New incoming chamber board biographies Continued from page 3 a privately held software company, Daniel positioned its professional services component for a successful exit. As an Entrepreneur-in-Residence for TechColumbus, Daniel analyzes complex business and legal information to assess the merits and risks of potential investment opportunities for the PreSeed Fund. He works closely with portfolio companies to ensure that they effectively execute their business plans, reach established milestones and secure follow-on venture funding. Daniel is also actively involved in clarifying the capital access process for local entrepreneurs by conducting seminars and providing online education. Daniel holds a BBA in Management from the University of Notre Dame and an MBA in Finance from Ohio State University. Wesley Newhouse Newhouse, Prophater, Letcher & Moots, LLC D. Wesley Newhouse is an experienced litigator and transactional attorney. He assists many of the firm’s Wesley clients in the Newhouse establishment of new business and charitable enterprises. He has often organized limited liability companies, Subchapter S corporations, partnerships, and 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organizations. The breadth of his jury trial experience extends to cases involving age discrimination, disability discrimination, discrimination on the basis of national origin, violation of the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act, violation of noncompete and confidentiality covenants, construction disputes, personal injury claims, property damage claims and breach of contract. Newhouse has particular expertise in cases involving injunctive relief, such as employment
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discrimination, housing discrimination and disputes concerning non-compete and confidentiality agreements. He has also appeared in the state and federal courts of appeal throughout Ohio, and before numerous administrative agencies. A frequent author and lecturer, and an adjunct professor of business law at DeVry University, Newhouse has many published articles. Newhouse completed his undergraduate studies at Ohio Northern University, where he was awarded degrees in both business administration and political science with high honors in 1980. He is a 1983 graduate of the Ohio State University College of Law. He serves on the board of trustees of the Childhood Early Learning Centers, is a past president of the board of trustees of Columbus After-School All-Stars, and a past president of the board of trustees of the Chamber Music Connection. Newhouse is an active member of the Upper Arlington Area Chamber of Commerce, the Columbus Bar Association Labor and Employment Law Committee, the Ohio State Bar Association, the Society for Human Resource Management and the Human Resource Association of Central Ohio. Peter Hahn Dinsmore & Shohl LLP Peter Hahn is a member of the chamber's Business Advocacy Committee, which is responsible for developing Peter Hahn and recommending to the chamber positions on business-related issues. He also serves as the chair of the Board of Trustees of Kids Voting of Central Ohio, a non-partisan, nonprofit organization designed to teach K12 students greater awareness of political, governmental, and civic issues. Peter is an attorney with Dinsmore & Shohl LLP, where he practices construction law and business litigation.
Jonathan Varner Jonathan Varner & Associates, LLC After years of tireless work in pursuit of helping clients in both the private sector and in Democratic p o l i t i c s , Jonathan Jonathan Varn- Varner er sought to create a company that would reflect his values and principles in life and business: hard work, attention to detail, strategy and tactics based on experience and best practices, and doing right by people. He founded Jonathan Varner & Associates, LLC, based in Columbus in 2007. Varner has over a decade of experience as a political consultant, organizer, fundraiser, and public relations professional. A past finance director of the Ohio Democratic Party, he’s spearheaded a wide range of campaigns — corporate campaign management, political, grassroots, government affairs, as well as community involvement outreach programs. He has served as the general con-
sultant for numerous state and local elected officials, including the Ohio House Democratic Caucus, which regained the majority in 2008. A creative marketer and strategist, Varner has won national “Pollie” Awards from the American Association of Political Consultants for his work in direct mail, radio and public affairs. He is often recognized for his contributions to the Democratic Party, receiving the Chairman’s Award from the Ohio Democratic Party in 2003 and the Distinguished Service Award from the Ohio Young Democrats in 2006.
Group’s (“VRG”) president, Chief Operating Officer, and general counsel. As president, Sisto oversees 35+ employees in the field of financial services, brownfield remediation and asset management and recovery. Before joining Value Recovery Group, Sisto was Of Counsel with Squire, Sanders, and Dempsey, L.L.P. At Squire Sanders, his practice focused on economic development and international corporate and commercial transactions. He was a member of the firm’s corporate, public finance and international practice groups. His practice also included representation of clients James E.P. Sisto before local, state and federal President & COO – Value agencies regarding regulatory Recovery Group, Inc. matters as well as applications James E. P. for and acquisition of economic Sisto is an atdevelopment incentives. torney with Sisto has served as deputy dimany years of rector of the Ohio Department of experience in Development, where he funca variety of tioned as administrative leader of legal fields Ohio’s International Trade Diviranging from sion (ITD). James E.P. debt collection He managed and supervised Sisto to internationten international offices located al trade practices. He currently in Hong Kong, Japan, Canada, functions as Value Recovery Belgium, Israel, Mexico, South
Africa, Argentina, Brazil and Chile. Becky Converse The Forum at Knightsbridge Becky Converse has worked in the field of aging services for 28 years, but she herself has been aging for 50 years. She started her career working her way through college as a nursing assistant. With a degree in art therapy and psychology, she has held positions as an activity director and art therapist. She is a licensed social worker as well as a licensed nursing home administrator. She has been an administrator at Lutheran Village of Columbus and the Forum at Knightsbridge. Prior to her current position, she briefly worked for Erickson Retirement Community. She is currently the director of sales and marketing at the Forum at Knightsbridge. In her free time, she enjoys sailing, painting, crafts, reading and gourmet cooking (a “Marthawanna-be”). She loves time with family with her husband, Tom, and daughter, Hannah, and her 120 lb. golden retriever, Beau.
Riverside Eye Center On Dec. 3, representatives from the UA Area Chamber of Commerce, City of UA and Riverside Eye Center gathered to celebrate the opening of their new practice in Upper Arlington at 3434 Riverside Drive. Pictured left to right: Jeff Danziger (UAACC ambassador), Duff Dyer (UAACC ambassador), Dr. Duke Dye (optometrist/owner), Glenda Smith (optician), Frank Ciotola (mayor) and Becky Hajost (UAACC president).
January 2011 | Upper Arlington Area Chamber of Commerce Business Monthly
www.uachamber.org