THE REGION’S MOST
POWERFUL BUSINESS LEADERS
FROM THE PUBLISHERS OF
TABLE OF C ONTENT S
BANKING & FINANCE p.7
EDUCATION & HEALTH p.35
PROFESSIONAL SERVICES p.62
FINANCIAL ADVISORS
LIFE SCIENCES
HR & EXECUTIVE SEARCH
WEALTH MANAGEMENT
SCHOOLS & UNIVERSITIES
MARKETING
CONSUMER GOODS p.13
MANUFACTURING & TECH p.47
REAL ESTATE p.69
FOOD & BEVERAGE
INVESTORS
CONSTRUCTION
RETAIL SALES
LOGISTICS
HOME SALES
CULTURE & LEISURE p.23
NONPROFIT & GOVERNMENT p.55
INDEX
CONVENTIONS & HOTELS
FOUNDATIONS
79 / BY COMPANY NAME
RESTAURANTS
TRANSPORTATION
BANKS & CREDIT UNIONS
AUTOS
ARTS
HOSPITALS
INDUSTRY
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
ILLU S TR ATI O N BY (COV ER) Y I FA N W U / ( THIS PAG E) S T O C K . A D O B E .CO M/R EC E R FIL M S
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ACCOUNTING & LAW FIRMS
ARCHITECTURE
77 / BY NAME
EDITOR LE LET T TER
W
221 E. Fourth Street, Suite 130 Cincinnati, OH 45202 (513) 421-4300 CINCINNATIMAGAZINE.COM
E P U B L I S H E D T H E F I R ST V E R S I O N O F
Cincinnati 300 in 2019 with the goal of putting faces on the names we all know as community and business leaders and sharing a few of their personal tidbits and leadership traits. That seems like a long time ago from our post-pandemic, hyper-polarized viewpoint today. Was B.C. (Before Covid) actually a more innocent time? The essence of leadership hasn’t really changed over the years. When we asked CEOs about the best business advice they’d ever received, most pointed to basic concepts like “Never stop learning,” “Bet on yourself,” “Always do the right thing,” “Anything worth having is generally hard to get,” and “Stay curious.” Nothing about becoming an expert with spreadsheets or acing EBITDA. Once the pandemic turned entire business sectors upside down and challenged all sorts of workplace and supply chain assumptions, those soft skills became more important than ever. Employees were looking for leaders to plan post-pandemic recovery and help them settle in to a “new normal” of work-from-home, virtual relationships, and AI disruption—and they still are. Leaders who can listen, empathize, collaborate, and pivot are the success stories of 2026. You’ll encounter dozens of new leaders in this year’s Cincinnati 300 , along with plenty of familiar names and faces. I decided to highlight eight years of questions about leadership in this issue instead of asking all 300 executives to answer a new set. I like the variety of responses across time, from why someone chose their career path to how the pandemic changed someone’s leadership style. After collecting everyone’s hometown and higher education information over these eight years, I wanted to see what the data says about the group of 300 leaders as a whole. (Find the results on pages 12 and 21.) First off, it’s a 50/50 split between Cincinnati natives and those born outside of the region, which to me reinforces the current relationship between hometown pride/traditions and outside thinking that’s put Cincinnati on the move to a bright future. As someone who was born elsewhere but has lived here for 40 years, I know that nonnatives are often Cincinnati’s biggest boosters. Women leaders are 23 percent of the current Cincinnati 300, up from 13 percent in 2019. How many more will there be next year?
PUBLISHER
Ivy Bayer EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
John Fox DESIGN DIRECTOR
Brittany Dexter DIRECTOR OF BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT
Tony Frank ART DIRECTORS
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BANKING & FINANCE
Timothy Ballinger
John Barrett
Ron Bass
PRESIDENT AND CEO General Electric Credit Union
CHAIRMAN, PRESIDENT, AND CEO Western & Southern Financial Group
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR AND MARKET MANAGER UBS Financial Services Wealth Management
Ballinger celebrates a decade as CEO of the region’s largest credit union, which had more than $3.5 billion in deposits in 2025, nearly 280,000 members, and 12 branches in Ohio and Kentucky. It was chartered in 1954 for employees of General Electric Aircraft Engines. Ballinger joined GECU in 1994 from Fifth Third Bank and was named president in 1998.
Barrett joined Western & Southern in 1987 as its chief financial officer and was named CEO in 1994 and chairman in 2002. The downtown-based Fortune 500 life insurance, commercial real estate, and investment advisory company posted revenue of $7.6 billion in 2025 and net income of $912 million. Its Eagle Realty Group bought the Masonic Center and Taft Theatre buildings downtown for about $10 million.
Bass is the leader of the Kentucky and Cincinnati region of the global firm’s operations. UBS has a downtown office in the Scripps Center and recently renovated its longtime home in Kenwood. It oversees the city of Cincinnati’s $1.6 billion trust from the 2024 sale of the Cincinnati Southern Railroad.
Hometown: Cincinnati Education: University of Cincinnati (undergraduate) What’s the biggest challenge for your company over the next five years? The continued evolution
not your career.” Future opportunities will come your way only after you’ve been successful in your current role. How
Hometown: Cincinnati Education: University of Cincinnati
(undergraduate), Xavier University (MBA), University of Delaware (master’s) Best advice received: “Always do the right thing, and do it the right way.” Advice you’d give someone looking to enter your field of business: Be patient and try to see the whole picture.
of technology. Our industry’s adoption of AI is transforming business models, enhancing decision-making, and redefining competitive advantages at an accelerating pace, but it isn’t a substitute for high-quality leadership. Advice you’d give someone looking to enter your field of business: Come in willing to learn, adapt to the professional environment, and leave your ego at the door.
Hometown: Louisville Education: University of Louisville (undergraduate) Best advice received: “Manage your job and
is your leadership approach today different from before the pandemic? More focus on culture and flexibility. Our world is
different today, and we’ve worked hard to adapt to support our employees.
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BANKING & FINANCE
Archie Brown
Jennifer Damiano
Todd Cain
PRESIDENT AND CEO First Financial Bank
CEO Sharefax Credit Union
CINCINNATI MARKET PRESIDENT KeyBank
Brown has led the bank since it merged with MainSource Financial in 2018. It’s the 12th-largest public company in Cincinnati, with almost $900 million in 2025 revenue. It bought the naming rights to the renovated convention center for $10.1 million over 15 years. With First Financial Center on that building, the bank’s downtown headquarters has been renamed First Financial Tower.
Cain was CEO of Emery Federal Credit Union for nine years before taking the lead spot at the Clermont County-based credit union founded by employees of Ford Motor plants in Sharonville and Fairfax. Sharefax and Emery merged in 2025, and the new company has almost $650 million in assets, nine branch locations, and 33,500 customers.
Damiano has led the Cleveland-based company’s local operations since September 2023. She previously worked in nonprofit fundraising and joined Cincinnati Symphony as head of development before moving to PNC in 2014. Key Bank is among the region’s top banks with almost $1.3 billion in local deposits. Its foundation donated $200,000 to the Cincinnati Development Fund’s efforts to build affordable housing.
Hometown: Cincinnati Education: Eastern Kentucky University Hometown: Cincinnati Education: University of Georgia (undergraduate), Xavier University (MBA) Advice you’d give someone looking to enter your field of business: To have success, you
Hometown: Cincinnati Education: Marquette University
(undergraduate)
(undergraduate)
need a passion that comes from believing the work you’re doing is bigger than yourself. Banking is vital in the lives of businesses and consumers. Favorite inspirational quote: “It is amazing what you can accomplish if you don’t care who gets the credit.” (Harry S Truman)
Jim Danneman
Dan Feldmann
Bob Groenke
REGION PRESIDENT Huntington Bank
REGIONAL PRESIDENT Fifth Third Bank
CEO Bahl & Gaynor
Danneman worked for Fifth Third, U.S. Bank, and Bank of America before replacing Steve Mullinger as the Columbus-based bank’s local leader in October 2025. Huntington has been active in acquiring assets, buying Cadence Bank of Houston for $7.4 billion in February and middle-market investment business from Janney Montgomery Scott of Philadelphia earlier. It has $4.8 billion in local deposits with more than 35 local offices.
Feldmann replaced Tim Elsbrock as president of the Greater Cincinnati, Dayton, and Northern Kentucky region. Feldmann has never worked for another company, joining Fifth Third in 2001 in a co-op role while in college. He eventually began running the commercial and industrial group and became a senior banker in 2019 before last year’s promotion.
Groenke, who joined the downtown-based investment advisory firm in 2019 from Franklin Templeton Investments, was named CEO in 2022. The employee-owned company is the region’s third-largest money management firm, with more than $20 billion in assets. The firm was founded by Verne Gaynor, who died in April, and Bill Bahl, who died in 2022. Bahl’s son, Jeff, is a principal and portfolio manager at the company.
Education: Xavier University (undergraduate and MBA)
Hometown: Cincinnati Education: Ohio State University (undergraduate), Xavier University (MBA) What is your company doing to attract young talent? We focus on finding college
students from the Cincinnati region; they know this city, love it, and want to build their careers here. Our interns are paired with mentors who guide them, challenge them, and help them build meaningful relationships across the organization. What’s the biggest challenge for your company over the next five years?
Attracting and retaining top talent.
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Hometown: Cincinnati Education: University of Michigan (undergraduate), University of Chicago (MBA) Advice you’d give someone looking to enter your field of business: True in-
tellectual curiosity and personal investment in client outcomes are vital characteristics for our team. How is your leadership approach today different from before the pandemic? I’ve focused on inspiring and supporting our team to provide the excellent service our clients expect and deserve.
BANKING & FINANCE
James Hagerty
Terence Horan
Andrew Howell
CEO Bartlett Wealth Management
PRESIDENT AND CEO Horan Wealth
PRESIDENT AND CEO Federal Home Loan Bank
Hagerty, who joined Bartlett in 1994, is responsible for the firm’s strategy while President Holly Mazzocca, who joined the firm in 2015, leads daily operations and the company’s managing directors. With offices in Chicago and Louisville, more than 80 employees manage $10 billion in assets for 2,200 clients. The firm traces its roots to 1898 when Benjamin Bartlett purchased a seat on the New York Stock Exchange.
The son of company founder Jack Horan joined the firm in 1973 and assumed this role in June 2023 when Horan’s employee benefits division was acquired by Hub International of Chicago. The company opened an office in Pittsburgh last year, the first outside of its local ones in Sycamore Township and Ft. Mitchell. It’s among the region’s largest money management firms with more than $3 billion in assets.
Howell has led operations since 2012 at the wholesale bank providing services to more than 600 member financial institutions in Ohio, Kentucky, and Tennessee. This year, it provided more than $50 million in grants to help build almost 3,000 affordable housing units in the three states, including $3 million to Habitat for Humanity projects in Greater Cincinnati.
Hometown: Cincinnati Education: University of Dayton (undergraduate) When you were 18, what career field did you think you’d be in at this point in your life? Practicing as an
Hometown: Cincinnati Education: Fairfield University (undergraduate) What is your company doing to attract young talent?
Hometown: Louisville Education: University of Kentucky
attorney. Growing up, I was close to several individuals in the law field and was inspired by the work they did. Advice you’d give someone looking to enter your field of business: I would recommend to continually study economics, history, and psychology. Successful investment management and financial planning are grounded in a solid understanding of behavioral characteristics.
(undergraduate), University of Cincinnati (MBA)
Our internship program is designed to provide hands-on experience and mentorship, allowing students and recent graduates to learn the wealth management business from the ground up. Three of our interns became full-time hires in recent years.
Jason Jackman
Kirk Koppenhoefer
Carl H. Lindner III
CEO Johnson Investment Counsel
PRESIDENT Guardian Savings Bank
CO-CEO American Financial Group
Jackman was named president in 2013 and CEO in 2023. The firm, founded by Tim Johnson in 1965, has $24 billion in assets managed and added two shareholders this year in addition to six last year that brings the total of the employee-owned company to 51. It serves clients in 50 states with offices in Green Township, Sycamore Township, Dayton, Columbus, Cleveland, and Detroit.
Koppenhoefer was hired as Guardian’s president in 2022 after serving as director of equities at Yellow Cardinal Advisory Group and vice president at RiverPoint Capital Management. Tracing its roots to 1895, the bank now has 13 offices in Cincinnati, Northern Kentucky, Lexington, and Louisville and holds more than $3 billion in mortgage loans.
Lindner was elected co-CEO officer in January 2005. He’s served as co-president and a director of American Financial Group since March 1996 and has been principally responsible for the property and casualty insurance operations since 1987. Lindner and his brother, Craig, run the holding company AFG, one of Cincinnati’s largest public companies. Carl is the majority owner and CEO of FC Cincinnati, the local club in Major League Soccer.
Hometown: Cincinnati Education: Miami University (underHometown: Howell, New York; Rochester, New Hampshire; Pittsburgh Education: Wittenberg University (undergraduate) What’s the biggest challenge for your company over the next five years? Navigating markets characterized by economic
risks, elevated valuations, and heavy index concentration. Advice you’d give someone looking to enter your field of business: Come on in, we’re hiring! The industry is growing, and
there is demand for younger talent as many senior advisors are approaching retirement.
graduate), Universityof Cincinnati (MBA) Hometown: Cincinnati Education: University of Cincinnati (undergraduate) Advice you’d give someone looking to enter your field of business: The business of insurance is underappreciat-
ed as a great career opportunity for ambitious, bright college grads. Favorite inspirational quote: “Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us.” (Ephesians 3:20)
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BANKING & FINANCE
S. Craig Lindner
Gail Manley
Eric Meilstrup
CO-CEO American Financial Group
REGIONAL LEADER Fidelity
PRESIDENT AND CEO LCNB Bank
Along with his brother, he was elected coCEO in January 2005. He has served as co-president and a director of American Financial Group since March 1996. From 1999 until its sale in 2021, he served as chief executive officer of Great American Financial Resources Inc., a wholly-owned subsidiary of AFG. He also oversees the investment portfolios of AFG and its affiliated companies. He and his wife, Frances, founded the Lindner Center of Hope in Mason in 2008.
Manley started with the company in 1998 as a service and trading manager and currently serves as Vice President Social Impact in addition to leading the local office in Covington. Fidelity is the largest financial brokerage firm in Greater Cincinnati with 1,900 registered brokers and 5,680 total workers in client management, technology, and operations. It’s the second-largest employer in Northern Kentucky.
The acquisitions of Cincinnati Bancorp and Eagle Financial Bancorp in 2023 and 2024 helped make Lebanon-based LCBN one of largest banks in the region with more than $1.8 billion in local deposits and more than $2.2 billion overall. It has 35 locations in Southwestern Ohio and Northern Kentucky. Meilstrup, who joined the bank as a vice president in 1988, has led the institution since 2018.
Hometown: Gary, Indiana Education: Indiana University (undergraduate) Best advice received: “Say yes to opportunities, even when they push you outside your comfort zone.” Whether it was a loan assignment, a volunteer opportunity, or a stretch role, each experience helped me grow professionally, build meaningful relationships, and develop skills that opened new doors throughout my career. Is your company and industry being disrupted by AI? AI is a long-term investment theme, but trust must advance alongside innovation and cannot be competing priorities.
Hometown: Dexter, Michigan Education: Bowling Green State University (undergraduate), Xavier University (MBA)
Hometown: Cincinnati Education: University of Cincinnati (undergraduate) Why did you choose this field of work? I have
always had an interest in investing funds and creating value.
Kate Donovan Morgan
Maribeth Rahe
Mark Ryan
OH IO MARKET MANAGER J.P. Morgan Private Bank
PRESIDENT AND CEO Fort Washington Investment Advisors
PRESIDENT Bank of America Cincinnati
Morgan, a 15-year company veteran, was named to lead the company’s operations across Ohio and returned to this area last year. The private bank’s goal is to double the number of clients and employees by 2030. Patrick Dolle is now executive director of brokerage and investment products.
Rahe has led the subsidiary of Western & Southern Financial Group since 2003. Fort Washington is the largest money management firm in Greater Cincinnati, overseeing $98 billion in assets. She was honored as an Enquirer Woman of the Year in 2025.
Ryan has led local operations of the Charlotte-based Bank of America since 2021. He oversees an operation with almost $1 billion in local deposits. It will open a new branch in Northgate this year after opening offices in Crescent Springs and Fairfield. Ryan is also market leader for Merrill Lynch Wealth Management, a subsidiary of BoA, which he’s run since 2016.
Hometown: Cincinnati Education: University of Virginia (undergraduate) What is your company doing to attract young talent?
I was lucky enough to start at J.P. Morgan right out of college and personally benefitted from our mentorship and training programs. The firm continues to prioritize hiring highly-motivated young folks who are excited to experience working at a place where you can be challenged. What’s the biggest challenge for your company over the next five years? Helping our clients understand and navigate areas of uncertainty, from geopolitics and the continued AI revolution to the convergence of public and private markets.
Hometown: Evanston, Illinois Education: Bowling Green State University (undergraduate), Thunderbird School of Global Management (MBA) What is your company doing to attract young talent? New associates are encouraged to join our young professional group, the Fresh Network, which offers a structured platform for career development through networking, community activities, and developing innovative ideas. Advice you’d give someone looking to enter your field of business:
A career path in financial to services is exciting because it’s comprised of so many different businesses.
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Hometown: Cincinnati Education: Loyola University Chicago (undergraduate) Advice you’d give someone looking to enter your field of business: When you truly care about your career,
clients, community, and colleagues, others will always find a reason to invest in you. How is your leadership approach today different from before the pandemic? Listening and fostering relationships has become the baseline to my leadership approach. I’m a servant leader that who truly believes today’s leadership is all about mentoring and coaching.
BANKING & FINANCE
Billy Santos
Tim Spence
Jay Sigler
MARKET PRESIDENT Truist Financial Corp.
CEO Cinfed Credit Union
CHAIRMAN, CEO, AND PRESIDENT Fifth Third Bancorp
Santos leads the local operation of the Charlotte-based company that acquired BB&T and Bank of Kentucky in recent years. He began his career as a teller while attending Northern Kentucky University. Truist has nearly $1.7 billion in local deposits and 13 branches. Steve Mullinger, formerly president of Huntington Bank’s regional operations, joined Truist as Ohio market president in 2025 charged with growing the brand north of the Ohio River.
Sigler has led the company, which was founded in 1934 to serve members of Local 75 of the Federation of Federal Employees Union, since 2011. It serves 17 counties in Ohio, Indiana, and Kentucky and has more than $700 million in assets with 39,000 members. It’s the third-largest credit union in Greater Cincinnati in terms of assets.
Spence was named president of the downtown-based bank in 2020, then became chairman and CEO in 2022. He led Fifth Third’s $10.9 billion February acquisition of Dallas-based Comerica Inc., which raised overall assets to $294 billion. The largest deal in Fifth Third history will save the company about $850 million annually by year’s end as it integrates Comerica’s systems. Fifth Third now has almost 1,500 branches across the U.S.
Hometown: Santiago, Dominican Republic Education: Northern Kentucky University (undergraduate)
Hometown: Wooster, Ohio Education: Bowling Green State University (undergraduate and MBA) Advice you’d give someone looking to enter your field of business: Most larger credit unions are financially stable and are growing, and employees enjoy a great work/life balance and opportunities for advancement. Why did you choose this field of work? Growing up, I was good with numbers and interested in business, so managing the balance sheet of a community-based financial institution seemed to be a logical fit.
Daniel Sutton
Hometown: Portland, Oregon Education: Colgate University (undergraduate) What’s the biggest challenge for your company over the next five years? We’re embracing AI like we would any new technology platform and accelerating adoption to improve everything from business processes to how our engineers work. Best advice received: “Be suspicious of anything that seems easy in business. Anything worth having is generally hard to get.”
David Wallace
Jill Warman
PRESIDENT AND CEO Kemba Credit Union
CHAIRMAN AND CEO Heritage Bank
M A R K E T L E A DE R U.S. Bank
Sutton has led the region’s second-largest credit union since 2017. Headquartered in West Chester Township, it has almost $1.8 billion in assets and more than 130,000 members with branch offices in Ohio, Kentucky, and Indiana. Chartered in 1934 as the Kroger Employees Mutual Benefit Association, it’s building a new stand-alone office in South Lebanon.
Wallace has led the Erlanger-based regional bank since 2020. Heritage has $2 billion in assets and more than $1.8 billion in deposits across locations in Kentucky and Ohio. It holds the naming rights to downtown’s multipurpose arena, Heritage Bank Center. Wallace was named to the board of Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport for a term through 2029.
Warman began her career with the Minneapolis-based bank in 1992 and replaced Michael Prescott as Cincinnati market leader in 2025. U.S. Bank is tops in local deposits with nearly $104 billion, 65 local branches, and more than a 50 percent market share. The company also has an innovation and information security suite at UC’s 1819 Innovation Hub.
Hometown: Indianapolis Education: Mount St. Joseph University (undergraduate and master’s) What’s the biggest challenge for your company over the next five years? Staying ahead of
rapid technological advancements while competing with organizations that have substantially greater resources dedicated to innovation and digital transformation. Advice you’d give someone looking to enter your field of business: Stay informed and up to date on the latest changes in technology, competition, consumer demands, and employee expectations.
Hometown: Cincinnati Education: University of Dayton (underHometown: Princeton, Kentucky Education: University of
graduate), Xavier University (MBA)
Kentucky (undergraduate), Northern Kentucky University (J.D.) When you were 18, what career field did you think you’d be in at this point in your life? I grew up on a farm and was an avid
4H-er. I also had a good head for numbers, so I was planning a career in agribusiness. Advice you’d give someone looking to enter your field of business: Banking requires a wide range of skill sets, and there are exciting potential career paths in technology, operations, accounting, human resources, compliance, and marketing.
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BANKING & FINANCE
Warren Weber
Where Did We Go to College? Higher education degrees attained by Cincinnati 300 members
71
Xavier University
40
Miami University
Northern Kentucky University
Ohio State University
University of Kentucky
University of Cincinnati
REGIONAL PRESIDENT PNC Bank Weber worked in the local banking industry for more than 30 years and has led local operations of the Pittsburgh-based bank since 2022. PNC is the region’s third-largest bank with more than $9 billion in local deposits and 43 branch locations in Ohio, Kentucky, and Indiana. The PNC Pavilion is the intimate 4,100seat music facility at Riverbend.
18
Hometown: Louisville Education: Indiana University (undergraduate) What is your company doing to attract young talent? We develop deep relationships with our local high schools and universities to identify talent to hire and educate them on career opportunities within the financial services industry. Advice you’d give someone looking to enter your field of business:
Embrace change, and be a consistent and voracious student of knowledge. Most people are happy to help; you just have to ask.
10
34 10
NOTE: Some executives have degrees from multiple universities.
Congratulations to Adam Ante, SVP of HCM, Paychex And one of the Cincinnati 300! This honor reflects your exceptional leadership, meaningful community impact, and dedication to excellence in everything you do.
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CONSUMER GOODS
Michael Ahmed
Kirk Andreae
Adam Bankovich
CEO United Dairy Farmers
PRESIDENT AND CEO Clarke Power Services
CEO Rhinegeist
Ahmed became UDF’s first non-family CEO in 2025 after Brad Lindner retired, ending an 85-year reign by the Lindner family. He joined UDF from adhesive manufacturer Gorilla Glue, where he was chief operating officer for five years. Before that, he held senior roles with Tyson Foods/Advanced Pierre Foods, Kik Custom Products, and Procter & Gamble. UDF has 173 stores in Ohio, Kentucky, and Indiana.
The company provides maintenance, engineering and data analytics for on-highway trucking, fi re protection, and power generation industries. In 1964, Kirk’s grandfather, Clarke F. Andreae, started its predecessor, Clarke GM Diesel. The Sharonville-based company now operates in more than 150 countries with 800 employees, 200 mobile service units, 21 retail locations, two manufacturing plants, and a call center.
Bankovich joined the brewery in 2022 as its chief commercial officer, coming from San Diego’s Stone Brewing, where he was vice president of sales. He was promoted to Rhinegeist CEO from interim CEO in October 2023. Rhinegeist is the 16th largest craft brewing company in the country, according to the Brewer’s Association, and the largest in Cincinnati, with more than 118,000 barrels sold in 2024.
Education: Xavier University (undergraduate), Ohio University
(MBA)
Hometown: Lorain, Ohio Education: Union College (under-
graduate)
Hometown: Canton, Ohio Education: University of Cincinnati (undergraduate) What is your company doing to attract young talent? We believe that by continuing to push our business to be part of what’s next and to stay relevant for new generations we’ll continue to attract talented people. Best advice received: If there was a problem that seemed insurmountable, my dad would always ask me, “How do you eat an elephant?” The answer, of course, is one bite at a time.
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C ONSUMER G O OD ODS S
John Beiersdorfer
Jim Bonaminio
Mike Berg
CEO Sims-Lohman
DIRECTOR OF OPERATIONS Amazon Air
CEO Jungle Jim’s International Market
Sims-Lohman is the nation’s largest provider of kitchen cabinets and granite and quartz countertops to building professionals. Beiersdorfer was named CEO in 2022 after serving as president. In September 2025, the company purchased a 65,000-square-foot facility in Crestview, Florida to serve as its Gulf Coast headquarters. Sims-Lohman has $300 million in annual sales and a workforce of more than 690 people.
Berg oversees daily logistics and operations and manages onsite employee programs, including local workforce education initiatives, at the massive $1.5-billion Amazon Air Hub. Amazon launched the operations center in 2021, the central hub for its U.S. cargo network. The facility includes an 800,000-square-foot sortation building that sits on a 600-acre campus with seven buildings.
The natrive of Lorain, Ohio, set up his first produce stand in 1971, and Jungle Jim’s began as a 4,200-square-foot grocery in 1975. The company has grown to become one not only a superstore but a destination, with a location in Fairfield and another at Eastgate in Clermont County. The two stores span more than 500,000 square feet combined, where products from 70-plus countries are available.
Hometown: Rockford, Illinois Education: Carrol University (undergraduate) What’s the biggest challenge for your company over the next five years? Staying ahead of the explosive growth in business-to-business cargo demand while maintaining our customer-centric focus.
Hometown: Lorain, Ohio Advice you’d give someone looking to enter your field of business: Whenever I hear someone looking
Hometown: Cincinnati Education: University of Cincinnati (undergraduate), Xavier University (MBA) Best advice received:
“Show up early with a smile on your face and a great attitude.”
Tom Brennan
into a career path, I always say, “Search the wanted ads in the paper. If you don’t see someone hiring for that role, don’t go for it.” How is your leadership approach today different from before the pandemic? It seems like I’m in a lot more meetings, I can tell you that! Overall, I would say my leadership approach has changed the most by empowering the people around me.
Dan Busken
J.B. Buse
CEO School Outfitters
CHAIRMAN AND CEO Loth Holdings
PRESIDENT AND CEO Busken Bakery
Founded by Brennan in 1998 and located in Norwood, School Outfitters is one of the country’s largest providers of furniture, fixtures, and equipment for K-12 schools. In 2022, School Outfitters became an ESOP, or 100 percent employee-owned and operated. The company stocks more than 300 products for school districts around the country.
Loth, founded in 1891, serves a diverse range of industries, including corporate, health care, education, hospitality, life science, and government, providing furniture, design, and technology products from more than 400 manufacturers. Buse has led the Sharonville-based company for more than 30 years.
Founded in Cincinnati by Joseph C. Busken Sr. in 1928, the company started selling baked goods from the counter of a meat market in Hyde Park on Erie Avenue. In 1962, the bakery operation moved to its current location at the corner of Madison and Edwards roads in Hyde Park. In 2007, Dan Busken became the company’s fourth generation family leader.
Hometown: Cincinnati Education: Indiana University (undergraduate) Why did you choose this field of work? Education
customers are so inspiring. Most are in it for the kids, not the money, so you feel a real sense of mission by supporting them.
Hometown: Cincinnati When you were 18, what career field did you think you’d be in at this point in your life? I envisioned
myself thriving in a sales role, and it’s incredible to see that vision come to fruition.
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Hometown: Cincinnati When you were 18, what career field did you think you’d be in at this point in your life? Architect. How are you planning for leadership succession? We aren’t at that
point in our careers yet.
C ONSUMER G O OD ODS S
Mike Castrucci
Chris Cicchinelli
Ken Cohen
PRESIDENT Mike Castrucci Automotive
PRESIDENT AND CEO Pure Romance
PRESIDENT Cohen Recycling
The company is the sixth largest auto dealer in Southwest Ohio with more than $436 million in sales and more than 400 employees. Mike worked for his father’s company, Al Castrucci Automotive, in sales and management before buying out the company in 1994. The company was founded in 1953 and sells multiple vehicle brands, including Chevrolet, Ford, Chrysler, Jeep, and Dodge.
Cicchinelli leads business development, sales, operations, and marketing as well as product development and distribution, overseeing more than 200 corporate employees. He joined his mother Patty Brisben’s venture in 2000. She launched the intimacy product company in 1983. Cicchinelli is also a motivational speaker who regularly addresses corporate and nonprofit leaders.
Cohen moved into its headquarters building in Middletown in 2018 to accommodate its growth. It now employs more than 300 people at more than 20 sites. Founded in 1924, Cohen is a family-owned metal recycling company offering scrap management, retail recycling, electronics recycling, and auto parts. It’s one of the region’s largest private companies, with $535 million in sales in 2024.
Hometown: Cincinnati Education: Xavier University (undergraduate) Why did you choose this field of work? I wanted to
Hometown: Milford Education: University of Mount Union (undergraduate) Why did you choose this field of work? I was working at a Fortune 500 company in Atlanta but ready to switch jobs, and I agreed to take a few months off and come home and take a look at my mom’s business, Pure Romance. Once I realized the extreme growth potential and saw first-hand how this business can change women’s lives and truly improve relationships, I couldn’t walk away.
Hometown: Middletown, Ohio Education: University of Pennsylvania (undergraduate) Why did you choose this field of work? I am proud to have joined my family business as the third generation. Today, we’re now working toward our fourth generation of family ownership.
be a veterinarian, but my grades were not good enough, so my father asked me to sell cars for our family business after graduating from college. I did as he asked, and the rest is history. Toughest challenge faced or lesson learned: During the great recession, I learned the fragility that exists in being in business for yourself. You’re guaranteed nothing, and your eye needs to be on the ball at all times.
Frank DeJulius
Gregory Foran
Leigh Fox
OWNER Fleet Feet
CEO Kroger Co.
PRESIDENT AND CEO altafiber
Frank and his wife, Stacey, moved to Cincinnati in 2012 to run the Fleet Feet store in Blue Ash. At the time part of a fledgling program at the company designed to turn employees into future franchisees, the DeJuliuses became equity operators of the store in Blue Ash, which they bought in 2018. Their franchise has since grown to seven locations in Greater Cincinnati.
