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Contents

departments 07 Editor’s Notes 2017

Yay, us! Columbus CEO was a winner in recent state and national journalism competitions.

08 CEO Whiteboard Letters, social media buzz and other developments since the July issue.

79 Leaderboards Catering Companies, Orthopedic group Practices and group Health Insurance Providers.

88 Office space: Baker Hostetler the firm’s dazzling white headquarters is a far cry from the typical mahogany-paneled law office.

36 A New Workplace Hazard As Ohio’s opioid crisis threatens the workplace, state and local officials trying to address the epidemic say they need all employers’ help.

Hr awards 2017 they’re the unsung business heroes who help everyone focus on their jobs. It’s time for HR professionals to step into the spotlight for well-deserved recognition.

August 2017 Cover design by

yOgEsh Chaudhary and rOb hardin August 2017 l ColumbusCEO

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62 E. Broad St., P.O. Box 1289 Columbus, Ohio 43216 Phone: 614-540-8900 • Fax: 614-461-8746

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vOlUMe 26 / NUMBeR 8 PReSIdeNT

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EDITORIAL AssIsTANT

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deSIGN & PROdUCTION

PRODUcTION/DEsIGN DIREcTOR

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Yogesh Chaudhary dIGITal

EDITOR

Erin Edwards AssIsTANT DIGITAL EDITOR

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PHOTO EDITOR

Tim Johnson AssOcIATE PHOTO EDITOR

Rob Hardin adveRTISING

ADVERTIsING MANAGER

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AccOUNT ExEcUTIVE

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MARKETING MANAGER

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LETTERs: letters@columbusceo.com PREss RELEAsEs

pressreleases@columbusceo.com ADVERTIsING

advertising@columbusceo.com Columbus CEO (ISSN 1085-911X) is published monthly by GateHouse Media, LLC. All contents of this magazine are copyrighted © 2017, all rights reserved. Reproduction or use, without written permission, of editorial or graphic content in any manner is prohibited. Publisher assumes no responsibility for return of unsolicited materials. Known address of publication is 62 E. Broad St., Columbus, Ohio 43215. Periodicals postage paid at Columbus, Ohio, and additional mailing offices. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Columbus CEO, 62 E. Broad St., P.O. Box 1289, Columbus, OH 43216.

SUBSCRIPTIONS

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InsIder 11 Breakdown A look at the top majors at central Ohio colleges and universities.

12 Profile Q&A

Huntington’s SUe ZaZON is back at the bank where she started her career, but this time she has the title of central Ohio regional president.

16 Tech Talk EduTechnologic has developed an augmented-reality app that can be used for training workers.

18 Briefing A retail buyer-turned-farmer and a nurseturned-beekeeper are among the vendors whose career paths led to Downtown’s Pearl Market; CEO of the Year voting begins soon.

20 Looking Back At the start of this decade, Columbus was trying to tout itself for biotech businesses and tourists; meanwhile planners worked to reshape Downtown, Franklinton and the Near East Side.

22 Spotlight: Small Business With lessons he learned as a US Army intelligence officer, Brett Sciotto has built Aimpoint Research into a cutting-edge market research firm.

24 Spotlight: Innovation A strategy of acquisition and diversification has put FCX Performance ahead of its process flow-control competition.

26 Spotlight: Nonprofit Advocacy, training and networking are at the heart of WELD’s efforts to eliminate gender inequities in the workplace.

28 Spotlight: Commercial Real Estate The national retailers left Morse Road long ago, but entrepreneurial new Americans have rejuvenated Columbus’ Northland area with businesses of their own.

12 agenda 30 Connections National Association of Women Business Owners Visionary Gala, Columbus Chamber Leadership for Small Business, Four OSU centers’ Talent War seminar.

35 Events The 2017 Retail Summit is for everyone involved in central Ohio’s big business; a city-sponsored conference will connect small businesses with municipal government purchasing officials.

specIal sectIons 62 Business Meetings Those boring old conferences and events with endless speeches and slideshows just don’t cut it in today’s world.

66 Social Enterprise A new generation of owners is motivated by more than profits. They want their businesses to make money in order to do some good in the world.

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HISTORIC DUBLIN

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Editor’s notes * myost@ColumbusCEO.com

Blue Ribbons and Gold Stars

wasn’t in 4-H as a kid, competing for blue ribbons at the county fair. I didn’t grow up as a Girl Scout, either, earning merit badges to prove my worth. I did like gold stars, though, whenever they appeared on a school paper or home calendar to commemorate a job well done. However it’s noted, we all like to be recognized for doing things well. And it’s especially sweet to be honored among your peers. So allow me to brag a bit on behalf of Columbus CEO and our great staff, current and former. It’s been another successful year for us in terms of raking in journalism and design awards from national and statewide contests. Nationally, Columbus CEO belongs to the Alliance of Area Business Publishers and enters its competition, pitting our work against that of other business magazines as well as some business weeklies around the country. Art Director Yogesh Chaudhary is a persistently strong contender whenever we enter his work in design contests, and this year he came through again. He won gold from AABP for best magazine cover—our April 2016 featuring Drones at Work—and contributed to the success of another gold award from AABP for best recurring feature, Tech Talk. Other top honors for Chaudhary’s work include first-place awards for best business cover—the April 2016 drone issue again—in a statewide competition held by the Press Club of Cleveland. He also came in first in Ohio’s Best Journalism awards sponsored by the Society of Professional Journalists as best graphic designer and for best special publication, honoring our special supplement

on the executive MBA program of the Ohio State University Fisher College of Business. Photo Editor Tim Johnson shares the glory for the AABP gold and Cleveland press club awards, having shot the photograph of a Columbus firefighter carrying a drone that Chaudhary used to finish the photo

feature for us. Another former staffer, then-Associate Editor Jennifer Wray, won us a first place SPJ award for explanatory journalism in a piece breaking down the business structure and focus of cooperatives. Wray is now writing for the marketing department at Columbus College of Art & Design, where Photo by ROB HARdin I’m sure she continues to win accolades. I grabbed a first-place SPJ award of my own in this year’s contests for best newsmaker profile, a feature on media-shy Abercrombie & Fitch executive Fran Horowitz. Bhusal Sharma also won a second-place, and the rest of us—Chaudhary, Johnson, Wray and me—received thirdplace awards in statewide contests this year for our work in 2016. Looking back, it is worth noting that some of the custom publications we create several times a year have won first-place honors from the Society of Professional Journalists each of the last three years, either for best special publication or best special section. The awards in 2016 and 2015 were for inserts featuring Columbus 2020 and the Better Business Bureau, respectively. We don’t do what we do for illustration. the plaques that sometimes follow, but The other AABP gold for Tech the recognition is nice. Talk is especially gratifying, given And if you ask me, 2017 is already it is for a feature created for Columshaping up to be another award-winbus CEO by former staff writer Julie ning year. Bhusal Sharma when she was still our editorial assistant in early 2016 and known as Julie France. Her concept of conducting a monthly mini-shark tank review of new technology developed in central Ohio was unique and immediately attracted reader attention. She later married and followed her Mary Yost, Editor spouse to Chicago but still writes the August 2017 l ColumbusCEO

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Advertising opportunities in

Whiteboard

* Reader notes, digital buzz & Columbus CEO coverage updates

TOp sTOriEs pR Crisis: Your Worst nightmare Commercial Real Estate & Construction: Women in Real Estate Small Business Spotlight: Exact, Macola Division

OCTOBER 2017

innovation Spotlight: VisionSpark

Columbus Legal Guide

CEO Corner: Employee Turnover

Employment & HR Holiday Planning Guide Health Watch: Allergies CEO Leaderboards Private Schools Women-Owned Businesses

Space Closing: Aug 25

Columbus 2020: Economic Development Update Space Closing: Aug 18

NOVEMBER 2017 Best of Business 2017 Intellectual Property Holiday Planning Guide CEO Leaderboards Accounting Firms SBA Lenders Wealth Management Firms

Better Business Bureau Torch Awards Space Closing: Sept 29

Your article on storytelling rocks. Over the last few years I’ve read and heard so much about storytelling. It has always seemed vague to me, however, and I’ve never fully understood what it is and how it fits into building a brand. The examples in your article were useful in clearing up the fogginess for me. Thank you. GrEG Hund

TWiTTER RESpOnSES @ColumbusCEOmag

My CEO magazine was in the office mail today. Job well done! Your story (on crisis communications) is very thorough and interesting. Thanks for including me in it. I do appreciate it!

@WerthKnowing: We are so proud to see our CEO, Sandy Harbrecht, featured in @columbusceomag discussing the importance of crisis management. #WerthReading

MarCy FlEisHEr Team Fleisher Communications Thank you for highlighting the work that Community Shares is doing on behalf of nonprofits in Mid Ohio. The nonprofit sector is an integral part of all that Columbus has to offer and keeping us front and center helps us deliver that message. Keep up the great work! TErEsa TrOsT, Community Shares

ConneCt with us ColumbusCEO.com @ColumbusCEOmag

For advertising information contact Susan Kendall today at 614-410-0692 or email Skendall@columbusceo.com.

Columbus CEO’s blog features guest columns and additional interviews, breaking news and updates on monthly features. This month, watch for: • Recent appointments. • This Can’t Wait: Weekly posts by Editor Mary Yost about pressing topics and opportunities. • Guest blogs from area experts.

@CEO_editor facebook.com/ColumbusCEOmag

@inspireprgroup: Our own @hindamitchell featured in @columbusceomag! Read her take on pR Crisis: Your Worst nightmare @DublinChamber: Congrats Dublin Chamber member @Vision_Spark for being recognized by @columbusceomag as their innovation Spotlight! @HRGray: iCYMi: H.R. Gray is proud to be awarded #TopWorkplaces by @columbusceomag @DACATime: Great write-up from @columbusceomag! @nicholasTietz @brookkohn

* letters@columbusceo.com

8 ColumbusCEO l August 2017

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BrEAkDowN Compiled by BOB VitalE + Designed by YOgEsh ChaudharY

Capital University

Enrollment: 3,465 1. Nursing 2. Business 3. Music and Music Technology 4. Education 5. Biological and Environmental Sciences

Central Ohio Technical College*

So, wHAT’S Your MAjor? Nearly 100,000 students will head back to school soon as central ohio colleges and universities start new academic sessions. Here are the most popular majors at each:

Enrollment: 3,566 1. Health Services Technology 2. Associate Degree Nursing 3. Business Management Technology 4. Associate of Arts 5. Associate of Science * Information hasn’t been compiled yet for 2017-18, so these rankings are for 2016-17.

Columbus College of Art & Design

Columbus State Community College

Enrollment: 1,140

Enrollment: 25,983

1. Illustration 2. Animation 3. Advertising and Graphic Design 4. Fine Arts 5. Fashion Design

1. Nursing 2. Associate of Arts* 3. Associate of Science* 4. Business Management 5. Accounting * General degree programs through which students transfer to four-year institutions to begin work in specific bachelor’s programs

Denison University

Franklin University

Enrollment: 2,254

Enrollment: 5,102

Illustration © THINkSToCk.CoM

1. Economics 2. Communications 3. Biology 4. Psychology 5. Political Science

1. Business Administration 2. Accounting 3. Computer Science 4. Nursing 5. Human resource Management

Ohio Wesleyan University

Ohio Dominican University

Enrollment: 1,671

Enrollment: 2,534

1. Psychology 2. Management Economics 3. Health and Human kinetics 4. Politics and Government 5. Zoology

Source: Survey of individual institutions

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1. Business Administration 2. Biology 3. Exercise Science 4. Early Childhood Education 5. Sport Management 6. Criminology and Criminal justice

Ohio State University*

Otterbein University

Enrollment: 58,663

Enrollment: 2,808

1. Biology 2. Finance 3. Psychology 4. Accounting 5. Marketing

1. Nursing 2. Allied Health 3. Psychology 4. Early Childhood Education 5. Sport Management

* Information hasn’t been compiled yet for 2017-18, so these rankings are for 2016-17. The five majors listed have been the most common since 2012, although psychology ranked above finance until last fall.

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PROFILE By mary yOst + Photos by rOb HardIn

Sue Zazon Central Ohio Regional President

Huntington National Bank In pOsItIOn: Since 2016 prEvIOus: FirstMerit Columbus region

president; KeyBank central Ohio district president; various positions, Huntington

EduCatIOn: Bachelor of Science in

finance and international business, Miami University; executive management program graduate, Case Western Reserve University Weatherhead School of Management

COmmunIty: Board member Columbus 2020, Columbus Chamber, Wexner Foundation; president, Columbus Young Presidents’ Organization Gold; past president and treasurer, YMCA of Central Ohio; past campaign chair, Ohio Foundation of Independent Colleges and Law Enforcement Foundation

Full Circle Sue Zazon leads a region of the bank that launched her career three decades ago.

anking is much more than financial transactions to Sue Zazon. The new central Ohio regional president of Huntington National Bank sees the institution— especially her role with it—more as a problem solver and people helper. Although her entire career has been with central Ohio banks, Zazon didn’t set out to work in that industry even as she was obtaining her bachelor of science degree in finance and international business from Miami University. After graduating, she considered an insurance company job offer and a General Electric marketing post before accepting what became a career-defin-

ing position with Huntington. The Grove City native recalls she didn’t know exactly what she wanted to do, and “Huntington was the only one that didn’t have me making a choice right away.” She was hired into the bank’s management training program in 1986. “I didn’t have a passion for banking. I didn’t know what I had a passion for, and I wanted to figure it out, so I thought this will buy me some time.” What the experience revealed was that she “wanted to have the ability to solve problems, to work with groups of people, teams of people.” The training program was “almost like a post-graduate degree, where you’re getting paid for figuring out what you want to do,” Zazon says. “It was the start of me falling in love with banking businesses and getting to know the people that run businesses and understanding what a family is and how I could be a partner in achieving people’s dreams,” she adds. “So that really was the beginning of my career, but it was never a love of banking. It was a love of helping people achieve their dreams, whatever that might be.” Zazon’s personalized view of the banking business has served her well. Her start at Huntington led to a job with Society National Bank, now KeyBank, where she served as central Ohio district president. From there she went to FirstMerit as the Columbus region president. Huntington’s acquisition in August 2016 of Akronbased FirstMerit gave Zazon the opportunity to return to the bank where she started. Hal Keller, president of the nonprofit Ohio Capital Corporation for Housing, has worked with Zazon in all her bank leadership positions and also on the board of the YMCA of Central Ohio, an organization she served for many years until recently. “We’ve always had that dual relationship,” Keller says. “She was a great leader at the Y. She was on the executive committee forever. She’s a former board chair, as am I. Then she was longtime treasurer,” Keller adds. He says he found her to be a “very

quick study… very smart when it comes to the analytics of finance and of banking.” The organization raises capital for affordable housing. “We’ve raised about $4 billion, and while Sue was at FirstMerit, she was our best advocate, trying to get them to invest, and Huntington is already a great investor,” Keller says. “She’s very focused on understanding where the clients are, what they need and how to get them what they need and to really grow her bank, whichever bank it is.” Calling her one of his favorite people, Keller also appreciates how Zazon handles situations that call for her to be tough. “She is someone who can ask the awkward questions in a nice way, because somebody’s got to,

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Sue Zazon and she’s somebody who can do that.” Jim Merkel, CEO of Rockbridge, shares a similar high opinion of Zazon, getting to know her through Columbus YPO, where they are in the same small group forum of about eight members. Merkel says Zazon, “has a really beautiful combination of being tough

It was never a love of banking. It was a love of helping people achieve their dreams, whatever that might be.

but also being vulnerable. It’s that vulnerable side of her that I think endears her to the people who know her. She is willing to step out and take risks, but she’s also willing to own it.” YPO forums enable chief executive peers to discuss managing business and personal issues in a confidential setting, Merkel explains, allowing members to get to know each other very well. “She’s very self-reflective. … She’ll take ownership and try to improve herself going forward. It leads to her ability to be so close to so many people,” he says. “She’s very loyal; she has your back and she’s a survivor.” Merkel and Keller both have high expectations for Zazon in her boomerang back to Huntington. “I’m really excited for her in this role

as the president of Huntington here in Columbus. I think she’ll knock it out of the park,” Merkel says. “It’s going to be great for the community as she steps into new roles and new boards and new ways to (serve) the community. It will be great for Huntington and for the organizations she serves with,” Keller says. “I had a very traditional upbringing, within banking,” Zazon says. “I was a teller. I did work in retail. I called on small businesses. Then I called on larger businesses. Then I managed a commercial banking group.” She was in her mid-30s and was an underdog for the position when the central Ohio district president’s job came open for KeyBank. “I decided, you know what, I don’t August 2017 l ColumbusCEO

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have all the credentials but I’m going to go for this. I think I can do it,” Zazon recalls. “You don’t get those opportunities to even be in the running for things like that, so it was a big leap for me. I ended up getting that position, but it was the first time I’ve ever had that feeling

It’s been learning how to set goals, but you’re not in charge of all the people that are going to help get there.

Huntington Bancshares Inc. 41 S. High St., Columbus 43215 huntington.com AbOut: A full-service financial institution headquartered in Columbus and providing consumer, small business and commercial services including treasury and wealth management and insurance across eight Midwest states with 996 branches and 1,855 ATMs. FOundEd: 1866 AssEts: $100 billion EmplOyEEs (Central Ohio Region): 5,850

where you take a big gulp and ‘here I go.’” In seeking that post, as with many situations over the years, Zazon says she drew from personal and family experiences. “I compared it to what I had been through and was continuing to learn from my family situation.” Zazon had been divorced, and when she remarried nearly 25 years ago, she and her husband had a blended family of four children. They had two more together. She saw meaningful parallels between raising a blended family and being responsible for multiple lines of business. The key is being able to influence positive outcomes even when you can’t exercise direct control, she says. “It’s been learning how to set goals, but you’re not in charge of all the people that are going to help get there. (That) is really what a blended family is, and it’s on steroids compared to matrix management of a company, because you’re talking blood lines. You’re talking about your core family.” In her candid style, Zazon continues, “I’ve learned a ton. I have made a lot of mistakes, I’ve done a lot of things well, but I applied so many of the things that I’d learned from getting divorced, getting remarried, having kids together and then having another one. “It is like growing a business, if you can make that analogy and kind of parallel it. I learned so much and I still apply it every day, because I don’t have control of about 75 percent of the things that I’m truly responsible for, and I don’t think many people do.”

