Realm Spring 2025 - The Journal for Queen City CEOs

Manny Addo, Michelle Morales, and Qorinah Wardhani

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THE JUMP

10 FOOD & BEVERAGE

MAD ABOUT PARKS & REC

MadTree opens its second area brewpub at Summit Park in Blue Ash

12 FINANCE

ALL IN ON HOUSING

Steve Mullinger has Huntington Bank focused on helping consumers get mortgages and building affordable housing

14 REAL ESTATE

GIVE US MORE LIBERTY

08 BY THE NUMBERS

The Cincinnati region had four total counties among Ohio’s and Kentucky’s fastest-growing counties in 2024, thanks in large part to foreign immigration.

18 LEADERSHIP MAKING CINCINNATI A BETTER PLACE

The new class of Great Living Cincinnatians shows leadership, vision, and love of community

More apartments and new-to-market brands are boosting Liberty Center’s visibility 16 TALENT GET IN WHERE YOU FIT IN A new mentoring collaborative envisions mentors for every young person

50 ASK ME ABOUT

Get to know Kelly Heekin of Hoist, Todd Palmeter of Great Parks of Hamilton County, and Ron Washington, the new mayor of Covington

52 PHOTO ESSAY: A BRIGHT NEW ERA AT CINCINNATI PUBLIC RADIO

The new wood-timber-and-glass headquarters houses studios and offices and connects the organization with its Evanston neighbors

DEEP DIVES

IMMIGRATION PROPELS THE LOCAL ECONOMY

How foreign-born business owners are helping Cincinnati grow and prosper, and what the region can do to attract more. 30

GEN Z MAKES ITS MARK

The newest generation of workers is looking for employers who share their values. 36 HOUSING STARTS BLOOM AROUND THE UNIVERSITY OF CINCINNATI

Rising demand in campus-adjacent neighborhoods is being driven by UC’s booming enrollment.

42 WELCOMING AN INFLUX OF NATIONAL BRANDS

High-profile retail and hospitality brands from Publix to Wawa are setting up shop in this region for the first time.

ost every day, I drive around or through the campus of the University of Cincinnati. It’s one of the most architecturally diverse places in our region—the buildings are designed in countless styles—and you can’t help but think of the physical campus as a symbol of how diverse and varied UC students are in their pursuits and their backgrounds.

The areas surrounding campus have lately seen a building boom, with hundreds of new housing units blossoming all around Clifton Heights, Corryville, and Mt. Auburn. You can read about that Uptown housing in in this issue of Realm. The next time you visit the campus area for a Bearcats game or a concert at Bogart’s or a performance at CCM, you’ll be astonished and pleased by the changes.

The mini-city developing around UC is fit for a university that’s growing and thriving. But, maybe more importantly, we should see these housing units as the first home for many new Cincinnatians who I hope will stay here for years to come. In some ways, as these developments open over the next few years, you’ll be able to walk through the campus area and visibly see the future of Cincinnati.

Two other feature stories are about the future of Cincinnati, too. Our cover piece highlights immigrants who are creating and leading businesses and growing our economy. Demographically, much of our region’s growth is due to foreign-born immigrants choosing to make Cincinnati home. A story about Generation Z expands on a recent Chamber white paper about the workplace impact of that new cohort of young people.

Dream of Cincinnati’s future with us, will you? It’s a growing, thriving region where everyone belongs.

BRENDON CULL BCull@cincinnatichamber.com

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THE JUMP

MADTREE OPENS ITS SECOND AREA BREWPUB, PARKS & REC, AT BLUE ASH’S SUMMIT PARK.

Get a jump on news about housing expansion and new shops at Liberty Center and concentrated efforts to recruit mentors. And catch up on Huntington Bank’s multi-million-dollar investment in affordable housing and the new class of Great Living Cincinnatians.

New Census data continues to illustrate that our 15-county region is a driver of Ohio’s and Kentucky’s population growth. Hamilton County saw a net gain of 5,800 new residents last year, the highest increase in the region and the second highest in Ohio, along with substantial growth in Butler, Warren, Boone, and Kenton counties. International migration is the primary catalyst behind this surge, which highlights Cincinnati’s increasing global connectivity, enriches its cultural diversity, and offers potential for economic expansion and innovation.

Statistics provided by the Cincinnati Regional Chamber’s Center for Research & Data. OHIO’S HIGHEST-GROWTH COUNTIES

GROWTH BY CATEGORY

COUNTIES

MAD ABOUT PARKS & REC

MadTree Parks & Rec opened in Blue Ash’s Summit Park in February, the local company’s second brewpub. The family- and dog-friendly spot is promoting a “walk-in” vibe with comfy indoor and outdoor spaces and allowing only 25 percent of tables to be reserved ahead of time.

THE DAILY SHOW

Parks & Rec is open seven days a week, and its kitchen offers a full menu of pizzas, sandwiches, salads, and kids choices, plus all-day brunch. The menu is more extensive than MadTree’s original Taproom in Oakley, where brunch is served only on the weekends.

BEERS HERE

MadTree is Cincinnati’s third largest craft brewer (after Rhinegeist and Braxton), and Parks & Rec serves its Legendary Lager, Happy Amber, PsycHOPathy IPA, and other signature flavors alongside seasonal and specialty beers and the company’s Sway brand of vodka sodas.

B

THE CHANGE YOU WANT TO SEE

MadTree operates as a certified B Corp, which is a for-profit business that prioritizes positive community impact. It’s also a member of the 1% for the Planet movement, donating 1 percent of sales each year to Cincinnati area environmental nonprofits. MadTree pays its employees to work volunteer hours for those nonprofits.

EVENT SPACES

Parks & Rec has three on-site private event spaces, with the largest able to hold 280 standing guests. Cincinnati Magazine hosted its Best Restaurants event there in March. The other two spaces seat between 100 and 150 people.

ALL IN ON HOUSING

HUNTINGTON

BANK MARKET PRESIDENT STEVE MULLINGER GETS CREATIVE TO HELP CONSUMERS AFFORD MORTGAGES. —BILL THOMPSON

A“A roof over your head” is more than a cliché. It can be the defining description of a person’s life. If they don’t have one, the situation is dire. If they struggle to afford one, the anxiety level is high. Housing insecurity can sap anyone’s strength and spirit.

As home prices and rents continue to rise, uncertainty presents obstacles not only to residents but to the community as a whole. One program that’s provided some relief is Home for Good, an initiative by Huntington Bank that expands access to historically under-resourced mortgage applicants. Steve Mullinger, president of the bank’s Southern Ohio, Kentucky, and Indiana region, believes that home ownership is the best way for a person or family to build wealth, which in turn adds value to the community as a whole.

“Affordable housing to a middle-income person is different from to a low-income person, but it’s still an issue for their hopes and goals,” says Mullinger. “There are things we’ve been able to work with the mortgage rules that every bank has to follow. For example, we can allow a credit score lower than a conventional loan with an offset of potential grants or credit enhancements specific to first-time home buyers. Or we can set lower downpayments because that’s one of the hardest things buyers face.”

Saving funds for a home downpayment is difficult for many families, he says, “especially when you’re raising a couple of kids. Everyone has pressure on their money, and we’re trying to create programs that help alleviate the pressure so they reach their goal.”

At the same time that Huntington is trying to help buyers, it’s also investing billions of dollars with builders and community partners to provide more housing units. “We have built a good reputation in the three states,” says Mullinger. “We try to connect developers to communities where there is a need. We work on a

larger scale with partners like the Cincinnati Regional Chamber, REDI, the Port Authority, and the city of Cincinnati. Those organizations help attract companies here, and to do that you need a workforce. That workforce needs places to live.”

Counting its work through Home for Good and its community development division that helps increase housing inventory, Huntington is the largest Small Business Association lender in the Cincinnati region, according to Cincinnati Business Courier. It made more than 270 SBAbacked loans in 2024 for a total of almost $60 million.

If small business is the backbone of the American economy, Huntington is committed to strengthening that spine. The bank’s own local workforce is comprised of more than 700 employees who staff more that 50 locations. And, to paraphrase Mullinger, those folks need places to live.

“Affordable housing to a middle-income person is different from a low-income person, but it’s still an issue for their hopes and goals.”

GIVE US MORE LIBERTY

Liberty Center is adding luxury apartments and new-to-market brands, continuing its reimagination of the shopping mall.

–SARAH M. MULLINS

Liberty Center was envisioned as a premium retail center when it opened in 2015, but the concept has evolved with expanded residential options and a burst of newly-arriving national retailers. It’s no secret that brick-and-mortar retail, particularly shopping malls, continue to weather challenges competing with online conveniences and adjusting to post-pandemic consumer behavior that further reduces already declining foot traffic.

Five years ago, Coresight Research projected that 25 percent of U.S. malls would close by 2025. Since then, there’s been a rapid readjustment around the shopping mall concept. A later Coresight study revealed that store occupancy rates in 2022 bounced back, almost level with pre-pandemic occupancy levels.

Liberty Center—located on 64 acres off of I-75 in Liberty Township—is among those defying this decline by diversifying the property and adding living options so residents can live where they shop and dine. This trend is reshaping shopping-centric developments, creating a built-in customer base where people can live, work, shop, and dine in one general location.

Creating communities rather than mere shopping destinations is saving many malls. These lifestyle centers create activity throughout the day and evening, unlike retail-only spaces that are empty after business hours. A 24/7 environment ultimately improves safety, increases overall visibility, and creates more vibrant environments that are appealing to a variety of consumers.

Liberty Center residents have access to Elevate Office Suites co-working spaces and F45 Training, a workout facility. Then there are restaurants like The Cheesecake Factory, Agave and Rye, Starbucks, Graeter’s Ice Cream, and Columbus-based Northstar Cafe along with shopping and entertainment options including Dillard’s, H&M, Warby Parker, CMX Cinemas, and Funny Bone Comedy Club.

Liberty Center is adding to its tenant portfolio with new hospitality and residential options to add to the existing AC Hotel by Marriott and Liberty Flats Apartments at the Center.

The national Sweetgreen restaurant group makes its Cincinnati debut later this year, with plans to expand throughout Ohio. Sweetgreen has more than 240 stores focused on high-quality ingredients and prioritizes organic, regenerative, and local sourcing, with a mission to connect people to real food. (Read more about Sweetgreen in “An Influx of National Brands” on page 42.)

