Special Section: Better Business Bureau Torch Awards for Ethics

A Celebration of Special Advertising Section

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champions of Trust Presented by better business bureauÂŽ serving central ohio

Special Advertising Section

Carrying the Torch for Ethics BBB’s TRUST! framework is designed to help guide business leaders, nonprofit executives and community leaders to take an intentional, introspective look at how they operate their business relative to the six TRUST! principles.

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he foundation of BBB and BBB’s Center for Character Ethics begins with trust— trust in others, in businesses, in our leaders and in our community.

BBB is known as the go-to resource to find trusted businesses and charities. BBB’s services

support businesses and nonprofits while evaluating their commitment to uphold trust, training their leaders and staff, and recognizing best practices.

In order to provide guidance with assessment, training and recognition, BBB developed a variety of tools for businesses and charities to utilize.

BBB’s TRUST! Framework outlines six guiding principles providing companies a benchmark on which to reflect, evaulate their organizational model and determine what will drive their mission and goals.

The TRUST! Principles are the basis for the Torch Awards for Ethics entry process. BBB uses Transformation at the “Top”, Reinforce and Build, Unite the Team, Steer Performance, Treasure People and Enthusiastically Reinvest! to help business leaders, nonprofit executives and community leaders take an intentional, introspective look at how they exemplify each principle on a daily basis.

The Torch Awards continue to be a celebration in the Central Ohio community, honoring trusted businesses and charities whose leaders are committed to building a culture of trust, integrity and ethical principles.

At this year’s luncheon, in addition to the presentation of the 2018 Torch Awards to recipients who are profiled on the following pages, BBB will also award scholarships to the 10 area high school students who are the 2018 Students of Integrity winners and will recognize the three millennial entrepreneur Spark Award winners, which were presented in May. This luncheon showcases that BBB is more intentional than ever at recognizing those who exhibit the best in ethics at all stages of life’s journey and offers the opportunity to reflect on what it takes to rise above the rest and become a Champion of Trust.

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etter Business Bureau Serving Central Ohio isn’t your grandpa’s BBB. While the venerable champion for corporate ethics has been in Columbus since 1921, it has worked to stay relevant to today’s hippest entrepreneurs and to inspire high standards in tomorrow’s leaders.

Consumers in the 21-county Central Ohio service area, as well as those across the country, continue to count on BBB to provide a trusted resource of Accredited Businesses, both for-profit and nonprofit, that are screened, approved and monitored for ethical behavior.

BBB also still mediates complaints regarding marketplace issues with business service or products.

And BBB often issues the first warning when scammers devise new ways of stealing from the unwary.

The Value of Trust Building confidence in business ethics remains at the core of BBB’s mission.

In today’s digital world, complaints can be easily logged online at bbb.org.

Customer reviews that others

can consult as needed are also accepted online, allowing customers to share the experiences they’ve had with area

businesses.

Beyond hosting free online profiles for businesses and charities, bbb.org is also home to a wealth of resources and tips covering everything from hiring a contractor to planning a wedding. The BBB Sparkcast podcast covers a variety of topics and features local guests from the business community. A dedicated military section of the website helps educate veterans, military members and their families about scams that could target them.

The more BBB evolves, the more it continues to find itself back where it started: helping business leaders keep their customers and their employees as the focus of every decision and action.

BBB started as an organization dedicated to building business trust; president and CEO Kip Morse promises you can trust that it won’t stop now.

Profiles by Emma Frankart Henterly Design by Yogesh Chaudhary Photos by Dan Trittschuh and BBB BBB Champions of Trust is published by GateHouse Media, LLC. All contents of this magazine are copyrighted © 2018, all rights reserved. Reproduction or use, without written permission, of editorial or graphic content in any manner is prohibited.

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ColumbusCEO l 2018 BBB Torch Awards for Ethics

Kip Morse

President & CEO Better Business Bureau Serving Central Ohio 2018 BBB Torch Awards for Ethics l ColumbusCEO

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Special Advertising Section

Torch Awards for Ethics Luncheon Featuring keynote speaker Archie Griffin

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nown to the world as the only twotime winner of the Heisman Trophy, Archie Griffin is also one of the select group of Buckeyes to be named a three-time All American player during his playing days from 1972 to 1975.