Foran was appointed CEO in February 2026, succeeding Ron Sargent, who served as interim CEO since March 2025. Foran led Walmart’s U.S. operations for six years until 2019 and oversaw a turnaround of the company’s largest division. He most recently served as CEO of Air New Zealand. Kroger is the largest company in Greater Cincinnati and employs more than 400,000 around the country. After a failed bid to acquire Albertson’s in 2024, it acquired Pittsburgh-based Giant Eagle in July.
Now in his 10th year as CEO, Fox has spent 25 years with the company. Under his leadership, altafiber invested more than $2 billion to build a fiber network and now owns networks across Ohio, Kentucky, Indiana, and Hawaii, serving approximately 1.5 million homes. He is chair of the 2026 United Way of Greater Cincinnati campaign.
Hometown: Hastings, New Zealand
excited to be in an environment where I could take on different roles and learn firsthand how different parts of the business operate. Toughest challenge faced or lesson learned: You’ll never work harder than when you have to manage exponential growth, which I learned working in finance and operations for CBTS, our IT Services business.
Hometown: Cleveland Education: John Carroll University (undergraduate) What is your company doing to attract young talent? We invest in employees’ professional development and as a result many stay on after school to further their career with us and others leave us having leaned key business skills that will benefit them down the road. Best advice received: “Never be greedy, and have no ego.”
Hometown: Cincinnati Education: Miami University (undergraduate), University of Cincinnati (MBA) Why did you choose this field of work? I was interested in the technology and
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C ONSUMER G O OD ODS S
Adam Greenberg
Brian Habegger
PRESIDENT Topicz
PRESIDENT AND CEO Habegger Corp.
Founded in 1926 by Augie Topicz, the company became part of the Schwartz family legacy in 1983 under the late Marvin Schwartz. He moved the company from its original warehouse on West McMicken to its current home in Amberley Village. Marvin’s grandson, Adam Greenberg, took over in 2019. Under his leadership, Topicz operates across Ohio, Kentucky, West Virginia, and Indiana, supplying more than 1,000 convenience stores with products ranging from candy to cigarettes.
Brian has worked in the business for 23 years, beginning after he graduated from Miami University. His professional roles have included commercial inside sales, territory manager, commercial sales manager, and operations manager. Habegger Corp. is one of the largest HVAC distributors in the U.S., founded by Brian’s grandfather in 1952.
Brian Hodgett VICE PRESIDENT, STATE GOVERNMENT AND O H I O C O M M U N I T Y R E L AT I O N S Procter & Gamble
Hometown: Cincinnati Education: Miami University (under-
Hodgett oversees all of P&G’s charitable giving in the region, outreach to government and community leaders, and direction of legislative and regulatory strategy. He serves on numerous executive committees and boards, including Greater Cincinnati Foundation, Cintrifuse, 3CDC, REDI Cincinnati, Cincinnati Regional Chamber, United Way of Greater Cincinnati, and the Cincinnati Regional Business Committee.
graduate) Hometown: Middleburg Heights, Ohio Education: Ohio State University (undergraduate), Florida State University (master’s) Why did you choose this field of work? I enjoy working with people and making a difference. Initially that was working for elected officials,which was interesting and challenging, but at P&G the combination of working public policy, philanthropy, and community relations allows for involvement in virtually any initiative that impacts the region.
Hometown: Highland Park, Illinois Education: University of Denver (undergraduate ) What is your company doing to attract young talent? We focus on mentorship, career development,
and a collaborative, innovative workplace where new voices are valued. When you were 18, what career field did you think you’d be in at this point in your life? I knew I wanted to own my own business, but I had no clue what field it would be in.
Rhiannon Hoeweler
Shailesh Jejurikar
Martin Kuhn
CEO MadTree Brewing
CHAIRMAN, CEO, AND PRESIDENT Procter & Gamble
PRESIDENT AND CEO Mike Albert Fleet Solutions
MadTree announced in April 2026 that Hoeweler would serve as its first CEO, taking over for co-founders Kenny McNutt and Brady Duncan, who shifted their focus to long-term strategy. Hoeweler joined MadTree in 2020 as director of strategic impact and was promoted to vice president of experience and impact in 2022. Before joining the brewery, she was the Cincinnati Zoo’s vice president of visitor experience, strategy, and fun.
Jejurikar was named CEO in January 2026 after previously serving as chief operating officer over P&G’s markets in Latin America, India, Middle East, Africa, Southeast Asia, and Eastern Europe. He’d also led information technology, global business services, sales, market operations, purchasing, manufacturing, distribution, and new business for the company. He added the role of chairman in August upon Jon Moeller’s retirement.
After serving as president since 2022, Kuhn was named CEO in June. He’s the first non-family CEO in company history. Its namesake, Mike Albert, founded the business in 1928, and the Betagole family has owned and led it for more than six decades. John Betagole, a second-generation owner and the company’s most recent CEO, is chairman.
Hometown: Cincinnati Education: University of North Carolina-Asheville (undergraduate), Miami University (master’s) Best advice received: “Relationships are at the heart of all business. Grow them and nurture them.” Is your company and industry being disrupted by AI? Every company is being disrupted by
Hometown: Mumbai, India Education: Mumbai University (undergraduate), Indian Institute of Management-Lucknow (MBA) Best advice received: “Be yourself and play to your strengths.” Is your company and industry being disrupted by AI? Rapid advancements in data, technology, and AI present both a tremendous opportunity and a clear motivation for us to constantly evolve. P&G has been proactive, developing and scaling advanced capabilities, including powerful AI tools, to empower our teams.
AI, whether it’s in the day to day, what is eating up dialogue or conversation, or how it’s effecting your electricity bills. Like all previous disruptors, there are positive and negative ripple effects.
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Hometown: Cincinnati Education: Wilmington College (undergraduate) What is your company doing to attract young talent? We provide purpose-driven culture, career growth and
development, flexibility and work-life balance, and a technology-forward environment. What’s the biggest challenge for your company over the next five years? Our ability to use data, listen to our employees, and foster an inclusive, innovative environment will be key.
C ONSUMER G O OD ODS S
Chris Larsen
Keith McCluskey
Tony Maas
PRESIDENT AND CEO Castellini Group of Companies
CEO JTM Food Group
CEO McCluskey Automotive Group
Larsen, company leader since 2016, previously served as its chief financial officer and corporate controller. He had years of produce experience working with Chiquita and Fresh Express before joining Castellini. Founded in 1896 on the original Cincinnati produce terminal market, Castellini is one of the oldest companies in the produce industry.
Founded in 1960 by Jack Maas Sr., JTM originated as Maas Brothers Meats and in 1974 was renamed Jack Maas Meats. Reflecting the growth and diversity of the business, the company became known in 1980 by its present name and now employs more than 700 people. It proudly supports Catholic ministries and veterans groups.
The company was founded as McCluskey Chevrolet in 1973 by his father, Daniel McCluskey, who oversaw its growth from a small dealership in Reading. The company is now one of the top auto dealerships in Greater Cincinnati and one of the largest private businesses, with more than $414 million in revenue in 2024.
Hometown: Cincinnati Education: University of Cincinnati
Hometown: Cincinnati
Hometown: Cincinnati
(undergraduate), Xavier University (MBA)
Kevin McNamara
Daniel Rajczak
Robert Reichert
PRESIDENT AND CEO Chemed
PRESIDENT AND CEO Totes Isotoner
CH A I R M A N Kenwood Dealer Group
McNamara began his career at Chemed in 1980 as a corporate attorney and moved to Omnicare Inc. as secretary. He returned to Chemed in 1986 and was named vice president, general counsel, and secretary. The board elected McNamara president in 1994 and CEO in 2001. In 2004, he also became chairman of the company’s Vitas subsidiary, a hospice provider.
Rajczak was named president and CEO in 2016 after serving as chief operating officer at Shaklee Corp., a manufacturer, marketer, and direct seller of vitamins, cosmetics, and personal care items. He also worked at Procter & Gamble for 17 years. In 2024, Totes Isotoner was acquired by Marquee Brands, a brand management firm, and Randa Apparel & Accessories, an accessories manufacturer. Marquee became the global owner of the Totes and Isotoner brands, while RAA is the core operating partner.
Reichert started Kenwood Dealer Group in 1975 when he purchased a Lincoln Mercury dealership and changed the name to Kenwood Lincoln Mercury. Kenwood is the second-largest auto dealer group in the region, selling more than 22,000 vehicles a year.
Education: Denison University (undergraduate), Cornell University (J.D.)
Hometown: Cincinnati Education: University of Cincinnati (undergraduate), Southland University (J.D.) Why did you choose this field of work? One of my life ambitions was to become a
lawyer, and that knowledge is beneficial in my career as an auto dealer. Best advice received: “Treat everyone with respect.”
Education: University of Waterloo, Canada (undergraduate)
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C ONSUMER G O OD ODS S
William Rumpke Jr.
Jake Rouse
Carl Satterwhite
CEO Braxton Brewing
PRESIDENT AND CEO Rumpke Waste and Recycling
PRESIDENT AND OWNER RCF Group
In February, Braxton Brewing announced a partnership with the Cincinnati Reds, becoming the franchise’s officials craft beer partner. Braxton developed a lineup of craft beers available at Great American Ball Park, Braxton taprooms, and some retailers. Jake Rouse, his brother Evan, and father Greg founded the Covington-based company in 2015.
Rumpke was founded in 1932 by William F. Rumpke, who ran a junkyard and coal delivery business in Cincinnati. Bill Rumpke Jr. is the third-generation family member to lead the Colerain Township company, which posted revenue of $1.2 billion in 2024 and has about 4,400 employees.
RCF Group has locations in Cincinnati, Cleveland, and Louisville providing workplace solutions. Satterwhite also serves as a member of the board for several professional organizations, including the Fifth Third Cincinnati Board of Advisors and Key Bank Great Lakes Board of Advisors, African American CEO Roundtable, and Black Leadership Forum. The company reported revenue of $82 million in 2024.
Hometown: Union, Kentucky Education: Indiana University (undergraduate) Advice you’d give someone looking to enter your field of business: Be willing to work harder and longer
than anyone else, and you’re going to set yourself apart in the beer business.
Hometown: Cincinnati Education: Miami University (undergraduate) When you were 18, what career field did you think you’d be in at this point in your life? I was already working for our family business, and it’s all I ever dreamed of doing. How is your leadership approach today different from before the pandemic? I spend more time visiting our sites, sitting in on
training sessions and meetings and getting to better know and understand our team members’ goals.
Hometown: Cincinnati Education: University of Cincinnati (engineering certificate) What is your company doing to attract young talent? We partner with local colleges and universities to
identify interns and work with high schools to share our industry and career path opportunities. What’s the biggest challenge for your company over the next five years? Continuing to learn and incorporate AI enhancements into design, applications, and facility management.
˂ˡ˘ ˀ˘ˠ˕˘˥˦˛˜ˣ to make it happen. For 125 years, we’ve helped you get started. Today, we help from insurance to dining discounts and everything else.
ʸ˫ˣ˟ˢ˥˘ ˔˟˟ ˧˛˘ ˕˘ˡ˘Ѓ˧˦ ˔˧ AAA.com/SomethingGood Insurance is not included with Membership. ©2026 AAA Club Alliance Inc. 26_3675235
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The start of something good
C ONSUMER G O OD ODS S
Todd Schneider
Robert Slattery
Amy Spiller
CEO Cintas Corporation
CEO Slatts Group
PRESIDENT, OHIO, AND KENTUCKY REGION Duke Energy
Schneider joined Cintas, one of the region’s largest public companies, in 1989 and held several management positions before being named CEO in 2021. For its 2026 fiscal year, Cintas revenue increased to $11.26 billion, an increase of 8.9 percent over 2025. The company announced an agreement in March to acquire UniFirst Corp. for approximately $5.5 billion.
Slatts Group is an omni-channel marketer for local and national advertisers that offers print publications and services as well as digital, social, search advertising, broadcast media placement, promotional print, and neighborhood marketing materials. Slattery and his son Bobby entered the hospitality industry by launching Slatts Pub in Blue Ash, followed by 50 West Brewing Company.
Spiller joined Cinergy, a predecessor to Duke Energy, in 2003 as an associate general counsel and was promoted to deputy general counsel in 2008 and to her current role in 2018. From 1993 to 2003, she rose from associate to partner at a small insurance defense law firm in Cincinnati.
Education: Miami University (undergraduate) Hometown: Cleveland Education: Miami University (undergraduate and master’s) What is your company doing to attract young talent? We offer a culture where ideas matter. People are encouraged to speak up, challenge the norm, and push each other toward the best solution. Advice you’d give someone looking to enter your field of business: Cultivate strong relationships, as treating people with respect and empathy are vital in marketing and hospitality.
Hometown: Gaylord, Michigan Education: Albion College (undergraduate), Wake Forest University (J.D.) Why did you choose this field of work? My father was an attorney, but neither he nor my mother pushed me toward the legal profession. But I increasingly realized I wanted to become an attorney because I was captivated by the diverse career opportunities available and the challenges and gratification that come from studying, interpreting, applying, and defending legal principles. Favorite inspirational quote: “Learning never exhausts the mind.” (Leonardo da Vinci)
CONGRATS! to our CEO
TIM TRANT for your being recognized in CINCINNATI 300 We’re very proud to be part of your team!
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C ONSUMER G O OD ODS S
Michael Stagnaro
Jake Sweeney Jr.
Tim Trant
PRESIDENT AND CEO Stagnaro Distributing
CEO Jacob Sweeney Automotive
CEO G&J Pepsi-Cola Bottlers
In the late 1970s, Arthur Stagnaro purchased Hamilton Distributing, which serviced two Ohio counties, and his sons Michael and Chris began working full time in the company in the 1990s. From 2003 to 2009, the company made a series of acquisitions, was renamed Stagnaro Distributing, and today sells, markets, and delivers more than 7 million cases of beer on an annual basis to more than 3,500 retailers in Indiana, Kentucky and Ohio.
The Sweeney Automotive legacy dates to 1917 when Walter Sweeney Sr. became Cincinnati’s first licensed used car dealer, operating several lots, most notably near Peebles Corner in Walnut Hills. Jake Jr. is the third generation to lead the business, which reported $650 million in revenue in 2024 and nearly 10,000 vehicles sold.
Trant was named CEO in 2020. He has 28 years of experience within Pepsi bottling and corporate PepsiCo, managing markets across North America for PepsiCo and PepsiAmericas. He was previously senior vice president of food service with PepsiCo North America. Before joining G&J Pepsi, he was an executive for Sysco and Barfresh Food Group.
Hometown: Cincinnati Education: Xavier University (under-
Hometown: Mason Education: University of Dayton (undergraduate and MBA) What is your company doing to attract young talent? We understand that emerging professionals are looking for more than just a job and seek purpose, flexibility, and growth opportunities, so we’ve built a work environment that emphasizes problem-solving, communication, collaboration, and continuous learning. Best advice received: “Bring your ‘best self’ to work.”
graduate) Hometown: Cincinnati Education: Southern Methodist Univer-
sity (undergraduate)
Tom Wiedemann
Richard Winterman
Chip Wood
CEO AAA Club Alliance
C EN TER O PER ATOR BMW Store and Cincinnati Mini
CH A I R M A N Tire Discounters
Wiedemann began his career with AAA in 1989 and was named president of AAA Southern West Virginia in 1998 and president and chief operating officer of AAA Allied Group in 2012. AAA Club Alliance recently launched a $24-million renovation of its downtown Cincinnati office, including the addition of 4,000 square feet of fi rst-floor commercial space to the building.
Winterman worked for the BMW Store for 17 years, leaving in 2014 to run rival dealerships outside of Cincinnati before returning in 2019 as center operator. He worked his way up from a mechanic position at a Pontiac dealer in Milford in the 1980s, moved into the retail sales side of the business, and then served in various dealerships across the country before being recruited to the BMW Store in Cincinnati.
The company was founded by Chip Wood in 1976 in a small gas station in Mariemont and is celebrating its 50th anniversary. Tire Discounters is the nation’s largest 100 percent family-owned and operated independent tire provider. It employs more than 2,300 people in 200-plus locations in Ohio, Kentucky, Indiana, Tennessee, Georgia, Alabama, North Carolina, and Virginia.
Hometown: Cincinnati Education: Northern Kentucky University (undergraduate) Best advice received: “At the end of your
Hometown: Madeira Education: University of Cincinnati (undergraduate) What is your company doing to attract young talent? We hire based on three things: a good attitude, a good work ethic, and ability. If we have the first two, we can make the third happen.
Hometown: Akron Education: University of Cincinnati (undergraduate) Best advice received: Buy more tires. Is your company and industry being disrupted by AI? We’re still family-owned and operated, which means we put people first, always do the right thing, and promote from within. Tire Discounters offers company-paid certifications, industry-leading training programs, and multiple career path opportunities.
career, you’ll be remembered more for how you treated people than the titles you held.” Is your company and industry being disrupted by AI? Yes, absolutely. But I don’t view disruption as synonymous with replacement. AI gives us the opportunity to dramatically improve how we serve members, personalize experiences, increase productivity, and anticipate needs.
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C ONSUMER G O OD ODS S
Who Are We? Jeff Wyler
Quick demographic breakdown of the Cincinnati 300 members
Hometown
CEO Jeff Wyler Automotive Family Wyler opened his first dealership in 1973 and throughout the 1990s expanded across Ohio, Kentucky, and Indiana. Today, it’s one of the largest dealership groups in the country, with more than 23 locations and 2,500 employees. In 2026, it acquired Midwestern Auto Group, which sells luxury brands Ferrari, Lamborghini, Rolls-Royce, Bentley, Maserati, Porsche, BMW, Land Rover, and Jaguar on a single campus in Dublin, Ohio.
28% Other U.S.
3.5% Overseas
Gender 49% Cincinnati Region
13% Other Ohio
Hometown: Cincinnati Education: University of Cincinnati
(undergraduate)
3.5% Other Indiana
23% Female 77% Male
3.5% Other Kentucky
The essential guide to living your best life here. The city’s most respected and award-winning magazine, highlighting the region’s most interesting people, cultural issues, food, arts, fashion, and history.
SUBSCRIBE NOW! @CINCINNATIMAGAZINE
CINCINNATIMAGAZINE.COM
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Today’s dreamers become tomorrow’s leaders.
CULTURE & LEISURE
Rebekah Beaulieu
Ivy Bayer
Jeff Berding
PRESIDENT Cincinnati Media
PRESIDENT AND CEO Taft Museum of Art
PRESIDENT AND CO-CEO FC Cincinnati
Bayer leads the media company that publishes Cincinnati Magazine, Indianapolis Monthly, Realm, and Cincinnati 300 in addition to dozens of art programs, chamber directories, and event guides. She joined the magazine as an account executive in 2004 and was named advertising director in 2012 and publisher in 2015. She became a trustee of the Cincinnati Art Museum in 2025.
Beaulieu has led the museum since 2022 after serving as director of the Florence Griswold Museum in Connecticut, which like the Taft is a National Historic Landmark dedicated to American art. The Taft was built in 1820 as home to the prominent Baum, Longworth, Sinton, and Taft families. It opened as a museum in 1932 and contains more than 800 items in its collection, including paintings by Goya, Rembrandt, Singer Sargent, and Whistler.
The team has been successful on and off the field since joining MLS in 2019 and moving into TQL Stadium in 2021. After finishing second in the Eastern Conference in 2025, it sold out its season tickets this season. Construction on a $300-million mixed-use project adjacent to the stadium has begun. Estimates rank the franchise’s worth at $790 million, although some are as high as $930 million.
Hometown: West Bloomfield, Michigan Education: Miami University (undergraduate) What is your company doing to attract young talent? By doing the same thing we do for our audience: creating meaningful, exciting experiences that connect people to Cincinnati.
Hometown: Milwaukee Education: George Washington Uni-
versity (undergraduate), University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee (master’s), Columbia University (master’s), Boston University (Ph.D.) What’s the biggest challenge for your company over the next five years? The cultural sector will be navigating financial pressures stemming from broader economic shifts, federal funding uncertainty, and a rapidly evolving national landscape. Best advice received: “Stay curious!”
Hometown: Cincinnati Education: Miami University (undergraduate), Xavier University (MBA) Favorite inspiration quote:
“Nothing in this world can take the place of persistence. The slogan ‘Press on!’ has solved and always will solve the problems of the human race.” (President Calvin Coolidge) What is your company doing to attract young talent? We’re offering a combination of meaningful work, career development, and a workplace that reflects what today’s employees value. We give young professionals a chance to gain hands-on experience, grow their careers, and build connections across the organization.
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C ULTURE & LEISURE CULTURE
Deborah Brant
Paula BrehmHeeger
Mike Brown
PRESIDENT AND CEO Cincinnati Ballet
DIRECTOR Cincinnati and Hamilton County Public Library
PRESIDENT Cincinnati Bengals
Brant led the campaign for the Margaret and Michael Valentine Center for Dance in Walnut Hills and succeeded Scott Altman as CEO in 2025. She was previously chair of the Cincinnati Ballet Foundation. Cervilio Miguel Amador was named artistic director in December 2024, and Alyssa Wang became music director in 2025, replacing the legendary Carmen DeLeone. In November its Live! program collaborates with the Cincinnati Symphony and rock favorites Over the Rhine.
Brehm-Heeger leads one of the country’s largest library systems, with 40 branches, the Main Library Downtown, and a distribution center. She’s overseeing a long-term project to renovate or replace each branch, with 24 facilities completed, with work being done this year in Avondale, Cleves, College Hill, and Delhi Township. The system serves more than 800,000 people annually.
Brown has led the team since the death of his father, Paul, in 1991. The 90-year-old steward of the family business has turned over some of the public responsibilities to daughter Katie Blackburn, the team’s executive vice president, and Duke Tobin, player personnel director. This is the first year of a $470 million lease deal to upgrade Paycor Stadium and extend the team’s commitment to 2036. The Bengals are valued at $8 billion by Forbes.
Hometown: Akron, Ohio Education: Brandeis University
(undergraduate)
Hometown: Cincinnati Education: University of Cincinnati
(undergraduate), Indiana University (master’s), Northern Kentucky University (master’s) Advice you’d give someone looking to enter your field of business: Innovative, creative people ready to work on big, audacious ideas will be invaluable in the coming years. How is your leadership approach today different from before the pandemic? Being patient and listening to what people think and how they feel are at the top of my list for how to lead with compassion, empathy, and collaboration.
Phil Castellini
Roger David
Hometown: Massillon, Ohio Education: Dartmouth College (undergraduate), Harvard University (J.D.)
Andrew DeWitt
PRESIDENT AND CEO Cincinnati Reds
PRESIDENT AND CEO GSR Brands
EXECUTIVE CHAIRMAN Dewey’s Pizza
Castellini added the title of controlling owner after his father, Bob, officially passed control of Major League Baseball’s oldest franchise. Since the Castellini family took control of the team in 2006, its record is under .500 and they have the longest drought of not winning a postseason game (30 years) of any professional sports team, yet the roster includes five AllStars under the age of 28. The Reds are valued at $1.6 billion by Forbes.
David’s father was one of four brothers who founded the Gold Star Chili chain in Mt. Washington in 1965. The company has about 70 chili restaurants in Ohio, Kentucky, and Indiana and six Tom & Chee (the grilled cheese and tomato soup) locations. GSR employs more than 1,700 people at its franchise operations. It is implementing G5 interior and exterior store designs to update company branding.
DeWitt opened the first Dewey’s in Oakley in 1998 and today has 27 locations in five states, including 10 in Greater Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky. Chuck Lipp was named president in 2019 to run daily operations. The company earned an estimated revenue of almost $95 million in 2025.
Hometown: Cincinnati Education: Babson College (under-
graduate)
Hometown: Cincinnati Education: University of Cincinnati (undergraduate), Xavier University (MBA) Why did you choose this field of work? I believe when you marry passion and expe-
Hometown: Cincinnati Education: Denison University (undergraduate) When you were 18, what career field did you think you’d be in at this point in your life? I wanted to play guitar in a band that would be as big as the Rolling Stones. Why did you choose this field of work? When I was my early twenties, I
rience, something exciting happens. I’ve always loved the business my father and his brothers started and the impact we’ve made on many lives throughout our franchise community.
was a cook and delivery driver for a local pizza shop in Seattle, my first restaurant job. I really enjoyed the high-energy atmosphere and work environment.
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STAY, PLAY, MEET Credit: BLINK: Rhine Media “Radiant Rose”
Credit: Newport on the Levee
Credit: Ross Van Pelt
TAP INTO YOUR HOME FIELD ADVANTAGE Visit the Cincy Region to cheer, celebrate, explore, eat, drink and make memories. From ballgames and festivals to corporate meetings and events, now is the time to experience Cincy. Tourism is a $9.6 billion industry in the Cincy Region, supporting 61,000 workers and businesses across our community. When you invite people to Cincy, you’re bringing more than visitors. You’re bringing energy and economic impact to the place we call home. Join us for incredible dining, unique attractions, vibrant neighborhoods and new experiences that make Cincy a destination worth discovering and a hometown that has it all. Congratulations to Julie Kirkpatrick, Interim President & CEO of Visit Cincy and President & CEO of MeetNKY, on being included as one of Cincinnati’s 300 most powerful business leaders.
VISITCINCY.COM
C ULTURE & LEISURE CULTURE
James Downton
Richard Eiswerth
David Falk
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR Sharonville Convention Center
PRESIDENT, GENERAL MANAGER , AND CEO Cincinnati Public Radio
CHEF AND OWNER Boca Restaurant Group
Downton has managed the suburban facility since 2012. The $24-million expansion of Todd Portune Hall in 2024 doubled exhibit space to 40,000 square feet that helped it host multiple events while the downtown convention center was being renovated. He has worked in the exhibition business for almost 30 years, including stints at Paramount Parks, Belterra Resort, and Duke Energy Center.
Eiswerth has led the nonprofit radio group that operates classical music station WGUC, NPR affiliate WVXU, and Miami University-affiliated WMUB since 1998. It opened its $32-million state-of-the-art headquarters in Evanston in 2025. The federal government’s gutting of the Corporation for Public Broadcasting forced the organization to increase local fundraising to cover an almost $500,000 gap in revenue.
Falk founded Boca in Northside in 2001 before moving to Oakley, then eventually the former Maisonette location on Sixth Street downtown. He operates the adjacent restaurants Sotto and Nada. Boca and Sotto were the No. 1 and No. 3 rated restaurants, respectively, in Cincinnati Magazine’s Best Restaurants issue in March 2026. Falk credits legendary Cincinnati chef Jean Robert de Cavel for helping to nurture a career that’s taken him to Chicago, Paris, and Florence, Italy.
Hometown: Ft. Mitchell Education: Northern Kentucky University (undergraduate) Why did you choose this field of work? I’ve been lucky enough to work in the hospitality, hotel, and convention center industry since high school, beginning with my time spent at the original Drawbridge Inn and Convention Center. Best advice received: “Find yourself a mentor. They can be game-changers.”
Hometown: Williamsport, Pennsylvania Education: Syracuse University (undergraduate) What is your company doing to attract young talent? The new broadcast facility and our freeto-public podcast studio appeal to content creators looking to have access to the latest in video and audio tools. Advice
Hometown: Cincinnati Education: Culinary Institute of America
you’d give someone looking to enter your field of business:
Gain as broad an education, both formal and through work/life experiences, as possible. Be open to new ideas and to people from diverse backgrounds.
Rodney Faulk
Kevin Goodchild
Richard Graeter
G E NE RAL M ANAGER First Financial Center
GEN ER A L M A N AGE R Hyatt Regency Cincinnati
PRESIDENT AND CEO Graeter’s Ice Cream
ASM Global, operator of the downtown event space that reopened this year after a $264-million renovation, named Faulk to manage the site. He comes from Raleigh, North Carolina, and previously worked at the Greater Columbus Convention Center. The venue has 750,000 square feet of space, faces east onto the Elm Street Plaza, and will connect via a skywalk to the 700-room Marriott hotel under construction on Fifth Street.
Goodchild replaced Joe Pinto in 2024 at the downtown hotel at the corner of Fifth and Elm streets southeast of the First Financial Center. He began his career in California and came here from the Monterey Hotel & Spa. The Hyatt has almost 500 rooms and suites and 40,000 square feet of flexible meeting, conference, and ballroom space.
Graeter has held the top job since 1989, the fourth-generation family member to lead the company that was founded in 1870. It has retail locations in five Midwestern states, sells ice cream in more than 6,000 grocery stores, and does a brisk direct-to-customer shipping business. It reported 2025 revenue of more than $97 million. Fun fact: Black Raspberry Chip is Graeter’s best-selling flavor.
Education: New York Restaurant School (undergraduate)
Hometown: Pensacola, Florida Best advice received: “Whether you think you can or you can’t, you will always be right.” Is your company and industry being disrupted by AI? I would not say
disrupted. Our industry is trying to understand the best way to utilize AI while protecting our respective data and how AI can be a tool to become more efficient in our work product.
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Hometown: Cincinnati When you were 18, what career field did you think you’d be in at this point in your life? Exactly where I am right now. Advice you’d give someone looking to enter your field of business: A nice story is nice, but not enough. Your
product needs to live up to your brand story. In other words, you had better walk your talk.
C ULTURE & LEISURE CULTURE
Bo Guidry
Ray Harris
Colleen Houston
PRESIDENT Hard Rock Casino
C H I EF O PER AT I NG OF F I CE R Nederlander/Heritage Bank Center
ARTISTIC DIRECTOR AND CEO 1001 Colors
Guidry comes to Cincinnati from Davie, Florida, where he ran the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino for seven years. He replaces Jason Wyborn, who took over the company’s Las Vegas property. The downtown venue had an adjusted gross revenue of $245 million for 2025, offers a sports book and high-end restaurants, and presents concerts, comedians, and mixed martial arts competitions.
Nederlander Entertainment and Anschutz Entertainment Group own the downtown venue, home to the minor league hockey Cincinnati Cyclones. Rumors of a new arena have swirled for years, and a new plan under consideration for The Banks focuses on the Heritage Center site. In 2025, Nederlander and the Cyclones invested $15 million in the Queen City Sportsplex in Evendale to add a third ice rink and renovate the building for Cyclones practice space and youth programs.
Houston is in her seventh year of leading the public art nonprofit that hires youth ages 14-24 to make art. Founded in 1996 as ArtWorks, it’s known for public art displays that include flying pig sculptures and building murals. The organization changed its name after moving into a new campus on Gilbert Avenue in Walnut Hills, with 1001 Colors a nod to the Bolce Paint Co., the building’s original owner.