Managing across dotted as well as direct lines is hard to do, whether as a parent or professionally, Zazon says. “I think that’s always something I’m learning to do better and better. I have the best critics in all my children.” After that first big leadership role with KeyBank, Zazon was recruited to build a Columbus presence for FirstMerit in 2006. “It almost felt like a startup in some ways because it wasn’t established. I had to rely a lot on my commercial banking experience there and I had to recruit people to an unknown.” She was helped by an unlikely ally— the Great Recession. Recession-related layoffs at other banks “allowed me to recruit high performers because all of a sudden there were folks who were experiencing things they had never experienced before at the banks they were at, whether it was National City at the time, even Huntington,” Zazon says. “First Merit never had a loss during those times. Some of it was appropriate good planning. Some of it was timing. Lots of things went into that, so I was very fortunate. I could build the foundation of a very talented team because you can’t do anything, especially when you’re starting up, until you have the right people. … That allowed me to get some really good stakes in the ground with people that were wellrespected, and all of a sudden people started knowing who FirstMerit was in Columbus.” Zazon says one of her core values is “being authentic and genuine.” That

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Q&A Did you grow up wanting to be in banking? I can tell you the first time I understood what a bank was—when I purchased a car and my mom lent me, I think it was $890, and she put a piece of paper on the refrigerator. You know how you cut those little slices on the bottom like a loan payment book back in the good old days? She put enough slashes there for how much I could afford per paycheck—I worked at Baskin-Robbins—and I would have to turn it in every time I got a paycheck with that little slip of paper…. But that really wasn’t my spark to get into banking.

includes not only owning her mistakes but also sharing her challenges, such as her 2007 breast cancer diagnosis. “A lot of my strength, so much of it comes from who I am as an entire person. One of the parallels I can draw is breast cancer,” Zazon says, noting the initial uncertainly of a serious medical diagnosis is not unlike the questions that swirled around people’s jobs when Huntington’s acquisition of FirstMerit was announced. “What I learned in that situation is that showing vulnerability from the standpoint that we are in this together—I don’t know what my job is going to be either, but let’s figure this out together—is really how I approached it,” Zazon says. “The cancer parallel is, ‘I don’t know how this is going to end, but we are a family of faith, and … we’re in it together and you’re going to see me cry sometimes. I’m going to be scared sometimes. I’m not perfect, but that’s because I’m human and we’re getting through this, and it’s really OK.’” And she has been OK, with checkups showing no recurrence. When the FirstMerit acquisition was announced in January 2016, Zazon says she focused on her staff, telling them, “It’s not, at this point, about Huntington and FirstMerit; it’s about you and me, and let’s figure out how we take a day at a time, a week at a time.” She adds, “You have to take it in small pieces sometimes to get through the big things because it can feel overwhelming otherwise. It feels a lot better

What makes up the central Ohio region for Huntington? Geographically, it goes from the FindlayLima area down to Chillicothe. On the east it would be Cambridge-Zanesville, and up north it would be south of Akron; Mansfield would be where I would define it. How is it to be the bank’s top regional representative? One of the things I’m continuing to learn in this role is … just the amount of pride, responsibility, having the Huntington name that’s 150 years old. There have been legacies of (founder) P.W. Huntington at the Mid-Ohio Food Bank, and we’re still doing business with them. …There was a Huntington family member on that board years ago, a hundred years ago. There are so many legacies and knowledge points and so many roots in the community. I feel it is part of my responsibility to preserve that, to share that, to grow that. Banking has changed in your 30-plus years; how much more will it change? It’s really still important that we provide personal interaction at key moments in people’s lives, but that’s going to evolve, too. if you’re taking on small pieces with somebody standing next to you.” Now Zazon’s return to Huntington has her working with some new associates, but at least one she recalls being helpful as she started her career. Zazon says Beth Sommer, then a branch manager and now a vice president, was “one of those women lifting other women up” by taking time to give her advice on working in a corporate environment, which was foreign to the daughter of educators. Her current position heading up the

We call it omnichannel, meaning you have the retail offices, you have your phones. There’s Venmo and Quick Pay and different things out there where you can exchange money. We have to look at all those different channels constantly and be a resource versus just a service provider. … It’s a matter of not thinking about today but thinking about what it is going to be like as we move forward and being nimble enough and flexible enough to make those changes. What is banking’s biggest concern these days? For a long time, regulation was the biggest risk, or took up a lot of space in bank leadership minds, the regulatory environment. I think now it has shifted to cyber security. … Chris Inglis is on our board of directors, and he was a retired deputy director of NSA, so we have a board member now that handled national security for the country. That’s a change. You wouldn’t have had a board member that had that level of expertise. … We want to help people understand how to keep your money safe. … We have a role in that because our core value is helping people. You’ve raised six children while pursuing your career. What do you want for them? We have four daughters, and bookend boys, as I call it. One of the most wonderful things is when I’m talking with them. We still have teenagers, and then we have older kids. Now I’m going to be a grandparent. Being able to have a conversation with them has helped me so much. What they have really loved is when I’ve made a mistake and I admitted it. …I want them to be problem-solvers. I want them to be creators. I have been successful, to me, no matter what they do in their life, if circumstances come along and they are able to confront reality and figure out how to get through it. And lots of times that is by making mistakes and being willing to share them. If I want them to learn one thing, it’s about that. central Ohio region for the 150-year-old institution has three main facets, as Zazon sees it. They are to represent Huntington in the community, be a voice for her colleagues and to be responsible for revenue growth in the region. Internally and externally, Zazon takes her roles very seriously. Whether she’s involved with bank clients or co-workers, to her it’s the same: “We’re dealing with people’s lives and their families.” Mary Yost is the editor. August 2017 l ColumbusCEO

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TeCh TAlk InvEntEd By: EduTechnologic Cost: Undisclosed InvEstor: Brad Henry AmoUnt fUndEd: Undisclosed

launch Pad: Badger App’s Wearables for Work Training

ew have tapped into augmented reality to train trainers or new hires. Enter EduTechnologic’s Badger App, developed by CEO Brad Henry. The app is compatible via mobile device or AR headset, on which it is known as the Industrial Badger App. The industrial version uses augmented reality visuals in real time while an employee is learning how to go about a procedure on the job, such as operating machinery.

@jbhusalsharma

The mobile application is used solely by Ohio State University’s Fishel Laboratory to train lab workers, while the industrial iteration has yet to enter the workforce. In the meantime, EduTechnologic is working with IBM on integrating IBM services with the industrial app. Once the Industrial Badger App is put to work, users will wear the RealWear head-mounted tablet. Similar to Google Glass, the HMT has a glanceable screen hovering over the corner of one eye, eliminating the need to toggle between visuals such as training documents and what’s in front of you with any move of the neck. The difference between HMT and Google Glass lies in the fact that the

Photo courtesy eDuTeChNOlOgIC

Will Badger App achieve startup success? Potential Investor

Potential User

Industry Expert

“This is fantastic application of wearables technology for niche factory training application. Conventional training using videos and written instructions can be only partially effective. This technology uses kinesthetic learning methods for operators to get trained.”

“Badger app could be a tremendous help with the onboarding process in most work environments, especially in tandem with a head-mounted tablet. ... My only concern is if companies would be willing to pay the upfront costs of a visual aid, such as RealWear’s hMT.”

“I would be concerned whether or not the pre-designed mobile template eduTechnologic is offering will be aesthetically pleasing. The app’s web page and company website appear to be focused solely on the technology and less about design and usability.”

hitEn shah, Angel Investor

Ethan Pirigyi, Onboarding Specialist, The Shipyard

brian yEtzEr, President, Yetzer Studio

HMT is built for durability, making construction companies one of the app’s target markets. The next step for Badger will be partnering with PTC, a tech solution and software company, to enhance the industrial app’s current augmented reality feature by adding the capability of signaling machinery to operate in conjunction with the AR training.

SOlD Releases Next Version of Flash Sale App Buying a product for $0 seems like a no-brainer, but when it involves a test of patience, the choice is not so simple. SOlD, a Columbus-based gamified shopping app, went live in April but recently released its second version. Founder Drew lehman says it’s a more user-friendly production of the app that allows a featured item to be bought at anywhere from full retail price to $0 in a span of 60 seconds. Only one item is sold at a time, and all items are of interest to people with children. Because multiple users eye the same product instantaneously, they risk not being able to get it for nothing once 60 seconds are up. everyone has the chance to buy during the span of each sale at prices discounted in proportion to how many seconds have gone by. Fortunately, users are notified when sales will start each day so that they don’t waste any time. If the user is out of luck, there is an aftersale in which shoppers can buy products too good to pass up a set price.

Photo courtesy SOlD

By JuliE bhusal sharma

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Vendors’ Unique Career Paths Lead to Pearl Alley

or some, replacing scrubs with a bee suit or Wall Street with Canal Winchester is the perfect decision. At Columbus’ Pearl Market, now halfway through its annual summer run in Downtown’s Pearl Alley, owners of two stalls have done just that. Joe Sadowsky and David Casto lived in New York City, working in sales on Wall Street and as a housewares buyer for Dean & DeLuca, the upscale grocery chain. Seven years ago, they sought a fresh start away from the city—one that included farming. “We started questioning our lives when we were living in New York,” says Sadowsky. “We lived a crazy life.” The lifestyle change brought with it a learning curve.

david Casto (left) and Joe sadowsky “The closest thing I got to a garden was putting the divots back on the golf courses I played. … We just kind of put a spade in the ground and started digging and here we are,” he says. Now, Fornof Farm Market is a successful business known for its unique produce. Sadowsky says his former career, though, has come in handy. “I was in sales when I lived in New York. That’s rolled right over into what we’re doing. Instead of hedging a portfolio, I want you to buy my eightball zucchinis and stuff them and serve them to your customers.” He says his experience has also shaped him into a salesman who is able to walk right into the back door of a restaurant kitchen with produce and ask to speak to the head chef. Another thing that helps is the tomatoes. “That

Who will be 2017 CEOs of the Year? Come December, Columbus CEO will celebrate a new class of CeOs of the Year, but the process to select them begins with the annual CeO Survey to be sent soon to corporate and nonprofit executives across central Ohio. As part of the survey sent out by the Capital University School of Management and Leadership, respondents can vote for CeO of the Year nominees in four categories: large for-profit, small for-profit, large nonprofit and small nonprofit. This is the seventh year of our partnership with Capital

University to select CeO of the Year honorees and to gather insights about the region’s economic climate from area business and community leaders. Six women and 22 men have been honored as CeOs of the Year since the first recognition in 2011. Honorees have included local luminaries such as Les Wexner of L brands and Alex fischer of the Columbus Partnership, along with relative newcomers ryan Vesler of Homage and rachel finney of the Capital Area Humane Society. The four categories—large

and small for-profit companies and large and small nonprofit organizations—allow a full range of corporate and charitable executives to be recognized. responses to questions regarding current challenges and business expectations allow us to present a compelling look at the central Ohio economy. Surveys will be sent to local executives by mail and email in mid-August with a Sept. 18 deadline to respond. executives can enroll to receive the survey electronically at capital.edu/ceo-survey. —Mary Yost

usually gets me in the door,” he says. Right now, Fornof supplies produce for Little Eater, Due Amici, Latitude 41, G. Michael’s, Skillet and Worthington Inn, with “some irons in the fire.” A couple stalls down at Pearl Market, retired nurse Jerry Hinton sells honey. “We went to a family wedding and my uncle brought honey favors. I knew he was a beekeeper, but nothing really clicked until I tasted the honey and I just kind of went crazy and was beekeeping later that year,” he says. Twelve years later, Hinton Apiaries in Grove City is harvesting honey and selling at shows, and Hinton is advocating for the shrinking population of honeybees on earth. “In my past life I did a lot of lectures ... so it’s kind of a natural thing for me to continue to do that education,” he says. While beekeeping is more “playtime” than income-generator for Hinton, he says he makes good money. And more than that, he says he’s energized by the work. “Coming from a world that’s all science and math and medicine, it’s really refreshing to be doing the opposite of that.” Renovations for Pearl and Lynn alleys Downtown took more time and money than expected, but the project finally was declared complete in July. Among improvements: new lighting, electrical outlets and a big, green, tattooed arm holding a giant pearl where the alley begins at E. Broad Street. Pearl Alley is home to Pearl Market, which runs Tuesdays and Fridays from 10:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. through mid-October. —Chloe Teasley

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Silver CelebrAtion by ChlOE TEaslEy @columbusceomag

Tom Ward and Rick Karr

February 2010

Biotech Boom Columbus was vying for national recognition in 2010 for biotechnological advances, with institutions like Battelle, BioOhio, OhioHealth, Ohio State University and TechColumbus, a startup incubator that has since become Rev1 Ventures and has expanded its reach, contributing to the effort. Additionally, the Ohio Third Frontier, a state economic development program funded by voter-approved bond sales, had bioscience as one of its investment focuses, though it has expanded to the opioid epidemic. The bioscience push seems to have yielded good results, however, as evidenced by the fact that in December 2008, there were about 1,100 bioscience-related entities operating in central Ohio and now there are more than 3,000.

June 2011

June 2012

Poindexter Village

Selling the City

The first public housing complex in the nation was exactly what the Near East Side of Columbus needed in 1940. But in 2011, Poindexter Village had become outdated. So the city, Ohio State University and the Columbus Metropolitan Housing Authority pooled resources for planning, and OSU committed an additional $10 million and 10 years of investment. In 2013, old buildings were demolished. Now, 449 mixed-income units have been built, and displaced residents were given first priority to move back. Two remaining buildings will become a museum honoring area history.

The year 2012—Columbus’ 200th birthday—was the perfect time to tell the city’s story, according to Experience Columbus. To market the city the way the convention and visitors bureau had in mind was costly, but so was not doing so. Experience Columbus asked for a reallocation of money from a city tax on hotel-room rentals to fund the effort. In March 2014, it was approved by the City Council. In January 2017, Experience Columbus reported a record collection as 2016 bed tax revenue was up 4.3 percent from 2015.

October 2011

CDDC/Capitol South

November 2012

American Electric Power

Today, Downtown is home to the Scioto Mile, Columbus Commons and a revamped Lazarus building. Guy Worley, CEO of the CDDC/Capitol South Community Urban Redevelopment Corp., spearheaded much of the revitalization east of the river. In 2012, Worley was given new projects, including redevelopment of the Scioto Peninsula, which is happening now. This will extend Downtown west of the river and is scheduled to be completed within a decade.

Six years ago, AEP leadership transferred from Michael Morris to Nick Akins. Morris’ legacy was set with the Scioto Mile, a collaboration between city government and AEP, which threw in $10 million and evangelized to other private funders to pick up the rest of the $44 million tab. When Akins came in, he focused on becoming greener. AEP closed seven coal-burning power plants in 2015.

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June 2011 $3.95

February 2010 $2.95

• Family Biz Proﬁles • Online Learning

EmplOyEE HEaltH

BEst Of BusinEss

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DoWntoWn Developer A city-affiliated nonprofit led by Guy Worley has brought three game-changing projects to Columbus. More are on the horizon.

The region’s push for national recognition—and big bucks

25274 77384

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STATEWIDE HONORS. NATIONAL RECOGNITION. UNPARALLELED LOCAL COVERAGE. Over the past few months, Dispatch Magazines have taken home 51 awards from state and national journalism organizations. We congratulate:

FIRST PLACE Yogesh Chaudhary Alliance of Area Business Publishers Magazine Cover – AABP Gold Recurring Feature – AABP Gold Ohio Excellence in Journalism – Press Club of Cleveland Covers (Business Publications) Ohio’s Best Journalism – Society of Professional Journalists Grapher Designer

THIRD PLACE Yogesh Chaudhary Ohio Excellence in Journalism – Press Club of Cleveland Infographics Tim Johnson Ohio Excellence in Journalism – Press Club of Cleveland Portrait/Personality Photography Jennifer Wray Ohio Excellence in Journalism – Press Club of Cleveland Features (Trends) Mary Yost Ohio Excellence in Journalism – Press Club of Cleveland Departments or Columns

Special Publication Tim Johnson Alliance of Area Business Publishers Magazine Cover – AABP Gold Ohio Excellence in Journalism – Press Club of Cleveland Covers (Business Publications) Julie Bhusal Sharma Alliance of Area Business Publishers Recurring Feature – AABP Gold Jennifer Wray Ohio’s Best Journalism – Society of Professional Journalists Explanatory Journalism Mary Yost Ohio’s Best Journalism – Society of Professional Journalists Newsmaker Profile Special Publication SECOND PLACE Julie Bhusal Sharma Ohio Excellence in Journalism – Press Club of Cleveland Public Service/Investigative

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FINALIST Columbus Monthly City and Regional Magazine Association Awards General Excellence I Profile (Circulation less than 60,000) FIRST PLACE Columbus Monthly Staff Ohio’s Best Journalism – Society of Professional Journalists Best Monthly Betsy Becker Ohio Excellence in Journalism – Press Club of Cleveland Single Page Design (Magazines) Spread or Multiple Page (Magazines) Dave Ghose Ohio Excellence in Journalism – Press Club of Cleveland Analysis

Alan Johnson Ohio Excellence in Journalism – Press Club of Cleveland Single Essay SECOND PLACE Columbus Monthly Staff Ohio Excellence in Journalism – Press Club of Cleveland Best Magazine in Ohio Chris Gaitten Ohio’s Best Journalism – Society of Professional Journalists Minority Issues Reporting Dave Ghose Ohio’s Best Journalism – Society of Professional Journalists Political Reporting Ohio Excellence in Journalism – Press Club of Cleveland Best in Ohio (Staff Reporter) Alyse Kordenbrock Ohio Excellence in Journalism – Press Club of Cleveland Single Page Design (Magazines) THIRD PLACE Erin Edwards, Nicholas Dekker, Jill Moorhead Ohio Excellence in Journalism – Press Club of Cleveland Food Writing Dave Ghose Ohio Excellence in Journalism – Press Club of Cleveland News Suzanne Goldsmith Ohio Excellence in Journalism – Press Club of Cleveland Features (Personality Profile) Tim Johnson Ohio Excellence in Journalism – Press Club of Cleveland General Photo — Multiple Images

FIRST PLACE Columbus Alive Staff Ohio Excellence in Journalism – Press Club of Cleveland Best Non-Daily Newspaper in Ohio (Alternatives) Ohio’s Best Journalism – Society of Professional Journalists Best Weekly Andy Downing Ohio Excellence in Journalism – Press Club of Cleveland Arts & Entertainment Community/Local Coverage Ohio’s Best Journalism – Society of Professional Journalists Critic Minority Issues Reporting Joel Oliphint Ohio’s Best Journalism – Society of Professional Journalists Music Review Rock and Roll Feature Writing SECOND PLACE Andy Downing Ohio Excellence in Journalism – Press Club of Cleveland Features (General) Ohio’s Best Journalism – Society of Professional Journalists Music Review

Joel Oliphint Ohio Excellence in Journalism – Press Club of Cleveland Features (Personality Profile) Public Service THIRD PLACE Matthew Bailey Ohio Excellence in Journalism – Press Club of Cleveland Best in Ohio (Illustration, All Publications) Best in Ohio (Page Design) Covers (General Circulation Magazines) Andy Downing Ohio Excellence in Journalism – Press Club of Cleveland Reviews/Criticism Tim Johnson Ohio Excellence in Journalism – Press Club of Cleveland Photography (Non-Daily Newspapers, General) Joel Oliphint Ohio Excellence in Journalism – Press Club of Cleveland Arts & Entertainment Erica Thompson Ohio Excellence in Journalism – Press Club of Cleveland Community/Local Coverage

Rock and Roll Feature Writing Social Issues Reporting Jim Fischer Ohio Excellence in Journalism – Press Club of Cleveland Arts & Entertainment

THIRD PLACE Joel Oliphint Ohio Excellence in Journalism – Press Club of Cleveland Departments or Columns

Ohio’s Best Journalism – Society of Professional Journalists Arts Profile

denotes National Award

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spotlight By MElissa KOsslEr DuttOn + photo by rOb HarDin

small Business

intelligent outcomes Brett sciotto built a global market research firm with skills he learned in the Us Army.

hen Brett Sciotto worked as an intelligence officer for the US Army, the difference between good information and bad could mean life or death. The job taught him the value of not only having solid information but also the importance of understanding it in order to make sound decisions. “One of the things that struck me was the power of good information to really determine the outcome of a situation,” says Sciotto, who now serves as president and CEO of Aimpoint Research in Columbus. “Good intelligence leads to good outcomes.” When Sciotto left the armed services, he felt strongly that he could use his skills to help others make informed decisions and achieve success. He decided that his abilities suited him to market research, but he couldn’t find a firm that shared his approach to the work. “No one was doing it the way I

Aimpoint Research 575 W. 1st Ave., suite 100, Columbus 43215 AimpointResearch.com abOut: A global market research firm that fuses proven research methodologies and advanced collection techniques for clients. OwnEr: Brett sciotto EMplOyEEs: 20 full-time, 31 part-time 2016 rEvEnuE: Would not disclose

“One of the things that struck me was the power of good information to really determine the outcome of a situation.” brett sciotto thought it should be done,” he said. He started his own company in 2001. He focused on using an array of resources to gather intelligence and analyze it to provide companies the insights needed to achieve their goals. Initially, he did a lot of work in public affairs, but he rebranded the company in 2012 to reflect his diverse client base and growing number of international clients. Today, clients range from food and beverage companies to agricultural and retail leaders. Sciotto also purchased an Italian firm in 2015 to serve as a base for European clients. Aimpoint helps clients with market research, brand equity, product testing, customer research and more. Because of his military background,

Sciotto employs a unique mix of tools to help clients understand customers and their actions. Aimpoint will use facial coding, which analyzes emotional reactions, to better understand a person’s answers and attitudes. The firm uses heat mapping to determine customer patterns in a retail store. “Technology plays an important role, as well as traditional methods,” he says. For a recent retail client, Aimpoint gathered information through heat mapping, mystery shopping, pointof-sale data, interviews and other techniques to make recommendations about a change in store design. “By making a few relatively easy changes, they increased traffic flow, increased engagement and sales,” Sciotto says.

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A differentiator in market research that he appreciates is the ability to interview existing customers and wouldbe buyers. It wasn’t something he was able to do in the military. “When we were studying an enemy force, we did not have the luxury of interviewing them. We had to rely pretty heavily on technology to observe a force or a commander.” Still, Sciotto says, the firm works hard to determine whether what people say they will do is truly reflective of their actions. His team puts a lot of effort into determining what other forces might compel them to act differently. It’s all part of delivering clients the right details to inform their decisions, he adds. The focus on providing clients with actionable information is one of the reasons why the Columbus consulting, marketing and communications company FLM+ routinely works with Aimpoint, says CEO and President Rob McClelland. “Their philosophy and culture is that they sincerely want to help leaders make better decisions,” he says. The company routinely goes the extra mile by offering advice on how to use the data it has collected or calling back to see if it can do more to help, McClelland says. The analysis that Sciotto and his team provide is invaluable, agrees Jennifer Coleman, director of communications for the Ohio Soybean Council in Columbus. The company helps the council with an annual survey of growers. Sciotto works alongside the council to ensure that the questions are carefully crafted in order to get at the information the council needs, Coleman says. When the results are in, Sciotto helps the organization hone in on opportunities to pursue or address concerns that the survey has brought to light, she says. “I appreciate that it’s a dialogue,” Coleman says. “He’s focused on actionable intelligence.” Aimpoint prioritizes creating relationships with clients, Sciotto says. “We are very immersive,” he says. “We go beyond insights. Traditional marketing firms stop at insights. We go further and make recommendations.”

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Melissa Kossler Dutton is a freelance writer. August 2017 l ColumbusCEO

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spotlIght By Kitty McCOnnEll FrEnCh + photo by JOdi MillEr

Innovation

Flow Without Ebb Columbus-based industrial distributor is making its mark among global manufacturers.

he future looks bright to Tom Cox, CEO of FCX Performance. Bright, as in $12 billion domestic growth potential within the diverse commercial manufacturing industries his process flow control company serves. “We’re focused on continuing to add value for our customers and to grow our business, so we have a long runway for growth,” Cox says. FCX ranks among the world’s 50 largest industrial distributors, in terms of sales, by trade publication Industrial Distribution. A diversified client base has kept FCX from experiencing the market

FCX performance 3000 E. 14th Ave., Columbus 43219 fcxperformance.com AbOut: A process flow control company

and industrial distributor that stocks, assembles, services and repairs high-tech valves, pumps and other instruments used in process operations in a variety of industries.