A member of the National Football Foundation and College Football Hall of Fame and its current board of directors, Griffin also is a member of the Rose Bowl Hall of Fame and was named the All-Century Player by the Tournament of Roses Association during the centennial celebration of the Rose Bowl in 2014. Griffin is one of two players in NCAA history to start in four Rose Bowls.

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eading with character ethics is not just a matter of style or personal preference; it is good business. The outcome of leading with high character and high competency is order and trust, the essential pillars upon which relationships and organizational performance rest.

The six TRUST! Principles were identified through hundreds of interviews, observations and years of consulting experiences with small, medium and large organizations. They serve as a guide to leaders who aim to model the highest ethical standards and are based on the premise that an organization’s leaders are the caretakers of its culture. Culture is a constant; whether it is functional or dysfunctional is a direct result of leadership.

A sought-after speaker and humanitarian, Griffin serves on many other boards and foundations, including serving as a director of Motorists Mutual Insurance Co.’s board and a member of the boards of directors for The Columbus Youth Foundation and the Ohio Auto Club.

Judges for the 2018 Torch Awards Cathy Blackford Columbus Builders Exchange, executive director (retired) Tim Burnham Varo Engineering, managing principal Joe Cole TRC, global brand and marketing leader Shannon Lee Relā, executive director Marchelle Moore Motorists Insurance Group, senior vice president and chief legal officer Parag Shah Nationwide, chief ethics officer Tom Welch Grange, CEO (retired)

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The TRUST! Principles

ColumbusCEO l 2018 BBB Torch Awards for Ethics

Champions of Trust

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reated by Better Business Bureau Serving Central Ohio’s Center for Character Ethics in 1994, the Torch Awards for Ethics have been presented to 100 forprofit and nonprofit companies across Central Ohio, including this year’s three honorees.

The awards were designed not only to promote the importance of building trust, but also the willingness and efforts made by outstanding businesses to help contribute to an honorable marketplace.

Today, the Torch Award is the highest honor that BBB Serving Central Ohio bestows.

BBB Torch Awards showcase ethical companies and charities in Central Ohio that build trust, advertise honestly, tell the truth, remain transparent and honor their promises. Winning organizations demonstrate how their actions help to advance marketplace trust. Local winners go on to compete for the Council of Better Business Bureaus’ Torch

Awards for Marketplace Ethics.

The process begins with contenders applying or being nominated by others at bbbtorchaward.com. To be considered, organizations must demonstrate that they comply with six trademarked BBB TRUST! Principles (see next page).

The online application process requires organizations to undergo a rigorous review of their business or nonprofit’s ethics and character—a valuable assessment even for those not ultimately selected as an award winner. Winners are selected by an independent panel of volunteer judges comprising business and community leaders.

This year’s Torch Awards winners represent a wide variety in Central Ohio’s business community. They’re each profiled in turn on the following pages.

Wherever the journey begins, BBB keeps the flame burning brightly for high ethical standards.

Transformation at the “Top”

Reinforce and Build

Unite the Team

Steer Performance

Treasure People

Enthusiastically Reinvest!

Leaders are reflective and intentionally work to increase manifestations of their own high character in the culture.

Leaders reinforce and build a culture of high character ethics.

Leaders unify the organization around a clear purpose and compelling convictions.

Leaders guide organizational performance by implementing high competency management practices.

Leaders prize the intrinsic value of people.

Leaders generously support the community that supports them.

2018 BBB Torch Awards for Ethics l ColumbusCEO

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Special Advertising Section

Past Recipients 2017 • Acloché LLC • Crimson Cup Coffee & Tea • Echoing Hills • The Eco Plumbers • Ohio Basement Authority

2016

2014

• Choice Recovery • Hetter Heating and Cooling • Zipline Logistics

• Coughlin Automotive Group • GBQ Partners LLC • Linxus Communications LLC

• MicroSolved Inc. • Motorists Insurance Group • Safelite AutoGlass • Westerville Area Resource Ministry

2013

2011

2015 • Clintonville-Beechwold Community Resources Center • KMA Electric, Heating and Cooling • Kern Inc. • Mid-City Electric • Ohio Presbyterian Retirement Services • Yoder Concrete Construction LLC

• Buckeye Appraising Inc. • Franklin International • Switchbox Inc. • Varo Engineers Inc.

2012 • EE Ward Moving & Storage • Heartland Bank

• America’s Floor Source • Community Shelter Board • Haughn & Associates • Horizon Telcom • Libertas Wealth Management Group Inc.