Hometown: Houma, Louisiana Education: Louisiana State University (undergraduate), University of New Orleans (MBA)
Hometown: Indian River, Michigan Education: Walsh College (undergraduate) Toughest challenge faced or lesson learned:
Buying a company out of bankruptcy and rebuilding it from the ground up. Rebuilding trust and relationships take an extraordinary amount of effort and patience.
Dave Jenike
Woodrow Keown Jr.
Hometown: Cincinnati Education: Warren Wilson College (undergraduate) What is your company doing to attract young talent? We’re laser-focused on attracting and developing the
next generation of talent for our city and developing their confidence, collaboration, and creative problem-solving skills. Why did you choose this field of work? I believe by tapping into our creativity we can deepen empathy, strengthen social bonds, tackle tough issues, and unleash the potential of individuals and communities alike.
Kim Kern
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden
PRESIDENT National Underground Railroad Freedom Center
PRESIDENT AND CEO The Children’s Theatre of Cincinnati
Jenike, the former COO who started working at the zoo in 1990, replaced Thane Maynard when he retired after almost 50 years at the Avondale venue. It is Hamilton County’s largest attraction with almost 2 million visitors annually after a concerted two-decade renovation that replaced acres of surface parking with new habitats featuring African animals, elephants, and bears.
Keown has led the museum on The Banks since 2019 and announced he will retire at the end of 2026. One of the top learning centers in the world, the venue remains committed to its mission of social justice and inclusive freedom. It’s featured on the Ohio Creativity Trail that spotlights sites for America’s 250th anniversary this year. It was featured in a documentary film last year, The Freedom Center: Truth, Trauma, Triumph.
Kern has led the organization for 12 years and oversaw fundraising and renovation of the Emery Theater in Over-the-Rhine as its new performance stage, debuting in 2025. The $51.5-million project returned the troupe, which was the first professional theater company for young people when it was founded in 1919, to its home from 1948 through 1969.
Hometown: Little Rock, Arkansas Education: Arkansas State University (undergraduate), University of Utah (MBA) Best advice received: “Find something you love to do outside, and do it!” How is your leadership approach today different from before the pandemic? I have developed a more agile
We encourage people to apply for positions in the way they feel best expresses their talents, including video submissions in lieu of traditional resumes. What’s the biggest challenge for your organization over the next five years? Learning how to function in our new Emery space, which is now the most technologically advanced theater in the country.
Hometown: Cincinnati Education: Miami University (undergraduate and master’s) Best advice received: During my transition to
Zoo director, I asked Harry Faith what advice he would give me. His answer was simple and perfect: “Be yourself.” Is your organization and industry being disrupted by AI? We’re in the business of creating experiences and memories that connect people with nature, and AI can’t replace the wonder of a child seeing a giraffe for the first time or the personal interactions that make a Zoo visit meaningful. It can, however, change how we plan, communicate, analyze information, and manage routine work.
and resourceful leadership style due to a chronic shortage of resources. I focus more on strategic planning, organizational culture, and talent development.
Hometown: Glendale Education: Vanderbilt University (undergraduate) What is your company doing to attract young talent?
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C ULTURE & LEISURE CULTURE
Alecia Kintner
Julie Kirkpatrick
Cameron Kitchin
PRESIDENT AND CEO ArtsWave
PRESIDENT AND CEO MeetNKY
DIRECTOR Cincinnati Art Museum
Kintner has led the largest U.S. community arts fund since 2014. It was founded as the Cincinnati Institute of Fine Arts in 1927 with a challenge grant by Anna Sinton and Charles Phelps Taft and funds more than 150 organizations in Greater Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky, investing more than $400 million over the past century. James Zimmerman of Taft Law chaired the 2026 drive that raised $12.1 million.
Kirkpatrick has led MeetNKY since 2020, after it rebranded from the NKY Convention and Visitors Bureau. She was a member of this year’s YWCA Greater Cincinnati Career Women of Achievement class. She’s currently also leading VisitCincy on an interim basis following Julie Calvert’s departure after eight years and renovation of the downtown First Financial Center, which is tying the two tourism organizations together even more.
Kitchin has led operations at the Eden Park campus, built in 1881, since 2014. The sprawling venue features a collection of more than 73,000 works that span 6,000 years of history. Two major exhibitions (Nancy Rexroth: Secrets of My Power and The Art of Charley Harper: Creatures Wild and Tame) open this fall and run into 2027.
Hometown: Los Angeles Education: University of California– Riverside (undergraduate), University of Redlands (MBA) Advice you’d give someone looking to enter your field of business: Nonprofit arts executives manage relationships with
donors, boards, business and community partners, artists, and audience members, so practice effective communications with all of them, consistently, and show your value by doing what needs doing in any given moment.
Hometown: Lexington Education: Northern Kentucky University (undergraduate) Best advice received: “Always push forward, and don’t accept mediocrity.” I’ve been taught that, if you want to be a leader, you should inspire others to push themselves as well.
Michael LaRosa
Joe Lanni
Hometown: Norfolk, Virginia Education: Harvard University (undergraduate), William & Mary (MBA) What’s the biggest challenge for your company over the next five years? Achieving the highest expectations of CAM’s visitors and the Cincinnati region is a goal we all share. Each day we open the doors, we raise aspirations for all who arrive and we strive toward radical hospitality and learning. The challenge is to aim as high as our audiences want to reach. Best advice received: “People may forget what you said or did, but they’ll never forget how you made them feel.”
Steve Loftin
CEO Thunderdome Restaurant Group
CEO LaRosa’s
PRESIDENT Cincinnati Arts Association
Lanni and his brother, John, who founded Currito in 2005, manage one of Greater Cincinnati’s largest restaurant groups that includes Bakersfield, CityBird, The Davidson, The Eagle, Krueger’s, Maplewood, Pepp & Dolores, and SoHi. It has more than 50 total locations, with the second Pepp & Delores and a new Eagle restaurant coming to the District in Deerfield north of Cincinnati.
Michael and brother Mark (president) are sons of Buddy LaRosa, who founded the family-owned restaurant in 1954. LaRosa’s operates more than 60 pizzerias in Ohio, Kentucky, and Indiana and reported revenue of almost $170 million in 2025. The company is moving to a new, larger location in Columbia Township, closing its Pleasant Ridge store, and opening a new location at Big Ash Brewing in Anderson Township.
Since 2000, Loftin has led the organization that oversees the Aronoff Center for the Arts and Music Hall. The venues host the Broadway in Cincinnati series, Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra and Pops, Cincinnati Opera, Cincinnati Ballet, and other local groups, while CAA also presents its own series of events in the Aronoff ’s three theaters. The downtown complex is home to the Weston Art Gallery and more than a dozen smaller arts troupes.
Hometown: Cincinnati When you were 18, what career field did you think you’d be in at this point in your life? I was entering
Hometown: Nashville, Tennessee Advice you’d give someone looking to enter your field of business: Always trust your
the Naval Academy Preparatory School in Rhode Island with hopes to become a career Naval officer. Pizza sauce was in my veins, and I made a slight career adjustment. Advice you’d give someone looking to enter your field of business: Be impeccable with your word, always do your best, don’t make assumptions, and don’t take anything personally.
instincts, treat your colleagues exactly how you want to be treated, and keep an open mind for new and smarter ways to solve problems. Best advice received: “Trust your instincts.”
Hometown: Hamilton Education: Cornell University (undergraduate) Best advice received: “Never miss an opportunity to do someone a favor.” What is your company doing to attract young talent? Culture, culture, culture. Focusing on creating a workplace where people have clear direction and feel supported by HQ so that they can focus on “throwing the party” for our guests.
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C ULTURE & LEISURE CULTURE
Nader Masadeh
Beryl Love
Robert McGrath
E DITO R AND MARKET LEA D ER Enquirer Media
PRESIDENT AND CEO Wings & Rings
PRESIDENT AND CEO Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra
Love returned to his hometown as The Enquirer’s editor in 2018 after serving as executive editor of USA Today. The Cincinnati.com website remains No. 1 in the region for site views, with more than 2 million unique visitors per month, while the print paper has a daily circulation of more than 17,600 and about 27,000 on Sunday.
Masadeh has been CEO of the casual dining chain and sports bar since 2014. It posted revenue of almost $160 million in 2025 at more than 50 locations in the U.S. and almost 30 in the Middle East, Europe, and Mexico. As part of its new Daily Value menu, it offers 40 percent off wings on Tuesdays and Kids Eat Free promotions on Mondays.
McGrath joined the symphony in 2011 and replaced retiring CEO Jonathan Martin last year. His responsibilities include leadership positions with Music and Event Management (MEMI), the symphony’s business subsidiary, and the May Festival. The organization is currently building the $160 million Farmer Music Center at Riverbend, which will feature 8,000 seats under roof and 12,000 on the lawn.
Hometown: Cincinnati Education: University of Cincinnati (undergraduate) What is your company doing to attract young talent? One key is building a strong pipeline of young talent through our intern program. What’s the biggest challenge for your company over the next five years? The polarization of
Hometown: Cincinnati Education: University of Cincinnati (undergraduate), Xavier University (MBA) When you were 18, what career field did you think you’d be in at this point in your life? I was convinced I’d be in the engineering or manufacturing
our nation and decline in news literacy are what keep me up at night. Social media algorithms and a growing appetite for news sources that validate, rather than challenge, our world view have put pressure on legacy news organizations.
Why did you choose this field of work? I was born into a family
D. Lynn Meyers
field. I wasn’t even close, but I couldn’t be happier to be wrong. of restaurateurs, and my first job was working at Burger King. I started with Buffalo Wings & Rings helping my father at his location and really fell in love with the brand.
Britney Ruby Miller
Hometown: Houston Education: New England Conservatory of Music (undergraduate) What is your company doing to attract young talent? We focus on leading with purpose by being visible, engaging with the community, and fostering a culture where young professionals can thrive. What’s the biggest challenge for your company over the next five years? Staying relevant in a rapidly changing world while cultivating deeper connections with our audience and expanding engagement, especially with younger generations.
Christopher Milligan
PRODUCING ARTISTIC DIRECTOR Ensemble Theatre of Cincinnati
CEO Ruby Culinary Entertainment
GENERAL DIRECTOR AND CEO Cincinnati Opera
Meyers has directed more than 100 world and regional premieres since joining the Over-theRhine company in 1996. Founded in 1986 by John and Ruth Sawyer and Ken and Mary Taft Mahler, ETC has been in the vanguard of original work that focuses on issues facing its home in the urban core. In addition, she’s an in-demand casting director with a resume that includes feature films and television productions.
Miller, the eldest of founder Jeff Ruby’s three children, was named president in 2016 and CEO in 2020. Darcie Bristow was promoted to president in 2025 to give Miller more time in the restaurants and focus on long-term strategy for the company’s seven locations in Ohio, Kentucky, and Tennessee. The Louisville restaurant, Ruby’s first foray outside of Cincinnati, celebrated its 20th anniversary this year.
Milligan was an intern with the country’s second-oldest opera company (founded in 1920) in 1989. He was promoted to the top spot in 2020 and signed a new contract this year that goes through the 2031 season. Artistic Director Evans Mirageas, who has been in that position since 2005, also signed a new deal that goes through 2030. In summer 2026 Cincinnati Opera presented the first of three world-premiere productions in its Black Opera Project, Lalovavi.
Hometown: Cincinnati Education: Thomas More University (undergraduate) Why did you choose this field of work? I
Hometown: Cincinnati Education: University of Cincinnati (undergraduate) Advice you’d give someone looking to enter your field of business: Keep the guest/customer experience
believe that theater can be a transformative tool in healing and creating understanding in the world, particularly in dealing with the current needs of a community. Best advice received: “Wake up every day grateful for one more opportunity.”
top of mind when making decisions. Short-term greed leads to long-term regret. Why did you choose this field of work? I grew up in the restaurant business and believe I learned it from a true genius, my father.
Hometown: Kettering, Ohio Education: Miami University (undergraduate) What’s the biggest challenge for your company over the next five years? Keeping the finances healthy even as costs rise, while still giving audiences a world-class experience. Opera is costly.
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C ULTURE & LEISURE CULTURE
Bob Moran
Doug Olberding
Jeff Osterfeld
PRESIDENT Beemok Sports & Entertainment
PRESIDENT AND CEO Pig Works
CEO Penn Station
The Charleston, South Carolina-based company owns and operates the Cincinnati Open, a major tennis tournament on the men’s ATP and women’s WTA tours, and the Lindner Family Tennis Center in Mason, which finished $260 million in renovations this year. Beemok also owns a tournament and tennis facility in Charleston. Moran serves on the boards of both the WTA and the WTA Foundation. The 2026 Cincinnati Open drew a record 300,000 fans, with more than half traveling from outside this region.
The organizations that manages the Flying Pig Marathon broke ground in August on the Coughlin Campus Headquarters near the corner of East McMillan Street and Gilbert Avenue in Walnut Hills. It’s named after Flying Pig founder Bob Coughlin, also the founder of Paycor. The Coughlin Foundation made a $4 million donation to a planned $12 million capital campaign to expand Pig Works youth initiatives and running events in the region.
Osterfeld opened his first Penn Station sandwich shop on Main Street downtown in 1985 and now oversees more than 320 sandwich restaurants in 15 states. It plans to double the number of locations to around 650 shops in the next five to seven years in areas that already have Penn Station locations. More than 90 percent of its restaurants are within 350 miles of Cincinnati, and the company posted 2025 revenue of $265 million.
Hometown: Cincinnati Education: Xavier University (under-
Hometown: Cincinnati Education: Miami University (undergraduate) What’s the biggest challenge for your company over the next five years? Unquestionably, inflation! What advice would you give someone looking to enter your field of business? You must be passionate about your product and prepared
Education: Elon University (undergraduate)
graduate), Ohio University (master’s), University of Kentucky (Ph.D.) When you were 18, what career field did you think you’d be in at this point in your life? I was involved in so many different things, each offering a different imagined future. Forget choosing a career; I couldn’t even settle on a college major.
for significant swings in business, many of which are driven by circumstances beyond your control.
Thank you
Together, we raised more than $35,000 for mental health at our Run to Raise Dough 5K. Thanks to our sponsors
Burnett Dairy Cooperative • CAI Insurance Agency • Holly's Custom Print • In Memory of Michael Albert Lawless Kohnen & Patton LLP • Kuna Foodservice • Midwest Repair Service • OneDigital • RDP Foodservice
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C ULTURE & LEISURE CULTURE
Bimal Patel
Brian Isaac Phillips
Elizabeth Pierce
CEO Rolling Hills Hospitality
PRODUCING ARTISTIC DIRECTOR AND CEO Cincinnati Shakespeare Company
PRESIDENT AND CEO Cincinnati Museum Center
Patel founded RHH in 2005 to develop, acquire, and manage hotels and now has 19 locations in Ohio and Kentucky, including two downtown hotels: The Marriott Moxy on Main Street between Third and Fourth streets and The Clair at Seventh Street and Broadway that features Pennyflower Bistro and Bar. Rolling Hills reported $63 million in 2025 revenue.
Phillips, creative leader since 2003, was instrumental in the move from a small venue on Race Street to its own Otto M. Budig Theater in Over-the-Rhine in 2017 and is spearheading a $25-million expansion to add a second stage and 19,000 square feet of classroom space. The company is the largest outdoor professional touring troupe in the region, performing in parks during the summer.
Pierce joined the West End landmark in 2007 and has led operations since 2015. Its Lego Jurassic World: The Exhibition, featuring more than 6 million bricks and 50 dinosaurs, opened in May and runs through January 4. Renovation is beginning on the former Heidelberg Distributing campus on Dalton Street north of the center to house 6 million items of the museum’s collection.
Hometown: Pittsburgh Education: Morehead State University (undergraduate) What’s the biggest challenge for your company over the next five years? Navigating the funding landscape
Hometown: Mansfield, Ohio Education: Miami University (undergraduate), George Washington University (master’s) Advice you’d give someone looking to enter your field of business: Be curious and get some practical skills, too. Our field is where interest/passions plus skill-sets combine for powerful outcomes. Why did you choose this field of work? I fell in love with museums as a child and during my study abroad program. I’m relentlessly passionate about the wonder and awe created by access to “the real thing” when exposed to historic and scientific objects.
Hometown: Williamstown, Kentucky Education: Transylvania University (undergraduate ) Advice you’d give someone looking to enter your field of business: Embrace working when our customers are present. In hospitality, often times this equates to nights and weekends. Earn your stripes early in your career so you can command credibility and exert your influence in the future.
will be a challenge for everyone in the arts as the rules of the game evolve with federal funding and priorities change for local philanthropy. Advice you’d give someone looking to enter your field of business: It’s important for future artists and administrators to enter the field with an eye toward innovation if we’re going to stay relevant.
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C ULTURE & LEISURE CULTURE
Scott Provancher
Blake Robison
Kristen Schlotman
FOUNDER AND CEO Ignite Philanthropy
PRODUCING ARTISTIC DIRECTOR Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park
PRESIDENT AND CEO Film Cincinnati
Provancher has led the philanthropic consulting firm since 2016, when it was formed in a merger of Lewis & Clark Co. and Ignite Philanthropy Advisors. Ignite consults with organizations that are raising funds, foundations that are looking for worthy places to donate money, and community groups intent on improving quality of life. Tara Noland and Teresa Hoelle are co-owners with Provancher.
Robison is in his 15th season leading the Playhouse, which opened its third season in the renovated building in Eden Park that features the mainstage Rouse Theatre and the intimate Shelterhouse. Season highlights include Talk, by Cincinnati native and awarding-winning writer Theresa Rebeck, and an updated Cincinnati King to celebrate the music of King Records.
Schlotman promotes the region as a destination for filmmakers and works with local and state elected officials to offer creative financial incentives to bring projects to this region. The first film she lured to town was in 2011: The Ides of March, starring and directed by former Cincinnatian George Clooney.
Hometown: Middlebury, Vermont Education: Williams College Hometown: Kinderhook, New York Education: Eastman School of Music (undergraduate) What is your company doing to attract young talent? Our team ends each day knowing they’ve contributed to positive community change. Best advice received: “Start your career in a small organization to fully un-
derstand how a business works and appreciate how everyone’s individual contributions truly matter.”
(undergraduate), University of North Carolina (master’s) What is your company doing to attract young talent? We work actively with local universities and conservatories to provide early-career opportunities for local actors, administrators, and production staff to work with nationally renowned leaders in the theater field. Advice you’d give someone looking to enter your field of business: Follow your passion. Chase art, not money. Listen to the audience and serve your community.
Lacy Schutz
Hometown: Cincinnati Education: Miami University (undergraduate) What is your company doing to attract young talent?
We focus on the finish line, uphold the mission, and create space where people feel part of something meaningful. I make sure to articulate a clear vision, because young professionals want to know their work has purpose.
Carl Stealey
Mike Smith
INTERIM EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR Contemporay Arts Center
CEO Music and Event Management Inc.
CEO Skyline Chili
Schutz joined the organization in May, replacing Christina Vassallo, who returned to Philadelphia. She has 20 years of institution leadership experience, most recently as managing director of ATHR Gallery in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. The CAC celebrated the 20th anniversary of its Zaha Hadid-designed downtown facility at Sixth and Walnut streets in 2023.
MEMI is owned by the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra; owns Riverbend Music Center, PNC Pavilion, and Andrew J Brady Music Center; and programs the Taft Theatre, the Longworth-Anderson Series at Memorial Hall, and Rose Music Center north of Dayton. The Farmer Family Foundation donated $60 million for MEMI’s new 20,000-seat venue on the site of the former Coney Island park and pool, to be called the Farmer Music Center, set to open in spring 2027.
The former Procter & Gamble executive replaced Dick Williams, who remains chairman of the company, in September. Stealey was chief commercial officer for the Honey Baked Ham Co. and previously was president of the Marzetti Co.’s retail division. Skyline has 136 stores, including nine new restaurants that opened in the past three years. Its Fountain Square location offers menu items not available elsewhere. The company had $262 million in 2025 revenue and employs 5,000 people.
Hometown: Waterford, Michigan Education: Siena Heights University (undergraduate)
Education: Universityof Cincinnati (undergraduate), University of Virginia (MBA)
Hometown: Lincoln, Nebraska Education: Pratt Institute (undergraduate), Bennington College (master’s) Best advice received: “Find those with whom you have rapport and proceed. And never proceed with those with whom you do not have rapport.” Is your organization and industry being disrupted by AI? Artists can use AI to create “art,” but it’s often a simulacrum of what cultures have built over thousands of years. I find it unsatisfying to look at AI-generated work; it makes me long for a hand-made, human expression. It also creates this constant uncertainty of whether an image, an object, or an essay is “real” or not.
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C ULTURE & LEISURE CULTURE
Adam Symson
William Yung III
PRESIDENT AND CEO E.W. Scripps Co.
FOUNDER AND CEO Columbia Sussex
Symson has led the national media company since 2017, managing more than 60 TV stations (including WCPO Channel 9) in 22 states. Scripps rejected a $538 million buyout offer from Sinclair Inc., which owns WKRC Channel 12, in 2025. It bought WTVQ-TV in Lexington, Kentucky in March, generated almost $2.2 billion in total revenue in 2025, and continues to produce its iconic Spelling Bee.
Yung founded the Crestview Hills-based company in 1972 when he built his first hotel in Richwood, Kentucky. It now owns more than 40 hotels and resorts in 20 states featuring brands like Marriott, Hilton, and Renaissance. It posted more than $1.5 billion in 2025 revenue. The Sirata Beach Resort, a famous hotel in St. Petersburg Beach, Florida, reopened this summer after a $25 million renovation as part of the Tapestry Collection by Hilton.
Hometown: Los Angeles Education: University of California-Los Angeles (undergraduate ) What is your company doing to attract young talent? We understand that young professionals are looking for more than just a place to work; they seek purpose, visionary thinking and a sense of belonging. Advice
Education: University of Cincinnati (undergraduate) What’s the biggest challenge for your company over the next five years?
Attracting and training new leadership.
you’d give someone looking to enter your field of business:
Come prepared for a career that will be a real adventure. The business of journalism and media is in flux, and the evolution is constantly increasing.
Congratulations to
Brian Isaac Phillips,
Producing Artistic Director & CEO
eare is Expanding! p s e k a ti Sh a n n ci Cin
of Cincinnati Shakespeare Company, and all the leaders whose vision and inspiration expand possibilities for the Cincinnati community!
Learn more about how you can invest in the For All, For All Time Campaign to grow arts access, education, and engagement in Cincinnati.
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EDUCATION & HEALTH
John Banchy
Matthew Bolton
Suzanne Burke
PRESIDENT AND CEO BestPoint Education & Behavioral Health
H EA D O F SCH OOL Seven Hills School
CEO Council on Aging
In 2022, St. Aloysius Orphanage (founded in 1832) and The Children’s Home of Cincinnati (founded in 1864) merged to become Best Point Education & Behavioral Health. Banchy was CEO of The Children’s Home for seven years pre-merger. He’s expanded early childhood day treatment services, increased capacity of the agency’s preschool, and acquired a campus designed for autism services.
Bolton joined Seven Hills as the head of its Upper School in 2014 and was appointed head of school in July 2024. He earlier served as dean of academics, dean of students, and an English teacher at Loyola School in New York City for 15 years. Seven Hills School is consolidating all pre-K to high school students to its Hillsdale Campus in Madisonville.
The nonprofit organization enhances quality of life for older adults, people with disabilities, and their families and caregivers by helping people remain independent in their homes and communities. Burke has led COA since 2005, is past past president of the Ohio Association of Area Agencies on Aging, and previously served as director of the Hamilton County Department of Job and Family Services. The organization has more than 440 employees and operates on a budget of $130 million.
Hometown: Indianapolis Education: Thomas More University
(undergraduate and MBA)
Hometown: New York City Education: Binghamton University (undergraduate), City University of New York (master’s and Ph.D.), Fordham University (master’s) What’s the biggest challenge for your company over the next five years? Continuing to help young people thrive and develop their unique capabilities in an age of distraction and anxiety. Best advice received: “Strive to be an eloquent listener.”
Education: Miami University (undergraduate), Xavier University (MBA)
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EDUCATION & HEALTH
Michael Carrel
Joseph Chillo
Garren Colvin
PRESIDENT AND CEO AtriCure
PRESIDENT Thomas More University
PRESIDENT AND CEO St. Elizabeth Healthcare
Carrel has been president, chief executive officer, and a director since 2012. Before joining AtriCure, he was president and chief executive officer of Vital Images, a publicly-traded medical imaging software company that was acquired by Toshiba Medical Systems Corp. Atricure develops and markets products for the treatment of atrial fibrillation and pain management, with 2025 revenue of $534 million.
The 15th president of Thomas More, Chillo began his tenure in 2019. He serves on the board of the Northern Kentucky Chamber of Commerce and OneNKY Alliance and in 2025 was elected vice chair for the Association of Independent Kentucky Colleges and Universities. Prior to Thomas More, he was president and professor of humanities at Newbury College, a private, independent college located near Boston.
Colvin began his career at St. Elizabeth in 1983 as a student co-op in the finance department. Since then, he’s held leadership roles in accounting, finance, and operations before becoming chief financial officer in 2001, chief operating officer in 2011, and president and CEO in 2015. St. E is Northern Kentucky’s largest health care provider, with more than 10,000 employees.
Hometown: Buffalo, N.Y. Education: Penn State University (undergraduate), University of Pennsylvania (MBA) Advice you’d give someone looking to enter your field of business: Believe in yourself and take risks. Always work hard, ask questions, and remain curious. No one should ever be done learning.
Hometown: Mahopac, New York Education: Binghamton University (undergraduate), Long Island University (master’s), Northeastern University (DLP) What’s the biggest challenge for your company over the next five years? Uncertainty around the federal government’s policies on higher education, which will have an economic impact on colleges and universities in the region and across the country. How is your leadership approach today different from before the pandemic? I have learned that good leadership matters to the success of the organization, but servant leadership matters more.
Hometown: Ludlow Education: Thomas More College (undergraduate), Northern Kentucky University (MBA) Advice you’d give someone looking to enter your field of business: Make sure you want to be a part of an organization with a responsibility to the communities they serve beyond the financial success of the corporation. Why did you choose this field of work? Improving the community’s health and wellness is a responsibility I take very seriously.
How is your leadership approach today different from before the pandemic? I believe staying consistent and true to our
longstanding mission and core values helped lead us through some very challenging disruptions.
Jonathan Cooper
Gregory Crawford
Steve Davis, MD
S UP E RINT END ENT Mason City Schools
PRESIDENT Miami University
PRESIDENT AND CEO Cincinnati Children’s
Cooper has been superintendent since 2018 and served earlier as Mason schools’ chief innovation officer, leading the development of the Mason Experiential Learning Program. He co-created Mason Innovation Week in collaboration with the city. He previously served as an elementary teacher in Centerville City Schools and a principal in Kettering City Schools.
Crawford began his tenure as president in July 2016. Before joining Miami, he was vice president and associate provost at the University of Notre Dame. He previously served as dean of engineering at Brown University, where he had joined the physics and engineering faculty in 1996. Miami’s sports coaching history is highlighted in the recently released documentary film The Cradle of Coaches, streaming on Peacock.
Davis became president and CEO in November 2021 after serving as the health system’s chief operating officer. Before that he worked at Cleveland Clinic system from 1996 to 2015, including as chief operating officer of Hillcrest Hospital. Children’s has been named to U.S. News & World Report’s Best Children’s Hospitals Honor Roll for 20 consecutive years.
Hometown: Upland, Indiana Education: Ball State University (undergraduate), University of Dayton (master’s), Miami University (Ed.D.) What is your company doing to attract young talent? Our strategy is built on creating a workplace that’s both distinctive and sustainable. We’ve invested significantly in personalized professional development, ensuring that staff are supported with growth pathways that align with both their career goals and the district’s long-term needs. Best advice received: “Be authentic, be yourself, and dream big.”
Hometown: Elyria, Ohio Education: Kent State University (undergraduate, master’s, and Ph.D.) Why did you choose this field of work? I became a scientist because my high school
physics teacher brought physics to life to me in tangible and interesting ways. As I moved into higher education leadership, it became clear that my science education transferred directly to new positions.
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Hometown: Revere, Massachusetts Education: Johns Hopkins University (undergraduate), Carnegie Mellon University (master’s), Michigan State University (master’s), University of Vermont (MD) When you were 18, what career field did you think you’d be in at this point in your life? I was pursuing a degree in biomedical engineering with the goal of being an orthopedic surgeon. Advice you’d give someone looking to enter your field of business: The chance to learn and grow while helping others can be incredibly fulfilling.
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EDUCATION & HEALTH
Fernando Figueroa
Terri HanlonBremer
Colleen Hanycz
PRESIDENT AND CEO Gateway Community & Technical College
PRESIDENT AND CEO TriHealth
PRESIDENT Xavier University
Figueroa has led the public, accredited, comprehensive two-year institution since 2016 and has served students in higher education for more than 25 years, from classroom instruction to administration. GCTC has partnerships with more than 400 local businesses, and nearly 80 percent of its students are employed. Its campuses are in Covington, Edgewood, and Florence.
Hanlon-Bremer assumed TriHealth’s leadership in June after serving as its chief operating officer since 2022. She is a registered nurse with a master’s degree in nursing administration and more than 30 years of health care experience. She started her career in 1987 as a cardiac nurse and joined TriHealth’s leadership team in 2007, managing TriHealth’s population health strategy and overseeing its COVID vaccination program.
Since July 2021, Hanycz has served as Xavier’s 35th president and the first layperson and woman to serve in that role in the university’s history. From 2015 to 2021, she was president of La Salle University in Philadelphia, also the first layperson and woman to hold that role. Xavier enrollment dropped in 2025 but came back strong this year, up by 30 percent.
Hometown: New Orleans Education: Louisiana State University (undergraduate, master’s, and Ph.D.) Advice you’d give someone looking to enter your field of business: Be clear on the mission and the value you add to your community. How is your leadership approach today different from before the pandemic? I now take more appreciation in the long game
than I used to. I look for the long arc of how we’re fulfilling our mission in the community.
Hometown: Cincinnati Education: University of Cincinnati (undergraduate and master’s) Best advice received: My father
taught me early on to do any job to my best ability each and every day. This advice involved saying “yes” to new opportunities even when I wasn’t sure I could do the work. Is your company and industry being disrupted by AI? Our care is built around a very human touch. That’s why we don’t see AI as something that could ever replace the compassion and connection our caregivers bring to patients every day.