A long-awaited $76-million multi-family apartment project is set to begin construction at Liberty Center this year. The five-story building will add 264 luxury units to the corner of Gibson Street and Niederman Way.

Apollo Global Management secured $7.6 million in Transformational Mixed-Use Development (TMUD) tax credits, signaling confidence in the development’s new direction. The apartment building will take over a site currently occupied by a multi-tenant building slated for demolition.

MIAMI ALUMNI LEADING THE WAY

Celebrating the success of RedHawk-owned businesses

The John W. Altman Institute for Entrepreneurship at the Farmer School of Business created the RedHawk50 to identify, recognize, and celebrate the 50 fastest growing private companies around the world founded or led by former students of Miami University. The 2024 RedHawk50 winners create products and services that elevate society, solve problems in their industries, and make a positive impact in their communities.

CONGRATULATIONS TO OUR CINCINNATI-AREA HONOREES:

Eleeo Brands

Richard Palmer ’92, Co-Founder and CEO

Kruger and Hodges Attorneys at Law

Joshua Hodges ’11, Partner

FC Cincinnati

Jeff Berding ’91, President and Co-CEO

Manning Contracting, LLC

Suzy Manning ’07, President

Nic Manning ’06, General Manager

HOMEstretch

Derek Shewmon ’05, Co-Founder

INNAGO

David Spooner ’13, Co-Founder

Interlink Cloud Advisors

Matt Scherocman ’97, Co-Founder and CEO

Kinettix

Chad Mattix ’93, Founder and CEO

PowerApps911

Nicola Young Aschemeier ’03, CEO

Rooted Grounds Coffee

Dave Knopf ’90, Co-Founder and President

Patsy Knopf ’88, Co-Founder and CEO

Kris Chari ’92 , EVP

Verdant Commercial Capital, LLC

Mike Rooney ’78, Co-Founder andCEO

John Merritt ’85, Co-Founder and EVP

GET IN WHERE YOU FIT

A new mentoring collaborative envisions mentors for every young person.

–CARRIE BLACKMORE

Sonya Fultz wants to talk, CEO to CEO, about a new way to find your niche as a mentor in Cincinnati—and how that can be good for business. She leads Adopt A Class, the regional nonprofit that connects approximately 4,000 mentors with 12,000 youth at schools around the region each year, and her organization recently joined a new collaborative of about a dozen mentor-focused groups, called We Mentor Cincy, that aims to be a one-stop shop for individuals and groups looking for mentoring opportunities. Partner organizations include Big Brothers Big Sisters of Greater Cincinnati, Cincinnati Youth Collaborative, City Gospel Mission, and more.

“Whether it’s dipping your toe into mentoring through Adopt A Class, throwing ball with Saturday Hoops, or tutoring, we know where you can go,” says Fultz, a member of We Mentor Cincy’s leadership team. “We can help kids get matched up with adult mentors who are right where they want to be in the mentoring space.”

CEOs might also be interested in new research that Adopt A Class recently completed with the help of the University of Cincinnati, Fultz says. The research involved giving a long survey to 353 active Adopt A Class mentors, conducting qualitative individual interviews and focus groups to learn what the mentors had experienced, and how the experience impacted their lives, both personally and professionally. “We know the impact our mentors are having on children is profound,” says Fultz. “We wanted to learn

what positive impacts the experience had on mentors themselves and the organizations they represent.”

Mentors overwhelmingly said the experience gave them more confidence and led to professional growth and sometimes even career advancement. No matter what age or school they worked with, mentors reported learning new skills in leadership, communication, and project management and said they felt better connected with their colleagues. Responses showed that 81 percent reported increased pride in the company or organization that had sponsored the mento-

ring experience, 70 percent reported increased overall job satisfaction at work, and 87 percent left with a greater sense of social responsibility.

“We find that the more engaged you are the more likely you are to advocate for social issues for communities that do not mirror your own,” says head researcher Todd Foley. “The mentors become aware of the issues children are bringing to school that they shouldn’t have to bring to school.”

Young people are dealing with many challenges, from living in poverty to being exposed to gun violence, says Amy Thompson, president of Cincinnati Youth Collaborative, a leading organization in the new coalition. “Trusted adults in the lives of young people truly make a difference,” she says, noting that mentored youth are twice as likely to take on leadership roles and 78 percent more likely to become a volunteer later in life.

Thompson, Fultz, and other nonprofit leaders invite anyone interested in learning about mentoring to stop by the We Mentor Cincy Cook-Out June 21 at Daniel Drake Park in Kennedy Heights.

We Mentor Cincy held its inaugural summit meeting on February 28.

MAKING A BETTER PLACE

The new class of Great Living Cincinnatians shows leadership, vision, tenacity, and love of community.

—ELIZABETH

MILLER WOOD

Every year since 1967, the Cincinnati Regional Chamber has selected a new class of Great Living Cincinnatians on the basis of community service, business and civic attainment, leadership, awareness of others’ needs, and distinctive accomplishments that garnered attention to their community, institution or organization. Meet the 2025 honorees, with their selected remarks from the Chamber’s annual dinner on February 27.

James M. Anderson is a Yale undergraduate, a Vanderbilt Law School graduate, a Vietnam veteran, and a former attorney at Taft Law. He’d been a longstanding board member of Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center when he tapped as CEO in the early 1990s, leading the hospital’s rise from No. 10 in the nation in 1997 to No. 1 in 2023. “I’m certainly struck by the leadership that’s represented here tonight and the enormous capacity for good that you all have.And if I could leave you with a challenge,it would be to act on that good,to make the world a better place because you’re

here, to start before you’re ready. But, above all, start.”

Dolores J. Lindsay was a key leader in launching the Lincoln Heights Infirmary (later called The HealthCare Connection), which provides healthcare services to underserved populations. She later earned a master’s degree in public administration and led the organization to expand its services to Mt. Healthy, Forest Park, and the Princeton School District. She retired in 2020 after 53 years of public health care services. “Some of my best days have been spent building the service system that we now enjoy and that many of the people in the county do, because everyone deserves quality health care. There is no better legacy that anyone could ask for.”

Charles R. Scheper became the “accidental” mayor of Covington in 2011, where he reduced the budget by about $5 million and was instrumental in revitalizing the city’s business district. Today, he serves as board chair

at Covington-based Bexion. “When they told me about being named a Great Living Cincinnatian,I was speechless.I still can’t believe it, but I’m very thankful because maybe I’ve made a little bit of a difference in our community. After being diagnosed with Stage 4 cancer 33 years ago, I didn’t know if I would live 33 months. So the best part of the honor is the word ‘living.’ ”

Geraldine “Ginger” B. Warner has been a lifelong lover of the arts. A graduate of Cornell undergrad and NYU Law School, she became a successful lawyer when just 1 percent of practicing attorneys were women. She served and generously supported organizations such as the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra, Taft Museum of Art, Ensemble Theatre, and May Festival. As current chair of the Ohio Arts Council, she’s allocated arts funding to all 88 counties, up from just 53 when she joined. “ If Ohio is the heart of it all,certainly Cincinnati has it all. I have been truly blessed to have landed here in this city and make it my city.”

(From left) Ginger Warner, Charles Scheper, Dolores Lindsay, and James Anderson

THE CURTAIN IS RISING

Support the local arts community as it takes the stage this fall and reach an engaged, affluent audience.

Immigrants Propel

THE FACES OF GROWTH

(From left)

Qorinah Wardhani, Manny Addo, and Michelle Morales photographed on March 6, 2025.

the Local Economy

HOW FOREIGN-BORN BUSINESS OWNERS ARE HELPING CINCINNATI GROW AND PROSPER, AND WHAT THE REGION CAN DO TO ATTRACT MORE.

BY DAVID HOLTHAUS

PHOTOGRAPHS BY JON MEDINA

Immigration has been a hot-button political issue for years, but the heat surrounding the topic obscures the fact that this nation and its individual communities are reliant on foreign-born people for growth, for healthy economies, for jobs, and for culture. Cincinnati, for example, reversed decades of population decline in the last U.S. Census in 2020, growing 4.2 percent—and nearly all of the growth came from immigrants moving into the city.

According to New American

Cincinnati Compass, which works to advance the inclusion of immigrants and refugees across the region.

Immigrants here are more likely to be of prime working age (between 25 and 54, which means they have slightly higher median household incomes than American-born residents) and are more likely to be married and employed, according the Cincinnati USA Regional Chamber’s Center for Research and Data.

Although international migration is critical to Cincinnati’s regional growth, the region still lags faster-growing peer cities such as Nashville and Charlotte in immigrant population, according to the center’s research. “To be a choice destination for talent and innovation, we have to attract global talent,” Wright says. “If people come here, they want to see themselves reflected in the cultural offerings.”

THE MORE THE MERRIER

Economy, a bipartisan research organization, Cincinnati’s suburbs and rural communities also depend on immigrants as the Baby Boomer workforce retires and economic growth demands additional workers. “It’s no secret that immigrants are driving population growth,” says Bryan Wright, executive director of

Foreign-born residents promote vibrant communities, jump-start local economies, pay taxes, create jobs, start businesses, and support key industries. In interviews, immigrants almost invariably describe their pursuit of what’s known as the American Dream: seeking opportunity, building a better life for their families, and contributing to their communities.

With that in mind, here are the

stories of a half-dozen successful business leaders who came to the region from other countries.

FROM COCKTAIL CHATTER TO A MAJOR FESTIVAL

FANS OF THE ASIAN Food Fest, the annual celebration of Asian culture and food that drew more than 100,000 people last year, can thank Qorinah Wardhani and her friends. When she was in high school, a visit to the Columbus Asian Festival stayed with her as, years later at a young professionals happy hour in Cincinnati, the group discussed ways to network and create a welcoming scene for Asian Americans here. She and her peers started the Asian Food Fest in 2012 as a small event, “basically a picnic,” she says, with a handful of vendors at the Kolping Center in Springfield Township.

It’s since blossomed into a twoday festival downtown where attendees can experience Asian culture through cuisine, dance, music, special performances, and contests. Dozens of vendors offer Asian cuisines, and an entertainment lineup features a variety of Asian ethnicities, cultures, and genres, including rock bands, traditional dances, drummers, students, and opera singers.