2010

2007

2006

2004

•H etter Heating & Cooling •L ancaster Pollard •L ower Lights Ministries •R umpke Consolidated Cos.

•B uckeye Basements •C arMax Auto Superstore •C hildren’s Hunger Alliance •C olumbus Business First •E xpesite •H omes on the Hill •J &D Basement Systems •L utheran Social Services of Central Ohio

•A merican Red Cross of Greater Columbus •C rimson Cup Coffee and Tea •H andyman Connection •R .W. Setter •V alvoline Instant Oil Change

•A tlas Butler •J .S. Brown & Co. •R egency Wallcraft Inc.

2008 •A rtina Promotions Products •F inish Line Building In. •H RH •J ewish Family Services •K resge Contracting Inc. •M aryhaven •W aste Management of Ohio Inc.

2005 •A merican Red Cross of Greater Columbus •M ore Time For You •P eebles Creative Group •R oush Honda •V alvoline Instant Oil Change

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E.E. Ward Moving & Storage Co. 2235 Southwest Blvd.

Grove City, Ohio eeward.com President: Brian Brooks Employees: 50 Founded: 1881 About: Oldest AfricanAmerican-owned business in the country, which has grown from two horses and a wagon into a multimilliondollar, award-winning moving corporation.

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ohn T. Ward was a fearless trailblazer who served as a conductor on the Underground Railroad in the 1800s. Drawing on skills he developed transporting slaves to freedom, John and his son, William S. Ward, founded the Ward Transfer Lines in 1881. Under the current leadership of owners Brian and Dominique Brooks, the Ward entrepreneurial spirit and legacy lives on today.

E.E. Ward Moving & Storage Co. is the longest-running black-owned company in the United States and is recognized nationally by the American Moving & Storage Association as one of the most trusted moving companies in the country. The company is committed to “strengthening the legacy of E.E. Ward while fostering growth and innovation in the company,” Dominique writes in their application. The company’s mission statement— We are a self-actualized team that honors our distinguished legacy by embodying service with dignity, strong moral character, and respect for self and others— comprises values based on the Ward family legacy, which still inspires the company’s success today.

The Brooks are committed to expanding the company’s 137-year-old legacy by

ColumbusCEO l 2018 BBB Torch Awards for Ethics

Dominique and Brian Brooks focusing on continual process improvement and strengthening each team member through personal development. Onthe-job training, development opportunities and monthly recognition all contribute to the quality service that the company promises—and delivers. Each month, employees are rewarded for going above and beyond with their customer service efforts.

The Brooks also understand the importance of community support. E.E. Ward is involved with many nonprofits, including In Christy’s Shoes, BuckeyeThon, Childhood League and the Gary Sinise Foundation’s RISE Program.

In 2017, E.E. Ward Moving & Storage created the Laps for Learning fundraiser, a swim-athon event inspired by Eldon W. Ward, an avid swimmer,

Lori Wengerd to provide safety lessons for children at the YMCA. “Ohio’s youth drownings increase 119 percent during the summer months, and it is vital to help reduce this number,” Brian writes. The event has raised $29,475 to provide swim lessons for 393 children in the two years since its inception.

The company’s motto, “do what’s right, come what may,” was inked by its founders and often repeated by Eldon W. Ward, who led the company for 50 years; it continues to be the backbone of daily operation. As Brian writes in his application, “throughout the evolution of E.E. Ward, we have never lost sight of the principles of excellent service and giving back to the community on which the company was originally founded.”

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hen Lori Wengerd, president of Home Care Assistance, began planning the company’s opening, she “spoke to many ‘in the know’ professionals, friends and acquaintances who confirmed what we believed: There is a gap in the market for high-end home care,” she writes in a letter from when she founded the company in 2009. That letter is still given to new employees today.

Two key values detailed in this letter, which was excerpted as part of Wengerd’s application for the Torch Award, outline the importance of the caregivers who work for Home Care Assistance and the clients who use its services. “It is a privilege to improve each client’s day,” the letter states. “We recognize that

we are only part of their lives because they allow us to be.”

Building a strong team that embodies these values starts, of course, with the hiring process.

“Our three-person hiring team focuses each interview on the person as a whole—not just on his or her qualifications. We find that character and compassion are what determine whether or not a person will be a good fit for us,” Wengerd writes.