Jeff Hauswald
Deborah Hayes
Hometown: Toronto, Canada Education: University of Toronto (undergraduate), Dalhousie University in Halifax, Canada (J.D.), Osgoode Hall Law School in Toronto (Ph.D.) What’s the biggest challenge for your company over the next five years? Our College of Osteopathic Medicine is due to enroll its first class of medical students in fall 2027, and Xavier will soon celebrate its 200th anniversary, a significant milestone. Advice you’d give someone looking to enter your field of business: Higher education is a vocation to serve young people at a critical juncture in their journeys to adulthood, so bring your A-game!
Robbin Hoopes
S UP E RINT END ENT Boone County Schools
PRESIDENT AND CEO The Christ Hospital
PRESIDENT Cincinnati State Technical & Community College
The Boone County School Board hired Hauswald of in 2024 after he nearly 30 years in education as a teacher, principal, athletic director, assistant superintendent, and superintendent, including serving as president of the Indiana Urban Schools Association for five years. Before coming to Boone County, he was superintendent of the Monroe (Indiana) County School Corp.
Hayes joined Christ in 1987 as a student nurse aide and critical care nurse. Over the following 25 years, she progressed through leadership roles, including clinical nurse manager, director of critical care, chief nursing officer, chief information officer and chief hospital officer. She was chief operating officer from 2014 to 2020, overseeing hospital operations across the network, and was named president and CEO in 2020. Christ is rated “high performing” in 20 procedures and conditions, including cardiac and cancer care, by U.S. News & World Report.
Hoopes has served as Cincinnati State’s provost and chief academic officer for the past 10 years and succeeds Monica Posey, who retired in August. He began his career as a lawyer and then, after completing a master’s degree in linguistics at Gallaudet University and a doctoral fellowship in sociolinguistics at Georgetown University, he became a nationally certified interpreter for the deaf and a community college professor.
Hometown: Croydon, Indiana Education: Indiana University (undergraduate and Ph.D.) Best advice received: My father constantly encouraged me to follow my heart and be a teacher. He said a career in education will be one of the most rewarding decisions I could ever make.
Hometown: Cincinnati Education: University of Cincinnati (un-
dergraduate and master’s), Xavier University (undergraduate), Northern Kentucky University (master’s)
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Education: University of Akron (undergraduate), Gallaudet University (master’s), University of Cincinnati (J.D.)
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EDUCATION & HEALTH
Shauna Murphy
Kurt Lewis
Jane Peterson
CEO United Healthcare
SUPER I N TEN D EN T Cincinnati Public Schools
PRESIDENT Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield Ohio
Lewis was appointed CEO for United Healthcare’s Employer and Individual operations throughout Ohio in April 2016. He began his health insurance career in Columbus more than 30 years ago and has held various leadership positions at United Healthcare beginning in 1999. United Healthcare works with more than 1.7 million physicians and care professionals and 7,000 hospitals and care facilities nationwide.
Murphy was appointed superintendent in November 2024 to lead 35,000 students and 6,500 employees across 66 schools. She began her career with Cincinnati Public Schools as a substitute teacher before becoming an English teacher at her alma mater, Purcell Marian High School. She was previously principal of three CPS schools.
Peterson has held senior positions at Anthem throughout her career, including leadership roles in finance, sales and underwriting. Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield is one of Ohio’s leading commercial health plans with networks (covering 95 percent of doctors and 96 percent of hospitals nationwide.
Hometown: Cincinnati Education: Ohio University (undergradHometown: Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio Education: Ohio State University (undergraduate) Best advice received: “What you do
matters so much, but how you do it matters even more.”
uate), Xavier University and University of Cincinnati (master’s) Best advice received: “Be you.” When we start a new position,
we often wonder how others will respond. You are chosen for this position at this given time and you have the judgment, discernment, delegation and leadership skills to deliver. Be you.
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Hometown: Coldwater, Ohio Education: University of Dayton (undergraduate), Xavier University (MBA) Best advice received: “Say yes to opportunities that scare you or make you feel uncomfortable.” It’s the best way to learn and grow.
EDUCATION & HEALTH
Neville Pinto
Tim Reilly
Kelley Schiess
PRESIDENT University of Cincinnati
PRESIDENT St. Xavier High School
H E A D OF S CH OOL Summit Country Day School
Appointed in 2017, Pinto is the 30th president of the University of Cincinnati. He taught and led at UC from 1985 to 2011, when he became dean of the Speed School of Engineering at the University of Louisville. In 2015, he served as U of L’s interim provost and a year later stepped in as acting president. UC is in the midst of a $326 million student housing construction to meet the needs of its growing student body.
Reilly joined St. Xavier in 2018 from St. Ignatius Loyola School, where he’d served as principal since 1995. Reilly is a 1976 alumnus of St. X and is the first non-Jesuit president, leading more than 1,400 students and 120 fulltime faculty members. He has also served as a member of the St. Xavier board of trustees and been a St. Xavier parent.
Appointed head of school by the school’s board in 2022, Schiess was previously assistant head for enrollment management and community engagement at the private Catholic school in Hyde Park. Summit was founded in 1890 and serves students from pre-K through high school at its Hyde Park/O’Bryonville campus.
Hometown: Mumbai, India Education: Indian Institute of Technology in New Delhi, India (undergraduate), Penn State University (master’s and Ph.D.) Advice you’d give someone looking to enter your field of business: Be prepared to innovate. Higher education is ever evolving, and knowledge is expanding faster than ever. How is your leadership approach today different from before the pandemic? The pace of change continues to accelerate, and we must redouble our transformational efforts to respond.
Hometown: Cincinnati Education: Miami University (undergraduate), Xavier University (master’s) Advice you’d give someone looking to enter your field of business: Surround yourself
with mission-driven people who are dedicated to getting better. When you were 18, what career field did you think you’d be in at this point in your life? I thought I would be a botanist dedicated
to ending world hunger.
Education: Ball State University (undergraduate and master’s) What’s the biggest challenge for your company over the next five years? Ensuring that The Summit continues to thrive with
the same level of excellence and innovation that’s defined our first 135 years. When you were 18, what career field did you think you’d be in at this point in your life? I thought I would be doing something related to journalism, telecommunications, public relations or advertising.
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...unlocks leadership potential. Every day we connect students from 18 months to 18 years both academically and personally. Whether in the classroom or on our 60-acre campus, students are known, nurtured, and inspired through innovative learning, independent thinking, and self-discovery. The opportunities are endless!
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EDUCATION & HEALTH
Kate Schroder
John Sebastian
Cory Shaw
PRESIDENT AND CEO Interact for Health
CEO Health Carousel
PRESIDENT AND CEO UC Health
Schroder joined Interact for Health as its fourth president and CEO in January 2022. Before that, she oversaw a regional effort at The Health Collaborative to increase COVID-19 vaccination throughout 14 counties in Greater Cincinnati and to address disparities in vaccination rates.
Sebastian became CEO in 2022 after serving as chief digital officer and president of travel nursing. Sebastian is a former Procter & Gamble branding executive who joined Health Carousel in 2016 as chief marketing officer. Health Carousel is a heathcare staffing firm, including travel nurse and international nurse services, founded in 2004.
Shaw was named president and CEO in 2023. UC Health offers care on four campuses and more than 70 outpatient locations in the region, including University of Cincinnati Gardner Neuroscience Institute and University of Cincinnati Cancer Center. Before joining UC Health, he served in executive roles with the University of Nebraska Medical Center and Nebraska Medicine.
Hometown: Cincinnati Education: Indiana University (undergraduate), University of Pennsylvania (MBA) What is your organization doing to attract young talent? Younger
workers appreciate the ability to bring their authentic selves to work, and it makes us stronger as an organization. How is your leadership approach today different from before the pandemic? I’ve found that being flexible and adaptable are critical
components to effective leadership. I also place more emphasis on skill development and support through professional development opportunities.
Hometown: Hinsdale, Illinois Education: University of Notre Dame (undergraduate), University of Michigan (master’s) Best advice received: “Focus first on understanding and leveraging strengths, then invest your time and energy in areas of strength that can deliver more value and success.” Advice you’d give someone looking to enter your field of business: Have a passion for improving lives. Our purpose at Health Carousel is to improve lives and make healthcare work better.
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Hometown: Aurora, Nebraska Education: University of Nebraska (undergraduate), University of Missouri (master’s) What is your company doing to attract young talent? We serve as a destination employer for early and mid-career professionals who want to build their career through hands-on experience in a fast-paced, community-focused organization. How is your leadership approach today different from before the pandemic? I try to be more intentional about checking in with colleagues about their personal well-being, both in the workplace and at home.
EDUCATION & HEALTH
Cady ShortThompson
August Troendle
Eric Stiene
PRESIDENT Northern Kentucky University
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR Beacon Orthopaedics & Sports Medicine
PRESIDENT AND CEO Medpace Holdings
Short-Thompson began her career at Northern Kentucky University in 1996 as a professor of communications and spent 14 years rising through the ranks as a graduate program director and department chair. Before being named president in 2023, she’d been dean of the University of Cincinnati Blue Ash College and executive director of Breakthrough Cincinnati, a nonprofit focused on educational equity in college preparatory programs.
Stiene has been with Beacon for his entire professional career in roles ranging from business director of ambulatory surgery centers to regional ambulatory surgery center administrator, before he was named executive director in 2024. Beacon is one of the largest doctor groups in Cincinnati, with more than 60 physicians and 1,200 employees.
Troendle has been CEO and chairman of the board of directors of Medpace since he founded the company in 1992. Before that he was a manager at Sandoz (Novartis) and was a medical review officer in the Division of Metabolic and Endocrine Drug Products at the FDA. Medpace is the 11th largest publicly traded company in Greater Cincinnati, with revenue of more than $2 billion.
Hometown: Cincinnati Education: University of Cincinnati (undergraduate, master’s, Ph.D.) What’s the biggest challenge for your company over the next five years? The American public’s recent questioning of a four-year degree’s value. Best advice received: “Don’t let perfect be the enemy of really good,
belong and can build a solid future, so we’re forming strategic partnerships with higher education and job-ready programs.
Hometown: Rockville, Maryland Education: Washington University (undergraduate), Boston University (MBA), University of Maryland (M.D.)
What’s the biggest challenge for your company over the next five years? Adapting to a changing healthcare landscape and
preparing future providers through mentorship.
“ G-U E S S W HAT I DID IN
“
because really good is good enough.”
Hometown: Cincinnati Education: Xavier University (undergraduate and master’s) What is your company doing to attract young talent? We want to have a culture where people feel they
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EDUCATION & HEALTH
Henry Webb
Ashley Whitely
H. James Williams
S UP E RINTEND ENT Kenton County Schools
SU PER I N TEN D EN T Lakota Local Schools
PRESIDENT Mount St. Joseph University
Webb was hired to lead Kentucky’s sixth largest public school district, the Cincinnati region’s fourth largest, in 2017 after a decade in charge of Floyd County Schools in Eastern Kentucky. He was named the state’s top superintendent by both the Kentucky Association of School Administrators and the Kentucky School Board Association. The Kenton County district has an enrollment of about 14,000 students with 2,000 employees in 17 schools, including Dixie Heights, Simon Kenton, and Scott high schools.
Whitely was named superintendent of Lakota schools in 2024 after previously serving as assistant superintendent at Wyoming City Schools, where she co-developed the district’s strategic plan. She also taught English and served as the department chair at Lakota East High School for five years.
Before joining MSJ as its seventh president in 2016, Williams had been president of Fisk University; dean of several business schools, including Seidman College, North Carolina Central, and Delaware State; and held faculty positions at Georgetown University and Notre Dame. MSJ was established by the Sisters of Charity in 1920 as the area’s first Catholic college for women and became fully co-ed in 1986.
Education: Morehead State University (undergraduate and PhD), University of Louisville (master’s)
Hometown: Beaver Dam, Kentucky Education: Western
Kentucky University (undergraduate and master’s), Xavier University (Ph.D.) What’s the biggest challenge for your organization over the next five years? Our Master Facilities Plan is in full gear, designed to have buildings to support our growing enrollment. Best advice received: “Trust the process.”
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Hometown: Winston-Salem, North Carolina Education: North Carolina A&T (undergraduate), University of Wisconsin (MBA), Georgetown University (J.D.), University of Georgia (Ph.D.)
EDUCATION & HEALTH
Amy Wutke
Rob Zimmerman
PRESIDENT Christ College of Nursing and Health Sciences
H EA D O F SCH OOL Cincinnati Country Day
Wutke was inaugurated as the fifth president of Christ College in 2024 after serving as president of Cox College in Springfield, Missouri. The Christ College is a private, nonprofit college affiliated with The Christ Hospital Health Network, offering degrees in nursing and health sciences.
Zimmerman is a 1998 graduate of Country Day, one of the region’s largest private schools, and was previously a 16-year attorney with Dinsmore & Shohl before being named head of school in 2021. He’d also served on the school’s board of trustees and its crisis management team and as alumni council president.
Hometown: Seekonk, Mass. Education: Providence College (undergraduate), University of Missouri (Ph.D.) What is your organization doing to attract young talent? Young talent in healthcare is drawn to purpose, and our mission to develop compassionate, skilled professionals who improve patient care resonates deeply with their desire to make a difference in people’s lives. Best advice received: “Be open to change and be the driver of your own career advancement.”
Hometown: Cincinnati Education: Vanderbilt University (undergraduate), University of Cincinnati (J.D.) Advice you’d give someone looking to enter your field of business: Go for
it! We need new teachers and new leaders, and not just from within the field of education. This is the most purposeful and rewarding work you’ll ever do. How is your leadership approach today different from before the pandemic? I’ve become more insistent about our culture as an institution. I always learn from our students, who are constantly pushing me to consider new ideas.
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MANUFACTURING & TECH
Jon Michael Adinolfi
Mark Anderson
Scott Anderson
PRESIDENT AND CEO Hillman Group
PRESIDENT AND CEO ProMach
PRESIDENT HBH Holdings
Adinolfi leads the hardware supplier serves retailers such as Lowe’s, Home Depot, Ace, and Tractor Supply and a line of direct-to-consumer products named after Over-the-Rhine. In August, it acquired Illinois-based Kanebridge Corp., which sells military and commercial grade fasteners, for $315 million. It was the company’s third acquisition of the year. Hillman reported billings of $1.55 billion in 2025.
Anderson has led the Covington-based packaging materials and machinery manufacturer since 2005. In April, it acquired Scotland-based Evolution BPS, a long-standing partner that serves the United Kingdom, becoming ProMach’s 12th acquisition since 2023. The company reported revenue of more than $2.1 billion in 2025, up $300 million from 2024. It has more than 90 manufacturing and sales locations in the world and employs 6,000-plus people.
The Spring Grove Village-based company sold Enerfab, an industrial contractor, to Quanta Services of Houston. HBH has a portfolio of seven companies that focus on fabrication, maintenance, and construction for the heavy industrial and utility markets. Anderson switched to HBH in 2020 after serving as CEO of Enerfab and had originally joined the company as a co-op worker while in college.
Hometown: North Haven, Connecticut Education: University of Connecticut (undergraduate) What is your company doing to attract young talent? We actively engage in college campus
recruitment and offer a robust 10-week internship program across a variety of functions, including engineering, marketing, supply chain, finance, and HR.
Hometown: Omaha, Nebraska Education: University of Nebras-
ka (undergraduate), Northwestern University (MBA)
Hometown: North Benton, Ohio Education: University of Cincinnati (undergraduate) What’s the biggest challenge for your company over the next five years? Driving efficiencies across our organization is always a top priority. Best advice received: “Everyone has a story. Try to give as many people as possible the opportunity to tell their story and let them be heard.” How is your leadership approach today different from five years ago? I have become a better listener.
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MANUFAC TURING & TE CH
Adam Browning
Kerry Byrne
James Clark
PRESIDENT Gold Medal Products
PRESIDENT Total Quality Logistics
PRESIDENT AND CEO LSI Industries
In 2010, Browning joined the family-owned company founded by Dave Evans as vice president and has led the Evendale-based manufacturer and distributor of concession food equipment and supplies since 2017. Gold Medal posted almost $190 million in 2025 revenue and employs more than 500 people across 19 U.S. locations. Dave Evans, grandson of the founder, is chairman.
Byrne has been president of the privately-held company since 2015. TQL’s reported 2024 revenue was almost $7.5 billion, with Forbes ranking it among the Top 100 largest private companies in the U.S. Founded by Ken Oaks in 1997, it’s among the largest freight brokerage firms in the country with 9,000 employees. It’s the name sponsor of FC Cincinnati’s West End soccer stadium.
Clark joined the Blue Ash-based leader in commercial lighting and display items for retail companies in 2018. LSI acquired the Royston Group of Atlanta this year for $325 million, a move that will make it a top onestop supplier for new-build and remodeled locations of companies such as Kroger, Costco, Walmart, Chevron, Shell, and Buc-ee’s. It reported revenue of $573 million in 2025, a 22 percent increase over 2024.
Hometown: Dayton Education: Centre College (undergraduate), University of Cincinnati (MBA), Northern Kentucky University (J.D.) What advice would you give someone looking to enter your field of business? Pursue excellence with a vengeance. Invest your time and efforts wisely and don’t allow yourself to fall into the routine or become complacent. How is your lead-
Hometown: Cincinnati Education: University of Cincinnati Education: State University of New York at Albany (under-
(undergraduate)
graduate)
ership approach today different from before the pandemic?
It’s become even more deliberate and remains grounded in our core values and approaches, yet unafraid to adjust and tweak as the world continues to evolve rapidly.
Cris Collinsworth
Randy Eckels
Larry Culp
OWNER PFF
CEO GE Aerospace
CEO Xplor Technologies
The NBC Sunday Night Football announcer and former Bengals receiver bought a majority interest in the sports player evaluation firm Pro Football Focus in 2014 and headquartered it in Over-the-Rhine. Now called PFF, it recently sold its data and analytics division to Teamworks, a North Carolina-based partner to pro, college, and Olympic sports teams and organizations, but retains its consumer-facing podcast and fantasy football business. Collinsworth is raising funds to expand a similar company focused on world soccer, Gradient Sports.
The Evendale-based firm became its own Fortune 500 company when General Electric spun off its assets in 2021. The new company posted revenue of more than $42 billion in 2025, ranking No. 101 in the Forbes 500, and invested more than $115 into sites and suppliers in Greater Cincinnati as part of a $1 billion capital investment. It employs more than 9,000 people in the region, the largest concentration of workers among its global facilities, and agreed in September to acquire Cleveland-based Consolidated Precision Products.
Eckels led the merger of Clubessential Holdings with Atlanta-based Xplor Technologies in 2025, creating a company that serves more than 130,000 customers, processes $47 billion in annual payments, and generates $900 million in annual revenue. The company provides membership management software and services for everything from private clubs to personal services. Although headquartered in Atlanta, it maintains a significant presence in Blue Ash.
Hometown: Titusville, Florida Education: University of Florida (undergraduate), University of Cincinnati (J.D.) What
Hometown: Washington, D.C. Education: Washington College (undergraduate), Harvard University (MBA)
advice would you give someone looking to enter your field of business? Look for people to work with you who don’t consider
what they do to be work. We’re lucky that in sports those people are a little easier to find.
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Education: Penn State University (undergraduate and master’s), Lehigh University (MBA)
MANUFAC TURING & TE CH
Kosta Elefter
Ryan Girvin
Alex Heiman
GLOBAL DELIVERY CENTER HEAD Tata Consultancy Services
CEO BlueStar
PRESIDENT Standard Textile
Elefter joined Tata in 2017 after serving as district manager in Columbus for Aldi, and he became head of operations of Tata’s Cincinnati Delivery Center in 2020 and his current global position in 2022. Tata is an India-based information technology consulting and business solutions company with its largest North American hub in Milford. Elefter serves on the boards of HealthSource of Ohio and the Cincinnati Regional Chamber.
Girvin is the former CFO who succeeded founder Steve Cuntz, who had purchased United Radio in 1992 and changed the name. The Hebron-based provider of solutions-based electronics such as bar-code scanners and inventory tracking devices has almost 50 locations around the world with more than 740 employees. It routinely posts more than $2 billion in annual revenue, making it one of the region’s largest private companies.
Heiman is the fourth generation to lead the Reading-based company founded by his great-grandfather in 1940. He succeeded his father, Gary, who retains the chairman and CEO titles, in 2023. Standard develops, manufactures, and distributes textile products from 24 manufacturing and distribution centers in 12 countries. It had estimated 2025 revenue of more than $800 million and has more than 2,500 employees around the world.
Hometown: Copley, Ohio Education: Cornell University (undergraduate and MBA)
Hometown: Memphis Education: Louisiana Tech (undergraduate) Best advice received: “No matter what position you hold in a company, you can influence those above you, below you, and your peers. It all starts with trust.”
Hometown: Cincinnati Education: Colgate University (undergraduate), Duke University (MBA) Best advice received: Our
Stephen Hightower
head of HR, Dana Schilling, preaches the maxim, “Simplify, simplify, simplify,” and I’m better every day for it.
Todd Johnson
Jim Jurgensen II
PRESIDENT AND CEO Hightowers Petroleum
PRESIDENT AND CEO Verst Logistics
CEO Jurgensen Companies
Hightower founded the Middletown-based wholesale fuel distribution business in 1981. With almost $250 million in revenue in 2025, it’s the region’s largest minority-owned business. He created Hightower EV in 2023, a firm that designs, build, maintains, and provides training, and software integration for electric vehicles throughout the country.
Johnson, who joined the private fulfillment, packaging, transportation, and warehousing operation as president and COO in 2019, replaced Paul Verst as CEO in August. Verst had led the Walton-based company founded by his father in 1966 since 1993 and is now executive chairman. The firm, which has more than 2,200 employees, owns more than 30 warehouses in six states, and posted 2025 revenue of $324 million.
Jurgensen is the third-generation leader of the family firm founded by his grandfather as a construction contractor in 1934. He joined the company in 1990 as a laborer and has been CEO since 2013. Siblings Jason (COO) and Jackie Alf (executive vice president) are also leaders of the company. The Sharonville-based firm has grown to about 25 companies providing services that include asphalt paving, commercial construction, and excavation.
Hometown: Columbus, Indiana Education: Indiana University (undergraduate) Best advice received: “Never stop learning.” The best investment you can make in your career is in your own growth. Is your company and industry being disrupted by AI? No, AI is not disrupting Verst Logistics but rather driving improvement and innovation across our organization. We view AI as a strategic enabler that complements our expertise.
Hometown: Cincinnati Education: Lafayette College (under-
Hometown: Middletown Education: Wright State University (undergraduate ) When you were 18, what career field did you think you’d be in at this point in your life? I’m almost exactly
where I want to be after deciding to work for myself at age 18 versus working in the Armco Steel plant. What advice would you give someone looking to enter your field of business?
Networking is the most valuable asset in our industry. If they don’t know you, they won’t do business with you.
graduate), Washington University (MBA)
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MANUFAC TURING & TE CH
Aaron Landolt
J.B. Kropp
Doug Lang
CEO Cintrifuse
PRESIDENT Enerfab
PRESIDENT AND CEO Meyer Tool
Co-founder of The Brandery accelerator, Kropp took over the city’s flagship startup support group in 2024. He’s also managing director of Cintrifuse Capital, which helps raise money in outside capital for entrepreneurs. Cintrifuse hosted the first StartupCincy Awards in April, where it honored more than 40 founders, companies, and leaders in eight categories for their achievements.
Quanta Services of Houston bought the provider of fabrication, construction, and maintenance services for the heavy industrial and utility markets in July. Landolt and the firm’s executives remain with company as it moves its operations from Spring Grove Village to Blue Ash in a two-building complex. Enerfab has 4,500 employees and annual revenue of almost $900 million.
Lang, who sold his eponymous tool design company to Meyer in 1981, has been the top executive of the Camp Washington-based company since 2016. Founded in 1951, Meyer provides precision components to the aerospace and gas turbine manufacturing sectors. It employs about 1,600 people at 12 locations in the U.S., Canada, and Poland and posted revenue of $313 million in 2025.
Hometown: Cincinnati Education: Denison University (undergraduate) What is your organization doing to attract young talent? Our mission is to make Cincinnati the best place in the
Hometown: Arlington, Ohio Education: University of Cincinnati (undergraduate), Xavier University (master’s) Best advice received: It was around active listening. In small groups or oneon-one settings, ask open-ended questions, then listen. Is your company and industry being disrupted by AI? It’s changing the way our industry works, and Enerfab is embracing that change. Rather than viewing AI as a disruption, it’s an opportunity to build smarter projects, improve how we work, and deliver greater value to our customers. AI is a tool, not a replacement for our skilled people and hands-on expertise.
Hometown: Cincinnati Education: University of Cincinnati (undergraduate) What you’d tell a recent college graduate about entering your field of business: U.S. manufacturing is extreme-
Midwest to start and scale a high-growth startup, and that begins with talent, so we’ve built programs and partnerships that directly connect ambitious students and professionals with founders who are building the future here. Best advice received: “Cultivate a growth mindset and embrace lifelong learning.”
ly challenging. To succeed you must constantly find a better way using vision, technology, patience, and good old-fashioned work ethic. Best advice received: “To live a life fulfilled, reflect on the things you have with gratitude to God.”
Greg Mays
Christian MacIver
Mark Mercurio
PRESIDENT AND CEO Pilot Chemical
PRESIDENT AND CEO Air Transport Services Group
PRESIDENT AND CEO Gorilla Glue
MacIver joined the company in 2023 as president and COO after working at Ingevity Specialty Chemicals in South Carolina for more than 25 years. She became CEO after Mike Clark retired on January 1 and joined the Board of Directors. The West Chester firm has facilities in Cincinnati, Lockland, and Middletown in addition to three other locations and posted more $305 million in 2025 revenue.
Mays has been with company since 2025, when he joined as president. He became CEO in early 2026 when Mike Berger retired and had previous management experience with Sun Country, Alaska, and Delta airlines. ATSG, the world’s largest owner and operator of Boeing 767 freighter aircraft, was acquired in 2025 by Stonepeak, an alternative investment firm, for more than $3 billion.
Mercurio spent 10 years as a brand manager at Procter & Gamble before joining the Sharonville manufacturer privately owned by the Ragland family in 2014. Its core products include glues, adhesives, tapes, sealants, and fillers. Former COO Michael Ahmed was named CEO of United Dairy Farmers, replacing longtime leader Brad Lindner.
Hometown: Fredericksburg, Virginia Education: University of Virigina (undergraduate) Best advice received: “Don’t try to do
Hometown: Atlanta Education: University of Alabama (undergraduate) Emory University (MBA) Is your company and industry being disrupted by AI? We’re a large industrial
Hometown: Cincinnati Education: University of Cincinnati
the job by copying how others do it. Be yourself, lean into your strengths, and do the job the way you think it needs to be done.” Is your company and industry being disrupted by AI? I think of AI as more of a catalyst than a disrupter for Pilot Chemical and the chemical industry. While this technology is still in a rapid pace of emergence, AI is changing the speed at which chemical companies can analyze data, carry out processes, make decisions, innovate, and improve quality and reliability in manufacturing.
transportation company, so while AI is having an impact on us I would not consider it a disruption. Technology by definition should help us overcome limitations, so I see AI as an evolving technology that can allow us to completely redraft entire processes.
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(undergraduate), University of Virginia (MBA)
MANUFAC TURING & TE CH
Rick Michelman
Jill Meyer
Emma Off
C H I E F O P E R AT I N G & R E L AT I O N S H I P S O F F I C E R The O.H.I.O. Fund
PRESIDENT AND CEO Michelman
PRESIDENT AND CEO CincyTech
Meyer is a founding partner of the private investment firm that raises capital to spur growth in Ohio-based businesses. She was CEO of the Cincinnati Regional Chamber from 2015 to 2023 and practiced law for 20 years at Frost Brown Todd (now FBT Gibbons). She is board chair of the Federal Reserve Bank of Cleveland’s Cincinnati branch and in 2026 was appointed to the board of the Port of Greater Cincinnati Development Authority.
Michelman held multiple jobs at the family-owned company before taking the top spot in 2022. The Blue Ash firm, founded in 1949, manufactures sustainable chemistry used in agricultural and architectural coatings, digital printing, food service packaging, and automotive and aerospace composites. It posted revenue of $217 million in 2025.
Off, a former partner at Thompson Hine law firm, replaced Mike Venerable, who worked at the seed-stage investment firm for 17 years, in 2024. It closed Fund VI, its largest to date, at $34.5 million in 2025 and plans to invest a bulk of the dollars in companies specializing in therapeutics, diagnostics, medical device, and health tech. The firm’s largest returns have come from life sciences since it was founded in 2005.
Hometown: Cincinnati Education: Mount St. Joseph (undergraduate), Northern Kentucky University (J.D.) What you’d tell a recent college graduate about entering your field of business: Be resilient, be curious, work hard, say yes. Best advice received: “Keep your eye on the ball,” from my late mentor,
Hometown: Cincinnati Education: Cornell University (undergraduate), University of California–Berkeley (Ph.D.) What advice would you give someone looking to enter your field of business? Think big, as you can make cars lighter and stronger
one day, reduce food packaging waste the next day, and help feed the world on the following day!
Dick Goehler.
Andrea Pirondini
Hometown: Cincinnati Education: University of Kentucky (undergraduate), University of Cincinnati (J.D.) What is your organization doing to attract young talent? We engage frequently
with college interns, engaging them to provide investment, finance, and marketing support. We also have a life science graduate investment fellowship program to expose mid- to late-stage PhD or master’s students to early-stage venture capital investing.
Tony Remington
John Richardson
CEO Prysmian Group North America
CEO AND CO-FOUNDER Gravity Diagnostics
CH A I R M A N SugarCreek
Pirondini leads North American operations of Prysmian Group, the Italian company that owns Highland Heights-based General Cable. The company manufactures underground and submarine cables and systems for power transmission and distribution, and optical fiber and copper cable for voice, video, and data transmission. It reported more than $9 billion in 2025 revenue, more than 40 percent of the parent company’s total.
Remington and co-founder Julie Brazil created the Covington-based company in 2016. It provides testing in the areas of toxicology, pharmacogenetics, infectious and upper respiratory diseases, blood, and COVID-19. It employs more than 300 people in Kentucky and Ohio and is certified to do testing across the U.S.
Richardson leads the food manufacturing business started by his father in 1966. The family-owned, Blue Ash-based firm has six manufacturing plants and packaging facilities in Ohio, Indiana, and Kansas and posted revenue of $1.2 billion in 2025. Son Michael is CEO and daughter Jennifer Hutcheson is Chief Relationship Officer. Richardson also owns Cincinnati Beverage, which produces Hudepohl, Little Kings, Christian Moerlein, Burger, and other beer brands.
