Columbus CEO – August 2021 issue

Kirt Walker

Tornado swept Nationwide’s latest CEO into insurance.

Page 8

Best of Business

Our readers chose: Here are the best in 83 categories.

Page 33

Skin color matters

Black dermatologists are rare gems in healthcare.

Page 58

August 2021

Hey, Ohio

Discrimination is bad for business.

Inside the fight for LGBTQ rights.

Page 24

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Contents

The fight for LGBTQ civil rights

Why the business community wants to push the Ohio Fairness Act across the finish line Departments 04 Editor’s Note Here’s your chance to nominate for Future 50 2022.

60 Leaderboards Columbus region law firms, catering companies and orthopedic group practices.

64 Office Space: Quantum Health The new Dublin space is comparable to a sanctuary.

august 2021

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Cover design/photoillustration

Sen. Nickie Antonio Photo Rob Hardin

YOGESH CHAUDHARY Cover photo by Getty Images

August 2021 l ColumbusCEO

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Photo ROB HARDIN

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

P

ColumbusCEO.com

VOLUME 30 / NUMBER 8 Columbus Site Manager

Alan D. Miller Publisher/General Manager

L V O

Ray Paprocki E d ito r ia l

EDITOR

Katy Smith associate eDITOR

Jess Deyo

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CONTRIBUTING EDITORs

Readers voted in 83 categories, and now we’re bringing you the results. Here are the winners and runners-up in our 2021 Best of Business contest.

Jeff Bell, Linda Deitch D es i g n & P ro duct ion

PRODUCTION/DESIGN DIRECTOR

Craig Rusnak ART DIRECTOR

Kirt Walker

Yogesh Chaudhary Digita l

Julanne Hohbach ASSISTANT DIGITAL EDITOR

Brittany Moseley Ph otog raphy

PHOTO EDITOR

Tim Johnson Associate photo editor

Rob Hardin A dvert ising

Vice President of Sales

Eugene Jackson Senior Multimedia Sales Executive

Holly Gallucci Multimedia Sales Executives

Tia Hardman, Jackie Thiam CLASSIFIED SALES

Amy Vidrick Production designer

Rebecca Zimmer M arke t ing

MARKETING MANAGER

Lauren Reinhard PRESS RELEASES

pressreleases@columbusceo.com ADVERTISING

advertise@columbusceo.com Columbus CEO (ISSN 1085-911X) is published monthly by Gannett. All contents of this magazine are copyrighted © Gannett Co., Inc. 2021, 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, PO Box 460160 Escondido CA 92046

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Insider

07 Breakdown

In-Depth 52 Diverse Leaders in Law

Status update on Columbus nonprofits.

Why going back to “normal” isn’t a welcome idea for many people.

08 Profile: A noble purpose

56 Meetings & events

A tornado that destroyed his hometown decades ago taught Kirt Walker the value of “this insurance thing.” The Nationwide CEO has drawn on that experience to build a career marked by a desire to help and protect others.

12 Tech Talk Job seekers and recruiters can better connect through Chatstrike’s platform.

14 Briefing

W

Slowly but surely, organizations are feeling their way back from the pandemic with in-person gatherings.

58 Health Watch

W ch in

People of color have limited choices because of a dearth of Black dermatologists.

Dr. Shari HicksGraham

Catching up with the new leaders of the Columbus Downtown Development Corp.

16 Spotlight: Small Business A new large-capacity roaster perks up Upper Cup Coffee’s growth plans.

18 Spotlight: Nonprofit Physicians CareConnection’s hub helps the underserved beyond the clinic walls.

20 Spotlight: Minority Business The Crew’s stadium project gave Teltron Design the chance to network and excel.

fro

O Photo ROB HARDIN

EDITOR

CORRECTIONS The address for the PetersonConners law firm is 545 Metro Place S., suite 435, Dublin, OH 43017. An incorrect address was included on Page 57 of the Top Lawyers section in the July issue.

Also, the photo included with a story about Columbus firm SenseICs on page 12 of the July issue was not associated with the company.

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Editor’s Notes * ksmith@ColumbusCEO.com

Celebrating our community standouts

U

ndoubtedly, my favorite program at Columbus CEO is Future 50. This annual endeavor brings together the region’s most innovative thinkers and doers to offer their leadership as we confront issues like the wealth gap, racism, education and how the arts can bring us closer together.

I have met some of the most fascinating people of my career through this program—medical researchers trying to solve cancer, social justice warriors, entrepreneurs on the cutting edge of technology and empathetic nonprofit leaders, to name just a few.

The 2021 class of Future 50 has been working since February on projects that help people in the community. The first project involved a group offering sessions on leadership to children who participated in the Greater Columbus Sports Commission’s camp week at Berliner Park in June. A second Future 50 group has a vision to bring fresh food to people who need it via the creation of unstaffed community refrigerators that can be accessed 24/7. If you

File/Columbus CEO/Rob Hardin

Future 50 member Kristin Easterday laughs with children at the Greater Columbus Sports Commission’s summer camp.

would like to support that vision, which involves partnering with community organizations, the group has kicked off a GoFundMe at https:// bit.ly/3zr48yk. And a third group is working on making the internet accessible to more residents of Columbus who need it.

You can learn more about the amazing people in Future 50 at columbusceo.com/awards.

And now, you can nominate someone as a member of the 2022 class.

Visit columbusceo.com to make your nomination by Sept. 9. The new class will be chosen by the current class, with a little help from the editorial staff at Columbus CEO. ••• Speaking of awards programs, Columbus CEO is kicking off its popular Top Workplaces awards for 2022.

Nominate your company at columbusceo.com/nominate. Deadline: Sept. 17.

Exton, Pennsylvania-based Energage, a workplace research firm that has partnered with 59 publications across the country including

the Boston Globe, Washington Post, Cincinnati Enquirer and many major daily newspapers, produces the data for Columbus CEO’s Top Workplaces program. The company conducted more than 2 million employee surveys across 7,000 organizations in the past year. That includes more than 17,000 employees who were surveyed in the Columbus region.

The contest is open to any organization—public, private, government or nonprofit—with 50 employees in the Columbus metropolitan area.

Energage will complete anonymous, online employee surveys of 24 questions between now and November.

We had 77 winners this year. The 2022 winners will be announced in the May 2022 issue of Columbus CEO. Celebration event details are TBD--but we are definitely hoping they will involve getting together in-person.

Katy Smith, Editor

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We’re proud to that announce Columbus CEO is the recipient of several national and statewide awards for our work in 2020.

Taking home two gold medals in the national Alliance of Area Business Publishers, the staff won in the mid-size category for best local coverage of a national business/economic story for the COVID-19 special issue in May 2020.

Tatyana Tandanpolie earned gold for best personality profile for her profile of Dionte Johnson.

And in the statewide Press Club of Cleveland’s Excellence in Journalism Awards, Columbus CEO collected 13 awards, including four first-place honors. It also took second place for Best Business Publication in Ohio.

Congrats to the CEO staff!

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Breakdown Compiled by katy smith + Infographic by Yogesh Chaudhary

Nonprofit recovery in progress Several Columbus region nonprofits were in danger of closing during the coronavirus pandemic as need skyrocketed and the ability to deliver services was damaged or eliminated. But none did, thanks to federal stimulus dollars, local officials who prioritized the sector in distributing funds and the “ingenuity of nonprofit leaders, who found a way to keep going,” says Michael Corey, executive director of the Human Service Chamber of Franklin County.

The United Way of Central Ohio and Human Service Chamber partnered with Illuminology to survey 80 health and human services organizations in May 2020 and 2021. Here is what they found.

2021

18%

75%

7%

2020

20% 18%

62%

Combined deficit across 80 health and human service organizations before stimulus aid:

Programs continued

Programs limited

Programs ended

Source: Survey of organizations by United Way and Human Service Chamber of Franklin County

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Photos courtesy Getty Images

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profile

By Mark Williams + Photos by Rob Hardin

Kirt Walker CEO

Nationwide Age: 58 In position since: 2019 Previous: President and chief operating officer of Nationwide’s financial services business from 2009 to 2019 Education: Bachelor’s degree, Iowa State

University; master’s degree, American College of Financial Services

Community involvement: Columbus Partnership, Mid-Ohio Food Collective campaign, American Red Cross Resides: Columbus Family: Married, two adult children

Recovery mission Kirt Walker says leading one of the largest insurance companies in the U.S. is about helping people after a disaster. He knows a thing or two about disasters.

N

ationwide CEO Kirt Walker can tell you the exact time he knew he wanted to go into the insurance business: 7:14 p.m. June 28, 1979.

That’s when a tornado ripped through the north-central Iowa town of Algona near where Walker grew up on a farm, wiping out about a third of the town of 4,500 people, killing four.

“My brother and I were watching ‘Barney Miller,’” Walker says when a tornado warning flashed on the television screen. “My brother and I go out on our front yard and watch this

tornado wipe out my hometown.”

Walker, 17 at the time, says debris swirled through the air as the powerful storm tore up homes, hurled vehicles hundreds of feet and uprooted trees.

“It was like watching the movie Twister,” he says.

Walker says the reason he can pinpoint the exact time is because that’s when the electricity went off in the house and the clocks stopped.

After the storm, he and his brother went into town, where an invasion was taking place, Walker says.

“The National Guard was there first. The [American] Red Cross was there after, and then the insurance companies.”

He quickly learned why insurance is so important to help families and towns recover from a devastating storm. That drove his decision to become part of the industry.

Walker had been laid off that day from his construction job because there wasn’t enough to do.

He was rehired the next day as work began immediately to rebuild the town, a process he says took about 18 months.

“The Allied claims people were the first ones in town,” he says of the insurer that Nationwide bought in 1998. “Ultimately, that stuck in my mind. I said I want to help people...