Keeping the team united is another core element of Home Care Assistance’s business model, Wengerd explains in her application. “With our harrowing 24/7 business cycle, we all must completely trust each other,” she writes. “All of us need to be ready at a moment’s notice ... to run to the aid of a team member or client; in order for that to happen, maintaining

2003 •P ark National Bank •P rogressive Medical Inc. •R evealty •R osati Windows

2002 •C onTrack Corp.

•T he Durable Slate Co. •N ationwide •W ood Werks Supply Co.

a strong sense of team is paramount.”

That goal is achieved through a variety of intentional tactics, from staff meetings that start with meditation and focus on teamwork to office décor that drives home the purpose behind Home Care Assistance’s services, Wengerd writes.

The company’s charitable contributions tend to focus on tangential topics. “Home Care Assistance is a leader in providing educational programming about aging well” for organizations such as The Alzheimer’s Association, OhioHealth’s Gerlach Center for Senior Health and more, writes Wengerd. And in addition, the company often is “the only home care company in the community that financially supports events and organizations that provide research and services for the aging population.”

“We mean it when we say, ‘We’re there for the journey,’ ” Wengerd’s welcome letter states. “This aging journey that we are all on can be long, lonely, scary, unpredictable and fraught with crises. But there are so many opportunities to realize happiness, gratitude, good memories and joy. We have the perfect view to help our clients and their families see these moments.”

Home Care Assistance of Central Ohio 2098 Tremont Center Upper Arlington, Ohio homecareincolumbus.com Owner/President: Lori Wengerd Employees: 120+ Founded: 2009 About: A franchise of a company of the same name, Home Care Assistance of Central Ohio optimizes the well-being of seniors and brings energy, independence and joy to this phase of life.

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Special Advertising Section

2001

1999

1997

1995

• Express-Med Inc. • Hopkins Printing Co. • Owens Construction Contracting Co. • R. Dorsey & Co.

• Holt Cos. • HYTEK Material Handling Inc. • Michael Campbell Builders

• Highlights for Children • Luper, Sherriff & Neidenthal • Renier Construction Inc.

• Bell-Haun Systems Inc. • Cheryl & Co. • The Kroger Co. • OIH Inc.

2000

1998

1996

• Frank Gates Service Co. • Haslett Heating & Cooling • Schoedinger Funeral Service & Crematory

• Dave Fox Contracting Inc. • Excavating Unlimited Inc. • The Longaberger Co.

• Cottone Construction Inc. • King Thompson Realtors • Lexford Inc.

• E.E. Transfer & Storage • Nelson Auto Group

Westerville Area Chamber of Commerce 99 Commerce Park Dr. Westerville, Ohio westervillechamber.com President/CEO: Janet L. Davis Employees: 6 Volunteers: 220 Founded: 1967 About: A business organization driven to enhance business climate and quality of life in Westerville consisting of 685 business and individual members.

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Spark Awards use the BBB’s Center for Character Ethics’ TRUST! Principles as the basis for its defining attributes of Character, Culture and Community.

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s president and CEO of the Westerville Area Chamber of Commerce for 26 years, Janet Davis recognizes the importance of continuous improvement. She stresses this point by example, gathering input on her own performance through a 360-assessment.

“From that feedback I developed a plan to hold myself accountable and not just help my development, but that of the entire team,” she writes in her Torch Award application.

That focus on continuous improvement carries through to the Chamber’s member businesses, too; the Chamber solicits feedback after each event it hosts and at the beginning of each year. Those responses drive the programs that Chamber staff develop, like a free, monthly Lunch & Learn series that “pairs our membership with relevant topics and provides an opportunity for members and their team [to receive] professional development, develop meaningful connections and collaborate,” Davis writes.

Meaningful connections among Chamber staff members are important, too, and Davis works hard to foster them.

“Each staff meeting begins with messages of support for one another, drawn from submissions in the office affirmation box,” she writes. Additionally, each meeting includes a scheduled activity or teambuilding exercise “to ensure our

Attributes

Character Photo by StephEn Tackas

Sparking Ethical Practices Recognizing young business owners with high ethics

Janet L. Davis staff is always learning about one another and establishing a better understanding of one another’s strengths, weaknesses and interests.” Each meeting concludes with a message from Davis herself, detailing community announcements “that are paramount to our mission to enhance the business climate and quality of life in our community,” Davis writes.