Hometown: Turin, Italy Education: Università Commerciale L.Bocconi, Milan, Italy (undergraduate) What is your company doing to attract young talent? We’re a global company with our North American headquarters right here, and we’re at the heart of an industry that’s experiencing significant growth and relevance. What advice would you give someone looking to enter your field of business? There is certainly more to this industry than meets the eye. We’re looking for employees with passion for sustainability and forward-looking ideas.
Hometown: Gloucester, Mass. Education: Bentley College (undergraduate), Boston College (MBA) What’s the biggest challenge for your company over the next five years? Maintaining our amazing culture. Our people are our greatest strength, so keeping them motivated, challenged, and fulfilled is our top priority. Best advice received: My grandfather always said hard work, integrity, and perseverance will pay off.
Hometown: Washington Court House, Ohio Education: Illinois State University (undergraduate) What’s the biggest challenge for your company over the next five years? Hiring and retaining a best-in-class workforce. How is your leadership approach today different from before the pandemic? I’m a better listener
and a better mentor. I think that’s more important than I thought it was five years ago: less about me and more about the next generation. Best advice received: “Never give up.”
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MANUFAC TURING & TE CH
Ron Rosenbeck
Kristin Russell
Ryan Rybolt
CEO Republic Wire
CEO CBTS
CEO Payload
Rosenbeck was one of three founders of the aluminum and copper wire manufacturer in 1982. The private company was bought in June by Nexans, a French-based company that sells cable internationally for almost $797 million. Rosenbeck and son Jeremy, who is president, will continue to run the local operation at its West Chester facility. The company posted revenue of $615 million in 2025 and employs more than 220 people.
The company, owned by TowerBrook Capital Partners since 2024, is headquartered in Cincinnati, with offices in Canada, Ireland, Great Britain, and India. It serves more than 3,000 clients and posted $1.3 billion in 2024 revenue. It has more than 2,800 employees working in IT consulting, network engineering, and managed services. Russell was most recently president of the global enterprise computing division of Arrow Electronics.
Rybolt leads the financial payments company he co-founded in 2019 with Ian Halpern. The firm moved its office to UC’s 1819 Innovation Hub in Avondale from Blue Ash. It has handled more than $8 billion in real estate transactions and is the country’s largest processor of earnest-money deposits. After its success in real estate, Payload is entering new platforms and recently closed a $9 million funding round led by Fifth Third Bank.
Hometown: Coldwater, Ohio Education: Miami University (undergraduate)
Hometown: Riverside, California Education: University of Colorado (undergraduate) What is your company doing to attract young talent? Creating an environment built on flexibility, growth, and purpose. Over half our workforce operates remotely, and our new unlimited vacation policy entrusts employees with balancing their life and work schedules without heavy oversight.
Hometown: Harrison Education: University of Cincinnati (undergraduate ) What is your company doing to attract young talent? Creating an entrepreneurial environment where team members have visibility into all aspects of running a fast growing startup. Best advice received: “Go to college and don’t become a farmer.”
Phil Schneider
Tom Signorello
James Stahl III
PRESIDENT BGR
CEO Pomeroy
PRESIDENT CBT Co.
Schneider was named CEO in 2024 after joining the West Chester Township packaging supply chain company in 2022 as president and COO. BGF was founded by Al Backscheider in 1972, and his sons Allen and Dean worked at the firm for more than 50 years and remain cochairs. BGR posted revenue of more than $160 million in 2025 and employs about 200 people at 11 locations across the country.
Signorello became the top executive of the provider of IT infrastructure, staffing, procurement, and logistics services firm in 2023. Pomeroy serves about 60,000 locations of customers in the retail, financial services, healthcare, and manufacturing sectors around the world. About 230 of the company’s 3,000 employees work at the headquarters in Hebron. Pomeroy has nine locations in five countries.
Stahl succeeded his father, who grew the distributor of electrical and mechanical parts to more than 300 employees today, in 2022. Founded in 1921 as the Belting Company of Cincinnati and owned by the Stahl family since 1975, it posted revenue of $273 million in 2025. In addition to its Columbia Township headquarters, it has Ohio locations in Springboro and Sidney as well as Lexington and Louisville.
Hometown: Cincinnati Education: Franklin College (under-
Hometown: Boston Education: Suffolk University (undergraduate and MBA) Best advice received: Someone told me years ago that accountability is the only thing you can’t outsource. You can outsource labor, infrastructure, and even parts of your strategy, but you can’t outsource whether it worked. What is your company doing to attract young talent? Ask people what made an early job worth staying in, and they’ll almost always name a person. So we spend more on developing our frontline managers than on recruitment marketing.
Hometown: Cincinnati Education: Georgetown University (undergraduate ) Best advice received: “The most important asset a company has is the people on the team.” How is your leadership approach today different from before the pandemic? Focus on the areas you can control, and make sure you have
graduate)
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a team in place that can quickly address the new challenges that will inevitably arise.
MANUFAC TURING & TE CH
Greg Tucker
Jason Wittekind
John Wolf
CEO ProAmpac
PRESIDENT AND CEO Hawkstone Associates
CEO DuBois Chemicals
Tucker has led the Springdale-based flexible packaging company formed by the merger of Prolamina Corp. and Ampac Packaging since 2015. It was acquired by Pritzker Private Capital in 2017. He oversees an operation that has more than 80 locations on three continents with 11,800 employees serving customers in 94 countries. It posted $3.5 billion in revenue in 2025, making it the second-largest privately owned company in the region after only TQL.
In 2021, Wittekind succeeded his father, Ronald, at the Harrison-based petroleum wholesaler and retailer that does business as Triumph Energy Corp. The elder Wittekind remains executive chairman. The company operates almost 50 retail locations in Ohio, Kentucky, Indiana, and Tennessee and reported almost $380 million in 2025 revenue.
In 2025, Wolf replaced Jeff Welsh, who led the chemical manufacturing company since 2008. Toronto-based Atlas Partners has owned the Sharonville-based firm since 2019. T.V. DuBois founded the operation in 1920 to makes soap chips and powder for the restaurant industry. DuBois reported more than $800 million in 2025 revenue and employs about 150 of its 1,500-member workforce locally.
Hometown: Boston Education: Worchester Polytechnic
Providing individuals not only a sense of pride but also a sense of inclusion is by far the most important factor. We strive for our associates to have pride in where they work and what they do. Best advice received: “Always make sure to learn and grow from mistakes.”
Institute (undergraduate)
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Hometown: Cincinnati Education: Xavier University (undergraduate) What is your company doing to attract young talent?
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theohiofund.com
Congratulations Jill Jill has built a career around strengthening the region she calls home, helping move Greater Cincinnati forward through leadership in business, law, economic development and civic engagement. Today, as a partner of The O.H.I.O. Fund, she continues that commitment to Cincinnati and to Ohio. Njɦ͔ɦ̖͔͋ۯΑɕۯ̖ۯɊɦˠɦɂ͔ǻɦۯĊʱˠˠۯǻ̅ɕۯǻˠˠ̖ۯʇۯʞʱͧۯϤɦǻ͔ۯͧ Cincinnati 300 honorees.
Jill JillMeyer Meyer Partner, Partner,The TheO.H.I.O. O.H.I.O.Fund Fund
NONPROFIT & GOVERNMENT
Andrew Aiello
Jonathan Adee
Jeffrey Aluotto
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR Keep Cincinnati Beautiful
CEO Metro/SORTA
A DM I N I ST R ATOR Hamilton County
Since 2018, Adee has led the nonprofit focused on education, revitalization and environmental initiatives to build community and foster pride where people live, work and play. In 2026, KCB expanded into a vacant building in Walnut Hills, a former automobile dealership designed by architect Harry Hake that was renovated and now serves as its headquarters.
Aiello joined the transit authority as chief of staff in 2022, then served as deputy general manager before being appointed CEO in June 2025. His experience includes serving for 12 years as general manager of the Transit Authority of Northern Kentucky (TANK), as well as roles with the Atlanta Regional Commission and the Georgia Department of Transportation.
Hometown: Cooperstown, N.Y. Education: University of Mount Union (undergraduate), University of Akron (master’s and J.D.) What is your organization doing to attract young talent? All of our recruitment channels target demographics passionate about our environment and the city. Best advice received: “People don’t argue with their own data.” A true leader helps stakeholders find their own way to a collective understanding of vision.
Hometown: Dayton, Ohio Education: Miami University (undergraduate), University of Cincinnati (MBA) What is your company doing to attract young talent? Metro offers two things that are hard to find and attractive to young talent: Our work has meaning, and it’s also a place where you can build a stable, long-lasting career. Why did you choose this field of work? Effective public transportation creates economic opportunity, makes cities run more efficiently, improves the environment, and provides freedom of mobility for thousands of people every day.
Aluotto serves as the chief administrative officer of the county, overseeing the management of all departments reporting to the Board of County Commissioners, including finance and budgeting, county facilities and infrastructure, economic development, and 911 communications. For 10 years before his appointment as administrator, Aluotto served as the county’s assistant administrator and for seven years managed the Hamilton County Solid Waste District. Hometown: New York City Education: Miami University (under-
graduate and master’s), Xavier University (MBA)
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NONPROFIT & G OVERNMENT
Candice Matthews Brackeen
Patty Brisben
Laura Brunner
CEO Lightship Foundation
FOUNDER AND CEO She+ Foundation
CEO Port of Greater Cincinnati Development Authority
The foundation works to empower minority entrepreneurs with education, networks and capital to grow their businesses. Brackeen founded the organization, and brought Black Tech Week, an event that connects investors, entrepreneurs and tech professionals, to Cincinnati in 2022. (It’s moving to Columbus in 2027.) Brackeen is also general partner at Lightship Capital, which funds minority-led companies with high-growth potential.
The She+ Foundation, formerly known as the Sexual Health Education Foundation, has raised millions to support research and education to improve women’s sexual health. It partners with universities and research organizations to study sexual dysfunction and disorders and provide information and resources to women. Brisben is the founder of Pure Romance, an intimacy products company now led by her son, Chris Cicchinelli.
Hometown: Toledo Education: University of Cincinnati (undergraduate)
Hometown: Cincinnati Best advice received: “Surround yourself with great people, and your business will continue to grow.” That way you can focus on what you do best.
Brunner gained national recognition in 2022 when she led the Port’s effort to acquire 194 houses from an out-of-town real estate investment company to begin the task of restoring them to single-family ownership. Earlier this year The Port sold its 100th rehabbed house. She has led the quasi-governmental public agency since 2011 with a mission to return real estate to productive use, reduce wealth disparities, increase homeownership, and grow manufacturing jobs. High-profile projects include the old Crosley factory in Camp Washington and the Uptown Innovation District. Hometown: South Bend, Indiana Education: Indiana University
(undergraduate)
Rich Bundy
Robert Casey
Brent Cooper
PRESIDENT UC Foundation
A R C H BI SH O P Archdiocese of Cincinnati
PRESIDENT AND CEO NKY Chamber of Commerce
Bundy became president of the University of Cincinnati Foundation and vice president of advancement at UC in 2024. He oversees all philanthropic efforts for UC and UC Health, as well as alumni engagement through the University of Cincinnati Alumni Association. His career in higher education philanthropy spans 30 years at Penn State University, the University of Vermont, Iowa State University and Michigan State University.
Casey serves as the 10th archbishop of Cincinnati, earned a master of divinity degree from Mundelein (Ill.) Seminary in 1994, and was ordained to the priesthood for the Archdiocese of Chicago that year. He was ordained a bishop of Chicago in 2018 and was named vicar general of the Archdiocese of Chicago in 2020. He was appointed archbishop of Cincinnati in 2025, succeeding Dennis M. Schnurr, who retired.
Cooper’s involvement with the Chamber began as a volunteer on its board of directors from 2007-2014. He was elected board chair in 2011, served as interim president for seven months in 2014, and was named president and CEO in 2017. He announced that he’ll be retiring from the Chamber in August 2027. Cooper is the founder and CEO of C-Forward, a Covington-based IT support business now in its 27th year.
Hometown: State College, Pa. Education: Pennsylvania State
University (bachelor’s and master’s), Michigan State (MBA) When you were 18, what career field did you think you’d be in at this point in your life? I started school with the intent to
be an architectural engineer, following in the footsteps of my grandfather.
Hometown: Alsip, Illinois Education: Niles College Seminary (undergraduate), University of St. Mary of the Lake (master’s) What is your company doing to attract young talent? Our church is finding itself re-energized in the present moment. Young people are sensing the excitement and are seeking to partner with us. What’s the biggest challenge for your organization over the next five years? Finding the way from maintenance to mission. We operate out of structures and systems that were built for prior generations.
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Hometown: Covington Education: University of Kentucky (undergraduate) What is your company doing to attract young talent? We are active in regional branding/marketing efforts, as well as direct outreach to specific target audiences such as veterans. Why did you choose this field of work? I am passionate about the Northern Kentucky region and absolutely love working at our Chamber of Commerce, where I get to collaborate every day with business and civic leaders.
NONPROFIT & G OVERNMENT
Brendon Cull
Lee Crume
Gina Douthat
PRESIDENT AND CEO BE-NKY Growth Partnership
CEO Cincinnati Regional Chamber
G E NE R A L M A NAG E R TANK
Crume was appointed CEO of the Northern Kentucky economic development agency in April 2019. He was a member of the Leadership Kentucky Class of 2023 and is a member of the board of the Northern Kentucky Chamber of Commerce, Northern Kentucky Port Authority, and LifeSciKY. In 2025, BE-NKY won 15 projects and announced 1,914 new jobs and $425.5 million in capital investment.
Under his leadership, the Chamber has overhauled its public policy, government relations, talent, and marketing efforts and developed a transportation initiatives strategy that resulted in a successful ballot initiative to increase Hamilton County transportation funding. Named CEO in 2023, Cull has also held the positions of chief operating officer, executive vice president, and chief strategy officer at the Chamber.
Douthat has held various positions with TANK since 1997, including deputy general manager and director of communications and development. She was named general manager in 2022. Under her leadership, TANK embarked on a public transit development plan called “Reimagining the Future of Transit in Northern Kentucky,” meant to guide strategy in Boone, Campbell, and Kenton counties for the next 10-15 years.
Hometown: Owensboro, Kentucky Education: Western Kentucky University (undergraduate and master’s) What’s
graduate)
Hometown: Columbus Education: Xavier University (underHometown: Edgewood Education: Northern Kentucky University (undergraduate) What is your organization doing to attract young talent? Creating a company culture where everyone feels respected, valued, and heard is good for attracting talent of all ages. Best advice received: “Say ‘yes’ to hard things; don’t let fear hold you back. Trust your gut and hone your instincts.”
the biggest challenge for your organization over the next five years? We acknowledge we don’t know what we can’t know, we
have to be tuned in and open to rapid changes, and we have to be nimble and capable when these changes occur. When you were 18, what career field did you think you’d be in at this point in your life? I love anything that is remotely related to water
and I thought I’d be a marine biologist.
Karen Finan
Nancy Grayson
Kevin Finn
PRESIDENT AND CEO OneNKY Alliance
PRESIDENT AND CEO Strategies to End Homelessness
PRESIDENT AND CEO Horizon Community Funds of Northern Kentucky
The organization works to implement a strategic vision for a unified Northern Kentucky community. In 2025, it opened the OneNKY Center in Covington to bring together the region’s growth organizations under one roof. Selected in 2017 to lead the alliance, Finan previously served as interim president and CEO of Northern Kentucky Tri-ED (now BE-NKY Growth Partnership) and was a partner with Gilman Partners executive search and leadership development firm.
The organization collaborates with 30 local nonprofit agencies and organizations to coordinate emergency, short-term and long-term housing solutions for people who are homeless or in danger of finding themselves homeless. It also manages federal as well as some state and local funding these agencies receive. Finn has led the nonprofit since its founding in 2007.
Grayson is responsible for implementing the vision and strategic direction of Horizon Community Foundation, a central hub for philanthropy for Boone, Campbell, and Kenton counties. She’s led the communitywide foundation since 2017 and serves on numerous boards of organizations dedicated to improving education, promoting family relationships, and preserving the natural resources and history of Kentucky.
Hometown: Ft. Mitchell Education: Northern Kentucky University (undergraduate) What’s the biggest challenge for your organization over the next five years? We must embrace
innovative new solutions to address an entrenched societal problem, which appeals to people who might not otherwise have considered working in the nonprofit sector.
innovation through AI and other opportunities through a lens of leveraging our industry assets. How we support growth will chart the course for talent attraction and general quality of life. Best advice received: I always look at work life in five-year cycles as a way to assess if I’m providing value and impact.
Hometown: Cincinnati Education: Saint Louis University (undergraduate), University of Kentucky (master’s) What is your organization doing to attract young talent? Implementing
Hometown: Lexington Education: University of Kentucky (undergraduate), University of Cincinnati (J.D.) Best advice received: “As a female leader, understand that you can have it all but perhaps not all at the same time.” How is your leadership approach today different from before the pandemic? I’ve become better at learning how to say “no” so that when I say “yes” it’s more meaningful.
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NONPROFIT & G OVERNMENT
Brian Griffin
Joe Huber
EXECUTIVE SECRETARY-TREASURER Cincinnati AFL-CIO Labor Council
PRESIDENT AND CEO Cincinnati Development Fund
In his role Griffin represents and advocates for unionized workers across Greater Cincinnati, leading local labor initiatives, political action campaigns and solidarity efforts. In 2026, he was awarded the Lifetime Achievement Award at the 43rd Lou Manchise Labor-Management Conference. Among other appointments, Griffin also serves on the executive committee of the United Way of Greater Cincinnati board of directors.
Huber has helped build CDF’s capacity to finance innovative and complex real estate development projects throughout the region, with a focus on expanding investment in low-income and minority communities through partnerships with community development organizations. He joined CDF in 2006 and has served the organization in several executive leadership roles, including chief lending officer and chief operating officer.
Hometown: Gallipolis, Ohio Education: Ohio University (undergraduate and master’s) What’s the biggest challenge for your organization over the next five years? Staying ahead of a fast-changing economy while continuing to protect wages, benefits, and opportunities for working people in an increasingly volatile political and socio-economic climate. Advice you’d give someone looking to enter your field of business: Get involved in a union, and do it early. If there isn’t one where you work, form one! It’s the greatest guarantee of a strong, stable middle-class living.
Hometown: Cincinnati Education: Butler University (undergraduate) What’s the biggest challenge for your organization over the next five years? Continuing to drive investment into
our region to make important real estate projects happen, while navigating the uncertainty of government programs and investment. When you were 18, what career field did you think you’d be in at this point in your life? I’m incredibly lucky that I stumbled into the world of community development finance, which I didn’t know existed when I was 18.
Kreg Keesee
Lawrence Krauter
Eric Kearney PRESIDENT AND CEO African American Chamber of Greater CincinnatiNorthern Kentucky Kearney has had a career in law, business, and politics. A state senator, he served as Ohio Senate minority leader, championing causes including adoption, children’s health, small business development, and pension reform. In 2016 he was named CEO of the African American Chamber, the region’s leading advocate for African American-owned businesses. Hometown: Cincinnati Education: Dartmouth College (undergraduate), University of Cincinnati (J.D.) Advice you’d give someone looking to enter your field of business: Seek ex-
periences and people different than your own life experience. Grab opportunities to learn so you consistently hone your skills. Thank and appreciate those who share their time with you, as it’s our most valuable asset.
Christie Kuhns
PRESIDENT AND CEO Freestore Foodbank
CEO Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport
PRESIDENT AND CEO Urban League of Greater Southwestern Ohio
Freestore Foodbank named Keesee as president and CEO in February 2026, replacing its longtime leader, Kurt Reiber, who retired. He most recently served as interim chief financial and operating officer at the Springer School and Center and held executive roles at Cold Jet, Michelman, Sun Chemical, and Procter & Gamble. Keesee serves on the Cincinnati Regional Chamber board of directors.
Krauter was named CEO of the airport effective March 2025 after serving as chief executive officer of Spokane (Wash.) Airports for 14 years. A 36-year veteran of the aviation industry, he was previously interim executive director, deputy executive director, and director of planning and engineering at the Lehigh Northampton Airport Authority in Pennsylvania. Before that, he was an airport planner with the city of Columbus.
In 2015, Kuhns was elected as an Ohio state representative in the 131st General Assembly. She then gained experience in health care sector at UC Health as vice president of operations and community relations, and chief of staff to the chief operating officer. She was named CEO of the Urban League in 2022. The Urban League serves 12 counties in Ohio and Kentucky promoting economic empowerment, equality, and civil rights.
Hometown: Hollywood, Florida Education: Ohio State University (undergraduate)
Hometown: Cincinnati Education: University of Cincinnati (undergraduate and J.D.) What is your organization doing to attract young talent? We attract young professionals with pur-
Hometown: Detroit Education: University of Michigan (undergraduate and MBA) Best advice received: “Be prepared, be on time, and remember that you have two ears and only one mouth for a reason. Listen and learn.” Is your organization and industry being disrupted by AI? We’re definitely being impacted by the potential of AI to allow for better decision-making in the identification of needs and to drive improvements in the agility and speed with which we can deliver food to our neighbors dealing with hunger.
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pose-driven work, the flexibility people need to thrive at work and at home, and a vibrant Urban League Young Professionals network. How is your leadership approach today different from before the pandemic? My perspective has evolved and shifted to focus on nurturing and developing the talent within our community.
NONPROFIT & G OVERNMENT
Laura Lamb
Kimm Lauterbach
Gary Lindgren
PRESIDENT AND CEO Episcopal Retirement Services
PRESIDENT AND CEO REDI
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR Cincinnati Business Committee
Lamb joined Episcopal Retirement Services in 1994 and has held multiple roles in operations and support services, including executive vice president. After a national search, ERS promoted her to president and CEO in January 2017. ERS operates residential retirement communities in Ohio, Kentucky, and Indiana as well as a variety of outreach ministries for seniors.
Lauterbach took the helm of REDI Cincinnati in 2018 after five years as vice president of business development and project management for the organization that recruits new businesses and talent to the region. She also serves on the board of directors for the Cincinnati Regional Chamber and Cincinnati Experience as well as the Greater Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky Foreign Trade Zones, BE-NKY Growth Partnership, and UC’s Research Institute.
Lindgren has led the Cincinnati Business Committee since 2007, when he was named to lead the group after serving as chief of staff for U.S. Rep. Steve Chabot of Ohio’s 1stt Distrct. He is responsible for organizing business leadership from the CBC as well as the Cincinnati Regional Business Committee to advocate for economic, development, and educational issues facing the Greater Cincinnati region.
Hometown: Cincinnati Education: University of Cincinnati (undergraduate), Xavier University (master’s) Best advice received: Early in my career, a mentor told me to “lead with
your values and let the title catch up.” I took that to heart. When you’re focused on purpose and keep learning, the right opportunities tend to find you. Is your organization and industry being disrupted by AI? I’d call it a gradual shift rather than an overnight upheaval. Artificial intelligence is steadily reshaping senior living, though many aging services organizations, especially not-for-profits like us, have historically operated with limited technology infrastructure.
Hometown: Cincinnati Education: Indiana University (underHometown: Dayton, Ohio Education: University of Dayton (undergraduate), Indiana University (master’s) What’s the biggest challenge for your organization over the next five years? Our ability to compete for large-scale projects will
graduate)
increasingly depend on expanding the inventory of development-ready sites. Why did you choose this field of work? It’s the perfect intersection of mission-driven public service and private-sector business work that truly makes a difference in the Cincinnati region.
Patrick Longo
Bernie McKay
Tim Mettey
PRESIDENT AND CEO Alloy Development Co.
PRESIDENT AND CEO Haile Foundation
CEO Matthew 25: Ministries
Longo joined the not-for-profit company then known as Hamilton County Development Co. in 1996. He previously worked as a small-business lender at Fifth Third Band and then Bank One in the Cleveland area. He became director of Alloy’s startup incubator in 1997 and was promoted to CEO and president of the entire organization in 2019. The organization merged with West Chester-based Access Business Finance in 2022 and rebranded as Alloy to promote its mission of business growth and job creation.
Before joining the Haile Foundation, McKay spent 28 years as an attorney with Frost Brown Todd, where he concentrated his practice in the areas of trusts, estates and charitable giving and previously served as the practice group leader for the firm’s privately held business and wealth planning practice. McKay was appointed CEO of the independent family foundation in 2022.
Mettey has led the Blue Ash-based organization since 2012 and has developed many of the ministry’s key initiatives, including its disaster response program, in-house manufacturing and recycling programs, and long-term relief and development efforts. Matthew 25 was founded in 1991 by his father, Wendell Mettey, who passed away in 2025. It ships more than 25 million pounds of supplies each year, helping more than 30 million people worldwide.
Hometown: Cincinnati Education: John Carroll University (undergraduate) Advice you’d give someone looking to enter your field of business: Understand the many facets of economic
development and who our various customers and end users are. Our industry is about building impact one entrepreneur, one business, or one community at a time.
Hometown: Maysville, Kentucky Education: Morehead State University (undergraduate), Northern Kentucky University (J.D.) What is your organization doing to attract young talent? Continuing to invest in enhancing our community with funding strategies to bolster the region’s arts and culture resources, to revitalize our neighborhoods with access to aff ordable housing, to help ensure one’s ability to receive a quality education, and to build a strong safety net for those in need.
Hometown: Cincinnati Education: University of Cincinnati (undergraduate) Advice you’d give someone looking to enter your field of business: First, find your passion. Do you want to
provide basic product necessities to people in need? Reduce hunger? Improve education? Assist at-risk children? Support senior citizens? What calls to you within the sector?
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NONPROFIT & G OVERNMENT
Danielle Minson
Aftab Pureval
Jorge Perez
CEO Jewish Federation of Cincinnati
PRESIDENT AND CEO YMCA of Greater Cincinnati
M AYOR City of Cincinnati
The Jewish Federation of Cincinnati named Minson its CEO in 2021, following more than two decades of her service to the Federation system. Before her appointment, she was chief development officer and managing director and led the Federation through strategic change, transforming the revenue model from being solely focused on an annual campaign to building multiple streams of revenue.
Perez is the first Latino-American to lead the YMCA of Greater Cincinnati in its history. He returned to Cincinnati in 2017 from Chicago, where he was senior vice president of core programs at YMCA of the USA. The YMCA of Greater Cincinnati operates more than a dozen branches, one overnight camp and 80 childhood learning centers across Greater Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky.
Pureval is the 70th mayor of Cincinnati. He was raised in Southwest Ohio, the son of first-generation Americans, and is Cincinnati’s first Asian-American mayor. He was sworn in for his first term on January 4, 2022, and was re-elected to a second four-year term in 2025.
Hometown: Cincinnati Education: Ohio State University
Hometown: Cincinnati Education: Calvary Bible College
(undergraduate), Yeshiva University (master’s)
(undergraduate), Dallas Theological Seminary (master’s), University of Dallas (MBA) What’s the biggest challenge for your organization over the next five years? Remaining deeply relevant to an increasingly diverse and digitally connected generation while addressing evolving community needs. Best advice received: The age-old proverb passed down from my mother that translates to “The shrimp that falls asleep, the current sweeps away.” It’s a poignant reminder that in order to progress I should continually forge ahead.
Matthew Randazzo
Hometown: Xenia, Ohio Education: Ohio State University (undergraduate), University of Cincinnati (J.D.) When you were 18, what career field did you think you’d be in at this point in your life? I was thinking about becoming a lawyer,
and I did, but ultimately I was eager to run for local office and make an impact.
Ron Washington
Rickell Howard Smith
PRESIDENT AND CEO Greater Cincinnati Foundation
PRESIDENT AND CEO YWCA of Greater Cincinnati
M AYOR City of Covington
Randazzo was appointed in 2023 after serving as president and CEO of the Dallas Foundation. GCF announced plans earlier this year to invest $1 billion in the region over the next 10 years, focusing on education, affordable housing, and community and cultural vibrancy.
Smith’s career in civil rights advocacy began as a Legal Aid attorney and transitioned into work at the Children’s Law Center. She then became the first executive director for the Center for Social Justice at the Urban League of Greater Southwestern Ohio. She’s led the country’s fifth-oldest YWCA since 2023.
Washington was elected to a four-year term as mayor in 2024 after serving four years on the Covington Board of Commissioners. He’s the first African American mayor of Covington and any of Kentucky’s five largest cities. Washington received the 2025 Ruth A. Eger Leader of Distinction Award presented by the Northern Kentucky Chamber to recognize an individual who’s dedicated their life to making meaningful contributions to the region.
Hometown: Detroit Education: Albion College (undergraduate), University of Texas (master’s) What is your organization doing to attract young talent? We’re creating a results-driven culture that attracts and retains young talent through mission-aligned work, agency and decision making, and the ability to see the results of their work in our local community. We also launched a staff Donor Advised Fund program so employees can contribute to their favorite nonprofit causes.
Hometown: Cincinnati Education: Howard University (undergraduate), Temple University (J.D.) Best advice received: “If you
want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together.” The African proverb is my constant reminder that success is rarely achieved alone. How is your leadership approach today different from before the pandemic? My leadership style has always been rooted in collaboration, a healthy dose of optimism, and empowering my team to solve problems creatively.
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Hometown: Covington Education: FBI National Academy What’s the biggest challenge for your organization over the next five years? Maintaining continuous momentum. For me, that means
driving economic development, bringing in the right jobs, supporting small businesses, and increasing housing density.
NONPROFIT & G OVERNMENT
Moira Weir
Holly Wolfson
Allen Woods
PRESIDENT AND CEO United Way of Greater Cincinnati
CEO Mayerson Jewish Community Center
CEO Mortar
Weir became the first female CEO of UWGC when she assumed the role in 2020. She worked 27 years at Hamilton County Job and Family Services, the last 12 as its director. UWGC recently joined the national StriveTogether network, a nationwide movement to improve educational outcomes through data-driven, cross-sector collaboration.
Wolfson has worked for Mayerson JCC in programming since 2015 and became chief program officer in 2022. After a national search, she was named CEO to succeed Marc Fisher, who retired. The Amberley Village-based organization offers programs for students, seniors, and people with special needs, including fitness centers, early childhood and senior centers.
Hometown: Philadelphia Education: Simmons College (under-
Hometown: Fairfield Education: University of Cincinnati (undergraduate) Best advice received: Five years ago, when I was promoted to chief program officer, someone said to me, “I hear you’re on your way to becoming the next CEO.” I responded that becoming CEO was my goal but that I wasn’t ready yet and had a lot to learn. The person replied, “Simply say, Yes. You are ready, and you should wear that confidence.” How is your organization and industry being disrupted by AI? Technology is here, and it will continue to advance. We need to understand how to use it thoughtfully and responsibly.