This really is a noble purpose, this insurance thing.”

As he speaks during a July interview, Walker, 58, holds a framed photo that he keeps on his desk to this day, showing a bit of the damage that was done by the storm.

It is a photo of what he believes was the house of Mrs. Mawdsley, the junior high school music teacher, whose home was destroyed by the tornado.

The photo shows an overturned car on top of a pile of debris next to what’s left of the house. A piano sits at what appears to be the front of the home, where the roof is gone. The yard is covered in rubble.

“We know it’s her house because of the piano, and she had a Volvo,” he says.

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Walker joins Allied At the time, most Iowa farm kids wanted to be veterinarians.

Walker went off to college, majoring in business at Iowa State University with an insurance emphasis.

He received several job offers, but was particularly impressed with Allied and the person who interviewed him. The man asked Walker during a two-hour interview: “Do you really understand what we do as an insurance company?”

He was the reason why Walker ultimately choose to work for Allied.

“I like that guy. I like the company. I like the noble purpose,” Walker says.

When Walker was picked as Nationwide CEO in 2019, he replaced the man who had hired him 34 years before in Iowa: Steve Rasmussen.

“I was just so impressed with his professionalism, his reality about things,” Walker says of Rasmussen, who held the company’s top job from 2009 to 2019.

Walker and the Red Cross Beyond setting the stage for his career, the tornado also began Walker’s relationship with the Red Cross.

A Red Cross volunteer offered Walker and his brother something to eat for their help in the aftermath of the storm. The ham and cheese sandwich and the Pepsi were free.

“If we don’t pay for this, who does?” he says he asked the volunteer. “We have donations from people, corporations,” was the answer.

“I’ve been active with the Red Cross ever since,” says Walker, who serves on the Red Cross board of governors.

So has Nationwide. The two have a partnership that goes back more than 75 years.

Last year, the Nationwide Founda-

[After a tornado destroyed his hometown], I said I want to help people.

This really is a noble purpose, this insurance thing.

August 2021 l ColumbusCEO

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tion contributed $2.2 million to Red Cross disaster relief and $22.1 million since 2000, according to Nationwide. Nationwide associates have donated nearly 265,000 units of blood.

“Our missions are very similar.

The Red Cross mission is to alleviate suffering in the face of the emergency, and that’s pretty much what Nationwide does as well,” says Gail McGovern, CEO of the Red Cross.

Nationwide also puts its intellectual capital to work for the charity, sharing software and helping with investment strategies, she says. “[Walker] has a big sharp brain, and a big heart. He’s the kind of leader who’s persistent, but he’s kind,” McGovern says.

Nationwide has relationships with other charities, including Nationwide Children’s Hospital, Feeding America, the United Way, the United Negro College Fund and others.

Steve Steinour, chairman, president and CEO of Huntington Bancshares, agreed with McGovern on Walker’s effectiveness as a leader.

The two have known each for several years and have led, along with American Electric Power CEO Nick Akins, a $30 million campaign for the Mid-Ohio Food Collective. Steinour and Walker and their families have become friends, Steinour says.

“He’s just a wonderful person, a fabulous leader. He’s humble. He doesn’t look for headlines,” Steinour says.

Steinour called Walker a servant leader with a deep moral conviction.

“He’s so quiet that most people in central Ohio won’t recognize all he and Nationwide do,” Steinour says.

After storms, Nationwide routinely sets up an operation in a parking lot handing out water, baby food, leashes and bowls to anyone who needs it.

After the terrorist attacks on Sept. 11, 2001, the insurer provided lifetime free pet insurance to the dogs who searched for survivors amid the rubble of the World Trade Center towers.

“One of the things we talk about is mission moments that matter,” Walker says.

The key to success The notion of becoming CEO became more than aspirational about 10 years ago as Walker steadily moved up through the ranks of Nationwide with postings throughout the country.

“What I love about this job is that there is something new that surfaces all the time,” Walker says.

But the key to success is his leadership team.

“Where leaders sometimes fail is that they think they have to be the

The One Nationwide skyscraper

smartest person in the room,” he says.

“At one point, hopefully early on in your career, the light bulb comes on and you surround yourself with people who are better looking, run faster, are smarter and can think more strategically than you can.”

Challenges of 2020 Nationwide’s revenue, which it does not disclose, is split between financial services and insurance.

The company is one of the largest financial services and insurance companies in the U.S. with $47 billion in sales, a data point that Nationwide defines as a combination of premiums paid by policyholders along with new deposits and assets that come through the company’s financial services arm.

The company $797 million in 2020 operating income and last year, it paid $16.9 billion in claims. Nationwide defines operating income as income after paying claims and benefits and deducting operating expenses.

Nationwide has about 26,000 employees with about half in Columbus.

Big outposts are in Des Moines, Iowa; Scottsdale, Arizona; and San Antonio.

The balance between insurance and financial services has helped the company through hurricanes, tornadoes and wildfires along with recessions, market crashes, the financial crisis more than a decade ago and more recently, the biggest public health crisis in a century coupled with the social unrest following the murder of George Floyd by police in Minneapolis.

Nationwide shifted 25,000 workers to work from home in four days as the pandemic took hold in March 2020.

“We value people. We’ve got to get people safe,” Walker says.

Following Floyd’s death, Nationwide held a rally for workers, awarding $1 million to fight racism.

“I’m not Black, but I do know the difference between right and wrong

Where leaders sometimes fail is that they think they have to be the smartest person in the room.

File/Columbus Dispatch/Doral Chenoweth III

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Nationwide CEO Kirt Walker

are charged by how many miles they drive. It’s called telematics, and it can save drivers up to 40 percent.

By 2026, Nationwide expects as many as three-quarters of new customers will want such coverage. They also will be asking for pet insurance to care for the dogs, cats and other animals they adopted during the pandemic.

At the same time, Nationwide is responding to consumers’ demands to more easily get quotes on coverage.

“We knew this day was coming,” Walker says.

Consumers want the ease of getting a quote or buying coverage online, and many are doing business with their cellphones.

On the financial services side, Nationwide has worked to help consumers save for retirement. Many companies and governments, for example, now automatically enroll new workers into retirement plans.

“With automatic enrollment, automatic escalation, the savings that people have is incredibly more on a dollar amount basis than for people who don’t have that,” Walker says.

“We all need a little nudge.”

Once people hit retirement age, they are looking for annuities that can provide steady income, he says.

“In retirement, I want to know how much I have to spend every single month,” Walker says consumers tell the insurer. “Can you help me on that guaranteed income for retirement? It’s a huge thing for us right now.”

Hiring passionate workers

because I think my parents raised me correctly,” he says. “I’m not going to stand for wrong.”

Nationwide does simulations every year of potential crises. Nothing could predict what happened in 2020.

“It was an interesting year, but it was highly successful for us. So you reflect and say if you can get through 2020 and be highly successful, you can probably handle anything that

comes at you,” Walker says.

There are lessons Nationwide learned from the pandemic that will help guide the business going forward.

Among them: Consumers have become more value conscious, especially at a time when many still are working from home and aren’t racking up the miles driving.

Nationwide expects more drivers to switch to coverage in which they

One of things that Walker likes is for Nationwide to hire people with the same desire he has to help others.

“We love to hire brand new people, and we hire for attitude. We can teach them everything else, but if they don’t have the right attitude, this isn’t a good place to be,” he says.

The company’s new mission statement—“We protect people, businesses and futures with extraordinary care “—reflects Walker’s belief that Nationwide is a protection company.

“Let’s face it, a lot of people get jobs and they turn them into careers,” he says. “In my mind, this has been a passion.”

Mark Williams is a business writer for the Columbus Dispatch.

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Mark Harris with his Pelotonia team.

Tech talk

Getting answers fast Tech platform Chatstrike lets job-seekers and recruiters separate the wheat from the chaff.

S

ome see frustration in applying for jobs. Cam Levy saw opportunity.

Levy says the motivation for his startup, Chatstrike, lies in solving the “black hole” information sink faced by job seekers.

“Folks will apply for a job via a job board, or a job fair, then they never hear anything back. You get no feedback,” Levy says.

Recruiters are frustrated too, swamped with hundreds of cold applications that pile up, and often turn to personal networks to fill positions, possibly missing excellent prospects. It’s a pet peeve Levy says

Courtesy Chatstrike

Cameron Levy

Chatstrike Chatstrike.com

Business: Digital job fair platform Co-founder/CEO: Cameron Levy Launch: January 2021 Investment to date: $1M from local angel investors

he’s been itching to tackle.

Chatstrike is a way for tech job seekers and recruiters to connect quickly—and personally.

“It’s about access, for candidates [and] recruiters, and if you’re a job fair host, it’s about giving their audience access to recruiters as well.”

After years of work in startups including AI-powered job matching firm Beansprock and a couple of different Chatstrike iterations, Levy and team came up with the concept of the job lobby.

“We think of this as an asynchronous job fair,” Levy says.

Chatstrike offers “lobbies” for hosts, which can be tech associations, schools or boot camps. One pilot host is Women in Analytics, the Columbus-founded industry association.

Recruiters then post jobs and screening questions in the lobby.

Job seekers can explore job fit and compensation, and they can request chats with recruiters, who can offer quick answers and then decide whether to accept further chats with the candidate.

Chats can be asynchronous or in real time. And if a recruiter rejects a chat, they provide feedback about why. “They get some personalized feedback, like ‘We’re looking for someone with that TensorFlow experience,’” Levy says. “It sounds so simple, but that alone is a big step up over the job board experience.”

The recruiter pays only when accepting a chat and can quickly identify qualified candidates. The lobby host earns a portion of that fee, monetizing its niche audience. The candidate gets quick answers to questions about whether the job may be right for them.