“It was kind of a bunch of friends to now we’re an organized team and a registered not-for-profit,” says Wardhani. Festival sponsors include some of Cincinnati’s biggest companies, including Kroger Co., Procter & Gamble, and Fifth Third Bank.

Wardhani came to the U.S. at age 11 from the island of Sumatra in Indonesia, a nation composed of thousands of islands and 275 million peo-

Qorinah Wardhani (left) and Asian Food Fest colleagues manage an event that grows every year.

ple. Her father, a university professor, was studying for a doctorate degree in the U.S. and had planned to return to his university role in Indonesia, but he and his wife saw the prospect of a better life in the U.S. “My parents decided that even if he finished schooling and we went back to Indonesia, our options and opportunities were still limited,” says Wardhani.

Her father quit his Indonesian post, and Wardhani, her mother, and two younger siblings joined him in Starkville, Mississippi, home of Mississippi State University. Only two other Indonesian families lived there, and they followed one to Lexington, where Wardhani attended the University of Kentucky.

Her father’s Indonesian university credentials didn’t transfer to the U.S., so her parents took restaurant jobs to earn money. The restaurant owners eventually sponsored their permanent residency in the U.S. Wardhani graduated with a degree in accounting and economics and landed a job in the Cincinnati office of Deloitte. She’s worked for Fifth Third in its enterprise data unit since 2021.

Coming to the U.S. as a preteen and leaving her friends behind was a culture shock, Wardhani says. “I didn’t understand U.S. culture,” she says. “I didn’t even understand English.” She studied English as a second language

in school and three years later was speaking the language.

The growth of the Asian Food Fest from an idea tossed around at a happy hour to one of Cincinnati’s largest festivals reflects well on the region, she says. “It signals that we have a healthy community. It’s created more space for people to live and stay here. People are wanting to raise families here and stay after they come for school because they see an investment in the community and the people in the community.”

SHARING ONE OF GHANA’S TOP EXPORTS

THE WEST AFRICAN

nation of Ghana is one of the world’s poorest countries. To Manny Addo, arriving in New York City from there about 25 years ago, even homeless Americans looked relatively well off. “In Ghana, among my friends, we have a saying that goes, New York is one mile away from heaven. We thought the streets were paved with gold.”

With that image in mind, the first time he was panhandled in New York, he rushed to tell his cousins. “Guys, there’s a white guy under a tree who asked me for a quarter,” he recalls telling them in disbelief. His cousins, who had been in the U.S. for a while,

were amused but explained that the man was likely homeless. “It was the first time I saw a homeless person with gym shoes on,” Addo says. “He had a pair of jeans and a dog! So that was my first cultural shock in this country.”

Addo had known poverty himself, arriving in the U.S. with only a few hundred dollars to his name. He’d been accepted to the MBA program at Xavier University and made it to Cincinnati by bus, arriving at 3 a.m. without knowing anyone. He found a hotel, but it was too expensive for him, so he located a space in a rooming house, sleeping on the floor and leaving early in the mornings to dodge a landlord looking for rent. He earned his master’s degree and went to work as a financial analyst for GE, Fifth Third Bank, JP Morgan, and others.

One day, while talking to a fellow Ghanaian, the friend offered him a sample of one of Ghana’s main exports, shea butter. “I went online and Googled: What is the market size of shea butter in the United States? And that’s when the light went on in my head.”

Addo founded Natural Shea Care in his basement in 2016, sourcing the product from Ghana. He spent nights, weekends, holidays, and vacations whipping and packaging shea butter, launching a word-of-mouth marketing campaign and selling the product at churches, festivals, flea markets, and picnics in the Cincinnati and Colum-

MAN WITH A PLAN

Manny Addo has launched a line of shea butter products and travels back to Ghana as often as he can.

“THERE ARE PEOPLE HERE WILLING TO LISTEN TO A GUY FROM NIGERIA DOING MECHANICAL WORK FOR THEM AND GIVE THAT GUY AN OPPORTUNITY.”

bus regions.

His main product, True Shea, is now available in Kroger stores, Target, Amazon, and later this year in Safeway stores. The product will be available in 3,000 stores by the end of this year, he says.

Addo gives back to his native country. After high school, as part of a national service program, he was sent to one of the most remote villages in the country to teach. Some of the children walked miles each day to fetch drinking water. He made a promise to help the village if he ever made it to the U.S. and has since financed a clean drinking water well there and recently returned to help build a second one.

“Having a good immigrant environment here is just good for everybody,” says Addo.

BRAVING OHIO WINTERS TO GIVE BACK

AHISTORIC STORM

struck the Ohio Valley in December 2004, lasting more than 24 hours and dropping 20 inches or more of snow around the region. Chukwuma “Chuma” Ekwueme had just arrived in Cincinnati from the African nation of Nigeria, where the winters are dry and the temperature can be a balmy 85 degrees.

“This is a guy who had never seen snow,” he says. “I was freezing so bad I couldn’t believe it.” He began to think that perhaps he’d made a mistake leaving his home country. “I kept asking myself, What am I doing? This is ridiculous.”

Despite that harsh introduction to Ohio winters, Ekwueme stuck it out, eventually starting a commercial heating, ventilating, and air conditioning company, Sure Mechanical. The company has contributed to several major, high-profile construction projects and

WARMING UP

Chuma Ekwueme (left) and Michelle Morales (opposite page).

recently more than doubled its size with an acquisition.

With a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering, Ekwueme arrived here on an H1-B visa to work for his uncle, Evans Nwankwo, himself a Nigerian native who started Megen Construction in Cincinnati in 1993. Chuma worked for Megen, a full-service construction management firm, for five years while also earning a master’s degree in engineering from University of Cincinnati. In 2010, he launched his company with one employee. “Watching my uncle do his own business, I knew that’s what I wanted,” he says.

Ekwueme had worked in in industrial heating and cooling in Nigeria, and his new company soon landed its first job with The Christ Hospital Health Network. That was the start of several projects in the health care sector at St. Elizabeth Healthcare, Cincinnati Children’s Hospital, and UC Health. Sure Mechanical has also worked on 3CDC’s 15th and Vine mixed-use project in Over-the-Rhine; Cincinnati Shakespeare Company’s new theater, which opened in Overthe-Rhine in 2017; and the University of Cincinnati’s Digital Futures Building. It’s currently helping renovate the former Saks Fifth Avenue building downtown.

The company makes its headquarters on Beekman Street in South Cumminsville, a U.S. Small Business Administration Historically Underutilized Business Zone, or HUBZone. It employs about 55 people, with annual sales of more than $13 million.

The firm has grown organically since beginning but late last year made a transformative acquisition, purchasing Cincinnati Air Conditioning Co., an 86-year-old fami-

ly-owned company. The acquisition will more than double the number of employees and annual revenue at Sure Mechanical, Ekwueme says.

From those early days of wintry doubt, he’s embraced Cincinnati. “The family-centric nature of Cincinnati is one of the keys to our success,” he says. “There are people willing to listen to a guy from Nigeria doing mechanical work for them and give that guy an opportunity. I don’t know of many cities where you can find that story.”

Ekwueme serves on the board of DePaul Cristo Rey High School and volunteers at UC’s College of Engineering and Applied Science. He has a vision to give back to Cincinnati’s underserved community. “My goal is to open up a training school for young HVAC technicians and installers that

route, and train hundreds of kids. That would be my legacy.”

LAUNCHING ONE OF THE REGION’S FASTEST-GROWING COMPANIES

Aat a major Cincinnati company, she moved here, planning to keep her job and work remotely. But the entrepreneurship bug bit her. “Let me see if I can do this on my own and maybe partner with you guys on opportunities,” she told her California colleagues. And so in 2014 she started Liona Enterprises, a turnkey IT provider handling systems design, equipment purchases, and maintenance as well as staffing support. Her former employer was her first customer.

The startup became one of the region’s fastest growing companies, with revenue jumping from less than $500,000 in 2016 to about $20 million today. In 2020, the company made the Inc. 5000 list of the nation’s fastest-growing companies. The downtown-based firm employs about 60 people and works for local, state, and federal agencies, recently winning a contract with the state of Texas. Liona was recently named a small-business partner for Paycor, opening up opportunities to work with that $650-million company’s clients.

will be open to people to come in tuition-free,” he says. “Give them training in a trade right in the city on a bus

T THE AGE OF 15, MIchelle Morales left her home in the Philippines, said a tearful good-bye at the airport to her best friend, and, with her mother and father, flew to the U.S. The family joined relatives who entered the country on visas to work as engineers and accountants. Morales studied business, management, and information technology at California colleges and joined a tech firm that designs, builds, and maintains IT systems for businesses, schools, hospitals, and government agencies.

She got married, and, when her husband took a high-ranking job

Morales’s family made the decision to leave their home country and come to the U.S. because they saw a better future here, she says. “It really afforded them the opportunity to become economic contributors and plan for a better future for their families and their kids.”

The economic vibrancy of the U.S. spurred Morales to start a business and was essential to its success.

TAKEAWAYS

IMMIGRANTS PROMOTE GROWTH

Cincinnati reversed decades of population decline by growing 4.2 percent in the 2020 Census, and nearly all of it came from immigrants moving into the city. Immigrants here are more likely than the general population to be married and employed.

INVESTING IN THE COMMUNITY

Opportunities abound here for immigrants to launch businesses and festivals, which reflects well on the region. “It signals that we have a healthy community,” says Qorinah Wardhani. “People are wanting to raise families here and stay after they come for school because they see an investment in the people in the community.”

WIRED TO ACHIEVE THEIR DREAMS

The vibrant U.S. economy spurs many immigrants to start businesses here. “If I had stayed in the Philippines, I’m sure I would have received a good education,” says Michelle Morales. “But this country is wired to incentivize highly motivated people to go a step further and try to achieve their dreams.”

“If I had stayed in the Philippines, I’m sure I would have received a good education,” she says. “But would I have had the opportunity to own a business? Probably not. This country is wired to incentivize highly motivated people to go a step further and try to achieve their dreams.”

The best friend she left behind in the Philippines as a teenager must have felt the same way. She reunited with Morales in the U.S. and is now a physician in Chicago.