The very nature of the Chamber’s work is to support its community, so it’s no surprise that Davis has a laundry list of accomplishments to tout in her application. Nearly 75 percent of the Chamber’s membership consists of businesses with fewer than nine team members, she writes, so the majority of its special interest networks focus on the needs of small businesses. And for more than 16 years, the Chamber has held quarterly events for female business owners and leaders to connect and grow, featuring noteworthy keynote

speakers like Jane Grote Abell of Donatos Pizza and Stephanie Hightower of the Columbus Urban League.

The Chamber also manages Leadership Westerville, a nonprofit organization focused on developing multigenerational leaders who serve the city. With the Chamber’s help, Leadership Westerville was able to host the largest Westerville Martin Luther King Breakfast Celebration and Service Day in years, Davis writes in her application. The breakfast committee evolved into the MLK Legacy Project, which now hosts Community Conversation events throughout the year that facilitate discussion about racial diversity and inclusion in Westerville.

At the Westerville Area Chamber of Commerce, “we strive to be responsible, accountable and professional” in all aspects of work, Davis writes. “We discuss and accept the responsibility of doing what is right, even when it is difficult.”

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he third round of Spark Awards— the program from Better Business Bureau and BBB’s Center for Character Ethics that recognizes millennial entrepreneurial leaders who demonstrate good ethics— honored three local organizations on May 8, 2018. The BBB, in partnership with TechStars Startup Week Columbus,

recognized the Spark recipients during the pitch Competition during TechStars Columbus Startup Week.

GiveBackHack, Matic and The EVO Group were selected by an independent panel of judges based on award criteria, including demonstration of the three Spark attributes: Character, Culture and Community. Applicants for the award must be a for-profit, non-government organization within the 21-county BBB Central Ohio service area, with at least one member of the leadership team who is age 35 or younger. The business does not need to be BBB-accredited, but companies with BBB ratings of less than a “B” are automatically disqualified, as are those that have not met their financial obligations.

Read on for more information about the 2018 Spark Awards winners. For more information on the awards, including how to apply, visit bbbsparkaward.com.

Judges for the 2018 spark Awards Ann Bischoff Star House, CEO Lauren Edwards Next Step Business Consulting, principal Adam Koos Libertas Wealth Management Group, founder/president Geoffrey Kunkler Carlile Patchen & Murphy, partner Kip Morse BBB Serving Central Ohio, president Allen Proctor SocialVentures, president

This attribute focuses on transformative leadership—leaders who are teachable and open to new ideas. Leaders should habitually seek the truth, be open to criticism and know that personal development is never complete. Ethical maturity cultivates an environment that promotes higher standards of business practices and a mutual understanding that each employee has control over their own character.

Culture A Spark-worthy culture reinforces and unites a valued team of employees while steering the organization’s performance to mission. Purposeful teams have clear visions that are honestly and transparently shared with their members. A good workplace culture helps its team work toward the organization’s goals and establishes guidelines that hold each member—including leadership—accountable. This results in a successful team that can create structures, adapt to change and continually encourage opportunities for all members.

Community Ethical organizations should enthusiastically give back to their communities to show their appreciation. Communitybased organizations help their environment, stakeholders and community members by reinvesting and volunteering within those communities, contributing to their industry’s membership standards organizations and encouraging an ethical marketplace.

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Special Advertising Section

2018 Spark Award Winners Three organizations with millennial leaders, covering a variety of industries, are recognized for their high ethics.

GiveBackHack

The EVO Group Matic

GiveBackHack GiveBackHack is a weekend-long event that brings together passionate community members to develop sustainable, technology-based solutions to some of the community’s most pressing social issues. It is the launch pad for social innovation needed to turn an idea into a reality, and it brings together community leaders, designers, developers and other concerned citizens to create solutions that will help make a lasting impact.

The 2018 event took place April 27-29 at the Columbus College of Art & Design’s Crane Center. The 120 participants formed teams around selected pitches, then worked with mentors over the course of the weekend to develop their ideas before presenting them on the final evening. A panel of judges comprising Jen Bowden, director of community investment at IGS; Falon Donohue, CEO of VentureOhio; Lisa S. Courtice, president and CEO of United Way of

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Central Ohio; Emily Savors, director of grants management for The Columbus Foundation; and City Councilmember Jaiza Page selected winners to receive the resources to support their ideas. A total of 14 projects, out of 72 pitched, earned more than $68,000 in support ranging from cash awards to consulting services to coworking passes.