Chatstrike also features the ability to message through Slack and integration with some applicant tracking systems. Some heavy hitters have already joined on board, posting positions in several lobbies, including Root Insurance, Nationwide, Cardinal Health and Upstart.

Cynthia Bent Findlay is a freelance writer.

Courtesy Ben Blanquera

By Cynthia Bent Findlay

Pelotonia a who’s who in technology In the annual summer run-up to August’s Pelotonia cycling event, you can find a sizeable percentage of the Columbus tech community out on the road on two wheels.

Mark Harris, CTO of Aware, is one. He bike-commuted to work in Seattle, and upon moving back to Columbus saw signs for the first Pelotonia. He’s since ridden in all 13 years of the event.

Tech riders aren’t the only industry group– Pelotonia’s roster reflects a who’s who in Columbus law firms, too, for example.

But there are at least 15 teams representing the tech community, with 323 riders on those teams. Root Insurance, Alliance Data, Accenture, Bold Penguin, Genentech–they’re all out there.

And many teams from other firms are composed of area tech workers–often CTOs on down. That’s the case for Harris’ team– he rides for the Simply Community peloton.

“I think it’s a combination of things,” Harris says. “For one, everyone has your Garmin, Strava can report metrics on speed and heart rate, elevation, some people even have power meters in the pedals to measure force. It’s a bunch of geeky tech stuff that sort of appeals to a group of us.”

For another, as Covail’s Ben Blanquera says, “Cycling is the new golf.”

Blanquera participates in a couple of fundraiser rides, including Pelotonia and the Pan Ohio Hope Ride, on a mostly tech team called Vaco/T-Cetra.

“It’s especially great for those of us trying to stay fit, see the countryside and discover some hidden gem restaurants,” Blanquera says.

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By Katy Smith And Jess Deyo

Downtown’s new leadership

G

reg Davies and Amy Taylor see a central city that’s full of promise. The job now is to convince residents and office workers to return.

The next iteration of the Columbus Downtown Development Corp. is coming into a challenging situation with a fresh perspective. CEO Greg Davies, a well-known, longtime civil servant who got his start in journalism and joined the CDDC this summer from a role at the Columbus Partnership, says he wants people to remember how fun Downtown can be.

“Today, I walked over [to Columbus Commons] and I went to a food truck,” Davies says. “And you know, I can’t do that in my living room.

And I can’t see people in the sunshine and hear the music and just feel good for 20 minutes in a really cool environment.”

As office workers continue a very slow return and Downtown apartment buildings advertise move-in

Greg Davies courtesy Columbus Downtown Development; Amy Taylor courtesy Robb McCormick Photography

briefing

Greg Davies

Amy Taylor

specials, Davies and Taylor say cheerleading is a big part of bringing the energy back. A campaign by Capital Crossroads Special Improvement District and a mid-July pep rally of sorts held by the city are some of the efforts. Helping people to feel safe walking around the urban center is part of it, too.

Following months of civil unrest in 2020 and shootings such as the one at Bicentennial Park this spring, CDDC is working with the city on a security plan.

Taylor comes into her role as

president of the public-private organization after 14 years there, most recently as COO. A decade ago, there were different challenges to focus on, she says.

“We had a mall that was not working, we had a Riverfront that nobody went to. So those were important assets to start to build for the community. Now … the Downtown has evolved. Our community has evolved, the city of Columbus has evolved. And that’s exciting. That’s why I am still interested in being here to work with Greg.” -Katy Smith

Nancy Matijasich

File/ColumbusCEO/TIM JOHNSON

Tech training that pays the bills IT consulting company Manifest Solutions already stands out for being one of few womenfounded tech companies, but its specialty training program takes it one step further.

Founder and CEO Nancy Matijasich created Manifest Solutions from her kitchen in 1994 with the intention of changing the IT industry. At the time, there was a lack of diversity and an opportunity to treat employees better, she says.

“It’s been quite an interesting journey watching the industry change over the past 34 years for my total career,” she says.

Today, Manifest Solutions

has 117 employees and is still working to change the status quo with its Agility Bootcamp, created in 2011 to teach processes, methodologies and critical thinking skills in technology that many colleges don’t delve into.

It’s also intended to diversify the tech talent pool.

“Most of the students who come in will say, I’ve learned more in six weeks, I feel more prepared than ever to go out and actually perform my job than four years of college,” says Manifest Vice President Douglas Deken.

The company partners with local colleges like Columbus

State Community College and Central State University to offer scholarship programs to market the program to students from backgrounds that are underrepresented in tech.

Participants are also hired fulltime at the beginning of training with the full intention of keeping them beyond the program, Deken says.

The six-week bootcamp has had 150 participants since its launch, and many have gone on to work with major companies like Google, Amazon and Microsoft. The next bootcamp will take place in October.

–Jess Deyo

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97th Columbus Chamber Annual Meeting - PART TWO August 25 | In-Person Networking at Huntington Park Join the Columbus Chamber at Huntington Park for part two of its 2021 Annual Meeting, ADAPT. Attendees will have the opportunity to network safely inperson with fellow business and community leaders.

In addition to networking, attendees have access to the replay of part one of ADAPT, which featured prominent conversations with leaders like Jeni Britton Bauer, Brett Kaufman, David Berson, Shawn Holt, and The Edge Sisters.

FEAST

September 30 Columbus Zoo & Aquarium

Join us for an evening of food, fun and networking at the Chamber’s 97th Clambake & Lobster Feast.

Hosted at Water’s Edge Pavilion, this annual event brings together influential Central Ohio business and community leaders to enjoy a delicious dinner and live music.

Supported by:

LEARN MORE & REGISTER TODAY

COLUMBUS.ORG/EVENTS

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spotlight

By Virginia Brown + Photo by Rob Hardin

Small Business

Fresh energy After 10 years, and with a new large-capacity roaster, Upper Cup Coffee is expanding.

O

utside of his warehouse, in an industrial pocket of South Linden, Micael Habte heaves a bulky burlap sack into his blue Subaru Outback. The bag of beans is on its way to Habte’s Olde Towne East coffee shop. Inside, the owner of Upper Cup Coffee has something else brewing.

Now 10 years into his business and with two locations, Habte recently upgraded to a Diedrich roaster, a spotless, chrome-and-

“The business has been bottle-necked for about three years. With this new roaster, we are going to try to get more of the wholesale [business] that’s out there.”

Micael Habte, founder, Upper Cup Coffee

Upper Cup Coffee 79 Parsons Ave., Columbus; 121 Mill St., Gahanna uppercupcoffee.com Business: Coffee roaster Owner: Micael Habte Employees: 17 Annual revenue: Would not disclose

Micael Habte black machine, fresh from the Idaho-based manufacturer.

His original fire-engine red roaster, a Toper brand from Turkey, draws interest in the Parsons Avenue shop.

“That old roaster is like a 1992 Toyota Corolla,” Habte says, laughing.

“But it’s loyal, and it will always turn on. But this guy,” he says, referencing the new machine, “is like a Tesla.”

It’s a big change, and one Habte hopes will pay off. The Toper roasts up to 40 pounds of raw coffee beans per hour. The new Diedrich can turn out 200.

“The business has been bottlenecked for about three years,” Habte says, due to limited roasting capacity.

“With this new roaster, we are going to try to get more of the wholesale [business] that’s out there.”

Today he can roast five times what

he could before, and he can pack everything from 5-pound bags to 2-ounce instant coffee packs, depending on what the client needs.

And since safety precautions have expanded during the COVID-19 pandemic, new technology also eliminates the number of people handling the coffee.

Habte started Upper Cup in 2010, originally roasting beans out of a warehouse on the East Side before opening his retail shops. “It’s kind of funny that it’s coming full circle now,” he says.

His connection with coffee is twofold. His family is from the northeast African country of Eritrea, where a daily coffee ceremony is a core cultural custom, and he also had a college roommate whose family owned a chain of coffee shops in

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Dayton. Habte worked in one of the shops during school.

In 2008, during the height of the Great Recession, he graduated from Ohio State University with a degree in economics. After graduation, he worked briefly as an intern for an investment firm. “I was like, this can’t be life,” he says.

On a trip to visit family in Eritrea, he found inspiration. “Just being there, and watching people hustle and bustle; how people move over there, and how resourceful they are with what they have,” he says, “People are making it. And that’s what I took from it: Don’t expect a lane, just make a lane.”

In 2010, with $17,000 in his bank account and a few credit cards, he rented a space on the East Side, bought the original roaster and slowly started selling coffee wholesale.

Soon he longed for a more direct connection with the customer, so in September 2011 he opened Upper Cup Coffee in Olde Towne East.

“In Olde Towne, it was the perfect time to grow my business with the community,” he says. “That meant a lot to me: to be a part of the community.”

Born in Sudan, where his family had fled the war between Ethiopia and Eritrea, Habte moved to Columbus with his family when he was 4 months old. “I’m an Olde Towner,” he says. “I love Columbus; I’ve never lived anywhere else.”

With that love of his own community, it’s not just the caffeine that keeps locals flocking to the shops.

Habte hangs local art along the exposed brick walls in the Parsons location, including works from William H. Thomas Art Gallery, a Black-owned independent art gallery.

He employs roughly 17 people and supports other local businesses, too, including Auddino’s, a longstanding Italian bakery located next to his warehouse—he stocks his shops with their breads and pastries.

Once he has a foothold in the wholesale business, he says, long term he would like to focus on direct trade with global coffee farmers.

“I think that’s where we can see the biggest impact, to work directly with farmers,” Habte says. “That’s going to be the eventual goal.”

newsletter ackstage pass to the Arch b r u City Yo Visit ColumbusMonthly.com and sign up for our weekly newsletter that includes special events, important conversations, exclusive giveaways and more.