Mortar is a non-profit entrepreneurship hub and business accelerator designed to help historically marginalized and nontraditional entrepreneurs start businesses. Woods cofounded the organization in 2014 and in 2024 opened The Mortar Building, its headquarters and entrepreneurial hub in Walnut Hills. Mortar also provides support to graduates of its Entrepreneurship Academy to help alumni launch and scale businesses.
graduate), Thomas More (MBA), Bryn Mawr College (master’s) What’s the biggest challenge for your organization over the next five years? The nonprofit sector faces financial uncer-
tainty due to funding cuts and overall shifts in approaches to philanthropy, while at the same time there’s a growing need for the programs and services we support. Advice you’d give someone looking to enter your field of business: You must have passion for what you do, which means bringing urgency and energy to the work we do alongside the communities we serve.
Hometown: Indianapolis Education: International Business College Indianapolis (associate’s) Best advice received: “Celebrate your wins.” How is your leadership approach today different from before the pandemic? In many ways, the pandemic was
an unexpected gift that forced me to sit down, slow down, and prioritize how I show up. While I’m still as driven as I’ve always been, I am resistant to the additional stressors that lead to burnout.
Congratulations to our new President & CEO Kreg Keesee for being recognized among the region’s 300 most powerful business leaders. www.freestorefoodbank.org
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PROFESSIONAL SERVICES
Angel Beets
Adam Ante
Todd Best
SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT Paychex
CEO Gilman Partners
MANAGING PA RTNER Deloitte
Ante joined Paychex as part of its acquisition of human resources consultant Paycor in April 2025 and was previously Paycor’s chief financial officer. He previously held various leadership roles with Vantiv and spent eight years in the U.S. Army Reserve. Paycor recently moved into its new downtown headquarters near the First Financial Center and not far from Paycor Stadium.
Beets started with the executive search, talent acquisition, and leadership development firm in 2018 as marketing director and was named co-managing partner in 2020, then CEO in 2023. Prior to joining the firm, she worked for public relations firms in Indianapolis, Chicago, and Greater Cincinnati.
Best has more than 36 years of public accounting and tax experience in a range of services including corporate taxation, passthrough and individual taxation, multi-generational wealth planning strategies, accounting for income taxes, and value-added tax planning advice as well as tax planning, consulting and compliance services. Deloitte is the region’s largest accounting firm with more than 650 employees and 70 partners. Best serves on the boards of Cincinnati Regional Business Committee and United Way of Greater Cincinnati.
Hometown: Southern California Education: University of Cincinnati (undergraduate), Xavier University (MBA) Best advice received: From Sam Walton’s Made in America: “You’ve got to give folks responsibility, you’ve got to trust them, and then you’ve got to check on them.” Is your company and industry being disrupted by AI? It’s changing software from something you have to operate into something that simply delivers the outcome. Internally, it’s freeing our people from triaging data and configuration issues so they can spend their time on high-value conversations with clients.
Hometown: Ft. Thomas Education: Ball State University (undergraduate), University of Illinois (master’s) What is your company doing to attract young talent? We lean into transparency and mission/values to help younger generations understand how their work contributes to the business. Best advice received: “Don’t try to lead like anyone else but yourself.”
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Hometown: Union Education: Northern Kentucky University (undergraduate)
PROFE S SSIONAL SIONAL SERVICE S
Shannan Boyer
Nick Brunker
Steve Bybee
PRESIDENT Scooter Media
MANAGING DIRECTOR , EXPERIENCE STRATEGY VML
MANAGING PA RTNER PwC
Under Boyer’s leadership, the Covington-based firm was recognized as the small/ midsized public relations agency of the year by the Cincinnati Public Relations Society of America for five consecutive years and as large PR agency of the year for two consecutive years. Prior to launching the company in 2012, she worked at The Carnegie and Wordsworth Communications.
During his career, Brunker has worked with Fortune 500 clients across numerous categories, including Ford Motor Co., Google, General Mills, Fifth Third Bank, and Southwest Airlines. He’s expanded the advertising and marketing agency’s footprint, as the company ranks as the region’s seventh-largest advertising and marketing firm with about 40 local employees.
Bybee has more than 15 years of international tax consulting experience, advising multinational corporations on cross-border tax issues, including foreign tax credit planning, mergers and acquisitions, tax-efficient cash redeployment, and repatriation strategies. He was named Cincinnati managing partner in 2022 and is a partner in the accounting firm’s international tax services business.
Hometown: Denison, Iowa Education: Northern Kentucky University (undergraduate) When you were 18, what career field did you think you’d be in at this point in your life? I explored
different possibilities in college, but even after graduating I was still unsure. I’m grateful I gave myself grace and room to explore; it led me to where I am today. Best advice received: “You can lead from any chair,” from The Art of Possibility by Rosamund Stone Zander and Benjamin Zander.
Hometown: Cincinnati Education: Miami University (undergraduate) What is your company doing to attract young talent? We go directly to the source and are actively building
partnerships with Miami, UC, Xavier, and other top universities. We also engage with young professionals in the community. Best advice received: “Take a posture of lifelong learning. Be a radiator, not a drain.”
Jeff Consolino
Hometown: Harrison Education: University of Cincinnati (undergraduate and J.D.) Best advice received: “Always carve out time for the things that matter the most outside of work.” How is your leadership approach today different from before the pandemic? Figuring out ways to stay connected, providing
opportunities for the team to continue advancing their careers, and making sure I was supporting each team member the most effective way was challenging.
Scott DeVenny
Kristi Eckert
EXECUTIVE CHAIRMAN, PRESIDENT AND CEO Core Specialty Insurance Holdings
MANAGING PA RTNER Grant Thornton
MANAGING PA RTNER Ernst & Young
In May, the company announced that Consolino, Core Specialty’s founder, president, and CEO, would also assume the role of executive chairman, replacing Ed Noonan, who stepped down from the board. The insurance holding company offers a diversified range of specialty insurance products for small to mid-sized businesses from underwriting offices around the country. Consolino had been CFO at Great American Financial since 2013 before launching Core Specialty in 2020.
DeVenny has more than 30 years of experience in successive leadership roles and now leads a team of audit, tax and advisory professionals serving clients in a variety of industries. Before being named managing partner, he was the accounting firm’s technology industry practice leader in Cincinnati and a member of the national hospitality leadership team. Grant Thornton has almost 100 local employees and seven partners.
Eckert was named managing partner of the Cincinnati office effective March, succeeding Jeremy Vaughan, who transitions to an expanded role with EY’s global and Americas consumer sector. Eckert is a consulting partner in EY’s consumer and health industry group and brings more than 24 years of experience working across the U.S., United Kingdom, and Latin America.
Hometown: Cincinnati Education: University of Cincinnati Education: Duke University (undergraduate), Cornell Univer-
sity (MBA)
(undergraduate)
Hometown: Oil City, Pa. Education: Miami University (undergraduate), Xavier University (MBA) Best advice received: “You
don’t have to be the smartest person in the room. You have to be the person who’s willing to do the work.” Is your company and industry being disrupted by AI? Every dimension of our organization will be transformed as a result of AI, from the size and shape of our workforce to how we create the best employee experience, starting with how we recruit. We’re equipping our people with the mindset to embrace the opportunities that AI brings.
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PROFE S SSIONAL SIONAL SERVICE S
Diane Egbers
Alan Fershtman
Matt Fischer
CEO Leadership Excelleration
MANAGING PARTNER Keating Muething & Klekamp
CEO Curiosity
Egbers founded the company in 1997 to provide executive coaching, organizational consulting, and leadership programs. She is also the founder and chair of Grant Us Hope, a nonprofit focused on mental health awareness and teen suicide prevention.
Fershtman is a frequent speaker on entrepreneur, tax and real estate topics. He represents entrepreneurs in the acquisition, financing, and sale of multi-family housing as well as closely-held companies in equity and private venture transactions, ongoing operations and divestitures, corporate mergers and acquisitions, taxation, estate planning and real estate. KMK is the region’s fourth largest law firm, with more than 135 attorneys and 250 total employees.
Fischer is a co-founder of the company after three decades at top agencies such as DDB, BBDO, FCB New York, and WonderGroup, where he led creative campaigns for international brands including Nabisco, AT&T and TruMoo. Curiosity purchased the former Chatfield College building on Central Parkway in Over-the-Rhine in 2023, renovated it, and moved its headquarters there.
Hometown: Cincinnati Education: University of Cincinnati (undergraduate), Xavier University (master’s) What is your company doing to attract young talent? We inspire leaders to
build community and culture by supporting them to adapt vision, lead transformation, and achieve high performance. What advice would you give someone looking to enter your field of business? Seek the best leadership development opportunities
available, and find ways to learn from as many leaders as possible. How is your leadership approach today different from before the pandemic? We must possess the agility required to rise to the pace of change in order to succeed. Leaders with perseverance who embrace agile mindsets and skill sets will succeed in spectacular ways.
Hometown: Cincinnati Education: Miami University (undergraduate), University of Cincinnati (J.D.) What is your company doing to attract young talent? We’re building a culture that
Hometown: Montclair, New Jersey Education: DePauw University (undergraduate)
supports a team approach, family, community engagement, wellness, and feedback. What advice would you give someone looking to enter your field of business? The practice of law is very rewarding so long as you put in the time. Work hard.
Chip Gerhardt
Megan Glowacki
Adam Hall
PRESIDENT AND CEO Government Strategies Group
PARTNER IN CHARGE Thompson Hine
CO-MANAGING PA RTNER FBT Gibbons
Gerhardt worked for decades in the public and private sectors, advocating at the local, state, and federal levels of government. In 2007, he founded Government Strategies Group, a full-service government relations firm that’s been involved in major developments in Greater Cincinnati, including Hard Rock Casino, TQL Stadium, and parking garage structures at The Banks.
Glowacki is a partner in the labor and employment practice group, focusing on all areas of labor and employment law. She represents employers’ interests in litigation involving employment discrimination, wrongful discharge, restrictive covenants, trade secrets, and wage and hour disputes and represents employers in collective bargaining negotiations, contracts and discharge arbitration. Thompson Hine is the region’s seventh largest law firm.
Frost Brown Todd and Gibbons P.C. agreed to merge effective January, and the new firm has approximately 800 attorneys across 25 offices nationwide. Hall is a member of the board of directors, the partner compensation committee, and executive committee of the newly combined firm. He’s represented manufacturing, financial services, and energy companies in business disputes in state and federal courts.
Hometown: Cincinnati Education: University of Notre Dame (undergraduate), Saint Louis University (J.D.) What is your company doing to attract young talent? Talent is attracted to talent, and we receive inquiries on a regular basis. We want the best! When you were 18, what career field did you think you’d be in at this point in your life? I had planned to go to law school, so by this time I would be at the tail end of a 40-year career as a lawyer.
Hometown: Grove City, Ohio Education: Ohio State University Hometown: Cincinnati Education: University of Dayton (undergraduate), University of Cincinnati (J.D.) What advice would you give someone looking to enter your field of business? Don’t
become an attorney because you like to argue. Our jobs are focused on serving our clients, which often means that we need to find practical solutions to their most difficult problems. How is your leadership approach today different from before the pandemic? I do more listening and less talking.
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(undergraduate), Case Western Reserve University (J.D.)
PROFE S SSIONAL SIONAL SERVICE S
Josh Heuser
Patrick Hughes
Johnny Lewis
CEO AGAR
MANAGING PA RTNER DBL Law
MANAGING PA RTNER KPMG
Heuser co-founded AGAR in 2008 as a marketing agency specializing in experiential marketing and brand development. It’s been instrumental in the creation and management of BLINK as well as Ghost Baby, the underground bar in Over-the-Rhine. Heuser opened another cocktail bar, Prim, in downtown Cincinnati in late 2025 and helped bring Elm Street Plaza to life adjacent to the new First Financial Center.
Hughes was elected managing partner in February after working at DBL Law for 30 years. Before joining the firm, he served as legal counsel to the secretary of the Kentucky Finance and Administration Cabinet, where he oversaw matters involving capital projects, property management, procurement, and financial management. DBL is the region’s 10th largest law firm and the largest based in Northern Kentucky.
Lewis, a 23-year KPMG veteran, was transferred to the Cincinnati office in 2019 and promoted to the top local role effective January 2025. He joined KPMG in 2001 in the Philadelphia office and shifted to its Seattle location in 2004. He became a partner in 2016 and has held a variety of leadership positions in the firm. KPMG is the region’s seventh largest accounting firm with more than 50 local CPAs.
Hometown: Independence Education: Northern Kentucky University (undergraduate) What is your company doing to attract young talent? Our best recruitment tool is the work itself. The
experiences we create aren’t just seen, they’re felt, lived, and remembered. What’s the biggest challenge for your company over the next five years? Avoiding complacency. We have to embrace discomfort by constantly experimenting, investing in new tools and processes, and fi nding smarter ways to deliver both creativity and efficiency.
Hometown: West Linn, Oregon Education: Villanova University Hometown: Covington Education: University of Cincinnati (undergraduate), University of Kentucky (J.D.) Best advice received: “Success comes from a willingness to outwork the competition.” Is your company and industry being disrupted by AI? It’s changing the legal industry in meaningful ways,
(undergraduate and master’s)
particularly how quickly lawyers can research issues, analyze information, draft documents, and respond to clients. But law is ultimately a profession built on judgment, experience, trust, and accountability, which AI cannot replace.
Joshua Lorentz
Clement Luken Jr.
Milen Mahadevan
MANAGING PARTNER Dinsmore & Shohl
SENIOR PA RTNER Wood Herron & Evans
PRESIDENT 84.51
Since assuming the managing partner role in January 2023, Lorentz has guided a period of growth for the law firm, including three mergers; the opening of new offices in Orlando, Houston and Miami; and an expanded footprint in northeast Ohio. He joined Dinsmore in 2001 and has served in a variety of leadership roles, including chair of the firm’s intellectual property department and finance committee. Dinsmore is the region’s largest law firm with more than 200 local attorneys.
Luken graduated with undergraduate and master’s degrees in chemistry from Xavier University and then obtained his law degree from the Salmon P. Chase College of Law at Northern Kentucky University in 1986 and joined Wood, Herron & Evans. He focuses on litigation, chemical technology matters, and trademark matters at the law firm, which has more than 30 local attorneys.
Kroger named Mahadevan its chief data and AI officer in March, adding the newly created role to his duties as president of Kroger’s data analytics subsidiary 84.51. He also continues in his role as group vice president in charge of Kroger’s data, AI, and customer technology teams. He was named president in July 2020 after serving as 84.51 chief operating officer, senior vice president, and head of client solutions and capabilities.
Hometown: Dayton, Ohio Education: Ohio University (undergraduate and master’s), University of Dayton (J.D.) What is your company doing to attract young talent? We’ve been intentional
What advice would you give someone looking to enter your field of business? Know that practicing intellectual property law
Hometown: Cincinnati Education: Xavier University (under-
graduate and master’s), Northern Kentucky University (J.D.)
in building a culture that reflects our commitment to developing the whole person. When you were 18, what career field did you think you’d be in at this point in your life? I wanted to be a doctor and initially pursued a medical career while studying science at Ohio University.
continues to be complicated with intertwining aspects of legal and technical issues woven into many of the problems we face. How is your leadership approach today different from before the pandemic? One of the primary talking points today among young-
er colleagues has been the recognition and adoption of practices that contribute to a better work/lifestyle balance.
Hometown: London, UK Education: Imperial College London (undergraduate and master’s) What is your company doing to attract young talent? We create an environment where growth, learning, and ownership go hand in hand so early career professionals can make a real diff erence from day one and build toward leadership with support and accountability. When you were 18, what career field did you think you’d be in at this point in your life? I decided to do chemical engineering for my major
in university, so I guess I thought I’d be an engineer.
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PROFE S SSIONAL SIONAL SERVICE S
Tara Marotti
Jason McCaw
Saurabh Mehta
PRESIDENT AND CEO Burke Inc.
CEO Encore Talent
CEO Belcan
Marotti has held a variety of positions throughout the research, strategy, and training consulting company over the past 30 years, including head of client services and chief client officer. She has served on Burke’s board of directors since 2014 and became CEO in 2025 upon Diane Surette’s retirement.
The staffing firm was launched as a spinoff of Norwood-based Encore Technologies in September 2023. McCaw leads the strategic direction and operations of Encore Talent and Intellex, family-owned providers of staffing and consulting solutions that employ more than 5,000 people annually.
Hometown: Boonville, Indiana Education: Indiana University (undergraduate), University of Cincinnati (MBA) What is your company doing to attract young talent? We work hard to protect and cultivate our company culture, and we listen to our employees. What’s the biggest challenge for your company over the next five years? Responding to rapidly changing market demands while embedding generative AI into our processes and products to drive greater efficiency and innovation.
Hometown: Cincinnati Education: Kenyon College (undergraduate) When you were 18, what career field did you think you’d be in at this point in your life? I always dreamed of having a
In 2024, Mehta led the acquisition of Belcan by Cognizant, a New Jersey-based technology company. He’s led global business for other business segments of Cognizant, including manufacturing, automotive, retail and consumer packaged goods. He has worked in India and Europe and moved to the U.S. in 1999 to lead the company’s North American business. Belcan is a global supplier of design, software, manufacturing, supply chain, and information technology to the aerospace, defense, space, government services, automotive, and industrial markets.
chance to build something special in the business world. Seeing my parents and grandparents live this via the companies they built gave me the confidence I needed to pursue it. What advice would you give someone looking to enter your field of business? Prioritize building strong relationships and trust
Hometown: Ajmer, India Education: Indian Institute of Technology (undergraduate)
with both your clients and your team. In this field, trust is the cornerstone.
Benjamin Mirtes
Tony Munafo
Emily Pan
CEO Ingenovis Health
PRESIDENT AND CEO Prolink
CO-MANAGING PA RTNER Vorys, Sater, Seymour and Pease
Mirtes was named CEO in 2024 after a threeyear term as chief financial officer. His professional experience includes corporate strategy and finance roles, including roles as CFO of CEI Vision Partners, director of corporate finance for Medpace, and corporate and growth strategy manager for Deloitte Consulting. Ingenovis was founded in 2021 through the merger of four health care staffing companies.
Munafo and his brother Michael founded Prolink in 2011 with a team of three employees in a small basement office, starting by placing physical, speech and occupational therapists. Today it’s a 600-employee, $600 million company serving a range of industries, including manufacturing, health care, engineering, travel nursing and IT.
Pan is the co-managing partner of the law firm’s Cincinnati office and a member of its trusts, estates, and wealth transfer group. Her practice ranges from representing individuals in estate planning and wealth transfer, corporate fiduciaries in trust and estate administration issues and nonprofit organizations with tax exempt compliance. She shares the managing partner role with Nathaniel Lampley Jr.
Hometown: Huron, Ohio Education: Miami University (under-
graduate), University of California-Los Angeles (MBA)
Hometown: West Chester Township Education: University of Kentucky (undergraduate) What is your company doing to attract young talent? We give Prolinkers every opportunity we can to build their skills and reach their goals personally, professionally, and financially. What advice would you give someone looking to enter your field of business? The workforce solutions industry is a fantastic space to have a fulfilling career. Our business requires a person to have a growth mindset; someone who is always open to learning and developing.
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Hometown: Cincinnati Education: University of Miami (under-
graduate and J.D.)
PROFE S SSIONAL SIONAL SERVICE S
Gus Perdikakis
Jay Rammes
Jackie Reau
PRESIDENT AND CEO Gus Perdikakis Associates
MANAGING DIRECTOR Barnes Dennig
CEO Game Day Communications
Perdikakis has more than 50 years of experience in the engineering solutions and professional staffing services industry. He and his wife Jo Ann founded GPA in 1979 with a staff of three, and it’s grown to a $9 million business with 15 employees. Its job placement focus areas include engineering, professional, consumer products, manufacturing, supply chain, and administrative.
Before taking on the role of managing director in 2018, Rammes served as a practice leader of one of the accounting firm’s industry groups. He’s a member of the Ohio Society of Certified Public Accountants and the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants. Barnes Dennig is the region’s sixth largest accounting firm with more than 50 local CPAs.
Before co-founding Game Day in 2002 with former ESPN anchor Betsy Ross, Reau worked in media relations at The Christ Hospital and as director of marketing at the Cincinnati Art Museum. The fi rm specializes in experiental marketing, brand activation, media relations, strategic communications, and social media content.
Hometown: Dayton, Ohio Education: Miami University (undergraduate), Xavier University (MBA) What is your company doing to attract young talent? Our talent pipeline extends deeper into the college years than ever before. We offer a great intern experience, often a few years’ worth prior to graduation. When
Hometown: Toledo Education: Ohio University (undergraduate and master’s) What is your company doing to attract young talent? We’ve had an internship program since the very beginning to bring college students each semester to work with our team. Several company leaders serve as adjunct professors at Ohio University, University of Cincinnati, Notre Dame, and Xavier, where we connect with young talent in the classroom.
Hometown: Cincinnati Education: University of Cincinnati (undergraduate) What is your company doing to attract young talent? We connect with young talent through job fairs and other career events and communicate what sets us apart. What advice would you give someone looking to enter your field of business? It’s a great service to help those in need of work
without any expectation of anything in return. Satisfaction comes simply in the blessing of helping others.
Kerry Roe
you were 18, what career field did you think you’d be in at this point in your life? After my dreams of playing at Wimbledon
were shattered, my next goal was to become an architect.
Regina Carswell Russo
Stephen Schmidt
PRESIDENT Clark Schaefer Hackett
CEO RRight Now Communications
PRESIDENT Strauss Troy
Before stepping into the president’s role in 2017, Roe led the law firm’s government services group and also served as executive vice president for seven years. He’s been with CSH for more than 30 years, providing accounting, auditing, and consulting services to governmental and not-for-profit organizations. The company is the region’s fourth largest accounting firm with more than 75 local CPAs.
A former Emmy-nominated broadcast journalist, Russo founded the firm in 2013 to specialize in strategic/crisis communication, public speaking coaching/media training, and media relations. She was recognized by PR Daily and Ragan Communications as a 2021 Communicator of the Year Honoree for leading innovative public-private communications initiatives during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Schmidt was named president in 2025 and has served as co-chairman of Strauss Troy’s litigation department. His practice includes complex litigation, corporate governance, partnership disputes, non-compete agreements, trade secrets, and complex contract negotiations. Strauss Troy is the region’s eighth largest law firm with almost 50 attorneys and more than 80 total employees.
Hometown: Lima, Ohio Education: Wilmington College (undergraduate) When you were 18, what career field did you think you’d be in at this point in your life? I knew I wanted to be a CPA, and I stayed the course. How are you planning for leadership succession? We focus on developing a diverse and flexible talent pool that can fill various leadership roles and adapt to changing circumstances. We provide opportunities to learn, grow, and demonstrate potential.
Hometown: Detroit Education: Purdue University (undergraduate) What is your company doing to attract young talent? We love emerging professionals because they bring so much creativity and contemporary insight to critical storytelling.
Hometown: Cincinnati Education: Washington University (undergraduate), Ohio State University (J.D.) What is your company doing to attract young talent? Younger talent wants
When you were 18, what career field did you think you’d be in at this point in your life? I knew my path would lead to a career
in broadcast journalism. I felt I would always tell the stories of people, places, and events through the eyes of a journalist. I didn’t consider becoming a different kind of storyteller while owning my own business until I was in my 40s.
a clear and articulated vision for the future and the role they’ll play in that future, and Strauss Troy is laser-focused on being the best mid-sized full-service law firm in the region. What’s the biggest challenge for your company over the next five years? The professional services market, like most others, is
experiencing seismic technological disruption, and clients expect efficiency and responsiveness more than ever.
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PROFE S SSIONAL SIONAL SERVICE S
Larry Sheakley
Gerald Sparkman
Steve Spray
CEO Sheakley
CEO D.E. Foxx & Associates
CHAIRMAN AND CEO Cincinnati Financial
Sheakley purchased the business consulting company from his father in 1980, the same he launched his first company. He’d make the first of many other acquisitions another three years later, eventually owning more than 54 businesses and holding investments in many others, including the Cincinnati Reds and FC Cincinnati. In 2025, Gov. Mike DeWine appointed him to the University of Cincinnati board for a nine-year term.
Sparkman has led the company since 2012, serving Fortune 1000 clients across multiple industries, including facility maintenance and construction, custom packaging, staffing and warehousing, spend management, procurement, and sourcing. He serves on boards of the United Way of Greater Cincinnati and the Cincinnati Regional Chamber.
Spray joined Cincinnati Financial in 1991 and was responsible for sales and marketing from 2011 to 2016, including management of field underwriters and independent agency relationships. He led commercial lines operations until 2019 and served as chief insurance officer of the property casualty subsidiaries from until 2022, when he became president. Cincinnati Financial is the region’s fourth largest public company with more than $12 billion in 2025 revenue.
Hometown: Cincinnati
Hometown: Chicago Education: Anna Maria College (undergraduate), University of Notre Dame (MBA ) What advice would you give someone looking to enter your field of business?
Education: Bowling Green State University (undergraduate)
Ensure the organization you’re considering joining meets your career goals and is a cultural fit. How is your leadership approach today different from before the pandemic? This postCOVID era has taught us the values and challenges of balancing the needs of employees and the business.
Kent Wellington
Nick Vehr
James Zimmerman
EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT The Motion Agency
PA R TN ER A N D M A R K E T L E A DE R Bricker Graydon Wyatt
PA RTNER IN CHARGE Taft Stettinius & Hollister
The Motion Agency in Chicago acquired Vehr Communications in October, and Vehr will serve as an executive vice president with a focus on business development and growth. He founded the marketing and communications agency in 2007 and previously served on Cincinnati City Council and as chair of the Cincinnati USA Convention & Visitors Bureau.
Bricker Graydon and Wyatt, Tarrant & Combs, regional law firms in Ohio and Kentucky, merged effective January 2026. The combined firm has more than 325 attorneys across 14 offices in four states, with almost 100 in the Cincinnati region. Wellington is past chair of Bricker Graydon’s Litigaton Group, and his work focuses on litigation, labor/ employment law, and advising start-ups.
Zimmerman represents clients in the structuring and execution of complex transactions, including mergers and acquisitions, equity and debt financings, securities offerings, and strategic partnerships. The region’s second largest law firm, Taft acquired three law firms in 2025 and opened an office in New York City in April. Zimmerman chaired the 2026 ArtsWave community campaign.
Hometown: Wooster, Ohio Education: Kenyon College (undergraduate), Ohio State University (J.D.) What is your company doing to attract young talent? We create spaces and culture where people want to be, not have to be. What’s the biggest challenge for your company over the next five years? Continuing to grow and retain talent who can better serve our clients by embracing advancements in technology without losing the crucial people part of practicing law.
Hometown: Atlanta until 14, then Cincinnati Education: Vanderbilt University (undergraduate and J.D. ) When you were
Hometown: Cincinnati Education: University of Notre Dame (undergraduate ) When you were 18, what career field did you think you’d be in at this point in your life? I thought I would
follow my father’s footsteps and become a dentist. I changed my mind and my major, beginning my junior year in college.
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18, what career field did you think you’d be in at this point in your life? I knew I liked to debate topics with others but ma-
jored in psychology as an undergraduate and decided on law school my senior year. What advice would you give someone looking to enter your field of business? Seek opportunities to learn from lawyers across different sectors, whether it’s a part-time job, internship, or just a conversation over coffee. Law is a broad field.
REAL ESTATE
Jeffrey Anderson
Adam Bortz
William Butler
PRESIDENT AND CEO Jeffrey R. Anderson Real Estate
CEO Towne Properties
CH A I R M A N Corporex Companies
Anderson’s eponymous company develops fashion- and entertainment-based lifestyle centers, mixed-use developments, and office buildings such as Rookwood Commons and Rookwood Exchange. It’s developing the Cincinnati Legends Putt House at Freedom Park, a temporary mini-golf course on The Banks between Filson’s and the Yard House. The company reported $185 million in 2025 revenue.
Established in Mt. Adams in 1961 by Bortz’s father, Neil, the company owns and manages a portfolio of more than 15,000 apartments, 125,000 commercial and homeowners associations, and 600,000 square feet of offi ce space. It plans to break ground next year on a 100-unit apartment project on Adams Crossing across from the Montgomery Inn Boathouse. The company also led the renovation and reopening of Tavern on the Hill, which had been closed for seven years, on St. Gregory Street in Mt. Adams.
Butler started Corporex as a one-man construction shop in 1965 and built it into a diversified real estate company with more than $8 billion in facilities in 27 states. It created two new divisions, Corporex Tenant Finish and Corporex Real Estate Management, to offer those services to outside clients. Corporex reported $285 million in 2025 revenue.
Hometown: Cincinnati Education: University of Virginia (undergraduate) When you were 18, what career field did you think you’d be in at this point in your life? I imagined myself
as a professional athlete. I got a football scholarship to the University of Virginia. How are you planning for leadership succession? I’ve always believed in preparing the next generation thoroughly, and I’m proud to say that my two sons, J.R. and Anders, are poised to take over the reins.
Hometown: Cincinnati Education: Kenyon College (undergraduate) Favorite inspirational quote: “Be tolerant with others and
strict with yourself.” (Marcus Aurelius)
Hometown: Covington Education: University of Cincinnati (associate’s in civil engineering technology) Best advice received: “Take two aspirins, drink a lot of water, and walk slow!”What is your company doing to attract young talent? We believe the best way to develop future industry leaders is through meaningful experience and exposure. Our robust internship program is designed to introduce rising talent to the dynamic world of real estate and construction through a rotational experience spanning finance, accounting, development construction, and property management.
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REAL E STATE
John Caulfield
Sarah Close
John Danis
CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER AND TREASURER Phillips Edison
OPERATING PARTNER Keller Williams Advisors Realty
CEO Danis
Caulfield joined the company in 2014 and moved into his current job in 2019. The firm owns grocery-anchored retail centers around the country and reported revenue of more than $725 million in 2025. In 2024, it acquired Harpers Station, the Symmes Township shopping center that has almost 230,000 square feet of retail and includes Fresh Thyme Market, T.J. Maxx, and Home Goods.
Close was one of five people who founded the first local Keller Williams Realty office in 2005. Headquartered in Columbia-Tusculum, it’s the region’s fifth-largest residential real estate firm, reporting $1.1 billion in net local home sales in 2025 on more than 3,100 transactions. Close is a third-generation realtor in her family.
Founded in 1916 by B.G. Danis, this third-generation construction management company based in Miamisburg serves the Midwest and Southeast as one of the largest general contractors in the region. It reported almost $195 million in billings in 2025. Recent projects include the new Meals on Wheels headquarters in Columbia Township and multiple sites in Indiana, where it opened a new office in Indianapolis.