CHASING HER DREAM, PURSUING HER CALLING

WHEN MOUNA KONATE WAS 4 years old, her father made the difficult decision to leave his family to seek opportunity in the U.S. He taught high school German in their home country of Mali in West Africa, but the former French colony’s future was uncertain. “Things were not going well in Mali with the government, teachers weren’t getting paid, and the pay was not great,” she says. “They were going three or four months waiting for their salary.”

Her father heard of a program that enabled educated professionals to learn English and study for graduate degrees in the U.S. He was accepted, learned the language, and enrolled in a master’s program at University of Southern California. That led to a job with the U.S. Agency for International Development and a return to Mali, which enabled him to buy a modest home and bring stability to the family. “It changed our lives,” says Konate.

His experience was so profound that he offered his daughter the opportunity to attend college in the U.S. Based on a family friend’s recommendation, she chose Michigan, enrolling at a community college in Lansing and then Central Michigan University. That led to marriage and moves to Ohio and Northern Kentucky, where she worked for Gap Inc. and then Amazon, rising to middle management. After years of ascending through the corporate ranks, Konate felt called to pursue her passion: working with children.

“People always tell me how patient I am with kids, and my friends tell me that their own kids always want to have a conversation with me,” she says. “I love to see them develop. It’s just

amazing to me.”

After much thought and prayer, about two years ago Konate began laying the groundwork to open a daycare center, getting the necessary credentials, learning about the economics of owning a small business, and working with a Realtor to find a location, putting the project management skills she employed at Amazon to work on her passion project. She prepared herself to go without income for a year while she worked through the process.

In December 2024, Konate opened JJ’s Playhouse Child Care and Learning Center in Hebron, named after her father, Jacob, and her father-in-law, John. The center provides day care, before- and after-school care, and full-time child care for children six weeks old to age 5. “I want every kid to feel welcome,” she says. “Kids are kids, and they need to be loved regardless of what’s going on at home.”

Konate hopes her success in the corporate world and as an entrepreneur is a model for others. “It’s important for other immigrants to see, Oh, she’s been able to do this, so I can do it too. I can do something great. I can go after my dream.”

IMPORTING THE FLAVOR OF MEXICO

ORIGINALLY FROM THE state of Guanajuato, 200 miles northwest of Mexico City, Diana Jaime and her sisters made their way to Cincinnati via Minnesota and Chicago, eventually launching the popular, growing family-owned restaurant chain Mi Cozumel. They discovered Cincinnati by visiting a friend of their mother’s and

decided to move here from Chicago.

Jaime’s sister, Liliana, opened the first Mi Cozumel in Tri-County Mall in 2018. With its colorful wall murals depicting life in Mexico, the glassware and plates made by artisans in Mexico, 40 different kinds of margaritas, and tables and chairs made from tequila barrels, the restaurant quickly became a destination. “We are completely different,” says Jaime, the company’s operations manager and marketing director. “We offer a whole experience. At the beginning, we were a little afraid that this would be a little bit too much for people, but we said, Let’s try it, let’s see what happens, let’s get crazy about it.”

The crazy worked. COVID’s emergence in early 2020 created tough times for many restaurants, as business changed dramatically almost overnight. The Mi Cozumel team saw an opportunity when the state permitted sales of to-go alcohol. “That was a game changer,” Jaime says. “We thought, This is a very tough time where we all are feeling isolated, alone, away from our families, what if we made it fun?” They served to-go margaritas in colorful, themed cups, with customers choosing from a vari-

ety of drink colors and designs. “You were able to pick four or five, even 10 flavors, and suddenly we had a twohour line outside of the restaurant waiting for our drinks,” she says.

With word spreading about the lively new restaurant, Mi Cozumel opened a second location in Finneytown in 2021. Jaime and her sisters and family traveled to Mexico searching for ideas. “We tried to put together a menu where we integrate flavors but at the same time teach the community about our culture,” she says. “Our promise was that whenever you enter our restaurant you’re immersed in this world where you’re in Mexico. This is color. This is life. This is dancing. This is singing. This is feeling alive.”

Two more locations followed in Oakley and in Lebanon, and the family has continued to invest in expanding the business. Four more restauarants are on the way: downtown across from Fountain Square as well as in Kenwood, Florence, and Dayton, Ohio.

Jaime says the business philosophy remains simple. “We work hard, and we want to create a good community and good opportunities.”

LEADING BY EXAMPLE

Mouna Konate (opposite page) and sisters Diana and Liliana Jaime hope they inspire other immigrants to open businesses and succeed.

Gen Z Makes Its Mark at Work

THE NEWEST GENERATION IS LOOKING FOR EMPLOYERS WHO SHARE THEIR VALUES.

BY JOHN STOWELL

It seems to happen as each generation enters the workplace. Workplace culture shifts as the trends, styles, preferences, and identities of a new generation begin to meld with those of previous generations. Stereotypes abound. Many of us remember the famous clashes between Baby Boomers and Generation Xers. Still others recall what it was like to have Millennials enter the work force, quickly dominating the office by the sheer size of the cohort. And now, as Generation Z moves into cubes and pops in their AirPods to take a call, employers are looking at ways to create welcoming environments for a new generation who might see things a little differently.

Baby Boomers (born 1946-1964) were largely raised by parents who survived the Great Depression and World War II and made up the largest cohort of workers in America for several decades. Generation X (born 1965-80) first came to life in the workplace defined as “slackers” and, though a small generational cohort by number, turned into a powerful force in entrepreneurship and tech.

Millennials (born 1981-96) had formative experiences during their lives that

included times of great strife, 9/11, the Columbine school shooting, technological change, and a dramatic recession.

And now it’s Generation Z (born 19972012), its oldest members now just 28 years old, taking a desk and chair at cubicles all over the U.S. Or perhaps it’s in bedrooms, living rooms, and coffee shops. In the contemporary business world, the workplace can be virtually any hot spot where a laptop or cellphone finds a signal. The most diverse generation by far, this group of digital natives will be the largest group in the workplace by 2035, according to a recent Glassdoor forecast.

Gen Z has never known an analog world. Early memories may include watching their parents check messages every five minutes on their Blackberry, watching The Princess Diaries on Blu-ray, or running home from school to play Call of Duty on their Xbox or PlayStation.

“This generation is digitally native,” says Amy Reddy, a human resource professional with 25 years of experience; she most recently served as vice president of talent at Merus, formerly known as Al. Neyer. “They’re used to having information at their fingertips and getting it fast, even more so now with AI.”

By population, Gen Z is already the second largest generation in the Cincinnati region—but just over half is college-age or older. That means the effects of this generation in the workplace are still being felt and will be for some time as they take their first jobs.

WHILE EACH GENERA-

tion has had its touchpoints that collectively impact individuals’ thinking, the lack of alignment with—or understanding of—Gen Z could stem from the fact that in their formative years they lived through a period no other generation has experienced: isolation.

The global COVID pandemic hit Gen Z at critical moments in their developing lives. As teenagers, their social development was interrupted as schools closed, hang-outs shuttered, and streets emptied. School was on a screen, and often the Zoom squares were black. Date night was on a laptop. Proms were cancelled. Diplomas were mailed. When these kids were finally let out of the house, they were masked and socially distanced.

No wonder, in emerging from the COVID world, Gen Z had adapted to its

forced solitude and questioned why they needed to work in a cubicle surrounded by their colleagues. Millennial and Gen X managers, on the other hand, wondered if this generation seemed to lack the “soft skills” that make the corporate world function. Why doesn’t that kid look me in the eye when he talks? Why can’t he write a simple email? Why does she resist coming to the office?

Julie Bauke has been in the human resources business for 45 years, heading up personnel departments from Lee Hecht Harrison and The Midland Company to running her own career coaching firm, The Bauke Group, for the last 18 years. You can hear her on WLW Radio every Wednesday morning dispensing career advice in a direct and often humorous manner.

“Old-school managers often have the attitude, Look, you’ll do what I say and I can smack you whenever I want, but just remember we have a door that’s open and a line outside waiting to take your place,” she says, which is a shortsighted view of the world today. “They forget it’s Gen Z that’s growing in the workforce, bringing in new ideas and energy. They’re going to be attracted to companies that share their values

“IT’S IMPORTANT FOR MANAGERS TO RECOGNIZE THAT GEN Z WORKERS POSSESS DESIRABLE SKILLSETS AND VALUES, AND IT’S ON US TO SUPPORT THEM AND BRING THE BEST OUT,” SAYS SEAN COMER.

and provide amenities they want.”

Each new generation has sought new ways of work and, with it, new benefits and perks. Experience with Gen Z tells some HR leaders that

what these workers want isn’t just a hybrid work schedule, Bauke notes. Gen Zers desire a more generous PTO package, “self-care” days, gym memberships, mental healthcare options, student loan relief programs, fertility and adoption benefits, onsite daycare, and even company-paid pet care. Basically, she says, Gen Z views perks as a pathway to the ever-elusive search for a perfect work/life balance.

It’s not that every Gen Z job applicant demands any or all of these amenities, Bauke says, but employers need to be aware that this is becoming the price of successfully attracting the best and brightest in the annual Gen Z draft. “Companies who elect not to deal with this

demand are either stupid or lazy,” she warns, “and they’ll lose out to their competitors who aren’t.”

ALOT OF GEN ZERS, Reddy and Bauke agree, remember their parents coming home from work tired and sometimes grumpy with little gas left in the tank for them. “Their Blackberry might go off and interrupt a conversation that’s then lost,” Bauke says. “Gen Z is saying, That’s not going to happen to me.”

And, to some, it wasn’t even a lost conversation. It was a lost job. Most Gen Zers in today’s workforce were pre-teens when the bubble burst, and many had family members struggle during the Great Recession. A similar experience impacted Generation Xers, who also grew up during eco-

nomic downturns and amidst changes to retirement plans and the U.S. manufacturing economy.

Hence, the “this is a job not a career” attitude that defines Gen Z’s attitude—at least right now. Bauke and Reddy note that the “right now” is an important qualifier.

Bauke recently contracted with a Fortune 500 company to gather a focus group of 45 of that firm’s defined high-potential employees. When asked about their desire to manage people, only three of the 45 responded affirmatively. Unlike incumbent leadership at most companies, she says, Gen Z doesn’t equate management as a prerequisite to career advancement.