Virginia Brown is a freelance writer.

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spotlight

By Jess Deyo + Photo by rob hardin

Nonprofit

Health care hub

Isi Ikharebha Green

Physicians CareConnection offers accessible care for the underserved.

T

he way Isi Ikharebha Green landed in her role as president of Physicians CareConnection (PCC) was a bit unconventional, but she wouldn’t have it any other way.

Green was a chemist, and she may have stayed on that path if it weren’t for a friend at the Columbus Medical Association, who encouraged her to apply for a job at sister company Access Health Columbus, today known as Healthcare Collaborative of Greater Columbus, to work on a free clinic

“I can help them get the medication. But if they went home and their utilities were cut off, [they] can’t put the insulin in a refrigerator, right?”

Isi Ikharebha Green, president, Physicians CareConnection

Physicians CareConnection 1390 Dublin Road, Columbus 43215 pcchealth.org Mission: To provide high-touch care

coordination to those in need.

President: Isi Ikharebha Green Employees: 18 full-time, 10 part-time Revenue: $2 million budget in 2021 Funding sources: Corporate donors

model. Nearly two decades ago, she had no clue she soon would see the formation of PCC. The healthcare nonprofit is the brainchild of Access Health’s program, Volunteer Care Network, founded in 2003, and the Physicians Free Clinic, founded in 1993. Both programs fell under the medical association and joined forces in 2009 as Physicians Free Clinic/Volunteer Care Network to serve any person who faced healthcare barriers. In 2011, the two groups adopted the name Physicians CareConnection.

So, what has made PCC so successful? The organization is packed with volunteer medical providers and 28 employees who offer their services free of charge. It has also been backed by all five federally qualified health centers in Franklin County and has

raised $2 million for its 2021 budget.

Patients of PCC can receive dental care, medical care, referrals for specialized care and more; however, the biggest flex may be its “communities, pathways and hub” model established in 2015 to provide care outside of the office. Housing, transportation and access to food are aspects that make a difference in whether someone can access care, Green says.

“We can help someone access a doctor to help them with their diabetes. I can help them get the medication,” she says. “But if they went home and their utilities were cut off, [they] can’t put the insulin in a refrigerator, right?”

For Bilkis Esan, the services from PCC were a divine intervention, she says. She was suffering from cancerous dense tissue in her breast when

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she met the team of care coordinators who connected her to the correct resources, provided her with aid for her medical bills and even paid for her transportation to appointments.

“Anytime I’m there I always feel so comfortable and relaxed because they always take care of my needs,” she says. “God really used them for me and my family.”

The key to providing such personalized care comes from community partnerships. For needs outside of the care PCC can provide, the organization will work to build relationships, whether it’s a food pantry or housing services.

A major contributor is the Columbus Health Department, which allows PCC to run a clinic out of its space.

“As leaders from these different organizations, we are really trying to say, ‘How do we work together to create systemic change?’” Green says.

Working for the underserved, PPC also has aimed to tackle infant mortality rates with the creation of StepOne for a Healthy Pregnancy in 2016.

The program connects women with suitable obstetricians in the area and helps to educate them, as well as provide resources like breast pumps. The program was inspired by efforts and collaboration with the city’s CelebrateOne agency.

Dr. Francis Blais, a care provider for nearly 15 years and PCC’s board chair, has seen decades worth of patients and team members in his experience as an infectious disease specialist. But his memories with the nonprofit are marked by graciousness from both patients and providers.

It’s difficult to narrow it down, but a favorite memory for Blais comes from StepOne—the day a care coordinator took in a patient’s children for a few days in a moment of desperation so she could deliver her baby.

“That’s one of many examples of the dedication from the staff to help the patients in whatever way they can to achieve appropriate healthcare,” Blais says. It’s equally hard for Green to pinpoint a favorite moment, but she’s quick to mention what the organization represents. “[PCC] means hope. It means service. It’s a way for me to live out my own purpose and be able to serve individuals.”

On the field. In the locker room.

On the recruiting trail.

Featuring...

Trademarks of The Ohio State University used with permission.

• POSITIONAL-BATTLE UPDATES • BREAKING NEWS • OPINION • RECRUITING • ANALYSIS OF THE COACHING STAFF • EXCLUSIVE PHOTOS & VIDEO • & MORE

Jess Deyo is associate editor.

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spotlight

By Shannon Shelton Miller + Photo by Rob Hardin

Minority Business

Opening the door More than 100 minority- and women-owned firms helped build the new Crew stadium, including Teltron Design.

T

he Lower.com Field grand opening July 3 was more than a historic moment for the Columbus Crew and its fans. It was transformational for many local businesses, including a telecommunications firm whose work enhanced the fan experience at the new stadium.

Columbus-based Teltron Design Group secured one of 117 contracts

“The city of Columbus and the Crew made this one of the most diverse projects I’ve ever seen.

We’re hopeful it doesn’t stop here—not only for Teltron, but for other businesses like ours.”

Tiffany Putnam, CEO, Teltron Design Group

Teltron Design Group 2157 S. James Road, Columbus 43232 Teltrongroup.com Business: Network infrastructure

construction and technology firm

CEOs: John Clifton III and Tiffany Putnam Employees: 18 Annual revenue: Would not disclose

Tiffany Putnam and John Clifton III awarded to women- and minorityowned businesses for the $313.9 million, 20,000-seat project, winning a $2.5 million contract to install audiovisual services at the facility.

While Teltron Design Group has delivered telecommunications support and services for multiple clients over the past 12 years—including the U.S. Marine Corps Reserve—the company’s leadership viewed winning the Lower.com Field project as a game changer.

“The city of Columbus and the Crew made this one of the most diverse projects I’ve ever seen,” says Teltron CEO Tiffany Putnam. “We want to make sure we give thanks to them for allowing us to participate, but we’re hopeful it doesn’t stop here—not only for Teltron, but for other businesses like ours.”

Columbus Crew owners were

intentional in their efforts to include underrepresented firms in the stadium project, with 81 minority- and women-owned businesses receiving contracts worth $74 million.

Nancy Tidwell was an early champion for Teltron, often suggesting the firm’s services for regional opportunities. As owner of NRT & Associates, a project and organization management services firm that serves as a diversity and inclusion consultant on construction projects, Tidwell says many minority- and women-owned businesses face a disadvantage due to a lack of name recognition.

Teltron faced that hurdle on multiple projects, but Tidwell says developers who weren’t familiar with Teltron before her recommendation left impressed by their presentation.

They were even more impressed by Teltron’s work—a point Tidwell says

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emphasizes the importance of being intentional about inclusion.

“Teltron exceeded their contract and were kept on the Crew stadium project longer than initially planned,” Tidwell says. “Because of the emphasis on diversity and inclusion right now, if proper attention is given to a company, they should continue to grow.”

Putnam and John Clifton III incorporated Teltron Design Group in 2009, but the company was born years earlier when Clifton’s father, John Clifton Jr., launched a communications firm with his son after years working for telephone companies. The team got most of its work installing telephone equipment but expanded into the digital space as communications and tech began to converge.

Clifton III says Teltron blossomed with the addition of Putnam, who brought operations experience to the business after years in the banking and business development sector.

Clifton III and Putnam also made connections through the Turner School of Construction Management, where Putnam attended to learn more about the construction industry after leaving banking. Tidwell was among the people they met through Turner, and she became a strong advocate for the company’s inclusion in high-visibility projects.

Smaller contracts, like its work for the Facebook data center in New Albany, led to larger contracts, like the Columbus Metropolitan Library.

Teltron’s client base now includes businesses and nonprofit organizations in the military, state and local government and education.

Recruiting, scouting and hiring nontraditional talent is also part of the company’s mission. Clifton III and Putnam regularly reach out to technical schools and community organizations to hire new workers and host office visits for high school students.

“We’re breaking glass ceilings,” Clifton III says. “We want the city of Columbus, the state of Ohio and others to know that there are small minority businesses out there that are able to handle large-scale infrastructure projects like this. We’re here, we’re ready, and we’re prepared to bring quality every time.”

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The fight for LGBTQ civil rights Why the business community wants to push the Ohio Fairness Act across the finish line

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Basic equality lacking The Human Rights Campaign classifies Ohio as a state under “High Priority to Achieve Basic Equality.” In a review of statewide laws and policies that affect LGBTQ people and their families, protections do not exist for: Housing Public accommodations Transgender healthcare Employment School anti-bullying Hate crimes File/GettyImages.com/ Jodi Jacobson

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Ohio Sen. Nickie Antonio

By Laura Newpoff Photo by Rob Hardin

In 2004, Nickie Antonio was a nonprofit consultant in Lakewood, a vibrant and diverse community on Cleveland’s west side. That was the year a ballot initiative sought to embed in the state constitution that only marriages between one man and one woman would be recognized by law.

It passed with over 60 percent of the vote.

To Antonio, a lesbian living openly who was raising two children with her partner at the time, it was “a finger in the eye, a punch in the gut” and a message to members of the LGBTQ+ community that their relationships didn’t matter. The result was devastating for members of the marginalized community, and it prompted many of them to make life-altering decisions.

“After that, many people left Ohio. I had friends who left,” Antonio says. “They were upset. This let us know we now lived in a state that doesn’t acknowledge

our relationships, and [at the time] there was no chance of marriage equality. The thinking was, ‘Maybe tomorrow they’ll come after our children.’”

For family reasons, moving wasn’t an option for Antonio. But she wouldn’t let the Ohio Definition of Marriage Amendment go unanswered. It just so happened the next year a seat on Lakewood City Council was opening up.