CEO: tom Cox FOundEd: 1984 EMplOyEEs: 800 (200+ in ohio, including

70 in Columbus)

2016 rEvEnuE: $350 million

tom Cox downturns that otherwise would lead to layoffs or facility closures. For example, FCX was insulated from the hit the oil and gas industry has taken over the last few years. “I am so proud to tell you that we did not lay off one single person in the oil and gas downturn,” Cox says. “We actually were able to hire, in 2016, 10 more salespeople and 25 more service technicians, and it’s because we’re so well-diversified. That’s the way we’re going to continue to build the business.” As the company grows, that means more high-skilled FCX jobs in Columbus. Founded as Simco Controls in 1984 by Ohio State University alum-

nus and FCX board member Charles “Charlie” Simon, FCX benefits from maintaining its headquarters in the Columbus region. “It’s a great place to be able to recruit all types of talent, from technical sales people to service technicians to executives. People want to relocate here,” Cox says. Nearly 10 percent of the company’s national workforce is based in Columbus. Some of the city’s biggest organizations are FCX clients, including Abbott Laboratories, OSU, the city of Columbus and Anheuser-Busch InBev. FCX customers produce everything “from paper goods to soda pop, medication, the gas we put in our

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cars, water to our houses and offices, even the power that we use to charge all our devices,â€? Cox says. To produce the goods we use every day, manufacturers have to control the flow of liquids, gases and steam in their production plants, Cox explains. â€œThatâ€™s where we come in.â€? A longstanding acquisition/growth strategy positioned FCX as a one-stop shop for industriesâ€™ flow-control needs. FCX has acquired 20 companies in its 30-plus years, four of which have occurred since Cox became CEO in 2015. â€œWe look for companies that, by becoming part of FCX, will allow us to create more value for our customers so that we can grow more, so that oneplus-one is going to equal four,â€? Cox says. FCX wants companies it acquires to maintain their unique identities: their names, their employees, their service niches. â€œI want them to maintain and build whatever their secret sauce was that allowed them to grow,â€? he says. â€œWe donâ€™t want to FCX-ize them.â€? With so many industrial components in their offerings, FCX must keep its workforce trained on a vast range of

products and technologies and their applications. FCX University, an in-house training program for FCX employees and clients, launched in 2010. Technical expertise is just one element of what makes FCX a leader in its industry. Central Ohioâ€™s logistical infrastructure allows FCX to maintain a strong client base among Midwestern manufacturers and municipal operations, though the company operates 45 facilities in 38 states. One of FCXâ€™s strengths is the ability to provide same-day shippingâ€”even same-day deliveryâ€”of critical process control parts to manufacturers in need. Inventory distribution centers across

â€œWe look for companies that ... will allow us to create more value for our customers ... so that one plus one is going to equal four.â€œ tOm COx, FCX Performance CEO

the US means FCX clients can make repairs and get their production operations back online quickly after a valve or instrumentation malfunction. Cox received an email from one such client over the summer, which he reads aloud to illustrate the impact FCXâ€™s service capabilities have on its clientsâ€™ operations. â€œThank you for all you did Saturday on finding the actuator, positioner and bracket, and getting it to us on the same day,â€? wrote the customer, whom Cox would not identify because of confidentiality concerns. â€œIt saved us about a half-million dollars in product.â€? Cox is proud to lead FCXâ€™s technicians, salespeople and all the employees at the heart of the company. â€œI watch our folks; they crawl around in the most remote, dirtiest, sometimes most dangerous areas of a customerâ€™s plant. â€œIâ€™m proud of what weâ€™ve built, but Iâ€™m even more excited about what the future has for us in Columbus and across the country,â€? he says. Kitty McConnell French is a freelance writer.

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SPoTLiGhT By Erin McCAllA + Photo by rOb hArdin

Nonprofit

Closing the Gap WELD works for gender balance in business leadership and the board room.

“A

s we look around our cities and communities and the economy, women in top leadership is really an economic advantage,” says Barb Smoot. “When you have more women in top leadership, companies are more profitable, they make better decisions, they give back more philanthropically to their communities, and that helps everyone.” Smoot is the president and CEO of Women for Economic and Leadership Development, a locally based national group that’s focused on helping women move into top leadership roles and helping everyone else understand why they should be there. One way to do that is to talk about the numbers. “You will find that women are

WELD, Women for Economic and Leadership Development 6478 Winchester Blvd., Suite 120 Canal Winchester 43110; 866-614-9353 weldusa.org AbOut: A leadership development

organization focused on helping communities understand the importance of women in top leadership and helping women get those opportunities.

PrEsidEnt And CEO: Barb Smoot FOundEd: 2003 MEMbErshiP: 600-700 in Columbus, plus chapters in Cleveland, Pittsburgh and Tulsa.

teresa trost barb smoot more giving in terms of their dollars. When they earn a dollar, 90 cents of that dollar goes back into families and communities, versus 30 to 40 cents for men,” Smoot says. “So it just makes good economic sense to focus on women and women-owned business as a key driver in economic growth.” WELD was formed in 2003, a time when its founders didn’t see a lot of women in leadership positions. And if they did see women at the head of the table, it was the same few. “It was almost as if there were only three or four talented women in all of central Ohio,” Smoot says. That’s what made it imperative to start an organization focused solely on supporting women’s leadership. And in its 14 years, WELD has grown not only in size—there are chapters in Columbus, Cleveland, Pittsburgh

and Tulsa—but in its diversity of backgrounds and careers. You will find women who have just landed their first jobs to women who are sitting on corporate boards. That level of diversity helps build mentoring relationships. “We look like a slice of the community,” Smoot says. “When you have more diversity in all different types, it really helps for a stronger organization.” WELD also provides hands-on leadership development skills through programs for women at every stage of their careers. Its Emerging Professionals Series meets once a month and is for women who are starting out in their careers. The event location changes each month, enabling young women to visit different companies and expand their connections.

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In Columbus, the Leadership Series meets five to six times a year. These women are mid-career and seeking opportunitites at the executive level or officer ranks. Through WELD, they have the opportunity to speak with others in those desired positions. The Executive Women Series meets four times a year by invitation only. WELD also provides corporate board training and placement. “Women come to our programs and events to learn and build their leadership muscle,” Smoot says. “Women who are at the top of their career and are known in their industry reach back into the community and are actively involved.” Like with any big organization—the Columbus chapter alone has 600 to 700 members—there are annual events that members look forward to. Every year, WELD identifies 12 women for its Women WELDing the Way calendar. Nominees are women at the top of their careers and are known in their industries. WELD also hosts an annual Keyholder in March and its annual WELD National Leadership Conference in

June. All of these events provide opportunities to volunteer in highly visible roles; members Maggie Ellison and Stephanie Maupin, who both work at Event Marketing Strategies, co-chaired June’s National Leadership Conference for more than 800 attendees. They both say WELD has contributed to their growing confidence and continued motivation in their careers. “A lot of what I’m passionate about is for women to be their best selves and to be empowered,” says Maupin, who joined WELD in 2015. “It’s a place where you can be who you are, as you are.” WELD also provides abundant networking opportunities.

“We look like a slice of the community. When you have more diversity ... it really helps for a stronger organization.” barb smOOt President and CEO, WELD

“There’s serious movers and shakers involved.” Ellison says. “There’s no gap between talking to a CEO at a Fortune 500 company and to a manager at a small business.” While WELD has helped women understand and negotiate pay equity and land positions on corporate boards, there is still work to be done. According to the Pew Research Center, women on average earn 83 cents for every dollar earned by men. Women earn about 60 percent of all college degrees awarded in the United States, according to the US Department of Education, but Catalyst, a business think tank that addresses issues of gender in the workplace, says women hold less than 6 percent of CEO positions at S&P 500 companies and just about 20 percent of corporate board seats. It’s one reason why Smoot wants to see WELD continue to grow and have a greater impact. “I look forward to the day when there is no need for WELD, because everything we do here will be in the fabric of the communities everywhere.” Erin McCalla is a freelance writer.

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spotlight By Brian Ball + photos by rOB Hardin

Commercial Real Estate

A Whole New World Mix of ethnic communities, merchants has brought new life to Morse Road.

hen Krieger Ford moved to Columbus’ North Side in the fall of 1967, Morse Road marked the gateway into a booming residential and commercial district. Northland Mall, opened three years earlier, and its Lazarus and Sears stores anchored the robust retail scene. Columbus Schools opened Northland High School in 1965 as it followed the residential surge. “It was a vibrant area, with all kinds of retail and a lot of (residential) rooftops,” recalls Krieger Auto Group owner Doug Krieger. “Everybody wanted to be here.” But that era of vitality slowed by the mid-1990s. It nearly collapsed when Northland’s anchors closed their doors in 2001 and dragged standalone Morse Road retailers to the Mall at Tuttle Crossing, Polaris Fashion Place and, closer yet, the Easton retail and office complex at Morse and Interstate 270. The shoppers went with them. Northland Mall closed in October 2002 as the last of its smaller retailers and kiosk vendors vacated the property. But as the city and private sector fleshed out plans to revive the Northland area with road improvements and relocated government agencies, it’s a wave of immigrants and refugees from Latin America, Africa and Asia who have kept retail activity alive— and, in some places, thriving—along Morse Road. “Northland has this phenomena of new Americans moving in with

larger families,” says Michael Wilkos, director of community research for the Columbus Foundation. “That provides many more consumers needing groceries and clothes.” Wilkos contrasts the rebound of the Northland area and Morse Road with the high vacancy rates for commercial properties near the shuttered Westland and struggling Eastland malls. In those areas, he says, single-parent and single-occupant households are more common. “Clearly, Northland has experienced a vitality and entrepreneuship that West Broad (Street) and South Hamilton (Road) have not.” A Somali merchant class is among about 50,000 East African refugees who call Northland home. In the last five years or so, ethnic Nepali refugees whose families for generations had lived and worked peacefully in neighboring Bhutan have added to the mix of new Americans rebuilding their lives along Morse Road and Cleveland Avenue. More than 15,000 came to Columbus from UN refugee camps in Nepal after ethnic tensions forced them out of Bhutan and they were shunned by their ancestral homeland in South Asia. Within the Northtowne Centre at 2210 Morse Road, a multi-merchant collection of shops called the Global Mall emerged from the Somali community in 2003 just months after the Northland landlord shuttered the nearby mall. The Global Mall actually helped jump-start the redevelopment of the Morse Road corridor as the relocated refugees ramped up efforts to establish an economic beachhead in their adopted homeland. The Global Mall features individual merchants within what once served as a T.J. Maxx and, later, an Everything’s A Dollar store. They sell women’s fashions, books, jewelry and other products. The mall also includes a bookstore, travel agency and a money-transfer service. Owner Irad Warsame says Global Mall actually bought some store fixtures from the stores that had abandoned Northland.

“We left everything we had but brought our whole families. Now we have our ethnic stores and businesses and customers.” BHim BaSTOla, owner, south Asian Bazaar “People were searching to establish businesses,” Warsame says. Many were merchants in Somalia before leaving their civil war-ravaged country more than two decades ago. While the immigrants had few resources when they settled in Columbus, they could band together to create a bazaar of sorts that could spread out the overhead. “If you can’t make it yourself,” Warsame says, “you share.” Bhutanese Nepali refugees have found northeastern Franklin County just as hospitable as they seek to rebuild their community. “Columbus is very secure, very accepting,” says Bhim Bastola, owner of the South Asian Bazaar in a strip center at 1995 Morse Road. “We left everything we had but brought our whole families,” adds Bastola, who also leads the Bhutanese Nepali Community of Columbus, a nonprofit. “Now we have our ethnic stores and businesses and customers.” Bastola moved to Columbus five years ago after living in Cincinnati for five years. His shop has a corner

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File/Columbus DispAtCh

Mohamed Warsame (left) bought the strip mall where he practices dentistry; Saraga International Grocery (below) caters to diverse tastes.

offering jewelry and women’s clothing, along with a variety of South Asian food staples and some basic American products. One also can find a similar mix of ethnic and American staples in other shops dotting the retail landscape between Interstate 71 and Cleveland Avenue. Most notably, the Saraga International Market at 1265 Morse Road offers a variety of fresh produce catering to a base of ethnic African, South Asian and Hispanic customers. The grocery store, once the site of a Toys ‘R’ Us, also hosts individual merchants, including a halal butcher shop that slaughters and cuts meats— including camel meat—in accordance with Islamic dietary rules. The market also offers a non-halal butcher shop, a Mexican bakery, a Nepali food stand, a cell phone kiosk and a jeweler, among other businesses. Salvadoran immigrant Aleyda Rodriguez says she learned about catering to an international customer base when she opened Ranchero Kitchen 3½ years ago inside Saraga, “in a small corner and five tables seating 25.” She opened her own location in June at 984 Morse Road. It’s a spot with double the seating and a much larger kitchen that’s closer to I-71. Rodriguez says the multi-ethnic area has encouraged her to create new fresh fruit juices and recipes for her diverse market. “We want to attract everybody,” she says. “I learned those in the Middle

East like hotter (more spicy) food, so I make the chicken extra hot.” The rejuvenated Northland community and changing ethnic makeup prompted Kroger Co., to relocate and expand its Northland store. A new $21.5 million, 108,000-square-foot grocery opened at 1745 Morse Road in October 2016. Kroger spokeswoman Jennifer Jarrell says the extra 40,000 square feet of space allowed the Cincinnati-based grocery to offer 1,200 products geared toward international customers, twice what it typically stocks, displayed on three times the typical shelf space. The new Kroger offers offal, or organ meats, as well as halal meats, and customers can order lamb carcasses. “We did quite a bit of research; we knew we would have to re-merchandise the store to cater to the customers’ needs,” Jarrell says. Several other significant factors also came into play in the renaissance on Morse Road. Columbus spent $20 million to improve Morse Road. The city’s nowdefunct redevelopment nonprofit, Columbus Urban Growth Corp., gained title to the 84-acre Northland Mall and chose Columbus developer Mo Dioun’s Stonehenge Co., to redevelop the last sections of the property, now called Northland Village. By mid-2005, the Ohio Department of Taxation had relocated into the former Northland Lazarus. The state agency employs 900 in the building.

Stonehenge attracted the Franklin County Department of Job and Family Services into the former JCPenney store, where the Northland Performing Arts Center already had established an events center with the Vaud-Villities Productions troupe as a tenant. Wisconsin-based Menards has anchored the eastern section of the Northland property for six years on the site once occupied by Sears. The store was the first of four the home-improvement chain has opened in central Ohio. Separately, Stonehenge bought the former Kohl’s department store across the street at 1700 Morse Road and convinced the Franklin Board of Elections and the county’s print shop to relocate from Downtown; that added another 55 to 60 workers in the area. All of this redevelopment proved most attractive to Mohamed Warsame, a Somali refugee who studied at Boston University to become a dentist before returning to Columbus in 2010. He opened his practice in a retail center at Stelzer and McCutcheon roads, then opened a second dental office in a retail strip center in front of the Menards four years ago. In 2015,Warsame bought the strip center that had three fast food restaurants and a Cricket Wireless store as tenants. He says business has been brisk and the prospects for further stabilization and growth remain high. “I have 25 or 30 years left in my career,” he says of the decision to buy the property. “I wanted full control of the real estate.” Stonehenge Vice President Adam Trautner says the developer remains bullish as it builds a new strip center just west of the Northland Village McDonald’s. It already has a couscous restaurant operator signed, he says, and other national tenants have shown interest. Trautner says national tenants also have inquired about the old Kroger store at Karl Road that Stonehenge owns. It’s the largest retail site available on Morse Road. But he says Stonehenge also might consider a multi-tenant operation similar to the Global Mall. “There’s still room in the market for something like that,” Trautner says. “I think we can make (the area) even more diverse.” Brian Ball is a freelance writer. August 2017 l ColumbusCEO

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AGENDA

Connections

JuNE 9, 2017 + Photos by Miroslav Savic of MediaMachine

Hyatt Regency

NAWBO Visionary Gala Emceed by Mikaela Hunt, attendees celebrated Heather Whaling as the 2017 NAWBO Visionary honoree.

2 3

I 1 2 3 4

5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12

4 5 6

Babiya Polk and Kim Penzone Emily Perry, Nancy Perry and Arien Lawless Kara Hamilton and Brittany Paul Mikaela Hunt, Taylor Ray Orsbun and Sara Mitchell Abby Morrison, Catherine Lang-Cline and Barb Smoot Christy Farnbauch, Carol Argiro and Sheri Chaney Jones Caroline Worley, Sara Knight and Tanny Crane Kerri Mollard, Mary Lessick, Caitlin Beebe, Nancy Marrie and Paul Mollard Chris Boron, Josh Walz, Lacey Picazo, Molli Ross, Andrew Fisher and Hannah Greene Jessie Laux and Michael Creath Sherri Velasquez, Amber Gartin and Kathryn Cheek Betty Collins, Anne Gonzales and Janet Tressler-Davis

M 7

â€“

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I DIDN’T BUILD THE 180-FOOT SETLINE OR PROGRAM THE 250 MOVING LIGHTS ... Katie Blackburn, Graphic Designer

Mills James is a team of teams. Video. Events. Creative. We do it all, but none of us does it alone. Instead, we assemble teams of artisans and technicians to produce events and videos that meet unique needs with exceptional results. At Mills James there’s only one job we all share – making it easier for you to do yours. Find out how at millsjames.com.

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AGEnDA

Connections

JunE 27, 2017 + Photos by Todd YarringTon

Porter Wright Morris & arthur

Leadership for Small Businesses The Columbus Chamber hosted this event about the power of mentoring for women in business.

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13

Sheri Smith and Michael Childs Jackie Wilder and Crystal Hughey Holly Gross and Joshua Sanders Lindsay Bannister and Danielle Myers Bethany Evans and Cassie Lamprinakos Ron Calhoun and Adrian Burns Kirsten Hamilton, Kirsten Fraser and Abby Brothers Abigail Worth, Taylor Exner and Julia Satin Emily Magill, Sarah Buszek and Christine Pohorence Morgan Phelps, Julice Gilmore, Amanda Pierce, Alex Conley and Rebecca Hunt Jeff Zimmerman and Janet Jackson Holly Caruso, Christina Renzelli, Somers Martin and Emily Magill Ashley Bernatz, Kris Higgins and Tamara Peak

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AGEnDA

Connections

JuLy 18, 2017 + Photos by Jay LaPrete

Fawcett Center

Top Business Challenges: Winning the Talent War

Four Ohio State university centers hosted this workforce conference.

5 1 2 3 4 5 6 7

8 9 10 11 12 13

Alicia Ritchey and Jenna Lee Autumn Klinger and Aimee Erwin Jada Malone and Cindy Foster Mary Simonetti and Heather Luiz Jennifer Heckscher and Dante Washington Susan Ehrlich and Megan Berkshire Marek Gootman, John Popelka and Kathy Gallowitz Alex Swogger and Joyce Steffan Mary Beth Sammartino and Michelle Cox Linz Vallelil and Shaminder Rai Hanna Gottschalk, Tara Plazarin and Brenden Gallagher Doug Farren, Tony Meredith and Jay Siefring Will Shepherd, Tony Moore and Marc Ankerman

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Agenda

EvENTS CALENDAR: AuGuST

Compiled by ChlOE tEaslEy

02-03

Ohio Municipalities Business Conference Time: 8 a.m.-7 p.m.; 7 a.m.-2 p.m. Location: Greater Columbus Convention Center, 400 N. High St., Columbus 43215 Cost: $175 Contact: 614-292-0964 or columbus.gov This inaugural, two-day event will provide tangible tips, resources and business opportunities to startups, entrepreneurs and small-business owners across Ohio. Hosted by Mayor Andrew Ginther and city government’s Office of Diversity and Inclusion, the conference will provide an interactive platform for municipality leads, procurement officers, supplier diversity professionals, business owners and leaders, and industry influencers to discuss best practices in supplier diversity to build and grow their businesses.

2017 Columbus Leadership Roundtable Time: 8:30 a.m.-noon Location: Columbus Museum of Art’s Forum gallery, 480 E. Broad St., Columbus 43215 Cost: $30 Contact: 614-477-9503 or ohiodiversitycouncil.org Designed to give business leaders of all backgrounds the opportunity to share personal stories that elevate the conversation regarding workplace equality for To submit a business or professional event, go to the online calendar at ColumbusCEO.eviesays.com and add your listing. All qualifying events will be listed on the website; select events also will appear each month in the magazine.

up-and-coming leaders, this event brings Columbus business leaders together with young professionals. In this roundtable format, leaders have the opportunity to share best practices and authentic experiences, while participants ask pertinent and personal questions.

SCORE, and ECDI. The discussion will offer tips and strategies to implement immediately in your business. Panel members are Ellen Grinsfelder, owner of the Inn & Spa at Cedar Falls, and Elizabeth Blount McCormick, president of UNIGLOBE Travel Designers.

09-10

Time: 9 a.m.-5:30 p.m. 9 a.m.-1:30 p.m. Location: Greater Columbus Convention Center, 400 N. High St., Columbus 43215 Cost: $400 and up Contact: 614-221-1321 or retailsummit.org

Time: 8:30 a.m.-1 p.m. Location: Economic & Community Development Institute, 1655 Old Leonard Ave., Columbus 43219 Cost: Free Contact: 614-469-6860, x276 or sba.gov

Retail Summit: Smart Region+Smart Retail

Retail Summit will dig deep into a broad range of future-focused topics. Insights, strategies and stories from some of today’s retail thought leaders and trailblazers will be shared. Get inspired, access unique opportunities, rethink something you currently know and learn something entirely new.