But, she emphasizes, it’s not laziness—it’s life. “One of the high-potential employees was a guy who had five kids under the age of 6 and said he didn’t want the responsibility of managing people or dealing with the company bureaucracy,” she recalls, “and I said to him, Why? You’re already managing a lot of people who don’t listen to a word you say. Can’t I change your answer to ‘not right now?’ You know, you can manage your life in chapters.”

Indeed, painting Gen Z—or any generation—with broad brush strokes is unfair. And Zers know it. A recent survey from Intelligent. com found four out of five Gen Z workers said generational stereotypes have negatively impacted their careers. They fear the stereotyping has stunted their career growth, negatively impacted interaction with their colleagues, and stressed them out as they’ve tried to prove themselves.

“I do think the lack of alignment between this generation and leadership is very broad, and it’s a problem,” Reddy acknowledges. “It’s on

employers to be interested and engaged in finding that alignment by reviewing their policies, processes, and how they encourage people to grow. It can mean putting on a different lens when you work with the Gen Z employee.”

Gen Zers, Reddy notes, are especially value-driven and more socially conscious—traits that, while admirable, can be off-putting to some in management who prefer anything political scrubbed from the work environment. It’s critical, she says, for leadership to understand where Gen Z is coming from and build awareness throughout their organization.

The Cincinnati Chamber published a report in October, Gen Z in the Workforce in the Cincinnati Region, that combined research, focus groups, and data to build out a fuller picture of the generation’s strengths and challenges. Sean Comer, vice president of the Chamber’s Leadership Center, says Gen Z is known for being ambitious and hard-working while desiring a welcoming and vibrant in-person work culture.

“Based on the report, my team teaching, and the young people I interact with every day in my job, Gen Z wants feedback and responsibility, but they’ve also grown up in an era of instant access and unlimited information,” says Comer. “It’s important for managers to recognize that they possess so many desirable skillsets and values, and it’s on us as managers to support them and bring the best out.”

Gen Z values inclusivity and wants to work for an employer that shares those same values, Reddy notes. “It’s something an employer can do without making too many changes.”

Spencer de Tenley, a senior at Xavier University who will graduate

in May with degrees in mathematics and digital media, says one of the reasons he accepted a job with Epic Systems is its commitment to marginalized employee communities.

“The CEO is a woman who started the company about 30 years ago, and they just seem very progressive, which is really important to me,” he says of the healthcare software company based in Verona, Wisconsin.

Similarly, Savanna Riley, another Xavier senior who is double majoring in finance and accounting, is joining Cincinnati-based Blue & Co. LLC after graduation because she knows from the internship she did there last year that “there are several like-minded people in the company who also care about social injustice in the community.”

Accounting is about statistics, and Riley notes that around 50 percent of today’s accountants will be retiring within the next 10 years. “So I understand that some of the older people in the profession today may not have as many connections with marginalized communities than I’ve had, based on my experience at school and with various family members,” she says. “I certainly would like to bring awareness going forward.”

GEN Z BRINGS A MODern perspective to the table, says Bauke, based on their unique experiences growing up in a world where digital connectivity has brought previously disconnected communities together even as individuals within those communities may have fewer “soft business skills” than their bosses.

According to a June 2024 survey by SHRM, the world’s largest human resources company, just a third of more than 1,200 HR executives

ALONE TOGETHER

HR executive Amy Reddy says each generation has had its touchpoints that collectively impact their thinking, but Gen Z’s is truly unique: isolation thanks to the pandemic.

TAKEAWAYS

DIGITAL NATIVES

The oldest members of Generation Z are now just 28 years old, taking a desk and chair at cubicles all over the U.S. or perhaps in bedrooms, living rooms, and coffee shops. This is the generation that’s never known an analog world but are digital natives.

DON’T BE SHORTSIGHTED

“Take it or leave” approaches to office work and two weeks of vacation may be a feel-good message for an old-school manager, says HR consultant Julie Bauke, but it’s a shortsighted view of the world today. “They forget Gen Z is growing in the workforce, bringing in new ideas and energy, and are going to be attracted to companies that share their values.”

Z IS RESOURCEFUL

The working relationship between Baby Boomers and Gen Zers requires patience from all involved, says Amy Reddy. “This generation is resourceful. Their digital-native background is an attribute to building a career, and it’s going to be a help, not a hindrance. Be a collaborative problem-solver.”

questioned say Gen Z has the necessary social skills to perform effectively. The complaints range from poor communication and time management skills to the inability to handle conflict management and perform effectively in team situations. Interestingly, more than half of the Gen Z employees asked the same set of questions believe their soft skills were just fine.

“What’s missing in the Gen Zers is what’s always missing with new workers, wisdom and experience,” says Bauke. “They maybe lack the perceived interpersonal skills and business etiquette now, sure, but that will change over time.”

Some companies want to speed up that process. Major accounting firms like PwC, Deloitte, and KPMG, for example, offer their young workers specific workplace training seminars. Some colleges, like Michigan State University, have built an undergraduate class and post-graduation curriculum around teaching students how to function effectively in the workplace.

That’s critical, says Martin Boehm, executive vice president and dean of undergraduate programs at Hult International Business School in Boston. He worries that college curricula have fallen behind the current workplace order. “In many cases it’s a gap between theory and practice,” he says. “You must have a feel for how quickly businesses move and address it by making sure students have the skills and mindsets to deal with such change.”

Business may be catching on. A 2024 report prepared by Intelligent. com said 73 percent of surveyed companies plan to offer training that could help turn around this per-

ception by the end of 2025. Topics include appropriate business attire, professional writing, learning from constructive criticism, small talk skills, phone etiquette, and how to maintain eye contact.

Etiquette classes, however, don’t teach you how to stay or when to leave. This generation’s mobility, highlighted by the “quiet quitting” post-COVID revolution, has spooked many employers. Hult International Business School, in a survey of hir-

“I LOVE GEN Z AND I’M VERY OPTIMISTIC ABOUT THEM,” SAYS JULIE BAUKE. “I THINK THEY’LL RUN THEIR WORKPLACES MUCH DIFFERENTLY IN THE FUTURE WHEN THEY GET TO BE THE BOSSES.”

ing managers, found that onboarding a new college graduate takes four to six months and costs at least $4,500 more than hiring an experienced employee.

That’s worth it, business leaders may say, if the graduate stays. But will they?

“The average Gen Z employee is probably going to have 12 different careers,” Reddy says, noting it’s not necessarily a negative. “I’m a big believer in developing skills rather than a specific job path within a company, exposing the employee to a lot of paths they can take.”

Reddy says employers will have a better chance of keeping their Gen Zers if they offer continuous development opportunities, expose them to the full breadth of the company, and show empathy and care for them as people. That includes mentorships, travel opportunities, off-site work opportunities, and benefits related to mental health.

“It’s a real thing,” Reddy says of the need for companies to address mental health issues such as depression. “This generation is comfortable talking about it, and that can be diffi-

cult for leadership to understand. But an employer has to listen, put all the issues on the table, and offer more wellbeing benefits as well as creating healthy workplace habits.”

One day these Gen Zers—now comprising nearly 30 percent of the American workforce—will be the bosses. As with every generation before it, they’ll shape how business operates. They’ll drive the technology, the office environment (if there is an actual office), and push innovation that either leads or falls behind the rest of the world. And they’ll probably

complain about the work habits of the following generations.

“In a lot of ways, I love Gen Z and I’m very optimistic about them,” says Bauke. “I think they’ll run their workplaces much differently. They’ll still be held to productivity standards and will be accountable just as they are now.”

Gen Z workers today are more transparent, and successful companies are already recognizing that personality trait. As leaders, says Bauke, they’ll insist on authenticity, openness, and a closer bond with their employees.

The Chamber has been hearing from business leaders who want to learn more about Gen Z and will train them as leaders in the years to come. “We know that if our region is going to grow, we need to ensure that we both attract and retain young people,” says Comer. “The better we understand them, the better our chances of growing a thriving region.”

In response, says Reddy, Gen Zers need to keep an open mind and work hard to disprove the bad rap their generation is enduring. “Prove you have a work ethic by showing up on time every day,” she advises. “Show you’re reliable and can be trusted. Develop patience and polish your communication skills. Take time to self-reflect and take criticism in the spirit it’s given.”

And for the Boomers, Xers, and Millennials who struggle with their young employee? Be open-minded.

“Patience is a two-way street,” says Reddy. “This generation is resourceful. Their digital-native background is an attribute to building a career, and it’s going to be a help, not a hindrance. Be a collaborative problem-solver and, when you’re asked why things are done the way they’re done, use that as an opportunity to think about your answer.”

LIFE-LONG LEARNING

Career coaching executive

Julie Bauke says the average Gen Z employee will have as many as 12 different careers, so “I’m a big believer in developing skills rather than a specific job path with a company.”

Housing Starts Bloom Around UC

RISING HOUSING DEMAND IS DRIVEN BY THE UNIVERSITY OF CINCINNATI’S BOOMING ENROLLMENT.

BY SARAH M. MULLINS

It’s no secret that the Cincinnati region is experiencing a housing boom that corresponds to skyrocketing demand. According to an October 2024 report at Realtor.com, the region saw a 4.2 percent increase in rent costs year over year, more than any other major metro area in the country; at the same time, those rent increases are 14 percent less than the national average. Housing demand remains particularly strong in neighborhoods surrounding major employers, with the Clifton Heights and Corryville areas near the University of Cincinnati, UC Health, and Cincinnati Children’s Hospital seeing rapid development in response. Stress on the rental market was illuminated in fall 2023 when the university faced a housing shortage after record enrollment of 50,500 students outpaced available campus beds. The enrollment increases have continued, with UC seeing a 4.5 percent increase in new students for the 2024-2025 academic year and a total student body of 53,235.

The university recently renovated on-campus dorm complexes at Calhoun Hall and Siddall Hall

and has broken ground on a new $275-million off-campus, UC-managed apartment development project at Calhoun, East McMillan, and Vine streets. The construction on a formerly empty lot will provide suite-style housing for 1,300 students across four state-of-the-art buildings set to open in fall 2027.

“The new housing complex revitalizes a prominent gateway to both the UC campus and the Clifton Heights neighborhood and business community,” says Carl Dieso, assistant vice president for UC Housing. “The university is dedicated to providing students with a variety of price points and flexible housing experiences, and the project aligns with UC’s long-standing approach of continuous improvement in the living-learning experience for students.”