“I thought, ‘I’ll run to respond to this.

I’ll run and I’m going to win,’” Antonio says. “Some people told me I would never win.”

Antonio did win, becoming the first lesbian Lakewood City Council member. In 2010, she became the first open member of the LGBTQ community ever elected to the Ohio House of Representatives in the 208-year history of the Ohio General Assembly. One of her top priorities when she

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that support nondiscrimination polices at the state level. There also are more than 200 faith organizations in the Ohio Faith Coalition for Nondiscrimination.

And while there’s more bipartisan support than ever before, the legislation faces an uphill climb if it can’t gain enough backing from Republicans who have super-majority status in both chambers.

The legislation now is waiting for proponent testimony in the senate Government Oversight and Reform Committee.

Businesses and the groups that represent them think the legislation not only is the right thing to do, but it would make Ohio more competitive by facilitating the attraction and retention of members of the LGBTQ community and those who support them like allies, family members and large corporations with progressive stances. The question that remains is whether Republicans will finally make LGBTQ non-discrimination a part of Ohio law.

‘A patchwork quilt of rights’

began serving her first term in 2011 was to pick up legislation first introduced in 2008 by State Rep. Dan Stewart (D-Columbus) that aimed to prohibit discrimination based on sexual orientation in housing, employment and public accommodations. She had a Republican co-sponsor– Rep. Ross McGregor from Springfield.

Antonio, who now is a state senator, has introduced the legislation during every new two-year session of the General Assembly since then. It finally received a committee hearing in 2017, her last House term, with the Ohio Chamber of Commerce on board as a proponent.

Since then, there’s been a groundswell of support in the Ohio business community for the Fairness Act. Equality Ohio is working in tandem with Ohio Business Competes to continue to add to the list of more than 1,100 organizations of all sizes

Members of the LGBTQ community in Ohio can indeed get married thanks to the U.S. Supreme Court’s Obergefell v.

Hodges marriage equality decision in 2015. Despite that, language in the Ohio Revised Code continues to say: “A marriage may only be entered into by one man and one woman.”

In 27 states, including Ohio, there are no statewide laws protecting people from discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation or gender identity in employment, housing and public accommodations. Complicating the matter is that about 30 communities in Ohio, including Columbus, have some sort of protections like those proposed in the Fairness Act. The result is a patchwork of laws across the state that could result in people losing their rights during their commute to work.

The Ohio Fairness Act is being led by Senators Antonio, D-Lakewood, and Michael Rulli, R-Salem, and Representatives Brett Hillyer, R-Uhrichsville, and Michael Skindell, D-Lakewood. The legislation would work in harmony with protections against employment discrimination at the federal level and include the housing and public accommodations components. If passed, it would give the Ohio business community another arrow in its quiver for attracting and retaining an inclusive and diverse workforce, sources say.

“How do you recruit the best and brightest from the LGBTQ community when presenting them with a patchwork quilt

By the numbers Making the economic case for nondiscrimination in Ohio.

Source: Ohio Business Competes

File/GettyImages.com/stock-eye

Talent

47%

Of meeting and convention planners say they will “absolutely avoid” booking meetings in states that pass anti-LGBTQ legislation

(Meetings & Conventions magazine)

1 billion

Number of negative social media posts about Indiana’s stance against LGBTQ rights in just 30 days in 2015

$100 million Cost to the North Carolina economy because of the relocation of the 2017 NBA All-Star Game from Charlotte to New Orleans

$75 million

Estimated economic impact of hosting a NCAA Final Four basketball tournament.

The NCAA is questioning future host cities on discrimination protections as part of its selection criteria.

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Taking issue

The Ohio Legislature is reviewing several bills that would affect LGBTQ Ohioans. Here is where they stand.

Cultural competency training

Banning conversion therapy

Senate Bill 48 would require certain healthcare professionals (dentists, nurses, pharmacists, physicians, social workers) to receive cultural competency training to get or renew their licenses.

Supporters say this kind of training improves patient outcomes because people feel more comfortable when their doctors understand different cultural values, customs and traditions.

The bill was introduced in February and has one hearing.

Senate Bill 50 would ban conversion therapy for minors, a controversial form of therapy that aims to change a person’s sexual orientation or gender identity.

The American Psychological Association has opposed conversion therapy since 1998, saying it “does not believe that same-sex orientation should or needs to be changed, and efforts to do so represent a significant risk of harm.”

Columbus, Dayton, Cincinnati and Toledo have all banned this kind of therapy but the state has not. The bill was also introduced in February but has yet to have a hearing.

Conscience clause Republicans inserted a last-minute amendment into the state budget enacted July 1 that would let healthcare providers decline to provide any service “that violates the practitioner’s, institution’s, or payer’s conscience as informed by the moral, ethical, or religious beliefs or principles held by the practitioner, institution, or payer.”

LGBTQ advocates fear this language would give doctors legal cover to discriminate against members of their community.

Supporters say that’s not true. Doctors or nurses could say no to a specific treatment. It wouldn’t let them deny overall care to patients.

Ohio Fairness Act A pair of bipartisan bills – Senate Bill 119 and House Bill 208 – were introduced in March by a group of Democrats and Republicans from the House and Senate. The bills would add sexual orientation and gender identity into Ohio’s existing anti-discrimination law.

The bills include exemptions for religious organizations. Opponents like Sen. Matt Huffman, R-Lima, argue that it creates “another set of parameters for lawsuits that, of course, inevitably falls on the backs of small employers.”

Transgender athletes Senate Bill 132 and House Bill 61 would ban transgender girls from playing on female sports teams in Ohio.

Both Rep. Jena Powell, R-Arcanum, and Sen. Kristina Roegner, R-Hudson, say transgender girls have unfair advantages when it comes to sports. And their bills are meant to protect “the integrity of women’s sports.”

The Ohio High School Athletic Association’s policy on transgender student athletes mirrors the NCAA rules for college sports.

Transgender girls can compete after a year of hormone therapy.

Opponents say throwing these kids off their sports teams will harm their mental health.

“We’re not talking about

elite athletes here,” Rep. Mary Lightbody, D-Westerville, says. “These are children who want to play on a team with their friends.”

The Senate bill hasn’t had a hearing, but the House held its first hearing in April.

Antonio doesn’t think either bill will become law though.

“I believe that bill is more to communicate with a base group of people to instill fear where there should not be any,” she says.

Bias-motivated crimes Senate Bill 149 would revise Ohio’s hate crime laws from what the revised code calls “ethnic intimidation” into “bias-motivated crimes” that include a person’s gender, sexual orientation or gender identity.

The bill has yet to have a hearing.

Anna Staver is a reporter for the USA TODAY Network Ohio Bureau, which serves the Akron Beacon Journal, Cincinnati Enquirer, Columbus Dispatch and 18 other affiliated news organizations across Ohio.

Ohio Statehouse

File/ColumbusDispatch/Doral Chenoweth

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Nolan also told Columbus CEO magazine that he does not expect the Ohio Fairness Act to create more lawsuits for employers. That’s because the U.S. Supreme Court’s Bostock decision in 2020 paves the way for a LGBTQ person to file a discrimination-related lawsuit under federal law.

The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission received 1,857 LGBTQbased sex discrimination charges in 2020, down slightly from 1,868 the year before, but up from 1,100 charges in the first full year of tracking in 2014. Nolan said there’s rarely an easy way to officially track these claims because they can go to state and federal courts or other venues.

What happened in Virginia The business community’s support was vital to getting the Virginia Values Act passed a little more than year ago. AT&T, Dell Technologies and IBM Corp. are a few of the heavyweights that put their names behind the legislation that prohibits discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity in housing, public and private employment, public accommodations and access to credit. Virginia was the first southern state to enact these protections.

After the act was signed into law, those aforementioned companies and others published a thank-you letter in the Richmond Times-Dispatch to “applaud the bipartisan efforts of Virginia lawmakers to bring equal opportunity to the more than 250,000 LGBTQ Virginians who deserve the freedom to live, work, raise families and participate fully in their communities, free from discrimination.”

Vee Lamneck, executive director of advocacy group Equality Virginia, says, like in Ohio, there was overwhelming support for the legislation from the business community—from mom-and-pop shops to global corporations. Similar to Ohio Business Competes, Virginia Competes believes that “to compete for top talent, workplaces and communities must be welcoming of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people.”

Lamneck says as Equality Virginia approached companies in the years leading up to passage of the legislation, the themes that emerged were that the absence of these protections would hurt employee recruitment and retention, would limit the diversity of the pool of possible candidates to choose from and would limit the number of people who would patronize

File/GettyImages.com/Jodi Jacobson

of rights?” Antonio asks. “Can you imagine a business saying to someone from the community, ‘Hey, we want you to transfer to Ohio but we don’t have protections in place to be welcoming to all families.’ Not having these protections doesn’t advance the idea of being business friendly and open to all workers.”

Senate President Matt Huffman, R-Lima, has been on the record in opposition to the legislation. He told the Ohio Capital Journal in March that “as a general notion, creating another set of parameters for lawsuits that of course inevitably fall on the back of the employers…will be fairly devastating to employers.”

He went on to tell the publication that there are “many forms of discrimination in the private workplace,” and protections need to be in place “if this is a chronic societal problem. I don’t think that this measures up to that same kind of problem.”

Huffman couldn’t be reached for comment.

The legislation maintains religious exemption language currently in Ohio law related to housing and employment. However, many churches have signed on as proponents of the bill.

The lawsuit issue also is addressed by allowing people who have a discrimination claim to pursue mediation with the Ohio Civil Rights Commission.

“People in our community say it is necessary and would be helpful,” Antonio says in response to those who are opposed and aren’t members of the LGBTQ community. “This makes clear what the line in the sand is for expected behaviors, and businesses can rise to that occasion.”