Connections, Communications & Confidence: Customer Service vs. Customer Satisfaction Time: 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m. Location: Event Space Columbus 24 Westerview Drive Westerville 43081 Cost: $25 Contact: 614-414-2449 or wsbaohio.org This four-part series focusing on topics for women business owners is a joint effort of the Women’s Small Business Accelerator, Small Business Administration,

Small Business Resource Corridor Expo

This event will feature the Fifth Third “E-Bus,” which offers free credit scores and financial counseling. Smallbusiness resources together in one place will assist your business no matter what stage you are in. Small Business Administration, ECDI, the Women’s Business Center, Fifth Third Bank and the Destiny Center are hosts.

OhioHealth Cancer Conference 2017 Time: 7:30 a.m.-3 p.m. Location: The Grand Event Center 820 Goodale Blvd., Columbus 43212 Cost: Free for OhioHealth medical students, residents and fellows; $40 for nursing, allied health and leadership; $125 for physicians Contact: 614-788-8860 or ohiohealth.com This educational event will provide the latest information from the nation’s foremost experts in the diagnosis and treatment of cancer. It will highlight diagnosis and treatment advances in the areas of genitourinary

cancers and upper gastrointestinal malignancies, presented by MD Anderson Cancer Center.

2017 COTA Annual Luncheon Time: 11 a.m.-1 p.m. Location: Hyatt Regency Ballroom 350 N. High St., Columbus 43215 Cost: $75 Contact: 614-298-2300 or cota.com This year’s theme, “It’s a Journey...Not Just a Ride: Smart Technology Driving Public Transportation,” deepens the conversation about Columbus as a Smart City, the opportunities for innovation in public transportation and its potential impact on economic growth and the greater good. This event features keynote speaker Beth Osborne, vice president for technical assistance and senior policy adviser at Transportation for America.

Five Legal Pitfalls Early Stage Companies Should Avoid Time: 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m. Location: Innovate New Albany 8000 Walton Parkway, Suite 200 New Albany 43054 Cost: Free Contact: 614-289-7900 or innovatenewalbany.org Whether it’s concerns about business contracts, employment agreements or raising capital, following proven legal best practices can keep you on track by getting in front of unsuspected barriers. Porter Wright attorneys Brett Thornton and Jack Gravelle will discuss strategies to keep your business from getting sidetracked. August 2017 l ColumbusCEO

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OPIOI OID D

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CRI RIS SIS EmployErs ArE urgEd to bEComE pArt of thE solution unintentional overdose deaths in ohio

unintentional overdose deaths in franklin County

4,149

352

19%

25%

survEy of businEssEs

53%

192

1,544 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016

2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016

n Extremely well-prepared n somewhat well-prepared n not very well-prepared n Extremely unprepared

Are you prepared?

On-the-JOb Impact

A may survey of employers by the national safety Council found 71% have felt some impact of prescription drug misuse: 39%

39%

32%

Absenteeism or missed work

Employee use of prescription painkillers at work

positive drug test

29%

impaired or decreased job performance

29%

22%

15%

14%

10%

family member of employee affected

hurting employee morale/ complaints to hr

injury or near-miss

borrowing or selling drugs at work

Arrest on or off the job

overdose

sources: ohio department of health, franklin County Coroner, national safety Council

“this one is outpacing all of us. it’s killing our citizens, it’s destroying our families, and it’s impacting every sector of our economy.” david royer

CEo, Alcohol, drug and mental health board of franklin County

by BOB VitalE + photos by ROB HaRdin and tim JOHnsOn August 2017 l ColumbusCEO

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Businesses aren’t immune from the drug epidemic that’s hitting central Ohio hard.

or every person who dies from a drug overdose, the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says another 130 people are living with an addiction. And in 2016, more than 350 Franklin County residents— an increase of 71 percent over the last five years—overdosed and died. The opioid epidemic—that’s not hyperbole; it meets the public-health definition of the word—has been described as the worst drug crisis in US history, and Ohio has been identified as an epicenter for drug seizures, arrests, overdoses and deaths. It’s not an issue that simply vanishes at the doors of the state’s offices, factories, warehouses, restaurants, retail shops and other places of business. “If it’s rampant in our community, it’s a workplace problem,” says Dee Mason, the founder and CEO of Working Partners, a Canal Winchester company that helps businesses create and manage drug-free workplace programs. But Mason and others who are trying to stem the tide of opioid abuse say that as businesses grapple with their own issues of lost productivity, higher absenteeism, greater risk of workplace accidents and other problems brought on by substance use among employees, they also must be part of the effort to address its broader consequences in their communities.

For every one opiate-related death:

are admitted for treatment

visited the ER

130

are abusers or dependent on drugs

825

use drugs for nonmedical reasons Source: US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

A new Franklin County Opiate Action Plan released in June by county commissioners and Columbus Mayor Andrew Ginther issued only vague calls about “partnering with business leaders” to address the crisis. The mayor, however, says employers soon will become an integral part of the city-county plan to educate the public, expand treatment and reduce the number of drug-related deaths. “It’s impacting businesses: their employees, their families, their customers, their communities,” Ginther says. “We know we’re in for the long haul, and that’s why we need the help of the private sector.”

ON-THE-JOB IMPACT ThE OPIOID EPIDEMIC has hit businesses in ways both big and small across central Ohio. Convenience stores and gas stations in some parts of Columbus have locked off their restrooms to stop people from overdosing on their premises. Fast-food franchises have inquired about stocking an easyto-administer anti-overdose drug. Entire industry sectors report that it’s increasingly difficult to find job applicants who can pass pre-employment drug-screening. The Ohio Bureau of Workers’ Compensation, which recognized early the overuse of prescription opioids, has put limits on their use to treat on-the-job injuries and begun covering treatment for opioid-dependent workers. “We’re looking at it more as a side effect of the drugs we paid for,” says John hanna, who directs the pharmacy program for the state agency. While less than 10 percent of US workers are categorized as substance abusers, according to the US Substance Abuse and Mental health Services Administration, more than 70 percent of addicts are employed. Those statistics cover abuse of all drugs, as well as alcohol, which remains the biggest workplace problem. But Mason and others say the impact of opioids—a category of drugs that ranges from prescription painkillers such as OxyContin to an extremely

Dee Mason

“Almost every employer has a policy, or at least they think it’s a policy. It might be as little as two paragraphs. ... That’s not a policy.” Dee Mason Founder and CEO, Workplace Partners potent form of heroin that’s blamed for the alarming increase in overdoses and deaths—comes to work with more than just a relatively small number of employed addicts. heroin is most often used by people

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who are so far down the path of addiction that they’ve lost or left jobs. There’s a far greater number of parents, siblings, significant others, close friends and others who are trying to keep their minds on job duties while worrying constantly about addicted loved ones. “Think about it,” Mason says. “You’re on the job and your youngster or your brother or whatever (is a substance abuser). Think about the distraction. … You’re waiting for that call. You don’t know what’s going to happen. Are they in treatment? Did they skip? It’s horrible, and it’s a very huge distraction.” Substance abuse has a very definite impact on productivity, workplace safety and employers’ healthcare costs.

Addicts call in sick more often and are more likely to be involved in accidents both on and off the clock. There are no statistics on the toll substance abuse takes less directly in the workplace, but David Royer, CEO of the Alcohol, Drug and Mental Health Board of Franklin County, says it’s a prime example of the adage that when you hire one person, you hire an entire family. “You can have some risk factors out there inside families that you may not necessarily see with a direct employee of your firm,” he says. “Any healthrelated issues … that add stressors, I would think it’s germane to the employer to think about it. We see more and more employers focused on wellness programs. We know that the better we take care of ourselves, the less cost

we incur as a business for health-related issues. This one is so unfortunately critical that it’s going to take special, highly focused kinds of initiatives.”

ENLISTING EMPLOYERS AS pART OF the Franklin County action plan, a corporate advisory council yet to convene will guide private sector involvement in what still is an effort largely confined to law-enforcement, public-health departments and other government agencies. Royer and Teresa Long, MD, Columbus’ public-health commissioner, have some ideas to get the panel started. Royer envisions educational initiatives in the workplace created by the August 2017 l ColumbusCEO

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State Ready to Back PRoductS, IdeaS to addReSS cRISIS

n 2005, the year Ohio voters approved $2 billion in bond sales to boost high-tech jobs and industries, a newly approved medication to help recovering opioid addicts was put into use at Franklin County treatment centers. Across Ohio, 1,020 people died that year of drug overdoses. Addiction to prescription painkillers and opiates such as heroin and fentanyl has outpaced treatment advances in the years since. Drug overdoses claimed the lives of 4,149 Ohioans in 2016. State officials hope Ohio Third Frontier, the program created to assist economic development, can help in the battle to stem the opioid epidemic as well. Two Third Frontier initiatives are underway that will make a total of $20 million available to businesses with plans, products or the ability to advance “near-term tangible solutions” in the areas of addiction, treatment or overdose intervention. “If there is one thing we’ve learned, this touches everyone, and we all need to be part of the solution,” says David Goodman, director of the Ohio Development Services Agency and chair of the Ohio Third Frontier Commission. “Ohio leads the nation in technology and innovation, and it makes sense to use this strength to find solutions and save lives.” The technology challenge is just getting started. The Ohio Third Frontier board was getting ready in July to select a manager for the effort who will determine and announce de-

tails such as deadlines, ways to submit ideas and rules for the competition. State officials envision public events in which ideas will be presented, winnowed down and selected. The technology initiative hews more closely to Ohio Third Frontier’s traditional mission and guidelines. It’s for Ohio entrepreneurs and businesses or those who would commit to pursuing their projects with a substantial presence in the state. Proposals for the initiative are due by Aug. 31. Awards will be announced in December More information on both efforts is available at the Ohio Development Services Agency website, development.ohio.gov.

The Ohio Opioid Abuse, Prevention and Treatment Technology Initiative

seeks promising new products—medical devices, diagnostics, pharmaceuticals and health technology—to address issues related to the opioid crisis. The Ohio Development Services Agency, which runs Ohio Third Frontier, says it is especially interested in technology and products that would treat pain without the use of opioids.

The Ohio Opioid Technology Challenge is a competition open to everyone with ideas to prevent people from becoming addicted to opiates, treat those who already are addicted and reduce the number of deaths from overdoses. As the competition unfolds, businesses and experts will be invited in to help turn ideas into products.

Should I Stock NaloxoNe?

aloxone is a nasal-spray or injected medication that reverses opioid overdoses. Free kits and instruction in how to administer the drug are available through a program started by the Ohio Department of Public Health. In Franklin County, individuals and businesses can get up to two naloxone kits free at Southeast Healthcare Services, 16 W. Long St., Columbus. Call 614-225-0990, ext. 1119. Teresa Long, MD, Columbus’ public health commissioner, urges businesses to stock naloxone, also known by brand name Narcan, if they have experience with customers or

employees overdosing on their premises. A 40-year-old state law shields people from civil liability for offering care during a medical emergency.

region’s big employers and shared with its small businesses. The lessons would cover topics such as the responsible use of painkillers, the proper disposal of medications that are no longer needed and the need to store prescription drugs where they’re not accessible to others. He sees employees taking home that newly acquired knowledge and sharing it with their families, including elderly relatives whose medicine cabinets can become hunting grounds for addicts. “Schools are where we have our children congregate,” Royer says, alluding to classroom-based anti-drug programs that were common in the 1980s and 1990s. “The workplace is where we have our adults within certain age groups congregate.” Long has called on businesses to keep substance-abuse treatment in their employee health plans. It was required as an essential benefit under the 2010 Affordable Care Act, or Obamacare, but congressional Republicans have considered making such coverage optional. Royer wants employers to distribute disposal kits that allow people to neutralize and get rid of unused medication. Long wants businesses to stock naloxone, a drug that blocks the effect of opioids and is administered to counteract overdoses. Columbus Police, EMS and Franklin County sheriff’s deputies carry the drug, which now is available as a nasal spray. Long says businesses should train their employees how to administer naloxone if it’s needed for coworkers or customers. “I keep asking why it’s not in every workplace,” she says. “It’s a lifesaver, the equivalent of CPR.”

POLICIES IN PLACE MAny EMPLOyERS ALREAdy have the tools needed to address substance abuse among their workers, even though those tools might need some sharpening. In 1988, Congress approved the drug-Free Workplace Act, which required some federal contractors and all federal grant recipients to establish policies to discipline, fire or demand treatment for employees who are caught with illegal drugs at work. Rules have been expanded over

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the years to require drug-testing in federally regulated industries such as trucking, mass transit and aviation. As a member of the US House, now-US Sen. Rob Portman of Ohio sponsored legislation that helps small businesses establish drug-free workplace policies. Ohio gives businesses a break on workers’ compensation premiums if they implement safety programs that include drug and alcohol testing and at least an hour of substance-abuse education yearly. Participating businesses must test all new hires, anyone involved in a workplace accident and anyone supervisors reasonably suspect of being under the influence of alcohol or drugs at work. A 4-percent discount for those efforts rises to 7 percent if employers randomly test 15 percent of their workforce annually. But policies don’t equal progress. A National Safety Council survey in May found that while more than 70 percent of US employers have felt an impact from prescription drug misuse—absenteeism, positive drug tests and family issues are among the most common— fewer than 20 percent feel “extremely prepared” to deal with the issue. The council concluded that 81 percent of company policies are incomplete. They most commonly fail to address issues such as employee use of medical marijuana and employees’ responsibility to notify supervisors if they’re taking legally prescribed drugs

that might affect their job performance. “Almost every employer has a policy, or at least they think it’s a policy,” Mason says. “It might be as little as two paragraphs: Though shalt not, and if you do we’ll take action up to and including termination. That’s not a policy.”

“There are no trends that I’ve seen yet that are trending the right way.”

“I keep asking why (naloxone) is not in every workplace. It’s a lifesaver.”

‘NOT A GOTCHA PROGRAM’ GOOd dRUG-fRee wORkPlACe programs have five elements, Mason says: written policies and procedures, awareness and education, supervisor training, employee assistance, and testing. weiland’s Market in Columbus touches all bases with its decade-old program, and Business Manager Sheila freeman calls it “a godsend to us.” The Clintonville grocery store requires drug-testing within 90 days for all new hires and pays for an expanded panel of screening that includes the type of opioids at the heart of Ohio’s crisis. Most drug tests—including those required of employers covered under federal law—don’t include screening for synthetic opioids such as fentanyl. New employees of weiland’s who fail their test are terminated, freeman says. existing employees who fail random drug tests aren’t disciplined if they undergo a drug-and-alcohol assessment and agree to abide by whatever treatment recommendation is

David Royer

Teresa Long, MD

CEO, Frankin County ADAMH

Columbus Public Health Commissionmer

issued as a result. “If they agree to do that, we want to help them,” freeman says. “It’s been rewarding. They come back and say thank you.” Because employees’ duties include working with deli slicers and knives, driving forklifts and unloading trucks, the US Occupational Safety and Health Administration classifies grocery stores among high-risk industries for workplace accidents. worker safety is the underlying reason for weiland’s Market’s policies, freeman says. Ronald Suttles, interim chief of employer services for the Ohio Bureau of workers’ Compensation, says safety is always at the heart of drug-free policies. State government worked with businesses, organized labor and industry experts in developing the guidelines it issues for what it refers to instead as “drug-free safety programs,” he says. “It’s not a ‘gotcha’ program,” Suttles says. “Part of the policy includes getting treatment and then getting that person back in the workplace.”

THE ROOT OF THE PROBLEM THe HISTORy Of the current opioid epidemic dates back to the 1990s, when medical organizations began referring to pain as a vital sign and recommended that pain management be a priority in treatment. Although other vital signs such as blood pressure can be measured objectively, doctors had to rely on patients to report their own pain levels, and patientsatisfaction surveys used by the federal government to determine Medicare reimbursement rates asked people if they felt doctors did enough to control their pain. Several studies and marketing campaigns described prescription opioids as safe and nonaddictive, and their use skyrocketed. Injured workers—they number about 100,000 annually in Ohio—were among those receiving the drugs. Before the Bureau of workers’ Compensation began limiting their use in 2011, the agency found more than 8,000 Ohio workers with opioid prescriptions at doses higher than what’s considered clinically dependent. Nearly 5,000 of those workers had prescribed doses eight times higher than August 2017 l ColumbusCEO

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What Do I Do? IF yOu susPECT that a coworker has a substance abuse problem, make a commitment to help him or her, says Dee Mason, founder and CEO of Working Partners, a Canal Winchester firm that advises businesses on drug-free workplace policies. “They have to get help,” she says. • If your coworker’s family is aware of the problem, support them in efforts to help their loved one. Tell them there’s professional help in staging an intervention. • If your employer has an employee assistance program, do what you can to get the person into it before he or she gets into trouble over a performance issue or is involved in a workplace accident. • If your company is a drug-free workplace, take objective information to your supervisor, who should be trained in such matters. “Then get out of the way and stay out of it,” Mason says. If you’re an employer and an employee informs you about his or her own problem, Ohio Bureau of Workers’ Compensation officials say your first step should be to stop the person from continuing any job duties. • Make sure the employee is taken home by someone other than himself or herself. • Provide a list of local community resources at a minimum. • Once the worker gets treatment, use tools such as return-to-duty testing and follow-up testing to ensure he or she is no longer a safety risk. Establish relationships with employee assistance professionals before you need their help. Then you can refer an employee quickly for an assessment. Information about addiction treatment and prevention resources is available at the Ohio Department of Mental Health & Addiction services at mha.ohio.gov. “It’s like any disease,” Mason says. “The earlier we can intervene, the prognosis is so much improved.”

the clinically dependent threshold. “We had a whole class of legal addicts. For years we had a lot of folks addicted to pain medicine, and they were legal,” says Royer of Franklin County ADAMH. “Over here were the illegal addicts. So then you shut the spigot off to the pills, and it migrated over. That’s when it really started to explode. That’s when they had to go find it in the illegal markets.”

A DIFFERENT APPROACH In OCTObeR 2016, as the state put in place new limits on the doses and duration of opioids prescribed to injured workers, it also began covering treatment for those who became dependent on drugs that were covered under workers’ comp claims. The bureau now reimburses companies for up to 18 months of an employee’s medically assisted treatment, behavioral and psychological counseling, or inpatient detoxification. Some contrast the focus on treatment and compassion for addicts in the current drug crisis with the zero-tolerance focus on strict sentencing during the war-on-drugs era decades earlier. They point to the demographic differences this time around: Opioid abuse affects mostly whites, extends to rural and suburban America, and is dispersed among economic classes. but others say evolving attitudes toward addiction, lessons learned from

Can You IDentIfY the Problem?

38%

of executives are very confident they can identify warning signs of drug abuse

35%

are very confident their HR departments can identify signs

17%

are very confident in their supervisors’ and managers’ ability

13%

are very confident in their employees source: National safety Council survey, May 2017

“We know we’re in for the long haul, and that’s why we need the help of the private sector.” Andrew Ginther Mayor of Columbus those earlier anti-drug efforts and the sheer magnitude of this opioid epidemic are also part of the change in approach. “We’re not going to arrest our way out of this problem,” says Hanna, who as pharmacy program manager for the bureau of Workers’ Compensation helped shape Ohio’s more benevolent response. “We’re certainly not going to fire our way out of it, either.” As Royer speaks with central Ohio corporate leaders and business owners, he tells them the same thing: Addressing the opioid epidemic is going to take all hands on deck. “There are no trends that I’ve seen yet that are trending the right way,” he says. “Deaths are up. Overdoses are up. … Children being taken from families due to parent use is up. everything is trending the wrong way. “I’ve been in this business for almost 40 years. I have never seen something like this, even at the heyday of the crack epidemic or the methamphetamine problem. This one is outpacing all of us. It’s killing our citizens, it’s destroying families, and it’s impacting every sector of our economy. So when you have that stark reality, you have to bring all parties together, each contributing what they have to construct something that will stem the tide of everything going the wrong way.” Bob Vitale is the associate editor.