Matic The Matic team lives by certain phrases that articulates its cultural values: Leave your ego at the door; We’re obsessed with finding a better way; We’re one team with one dream; and, We’d rather be too honest than too polite. By making the team part of the foundational culture of the company, Matic employees can easily collaborate on how to improve. Matic’s leadership—and its employees—believe that when everyone shares the same cultural values, people make better decisions, people get along better and everyone is happier.

ColumbusCEO l 2018 BBB Torch Awards for Ethics

Matic is a digital insurance agency that partners with lenders to get insurance for prospective homeowners during the mortgage process—and does it quickly.

Quotes often are available in as little as 30 seconds, thanks to the company’s innovative approach to obtaining insurance quotes. Founded in 2014, Matic is based in Sherman Oaks, California, but has a strong presence in Central Ohio.

Earlier this year, the company announced plans to expand in Columbus with a $400,000 investment that would add 50 new jobs.

The EVO Group The EVO Group provides a foundation for developing leaders by offering unlimited opportunities to every individual, recognizing team members’ successes and promoting a fun, positive work environment that is conducive to personal growth.

The organization thrives off diversity while mentoring and developing successful indi-

viduals. By breaking out of the mold of current marketing strategies, The EVO Group aims to revolutionize the industry and bring a fresh, vibrant method of acquiring long-term customers for its clients.

The direct marketing company began on the East Coast seven years ago. It has a portfolio consisting of more than half a dozen multimillion-dollar global clients and has acquired more than 11,000 customers for its clients. In addition to direct marketing services, The EVO Group also provides customer service, consulting and brand awareness services. The company’s philanthropic arm, characterized by its #EvoPaysItForward hashtag, has partnered with Heifer International to purchase farm animals for families in need. For each social media post featuring an EVO laptop sticker and the designated hashtag, The EVO Group contributes $1 to Heifer International. Every 120 hastags allows for the purchase of a pig, goat, sheep or flock of chicks to help a needy family become self-supporting via the “teach a man to fish” philosophy.

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Special Advertising Section

Leading the Pack High school seniors who set an example for their peers.

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or more than 15 years, BBB Center for Character Ethics has been committed to recognizing integrity in area youth through the Students of Integrity Scholarship Awards. Each year, hundreds of Central Ohio high schools in BBB’s 21-county service area each have the chance to nominate a student for the

scholarship in recognition of his or her exemplary leadership, community service, overall personal integrity and academic accomplishment.

From that pool, a panel of judges from the business community select 10 winners to each receive a $1,000 scholarship to the college or university of their choice.

Students are judged based on applications that include an essay of the student’s reflections on one or two ethical principles outlined in the UncommonSense® Framework adopted by the Center for Character Ethics.

The student honorees, along with their parents, school counselors and principals, are invited to the annual Torch Awards for Ethics celebration to receive their award and recognition. The awards are sponsored by Columbia Gas/NiSource.

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Judges for the 2018 Students of Integrity Awards Hillary Bates Columbus Zoo & Aquarium, director of strategic partnerships Barry Chandler Storyforge, co-founder Erin Ensign Columbus Zoo & Aquarium, Jack Hanna team manager Scott Failor Nationwide, senior vice president of trial division and P&C legal Jackie LaMuth Ohio State University, faculty (retired) Diana Morgan DLM Consulting, president Theresa Potter Franklin University, faculty Janet Tressler-Davis Westerville Chamber of Commerce, president

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ColumbusCEO l 2018 BBB Torch Awards for Ethics

Cory Burkhart West Muskingum High School, Zanesville ACTIVITIES: Community Youth Foundation, Key Club, National Honors Society For Cory Burkhart, compassion isn’t a trait; it’s a way of life. So he writes in his essay, which details a memorable experience he had during the 2017 Hugh O’Brian Youth Leadership seminar. There, he participated in a “privilege walk”—an exercise that exposes the privileges that many take for granted. After the exercise, a frank discussion gave everyone present an opportunity to show compassion to a fellow seminar attendee.

“I believe there is no better indicator of maturity than putting others before oneself,” Burkhart writes. “Just one act of kindness can change someone’s entire outlook.” Burkhart’s experience at the seminar drove him to establish himself as a support system for others. “Compassion is the choice we must make to live a life of respect for others,” he writes. “I strive to make this choice each and every day.”