Hometown: New Orleans Education: Xavier University (undergraduate and MBA) When you were 18, what career field did you think you’d be in at this point in your life? I knew I wanted to do something in business and thought I’d be an accountant. Best advice received: “Good work gets more work. If you work hard and are hungry to learn, opportunities will be available to you.”
Hometown: Centerville, Ohio Education: Miami University (undergraduate) What is your company doing to attract young talent? Continuously striving to create an inclusive, collaborative, and engaging community for our partners. Our intent is to create connectivity within the organization and democratize best practices that support our agents in both their personal and processional endeavors. Advice you’d give someone looking to enter your field of business? Be on purpose about and focus on the needs and wants of your clients, and your own needs and wants will be taken care of.
David Drees
Hometown: Dayton, Ohio Education: Cornell University (undergraduate)
Stacy Durbin
Louis Guttman
PRESIDENT AND CEO Drees Homes
PRESIDENT Huff Realty
PRESIDENT AND CEO Hills Properties
Drees represents the third generation of leadership in the family business begun by his grandfather, Theodore, in 1928. It reported local revenue of more than $390 million in 2025. David’s son Scott was named president of the company’s Midwest region that oversees the firm’s divisions in Cincinnati, Northern Kentucky, Cleveland, Indianapolis, and Columbus. The former townhomes division president replaced the retiring Steve Tuckerman.
Durbin leads the subsidiary of HomeServices KOI, an affiliate of Berkshire Hathaway, with Semonin Realtors, Rector Hayden Realtors, and WR Realtors in Kentucky. He was senior vice president and general sales manager for HomeServices before moving into the top job. Huff had almost $1.2 billion in total sales in 2024 on more than 3,500 transactions, making it the region’s fourth largest home seller.
Founded in 1958 by Murray Guttman, Hills Properties (named for children Harold, Ian, Laurie, Louis, Steve) is now in its third generation of leadership and reported revenue of almost $150 million in 2025. Its Graphite Oakley complex, the five-building, 316-unit complex on the site of the former Milacron foundry, was named New Construction Community of the Year by the National Apartment Association.
Hometown: Louisville Education: University of Kentucky (undergraduate) What is your company doing to attract young talent? Today’s young talent is drawn to companies that not only provide tools, training, and resources but also foster a culture of collaboration, mentorship, and growth. What’s the
Hometown: Cincinnati Education: University of Colorado
Hometown: Crescent Springs Education: Trinity University
(undergraduate), Xavier University (MBA)
biggest challenge for your company over the next five years?
Keeping pace with a rapidly changing industry of shifting markets and evolving agent expectations.
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(undergraduate)
REAL E STATE
Greg Hammond PRESIDENT AND CEO Hixson Architecture, Engineering, Interiors Since 2018, Hammond has led the firm that designs projects for corporate office environments, retail, research and development facilities, and industrial processing plants. It was the architect of record for Paycor’s new headquarters in downtown Cincinnati. It posted billings of $26 million in 2025 and has 65 engineers and 18 architects on its staff of 120. Hometown: Buffalo, New York Education: University of Cincin-
Chris Hopper
Kevin Hughes
EXECUTVE VICE PRESIDENT AND GEN ER A L M A NAG E R Skanska USA
REGIONAL MANAGING PRINCIPAL Cushman & Wakefield
Hopper opened Skanska’s Cincinnati office in 2011 and oversees the international company’s general contracting operation. It increased local billings by $100 million in 2025 to $350 million. It’s building the Marriott hotel adjacent to the First Financial Center downtown, the Findlay Community Center in Over-the-Rhine, Medpace projects in Madisonville, and the Blood Cancer Healing Center at UC.
nati (undergraduate)
Hughes leads the global real estate services company’s local office, the region’s largest with more than 44 million square feet of commercial space managed in more than 450 properties in Greater Cincinnati, Dayton, and Northern Kentucky. He joined Cushman in 2015, where he supervises nearly 300 employees, after stints with JLL and Cassidy Turley. He was promoted to the top job in 2019. Hometown: Erie, Pa. Education: University of Dayton (under-
Hometown: Gillette, Wyoming Education: Purdue University (undergraduate) Best advice received: “Embrace hiring for
graduate)
cultural fit and proactively seek out talent rather than waiting for an immediate need.” How is your leadership approach today different from before the pandemic? I focus on understanding our teams’ most pressing needs, actively working to ease their challenges, and equipping them with the necessary tools and technologies they need to serve our clients in the best way possible.
Mike Huseman
Joe King
Michelle Klingenberg
CEO Huseman Group
REGIONAL PRESIDENT CENTRAL & SOUTHWEST Coldwell Banker Realty
MANAGING DIRECTOR JLL
Huseman leads the company founded by his grandfather, Richard, in 1931. It includes five divisions (SSRG, HGC Construction, Stewart Iron Works, Trade31, and Stanton Millworks) and reorganized the corporate structure this year with Adam Kuehne, formerly preside of HGC Construction, becoming COO of the group, allowing Huseman to focus on strategy and growth. The company reported more than $175 million in 2025 revenue.
King oversees the wide-ranging territory of Ohio, Pittsburgh, Minnesota, St. Louis, Arizona, Denver, and Utah that has more than 90 offices and almost 8,000 agents. The local agency is No. 1 in residential real estate market share with almost $3.5 billion in net local home sales in 2025 on more than 9,000 transactions with an average sale price of more than $360,000.
Klingenberg replaced Bill Poffenberger at the top spot in the international firm’s local office in 2024. JLL is the region’s largest commercial real estate management firm with 28 million square feet of space across 74 buildings. She was the listing agent for the sale of the Alms & Doepke building by Hamilton County to Stough Development in 2025; the historic structure at the corner of Main Street and Central Parkway will be converted to apartments.
Hometown: Cincinnati Education: Xavier University (undergraduate) What advice would you give someone looking to enter your field of business? There’s something for everybody in the con-
struction industry. Communication, collaboration and willingness to adapt and learn goes over well. Why did you choose this field of work? I started out pursuing pre-med in college but couldn’t get past some serious mental blocks in chemistry. Fortunately, I had an “a ha” moment when I realized I could combine the creativity of the liberal arts with the pragmatism of the business world.
Education: Southeast Missouri State University
Hometown: Ft. Thomas Education: Northern Kentucky University (undergraduate) Best advice received: “Not all the balls you’re juggling are the same.” Some are glass, some are rubber, which can be dropped and they’ll bounce back. The glass ones can’t. Is your company and industry being disrupted by AI? Commercial real estate has always been a relationship business at its core, but the way we research markets, analyze data, package listings, and communicate with clients is evolving quickly. Our clients hire us because we help them make smart decisions.
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REAL E STATE
Steve Leeper
Bobby Maly
Elizabeth Mangan
PRESIDENT AND CEO 3CDC
CEO Model Group
CEO Miller-Valentine Construction
For more than 20 years, Leeper has managed 3CDC’s investment of $2 billion in downtown and Over-the-Rhine. The public-private agency has remade the urban neighborhoods since Leeper arrived from Pittsburgh in 2004. It oversaw the $265 million renovation of the convention center, now known as First Financial Center, and is partnering with Portman Holdings on the $540 million Marriott hotel across from the center on Fifth Street.
Maly has led the real estate development and construction company that has completed projects that total more than $1.5 billion. Current projects include Fourth & Rhine, a scattered-site downtown and OTR project of more than 90 affordable and workforce residential units; the Atrium One conversion from offices to apartments; and ongoing construction in Walnut Hills near Paramount Square.
The third largest general contractor in the region became employee-owned in June. Mangan has led the firm that was founded in 1963 since 2018 as it has grown from a regional builder to a company that has projects across the country. It broke ground on an almost 60,000-square-foot building in Trenton that will contain the city services departments and a community recreation center. It posted 2025 revenue of more than $330 million.
Hometown: Pittsburgh Education: Ohio University (under-
graduate)
Hometown: Cincinnati Education: Miami University (undergraduate), University of Maryland (master’s) What is your company doing to attract young talent? The most important thing
we can do is find young talent who believes what we believe, namely,someone who’s excited about positively transforming communities. What’s the biggest challenge for your company
Hometown: Nitro, West Virginia Education: West Virginia
University (undergraduate), Georgetown University (J.D.) What is your company doing to attract young talent? Our people are the blueprint for our success, so we’re dedicated to supporting our associates at every stage of their careers.
over the next five years? When you were 18, what career field did you think you’d be in at this point in your life? I hoped to
be a professional soccer player, but I was thinking a lot about coaching and teaching English at St. Xavier High School.
Jenna Martini
Tim McMahon
Erin Mignano
VICE PRESIDENT AND OPERATING PARTNER ARCO National Construction
CEO The Fischer Group
VICE PRESIDENT AND GENERAL MANAGER Turner Construction
Martini has led the national construction firm’s Ohio Valley office since it opened in 2020. It has worked on two Rumpke waste and recycling projects, the new Republic Wire headquarters, and the Ashton at Anderson senior living facility. Martini previously worked at C+R Architecture + Design and Cincinnati Commercial Contracting. ARCO reported 2025 billings of $35 million.
McMahon, who was president and COO, became CEO in 2022. Fischer Homes is the top homebuilder in the region with $530 million in local revenue, up $70 million from the previous year, with almost 1,100 housing starts in 2025. Fischer began work in April on its new headquarters on Scott Street in Covington. The 95,000-square foot building will house about 400 employees when finished in 2027.
Mignano moved to Cincinnati to lead the national builder’s local office in 2023. It did the renovation of the former Saks Fifth Avenue store into the new Paycor headquarters downtown and is involved in the residential transformation of Calhoun and McMillan streets near UC’s campus. Turner is the largest general contractor in the region, with more than $830 million in local billings in 2025.
Hometown: Cincinnati Education: University of Kentucky (undergraduate), Miami University (master’s) What is your company doing to attract young talent? Through strong
Education: Rutgers University (undergraduate) What is your company doing to attract young talent? We launched a
Hometown: Green Brook, New Jersey Education: George Washington University (undergraduate) Best advice received: To
focused college recruiting initiative in 2015 to strengthen our management team and fuel growth. It’s evolved into a dynamic, relationship-driven eff ort engaging with students across 13 universities. What’s the biggest challenge for your company over the next five years? The housing industry is facing one of the most significant aff ordability challenges in decades.
be my authentic self and find my own voice and path, but also remember to advocate for others. How is your leadership approach today different from before the pandemic? I’ve become a more conscientious leader focusing on developing a culture where our people feel respected, empowered and heard.
partnerships with UC, NKU, and other local schools, we bring in co-ops each semester to give students hands-on experience that directly applies to their field.
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REAL E STATE
Gary Mitchell
Scott Nelson
Heather Nevin
PRESIDENT AND CEO Divisions Maintenance Group
CEO Comey & Shepherd
M A R K E T L E A DE R CBRE
Mitchell founded the firm in 1999 and expanded its services from site maintenance to HVAC and EV charging station installation. The firm, which moved into The Foundry in 2023, announced plans to lease 20,000 square feet in the adjoining Huntington Center and build a new skywalk to connect the buildings. Divisions, acquired by Roark Capital Group in 2020, reported $790 million in 2025 revenue.
Nelson, whose father, Roy, bought Comey & Shepherd in 1968 from the founders, has been the top executive since 1990. It’s the third-largest residential real estate brokerage in Greater Cincinnati with $2.2 billion in local home sales in 2025 on more than 5,400 transactions with an average selling price of more than $406,000.
Nevin replaced Kevin Schutte, who transitioned to Aviation Properties Group in 2025, and leads the company’s Cincinnati, Dayton, and Kentucky commercial real estate operations. She previously was the firm’s Maryland market leader. Nevin manages more than 100 employees, including sales consultants and real estate managers. CBRE provides property and facilities management, agency leasing, investment sales (office, industrial, multifamily, retail), office services, and research and marketing.
Hometown: Cold Spring Education: Thomas More University (undergraduate) What is your company doing to attract young talent? We offer meaningful internships that provide real-world experience and a pathway to long-term opportunities and invest heavily in training and career development programs. Why did you choose this field of work? My company began with a complaint, when I overheard a store manager lamenting difficulty in finding maintenance vendors. I knew I could get the jobs done while unburdening the manager.
Hometown: Cincinnati Education: University of Cincinnati (undergraduate) When you were 18, what career field did you think you’d be in at this point in your life? A writer. Best advice received: “Keep an eye out for blinding flashes of the obvious.” How is your leadership approach today different from before the pandemic? I have an ever-greater focus on
technology-related matters as well as not losing a true client service perspective.
Hometown: Dayton, Ohio Education: Williams College (undergraduate), University of Chicago (J.D.) Best advice received: “Bet on yourself!” Is your company and industry being disrupted by AI? AI is an accelerator rather than a replacement. We have the industry’s most comprehensive commercial real estate data, which AI helps us turn into actionable steps for investors and occupiers across the Cincinnati market.
Molly North
Dan Neyer
Evans Nwankwo
PRESIDENT AND CEO Neyer Properties
CEO Merus
PRESIDENT AND CEO Megen Construction
Neyer, who has spent more than 40 years in the commercial real estate business, created the company in 1995. It will partner with Uptown Rental Properties for the $80 million Harbor Greene a mixed-use project in Bellevue with 186 apartments and a commercial building. Neyer donated 10 acres of land last year to UC for it to expand the Harris M. Benedict Nature Preserve in Montgomery.
North has led the company formerly known as Al. Neyer since 2015, one year after it became 100 percent employee-owned. In addition to its Cincinnati headquarters, it has offices in Pittsburgh, Nashville, and Raleigh, North Carolina. Current projects include Bavarian Apartments near the Kenton County Government Center in Covington and a Christ Hospital outpatient center in Union, Kentucky. Merus posted almost $350 million in revenue in 2025.
Nwankwo founded Megen Construction in 1993, and the company posted more than $40 million in 2025 revenue. Some of its signature projects include renovation and construction of multiple branches of the Cincinnati & Hamilton Country Public Library, Sharonville Convention Center expansion and renovation, Princeton Schools athletic facilities renovation, and the FC Cincinnati Training Center.
Hometown: Cincinnati Education: Miami University (undergraduate) What is your company doing to attract young talent?
We’ve revamped our mission, vision, and values, one of our which is “value the person.” We make sure that’s core to all or our interactions both internally and externally. Why did you choose this field of work? Growing up, I noticed that the buildings along I-71 and I-75 seemed dirty, rundown, and smelly, and I thought our city would be better off if this was improved, since it’s what visitors see when traveling on the area’s main roads.
Hometown: Wilmington, Ohio Education: University of Cincinnati (undergraduate) Toughest challenge faced or lesson learned: The challenges of being a mom with a high-intensity
Hometown: Awa, Nigeria Education: Texas A&M University (undergraduate)
job. Whether I’m missing a dinner with a client for the regular evening routine with my kids or missing an in-classroom volunteer activity for a board meeting, something important is always being sacrificed.
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REAL E STATE
Jeremy Raby
Matthew Schottelkotte
Etta Reed
PRESIDENT AND CEO ERA Real Solutions Realty
PRESIDENT Bayer Becker
CEO GBBN Architects
Raby founded the firm in 2007 and developed it into a multi-office operation with nearly 200 agents. It posted sales of more than $310 million in 2025, $35 million more than the previous year, on almost 900 transactions with an average of $350,000 per house. Raby is a member of the ERA Advisory Council and a member of the national association’s Young Leaders Network.
The engineering and architecture firm was founded in 1967 by Joseph Bayer, then Hamilton city engineer. Reed, Bayer’s daughter, was named president in 2024 and leads the ownership team of 10 principals. Recent projects include the conversion of the Gwynne Building to the Fidelity Hotel downtown, the First Financial Center renovation; and the design of a 300-acre recreation zone in Kenton County.
Schottelkotte has led the firm of more than 140 people, including 33 local registered architects, since 1995. In February, it introduced Atmys, its first externally marketed division to help clients manage its current space through data analysis and help them utilize the space they have or are going to build more efficiently. It reported 2025 billings of more than $37 million.
Hometown: Cincinnati Education: University of Cincinnati (undergraduate) What is your company doing to attract young talent? They consistently seek fl exibility, earning potential,
and a sense of purpose, and the real estate industry off ers a unique opportunity to fulfi ll all three goals. What’s the biggest challenge for your company over the next five years? Recruiting and retaining top talent and keeping pace with technology.
Hometown: Liberty Township Education: University of Cincinnati (undergraduate) What is your company doing to attract young talent? Investing in cooperative education programs that offer hands-on experience and the chance to work on meaningful projects within their own communities. Young team members are empowered to make a direct impact on the places where they live, work, and play.
Congratulations
Chris Hopper Executive Vice President and General Manager
From Forty Under 40 to Leadership Cincinnati and Cincinnati 300—we’re thankful for the leadership you bring to Skanska every day.
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Hometown: Cincinnati Education: University of Cincinnati (undergraduate) When you were 18, what career field did you think you’d be in at this point in your life? I had just started in
the architecture program at UC, though I can’t say I knew what that completely meant 45 years in the future. Advice you’d give someone looking to enter your field of business: Architecture is a place where you can make a positive impact on the world, and you should take responsibility for making the world a better place.
REAL E STATE
Robin Sheakley
Barbara Smith
Albert Smitherman
PRESIDENT AND CEO Sibcy Cline
PRESIDENT Journey Steel
PRESIDENT AND CEO Jostin Construction
Sheakley is the fourth generation to lead the family business that she joined in 1996 before taking the top job in 2018. It acquired another family brokerage, Fehrman Realty of Lawrenceburg, in July. Sibcy is the second-largest residential seller in the region, with almost $2.3 billion in sales on more than 5,100 transactions in 2025 with an average price per of almost $450,000 per unit.
Smith has been in the construction industry graduating from college. She worked for more than 25 years in general contracting, architectural, and engineering firms before founding Journey Steel with Tom Garten in 2009. Its nonprofit arm, Journeys Soaring Impact, is a pre-apprenticeship program to provide low-income, inner-city youth access to skills and resources.
Smitherman founded the company in 1998 and grew it into one of the largest minority-owned businesses in Greater Cincinnati. It specializes in concrete work and is also a general contractor and construction manager. Its projects include the new ProKids headquarters downtown, Hello Honey ice cream parlor in Walnut Hills, the Art Climb at the Cincinnati Art Museum, and Bethany House Services.
Hometown: Cincinnati Education: Miami University (undergraduate) Advice you’d give someone looking to enter your field of business: Our professional life is everyone else’s
Hometown: Cincinnati Education: Eastern Michigan University (undergraduate) Advice you’d give someone looking to enter your field of business: Embrace change. The integration of
Hometown: Cincinnati Education: Bowling Green State Univer-
personal life. If you enter real estate today and treat each client as a friend, helping them enjoy living in their home and not just buying and selling it, they’ll value your help and always work with and refer you.
technology into this “pre-historic” industry is here to stay.
sity (undergraduate)
How is your leadership approach today different from before the pandemic? I’ve moved from being a coach to more of a
transformational leader, pushing the team to think outside the box, getting them out of their comfort zones.
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REAL E STATE
Tim Steigerwald
Drew Suszko
Jim Watkins
PRESIDENT AND CEO Messer Construction
CEO BHDP
PRESIDENT AND CEO Triversity Construction
Steigerwald has led the region’s second-largest construction company since 2018. He oversees 12 locations of the company’s operations in the Midwest and Southeast from its headquarters in the West End. Current projects include the College of Osteopathic Medicine on the Xavier campus, and a residential and retail development on Covington’s Central Riverfront. It reported more than $435 million in local billings in 2025.
Suszko, the former workplace market leader for the architectural firm, was named to the top job in January. It posted almost $49 million in local revenue, the most by any local firm in 2025. It announced an ESOP plan that will make it totally employee-owned in the next seven to 11 years. The company has 186 employees and offices in Columbus as well as Charlotte and Raleigh, North Carolina in addition to its headquarters downtown.
Watkins, who joined Triversity in 2012, was promoted to the top jobs in 2024. Mel Gravely, one of three founders of the firm in 2005, bought controlling interest in 2009 and remains active as executive chairman. The company reported revenue of $156 million in 2025, making it the region’s third-largest minority-owned company. Hometown: Chicago Education: Purdue University (under-
graduate) Hometown: Lawrenceburg, Indiana Education: Purdue University (undergraduate), Xavier University (MBA) Advice you’d give someone looking to enter your field of business: Construction is ultimately about the impact we can have on our communities through the projects we build. Best advice received: “Never get the idea that I have all the good ideas.”
Hometown: Cincinnati Education: Northwestern University
(undergraduate), University of Cincinnati (MBA and masters) Best advice received: “We spend half our waking adult life at
work. Spend that time on something you’re passionate about.” How is your company and industry being disrupted by AI? We deliver professional design services, which means we rely on intelligent, creative people to perform tasks that range from routine to highly specialized. AI is already eliminating our mundane work. The higher order work is next.
Joseph Wiles
Greg Williams
Tom Williams
MARKE T LEAD ER Colliers International
AREA PRESIDENT M/I Homes
CEO North American Properties
Wiles, who joined the company in 2019, leads the local office of the global commercial real estate firm providing brokerage sales, investment, construction, information technology, and property management services. Beth Robinson, former CEO of Uptown Consortium, joined the office in 2025. Colliers manages more than 16 million square feet of office space in the region.
Williams has led the local operations of the Columbus-based homebuilder since 2011. It’s the third-largest local homebuilder in the region, with $340 million in local revenue in 2025 and almost 470 housing starts. M/I began selling at Nouveau, a $180-million development with more than 225 units and a resort-style pool in Mason featuring single-family, townhomes, and paired villas priced from $520,000.
After joining the family business in 1986, Williams led diversification of its portfolio and expansion into the Sunbelt. In the past three years, NAP begun 36 projects with a capitalization of $1.1 billion. In addition to North American, Williams is vice chairman of the Reds and a principal owner of Skyline Chili. He is also co-founder of Nehemiah Manufacturing Co., the Lower Price Hill manufacturing facility.
Hometown: Denver Education: Brigham Young University (undergraduate) What is your company doing to attract young talent? We have an active recruiting system to identify and build relationships with younger students who want an exciting career in the home building industry. Favorite inspirational quote: We’re a problem-solving business, so I have a plaque from author Elbert Hubbard: “A man with no problems to solve is out of the game.” I never want to be out of the game.
Hometown: Cincinnati Education: Georgetown University
Hometown: Pittsburgh Education: Ohio University (undergraduate) What is your company doing to attract young talent? We’ve built a culture and platform that gives young
professionals the tools, mentorship, and opportunities they need to accelerate their careers.
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(undergraduate), University of Cincinnati (J.D.)