The Clifton Heights Community Urban Redevelopment Corporation (CHCURC) is partnering on the project. CHCURC Director Matt Bourgeois says student housing is driving an overwhelming amount of private investment in housing projects around campus. “It’s a direct response to the growth UC has seen and is projecting,” he says. Beyond the living spaces, CHCURC encourages developers to consider the neighborhood’s urban nature to ensure they’re incorporating in-demand elements such as structured parking in lieu of surface lots and incorporating ground-floor retail spaces to help create a vibrant, walkable community.

Parking is a significant challenge in the Clifton Heights and Corryville area, a concern that has non-student residents and businesses worried for new apartment buildings with high tenant volumes. In 2019, community organizations including CHCURC, the Clifton Heights-Uni-

versity Heights Fairview Neighborhood Association (CUFNA), and Clifton Heights Business Association (CHBA) hired a consultant to conduct a parking and transportation study. Findings from the report revealed a series of compounding parking challenges: Many homes in the area lack garages or driveways, forcing residents to rely on limited street parking; and while parking structures exist, residents generally avoid them, noting that they’re costly alternatives and inconvenient.

“Parking is an unavoidable issue we regularly grapple with, but we have to admit there’s realistically no way to build yourself out of the problem,” says Bourgeois. “It’s simply too expensive and isn’t the highest and best use of available land.”

Bourgeois notes that the neighborhoods around UC were almost entirely built up before the dawn of the automobile, and there isn’t an abundance of off-street parking today. “Pair that up with the fact that in the 1960s through ’90s UC was very much a commuter school,” he says. “As that image changed and students started living closer to campus, they brought their cars and the problem worsened. We’re grappling with that evolution.”

CHCURC views alternative transportation as the best way to alleviate parking issues in addition to structuring neighborhood development so amenities exist within walking distance. Public transportation infrastructure will improve with Metro’s new Bus Rapid Transit program launching in fall 2027 and summer

2028, with both of the pilot routes using Vine Street from downtown and then Jefferson Avenue adjacent to campus until splitting to travel up Hamilton Avenue and Reading Road corridors. Bourgeois says the routes go a long way toward solving parking problems by giving students and neighborhood residents reliable, frequent, and cheap access to the rest of the city and the region.

Parking concerns represent just one aspect of infrastructure challenges that are typical for rapidly developing areas. The city of Cincinnati is investing $1.1 million to address infrastructure concerns by improving streets and sidewalks in Corryville. The project aims to slow traffic and enhance pedestrian safety near the intersections of William Howard Taft, Auburn Avenue, and McMillan Street at one of the newest student housing projects, The Point.

The Corryville Community Development Corporation will oversee the streetscape and pedestrian improvement project, funded through a

UC ITSELF JOINS THE FUN

UC Housing has broken ground across from campus (opposite page) on a four-building suite-style housing complex (above) for up to 1,300 students.

ALREADY OPEN

tax-increment financing district that redirects property taxes from nearby property improvements. These upgrades will include an expanded pedestrian right-of-way, new street lights, and underground utilities. The goal is to manage traffic and safety at

a high-volume intersection that will handle more pedestrians in the coming years.

AMONG THE PROPERties that have opened recently and those slated to open in coming years, there is a significant addition of apartments and townhomes to the city’s housing inventory. With more than $400 million in combined investment, these new developments are creating thousands of units to help meet growing housing demands near the University of Cincinnati.

The projects range from affordable housing at 30-60 percent of Area Median Income and student housing managed by the University of Cincinnati to a luxury hotel with panoramic city views, reflecting the area’s evolving demographics and the university’s continued expansion. Here’s a snapshot of the most significant projects reshaping the Clifton Heights, Corryville, and Mt. Auburn neighborhoods.

HOTEL CELARE AND HUB CINCINNATI

OPENED: January 2025 and August 2024

HOTEL ROOMS: 171

APARTMENT UNITS: 380

LOCATION: Straight Street at Clifton Avenue

Hotel Celare overlooks the University of Cincinnati and features a modern design, outdoor spaces, and three restaurants: Cincinnati’s first Cap City Fine Diner and Baré, a staple in Columbus; The Vick, a rooftop space with expansive views of campus and the surrounding area; and Iris Café, which is open for breakfast and dinner. Both the hotel and the apartment complex next door, Hub Cincinnati, were developed by Columbus-based Crawford-Hoying, which is known for a series of similar developments near Ohio State University’s campus.

“The hotel has been very well received by the local community,” says Celare General Manager Kollin Hanes. “We’ve seen a great mix of travelers from the university, local hospitals, and business travelers and we’re looking forward to continuing to welcome locals and travelers alike to enjoy all that we have to offer.”

The vibrant exterior features a multi-story mural and a mix of colors, textures, and materials. Hanes says there’s more to come with commercial, housing, and parking in the works. “We’re excited to deepen our investment in the city,” he says.

The hotel joins just a few other hotel options in the area: Fairfield Inn and Suites on McMillan Street, The Graduate by Hilton Cincinnati near UC Health’s medical campus, and Hampton Inn and Suites on Short Vine Street in Corryville.

Hub Cincinnati is managed by Core Campus Management, a national firm specializing in campus-adjacent housing, and is completing its first school year of rental contracts.

UNION ON TAFT

OPENED: Summer 2024

UNITS: 103

Hotel Celare (top) and Union on Taft (above) are open for students and visitors.

LOCATION: 237 William Howard Taft Road

The property was once an office building and recently renovated for UC student housing. A fitness center, clubroom, and private study areas are on site, and floor plans range from studios to five-bedroom apartments. Each unit features a fully-equipped kitchen with stainless steel appliances, in-unit laundry, and large windows. The property is managed by the University of Cincinnati with residential

advisors on staff, much like on-campus dorms.

THE ALTO OPENED: Winter 2023

UNITS: 185

LOCATION: 1901 Bigelow Street

The Alto is a $40-million high-rise community on a prominent Mt. Auburn hill, visible from downtown and most of the urban basin. Many units have panoramic views across Cincinnati from its elevation, and the com-

munal spaces are a top selling point. Developed by Uptown Rental Properties, the complex has a higher price point than the other student-focused projects on this list, with amenities that are attractive to working professionals at nearby businesses and hospitals.

THE POINT

ESTIMATED COMPLETION: Summer 2025 UNITS: 55

LOCATION: Auburn Avenue,

HOUSING IN BLOOM

New student housing is not only adjacent to campus but can be found down the hill on Central Parkway and in Mt. Auburn.

CALHOUN

WILLIAM HOWARD TAFT RD.

TAKEAWAYS

GOING UP

The University of Cincinnati’s enrollment growth (with a total student body of 53,235 in the current academic year) has fueled a housing boom in the Clifton Heights, Corryville, and Mt. Auburn neighborhoods around campus. UC itself, along with a variety of Cincinnatibased and out-oftown developers, are reshaping the area’s off-campus housing stock.

PARK AND

WALK

Access to parking is as much of a challenge in the area as access to housing, since those neighborhoods were built and settled before the dawn of the automobile and long-time residents and businesses rely on street parking.

MORE HOTEL ROOMS

Crawford-Hoying’s new Hotel Celare provides modern design, rooftop views, and three restaurants across from UC’s main entrance on Clifton Avenue, adding more hospitality options to the area and, yes, more parking.

William Howard Taft Road, and McMillan Street

The Point is a $29-million mid-rise apartment development featuring contemporary design elements throughout, with vibrant color schemes and modern furnishings that depart from conventional student housing aesthetics. There’s a range of floor plans from studios to four-bedroom units, complemented by communal spaces including a dedicated parking garage, fitness center, and multiple social gathering areas. The property—a partnership development from Uptown Rental Properties, North American Properties, and Merus (formerly Al. Neyer)—will house 130,000 total square feet, 2,800 square feet of retail space, and a two-level parking garage.

GLENDORA FLATS

ESTIMATED COMPLETION: August 2025

UNITS: 11 units

LOCATION: 2901 Glendora Avenue

Uptown Rental Properties is developing a new $4.1-million student housing project between Jefferson Avenue and Short Vine in Corryville. The project includes studio, two-bedroom, three-bedroom, and four-bedroom apartments located steps from the 86 Coffee Bar at the corner of Glendora and Jefferson. Uptown announced that the building will meet sustainable and environmentally conscious standards that are up to par with a Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification.

THE VANGUARD

ESTIMATED COMPLETION:

Fall 2025

UNITS: 136 units

LOCATION: 1001 Marshall Avenue

Located down the hill from UC’s campus and visible from I-75 near the Hopple exit, The Vanguard offers

an upscale take on student living with amenities such as an on-site yoga studio. Every unit comes fully equipped with complete living room furnishings and appliances, providing the convenience of dorm living with the aesthetic of luxury apartments. The property markets itself as elevating the standard student housing experience through its modern design and luxury amenities. UC shuttles connect residents with the campus at the top of Marshall Avenue.

GATEWAY LOFTS

ESTIMATED COMPLETION: Fall 2025

UNITS: 103

LOCATION: 115 McMillan Street

Luxury townhomes and apartments just steps from UC’s campus are coming this fall next to Adriatico’s Pizza, built by Hallmark Communities, a Columbus-based developer of student housing from South Bend, Indiana, to North and South Carolina. The pet-friendly property has a courtyard with grilling stations, a fitness center, on-site parking, and a roommate match system. Floorplans include one-bedroom all the way up to five-bedroom units.

EUCLID AND CORRY

ESTIMATED COMPLETION: Fall 2027

UNITS: 170-185 units

LOCATION: 2608 Euclid Avenue

A student housing development is set to break ground this fall blocks away from UC’s campus. The $80-million project, led by Kingsley & Co., a development firm founded by former

HOME RUNS

Gateway Lofts (above), The Alto (top on opposite page), and The Point (middle and bottom).

Cincinnati Bengals player Chinedum Ndukwe, will break ground in the fall and will accommodate up to 500 students. The development emphasizes convenience with its location near restaurants, nightlife options, and essential services including grocery stores. The project also plans to tackle a variety of transportation needs including 165-180 parking spaces and secure storage for 170-200 bicycles.