Bill Nolan, managing partner of Barnes & Thornburg’s Ohio office, is following the Ohio Fairness Act on three fronts—as a company leader, as a recognized inclusion and diversity champion in the Ohio legal community and as an employment defense lawyer.

Nolan has written in support of the legislation, saying “frankly, Barnes & Thornburg doesn’t need this law, in Ohio or elsewhere, to include people of all orientations and identities in its success, but it is necessary as a community to clearly state that all people are included in the exciting direction that Ohio continues to head.”

Nolan also conveyed that Ohio should not exclude sexual orientation and gender identity from its discrimination laws any more than it should remove protection for any group already covered. “This is a large group of our citizens who have historically experienced discrimination.”

Talent

79%

Of non-LGBTQ Millennials want to see workplace non-discrimination for their peers.

75%

Millennials will make up that percentage of the U.S. workforce by 2030.

(Bureau of Labor Statistics)

30%

States with LGBTQinclusive non-discrimination protections attract large number of inventors, who in turn produce 30% more patents than their peers.

(Harvard Business Review)

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businesses as well.

“We heard that inclusive policies not only were the right thing to do, but companies realize they’re also good for the bottom line,” Lamneck says. “When you open the door to inclusive policies, people thrive, they’re healthier and more productive and can do really great things in the community. There’s so much possibility when people have these protections and truly feel like they can be authentic and feel safe in doing so.”

The Virginia General Assembly is controlled by the Democratic party and the state’s governor is a Democrat.

Business buy-in to stop the ‘brain drain’ As executive director of Equality Ohio, Alana Jochum has been at the forefront of advocating for LGBTQ+ equality statewide since 2014. Key to doing so was the formation of Ohio Business Competes the same year the Supreme Court’s Obergefell decision legalized same-sex marriage nationwide. Huntington Bank, Bob Evans, United Way, Squire Patton Boggs and Arconic were some of the larger companies that lent their support early on.

Ohio Business Competes is a coalition of LGBTQ rights supporters organized by Equality Ohio, the American Civil Liberties Union, Human Rights Campaign and TransOhio. Those groups oversee its efforts collaboratively.

Jochum remembers that it took a year to get to 50 members. It took meetings, phone calls and education about the fact that, even with marriage equality, basic nondiscrimination protections did not cover LGBTQ people and that a united front was needed to make that change manifest. Now, she marvels at the fact that there are more than 1,100 members that represent every facet of the Ohio business community. Many businesses, she says, are far ahead of lawmakers on this issue and have made non-discrimination policies and LGBTQ inclusion part of their corporate credos. Still, formalizing non-discrimination at the statewide level would send a message that a person’s equality doesn’t depend on his or her ZIP code.

“The business community knew early on that they had employees who just wanted to be able to feel safe putting a picture of the person they love on their desk,” Jochum says. “These businesses also knew to be competitive they needed students who are graduating college to

stay in Ohio. That becomes challenging if we can’t agree on basic equality.”

One of those businesses is IGS Energy in Dublin. In 2019, Jenni Kovach, chief people officer, was at the Statehouse ready to testify in person in support of the Ohio Fairness Act. She never got the chance to read her testimony to members of the House Civil Justice Committee because the number of speakers was limited that day.

In her prepared remarks she said it was a “natural decision” for IGS to incorporate domestic partnership benefits for all of its eligible employees in 2015, and protections based on sexual orientation and gender identity or expression were put into its equal employment opportunity policy that same year.

“While IGS and other employers have instituted protections for these employees, LGBTQ people may experience discrimination when looking for housing or in other aspects of their daily lives,” she wrote. “This potential for discrimination plays into a current or potential employee’s decision to stay in or move to Ohio, putting our state at a competitive disadvantage.”

Kovach also wrote that “Millennial and Gen Z employees especially want to work in communities and states that extend basic protections to everyone. To attract the best talent to Ohio, we must demonstrate that we are serious about extending these basic protections to everyone.”

Densil Porteous agrees. He’s the CEO of Pride Fund 1, which was launched a little more than a year ago by Loud Capital. It’s a $10 million venture capital vehicle to invest in companies led by LGBTQ founders or entrepreneurs or firms serving that community. Porteous used to work as a college admissions officer at Kenyon College, Stanford University and the Columbus College of Art & Design, and thinks the Ohio Fairness Act will help stem the “brain drain,” which refers to students who leave Ohio after graduating from college. Ohio is one of the nation’s outbound states where the number of residents leaving outpaces the number of people coming in.

“If students feel like they can be denied housing and medical care, they won’t want to stay in a place that doesn’t feel welcoming to them,” Porteous says.

“That’s not a recipe for recruiting and retaining top talent and businesses. To have a thriving entrepreneurial ecosystem, we want the brightest minds and the best hearts. We shouldn’t be doing

30 ColumbusCEO l August 2021

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things that cause people to leave.”

Small business support The Ohio Business Competes membership roster is overflowing with support from the small business community, including Tasty Main, which is co-owned

by Tom Dailey and Sung Jin Pak. It has the development rights for Zoup! in central and southern Ohio and there are plans to open a gourmet hot dog concept called Tasty Dawg downtown in August.

Amid a labor shortage, small employers have to pull out all the stops to hire employees these days.

Before the pandemic, Tasty Main had 46 employees. It has 21 now, with a need to add about 20 new team members over the next few months. Employees who are socially conscious will flock to places that align with their interests, Dailey says.

“When I tell people that in Ohio it’s perfectly legal to discriminate in housing, employment and goods and services, they can’t believe it,” Dailey says. “When you are hiring, wages are always the No. 1 issue, but the environment people work in is a close second. So, in addition to what someone will get paid, they are looking closely at the environment they work in and whether that includes a supportive community.”

Bob Capace, who owns Worthington Jewelers with his wife, Theresa, has made it part of his business model to support the LBGTQ community through advertising and participation in a variety of community events. He, too, supports the legislation.

“A, it’s the right thing to do and, B, it would be a horrible business decision not to (support the community),” he says.

“The little part of the world I can control is my business and my home. Everyone who comes through our door is a guest of honor.”

Spheres of influence The business community also is actively trying to get the legislation across the finish line with good old fashioned lobbying efforts.

Kevin Shimp, the Ohio Chamber of Commerce’s director of labor and legal affairs, says the Ohio Fairness Act is a priority for the organization.

Shimp cited a Deloitte survey in a U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation report where 80% of respondents in a study on diversity and inclusion said

that inclusion is an important factor in choosing an employer and 72% said they would leave an organization for one they believe is more inclusive.

It should be noted former congressman Steve Stivers became the new president and CEO of the Ohio Chamber in May. While in Congress, he did not support the Equality Act, a landmark piece of legislation designed to provide broad antidiscrimination protections for the LGBTQ community. Stivers consistently scored a zero on the Human Rights Commission’s Congressional Scorecard because of his positions on LGBTQ-related legislation.

He could not be reached for comment.

The Columbus Partnership also is using its influence to lobby on behalf of the legislation as part of a desire to pursue a “modern, welcoming economy,” says Jeff Polesovsky, vice president of public policy. He’s encouraged that there’s more Republican support for the effort this time around.

That includes Matt Dolan, R-Chagrin Falls, who released a statement in March that said, “along with Ohio’s competitive state taxes, reduced regulations and effective workforce training programs, the Fairness Act will make Ohio a more welcoming place to operate a business, relocate to and raise a family.”

Polesovsky says “Ohio citizens want economic opportunity, diversity and for the state to keep moving forward.” The Partnership has prioritized the legislation and plans to ask for hearings.

Jen Bowden, IGS’ vice president for brand and social impact, says the company used its sphere of influence in 2019 to try to get the legislation passed. When its regulatory and lobbying team members met with elected officials, they made a point to communicate that IGS submitted testimony in support of the legislation.

“It ties in to our leadership’s focus on creating a workplace where employees feel comfortable bringing their whole selves to work,” she says. “We want them to have a sense of belonging because when that happens, you create a culture where people want to stay. The other thing we know is that employees who bring their whole selves to work are employees who contribute better ideas and are part of innovative teams. There’s a higher level of trust and therefore a healthier debate where people are willing to bring new ideas forward. It all just makes great business sense.”

Laura Newpoff is a freelance writer.

File/GettyImages.com/Cunaplus_M.Faba

Economy

$1 billion

Facebook’s investment in a new data center Fort Worth, Texas. Executives cited the city’s LGBTQ-inclusive nondiscrimination law as part of their decision.

2,000+

New jobs lost because of canceled corporate investments in North Carolina over LGBTQ issues.

$600 million

Five-year economic damage to hotel and meetings industry, as estimated by the Metro Atlanta Chamber of Commerce, if anti-LGBTQ legislation had been signed into law.

August 2021 l ColumbusCEO

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7/22/21 3:23 PM

Look back and move forward with The Dispatch@150

F

or 150 years, s The Dispatch has brought darkness into the light, celebrated the sunshine, and written our daily history. a

m with us into a new era as we chronicle the context of what’s next.

Come o these features e in the coming days and months and interact with us at Look for h w Dispatch.com and on Twitter @DispatchAlerts with the hashtag #DispatchAt150.

Historical front pages

|

Historical photo slideshows on Dispatch.com

Features on iconic central Ohio moments and newsmakers

|

|

Dispatch@150 podcasts

The Dispatch presents Columbus Conversations

|

Interactive timelines on Dispatch.com

And much more!