INDEX - BY NAME JONATHAN ADEE, KEEP CINCINNATI BEAUTIFUL 55 JOHN MICHAEL ADINOLFI, HILLMAN GROUP 47 MICHAEL AHMED, UNITED DAIRY FARMERS 13 ANDREW AIELLO, METRO/SORTA 55 JEFFREY ALUOTTO, HAMILTON COUNTY 55 SCOTT ANDERSON, HBH HOLDINGS 47 JEFFREY ANDERSON, JEFFREY R. ANDERSON REAL ESTATE 69 MARK ANDERSON, PROMACH 47 KIRK ANDREAE, CLARKE POWER SERVICES 13 ADAM ANTE, PAYCHEX 62 TIMOTHY BALLINGER, GENERAL ELECTRIC CREDIT UNION 7 JOHN BANCHY, BESTPOINT 35 ADAM BANKOVICH, RHINEGEIST BREWING 13 JOHN BARRETT, WESTERN & SOUTHERN FINANCIAL GROUP 7 RON BASS, UBS WEALTH MANAGEMENT 7 IVY BAYER, CINCINNATI MEDIA 23 REBEKAH BEAULIEU, TAFT MUSEUM OF ART 23 ANGEL BEETS, GILMAN PARTNERS 62 JOHN BEIERSDORFER, SIMS-LOHMAN 14 JEFF BERDING, FC CINCINNATI 23 MIKE BERG, AMAZON AIR 14 TODD BEST, DELOITTE 62 MATTHEW BOLTON, SEVEN HILLS SCHOOL 35 JIM BONAMINIO, JUNGLE JIM’S 14 ADAM BORTZ, TOWNE PROPERTIES 69 SHANNAN BOYER, SCOOTER MEDIA 63 CANDICE MATTHEWS BRACKEEN, LIGHTSHIP FOUNDATION 56 DEBORAH BRANT, CINCINNATI BALLET 24 PAULA BREHM-HEEGER, CINCINNATI & HAMILTON COUNTY PUBLIC LIBRARY 24 TOM BRENNAN, SCHOOL OUTFITTERS 14 PATTY BRISBEN, SHE+ FOUNDATION 56 MIKE BROWN, CINCINNATI BENGALS 24 ARCHIE BROWN, FIRST FINANCIAL BANK 8 ADAM BROWNING, GOLD MEDAL PRODUCTS 48 NICK BRUNKER, VML 63 LAURA BRUNNER, PORT OF GREATER CINCINNATI DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY 56 RICH BUNDY, UC FOUNDATION 56 SUZANNE BURKE, COUNCIL ON AGING 35 J.B. BUSE, LOTH HOLDINGS 14 DAN BUSKEN, BUSKEN BAKERY 14 WILLIAM BUTLER, CORPOREX COS. 69 STEVE BYBEE, PWC 63 KERRY BYRNE, TOTAL QUALITY LOGISTICS 48 TODD CAIN, SHAREFAX CREDIT UNION 8 MICHAEL CARREL, ATRICURE 36 ROBERT CASEY, ARCHDIOCESE OF CINCINNATI 56 PHIL CASTELLINI, CINCINNATI REDS 24 MIKE CASTRUCCI, MIKE CASTRUCCI AUTOMOTIVE 15 JOHN CAULFIELD, PHILLIPS EDISON 70 JOSEPH CHILLO, THOMAS MORE UNIVERSITY 36 CHRIS CICCHINELLI, PURE ROMANCE 15 JAMES CLARK, LSI INDUSTRIES 48 SARAH CLOSE, KELLER WILLIAMS ADVISORS REALTY 70 KEN COHEN, COHEN RECYCLING 15 CRIS COLLINSWORTH, PFF 48 GARREN COLVIN, ST. ELIZABETH HEALTHCARE 36 JEFF CONSOLINO, CORE SPECIALTY INSURANCE HOLDINGS 63 JONATHAN COOPER, MASON CITY SCHOOLS 36 BRENT COOPER, NKY CHAMBER OF COMMERCE 56 GREGORY CRAWFORD, MIAMI UNIVERSITY 36 LEE CRUME, BE-NKY GROWTH PARTNERSHIP 57 BRENDON CULL, CINCINNATI REGIONAL CHAMBER 57 LARRY CULP, GE AEROSPACE 48 JENNIFER DAMIANO, KEYBANK 8 JOHN DANIS, DANIS 70 JIM DANNEMAN, HUNTINGTON BANK 8 ROGER DAVID, GSR BRANDS (GOLD STAR) 24 STEVE DAVIS, M.D., CINCINNATI CHILDREN’S 36 FRANK DEJULIUS, FLEET FEET 15 SCOTT DEVENNY, GRANT THORNTON 63 ANDREW DEWITT, DEWEY’S 24 GINA DOUTHAT, TANK 57 JAMES DOWNTON, SHARONVILLE CONVENTION CENTER 26 DAVID DREES, DREES CO. 70 STACY DURBIN, HUFF REALTY 70
KRISTI ECKERT, ERNST & YOUNG 63 RANDY ECKLES, XPLOR TECHNOLOGIES (CLUBESSENTIAL HOLDINGS) 48 DIANE EGBERS, LEADERSHIP EXCELLERATION 64 RICHARD EISWERTH, CINCINNATI PUBLIC RADIO 26 KOSTA ELEFTER, TATA CONSULTANCY SERVICES 49 DAVID FALK, BOCA RESTAURANT GROUP 26 RODNEY FAULK, FIRST FINANCIAL CENTER 26 DAN FELDMANN, FIFTH THIRD BANK 8 ALAN FERSHTMAN, KEATING MUETHING & KLEKAMP 64 FERNANDO FIGUEROA, GATEWAY COMMUNITY COLLEGE 38 KAREN FINAN, ONENKY ALLIANCE 57 KEVIN FINN, STRATEGIES TO END HOMELESSNESS 57 MATT FISCHER, CURIOSITY 64 GREGORY FORAN, KROGER CO. 15 LEIGH FOX, ALTAFIBER 15 CHIP GERHARDT, GOVERNMENT STRATEGIES 64 RYAN GIRVIN, BLUESTAR 49 MEGAN GLOWACKI, THOMPSON HINE 64 KEVIN GOODCHILD, HYATT REGENCY 26 RICHARD GRAETER, GRAETER’S ICE CREAM 26 NANCY GRAYSON, HORIZON COMMUNITY FUND 57 ADAM GREENBERG, TOPICZ 16 BRIAN GRIFFIN, CINCINNATI AFL-CIO LABOR COUNCIL 58 BOB GROENKE, BAHL & GAYNOR 8 BO GUIDRY, HARD ROCK CASINO 27 LOUIS GUTTMAN, HILLS PROPERTIES 70 BRIAN HABEGGER, HABEGGER CORP. 16 JAMES HAGERTY, BARTLETT WEALTH MANAGEMENT 9 ADAM HALL, FBT GIBBONS 64 GREG HAMMOND, HIXSON 71 TERRI HANLON-BREMER, TRIHEALTH 38 COLLEEN HANYCZ, XAVIER UNIVERSITY 38 RAY HARRIS, NEDERLANDER/HERITAGE BANK ARENA 27 JEFF HAUSWALD, BOONE COUNTY SCHOOLS 38 DEBORAH HAYES, CHRIST HOSPITAL HEALTH NETWORK 38 ALEXANDER HEIMAN, STANDARD TEXTILE 49 JOSH HEUSER, AGAR 65 STEVE HIGHTOWER, HIGHTOWERS PETROLEUM 49 BRIAN HODGETT, PROCTER & GAMBLE 16 RHIANNON HOEWELER, MADTREE BREWING 16 ROBBIN HOOPES, CINCINNATI STATE 38 CHRIS HOPPER, SKANSKA USA 71 TERENCE HORAN, HORAN WEALTH 9 COLLEEN HOUSTON, 1001 COLORS (ARTWORKS) 27 ANDREW HOWELL, FEDERAL HOME LOAN BANK 9 JOE HUBER, CINCINNATI DEVELOPMENT FUND 58 KEVIN HUGHES, CUSHMAN & WAKEFIELD 71 PATRICK HUGHES, DBL LAW 65 MIKE HUSEMAN, HUSEMAN GROUP 71 JASON JACKMAN, JOHNSON INVESTMENT COUNSEL 9 SHAILESH JEJURIKAR, PROCTER & GAMBLE 16 DAVE JENIKE, CINCINNATI ZOO & BOTANICAL GARDENS 27 TODD JOHNSON, VERST LOGISTICS 49 JIM JURGENSEN II, JURGENSEN COMPANIES 49 ERIC KEARNEY, AFRICAN AMERICAN CHAMBER OF CINC/NKY 58 KREG KEESEE, FREESTORE FOODBANK 58 WOODROW KEOWN JR., NATIONAL UNDERGROUND RAILROAD FREEDOM CENTER 27 KIM KERN, CHILDREN’S THEATRE OF CINCINNATI 27 JOE KING, COLDWELL BANKER REALTY 71 ALECIA KINTNER, ARTSWAVE 28 JULIE KIRKPATRICK, MEETNKY 28 CAMERON KITCHIN, CINCINNATI ART MUSEUM 28 MICHELLE KLINGENBERG, JLL 71 KIRK KOPPENHOEFER, GUARDIAN SAVINGS BANK 9 LAWRENCE KRAUTER, CINCINNATI/NORTHERN KENTUCKY AIRPORT 58 J.B. KROPP, CINTRIFUSE 50 MARTIN KUHN, MIKE ALBERT FLEET SOLUTIONS 16 CHRISTIE KUHNS, URBAN LEAGUE 58 LAURA LAMB, EPSICOPAL RETIREMENT SERVICES 59 AARON LANDOLT, ENERFAB 50 DOUG LANG, MEYER TOOL 50 JOE LANNI, THUNDERDOME RESTAURANT GROUP 28 MICHAEL LAROSA, LAROSA’S 28 CHRIS LARSEN, CASTELLINI GROUP 17 KIMM LAUTERBACH, REDI 59 C I N C I N N AT I 3 0 0 | 2 0 2 6 C I N C I N N AT I M A G A Z I N E . C O M 7 7
INDEX - BY NAME STEVE LEEPER, 3CDC 72 JOHNNY LEWIS, KPMG 65 KURT LEWIS, UNITED HEALTHCARE 40 GARY LINDGREN, CINCINNATI BUSINESS COMMITTEE 59 S. CRAIG LINDNER, AMERICAN FINANCIAL GROUP 10 CARL LINDNER III, AMERICAN FINANCIAL GROUP 9 STEVE LOFTIN, CINCINNATI ARTS ASSOCIATION 28 PATRICK LONGO, ALLOY DEVELOPMENT CO. 59 JOSHUA LORENTZ, DINSMORE & SHOHL 65 BERYL LOVE, ENQUIRER MEDIA 29 CLEMENT LUKEN JR., WOOD HERRON & EVANS 65 TONY MAAS, JTM FOOD GROUP 17 MILEN MAHADEVAN, 84.51 65 BOBBY MALY, MODEL GROUP 72 ELIZABETH MANGAN, MILLER-VALENTINE CONSTRUCTION & MV INVESTMENT 72 GAIL MANLEY, FIDELITY INVESTMENTS 10 TARA MAROTTI, BURKE 66 JENNA MARTINI, ARCO NATIONAL CONSTRUCTION 72 NADER MASADEH, WINGS & RINGS 29 GREG MAYS, AIR TRANSPORT SERVICES GROUP 50 JASON MCCAW, ENCORE TALENT 66 KEITH MCCLUSKEY, MCCLUSKEY AUTOMOTIVE GROUP 17 ROBERT MCGRATH, CINCINNATI SYMPHONY 29 CHRISTIAN MACIVER, PILOT CHEMICAL 50 BERNARD MCKAY, HAILE FOUNDATION 59 TIM MCMAHON, FISCHER HOMES 72 KEVIN MCNAMARA, CHEMED 17 SAURABH MEHTA, BELCAN 66 ERIC MEILSTRUP, LCNB BANK 10 MARK MERCURIO, GORILLA GLUE 50 TIM METTEY, MATTHEW 25: MINISTRIES 59 JILL MEYER, O.H.I.O. FUND 51 D. LYNN MEYERS, ENSEMBLE THEATRE OF CINCINNATI 29 RICK MICHELMAN, MICHELMAN 51 ERIN MIGNANO, TURNER CONSTRUCTION 72 BRITNEY RUBY MILLER, RUBY CULINARY ENTERTAINMENT 29 CHRISTOPHER MILLIGAN, CINCINNATI OPERA 29 DANIELLE MINSON, JEWISH FEDERATION OF CINCINNATI 60 BENJAMIN MIRTES, INGENOVIS HEALTH 66 GARY MITCHELL, DIVISIONS MAINTENANCE 73 BOB MORAN, BEEMOK SPORTS & ENTERTAINMENT 30 KATE MORGAN, JPMORGAN CHASE PRIVATE BANK 10 TONY MUNAFO, PROLINK 66 SHAUNA MURPHY, CINCINNATI PUBLIC SCHOOLS 40 SCOTT NELSON, COMEY & SHEPHERD 73 HEATHER NEVIN, CBRE 73 DAN NEYER, NEYER PROPERTIES 73 MOLLY NORTH, MERUS 73 EVANS NWANKWO, MEGEN CONSTRUCTION 73 EMMA OFF, CINCYTECH 51 DOUG OLBERDING, FLYING PIG MARATHON 30 JEFF OSTERFELD, PENN STATION 30 EMILY PAN, VORYS, SATER, SEYMOUR & PEASE 66 BIMAL PATEL, ROLLING HILLS HOSPITALITY 31 GUS PERDIKAKIS, GUS PERDIKAKIS ASSOCIATES 67 JORGE PEREZ, YMCA 60 JANE PETERSON, ANTHEM BLUE CROSS AND BLUE SHIELD 40 BRIAN ISAAC PHILLIPS, CINCINNATI SHAKESPEARE COMPANY 31 ELIZABETH PIERCE, CINCINNATI MUSEUM CENTER 31 NEVILLE PINTO, UNIVERSITY OF CINCINNATI 41 ANDREA PIRONDINI, PRYSMIAN GROUP NORTH AMERICA 51 SCOTT PROVANCHER, IGNITE PHILANTHROPY 32 AFTAB PUREVAL, CITY OF CINCINNATI 60 JEREMY RABY, ERA REAL SOLUTIONS 74 MARIBETH RAHE, FORT WASHINGTON INVESTMENT ADVISORS 10 DANIEL RAJCZAK, TOTES-ISOTONER 17 JAY RAMMES, BARNES DENNIG 67 MATTHEW RANDAZZO, GREATER CINCINNATI FOUNDATION 60 JACKIE REAU, GAME DAY COMMUNICATIONS 67 ETTA REED, BAYER BECKER 74 ROBERT REICHERT, KENWOOD DEALER GROUP 17 TIM REILLY, ST. XAVIER HIGH SCHOOL 41 TONY REMINGTON, GRAVITY DIAGNOSTICS 51 JOHN RICHARDSON, SUGARCREEK 51
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BLAKE ROBISON, CINCINNATI PLAYHOUSE IN PARK KERRY ROE, CLARK SCHAEFER HACKETT RON ROSENBECK, REPUBLIC WIRE JAKE ROUSE, BRAXTON BREWING WILLIAM RUMPKE JR., RUMPKE WASTE & RECYCLING KRISTIN RUSSELL, CBTS REGINA CARSWELL RUSSO, RRIGHT NOW COMMUNICATIONS MARK RYAN, BANK OF AMERICA RYAN RYBOLT, PAYLOAD BILLY SANTOS, TRUIST BANK CARL SATTERWHITE, RCF GROUP KELLEY SCHIESS, SUMMIT COUNTRY DAY KRISTEN SCHLOTMAN, FILM CINCINNATI STEPHEN SCHMIDT, STRAUSS TROY PHIL SCHNEIDER, BGR TODD SCHNEIDER, CINTAS MATTHEW SCHOTTELKOTTE, GBBN KATE SCHRODER, INTERACT FOR HEALTH LACY SCHUTZ, CONTEMPORARY ARTS CENTER JOHN SEBASTIAN, HEALTH CAROUSEL CORY SHAW, UC HEALTH LARRY SHEAKLEY, SHEAKLEY ROBIN SHEAKLEY, SIBCY CLINE CADY SHORT-THOMPSON, NORTHERN KENTUCKY UNIVERSITY JAY SIGLER, CINFED CREDIT UNION TOM SIGNORELLO, POMEROY ROBERT SLATTERY, SLATTS GROUP BARBARA SMITH, JOURNEY STEEL MIKE SMITH, MEMI RICKELL HOWARD SMITH, YWCA ALBERT SMITHERMAN, JOSTIN CONSTRUCTION GERALD SPARKMAN, D.E. FOXX & ASSOCIATES TIM SPENCE, FIFTH THIRD BANK AMY SPILLER, DUKE ENERGY STEVE SPRAY, CINCINNATI FINANCIAL MICHAEL STAGNARO, STAGNARO DISTRIBUTING JAMES STAHL III, CBT CO. CARL STEALEY, SKYLINE CHILI TIM STEIGERWALD, MESSER CONSTRUCTION ERIC STIENE, BEACON ORTHOPAEDICS & SPORTS MEDICINE DREW SUSZKO, BHDP DANIEL SUTTON, KEMBA CREDIT UNION JAKE SWEENEY, JACOB SWEENEY AUTOMOTIVE ADAM SYMSON, E.W. SCRIPPS CO. TIM TRANT, G&J PEPSI-COLA BOTTLERS AUGUST TROENDLE, MEDPACE HOLDINGS GREG TUCKER, PROAMPAC NICK VEHR, THE MOTION AGENCY DAVID WALLACE, HERITAGE BANK JILL WARMAN, U.S. BANK RON WASHINGTON, CITY OF COVINGTON JIM WATKINS, TRIVERSITY HENRY WEBB, KENTON COUNTY SCHOOLS WARREN WEBER, PNC BANK MOIRA WEIR, UNITED WAY OF GREATER CINCINNATI KENT WELLINGTON, BRICKER GRAYDON WYATT ASHLEY WHITELY, LAKOTA LOCAL SCHOOLS TOM WIEDEMANN, AAA CLUB ALLIANCE JOSEPH WILES, COLLIERS INTERNATIONAL GREG WILLIAMS, M/I HOMES H. JAMES WILLIAMS, MOUNT ST. JOSEPH TOM WILLIAMS, NORTH AMERICAN PROPERTIES RICHARD WINTERMAN, BMW STORE JASON WITTEKIND, HAWKSTONE ASSOCIATES JOHN WOLF, DUBOIS CHEMICALS HOLLY WOLFSON, MAYERSON JEWISH COMMUNITY CENTER CHIP WOOD, TIRE DISCOUNTERS ALLEN WOODS, MORTAR AMY WUTKE, CHRIST COLLEGE OF NURSING & HEALTH SCIENCES JEFF WYLER, JEFF WYLER AUTOMOTIVE FAMILY WILLIAM YUNG, COLUMBIA SUSSEX ROB ZIMMERMAN, CINCINNATI COUNTRY DAY JAMES ZIMMERMAN, TAFT STETTINIUS & HOLLISTER
32 67 52 18 18 52 67 10 52 11 18 41 32 67 52 19 74 42 32 42 42 68 75 43 11 52 19 75 32 60 75 68 11 19 68 20 52 32 76 43 76 11 20 33 20 43 53 68 11 11 60 76 44 12 61 68 44 20 76 76 44 76 20 53 53 61 20 61 45 21 33 45 68
INDEX - BY C OMPAN OMPANY Y 1001 COLORS (ARTWORKS), COLLEEN HOUSTON 3CDC, STEVE LEEPER 84.51, MILEN MAHADEVAN AAA CLUB ALLIANCE, TOM WIEDEMANN AFRICAN AMERICAN CHAMBER OF CINC/NKY, ERIC KEARNEY AGAR, JOSH HEUSER AIR TRANSPORT SERVICES GROUP, GREG MAYS ALLOY DEVELOPMENT CO., PATRICK LONGO ALTAFIBER, LEIGH FOX AMAZON AIR, MIKE BERG AMERICAN FINANCIAL GROUP, S. CRAIG LINDNER AMERICAN FINANCIAL GROUP, CARL LINDNER III ANTHEM BLUE CROSS AND BLUE SHIELD, JANE PETERSON ARCHDIOCESE OF CINCINNATI, ROBERT CASEY ARCO NATIONAL CONSTRUCTION, JENNA MARTINI ARTSWAVE, ALECIA KINTNER ATRICURE, MICHAEL CARREL BAHL & GAYNOR, BOB GROENKE BANK OF AMERICA, MARK RYAN BARNES DENNIG, JAY RAMMES BARTLETT WEALTH MANAGEMENT, JAMES HAGERTY BAYER BECKER, ETTA REED BE-NKY GROWTH PARTNERSHIP, LEE CRUME BEACON ORTHOPAEDICS & SPORTS MEDICINE, ERIC STIENE BEEMOK SPORTS & ENTERTAINMENT, BOB MORAN BELCAN, SAURABH MEHTA BESTPOINT, JOHN BANCHY BGR, PHIL SCHNEIDER BHDP, DREW SUSZKO BLUESTAR, RYAN GIRVIN BMW STORE, RICHARD WINTERMAN BOCA RESTAURANT GROUP, DAVID FALK BOONE COUNTY SCHOOLS, JEFF HAUSWALD BRAXTON BREWING, JAKE ROUSE BRICKER GRAYDON WYATT, KENT WELLINGTON BURKE, TARA MAROTTI BUSKEN BAKERY, DAN BUSKEN CASTELLINI GROUP, CHRIS LARSEN CBRE, HEATHER NEVIN CBT CO., JAMES STAHL III CBTS, KRISTIN RUSSELL CHEMED, KEVIN MCNAMARA CHILDREN’S THEATRE OF CINCINNATI, KIM KERN CHRIST COLLEGE OF NURSING & HEALTH SCIENCES, AMY WUTKE CHRIST HOSPITAL HEALTH NETWORK, DEBORAH HAYES CINCINNATI & HAMILTON COUNTY PUBLIC LIBRARY, PAULA BREHM-HEEGER CINCINNATI AFL-CIO LABOR COUNCIL, BRIAN GRIFFIN CINCINNATI ART MUSEUM, CAMERON KITCHIN CINCINNATI ARTS ASSOCIATION, STEVE LOFTIN CINCINNATI BALLET, DEBORAH BRANT CINCINNATI BENGALS, MIKE BROWN CINCINNATI BUSINESS COMMITTEE, GARY LINDGREN CINCINNATI CHILDREN’S, STEVE DAVIS, M.D. CINCINNATI COUNTRY DAY, ROB ZIMMERMAN CINCINNATI DEVELOPMENT FUND, JOE HUBER CINCINNATI FINANCIAL, STEVE SPRAY CINCINNATI MEDIA, IVY BAYER CINCINNATI MUSEUM CENTER, ELIZABETH PIERCE CINCINNATI OPERA, CHRISTOPHER MILLIGAN CINCINNATI PLAYHOUSE IN PARK, BLAKE ROBISON CINCINNATI PUBLIC RADIO, RICHARD EISWERTH CINCINNATI PUBLIC SCHOOLS, SHAUNA MURPHY CINCINNATI REDS, PHIL CASTELLINI CINCINNATI REGIONAL CHAMBER, BRENDON CULL CINCINNATI SHAKESPEARE COMPANY, BRIAN PHILLIPS CINCINNATI STATE, ROBBIN HOOPES CINCINNATI SYMPHONY, ROBERT MCGRATH CINCINNATI ZOO & BOTANICAL GARDENS, DAVE JENIKE CINCINNATI/NORTHERN KENTUCKY AIRPORT, LAWRENCE KRAUTER CINCYTECH, EMMA OFF CINFED CREDIT UNION, JAY SIGLER CINTAS, TODD SCHNEIDER CINTRIFUSE, J.B. KROPP CITY OF CINCINNATI, AFTAB PUREVAL CITY OF COVINGTON, RON WASHINGTON
27 72 65 20 58 65 50 59 15 14 10 9 40 56 72 28 36 8 10 67 9 74 57 43 30 66 35 52 76 49 20 26 38 18 68 66 14 17 73 52 52 17 27 45 38 24 58 28 28 24 24 59 36 45 58 68 23 31 29 32 26 40 24 57 31 38 29 27 58 51 11 19 50 60 60
CLARK SCHAEFER HACKETT, KERRY ROE CLARKE POWER SERVICES, KIRK ANDREAE COHEN RECYCLING, KEN COHEN COLDWELL BANKER REALTY, JOE KING COLLIERS INTERNATIONAL, JOSEPH WILES COLUMBIA SUSSEX, WILLIAM YUNG COMEY & SHEPHERD, SCOTT NELSON CONTEMPORARY ARTS CENTER, LACY SCHUTZ CORE SPECIALTY INSURANCE HOLDINGS, JEFF CONSOLINO CORPOREX COS., WILLIAM BUTLER COUNCIL ON AGING, SUZANNE BURKE CURIOSITY, MATT FISCHER CUSHMAN & WAKEFIELD, KEVIN HUGHES D.E. FOXX & ASSOCIATES, GERALD SPARKMAN DANIS, JOHN DANIS DBL LAW, PATRICK HUGHES DELOITTE, TODD BEST DEWEY’S, ANDREW DEWITT DINSMORE & SHOHL, JOSHUA LORENTZ DIVISIONS MAINTENANCE, GARY MITCHELL DREES CO., DAVID DREES DUBOIS CHEMICALS, JOHN WOLF DUKE ENERGY, AMY SPILLER E.W. SCRIPPS CO., ADAM SYMSON ENCORE TALENT, JASON MCCAW ENERFAB, AARON LANDOLT ENQUIRER MEDIA, BERYL LOVE ENSEMBLE THEATRE OF CINCINNATI, D. LYNN MEYERS EPSICOPAL RETIREMENT SERVICES, LAURA LAMB ERA REAL SOLUTIONS, JEREMY RABY ERNST & YOUNG, KRISTI ECKERT FBT GIBBONS, ADAM HALL FC CINCINNATI, JEFF BERDING FEDERAL HOME LOAN BANK, ANDREW HOWELL FIDELITY INVESTMENTS, GAIL MANLEY FIFTH THIRD BANK, DAN FELDMANN FIFTH THIRD BANK, TIM SPENCE FILM CINCINNATI, KRISTEN SCHLOTMAN FIRST FINANCIAL BANK, ARCHIE BROWN FIRST FINANCIAL CENTER, RODNEY FAULK FISCHER GROUP, TIM MCMAHON FLEET FEET, FRANK DEJULIUS FORT WASHINGTON INVESTMENT ADVISORS, MARIBETH RAHE FREESTORE FOODBANK, KREG KEESEE G&J PEPSI-COLA BOTTLERS, TIM TRANT GAME DAY COMMUNICATIONS, JACKIE REAU GATEWAY COMMUNITY COLLEGE, FERNANDO FIGUEROA GBBN, MATTHEW SCHOTTELKOTTE GE AEROSPACE, LARRY CULP GENERAL ELECTRIC CREDIT UNION, TIMOTHY BALLINGER GILMAN PARTNERS, ANGEL BEETS GOLD MEDAL PRODUCTS, ADAM BROWNING GORILLA GLUE, MARK MERCURIO GOVERNMENT STRATEGIES, CHIP GERHARDT GRAETER’S ICE CREAM, RICHARD GRAETER GRANT THORNTON, SCOTT DEVENNY GRAVITY DIAGNOSTICS, TONY REMINGTON GREATER CINCINNATI FOUNDATION, MATTHEW RANDAZZO GSR BRANDS (GOLD STAR), ROGER DAVID GUARDIAN SAVINGS BANK, KIRK KOPPENHOEFER GUS PERDIKAKIS ASSOCIATES, GUS PERDIKAKIS HABEGGER CORP., BRIAN HABEGGER HAILE FOUNDATION, BERNARD MCKAY HAMILTON COUNTY, JEFFREY ALUOTTO HARD ROCK CASINO, BO GUIDRY HAWKSTONE ASSOCIATES, JASON WITTEKIND HBH HOLDINGS, SCOTT ANDERSON HEALTH CAROUSEL, JOHN SEBASTIAN HERITAGE BANK, DAVID WALLACE HIGHTOWERS PETROLEUM, STEVE HIGHTOWER HILLMAN GROUP, JOHN MICHAEL ADINOLFI HILLS PROPERTIES, LOUIS GUTTMAN HIXSON, GREG HAMMOND HORAN WEALTH, TERENCE HORAN HORIZON COMMUNITY FUND, NANCY GRAYSON
67 13 15 71 76 33 73 32 63 69 35 64 71 68 70 65 62 24 65 73 70 53 19 33 66 50 29 29 59 74 63 64 23 9 10 8 11 32 8 26 72 15 10 58 20 67 38 74 48 7 62 48 50 64 26 63 51 60 24 9 67 16 59 55 27 53 47 42 11 49 47 70 71 9 57
C I N C I N N AT I 3 0 0 | 2 0 2 6 C I N C I N N AT I M A G A Z I N E . C O M 7 9
INDEX - BY C OMPAN OMPANY Y HUFF REALTY, STACY DURBIN 70 HUNTINGTON BANK, JIM DANNEMAN 8 HUSEMAN GROUP, MIKE HUSEMAN 71 HYATT REGENCY, KEVIN GOODCHILD 26 IGNITE PHILANTHROPY, SCOTT PROVANCHER 32 INGENOVIS HEALTH, BENJAMIN MIRTES 66 INTERACT FOR HEALTH, KATE SCHRODER 42 JACOB SWEENEY AUTOMOTIVE, JACOB SWEENEY 20 JEFF WYLER AUTOMOTIVE FAMILY, JEFF WYLER 21 JEFFREY R. ANDERSON REAL ESTATE, JEFFREY ANDERSON 69 JEWISH FEDERATION OF CINCINNATI, DANIELLE MINSON 60 JLL, MICHELLE KLINGENBERG 71 JOHNSON INVESTMENT COUNSEL, JASON JACKMAN 9 JOSTIN CONSTRUCTION, ALBERT SMITHERMAN 75 JOURNEY STEEL, BARBARA SMITH 75 JPMORGAN CHASE PRIVATE BANK, KATE MORGAN 10 JTM FOOD GROUP, TONY MAAS 17 JUNGLE JIM’S, JIM BONAMINIO 14 JURGENSEN COMPANIES, JIM JURGENSEN II 49 KEATING MUETHING & KLEKAMP, ALAN FERSHTMAN 64 KEEP CINCINNATI BEAUTIFUL, JONATHAN ADEE 55 KELLER WILLIAMS ADVISORS REALTY, SARAH CLOSE 70 KEMBA CREDIT UNION, DANIEL SUTTON 11 KENTON COUNTY SCHOOLS, HENRY WEBB 44 KENWOOD DEALER GROUP, ROBERT REICHERT 17 KEYBANK, JENNIFER DAMIANO 8 KPMG, JOHNNY LEWIS 65 KROGER CO., GREGORY FORAN 15 LAKOTA LOCAL SCHOOLS, ASHLEY WHITELY 44 LAROSA’S, MICHAEL LAROSA 28 LCNB BANK, ERIC MEILSTRUP 10 LEADERSHIP EXCELLERATION, DIANE EGBERS 64 LIGHTSHIP FOUNDATION, CANDICE MATTHEWS BRACKEEN 56 LOTH HOLDINGS, J.B. BUSE 14 LSI INDUSTRIES, JAMES CLARK 48 M/I HOMES, GREG WILLIAMS 76 MADTREE BREWING, RHIANNON HOEWELER 16 MASON CITY SCHOOLS, JONATHAN COOPER 36 MATTHEW 25: MINISTRIES, TIM METTEY 59 MAYERSON JEWISH COMMUNITY CENTER, HOLLY WOLFSON 61 MCCLUSKEY AUTOMOTIVE GROUP, KEITH MCCLUSKEY 17 MEDPACE HOLDINGS, AUGUST TROENDLE 43 MEETNKY, JULIE KIRKPATRICK 28 MEGEN CONSTRUCTION, EVANS NWANKWO 73 MEMI, MIKE SMITH 32 MERUS, MOLLY NORTH 73 MESSER CONSTRUCTION, TIM STEIGERWALD 76 METRO/SORTA, ANDREW AIELLO 55 MEYER TOOL, DOUG LANG 50 MIAMI UNIVERSITY, GREGORY CRAWFORD 36 MICHELMAN, RICK MICHELMAN 51 MIKE ALBERT FLEET SOLUTIONS, MARTIN KUHN 16 MIKE CASTRUCCI AUTOMOTIVE, MIKE CASTRUCCI 15 MILLER-VALENTINE CONSTRUCTION & MV INVESTMENT, ELIZABETH MANGAN 72 MODEL GROUP, BOBBY MALY 72 MORTAR, ALLEN WOODS 61 MOUNT ST. JOSEPH, H. JAMES WILLIAMS 44 NATIONAL UNDERGROUND RAILROAD FREEDOM CENTER, WOODROW KEOWN JR. 27 NEDERLANDER/HERITAGE BANK ARENA, RAY HARRIS 27 NEYER PROPERTIES, DAN NEYER 73 NKY CHAMBER OF COMMERCE, BRENT COOPER 56 NORTH AMERICAN PROPERTIES, TOM WILLIAMS 76 NORTHERN KENTUCKY UNIVERSITY, CADY SHORT-THOMPSON 43 O.H.I.O. FUND, JILL MEYER 51 ONENKY ALLIANCE, KAREN FINAN 57 PAYCHEX, ADAM ANTE 62 PAYLOAD, RYAN RYBOLT 52 PENN STATION, JEFF OSTERFELD 30 PHILLIPS EDISON, JOHN CAULFIELD 70 PIG WORKS, DOUG OLBERDING 30 PILOT CHEMICAL, CHRISTIAN MACIVER 50 PNC BANK, WARREN WEBER 12 POMEROY, TOM SIGNORELLO 52 PORT OF GREATER CINCINNATI DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY, LAURA BRUNNER 56
8 0 C I N C I N N AT I M A G A Z I N E . C O M C I N C I N N AT I 3 0 0 | 2 0 2 6
PPF, CRIS COLLINSWORTH PROAMPAC, GREG TUCKER PROCTER & GAMBLE, BRIAN HODGETT PROCTER & GAMBLE, SHAILESH JEJURIKAR PROLINK, TONY MUNAFO PROMACH, MARK ANDERSON PRYSMIAN GROUP NORTH AMERICA, ANDREA PIRONDINI PURE ROMANCE, CHRIS CICCHINELLI PWC, STEVE BYBEE RCF GROUP, CARL SATTERWHITE REDI, KIMM LAUTERBACH REPUBLIC WIRE, RON ROSENBECK RHINEGEIST BREWING, ADAM BANKOVICH ROLLING HILLS HOSPITALITY, BIMAL PATEL RRIGHT NOW COMMUNICATIONS, REGINA CARSWELL RUSSO RUBY CULINARY ENTERTAINMENT, BRITNEY RUBY MILLER RUMPKE WASTE & RECYCLING, WILLIAM RUMPKE JR. SCHOOL OUTFITTERS, TOM BRENNAN SCOOTER MEDIA, SHANNAN BOYER SEVEN HILLS SCHOOL, MATT BOLTON SHAREFAX CREDIT UNION, TODD CAIN SHARONVILLE CONVENTION CENTER, JAMES DOWNTON SHE+ FOUNDATION, PATTY BRISBEN SHEAKLEY, LARRY SHEAKLEY SIBCY CLINE, ROBIN SHEAKLEY SIMS-LOHMAN, JOHN BEIERSDORFER SKANSKA USA, CHRIS HOPPER SKYLINE CHILI, CARL STEALEY SLATTS GROUP, ROBERT SLATTERY ST. ELIZABETH HEALTHCARE, GARREN COLVIN ST. XAVIER HIGH SCHOOL, TIM REILLY STAGNARO DISTRIBUTING, MICHAEL STAGNARO STANDARD TEXTILE, ALEXANDER HEIMAN STRATEGIES TO END HOMELESSNESS, KEVIN FINN STRAUSS TROY, STEPHEN SCHMIDT SUGARCREEK, JOHN RICHARDSON SUMMIT COUNTRY DAY, KELLEY SCHIESS TAFT MUSEUM OF ART, REBEKAH BEAULIEU TAFT STETTINIUS & HOLLISTER, JAMES ZIMMERMAN TANK, GINA DOUTHAT TATA CONSULTANCY SERVICES, KOSTA ELEFTER THE MOTION AGENCY, NICK VEHR THOMAS MORE UNIVERSITY, JOSEPH CHILLO THOMPSON HINE, MEGAN GLOWACKI THUNDERDOME RESTAURANT GROUP, JOE LANNI TIRE DISCOUNTERS, CHIP WOOD TOPICZ, ADAM GREENBERG TOTAL QUALITY LOGISTICS, KERRY BYRNE TOTES-ISOTONER, DANIEL RAJCZAK TOWNE PROPERTIES, ADAM BORTZ TRIHEALTH, TERRI HANLON-BREMER TRIVERSITY, JIM WATKINS TRUIST BANK, BILLY SANTOS TURNER CONSTRUCTION, ERIN MIGNANO U.S. BANK, JILL WARMAN UBS WEALTH MANAGEMENT, RON BASS UC FOUNDATION, RICH BUNDY UC HEALTH, CORY SHAW UNITED DAIRY FARMERS, MICHAEL AHMED UNITED HEALTHCARE , KURT LEWIS UNITED WAY OF GREATER CINCINNATI, MOIRA WEIR UNIVERSITY OF CINCINNATI, NEVILLE PINTO URBAN LEAGUE, CHRISTIE KUHNS VERST LOGISTICS, TODD JOHNSON VML, NICK BRUNKER VORYS, SATER, SEYMOUR & PEASE, EMILY PAN WESTERN & SOUTHERN FINANCIAL GROUP, JOHN BARRETT WINGS & RINGS, NADER MASADEH WOOD HERRON & EVANS, CLEMENT LUKEN JR. XAVIER UNIVERSITY, COLLEEN HANYCZ XPLOR TECHNOLOGIES (CLUBESSENTIAL HOLDINGS), RANDY ECKLES YMCA, JORGE PEREZ YWCA, RICKELL HOWARD SMITH
48 53 16 16 66 47 51 15 63 18 59 52 13 31 67 29 18 14 63 35 8 26 56 68 75 14 71 32 19 36 41 20 49 57 67 51 41 23 68 57 49 68 36 64 28 20 16 48 17 69 38 76 11 72 11 7 56 42 13 40 61 41 58 49 63 66 7 29 65 38 48 60 60
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