POLK & VINE

ESTIMATED COMPLETION: Summer/fall 2027

UNITS: 57-unit affordable housing project

LOCATION: 2300 block of Vine Street

The planned Polk & Vine development aims to fill a need for affordable housing. “The massive surge we’ve seen in student housing has been great in building density and much needed housing,” says Bourgeois. “But it’s also put tremendous price pressures on service workers and employees of the area’s institutions who increasingly can’t afford to live where they work.”

According to RentCafe, the average rent in Clifton is $1,207, Corryville’s average is $1,566, and CUF (which includes Clifton Heights, University Heights, and Fairview) averages $1,493. In comparison, the city of Cincinnati’s average is $1,364.

The Polk & Vine units will be the first-ever affordable housing development in Clifton Heights offering units between 30 and 60 percent of Area Median Income (AMI), a metric used to determine eligibility for housing programs based on median household income and family size. The units are walkable to jobs and amenities such as grocery stores, pharmacies, and all levels of education.

Bourgeois says Polk & Vine is the only affordable housing project

currently planned in the areas immediately surrounding UC’s campus. “It also helps fulfill our long-term goal of rebuilding the Vine Street connection between uptown and downtown, which has suffered from disinvestment for decades,” he says. “We want to make that gateway a source of pride for the city.”

CHCURC is also in the early stages of pre-development on another project, a multi-family property with a planned nine to 12 units at the corner of Riddle Road and Sandheger Place.

An Influx of National

NEW MARKET

Publix opened its first area store in Walton on March 24, 2025.

Brands

THE REGION IS WELCOMING A LARGE NUMBER OF HIGH-PROFILE RETAIL AND HOSPITALITY BUSINESSES FOR THE FIRST TIME, FROM PUBLIX AND SWEETGREEN TO VUORI AND WAWA.

BY LEYLA SHOKOOHE PHOTOGRAPH BY CHRIS VON HOLLE

SO FAR IN 2025, THE U.S. economy has mostly avoided the recession threats looming since the pandemic’s onset five years ago rocked supply chains and upended business around the world. The typical indicators of economic health continue to hold steady: Unemployment has hovered around 4 percent since last year, and the inflation rate remains largely unchanged at 2.8 percent as of February, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Companies always adjust accordingly, including dealing with the uncertainty around President Trump’s tariff plans. In the retail and food/hospitality sectors, many brands are pushing ahead with plans to expand into new markets—which has resulted in a confluence of regional and national brands coming to the Cincinnati region for the first time.

From an upscale athleisure company to restaurants to a growing grocery chain, national brands are staking their claim in our

regional market in 2025. Sweetgreen, Publix, Vuori, Shake Shack, Wawa, and Buc-ee’s are all set to open this year or have recently opened stores in this region, and that’s good news for area consumers.

“Added competition can drive down costs as existing retailers step up their game to retain market share,” says Kim Busdieker, assistant marketing professor at the University of Cincinnati. “There is also added variety and potentially new-to-market products that were previously available in limited channels, making it more convenient for local consumers.”

Take Vuori, for example. Founded in 2015, the brand has carved out a high-profile position among similarly elevated activewear brands like Lululemon and Alo Yoga and skyrocketed in popularity, attaining a valuation of $5.5 billion in November 2024. While Vuori products are available in other stores such as REI, none of its 80 stand-alone retail locations are in Ohio. A new storefront

going into the Kenwood Towne Centre will be the first.

“It’s your typical inline store toward the end of the mall where our luxury brands are,” says David Jacoby, general manager of Kenwood Towne Centre, which is managed by Brookfield Properties.

While many malls in the Cincinnati region and across the country are struggling, Kenwood continues to thrive. There are more than 180 specialty shops on site, including kiosks and designated storefronts. Vuori is moving into the 3,381-square-foot space currently occupied by Ticknor’s, a men’s clothing store, which is relocating to another storefront in the mall.

“We have brands here that are first to market, sometimes first to state, and nobody else has them in the area,” says Jacoby. “Our leasing folks look at what we have and the consumer demographics we want to attract, and the reality is we attract every demo-

graphic. We have everything from your typical mall retailer all the way to the luxury brands and everything in between.”

When a brand decides to set up shop in a new location like Kenwood Towne Centre, co-tenants are an important component of the equation. Vuori, for example, will be next to the existing Alo Yoga store. Shoppers respond well when a variety of brands they want to visit are clustered together, Jacoby says.

“If we know that there’s a particular service or retailer that’s wanted or needed here, we’ll go after them and obviously put them in the mix,” he says. “We want the variety of retailers here to make sure we continue to serve everybody that we can. ‘Something for everyone’ is kind of our motto. We want to make sure that everyone has a place to visit here.”

At Kenwood, the timeline from lease to opening for a retailer like Vuori that’s moving into an existing storefront typically ranges from two to five months. The Vuori store is scheduled to open later this year, while two new restaurants are opening in April: Northstar Cafe, based in Columbus, and the Cincinnati-based Mexican

chain

Mi Cozumel.

ANOTHER NEW-TOmarket brand setting up its first shop in the region later this year is Sweetgreen. The fast-casual chain was founded in Washington, D.C. in 2006, with an emphasis on healthy food that serves primarily salads and warm bowls. All of its 900-plus stores are company-owned, meaning there are no franchise locations. Focusing on “fresh, plant-forward, earth-friendly food,” its primary competitors in town will be Chipotle and Currito—familiar rivals in other markets as well.

Sweetgreen plans to expand throughout the state, and its second location is coming to Liberty Center in Butler County, which also hosts the region’s first Northstar Café. (See “Give Us More Liberty” on page 14.) In general, Liberty Township is seeing a wave of first-to-market brands moving in, due in no small part to its growing population (43,999 according to the 2020 U.S. Census) and plentiful real estate. “The suburbs have become much more densely populated,” says UC’s Busdieker. “There’s a lot of expendable income there.”

Fellow Liberty Center tenant Shake Shack is also expanding, with a second location opening across from the University of Cincinnati campus in Clifton Heights. The new shop occupies space left vacant by former U Square tenant Keystone Bar and Grill and will be the brand’s ninth Ohio location.

“When brands come into university areas, they’re going to very much look at what types of products will get store traffic and visits and that students can afford,” says Busdieker. “If their prices are good, their food is great, and the people are nice, when they’ve got those three things and it’s still within their budget, students will flock to it.”

Wawa, the Philadelphia-based gas station and convenience store with a cult following for its hoagies (sub sandwiches), opens its first Ohio location April 16 at 7198 Cincinnati Dayton Road in Liberty Township. The company calls April 16 Wawa Day; it’s the date the first company location opened in 1964.

This store also marks the company’s spread into the Midwest. Wawa projects opening eight to 10 locations in Ohio in 2025, with a robust plan

HUNGRY FOR MORE

Expect to see more of Wawa (opposite page), Shake Shack (above left), and Sweetgreen in the coming months.

TAKEAWAYS

NEW TO MARKET

National retail brands that recently opened or are set to open this year in the Cincinnati region include Sweetgreen, Publix, Vuori, Shake Shack, Wawa, and Buc-ee’s. That’s good news for area consumers, says UC marketing professor Kim Busdieker.

INTENTIONAL MIX

“If we know that there’s a particular service or retailer that’s wanted or needed here, we’ll go after them,” says David Jacoby, general manager of Kenwood Towne Centre, which will open Ohio’s first Vuori activewear store later this year.

PUBLIX COMES TO TOWN

The Florida-based grocery store chain recently opened its first area location in Walton, entering Kroger’s home region.

“Competition is good for everyone,” says Publix spokesperson Jared Glover.

“It’s going to make everyone better, and the customers are really the ones who are going to benefit.”

to build and open six to 10 stores per year and eventually operate 60 stores in the state. Wawa is investing more than $7.5 million to build each store and will utilize 140 contractors and local partners on average. Each store will employ an average of 35 associates, and Wawa expects to create 2,100 new, long-term jobs through its expansion into Ohio.

There’s something to be said for the power of the cult of personality, too. Buc-ee’s, the Texas-based gas station chain with a massively devoted fan base, opened its first two Kentucky locations last year in Richmond and north of Bowling Green, and the first store in this region is coming to the Dayton area.

“It’s really an affordable luxury in a time when consumers feel like they don’t have as much money to spend,” says Busdieker. “Both Wawa and Buc-ee’s tap into that contact with fuel. For some reason there’s a psychological positive association with fuel and saving money. Then you go inside Buc-ee’s and there’s merchandise, it’s fun, people are excited, they’ve got T-shirts, and they’re known for their jerky. It’s like a big experience to go in there at a time when people feel like, I can’t do some other things, so I’ll go do this.”

Buc-ee’s first Ohio location was slated to open in Huber Heights later this year, but the opening has now been delayed until 2026. In the meantime, fans will need to drive south for their brand fix.

RESTAURANTS AND GAS/

convenience store combos aren’t the only new kids on Cincinnati’s retail block. The grocery store sector added a new player, too, when Publix opened its first regional location in Walton in March.

The 95-year-old grocery chain was founded in Florida during the Great Depression and has steadily increased its presence across the Southeast, with stores in Georgia, Alabama, South Carolina, North Carolina, Virginia, Tennessee, and now Kentucky. It’s the largest employee-owned company in the country, with 255,000 associates.

“We’re owners of this company and we take pride in its success,” says Jared Glover, Publix media relations manager covering Kentucky, Virginia, North Carolina, and South Carolina. “I could go on and on about our Pub subs and our high-quality produce and signature private-label

items, but for me the biggest differentiator is because we’re owners of this company and we care about its success—so our associates go beyond the status quo to provide premier customer service. I think that’s something that you’re going to hear about as we open our stores just as much as you hear about our food.”

The first Publix in Kentucky opened in Louisville in 2024. Another 11 locations in the state have been announced, including stores in Hebron, Cold Spring, Florence, and Independence. Publix enters a grocery region dominated by homegrown juggernaut Kroger, which achieved more than a 50 percent market share in the region last year.

“It used to be that you would never compete in the backyard of someone’s corporate offices, but the shopping experience is shifting so much these days,” says Busdieker. “There are so many retailers that are actually thriving and dividing those sales, Publix feels like they’ve got an opportunity to come in and peel off some of that share in Cincinnati.”

Glover agrees. “Competition isn’t new to us,” he says. “Competition is good for everyone, right? It’s going to make everyone better, and the customers are really the ones who are going to benefit from that the most. We’re going to put our best foot forward to get you in the door and keep you coming back.”

