doctorates in recognition of his contributions.
“It is an honor to recognize Judge Walter H. Rice, who carries on the legacy of service and peace that Irv Bieser left behind,” said Peace Committee Chair Carolyn Rice, who is not related to Judge Rice. “His tireless work toward a system that truly rehabilitates is inspiring and worthy of recognition.”
About Irv Bieser
Irvin G. “Irv” Bieser Jr. was a longtime member of the Rotary Club of Dayton, attorney, community leader, and passionate advocate for peace and service. A lifelong Daytonian and Harvard-educated attorney, Bieser served in the Peace Corps in Liberia, where he taught law and helped train judges and magistrates, before returning home for a legal career spanning more than 50 years.
Bieser devoted decades to the Dayton community, serving organizations including Five Rivers MetroParks, The Nature Conservancy’s Ohio Chapter, Dayton Art Institute, Dayton Philharmonic, Aullwood Audubon Center and Farm, and the Rotary Club of Dayton.
His Rotary service reflected a broader commitment to peace, inclusion, and civic responsibility; in 1987, he introduced the change to the Dayton Rotary constitution and bylaws that made Club membership gender neutral.
The Irv Bieser Peace Award honors that legacy by recognizing people whose service continues to advance peace and compassion throughout the community.
Watch the Presentation and Keynote
Watch the Irv Bieser Peace Award presentation and Judge Rice’s keynote address on the rule of law here.