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2017 Six years of honoring the best in central Ohio human resources Winner profiles by TC BrOwn + Finalist summaries by Mary yOsT + Photos by rOB Hardin

arman Wirtz of the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium likes to hang out with giraffes when she gets a chance, but she is one of the few zoo workers whose primary focus is the human species. Likewise, most who work at Nationwide Children’s Hospital are there for the youngsters needing its critical medical services, but Elisabeth Evensen Baldock is concerned with the

adults in its ever-increasing workforce. And so it goes. Human resources professionals across central Ohio do what they do best in behind-the-scenes efforts so others in their businesses and organizations, large and small, can concentrate on doing their jobs. We all benefit when HR pros make sure our companies have the right people in the right places, that new employees are

onboarded effectively and that every associate has the support needed to do her or his job. Once a year is not often enough to acknowledge the importance of effective human resources work, so let the stories of our 2017 HR Excellence Award winners and finalists be a beginning for showing appreciation to your own HR professionals. As you’re inspired by this year’s honorees, plan now to

nominate your HR professionals and teams in January for our 2018 awards. One of the awards you won’t see on the following pages is for best presenting sponsor. That honor—and our sincere appreciation—goes to HR consulting firm Findley Davies/BPS&M, which has partnered with Columbus CEO on the HR Excellence Awards since they began in 2012. —Mary Yost August 2017 l ColumbusCEO

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Small Organization ExECutivE Of thE YEar

Carman Wirtz

Senior Vice President of Human Resources

2017

Columbus Zoo and Aquarium

arman Wirtz gets a charge out of living vicariously through the employees she serves. When someone moves up the company ladder at the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium or when an intern lands a full-time job as a zookeeper, her day is made. “It’s the best part of the job,” Wirtz says. “It’s hard to have a bad day when someone’s dreams are coming true.” As senior vice president of human resources, Wirtz and her small staff work hard to keep employees in the loop. It’s a task with some challenges, because workers are spread across four parks: the zoo, Zoombezi Bay, the Safari Golf Club and the Wilds. “Communication is definitely an issue and an opportunity,” she says. “I have an amazing, passionate staff. They get an amazing amount of work done.” The respect is mutual. HR Director Jennifer Koslow calls Wirtz a natural leader, highly driven and motivated. “She demands results but knows how to have fun and care about her team and its development,” Koslow says. The word “fun” is mentioned several times in conversations about Wirtz, with evidence to prove it. In June, she was among zoo employees who participated in a Facebook event by taking a pie in the face to raise awareness about the endangered vaquital porpoise. Wirtz landed in HR early in her career, in 1991, as an assistant to the chief financial officer and human resource director at Quorum Health Group in Des Moines, Iowa. The job involved more association with numbers than people, but her appetite for service was awakened. “I liked being the middle man in human services,” she says. “Just being with people and the interaction is what I really enjoyed. It was good energy.” After her husband took a job in Columbus, Wirtz worked as manager of the HR department at Midwest Express

Inc., in Marysville, and later as the senior auditor of human resources for Honda North America Inc. In 2005, she became vice president of human resources at Memorial Hospital of Union County in Marysville, where she worked until 2012 before taking the Columbus Zoo job. Wirtz came aboard at a time of transition at the zoo, and she is credited with

improving staff morale while instituting consistent policies and procedures and enhancing the relationships with the workers’ union, community leaders and the board of directors. Among other accomplishments, she created a regular employee engagement survey, developed a formal HR strategic plan, expanded the intern program, developed an online training program,

ExECutivE Of thE YEar Executive of the Year recognizes an individual who has demonstrated significant achievements that advance both a person’s organization and the HR profession. Nominations were categorized by workforce size: Large organizations have more than 2,000 employees, midsize between 500 and 2,000 employees, and small organizations fewer than 500 employees.

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Thanks To our Judges

Previous winners of HR Excellence Awards and local business and HR professionals provided reviews to determine this year’s winners and finalists. The 2017 HR Excellence Award winners and finalists were selected by nine judges who reviewed dozens of nominations from local businesses and organizations. Columbus CEO appreciates the time and expertise our judges shared to review nominations and select this year’s honorees. This year’s judges were: Zuni COrkErtOn, founder and president of RefCheck Information Services Inc., in Dublin, which provides reference and background checks for employers. She previously was an HR manager for a bank. Brad HarsHaw, managing partner and HCM specialist with Strategic Payroll Solutions in Worthington. He has taught more than 20 years as an adjunct faculty member at Columbus State Community College in the HRM Technology Program. katiE MCGratH, executive vice president of human resources for Columbus-based marketing and communications agency Fahlgren Mortine. She was 2014 HR Executive of the Year in the small company category. COllEEn rains, director of human resources at Elford, a Columbus general contractor and construction management company. She was 2013’s Executive of the Year in the small company category. CHris ruttEr, vice president, human resources, with ContactUS Communications in Columbus and president of the Human Resources Association of Central Ohio. He was HR Executive of the Year for small organizations in 2016. boosted diversity activities, improved the wellness program and established an employee awards program. She’s more than willing to step in anywhere she’s needed, including filling in for colleagues at presentations, participating in fundraising competitions or serving pizza at the food court. Wirtz is also not afraid to brainstorm with staff for continued improvements. “We need to do the best for our employees so they can be their best and so we can keep the Columbus Zoo as the No. 1 zoo,” Wirtz says. “I think we are doing that. We often have people just stop in to say, ‘Hey,’ to us. It’s a huge compliment.”

Wirtz has set the tone, Koslow says. “She is charismatic and wants people to enjoy their jobs,” Koslow says. “She is very well loved.” Clearly, the admiration is a two-way street. “Just being with people and interacting is what I enjoy,” Wirtz says. “They know where to go for information about training and benefits.” And there’s one unusual benefit Wirtz can recommend for anyone going through a rough patch. “Even if you’re having a bad day you can always go feed a giraffe,” she says. TC Brown is a freelance writer.

niCOlE sMitH, senior recruiter at Grange Insurance. She is a past president of HRACO, the Human Resources Association of Central Ohio. taMMi spaydE, vice president of marketing, human resources and facilities for Dublinbased OCLC. She was the first HR Executive of the Year for midsize organizations in 2012. Fran waHrMan, vice president, incentive compensation governance manager with Huntington National Bank. She also teaches HR courses at Franklin University. JuliE M. yOunG, employment and HR attorney with JMY Law LLC in Worthington. She was the Good Works winner of the 2014 HR Excellence Awards. August 2017 l ColumbusCEO

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Large Organization ExEcutivE Of thE YEar

Elisabeth Evensen Baldock

Chief Human Resources Officer

Nationwide Children’s Hospital

hen Nationwide Children’s Hospital created the position of chief human resources officer two years ago, the word “trailblazer” was not in the job description. But the term accurately describes how Elisabeth Evensen Baldock has embraced her duties since the hospital brought her on board in April 2015. A laundry list of accomplishments benefitting the organization and its employees has come about from her labors. Kimberly Cromwell, director of organizational development, says that right out of the gate in the new position, Baldock created transparency and attracted the attention of the hospital’s leadership. “She has a very strong business acumen and is a very personable, down-toearth person,” Cromwell says. “She sits at the table with the senior leadership team and she has helped the executive team see the need to invest in people at Nationwide Children’s.” Baldock is no stranger to the workings of HR. In one form or another— including consulting—she has been in the field since 1993, working with the US Army, Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center, Munich Reinsurance, Mercy Health in Cincinnati, and for the Hay Group, Booz-Allen and Lifton Industries, among others. The job is fascinating, in part, she says, because every day brings new and unexpected challenges. “Things come at you from a variety of different perspectives, and I love working to fix issues,” Baldock says. Just prior to Baldock’s hire, Nationwide Children’s Hospital experienced a growth spurt, including development of a 12-floor, 460-bed replacement hospital and an 80-bed Emergency Depart-

2017

ment. While the hospital expanded, its administrative infrastructure had not kept pace and many were working in a silo-style situation. Baldock’s HR and healthcare experiences were just what the doctors ordered. She connected well with hospital leaders, persuading them to improve systems and processes, including the need for additional funding and staff. “I love trying to figure out how to make the organization and HR even more successful,” she says. “One of the great things was moving from an HR department that was more reactive and helping to make it more proactive.” Baldock has led the way to automate and track her department’s work; boost HR staff; create a diversity, inclusion and cultural competency planp; start a learning management system; and

garner capital investment to improve a competency library that streamlines skills, behaviors and knowledge for more than 16,000 jobs. “We had the library before, but now we have common language in it to talk about behaviors, like if someone wants to be more strategic in their job we all know what that means,” Baldock says. “These things can help us create an organization that is a magnet for talent so we can attract and obtain the best employees.” Talent is certainly one key to success for the hospital, and one of the challenges in HR in this region is the low unemployment rate in Columbus, she says. “So we work to sell people on why this is a great organization to work for and all the wonderful things they can do for kids here,” Baldock says. Some of the people Nationwide

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We make outstanding employment matches between the best jobseekers and the best companies in central Ohio.

Children’s hires are what Baldock calls “boomerangers.” They’re former employees who worked at different medical facilities before returning. It happens on a regular basis and for a reason, she says. “They come back because of the culture here,” Baldock says. “It is an incredibly inclusive and collaborative culture. We have people who have been here for 30, 40 or 50 years. For many, it is more than a job.” That’s the case for Baldock, whom Cromwell says has been successful because of her ability to shift her approach to leadership. “She has the ability to select and change her style based on who she is talking to,” Cromwell says. “She easily communicates on the same level as the people she is speaking with.”

Office

Call Center

Warehouse & Light Industrial

Creative

Accounting & Finance

Healthcare

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Future Leader

Kinga Jordan Talent Manager

Discover Financial Services

inga Jordan is not a person content to sit back, see what might develop and then simply hope for the best. Jordan, a recruiter for Discover Financial Services, believes in charging forward every day to make a difference. Itâ€™s an operational credo that seems to be working rather well. She began her career at Discover in 2011 in a leadership role, managing 15 employees in the Customer Service Department, which helped her to hone a passion for finding and developing

Future Leader Future Leader recognizes a rising star in HR with less than five years of experience.

emerging talent. A year later, she became the companyâ€™s first talent manager, coaching team leaders on creating meaningful development conversations with their employees while tracking employeesâ€™ preferences and measuring results. Her work increased engagement, lowered attrition and helped promote more than 1,370 people, resulting in a 95 percent client satisfaction rate with the quality of hires. Since taking on the recruiter role, Jordan helped improve candidate engagement with a more in-depth job preview and interactive department tour. She has hired more than 240 external candidates into Customer Service. Additionally, in a six-month period Jordan conducted more than 900 interviews, far exceeding company interview and hiring goals, says Lisa Pundock, Discoverâ€™s HR manager. Recently, Jordan was juggling 20 job offers over one week. â€œShe is hands-on and proactive and has the ability to anticipate what is

needed without anyone telling her,â€? Pundock says. â€œShe also is very involved with hires once they start, and she follows up consistently to see what they are learning and where they might be struggling.â€? Jordan, who has been known to put in days that begin at 7 a.m. and end at 10 p.m., says itâ€™s all about her love for connecting with people and helping them progress. In the end, itâ€™s a simple but meaningful philosophy. â€œI like to show candidates the lens of our culture and how they can focus their career and build their skills and map out their future,â€? she says. â€œIt all comes back to, â€˜We will treat you like you treat you.â€™â€? Human resources work certainly offers its challenges, but Jordan says she tries to examine everything from an organic, big-picture perspective. â€œThe biggest thing is for us to push ourselves and the envelope, look at our surroundings, ask critical questions and then do more,â€? she says. â€œHow can we make this better and

you

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2017

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on Â your team.

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Finalist

MIcHAeL MARTInez Kahiki Foods

It’s not just the fare that’s Hawaiian at Kahiki Foods, it’s also part of the culture. And Michael Martinez has embraced his position as mana koa on the HR team with gusto. “Here at Kahiki, we use fanciful titles to express our passion and creativity. Michael’s title, the Mana Koa, is a Hawaiian translation for warrior spirit,” says Debbie Kapes, the HR colleague who nominated him. “Michael serves as the warrior spirit at Kahiki who pushes the team to achieve their goals and stand up for what they believe in. He is here to instill positive energy and guidance to all of our teammates,” she adds. In his short time at Kahiki—just over a year—Martinez has made significant improvements in HR processes, putting to good use his bachelor’s degree in psychology from Texas A&M University and a master’s degree in labor and employee relations from the University of Illinois. Martinez updated the application form for new hires, created an interview template to better identify candidates with the attitude and aptitude for success at Kahiki, and restructured the onboarding process to better engage new employees in company culture. Martinez’s energetic personality and fluent Spanish helped him improve the diverse workforce’s participation in company benefits, including a 10-percent increase in those setting up 401(k) retirement funds. “The changes that he has made in such a short time have truly moved the organization forward. Even with his limited time in the HR field, he is sure to do great things in the future, His personality, knowledge and great work ethic prove that he is a star on the rise,” Kapes says.

“Ultimately, being a resource for employees is really critical. ... They know they can count on you as their mentor and that is really important.” do things better? Ultimately, that will impact job candidates in positive ways.” She certainly practices what she preaches. In addition to her roles in HR, Jordan has served as the chair of Discover’s Young Professionals group. She has taken a lead role in planning and executing more than 10 events, including recruiting volunteers at the Boys & Girls Clubs, networking sessions

with senior leaders, holding a “Shark Tank” competition, directing beginning interviewing classes and forming partnerships with the Columbus Young Professionals Club. She also helped launch an internal Lunch & Learn series aimed at providing insight into a variety of business areas and promoting effective collaboration and internal mobility. Pundock says Jordan has a knack for networking and building relationships. “She is a fun person to talk to, and most people enjoy her energy and passion,” Pundock says. “People like to keep in touch with her.” Jordan says she views her engagement at Discover as her personal brand of working. “Ultimately, being a resource for employees is really critical,” she says. “You can provide the lens so they can see their progression. They know they can count on you as their mentor and that is really important.”

HR InnovATIon HR Innovation recognizes an individual or organization for successful implementation of a new idea that achieves proven results in compensation and benefits, employee recognition and retention, strategic alignment, succession planning, talent acquisition or assessment, use of technology, or work-life balance.

HR InnovATIon

Joe DeLoss Founder and CEO

Hot Chicken Takeover

t Hot Chicken Takeover, everyone starts out on the dish tank, washing loads of dirty dishes. That includes Joe DeLoss, the restaurant’s owner and head fryer. The dish job is an equalizer and is just one element of an uncommon company culture DeLoss created from the beginning of his business in 2014. His focus, now at two locations and soon to be three, is on being a great employer. To achieve that end, Hot Chicken Takeover recruits employees who have been in prison, experienced homelessness or have faced other barriers to employment. DeLoss firmly believes that most people waiting in line at a soup kitchen would much rather be working. “We are a fair-chance employer,” DeLoss says. “This is not a charitable act.

It’s being mindful that people need to be supported and feel like their ambitions are within reach.” His model is simple: acknowledge the past, but judge people on their present and future. “Our work environment focuses on accountability and clear expectations. That is the secret to our HR strategy,” he says. “We tell people what we need from them and provide ample opportunity for growth.” The restaurant’s approach to employee benefits is as innovative as its hiring policies, in large part because DeLoss recognizes that among the major reasons people don’t show up for work are lack of transportation, the need for child care, an unstable home environment or lack of support. So instead of a 401(k), the business offers workers shorter-term financial contributions called a Matched Milestone. It’s a company match of cash for any employee saving for a car, housing or education. Hot Chicken Takeover has a longterm relationship with the Furniture Bank of Central Ohio and other groups

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Congratulations, Carole! In a career that spanned more than 30 years, you developed a simple and life-affirming practice â€” begin each day by asking what you can do to make others wildly successful. Your words continue to stick with us and inspire us all. The Human Resources team offers our heartfelt congratulations for being named as a HR Excellence Lifetime Achievement Award finalist. You have made us better HR leaders and helped create an environment focused on doing our very best every day in support of our customers and their patients. Your leadership and legacy continue to make us all Essential to care. For that, we thank you.

ÂŠ 2017 Cardinal Health. All Rights Reserved. CARDINAL HEALTH, the Cardinal Health LOGO and ESSENTIAL TO CARE are trademarks or registered trademarks of Cardinal Health. All other marks are the property of their respective owners. Lit. No. 5HR17-694010_b1 (07/2017)

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Finalist

Becky Darche HMB Inc.

You’d think an IT consulting company would have totally automated internal processes, but that wasn’t the case for HMB Inc. before Becky Darche became HR director two years ago. Under her leadership, documentation has gone digital with electronic timesheet reporting and a one-stop MyHMB portal that has helped to increase employee participation in company-sponsored social activities as well as professional development. “These seemingly simple innovations were a tremendous undertaking, and without Becky Darche, we would not have the incredibly streamlined system we have today,” says her nominator, HMB CEO Tom Harris. Harris says improving HR was critical as HMB has grown to over 200 employees, essentially doubling full-time employee counts in five years. “With this growth, a big challenge emerged: How do we keep HMB’s culture alive? How do we ensure employees’ needs are being met, that they feel fulfilled and connected, especially when working outside HMB’s home office? That’s the challenge we asked Becky to solve.” Darche worked with HMB developers to build the intranet portal that keeps staff updated on social and professional opportunities, replacing a system that had relied on email. Now, Harris says, “Our social events are attended by more and newer people. Our HMB University program is seeing more in-person and online attendees to our regular Thursday lunch-and-learns.” Digital timesheet reporting has won higher compliance, and a confidential survey tool, HMB Better Box, allows all employees to see coworkers’ suggestions and rank ideas they like best.

for employees who need those services. The company also provides grocery store gift cards to supplement any loss of government assistance. Employees also can receive financial counseling, help in starting bank accounts, wellness programs and career guidance. In fact, team members check in with their supervisors every 30 days to ensure they are getting feedback and the support needed to achieve personal and professional goals. These unusual benefits are paying dividends to the company. In an

industry with an annual turnover rate as high as 100 percent, Hot Chicken Takeover’s worker loss is closer to 20 percent. “Our approach to this entry-level industry is to have a more supported workforce,” DeLoss says. “There are metrics around profitability and growth we have to be mindful of, but as an employer we can raise all ships along with the success and growth of the company and team.” Hot Chicken Takeover started as a pop-up restaurant in Olde Towne East

2017

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Thank you for lifting Cardinal Health to greater heights.

Cardinal Health is proud to salute our former Chief Human Resources Officer Carole Watkins, finalist for the HR Excellence Lifetime Achievement Award. We are grateful for your 20 years of exceptional leadership that has left a lasting impact. Your knowledge and commitment helped us grow and thrive, creating a healthier future for us all.

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Finalist

Rocky PaRkeR Nationwide Insurance

Not every risk can be managed by buying an insurance policy to cover it. Sometimes it requires getting the right people to buy into ideas to make the perceived challenge more manageable. Witness how Rocky Black, vice president for talent acquisition at Nationwide, stepped up to help create a unique Ohio initiative that is making progress in filling 29,000 insurance jobs across Ohio by 2024. Urged by Gov. John Kasich in 2011 to address a jobs pipeline problem in their industry, 13 Ohio insurance companies agreed to collaborate in creation of the Insurance Industry Resource Council. While company presidents and CEOs officially chair the council, “Rocky is the IIRC’s unwavering and always enthusiastic ‘boots on the ground,’” says his nominator, Sandra Harbrecht, president and CEO of Paul Werth Associates. “Without his diligent and persistent voice and efforts, the IIRC may have faltered. After all, it is difficult to win the attention and funding of businesspeople focused on the ROI of their own companies,” she adds. IIRC helped create 10 Ohio higher education programs leading to insurance jobs since 2012, when none existed. While responsible for HR operations that included hiring more than 4,500 new Nationwide associates last year, Parker’s creative approach is to also focus on talent cultivation, working with community and statewide initiatives to help youth prepare for school and career success. In addition to the IIRC, Parker also has been a leader with Columbus’ My Brother’s Keeper Task Force for youth of color and Kasich’s Road to Readiness initiative to highlight career pathways for 400 Columbus City Schools students.

in April 2014, literally created from the living room of DeLoss and his wife. The company grabbed space in the North Market and opened there in December 2014, drawing customers up to the second floor. Another location opened in Clintonville in June, and the third is scheduled to open at Easton Town Center in November. DeLoss anticipates more growth but expects about 75 percent of his company’s future leadership will be developed internally. “For us, the type of investments we make in the team and the type of opportunities we afford people gives us a more productive and engaged workforce,” he says. “Intentionally, we actively support

the development of staff personally and professionally through unconventional benefits.” Marketing Director Dilara Casey says benefits are important to everyone, but the work environment is equally significant. “We recognize that people who have barriers to employment have different needs, and we value our team members and crew,” she says. “We are very transparent and we have a feedback culture. We also recognize they may also have a future somewhere else eventually.” That’s why the company does everything it can to get people on their feet and moving forward, she says. And it all begins with the dishes.

Team excellence Team Excellence recognizes a department, team or group of individuals that has achieved excellent results by working together to advance their company or organization.

Team excellence

Wellness ambassadors

COTA

et well and stay well. That’s great advice for anyone, but for employees at the Central Ohio Transit Authority it’s more than a catchphrase. It’s a standard

for living. It’s also the central tenet of COTA’s health program called On the Road to Wellness, which has seen great success since it began in 2012 thanks to the agency’s Wellness Ambassadors. The health initiative offers employees an annual 34-panel biometric health evaluation, a six-month followup, health education programs and significant incentives for participation. The program is not mandatory, but participants—about 80 percent of COTA’s employees—can earn lower insurance

2017

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premiums. Stephanie Pulliam, compensation and benefits manager, manages the ambassadors, who are a cross section of volunteers from different departments. The ambassadors brainstorm ideas and initiatives, develop programs, and encourage their co-workers to participate in the wellness program. “We meet monthly, and then the ambassadors take the ideas back to their respective areas,” Pulliam says. “That gives us an opportunity to have input from all of the different departments.” The ambassadors bring a person-toperson element to the health program, whose success might otherwise be difficult to achieve in an organization with so many employees on the road in multiple locations every day. “Starting with leadership, there’s a strong desire to establish a wellness culture that filters down to all employees,” Pulliam says. “The biometric screening is the main component. It gives employees a great picture of their health, and they are encouraged to use the results of that screening with their own personal providers.” In addition, COTA provides on-site fitness centers, health coaching, diet advice and free fruit every month, Pulliam says. The efforts are paying dividends. Blood pressure, cholesterol, glucose, triglycerides and tobacco elimination have improved for repeat participants. The results for more than 1,500 participants between 2012 through 2015 showed that 85 percent in the healthy range remained healthy, 43 percent in a moderate risk range improved to a healthy state, and 41 percent at high risk improved to a healthy or moderate-risk state. COTA’s emphasis on wellness has improved morale, helped enhance

“We meet monthly, and then the ambassadors take the ideas back. ... That gives us an opportunity to have input from ... different departments.”