Publix doesn’t disclose the strategy it used for seeking out and securing new locations in new markets, but community discussions, requests, and proximity all played a part in the Kentucky equation. “We just opened up a distribution center in Greensboro, North Carolina, which helped us support other stores in the area and alleviate some of the pressures a little bit,” says Glover. “It really provided us with an entry into Kentucky and opening up that first store in Louisville. We’d been getting a number of requests for our stores, particularly in Kentucky, and so Lexington was on the map.”

The Citation Point location in Lexington opened March 5, just a few weeks before Walton. Two other locations are planned in Lexington, including one at The Fountains at Palomar currently under construction. “We’re really focused on getting those customers into the doors and letting them experience the Publix difference,” says Glover.

Welcome to Cincinnati!

The region is seeing a wave of national and regional brands entering the retail and hospitality markets for the first time. Get to know your new neighbors.

Buc-ee’s

Founded: 1982

Headquartered: Houston

Total U.S. locations: 50

Total states: 9

Total employees:12,000

Shake Shack

Founded: 2004

Headquartered: New York City

Total U.S. locations: 330

Total states: 34

Total employees: 10,000

Dorothy Lane Market

Founded: 1948

Headquartered: Dayton, Ohio

Total U.S. locations: 4

Total states: 1

Total employees: 900

Northstar Cafe

Founded: 2004

Headquartered: Columbus

Total U.S. locations: 6

Total states: 1

Total employees: More than 500

Sweetgreen

Founded: 2006

Headquartered: Los Angeles

Total U.S. locations: 921

Total states: 23

Total employees: 6,100

The Walton Publix is 55,000 square feet, designed with wide aisles and bright lighting for customer convenience. The location follows a new store format that includes a “pours” section with beer and wine on tap, smoothies and acai bowls, and a cafe with cold brew coffee and tea. A “venues” area in the center of the store offers multiple food options, including a burrito bar, pizza, and sushi. The famous “Pub subs” can be customized to a consumer’s exact taste; shoppers can even pull an item off the shelf at Publix and ask to have it incorporated into their sub.

“It’s really about being in the store and experiencing the hospitality of our associates and them going above and beyond to get you what you need,” says Glover. “The sale’s not complete until you’re satisfied. A longstanding saying we have is, We’re in the people

business and we happen to sell groceries. That’s who we are at the core, and that’s what sets us apart. So when customers experience that, maybe we’ll chip away at that market share one customer at a time, one sale at a time, and they’ll come back.”

Publix also endeavors to practice good corporate responsibility through partnerships with local organizations and businesses that align with four pillars: youth, education, hunger, and the plight of the homeless. The company participates in food donation programs, including Feeding America food banks, to which they’ve donated over a billion pounds of produce. There is a Public Service Week in April that sends associates out into state parks and other areas to clean up the environment.

“It extends beyond the stores for us,” says Glover. “Before we even en-

Vuori

Founded: 2015

Headquartered: San Diego

Total U.S. locations: 80

Total states: 17

Total employees: 1,700

Publix

Founded: 1930

Headquartered: Lakeland, Florida

Total U.S. locations: 1,400

Total states: 8

Total employees: 255,000

Wawa

Founded: 1964

Headquartered: Wawa, Pennsylvania

Total U.S. locations: 1,081

Total states: 10

Total employees: 45,000

tered Kentucky, when we were just sort of boots on the ground scouting locations, we were already making donations to food banks in that area, trying to take care of our soon to be neighbors and customers in need.”

Several regional brands are getting in on the action, too. The Dayton-based Dorothy Lane Market gourmet grocery chain is opening its first Cincinnati area store in Mason later this year. Columbus-based Northstar Cafe, coming to Kenwood in April, opened its first area location at Liberty Center.

“It builds a sense of excitement for a town that can attract incremental retailers from a variety of categories,” says Busdieker. “As more customers come to shop from increasing distances, new retailers see the value in entering a market where foot traffic and interest is growing.”

KELLY HEEKIN

PRESIDENT AND CO-FOUNDER

HOIST

WHAT IS THE CONNECTION BETWEEN HOIST AND THE U.S. MILITARY?

HOIST is one of only three products approved by the U.S. Department of Defense for Operational Rations and Field Feeding, which means that anywhere in the world our servicemembers are deployed or in training they’re hydrating with HOIST. It was the first

new electrolyte product to be approved by the DoD in over 20 years, and it’s now supporting every branch of the U.S. military on five continents. We also created single serve powder sticks, 2.5-gallon powder pouches, and 8-fluid-ounce liquid pouches to support the military’s needs, and they’ve now made their way to retail

ASK ME ABOUT Our increased efforts to support veterans and U.S. Military servicemembers.

stores, e-commerce, and the sidelines of sports teams.

WHAT WAS THE MOTIVATION BEHIND HOIST’S NEW PARTNERSHIP WITH FOLDS OF HONOR?

Folds of Honor is a nonprofit organization providing educational scholarships to children and spouses of fallen or disabled U.S. military servicemem-

bers and first responders. When we were creating a new flavor, we knew we wanted to bring our partnership with Folds of Honor to life. A portion of the proceeds from each Five Star Punch bottle sold goes directly to Folds of Honor.

IN WHAT OTHER WAYS DOES HOIST SUPPORT THE MILITARY AND VETERANS?

RON

WASHINGTON

MAYOR

COVINGTON

ASK ME ABOUT The status and expected impact of the Covington Central Riverfront development.

We partner with several other veteran nonprofit organizations whose missions are to cultivate camaraderie and community while prioritizing health and wellness for veterans and also first responders. Some of the other notable partners include Health4Heroes, WarriorWOD, and Semper Fi & America’s Fund.

—ELIZABETH MILLER WOOD

WHY WAS THE SHARON WOODS HARBOR REVITALIZATION NECESSARY? WHEN IS IT PROJECTED FOR COMPLETION? Revitalization was requested by the public. We’re investing in Sharon Woods Harbor to ensure it reflects the desires of park users and to better integrate it into the surrounding park. This facility has also aged and is reaching the end of its functional life. Work at Sharon Woods Harbor will be partially funded by the 0.95-mill levy passed by Hamilton County voters in 2021. Construction is planned to begin in 2026. The renewed harbor will complement the separate Sharon Lake Improvement Project that started in 2024 and will continue through the end of 2025. When the lake refills and reopens in spring 2026, it will feature new wetlands, a boardwalk, a fishing pier, and docks.

HOW HAS PUBLIC INPUT CONTRIBUTED TO THE PLANS?

During the open house and survey, Great Parks listened to many guests about their wishes for each individual aspect of the harbor, from how the lakefront will connect to the water and what types of connections they’d like with the shared use trail that circles the lake to play features in the area.

WHAT WILL BE THE REVITALIZED HARBOR AREA’S HIGHLIGHTS UPON COMPLETION?

Plans for the revitalized harbor were still being developed as of February 2025 and may include some combination of a redesigned boat house with kayak and canoe rentals, upgraded trail and lake access, a new lakefront design, play features, and concessions. —E.M.W

WHAT IS THE STATUS OF THE CITY’S RIVERFRONT DEVELOPMENT?

By year’s end, you won’t recognize the 23-acre site. Already most of Phase I’s underground infrastructure is complete, and streets and curbs are being filled in as we re-create the street grid and plan for a yet-unannounced special event, hopefully in May. Meanwhile, private developers will begin construc-

TODD PALMETER

ASK ME ABOUT The latest on the Sharon Woods Harbor Revitalization project. CEO GREAT PARKS OF HAMILTON COUNTY

tion this year on four parcels destined to be housing and commercial uses.

HOW DO YOU EXPECT THIS PROJECT TO AFFECT THE COVINGTON REGION?

HOW WILL THIS SITE BE SIMILAR TO AND DIFFERENT FROM COMPARABLE RECENT DEVELOPMENT

PROJECTS IN THE REGION?

Covington is different, and our approach to

At its heyday, 4,000 people worked at the sprawling IRS facility, producing tax revenue that funded services around The Cov. CCR will replace some of that lost revenue. But—and this is important— whereas the IRS complex was a fencedoff island, CCR will be a neighborhood connected to the disparate pieces of the urban fabric around it, both in its accessibility and complementary design.

CCR is different. We didn’t give control to a single developer, and we aren’t anchoring it with a massive entertainment complex or other use. Much like Covington itself, we think small in a big way. Our focus is on walkable, human-scale development in an environment that embraces education, community participation, and a diversity of housing options.—E.M.W.

A BRIGHT NEW ERA AT CINCINNATI PUBLIC RADIO

The new wood-timber-and-glass headquarters houses the stations’ studios and offices and connects the organization with its Evanston neighbors.

–JOHN FOX

BY

DEVYN GLISTA

PHOTOGRAPHS

Cincinnati Public Radio’s new studios in Evanston are both more visible (from I-71) and more connected to community.

SPRING IN THEIR STEPS

Cincinnati Public Radio officially unveils its new Evanston studio and office building at a public grand opening April 26-27. The $32-million project provides new homes for public radio stations WGUC-FM (founded in 1960) and WVXU-FM (founded in 1970), relocating from the downtown facility they share with CET public television.

WOOD AND GLASS

The building’s unique look comes from the use of timber support beams instead of construction-standard steel beams and a generous amount of glass on all walls and both floors. Studios are equipped with brand new state-of-the-art sound boards, microphones, and speakers.

REACHING OUT

Cincinnati Recreation Center’s Evanston playfield is adjacent to the new building, affording the radio team opportunities to partner with community groups on outdoor events and education programs. WVXU was launched nearby at Xavier University, so the station’s return to Evanston is a homecoming of sorts.

COME ON IN

The building features an open performance space on the ground floor, with a stage, sound system, cameras, and table and chairs allowing for various room setups. CEO and General Manager Richard Eiswerth (below) says he hopes to host concerts, lectures, and public meetings in the space, which will be free to use for community organizations.

FLIP THE SWITCH

Since the studio equipment is all new, there will be no downtime for either station as they complete the move. Eiswerth says engineers will flip a switch one day in mid-April and WGUC’s classical music and WVXU’s Cincinnati Edition and NPR programming will immediately start broadcasting from the new building.

Invest in Strong Communicators

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