Emma Conrad Sheridan High School, Thornville ACTIVITIES: 4-H Club, National Honors Society, volleyball Two years ago, a classmate’s suicide attempt taught Emma Conrad an important lesson about compassion.

While she was not close with this peer, they sat near each other in class and Conrad noticed that her Twitter posts were concerning. “Even though I was fully aware of her depression … I didn’t view her situation as my business,” she writes in her essay.

Now, Conrad strives to reach out to others with positivity, especially when she notices that they appear to be feeling down.

“I often step out of my comfort zone and compliment people who I don’t normally talk to,” she continues. “Life can be rough

and we all get dragged across the rocks at times. One cruel comment can send someone over the edge, but one kind word or gesture could keep them from falling.”

Chloe Cox Hilliard Bradley High School, Hilliard ACTIVITIES: Bradley United Program, Jaguar Ambassadors, Key Club, orchestra Chloe Cox’s parents were the subjects of her essay on compassion and service leadership.

“From a young age, I’ve always been taught that serving your community and paving your own way is a responsibility that everyone has,” she writes. Her father’s career in mental health, and her religious background, instilled this notion in her. Watching her father work made Cox “want to diminish the limits of acceptance in our world, and not wait on anyone else to make those changes happen.”

Supporting her mother’s breast cancer battle, on the other hand, gave Cox “a heart of compassion and unconditional positive regard for everyone,” she writes.

Combined, these experiences have led Cox to pursue a career in social work or law, where she can “make a hands on difference wherever I am. My goal is to help nurture the hearts and minds of our youth in a positive way. … Like the generations before me, I want to leave a legacy of love and kindness.”

David DeWeese Graham High School, Saint Paris ACTIVITIES: Boy Scouts, National Honor Society, track A succession of experiences at Boy Scout leadership camps taught David DeWeese much about leadership.

The first, at scouting’s National Youth Leadership Training before his sophomore year began, saw DeWeese as a patrol leader for a day.

He went on to win Honor Scout of the Week and a scholarship to the National 2018 BBB Torch Awards for Ethics l ColumbusCEO

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Special Advertising Section Advanced Youth Leadership Experience.

The following summer, DeWeese was asked to return as staff for both camps after attending a “dry run” of the course.

There, a team exercise taught him that “a leader will never be able to reach his best, and his team will never reach their full potential, [if the leader stays] in his comfort zone,” he writes in his essay.

Carrie Dietz Newark High School, Newark ACTIVITIES: Key Club, National Honor Society, student council Transformation was the subject and title of Carrie Dietz’s essay, in which she detailed her growth through her school’s Key Club. “When I began high school I was very shy,” she writes. “I [felt] uncomfortable talking to others and sharing my thoughts.” That soon changed when Dietz attended the Ohio Key Club District Leadership Conference, where she was inspired to face her public-speaking fear and run for club secretary the following year.

That change inspired another: a drastic rise in confidence. “I transformed to become the person I am today, someone who gives everything her best effort, but takes her failures and mistakes in stride and laughs and learns from them,” she writes.

“No one is born knowing who they are and who they want to be. Instead, we are all created by our experiences, and we transform to fit the roles we aspire to attain.”

Matthew Dinnen Mount Vernon High School, Mount Vernon ACTIVITIES: Band, National Honor Society, Spanish club, tennis Choosing a single topic to write on was difficult for Matthew Dinnen, but he eventually decided to focus on courage. “Courage is what gives you the ability to persevere during difficult situations and overcome your fears. It helps you stand up

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for your beliefs and gives you the confidence to lead others to reach common goals,” he writes in his essay. “Basically, doing anything to better yourself takes courage.”

Dinnen would know. A speech impediment caused by a mouth defect caused him to stutter in his younger years.

Speech therapy and surgical interventions improved the defect, but Dinnen still struggled with self-confidence. “One evening during a church youth program, I somehow found the courage to do something I had really been wanting to do for some time,” he writes. “I volunteered to speak and sing a solo part for a children’s choir performance.” This small step helped Dinenn discover his love for singing and for helping others learn to speak, too—today, he volunteers in a community outreach program for children whose first language is Spanish. “I am so thankful I found the courage to take each small step in my life that has made me who I am today,” Dinenn writes, “and that I am able to help others find their own voice, just as I literally found mine.”