Congratulations Elisabeth Baldock, PhD on being a 2017 HR Excellence Award Executive of the Year finalist!

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Finalist

Hr dEPartmEnt, C. mItCHEll rEstaurants

With 13 different concepts and a sister company, Rusty Bucket Restaurant and Tavern, under its corporate umbrella, you might expect Cameron Mitchell Restaurants to have just as many HR teams. But a single HR department with a singular focus supports 4,000 CMR associates across the country. That all 12 HR team members first worked for the restaurants or catering company before joining human resources adds to the effectiveness of this CMR department. One measure of their success in the labor-intensive restaurant industry is CMR’s low turnover rate—48 percent for hourly associates and 12 percent for managers—compared to an industry average of 63 percent, according to the National Restaurant Association. The CMR culture and philosophy is built around the concept of great people delivering genuine hospitality. A focus that is reinforced with chocolate milkshakes served to every new associate on their first day and as rewards for going beyond expectations. The shakes are tasty symbols of an empowering culture that encourages a “yes” answer to requests from staff as well as guests. Hiring the right people, helping them grow and promoting from within are keys to a happy, dedicated workforce at CMR, according to their nomination from Inspire PR Group. “The team assists the company in being consistent and standing with (founder) Cameron Mitchell to guarantee that the company’s values and foundation won’t change, regardless of how many restaurant concepts there are,” says Inspire President Hinda Mitchell. “People are less likely to leave a workplace where they are happy.”

quality of life for participants and improved health, officials say. The organization also estimates it has helped eliminate about $1 million in claims costs, enabling the agency to decrease medical insurance premium contributions. Kristen Treadway, vice president of human resources and labor relations, says it’s a program with a real individual impact. “Many employees tell us personal stories about how this screening saved them,” Treadway says. “They found something early on that they would not have known about otherwise.” One employee recently shared the story of how the screening likely saved her husband’s life because it indicated problems requiring an immediate stress test, which showed the need for a heart

catheter and a stint. Without the screen, he would not have known, she said. The wellness program includes workshops and health trackers, coverage for preventative exams, team fitness and weight loss challenges, wellness fairs, disease management programs, on-site mammograms and flu shots, and Wellness Champion recognition. Carrie Alexander, a managing consultant for Findley Davies/BPS&M, which works with COTA on wellness issues, says the agency has an excellent wellness operation. Studies show that health programs can help control healthcare costs and improve employee performance and productivity. “They are doing it far better than many other companies,” she says.

Good Works Good Works honors notable commitment to the community achieved through charitable, philanthropic, volunteer or other efforts to engage a workforce for HR purposes.

Good Works

IGs Energy

hilanthropy, for IGS Energy, is much more than a topic of discussion. The company founded by Marv White and now run by his son, Scott, was dedicated to “purpose over profits” from Day One in 1989. The organization has been interested from the beginning in making a difference in the communities where its employees live and work. IGS decided to step it up even more in 2014 when it formalized the givingback process by hiring Jen Bowden as its director of community investments. Bowden’s task was to create a community investment agenda that became the IGS Impact program. The company launched IGS Impact in 2015; the

“When I joined the company, we went through exercises ... to narrow down the focus in ways that would resonate with the company’s purpose.”

program encourages employees to get involved in charitable causes. The company developed IGS Impact with three strategic pillars that serve as the foundation for its volunteer and investment efforts: energy sustainability, social enterprise and entrepreneurship, and community causes “When I joined the company, we went through exercises with the board of directors and other leaders to narrow down the focus in ways that would resonate with the company’s purpose and what we do here,” Bowden says. “There was a desire and appetite to really make giving back a central part of our culture.” Bowden says she worked closely with the Human Resources Department to connect the company’s philanthropy with the organization’s values. IGS now matches employees’ charitable donations up to $250 annually. The company also offers financial grants to nonprofits based on the time its employees volunteer for organizations outside of work, and it sponsors initiatives like schoolsupply donations, holiday food drives and automatic payroll deductions for charities. Some local and national organizations supported by IGS and its employees include COSI on Wheels, which takes science to the schools; Cristo Rey Columbus High School; Ronald

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Finalist

TWO MEN AND A TRUCK

Charitable organizations may seem to be driven by their higher purposes and heart-felt intentions, but sometimes getting stuff done requires muscle and transport vehicles. That’s where the Columbus franchise of TWO MEN AND A TRUCK comes in. From gathering up donated items to moving families into new Habitat for Humanity homes, TWO MEN AND A TRUCK offers its services throughout the year for charitable needs across the community. “It’s a team effort to schedule, organize and plan charitable moves. All of their employees from management and sales representatives to the frontline are involved in efforts to help others. They work with multiple organizations throughout the year to move and/or collect needed items. This gives their entire staff the opportunity to help in their community,” says the company’s nominator, Julie Theado of Krile Communications. Organizations benefitting from these donated services include: Serving Our Neighbors, SON Ministries—providing moving services to help provide healthy lunches and day camp experiences to children in need. Project Health Clothing Ministry— transporting donated clothing, equipment and toys for Christmas giveaways. A Kid Again—delivering gifts, decorations, supplies and prizes for holiday parties for children with life-threatening illness and their families. American Cancer Society Discovery Shop—weekly pickup and delivery of donated items to the upscale resale boutique in Kenny Centre Mall. First Community Church—delivering items from Hilliard storage units for the church’s Annual Gigantic Garage Sale.

McDonald House, the Down Syndrome Association of Central Ohio, Big Brothers Big Sisters of Central Ohio, Junior Achievement and Operation Warm, which provides coats to needy kids. The IGS Impact program is humming along. Since its launch, the program’s scope has expanded. IGS has hosted two All-Employee Day of Service events, offering volunteer opportunities to employees in seven states. At the most recent event in March, 99 percent of employees reported

completing some volunteer service this year in support of 50 nonprofit organizations. Additionally, through the company’s Renewable Energy Corps, employees can participate in a 10-day, international volunteer effort to bring solar power to rural, off-grid communities in Nicaragua. One team of four helped a Nicaraguan farmer install a solar-powered drip irrigation system on a small farm after they dug an 18-inch-deep, 300-meter-long trench up a 30 per-

2017

Jen Bowden

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cent grade hill to a 2,000-gallon water tank. The system will help the farmer irrigate crops throughout the year to support his family of 12. These programs are generating widespread support within IGS, too. A survey indicated that 97 percent of the employees feel that company-led volunteer projects enhance their experiences as workers. “These programs connect back to employee growth and development,” Bowden says. Since IGS Impact began, employees have logged more than 8,500 volunteer hours, while more than $860,000 has been donated to non-profit groups across the nation. Jenni Kovach, IGS’ chief people officer, says the creation of the company’s pillars as a foundation was a great idea that strengthened the company’s purpose-over-profit philosophy. “It’s important to us in terms of where we spend our dollars,” she says. “We believe in giving with purpose and aligning with our values so that we can support the communities where our employees and customers live and work.”

Finalist

OhiOhealth Wellness On Wheels Primary Care

A new initiative of OhioHealth engages staff in its effort to “improve the health of those we serve” by taking medical services out to a community in dire need. OhioHealth Wellness on Wheels-Primary Care, whose planning dates to 2015, was launched in January to deliver care in a 54foot mobile unit stationed three afternoons a week at the Hilltop YMCA. Many of those served by WOW-PC suffer from a lack of local primary care physicians, which drives up expensive emergency department visits for chronic and other medical conditions that can be handled in less acute settings.

With two patient care rooms, the mobile unit provides opportunities for a medical director, a clinical nurse manager, a licensed practical nurse, a community health worker and a driver as well as family medicine residents and faculty physicians to experience the OhioHealth mission in new ways. A nearly $1 million grant from Huntington Bank and partnership with YMCA of Central Ohio help make the WOW-PC visits possible. The team sets up treatment plans to manage chronic conditions and the community health worker has helped patients access food, prescriptions and other services. “This project is also training young physicians from three different OhioHealth residency programs about team-based care, community engagement and increasing access to care for our patients,” according to the nomination by Doug Knutson, MD, OhioHealth system vice president and chief academic officer.

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finalist

mArk mAtson EWI

Lifetime AChievement Lifetime Achievement recognizes a longtime or retired HR professional who has demonstrated exceptional leadership, knowledge, decision-making skills and commitment.

Lifetime AChievement

Carole Watkins Chief Human Resources Officer, Retired

Cardinal Health

Mark Matson has been chief HR and ethics officer for Columbus-based EWI since 2006. When the company grew itself from local emphasis to a national stage, Matson played an integral role. EWI President and CEO Henry Cialone explains, “Mark has been my principal partner in architecting a new culture for EWI. As the company’s strategy has taken it from a local operation focused on welding technologies to a national player in the broad space of manufacturing innovation, the challenges of evolving our culture have been significant. “Mark was the first to identify the need to address both culture and strategy in tandem. It has been a 10-year journey, and Mark’s insight and professionalism have made it both proactive and enjoyable.” EWI CFO Jim Tighe also has high praise for Matson. “Mark is more than a great problem solver. He is an opportunity finder and an incredible leader.” Under Matson’s leadership, EWI has won Ohio Best Employers awards from the Society for Human Resources Management five times since 2011. Matson is also known for innovation among his HR peers, presenting at national SHRM conferences on groundbreaking programs such as his Business Bootcamp for setting up a consulting business. Dana Ullom-Vucelich, chief HR & ethics officer for Ohio Living and herself a 2016 HR Excellence Awards honoree, sums up Matson’s qualifications in her nomination: “His ability to ask effective questions while being positive and goaloriented makes him a mentor to many, myself included.”

arole Watkins had a simple formula to begin most of her days at Cardinal Health. She found out what she could do to ensure the success of those around her, and then she worked to do it. It’s how she has lived, treated other people and built her own career in 20 years with the company, her former coworkers say. That attitude also helped create a company culture of giving that brought out the best in employees while driv-

ing higher levels of performance to create a competitive advantage for the company. Watkins, who retired as chief human resources officer in 2016, says her efforts were more about collaboration than competition, which is critically important to the culture at Cardinal. Think of it as the rising-tide-raises-allboats theory of operating. “My approach was to align people with goals and objectives, and once aligned it was pretty easy to say, ‘If I make you successful, I’ll be successful,’” she says. Cardinal Health gives much credit for its growth to Watkins, pointing to her “business-based mindset and personal leadership,” which helped create an atmosphere that attracted and motivated the high-caliber talent necessary

2017

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to ignite the company’s expansion. When Watkins joined Cardinal, the company had 8,000 employees in the United States and earned about $9 billion in annual revenue. By the time she retired last year, nearly 40,000 people worked for the organization across the globe, and Cardinal was registering revenue of more than $100 billion, she says. “The growth is a legacy I hope I left there,” Watkins says. George Barrett, Cardinal’s chairman and CEO, says Watkins helped create a company-wide environment in which everyone focused on doing their best every day to support the organization’s customers and patients. “That has been so central to our success,” Barrett says. “Carole had a lasting impact on our company. She was a trusted adviser to me and all of her senior colleagues because of her authenticity, passion and deep understanding of our business.” For instance, Watkins helped lead the way in which the company viewed its brand. That included the development of “Leadership Essentials” that guided employees’ actions. It focuses

on leadership behavior to accelerate business performance. A host of national, local and HR industry organizations over the past several years have recognized Cardinal as one of the better employers because of its inclusion, diversity, leadership, healthy lifestyle and commitment to equality. In its nomination of Watkins, the organization called her instrumental in all of these awards. HR wasn’t always on Watkins’ radar screen. While in college, she was drawn to special education teaching, but her family’s health issues caused her to drop out and take a job in a records room at Huntington Bank. She eventually returned to school for a degree and took early jobs in human resources at The Limited and O.M.

“If you put the right people in the right job, the whole company will be that much more successful.”

Scott & Sons, the precursor to Scotts Miracle-Gro Co. She joined Cardinal in 1996. During her tenure, Watkins restructured Cardinal’s HR function and encouraged her team to get out of its comfort zones. Her goal was to transform her people into highly visible HR business partners who would be considered go-to resources of expertise and excellence. In human resources, one must understand that people are the company’s best assets, Watkins says. “It’s about leveraging those assets and getting the right people at the right time and leveraging their strengths,” she says. “If you put the right people in the right job, the whole company will be that much more successful.” Watkins says she is proud she was on board to help the company through the transitions of two CEOs, but she says it wouldn’t have all been possible without a great team. “I’d put my team up against any other HR team,” she says. “Developing people was always a passion and we took it seriously.”

HONORED TO BE AN HR EXCELLENCE

AWARD FINALIST CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL THOSE RECOGNIZED!

IGS Energy is honored to be named in the Good Works category. Our vision, mission and values aren’t simply words we post on a wall - they inspire the way we work together to make a difference in the communities we serve each day.

LEARN MORE AT IGS.COM OR CALL 877.923.4447

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Business Meetings

Interactive, engaging events keep people plugged in. By MikE MahOnEy + Photo by ROb haRdin

ou can spot a lethal business gathering awfully fast: hundreds of chairs facing a podium, too many words on the first slide, digital media with endless branded visuals. Then, as the first speaker begins, the sound system cuts out. But interactive and engaging events—planners prefer that term to meetings—have become the standard of excellence, reaching hearts and minds with more than razzle-dazzle.

Greg Lindsey

From left: Jordan hansell, Jim Merkel, Michael Caligiuri, doug Ulman Two who know what it takes to make a meeting work, Jim Merkel, CEO of Rockbridge Capital, and Jason Barger, author and motivational speaker, say properly designed events can touch our emotions, hopes and dreams, and how we live out our shared values. “I’ve heard story after story: ‘Our meetings are boring. Our last retreat was a flop,’” Barger says. “They describe one-way, one-sided communication, people talking at people. The participants’ role was to lap it up, retain it and somehow change. “We live in a participatory world. Whether your examples are personal interaction via social media, or just the way we want to select a beer … or even how we select our food when we

Photo courtesy ROCkBRIdGE

Sayonara, Snoozy Sessions

order, how we want it prepared to be uniquely ours, we all want to participate in the experiences we have.” Barger’s latest book, Thermostat Culture, promotes intentional expectations for organizations. Barger and Howard Behar, the now-retired president of Starbucks Coffee International, will make the concepts play out in real time on Nov. 10 at Franklin Park, in an event they call ”Thermostat Culture Live.” It won’t be dull, Behar promises. “What works is short speeches and a lot of conversation, so that’s what I like to do,” he says. “People don’t want to just listen, they want to participate. I try not to do just speeches anymore. You don’t need a 45-minute

Trade Shows: Go or No? Exhibitor costs for conferences and trade shows have grown in a massive over-correction since the Great Recession, so business marketers are examining their return on investment closely, says Greg Lindsey, vice president of Exhibitpro. “So many companies in our world—show decorators, trade associations, union labor— didn’t have multiple channels of business. When trade show attendance went down, and some shows canceled, those (groups) really took a hit,” Lindsey says. “Now that our industry is healthy again, we’re seeing this over-correction of costs, and so when we talk about what event we attend and why, we also talk about managing those costs and understanding the costs.” It seems as if some vendors are trying to make up for the lost revenue, Lindsey says. Material handling costs are up 257 percent since 2010, a number he calls staggering. “We’re seeing our clients get squeezed, so rather than just be a commoditized organiza-

tion, selling exhibits, we’re trying to help them every step of the way,” he says. Lindsey recommends examining three areas of insights, especially in light of today’s costs: • “First, look at what shows you attend and why. Ten years ago, everyone had a trade show manager and a marketing manager,” he says. “Now, overworked marketing managers have that responsibility by themselves. We sit down and go through why they attend, what is our expected result, and do we really need to attend shows as an exhibitor or do we just go?” • Second, clients should spend time considering how to attract and engage clients at the show. Ideas include asking an expert to provide clients better insights into new products, technology or industry forecasts. • “Third, how do we understand who the qualified prospects are, and how do we turn them into clients?” One Exhibitpro client, JPMorgan Chase,

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speech; you need something interactive. We learn from stories that people share with each other, not from speakers reciting things.” In “thermostat cultures,” Behar says, the thermostat controls and sets the temperature. Without that clarity around what an organization is trying to create, it’s just a thermometer that reads the climate. “All day long we just react,” he says. “We need to decide what is the temperature I’m trying to set on the thermostat, not just what we do, but how we’re committed to doing it. “My belief is that cultures are directly reflective of the leadership. If the leader’s a jerk, the culture will be filled with jerks. If the leader shows respect and dignity, that’s the kind of culture you’re going to have.” Barger and Behar say organizational culture starts with individuals. “What do I have personal ownership of, and how can I play a personal part? If I’m passionate about an issue ... rather than sit around and get angry, I should be asking, ‘What is my control, my part of the solution?’” Barger says. For Merkel at Rockbridge Capital, the way to become personally involved turned out to be a popular event that mixes support for cancer research, lots of bike-riding and lessons of leadership and innovation.

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recently featured Mike Caplan of LinkedIn Marketing Solutions in its booth. He helped attendees from the investment field upgrade their corporate and personal profiles right at the display space, adding an online value to the face-to-face contact time that only meetings and conferences can offer, Lindsey says. Exhibitpro practices what it preaches, and Caplan was also the featured speaker—on “Powering High Touch With High Tech”—at the company’s July 12 open house. Despite going for the high-tech caché, Lindsey feels trade shows will survive technology disruptions. “By 2012, it became an arm’s race for technology: bigger screens, cool looks ... But there wasn’t (much) good content with it,” Lindsey says. “We lost our face-to-face marketing skills to engage people at events, user conferences and trade shows. “Trade shows are the final frontier in faceto-face marketing, still the best way of getting in front of people. Compare the trade show to trying to set up meetings with your 50 best customers and prospects and flying around the world.” August 2017 l ColumbusCEO

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Rockbridge Capital, investment funder for hospitality properties, hosts the “Rock the Road Experience,” which much of the regional hospitality industry now supports. RTRX is a four-day event (Aug. 3-6) at the Greater Columbus Convention Center that matches participants with Rockbridge-sponsored cyclists in Pelotonia, the annual bicycling fundraiser for the research efforts of Ohio State University’s James Cancer Hospital. This year, RTRX features basketball great Bill Walton and Dan Pallotta, an advocate for building more dynamic and innovative nonprofit organizations. Michael Caliguiri, MD, CEO of the James, and other experts from the hospital explore the frontiers of research each year with attendees, and a conversation between Merkel and Caliguiri was the genesis of this annual event. More than 160 members of the RTRX Peloton rode in Pelotonia last year, and Merkel expects participation to grow to as many as 450 this year. Since 2011, RTRX has raised more than $2.1 million for cancer research. The goal of the event is to energize participants around leadership, innovation and cancer research, and that has to touch the heart, Merkel says. “For our event, the idea is we want people to come to be engaged, not to be over-programmed, running from one session to another, but to be really thought-provoking,” he says. “We believe if we can make all our materials high-end and high-touch, people will have a good feeling. If we make our content engaging and interesting, that will make them think more deeply when they leave. “For us, and for them, by doing business in this way, we want them to feel they’re doing great things for the community and themselves by attending, and that they’re doing something significant for cancer research.” Mike Mahoney is a freelance writer.

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2017 COLUMBUS CEO AND FINDLEY DAVIES | BPS&M CONGRATULATE THIS YEAR’S WINNERS AND FINALISTS On July 27, Columbus CEO magazine hosted its sixth-annual HR Excellence Awards reception at The Wells Barn at Franklin Park Conservatory. Columbus CEO honored 14 human resources professionals, executives and departments who support the workforces of some of central Ohio’s most successful organizations. Visit ColumbusCEO.com for more information on the winners and finalists.

EXECUTIVE OF THE YEAR

LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT

TEAM EXCELLENCE

Winner: Elisabeth Evensen Baldock, Ph.D.

Cardinal Health

Wellness Ambassadors

Finalist: Mark Matson

Finalist: Cameron Mitchell Restaurants

(Large Organization)

Nationwide Children’s Hospital

(Small Organization)

Winner: Carole Watkins

EWI

Winner: Carman Wirtz

INNOVATION

FUTURE LEADER

Hot Chicken Takeover

Columbus Zoo and Aquarium

Winner: Kinga Jordan

Discover Financial Services

Finalist: Michael Martinez Kahiki Foods

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Winner: Joe DeLoss

Finalists: Becky Darche HMB Inc.