Celebrating 150 years as Ohio’s Greatest Home Newspaper

@DispatchAlerts • Subscribe today at Dispatch.com

032-049_BestofBusiness2021.indd 32

#DispatchAt150

7/22/21 3:53 PM

We are proud to be in our 14th year of recognizing the region’s best-in-class businesses. Our Best of Business poll is shining a light on the insurance companies, restaurants, law firms, dentists, florists, educational institutions, orthopedists and so many more who have earned the admiration of the Columbus community. It’s our longest-running and most far-reaching recognition program, as well as the only one in which our readers get the final say. This year, readers weighed in on more than 80 categories. Here we salute the top three vote-getters in each.

How do I get on the ballot next year? Add your company as a write-in when voting opens in February.

More questions? Email Katy Smith at ksmith@dispatch.com.

August 2021 l ColumbusCEO

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Manufacturing Company

Engineering Firm

Moody Engineering

Worthington Industries

Based in Columbus

Based in Worthington

Runners-up:

Runners-up:

2 SMBH 3 Burgess & Niple

2 Honda of America

Graphic Design/Branding Agency

3 Rogue Fitness 3 T. Marzetti Co.

Manufacturing

M+A Architects Based in Columbus Runners-up:

2 ZoCo Design 3 Fahlgren Mortine

HR Services

Mobile Phone Service Provider

Verizon Based in New York City Runners-up:

2 AT&T 3 Sprint/Boost Mobile

GO-HR Based in Columbus Runners-up:

Ad Agency

Fahlgren Mortine Based in Columbus Runners-up:

Information Technology

2 Leading EDJE 3 Fusion Alliance

Insurance Brokerage

Based in Columbus

Based in Gahanna

Runners-up:

Runners-up:

Roush Based in Westerville Runners-up:

2 Safelite Autoglass 3 Byers

Commercial Data Center

Expedient Based in Pittsburgh Runners-up:

2 Cologix 2 WeConnect

Energy Company

AEP Based in Columbus Runners-up:

2 Westerville Electric 3 Columbia Gas of Ohio

Runners-up:

2 Continental Office 3 RJE Business Interiors

Runners-up:

M+A Architects

Automotive Services

Based in Columbus

Based in Westerville

Bazemore-Abner Insurance Group

2 WSA 3 Moody Nolan

King Business Interiors

Revolution Group

2 Hart 3 Futurety

Architectural Firm

Office Furniture

2 Overmyer Hall 3 Insurance Agencies of Ohio

Printing Company

Baesman Based in Columbus Runners-up:

2 Hopkins Printing 3 West Camp Press

Public Relations Firm

Belle Communication Based in Columbus Runners-up:

Insurance Company

2 FrazierHeiby 3 Fahlgren Mortine

Nationwide Insurance Based in Columbus Runners-up:

2 State Farm 3 Erie Insurance

Internet Service Provider

Bu Bu an an » » » » » »

Signage Company

Atchley Graphics Based in Columbus Runners-up:

2 Columbus Sign Co. 3 Coffman Media

Spectrum Based in Stamford, Connecticut Runners-up:

» » » » » »

Spectrum

2 WOW 3 AT&T

Logistics Provider

UPS Based in Atlanta Runners-up:

2 FedEx 3 USPS

Di Di an an

Courtesy Spectrum

BUSINESS SUPPORT SERVICES

2 HR Butler 3 VIVO Growth Partners

pa pa

34 ColumbusCEO l August 2021

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THANK

YO U Columbus!

We are proud to be voted by Columbus CEO Best of Business as the city’s: » Best Credit Union » Best Commercial Mortgage Lender » Best Business Lender » Best Private Wealth Management Company

But we’re even more honored to offer financial services But eventhat more honored to offertofinancial and we’re solutions lead our members financialservices success: and solutions that lead our members to financial success: » Loans for all your dreams and needs, big or small » Loans for all your » Competitive rates dreams and needs, big or small » Competitive checking rates » Swipe2Save that makes saving easy » Swipe2Save checking that makes saving easy by rounding up your purchases rounding up yourservice purchases » by Local, personalized » Local, personalized service »A full line of personal and business banking solutions » fullso line of personal »A And much more! and business banking solutions » And so much more!

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7/22/21 4:18 PM

HEALTHIER EMPLOYEES. LOWER CLAIMS COSTS.

Courtesy Bishop Watterson High School-

GOOD, SMART PEOPLE EFFECTIVELY MANAGING THE ENTIRE HEALTH CARE DOLLAR.

Bishop Watterson High School

Education Continuing Education Offerings

Ohio State University Based in Columbus Runners-up:

2 Columbus State Community

College

3 Franklin University

PROUD TO BE EMPLOYEE-OWNED

MBA Program

OSU Fisher College of Business Based in Columbus Runners-up:

EMPLOYEE BENEFITS CONSULTING COMPLIANCE HEALTH RISK MANAGEMENT

2 Franklin University 3 Ohio University

Private Schools (K-12)

Bishop Watterson High School McGOHANBRABENDER.COM

•

614.21.1124

Based in Columbus Runners-up:

2 Wellington School 3 Columbus Academy

36 ColumbusCEO l August 2021

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032-049_BestofBusiness2021.indd 37

7/22/21 4:19 PM

Credit Union

Pathways Financial Credit Union Based in Gahanna Runners-up:

2 Kemba Financial Credit Union 3 BMI Federal Credit Union

Private Wealth Management

Pathways Financial Credit Union Based in Gahanna Runners-up:

FINANCIAL Accounting Firm (Up to 20 CPAs)

HW & Co. Based in Cleveland Runners-up:

2 Lillie & Co. 3 Whalen & Co.

Accounting Firm (20-plus CPAs)

File/Columbus Alive/Meghan Ralston

2 Kemba Financial Credit Union 3 Budros, Ruhlin & Roe

Condado Tacos

FOOD & BEVERAGE Happy Hour

GBQ Based in Columbus

Condado Tacos

Runners-up:

Based in Columbus

2 Clark Schaefer Hackett 3 Rea & Associates

Business Lender

Runners-up:

2 Lindey’s 3 Marcella’s

Outdoor Dining

Pathways Financial Credit Union

Lindey’s

Based in Gahanna

Based in Columbus

Runners-up:

Runners-up:

2 Kemba Financial Credit Union 3 Heartland Bank

Commercial Mortgage Lender

2 Milestone 229 3 Barcelona

Place to entertain a client

Pathways Financial Credit Union

Lindey’s

Runners-up:

Runners-up:

2 Kemba Financial Credit Union

3 Heartland Bank

Based in Columbus 2 Hyde Park Prime Steakhouse 3 Jeff Ruby’s Steakhouse

38 ColumbusCEO l August 2021

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N

COULD WE REALLY HAVE BEEN NAMED

BEST SUBURB TO DO BUSINESS? (YEP, 11 YEARS IN A ROW.)

EVERY THING GROWS HERE.

Named “Best Suburb to do Business” for 11 consecutive years by Columbus CEO

032-049_BestofBusiness2021.indd 39

7/22/21 3:35 PM

Med

Health care Cardiac Practice

OhioHealth Heart & Vascular Physicians Based in Columbus Runners-up:

2 Ohio State Heart and Vascular

Center

3 Heart Center at Nationwide

Children’s Hospital

Dental Practice

Hutta & Price Orthodontics Based in Columbus Runners-up:

2 Dental Reflections Dublin 3 Dublin Dental Care

Dermatology and Skin Care

OSU Dermatology Based in Columbus File/Columbus Monthly/Tim Johnson

Runners-up:

2 Central Ohio Skin & Cancer 3 Westerville Dermatology

Family Medical Practice

Central Ohio Primary Care Northstar Café

Power Breakfast

First Watch

Based in Westerville Runners-up:

2 OhioHealth Primary Care

Physicians

3 OSU (all locations)

Based in University Park, Florida Runners-up:

2 Northstar Café 3 Fox in the Snow

Power Lunch

Cap City Fine Diner and Bar Based in Columbus

Hospital/Medical Center

OhioHealth Riverside Methodist Hospital Based in Columbus Runners-up:

2 3

Runners-up:

2 Northstar Café 3 Lindey’s

Restaurant

Cap City Fine Diner and Bar Based in Columbus Runners-up:

2 The Top Steak House 3 City Barbeque

OSU Wexner Medical Center

Nationwide Children’s

Hospital

Oncology Medical Practice

OSU Comprehensive Cancer Center, James Cancer Hospital Based in Columbus Runners-up:

2 3

Zangmeister Center

OhioHealth Bing Cancer

Center

P

40 ColumbusCEO l August 2021

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Media Sponsor:

LIVE TO CREATE OPPORTUNITY We live to ensure the Columbus Region is a vibrant place to build businesses and careers.

Partners for Regional Growth & Prosperity

032-049_BestofBusiness2021.indd 41

columbusregion.com

7/22/21 3:35 PM

File/Columbus Dispatch/chris russell

Physical Therapy Practice

OrthoNeuro Based in Columbus Runners-up:

2 Orthopedic One 3 OSU Sports Medicine

Legal Business Law Firm Orthopedic ONE

Orthopedic Practice & Sports Medicine

OrthoNeuro Based in Columbus with nine offices in central Ohio Runners-up:

2 Orthopedic ONE 3 OSU Wexner Medical Center

Orthopaedic Care

Vorys Sater Seymour & Pease Based in Columbus Runners-up:

2 Bricker & Eckler 3 Porter Wright

Family Law Firm

Einstein Law Based in Westerville Runners-up:

2 Grossman Law Offices 3 Carlile Patchen & Murphy

42 ColumbusCEO l August 2021

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7/22/21 3:35 PM

File/Columbus Dispatch/FRED SQUILLANTE

Labor & Employment Law Firm

Einstein Law

Meetings & events

Based in Westerville Runners-up:

Attraction for Visitors

2 Vorys Sater Seymour & Pease 3 Bricker & Eckler

Law Firm (Up to 50 attorneys)

Grossman Law Offices Based in Columbus Runners-up:

2 Carlile Patchen & Murphy 3 Barnes & Thornburg

Columbus Zoo & Aquarium Based in Columbus Runners-up:

Bricker & Eckler

Law Firm (50-plus attorneys)

2 Franklin Park Conservatory 3 Ohio State athletic events

Audiovisual Production

Vorys Sater Seymour & Pease

Mills James Productions

Based in Columbus

Based in Columbus

Runners-up:

Runners-up:

2 Brainstorm Media 3 Live Technologies

2 Bricker & Eckler 3 Ice Miller

Litigation Firm

Caterer

Vorys, Sater, Seymour & Pease

City BBQ Catering

Based in Columbus

Runners-up:

Based in Columbus

Runners-up:

Barnes & Thornburg File/Columbus CEO/Ryan M.L. Young

2 Grossman Law Offices 3 Bricker & Eckler

2 Freedom a la Cart Events 3 Cameron Mitchell Premier

Events

®

Building a Community of Trust For 100 years, your BBB has served Central Ohio as a community-based resource where consumers can find trusted, local businesses and nonprofits.