Angel Francisco Westfall High School, Williamsport ACTIVITIES: Choir, National Honor Society, student council, track In a poignant essay about the importance of honesty, Angel Francisco details how her experiences as a child in the Philippines helped shape her as a person today. She recounts an episode from preschool when she ran with friends in the middle of the street. At the culmination of their race, she realized that she had broken a family rule and immediately turned herself in. While she wasn’t eager for punishment, she writes, she was keen to atone for her transgression. “If there’s one thing I know,” she writes, “it’s that great outcomes result from honesty.”

That lesson came full circle during Francisco’s sophomore year, when she felt compelled to reveal a secret boyfriend—kept so because of her mother’s disapproval of dating while in high school—to her parents. She risked her relationship to come clean, and was relieved when both sets of parents gave

ColumbusCEO l 2018 BBB Torch Awards for Ethics

their approval. “I am thankful for how they raised me, and I am proud that even though I will never be perfect, I know just how much honesty can impact a person’s life,” she writes.

Caroline Liggett Northridge High School, Johnstown ACTIVITIES: 4-H Club, Future Farmers of America, National Honors Society, softball, volleyball If there were a prize for “most interestingly titled essay,” Caroline Liggett would win. In “Stuck Between the Dusty Goat Barn and the Dirt Softball Fields,” Liggett explores a difficult choice between her 4-H show goats and her travel softball team. Torn between the bucolic world of agriculture, where she practices leadership skills, and the competition of sports, where she focused on personal glory, Liggett ultimately opted for the former, “with hopes of ensuring that younger members are still able to enjoy every moment of their 4-H career.”

“This was a huge learning experience for me,” Liggett continues. “I’m so happy with my decision and what has come from it. I am able to connect with younger members and I am able to lead them and teach them … I hope that if one day they come across a similar situation, they are able to choose the one that isn’t about them, but about the future.”

Allison Sheehan The Wellington School, Columbus ACTIVITIES: Ohio Youth in Government, Wellington Gay-Straight Alliance, Wellington School Summer Options Program Allison Sheehan doesn’t hesitate to admit that she owes her success through the first year of high school more to natural talent than hard work.

“I had always remained in my comfort zone,” she writes in her

essay. “I didn’t even know what real effort was.” That quickly changed during her sophomore year when, in an effort to become more involved, she became president of the school’s gaystraight alliance and joined a host of clubs, all while maintaining her after-school job.

After her grades and her general happiness started to decline, Sheehan assessed her situation. “I realized that I had not been myself for a long time,” she writes. “I decided to buckle down for the end of the year and start holding myself to be honest in my selfreflection and make myself proud and happy.” The challenges of her sophomore year helped her mature, she says, “into a serious young woman who knows that I must put true effort into my work to succeed with integrity, passion, and purpose.”

Kennedy Yowell Grove City High School, Grove City ACTIVITIES: Columbus Zoo and Aquarium volunteer, National Honor Society, student council For her essay, Kennedy Yowell chose to focus on two principles: integrity and seeking council.

“Both are vital characteristics of a good leader, and leadership is one of my most valued personality traits,” she writes. She values integrity as “one of the most important qualities an ethical person needs to possess,” she writes, because integrity is vital to building the trust necessary to collaborate and lead.

Seeking counsel is also vital, she writes, because “being able to ask for help and acknowledge your mistakes and shortcomings is critical to becoming a leader.” Not being able to do so can have disastrous results, Yowell writes, including failure. “With this traits,” she concludes, “a person will be able to develop into a wellrounded, ethical leader with the capability for greatness.”

2018 BBB Torch Awards for Ethics l ColumbusCEO

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Special Advertising Section

BBB’s Center for Character Ethics strives to reach businesses who desire to be intentional about building a culture of trust. The Center for Character Ethics wants to work with your business and provide you resources for these next steps in your commitment to being a trusted organization.

For more details on BBB’s programs or the 2019 Torch Awards, please visit bbbtorchaward.com or send an email to torchawards@centralohio.bbb.org.

Connect today to learn how your organization can become a Torch Awards recipient, find out dates for info sessions and how to further build your trusted brand! #ChampionsOfTrust #TorchAwards

Thank you to our 2018 Torch Awards for Ethics Sponsors