Rocky Parker Nationwide

Presenting Sponsor:

Winner: COTA

HR Department

GOOD WORKS Winner: IGS

Supporting Sponsor:

Finalists: TWO MEN AND A TRUCK OhioHealth Wellness on Wheels - Primary Care

7/20/17 11:20 AM

Social Enterprise

Commerce With a Cause In just three years, social enterprises have increased five-fold in central Ohio. By LauriE LOsCOCCO + Photo by rOb Hardin

he next time you buy a cup of coffee, have your office cleaned or shoot down a giant water slide, you probably won’t be thinking about infant mortality, human trafficking or wildlife conservation. But people who patronize or invest in more than 100 central Ohio businesses are part of a growing social enterprise movement where commerce intersects with the greater good. Social enterprises are loosely defined as businesses that integrate a social impact as a firm component of their business models. That social impact can take many forms, from employing ex-offenders to donating a percentage of profits to a cause. Some social enterprises are highly recognizable. Goodwill stores, among the largest and oldest, exist solely to channel profits into job training. Zoombezi Bay, a for-profit subsidiary of the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium, supports conservation efforts at The Wilds in Muskingum County. Others may be less well-known. The Bottoms Up Coffee Co-op in Franklinton is a combination coffee shop and co-working space that directs 10 percent of its sales to reducing infant mortality. She Has A Name Cleaning Services offers job training, employment and empowerment to women in recovery from human trafficking. Central Ohio social enterprises are growing rapidly, from fewer than 20 registered in 2014 to more than

allen Proctor at bottoms up Coffee Co-op in Franklinton. 100 today. A confluence of altruism, demographics and entrepreneurship explains much of the trend. “Columbus increasingly is becoming a young city, and there is an affinity among young people for doing something greater than themselves,” says Melissa Fisher, a local growth strategist and principal at Fisher4Marketing LLC. That is borne out in a couple of ways, says Allen Proctor, president and CEO of the Center for Social Enterprise Development. Younger employees might push for active volunteerism in their workplaces, Proctor says. “Or they pursue alternative channels of entrepreneurship where they say, ‘I’m going to start a business that’s about more than making money.’”

Philanthropy Meets Enterprise Research suggests that generations think about altruism differently, and this has played a part in the growth of social enterprise, Proctor says. “Baby boomers are trained to think in terms of philanthropy. Millennials have been trained to think in terms of getting involved.” Put another way, “Baby boomers have the money, and millennials have the enthusiasm.” At the same time, philanthropy in the form of charitable giving has been flat for more than 30 years and is by

itself unable to make the necessary impact, Proctor says. “The grantdependent, not-for-profit model is insufficient and unsustainable. Social enterprises have formed in response to an unmet need.” But social enterprises face several hurdles, from lack of startup capital to challenges in being able to accurately gauge consumer demand and willingness to participate. “These are tough little businesses to run,” Proctor says. Some bear additional expenses of helping their employees with life-skill training, transportation or recovery issues. Social enterprises also must be businesses that are viable enough to support the social impact they envision. “The biggest challenge is giving the customer what they want,” Proctor says. Fisher agrees. “It’s a big gray area, and market validation is never perfect. Having ex-felons build bicycles is a great idea on paper, but there is no definite way to know whether people are willing to pay a little extra for that bike.” Proctor says social enterprises “can never be as profitable as their competitors, but the hope is that your product will be just as good and that consumers will pay a little extra for it. ... In Columbus, we are still at the stage of getting consumers to think that way.” Fisher says market research has shown a kind of disconnect between what consumers say they’ll do to sup-

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A Special Advertising Section

Social Enterprises in Central Ohio

POWERING DREAMS We Proudly Support Social Enterprise INVESTING IN PEOPLE AND INNOVATIONS TO CHANGE THE WORLD.

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Giiving, Lo Love, Communitty, Compass ssion, Kindness, unsupport teerr, Helpexpanding ful, Donate, Caring, Impro ove, Volu We are pleased to

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THE SECTORS Products and services offered by central Ohio social enterprises: • Children’s products and toys • Education • Financial services and mortgages • Food, drinks, catering • Healthcare and pharmacy services • House cleaning and landscaping • Jewelry and clothing • Office services and professional resources • Recreation

THE CAUSES Issues being addressed and the social enterprises addressing them: • Human trafficking: She Has A Name Cleaning Services; Freedom a la Cart • Clean water and poverty: The Roosevelt Coffeehouse • Infant mortality: Bottoms Up Coffee Co-op • Community volunteerism: Besa • Affordable housing: Habitat for Humanity ReStores

port a cause—such as buying products made only in the USA—and what they’ll actually do. “In many cases, they vote with their dollars.” The success rate of small startups is spotty, and social enterprises are especially vulnerable. The Center for Social Enterprise Development says eight of 10 entrepreneurs who start businesses fail within 18 months. In 2016, five central Ohio social enterprises either went of out business or dropped their social impact, Proctor says.

New Name, New Mission Changes in the local social enterprise sector prompted Proctor’s Center for Social Enterprise Development, founded in 2014, to re-brand, redefine and broaden its mission. The newly named SocialVentures is expanding its focus from simply helping in the creation of social enterprises to providing existing companies the support needed to survive and thrive. The organization is launching Social Ventures Fund LLC, a private investment fund for accredited corporate and individual investors. Other programs will help entrepreneurs identify customers, market their products and

• Job opportunities for people with histories of homelessness, incarceration, drug abuse: Hot Chicken Takeover; Clean Turn Demolition Services; Fairhaven Lawn Care • Transportation: Bikes for All People • Employment opportunities for people with disabilities: Sunapple Studio; Growlers Dog Bones; Food for Good Thought To see a complete list of local social enterprises, visit socialventurescbus.com

SOCIALVENTURES As social enterprise continues to evolve and grow locally, a key player in the sector is evolving as well. The Center for Social Enterprise Development/the Community Investment Network of Central Ohio has a new name—SocialVentures—as well as a slate of new initiatives. The new programs and strategies will be unveiled Aug. 15 at Positioned to Prosper, a free event at the Columbus Museum of Art, 480 E. Broad St. For more information, visit socialventurescbus.com.

“A lot of these businesses are able to do good than a straight charity, which depends solely on donations.” mElissa fishEr, Principal Fisher4Marketing LLC

services, and master the challenge of balancing social impact and success. “Our community has reached a juncture,” Proctor says. “There are a lot more players than there used to be. We are mobilizing the consumer community, the entrepreneurial community and the investor community around social enterprise.” Having a strong social enterprise sector is important to Columbus’ identity, Proctor believes. “It says that having everyday businesses be part of making this a better community is what Columbus is about. It’s a whole new business sector that’s willing to step up … to meet community needs.” Social entrepreneur John Rush launched Clean Turn Enterprises in 2012 with support from a group of philanthropic investors. “My question then was how to leverage a traditional business model so that folks with challenging backgrounds could not just get jobs but move forward in a career.” Today, Clean Turn Enterprises encompasses three different brands: Clean Turn Demolition Services, She Has A Name Cleaning Services and Passion Purpose Profit. All are involved in employing and empowering people with histories of generational poverty, homelessness, addiction, incarceration or human trafficking. Rush says he is encouraged by the growth in social enterprise in central Ohio. He sees several issues, though, that will need to be addressed in the future, including how to hold companies accountable for their claims of making a social impact. “Social return on investment is hard to measure,” he says. “You’re dealing with the human factor.” To date, SocialVentures has allowed businesses to self-identify as social enterprises. It hasn’t set a threshold for percentage of profits a business must channel into its chosen causes, but Proctor says that might change. For now, businesses must explain their impact. “You can’t just tell us you’re a nice guy or that you recycle.” When it comes to the difference between social enterprise and charities, Fisher says, “a lot of these businesses are able to do more good than a straight charity, which depends solely on donations. ... You’re bringing in some income that you can redeploy.” Laurie Loscocco is a freelance writer.

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Special Advertising Section

Navigating healthcare changes, developing strong leaders, accessing medical services with heart and building new facilities that work. A little focus is what it takes to handle these concerns.

Focus Accelerated Benefits/USI

MAnAging PlAn CoStS During ACA rePeAl AnD rePlACe AclochÃ© LLC

the iMPortAnCe of leADerShiP: WhAt MAkeS A greAt leADer? Ohio Heart Group

froM the heArt keePing the trADition of PrivAte PrACtiCe Alive Renier Construction

4 PitfAllS to AvoiD When BuilDing A fACility August 2017 l ColumbusCEO

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Special Advertising Section

tion of the Cadillac tax to January 1, 2026 Repealing the following ACA taxes: • Additional Medicare taxes on wages and investment income • Health insurance carrier tax • Medical device tax and pharmaceutical fees • Allowing states to waive essential health benefit requirements

Focus Accelerated Benefits/USI

MANAgINg PlAN COSTS DURINg ACA REPEAl AND REPlACE It has been a busy few months for Congress as they work on legislation to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act. The House narrowly passed America’s Health Care Act on May 4, 2017, however the Senate opted not to vote on it and, instead, wrote their own legislation.

he Better Care Reconciliation Act of 2017 was released on June 22, 2017, and a vote was delayed until after the July 4 recess due to lack of support. The most recent news is that the Senate has delayed their August recess in an effort to get passable legislation. Media coverage around the AHCA and BCRA legislation has been focused on the impact to the individual marketplace, Medicare and Medicaid, with little discus-

sion around the impact to employer-sponsored plans. In its current form, the BCRA eliminates much of what employers disliked about the ACA. Some highlights of the Senate’s BCRA include: • Eliminating penalties associated with the employer mandate of the ACA retroactive to January 1, 2016 • Reducing the administrative burden of health plan reporting • Delaying the implementa-

Modifying Health Savings Accounts to include: • Increasing the annual maximum HSA contribution to equal the out-ofpocket cost sharing under the qualified high deductible health plans • Allowing both spouses who are eligible for a $1,000 contribution to make their contributions to the same HSA • Allowing reimbursements of qualified medical expenses from an HSA if they were incurred up to 60 days prior to opening the HSA • Allowing for over-thecounter medicines to be reimbursed from tax favored accounts without a prescription • Allowing plan sponsors to establish the maximum contribution for Flexible Spending Accounts For a closer look at the differences between existing law, the House bill and the Senate legislation, the USI National Compliance Team created a side-byside comparison of the ACA and proposed legislation that is available online. While Washington continues to debate about the ACA repeal and replace legislation, no one is talking about why healthcare is so expensive. Healthcare benefits are employers’ largest expense after payroll and

the rising costs are unsustainable. Employers looking to better manage their benefits budget should spend time reviewing pharmacy costs as they are the fastest growing segment in healthcare spending, driven by the $117 billion specialty pharmaceutical industry. One way employers can address rising pharmacy costs is to review their pharmacy benefit management contract thoroughly and identify specific cost drivers. USI’s 7-point review of PBM contracts can uncover profits typically hidden within claims costs. After the contract review, USI can negotiate with the PBM vendor for favorable definitions, appropriate pricing and rebate sharing that can save an employer between 10-15 percent of pharmacy costs. And, employers ready to change their PBMs may want to utilize USI’s proprietary Clear Options Rx, which generates comprehensive proposals from standalone PBMs that have greater transparency around costs. Regardless of the outcome for repeal and replace, one point remains. Employers need an experienced benefits advisor who can provide guidance on changing regulations and structure programs that are compliant, cost-effective and optimize critical benefit decisions. In this evolving healthcare landscape, proper guidance is critical to protecting your business, improving the health of your employees and preserving your bottom line.

For more information, contact

Tom Wagoner Certified Healthcare Reform Specialist tom.wagoner@usi.com

www.usi.com

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Taking Care of Your Team is our Business Comprehensive Employee Benefit Solutions for Ohio Employers Accelerated Benefits, the #1 employee benefits broker in Central Ohio has joined USI, the #1 employee benefits broker in Ohio!* We are still the same team you’ve come to trust – now with an expanded suite of services and resources to serve our clients, community and employees. At USI, we combine proprietary analytics, broad experience and national resources to custom-fit an employee benefit program that meets your needs. For decades, our offices in Ohio have been providing the employee benefit and risk management solutions that companies count on to protect their businesses and employees. Experience the USI ONE Advantage® and let us show you how the right plan and the right partner can help protect your most valuable assets.

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Employee Benefits | Property & Casualty | Personal Risk | Retirement Consulting *AccBen voted #1 Broker in Central Ohio 2016-2014-2013-2012-2011 by Columbus CEO Magazine. USI ranked top Employee Benefits broker in Ohio by Employee Benefit Advisor based on health and welfare revenue. Listing based on Form 5500 reporting data as of June 2016. ©2015-2017 USI Insurance Services. All rights reserved.

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Special Advertising Section

Focus Acloché LLC

THe IMporTAnCe of LeAderSHIp: WHAT MAkeS A GreAT LeAder? Leaders are an integral part of the workforce, especially managers that work directly with your general employees. But what is a manager? Is it someone who knows how to delegate tasks? Is it someone who is a natural leader? Is it someone who is an expert in your industry?

he answer is a balance of those characteristics, plus countless more. However, there are a few common traits that are crucial to successful leadership: • Stay focused within your role. Managers often can be pulled in too many different directions, take on too many tasks and blur their priorities. There is only

so much time in the work day, and knowing how to delegate work appropriately is a key function of a manager’s role. There is nothing wrong with getting directly involved with the individual tasks of your team, in fact that’s a huge aspect of true leadership and shows dedication to your team’s success, but if that’s happening too frequently, it can

become an inefficient use of a manager’s time. • Acknowledge your mistakes. As a leader, you should be humble enough to recognize and acknowledge your mistakes. And as a manager, if you make an error, apologize for your oversight and correct yourself to set an example. It’s no secret that the employee/employer relationship can be strained at times, and when a manager admits fault, it can be a helpful reminder that everyone is on the same team and that nobody is perfect. A useful tip is to think about how you would want one of your employees to react if they made a mistake and take cues from that behavior. • Immerse yourself within the work life of your employees. Being a manager does not make you untouchable. Be empathetic and real with your employees. In turn, your employees will feel comfortable approaching you with issues and concerns or will approach you for advice. Communication between the employee and employer needs to remain at the

highest level possible, and humanizing yourself to your team can go a long way in achieving that. This is all part of being a respected leader, not just a “boss.” • Have confidence. Trust that you are a great leader and that your work place runs smoothly in part because of your skills. Confidence doesn’t mean pretending to have all the answers all the time. Your employees will see right through that. Confidence is having the courage to collaborate with your employees on issues that may not be clear, getting their input, drawing from your experiences and making the decisions that you believe will have the most positive result. Just like any other role in the workplace, learning how to lead your team takes time, and respect is only earned. Managers and leaders are not the endall, be-all in a workplace. However, they are instrumental in the success of a company. By utilizing the advice above, you can be a manager that people want to work for, and you can perfect some of the traits of a successful leader.

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Special Advertising Section

Focus Ohio Heart Group

FROM THE HEART KEEPING THE TRADITION OF PRIvATE PRACTICE ALIvE The healthcare landscape has changed significantly in recent years, including the ever-changing Columbus cardiology scenario, whereby most of the area cardiologists are now employed or had their practices acquired by one of the large healthcare corporations.

n contrast, Ohio Heart Group, led by Manmohan Katapadi, MD, is a private practice that has not only survived these market forces, but has thrived. This is only possible due to their patients’ allegiance, trust, and preference for the personal-

ized, efficient and effective care they receive from this unique practice. Dr. Katapadi exudes a passion for excellence in care for his patients and has an impressive team of providers and staff with the same philosophy. This passion has certainly benefit-

ted scores of central Ohio patients over the years. Patients are noticeably happy with the accessible, affordable, and quality diagnostic cardiology care they receive. Dr. Katapadi and his staff also provide services to the community via free clinics and events such as the Asian Festival, providing free access to cardiology screenings. Dr. Katapadi began practicing internal medicine in Mansfield, Ohio, where he developed a specific interest in cardiology, prompting him to complete a cardiology fellowship at The Ohio State University. He began his private cardiology practice in 2002 in Downtown Columbus and later expanded to serve the communities of Westerville and Newark. Dr. Katapadi serves as an assistant professor, teaching medical students and residents from several medical colleges. Ohio Heart Group provides cardiology services including consultation, management, and outpatient diagnostic testing services. The team also follows their patients in most of the hospitals in town to provide continuity

of care. The three offices offer patients convenience and expertise from a rather impressively trained, collaborative clinical staff. Each patient enjoys personalized care from a team of caregivers committed to providing them with focused, efficient, quality care in a comfortable, patientcentered environment. The practice has wellestablished relationships with a growing number of referring practices with the ability to obtain a sameday patient appointments, quick turnaround on testing, and easy referral process optimal for their patients’ needs. Ohio Heart Group Chief Operating Officer Connie Grosh states, “It’s all about the care for our patients. Our practice philosophy is geared toward best serving our patients with excellence in all that we do. Our size allows us to be nimble and meet each patient’s individual needs, and we are able to offer the same state-of-the-art cardiology consultation and testing services as the larger corporate healthcare entities for a fraction of the cost to patients. We hold accreditations from the American College of Radiology and the Intersocietal Accreditation Commission for Echocardiography Laboratories. We feel this is the best way to deliver these important and sometimes critical services for our patients who often have serious conditions. Based on the outstanding results in satisfaction surveys from patients and referring offices, we are confident we are providing the best of cardiology care.” Ohio Heart Group’s mission statement says it best; Quality Care for the Heart— from the Heart.

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Quality Care for the Heart – from the Heart • Cardiology consultation • Cardiac clearance • EKG • Echocardiography • Stress treadmill EKG

• Stress echoes • Nuclear stress studies • MUGA • Pulmonary Function Studies • ABI

Manmohan Katapadi, M.D. Barry Brownstein, PA-C Marie Koenig, PA-C Erin Fenzel, PA-C

800 East Broad Street Columbus 43206 614.252.8300

• Disease management • Specialized clinics: Congestive Heart Failure Pulmonary Hypertension Metabolic

Kelsey Graf, PA-C Nathanial Brown, PA-C Laura Vuicich, CNP Kathryn Kort, CNP

68 Westerview Drive Westerville 43081 614.899.1200

1311 West Main Street Newark 43055 740.348.0012

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Special Advertising Section

Focus Renier Construction

4 PITFALLS TO AvOID When BuILDInG A FACILITy Building a new facility can be an exciting prospect. Then, the apprehension can set in. how long will it take? What might go wrong? And of course, how much will it cost?

y taking all the factors into consideration before the project begins, organizations can minimize potential pitfalls along the journey to get exactly what’s needed from a new facility. Here are some pitfalls to watch out for: Not setting objectives before you start: One of the first considerations is being crystal clear why a new facility is needed. Is the organization looking for room to grow? Or is it simply time to add another location? Maybe it’s an investment opportunity that’s driving the project. Or, perhaps the current facility needs to be customized for the business’ needs. Skipping this step can lead to issues later, so be sure to think it through before moving forward.

pre-construction planning. This means that before final plans are drawn or pricing is calculated, the owner, architect and builder collaborate and synchronize goals, budget and timeline. This allows for a smoother project by increasing accountability and reducing the chance for an adversarial relationship to develop among those involved. Design-build ensures critical details are addressed

during the pre-construction planning phase, resulting in fewer construction changes, a reduced construction timeline, and ultimately, cost savings for the owner.

of the site selection puzzle, make sure that the deed is squared away. Contact the county clerk to secure a new deed or transfer the title, if necessary.

Choosing the wrong site: Site issues can lead to unforeseen financial issues. Before committing to a site, consider the facility’s size and scope. It’s also important to consider what isn’t working in the current space to determine what’s needed in the new one. Maybe there are opportunities for redevelopment of existing land. Can an existing building be torn down? Will some clients be lost due to the move? Or is there an opportunity to gain new customers? Are there property or income tax advantages to moving? Be sure to also consult your city’s officials to understand what zoning laws and requirements could affect your purchase or expansion. Take into consideration environmental and soil conditions that could disturb your business or make for less-than-ideal building conditions. Finally, and perhaps the most important piece

Considering only conventional financing options: There are various ways to finance a new facility, ranging from conventional financing from a bank to seeking private investment to fund the project. Setting up an LLC or getting an SBA loan are viable options, as well. At the owner’s discretion, an accountant, a banker or a broker may be included on the core design-build team. Summing up: What’s the best way to approach a new facility? Make sure to set clear objectives, get key players at the table at the start of the project, perform due diligence on the site and be creative about financing options. Given these considerations, be sure to choose a builder that can work through all phases of the project and deliver a quality facility on time and on budget.

Selecting the wrong design process: Rather than go straight to bid, one option growing in popularity is a design-build approach. At the center of the design-build process is

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organization, preparation and “ Renier’s up-front planning make the difference. We have a relationship with Renier. We know they’re going to put their A-team on the project. We all work together as a team of architects, engineers, project managers, and owner. The end product is a ‘wow.’ It’s beautiful. I’m very proud of our campus. If you’re looking for a quality facility and you want to work with a contractor who takes the frustration out of the process and makes it easy, Renier would be the first place I’d call.

Monte Black

”

Owner, MPW Industrial Services

General Contractors

069-077_Focus--Haleigh.indd 77

Columbus, Ohio

614-866-4580

www.renier.com

7/19/17 2:44 PM

N A C C 1

Golf Outings Weddings Social Events Business Meetings

O C L | N A, OH  -- | @. | ..

Our Catering is a Work of Heart 6

Perfection is what we strive for, especially when it comes to planning and executing events. It requires a dedication to the smallest details, the right resources for a totally unique experience, and a trained, knowledgeable staff to make it all happen.

(614) 237-1949 www.cateringbyscott.com

WHEN PEOPLE GATHER,

MAKE IT DONATOS! Start by calling catering.

1-888-DONATOS SPECIAL DISCOUNT ON ANY PURCHASE OF $75 OR MORE. I N C L U D E S M E N U P L A N N I N G , A D VI C E, U TEN SI LS AND DEL IVERY.

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Central OhiO Catering COmpanies

ranked by 2016 catering sales and, for ties, by number of full-time catering employees

COmpanY

2016 Catering sales

1 Cameron Mitchell Premier Events

7619 Huntington Park Drive Columbus 43235 • 614-848-4700 cameronmitchellpremierevents.com

$15.5 m

2 Made From Scratch Catering

7500 Montgomery Drive Plain City 43064 • 614-873-3344 made-from-scratch.com

3895 Business Park Drive Columbus 43204 • 614-444-5050 schmidthaus.com

50% 50% 20% 80%

Drop-Off

Year FOunded

$9.9 m $5.3 m $278,575 $5.6 m $710,000 $1.5 m $5 m $553,405 na $2.5 m $1.7 m $1.1 m

Full-service event-planning company; cater/design events anywhere, including Cameron Mitchell venues; growing Sports and Leisure division

2001 Fulll-service events, will-call orders, beverage-only service, equipment orders, event staffing

1983 Menu planning and delivery service for corporate events, wedding receptions, graduations, anniversary parties

1963

$5.2 m

40% 60%

$3 m $375,000 $1.8 m

$3.5 m

15 30

30% 70%

$2.7 m $800,000 na

$3.2 m

32 67

50% 50%

$2.1 m $100,000 $1 m

Cuisine for corporate banquets, fundraisers, social events and weddings; dynamic food, caring staff

20 65

30% 70%

$1.6 m $1 m $200,000

Full food service and event planning, rentals and venue management

40% 60%

wnd na wnd

$2.8 m $2.7 m

10 dock580

580 N. 4th St., Columbus 43215 614-738-4909 dock580.com

50% 50%

Catering serViCes

28 25

9 Creative Cuisine

839 Busch Court, Columbus 43229 614-436-4949 creativecuisinecolumbus.com

95 300

On-Site

$5.3 m

8 Bosc + Brie

7625 N. High St., Columbus 43235 614-985-2215 boscandbrie.com

Private

Off-Site

2016 sales

36 100

7 Milo’s Catering

980 W. Broad St., Columbus 43222 614-224-0272 cateringbymilos.com

Part-Time

$5.6 m

6 Schmidt Hospitality Concepts

Corporate

7 0

5 Catering by Scott

2980 E. Broad St., Columbus 43209 614-237-1949 cateringbyscott.com

Full-Time

$7.8 m

4 Two Caterers Inc.

550 S. High St., Columbus 43215 614-882-7323 twocaterers.com

Catered eVents

40 200

3 Donatos Pizza

935 Taylor Station Road Columbus 43230 • 614-340-3333 donatos.com

Catering emplOYees

$2.7 m

25 50 17 33

41%

59%

24% 76%

Event planning, weddings

1997

$211,000 $2.3 m $177,000

The CEO Leaderboard features selected topics each month. The November Leaderboards will feature central Ohio Accounting Firms, SBA Lenders and Wealth Management Firms. The deadline for inclusion in those surveys is Aug. 11. If you want your central Ohio company to be considered for an upcoming CEO Leaderboard, contact Columbus CEO at 614-461-5109 or cteasley@columbusCEO.com. Information included in this survey was provided by companies listed and was not independently verified.

On- and off-premise services, creative event planning

1989 On- and off-site catering, buffets and food trucks

1991

1998

1989 Full-service catering for corporate and social events; picnics and hor d’oeuvres with all rental equipment, decorations, entertainment, staff

1973

Full planning and food/beverage service; breakfast, lunch, dinner; custom in-home catering; wedding; corporate and private coordination and execution

Owner Catering manager

Cameron Mitchell Melissa Johnson Larry Clark Selena Browning Jim Grote Lianne McGlade Angela Petro Carly Ziemer Scott Bast Scott & Audriana Bast Geoff, John and Andy Schmidt Andrew Schmidt

Louis Pappas, Demetra Stefanidis Stacy Terman Alyson StricklerVazquez

Robert Selhorst Patty Perkins Shauna Chrisman Dan Mummaw Steve Rayo Jay Curatti

1997 Note: All figures in millions are rounded. m = million na = not applicable, Source: 2017 Survey of Catering Companies

Information compiled by CHLOE TEASLEy

August 2017 l ColumbusCeO

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CENTRAL OhIO ORThOPEDIC GROUP PRACTICES Ranked by number of new patients in 2016

2016 PATIENTS New

GROUP NAME 1

Orthopedic ONE 170 Taylor Station Road Columbus 43213 614-545-7900 orthopedicone.com

OrthoNeuro 70 S. Cleveland Ave. Westerville 43081 614-890-6555 orthoneuro.com

OSU Orthopaedics 543 Taylor Ave., Suite 1074 Columbus 43203 614-293-BONE ortho.osu.edu

4 OhioHealth Physician Group 180 E. Broad St., Floor 10 Columbus 43215 614-443-2584 ohiohealth.com

5 Orthopedic Foot & Ankle Center 300 Polaris Parkway, Suite 2000 • Westerville 43082 614-895-8747 orthofootankle.com

6 Hand and Microsurgery Associates Inc. 1210 Gemini Place, Suite 200 Columbus 43240 • 614-262-4263 handandmicro.com

BOARDCERTIFIED ORThOPEDISTS

Active

OThER PhYSICIANS

41,384

wnd

29,376

wnd

TOTAL STAFF

603

2016 SURGICAL PROCEDURES

wnd

YEAR FOUNDED Foot and ankle, hand and upper extremity, spine, sports medicine, total joint replacement

ChIEF ADMINISTRATOR MEDICAL DIRECTOR

Tim Smith Joel Politi

2013

223

wnd

Joint replacement; spine surgery; sports medicine; foot, ankle, shoulder, elbow, knee, and hip surgery; orthopedic urgent care

Carl C. Berasi Michael B. Cannone

1941

20,621

wnd

13,102

31,967

8,632

wnd

6,000

16,000

wnd

hand and upper extremity, sports medicine, spine, total joint replacement, foot and ankle, trauma

Mike O’Brian Andrew Glassman

2001

75*

20,838

Joint injection, tendon injection, shoulder arthroscopy, total knee anthroplasty, carpal tunnel

hugh Thornhill David Applegate

2008

9,980

Foot and ankle, ankle replacement, ankle arthroscopy, tendon repair, bunion correction, sports medicine

1998

3,500+

080-081_Leaderboard_OrthopedicGroup.indd 81

FREQUENT PROCEDURES AND SPECIALTIES

Microsurgery, injured workers, upper extremity injuries, shoulder disorders, sports injuries

Jacqueline Schaffer Terrence Philbin

Dana Winegarner Raymond Kobus

1987 wnd = would not disclose *FTEs + approximately

Source: 2017 Survey of Orthopedic Group Practices Information compiled by ChLOE TEASLEy

August 2017 l ColumbusCEO

7/19/17 4:02 PM

WHEN SHOPPING FOR MEDICAL BENEFITS, DONâ€™T FORGET DENTAL.

The Dental Care Plus Group (DCPG) â€“ based right here in Ohio â€“

offers comprehensive dental insurance for individuals and groups. With a plan from DCPG, you can have access to a nationwide network of dentists while enjoying live, local customer service.

Group plans from DCPG include:

â€¢ No waiting periods. â€¢ Annual open enrollment.

â€¢ Fourth quarter deductible carryover. 6

For a competitive individual or group quote, contact your benefits broker, call (800) 367-9466 or visit DentalCarePlus.com.

Dublin Office: 6065 Frantz Rd. Suite 103, Dublin, Ohio 43017 Dental insurance plans are issued by Dental Care Plus, Inc., located at 100 Crowne Point Place, Cincinnati, OH 45241. Domicile: Ohio. NAIC No. 96265.

| 082-083_Leaderboard_HealthPlans.indd 82

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n e 3 m

ff e 8 m

CEntral OhiO GrOup hEalth insuranCE prOvidErs ranked by number of members companywide, and for ties, by number of central Ohio members mEmbErs

COmpany 1

Vision Service Plan

3400 Morse Crossing Columbus 43219 800-877-7195 vsp.com

UnitedHealthcare

9200 Worthington road Westerville 43082 800-468-5001 uhc.com

Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield

6740 N. high St., Worthington 43085 614-438-3500 anthem.com

Cigna

440 Polaris Parkway, Suite 300 Westerville 43082 888-705-2933 cigna.com

Molina Healthcare

3000 Corporate exchange drive Columbus 43231 800-642-4168 molinahealthcare.com

Delta Dental of Ohio

5600 Blazer Parkway, Suite 150 dublin 43017 800-537-5527 deltadentaloh.com

Medical Mutual of Ohio

10 W. Broad St., Suite 1400 Columbus 43215 800-235-4026 medmutual.com Source: 2017 Survey of Providers

Information compiled by Chloe TeASley Information included in this survey was provided by companies listed and was not independently verified.

082-083_Leaderboard_HealthPlans.indd 83

CoMPANyWIde ToTAl

OptiOns OffErEd

OptiOns typEs

tOp lOCal OffiCEr

yEar fOundEd

78.5 m 684,000

Individual, group

PPos

Kate renwickespinosa

1955

48.6 m unavailable

Individual, group

hMos, PPos, ePos, PoS, hdhPs, hSAs

Kurt lewis

1977

40 m unavailable

Individual, group

hMos, PPos, hdhPs, hSAs

Steve Martenet

1942

15.7 m 61,940

Group

hMos, PPos, PoS, hdhPs, hSAs

Monica Schmude

1982

4.8 m unavailable

Individual

hMos

Ami Cole

2005

1.6 m 413,796

Individual, Group

PPos, ePos, PoS

Bryan leddy

1957

1.5 m 145,927

Individual, Group

hMos, PPos, ePos, PoS, hdhPs, hSAs

Amber hulme

1934

CeNTrAl ohIo

The Ceo leaderboard features selected topics each month. The November leaderboards will feature central ohio Accounting Firms, SBA lenders and Wealth Management Firms. The deadline for inclusion in those surveys is Aug. 11. If you want your central ohio company to be considered for an upcoming Ceo leaderboard, contact Columbus CEO at 614-461-5109 or cteasley@columbusCeo.com. August 2017 l ColumbusCEO

7/20/17 11:02 AM

HUNTINGTON • BETTER BUSINESS BUREAU CENTRAL OHIO COLUMBUS 2020 • OHIO STATE UNIVERSITY FISHER COLLEGE O F B US I N ES S E X ECU T I V E M BA • STO N E WA L L CO LUM B US WOMEN’S FUND OF CENTRAL OHIO • PICKERINGTON • DUBLIN C O LU M B U S FO U N D AT I O N • WO RT H I N G T O N • G A H A N N A COLUMBUS DOWNTOWN DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION • POWELL

TELL YOUR STORY

COLD BANK KING THOM

Neil M (614) neil@n

Custom Publishing

COLD BANK KING THOM

Neil M (614) neil@ne

COLD BANK KING THOM

Virgil Neil M (614) neil@ne

Work with our award-winning team at Dispatch Magazines to produce custom sections to reach our affluent, engaged and influential audiences, as well as overruns for spreading your message.

COLD BANK KING THOM

Neil M (614) neil@n

084-087_ExLiv.indd 84

7/19/17 3:04 PM

HIO LEGE B US BLIN NNA WELL

Wouldn’t you like to be looking at your home? Ask your Realtor to market your home in the Executive Living section of Columbus Monthly Magazine! West of I-71 call Tamara Clark at (614) 583-5791 or e-mail at tclark@dispatch.com East of I-71 call Amy Vidrick at (614) 461-5153 or e-mail at avidrick@dispatch.com

COLDWELL BANKER KING THOMPSON

Neil Mathias (614) 580-1662 neil@neilmathias.com

NICKLAUS ESTATES RETREAT - This is one of those special properties that rarely comes to the market. Ideally set up with a circular flow & ample decks/patios overlooking the second fairway. The centerpiece is a 2 story banquet hall that has hosted pro golfers, presidents, & golf’s elite. $2,950,000. www.5353MuirfieldCourt.com

WOODS AT LABRADOR LUXURY! - Enjoy extensive indoor & outdoor living at this impeccable build by MKM Custom Homes! Open floor plan with natural light, from the great room with 2 story windows to the cook’s kitchen with dual islands. Fenced yard backing to trees with pergola & built-in grill! $765,000 www.8570MallardCircle.com

COLDWELL BANKER KING THOMPSON

Neil Mathias (614) 580-1662 neil@neilmathias.com

CORNER LOT IN WEDGEWOOD HILLS! - Surrounded by lush landscaping & mature trees, this fresh & bright home offers an open floorplan with detailed finishes throughout! The most exciting feature is the Owner’s Suite- complete with sitting area, fireplace, & spa-like bath with vaulted ceiling! $675,000 www.4582SixpennyCircle.com

MOVE RIGHT IN TO TARTAN FIELDS - Impeccable indoor & outdoor living! This home features an open floorplan with two story Great Room, bright white & SS cook’s kitchen, & an incredibly well-thought out LL with bar, media room, & 5th bedroom. Plus a private backyard with wraparound porch & patio! $739,000 www.8487TartanFieldsDr.com

COLDWELL BANKER KING THOMPSON

Virgil & Neil Mathias (614) 580-1662 neil@neilmathias.com

Neil Mathias (614) 580-1662 neil@neilmathias.com

CAMPDEN LAKES SHOWPLACE - Entertainers’ dream home on 1+Ac wooded lot! Over 5000SF w/ 5BR/5BA, large fin walkout to state-of-art outside kitchen to new pool, spa & firepit. 1st floor deluxe master, s/s kitchen, lodge-like Great Room, covered porch & scr porch, huge deck. A true “wow”! $1,195,000. www.4703CranleighCourt.com

HIDDEN CREEK AT THE DARBY GEM! - Come home to your own castle nestled on over 2.5 acres of fully wooded privacy! Enjoy Stock & Stone architecture including exposed beams, oversized molding/trims, & stone archways. A gourmet kitchen, finished lower level, Sun Room, & multiple covered patios await! $1,050,000 www.430TrilliumDrive.com

COLDWELL BANKER KING THOMPSON

Neil Mathias (614) 580-1662 neil@neilmathias.com

UNIQUE DUBLIN OPPORTUNITY - Take your pick of this property’s potential uses- from owner occupied, to investment, to storage/workshop space, or the perfect compound for entertaining, this property offers many incredible possibilities. The fully finished post & beam barn is a car buff’s showplace! $959,000 www.7051CoffmanRd.com

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TARTAN RIDGE MOVE-IN READY! - You’ll feel right at home in this 4353sqft, 5 br, 4 full bath built by Romanelli & Hughes. Detailed molding + trim, granite countertops, SS Wolf appliances, LL home theater setup, first floor guest suite, 2nd floor laundry & cozy backyard fireplace await you! $785,000. www.7293MaristLane.com

7/19/17 3:04 PM

COLDWELL BANKER KING THOMPSON

RE/MAX METRO PLUS GERMAN VILLAGE

Dixie Lundquist (614) 266-1312 Dixie.lundquist@ kingthompson.com

Al Waddell (614) 832-4079 al.waddell@ remax.net

HIDDEN CREEK AT THE DARBY - Large foyer leads to impressive 3 sty staircase & stone elevator tower. Magnificent great rm w/ soaring ceilings, walls of glass & massive stone frplc 1st flr In-Law suite w/ private entry. Finished walkout LL. Secluded on 4.8 acres. Visit www.385Larkspur.com. Offered at $1,999,900

PRIVATE ESTATE ON HOOVER RESERVOIR - The home has a gourmet chefs kitchen, large great room with floor to ceiling windows and large wood beams, 6 fireplaces, wine cellar, finished walkout lower level and separate in-law suite. Every room in the home has access to the outdoors and breathtaking views. The elevator will avigate you to 3 levels of living space and to an expansive owners suite with high ceilings, balcony and sitting area to enjoy picturesque views.

RE/MAX METRO PLUS GERMAN VILLAGE

Al Waddell (614) 832-4079 al.waddell@ remax.net

HIDDEN CREEK AT THE DARBY - Stunning Craftsman style designed by Sullivan Bruck Architects & custom built by Troyer Homes. Open concept living area with stone WBFP, beamed ceilings & quality bamboo floors. Over-sized kitchen w/ top of the line appls, granite counters & custom concrete bar. 1st flr mstr suite & 1st flr laundry. 3 BRs & 2 baths upstairs. Geothermal radiate heat, generator & many more features. 3-D VR walk thru at www.140HiddenCreek.com $899,900

4.68 ACRES ON THE LITTLE DARBY - Custom built home with elegant leaded glass entry opens to 2 story foyer featuring marble floor & sweeping bridle staircase. 20 ft tall wall of glass in the great room offers stunning vista of the Little Darby & nature preserve across the water. Soaring vaulted ceilings w/ exposed structural beams & massive stone fireplace. 1st Flr Master is palatial. Fin walk-out LL offers media rm, workout rm & in-law suite. $939,900. www.380Larkspur.com

RE/MAX METRO PLUS GERMAN VILLAGE

KELLER WILLIAMS CONSULTANTS REALTY

Al Waddell (614) 832-4079 al.waddell@ remax.net

Alli Close (614) 726-9070 TheClose Connection.com

HIDDEN CREEK AT THE DARBY - An American Colonial custom designed and quality built with wrap around front porch. Open concept living area w/ true chef’s kitchen, 2 story great room w/ massive stone WBFP 1st flr MBR w/ vaulted ceilings, dual WICs, luxury bath. PLUS In-Law suite with fully equipped kitchen, living area w/ WBFP. High-end finishes everywhere in 6547 SF on 2.4 ac. 3 car gar. LOW TAXES, priced well below reproduction cost! $899,900

KELLER WILLIAMS CONSULTANTS REALTY

Alli Close (614) 726-9070 TheClose Connection.com

STUNNING RIVERFRONT HOME - Tucked away on a private lane, this stone cape is beautifully situated on 1.51 acres of deep water riverfront. The views from the vaulted Great Rm will take your breath away. Gorgeous stone fireplaces in main and lower levels, custom iron railings in entrance and spacious upper level loft overlooking the river are just a few reasons you will want to live here. The first floor owner suite with spectacular views of the river and wildlife will compel you to stay! $1,250,000

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TARTAN WEST CORAZON - No detail overlooked in this gorgeous custom built home. Laid on site hardwood floors flow through most of the first floor and hallways. Gorgeous custom island kitchen & hearth room. Fireplaces in 5 rooms-plus the patio! Lots of extras-laundry on the main and upper levels, a craft room, plus a mud room. The large owner suite boasts a secondary room with a fireplace! The bath has heated floors, whirlpool tub, plenty of counter space, an oversized shower w/multiple jets, & a large closet. All other bedrooms are large w/huge baths. Bar, wine cellar, media room, bed & bath, plus stairs to exit to the garage for a private entry. $1,100,000

MUIRFIELD GOLF COURSE - Ever dream of living on the 18th green of Muirfield’s Championship Course? This rustic contemporary home will make those dreams come true! Walk across the waterfall to the front door & be welcomed by soaring ceilings, hardwood floors, & a stone floor to ceiling fireplace. Rent out the walkout lower level during the tournament! Perfect location! $875,000

7/19/17 3:05 PM

home?

cutive

614-583-5760 MAC WORTHINGTON ART

LANDSCAPING

HELP WANTED

essive oaring suite Visit

ADVERTISING SALES:

ss entry glass in Soaring palatial. com

Dispatch Magazine Group seeks team player to join our advertising sales team. Our family of publications includes Columbus Monthly, Columbus Weddings, Columbus CEO and Columbus Alive! as well as digital media. Responsibilities include servicing and growing existing client base and generating new business working with a variety of advertisers. Sales experience preferred. Must be self-motivated, driven to succeed, able to identify and implement solutions for clients, excellent at communication, personable energetic and creative. If you would make a good addition to our fast-paced, professional work environment, please send your resume with cover letter to:

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084-087_ExLiv.indd 87

7/19/17 3:05 PM

Office Space By chloe teasley + Photos by rob hardin

Baker Hostetler 200 S. Civic Center Drive Columbus 43215 bakerlaw.com

After 33 years in the same space, the law firm has a new office.

Glass Garden

Chihulys (top right) are displayed as a “garden” under a 30,000-pound, freestanding staircase.

candy apple red Fireplace transformation

What was once an obstructive pillar has become a marble fireplace decorating the office point that overlooks the best view of the Scioto River.

This is the first sight that can be seen off the elevators on the firm’s main floor.

lunchtime blues

conversation Piece

It was important to the deciding powers that employees have a space to eat lunch with a good view of the river, which is what they received in this area.

Wood panelling throughout the office comes from two walnut trees that were unrolled instead of sliced, making grain with long stripes.

royGbiV

A rainbow of glass hangs in the kitchen area on one of Baker’s two floors of offices. The other floor’s occupants have been wishing they had a piece just like it.

skyline, commissioned

70 percent of the art in the office was created by Columbus artists; this local, commissioned piece is in zinc and copper. Visit columbusceo.com for a full article on the space.

88 Columbusceo l August 2017

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“THERE ARE TIMES YOU CAN’T HAVE ALL THE FACTS. BUT YOU STILL NEED TO MAKE THE RIGHT DECISION.” – Jeanetta Darno, Class of 2004 fficer Vice President & Global Chief Diversity Officer Abercrombie & Fitch

BUSINESS. INTUITION. FISHER EXECUTIVE MBA Most people think of intuition as something you’re born with. We teach it.

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7/20/17 12:14 PM