To find BBB’s business directory and learn more about how we advance trust in our community, visit bbb.org

August 2021 l ColumbusCEO

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7/22/21 3:35 PM

Promotional Products Company

Meeting Space (Conference Center)

Artina Promotional Products

Greater Columbus Convention Center Runners-up:

2 Hilton Columbus at Easton 3 The Exchange at Bridge Park

Private Golf Course

Based in Columbus Runners-up:

2 Outreach Promotional

Solutions

3 Leaderpromos

Public Golf Course

Muirfield Village Golf Club

Golf Club of Dublin

Based in Dublin

Based in Dublin

Runners-up:

Runners-up:

2 Scioto Country Club 3 New Albany Country Club

2 Safari Golf Club 3 Raymond Memorial Golf Course

Country Club

Scioto Country Club Based in Upper Arlington Runners-up:

2 Muirfield Village Golf Club 3 New Albany Country Club

Muirfield Village Golf Club File/Columbus Dispatch/Adam Cairns

Einstein Law has been voted Best of Business by Columbus CEO readers in Family Law and Employment Law for three years in a row Why choose Einstein Law? Dianne Dian nne Einstein and an nd Megan Gibson, the experienced attorneys at Einstein Law, are unique in the th following ways:

615 Copeland Mill ill Road, Suite 1H Westerville, OH H 43081

• They provide pr practical advice and try to resolve your problems quickly and cost efficiently • They listen to you and are compassionate, understanding, caring and non-judgmental understan • They practice in Central Ohio courts • Dianne Dian has extensive training in mediation and collaborative processes medi so that th clients control their outcomes

(614) 734-0000 000

• They e have Paw Clerks

einsteinlawoffice.com e.com

44 ColumbusCEO l August 2021

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PERSONAL PERKS

File/Columbus Dispatch/Adam Cairns

Private Flight Service

YMCA

NetJets

Auto Dealer

Based in Columbus

Roush Auto Group

Runners-up:

Based in Westerville

2 Lane Aviation 3 Wheels Up

Runners-up:

2 Byers Auto 3 Germain Motor Co. 3 Ricart Automotive Group

Executive Transportation

NetJets

Spa & Salon

Penzone Salons + Spas

2 Lane Aviation 3 Classic Limousine

Fitness Facility

Planet Fitness

Runners-up:

Florist

Based in Columbus Runners-up:

Based in Columbus

3 YMCA

Connells Maple Lee

Day Spas

3 The Woodhouse Day Spa

Based in Columbus Runners-up:

2 Oberers 3 North Market Blooms

Jeweler

Based in Hampton, New Hampshire

Diamonds Direct

Runners-up:

Based in Charlotte, North Carolina

2 Orange Theory

2 Kenneth’s Hair Salons and

Runners-up:

2 Diamond Cellar 3 Worthington Jewelers

Penzone Salons + Spas File/Columbus Dispatch/Eric Albrecht

August 2021 l ColumbusCEO

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7/22/21 3:36 PM

File/Columbus CEO/Rob Hardin

REAL ESTATE Commercial Developer

Kaufman Development Runners-up:

2 Brexton Construction 3 Continental Realty

Commercial Interior Design Firm

M+A Architects

Feazel

Based in Columbus Runners-up:

2 WSA 3 Moody Nolan

WSA

Commercial Roofing Company

Feazel Based in New Albany Runners-up:

2 Able Roofing 3 Lifetime Quality Roofing and

Storm Restoration

Custom Home Builder

3 Pillar Homes Based in Columbus Runners-up:

File/Columbus CEO/Tim Johnson

We’re honored to be recognized

by Columbus CEO magazine for the 10th year in a row.

2 Bob Webb Group 3 P&D Builders

To learn more, visit netjets.com or call a Private Aviation Concierge at 1-877-JET-9584.

NetJets is a Berkshire Hathaway company. Aircraft are managed and operated by NetJets Aviation, Inc. NetJets® is a registered service mark. ©2021 NetJets IP, LLC. All rights reserved.

46 ColumbusCEO l August 2021

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7/22/21 3:36 PM

General Contractor

Continental Building Co.

Real Estate Agency (Commercial)

Based in Westerville

HER Realtors

Runners-up:

Based in Columbus

2 Corna Kokosing 3 Brexton Construction

HVAC Company

Custom Air Based in Columbus Runners-up:

2 Columbus Worthington Air 3 Buckeye Heating and Cooling

Landscaper/Nursery

Oakland Nurseries Based in Columbus Runners-up:

2 Strader’s Nursery 3 Darwin Designs Landscaping

Oakland Nurseries

Runners-up:

2 Best Corporate Real Estate 3 Continental Realty

Real Estate Agency (Residential)

HER Realtors Based in Columbus Runners-up:

2 Keller Williams Greater

Columbus Realty

3 Capital Property Solutions

Residential (Multifamily Developer)

Kaufman Development Based in Columbus Runners-up:

2 Schottenstein Real Estate

Group 3 M/I Homes

File/Columbus Monthly/Tim Johnson

Retirement Community

Westerwood, formerly Friendship Village Columbus Runners-up:

2 Kensington 3 Friendship Village of Dublin

August 2021 l ColumbusCEO

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7/22/21 4:19 PM

Visit one of our garden or specialty stores for your gardening and home decor needs!

CD-0006283365-01

Thank you for voting us #1 Landscaper & Nursery!

Visit www.oaklandnursery.com for locations and store hours

Courtesy TESSA BERG for Quantum Health

EXPO

AWARDS&

Quantum Health

Central Ohio’s only Awards Program Celebrating Family Businesses is Back (in person)!

Promote your Family Business at the Expo!

WORKFORCE Employee Benefit Firm

McGohan Brabender Based in Dublin Runners-up:

2 Quantum Health 3 Oswald Companies

Employer (up to 500 employees)

WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 10, 2021 |10 AM - 1:30 PM | HILTON EASTON

Kemba Financial Credit Union Based in Gahanna Runners-up:

Scan to Attend and Exhibit

2 Pathways Financial Credit

Union

3 Roush Auto Group

Employer (500-plus employees)

Ohio State University Based in Columbus Runners-up:

FamilyBusinessCenter.com | 614.253.4820 | Info@FamilyBusinessCenter.com

2 OhioHealth 3 Safelite AutoGlass

48 ColumbusCEO l August 2021

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7/22/21 3:36 PM

File/Columbus Dispatch/Adam Cairns

BEST OF THE REST

File/Columbus Dispatch/Doral Chenoweth

City of Dublin

Large Nonprofit (annual revenue over $7 million)

Bridgeway Academy Based in Columbus Runners-up:

Ohio State University

Executive Coach Firm

Renogize Professional Coaching Based in Columbus Runners-up:

2 Mindset Change Coaching 3 Gallagher Consulting Group

2 Ronald McDonald House

Charities of Central Ohio

3 Mid-Ohio Food Collective

Small Nonprofit (annual revenue under $7 million)

Huckleberry House Do Gooder

Runners-up:

2 Habitat for Humanity-Greater

Columbus 3 A Kid Again

Temporary Employment Agency

Based in Columbus Runners-up:

2 Root Insurance 3 Prescribe FIT

Suburb to Do Business

Dawson

City of Dublin

Based in Columbus

Based in Dublin

Runners-up:

2 Acloche 3 Portfolio Creative

Startup

Based in Columbus

Huckleberry House File/Columbus Dispatch/Brooke Lavalley

Runners-up:

2 Westerville 3 Hilliard

August 2021 l ColumbusCEO

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7/22/21 4:19 PM

Special Advertising Section

Focus OrthoNeuro

Quality Care, Quickly Locations throughout the region offer the best care available, without the wait.

F

or 80 years, OrthoNeuro has been a leader in orthopedic and neurologic care. Since the practice opened in 1941, its highly skilled physicians have helped hundreds of thousands of patients with wide-ranging bone, joint, muscle and nerve issues.

From young athletes to adults to seniors, OrthoNeuro’s mission is to get each patient back to doing what they love.

“Our people are our greatest asset,” says OrthoNeuro president and orthopedic spine surgeon Larry Todd, DO. “We are extremely deliberate about creating a culture of care that helps our patients through every step of their healing journey.”

OrthoNeuro’s 30 board-certified physicians offer head-to-toe treatments and procedures centered around sport, spine and joints, including joint replacement; sports medicine; wound care; spine surgery and care; hand, elbow, shoulder, foot and ankle treatment; and physical therapy.

With six Central Ohio

locations—Grandview, Pickerington, Westerville, New Albany, Dublin and Grove City—Columbus residents are never far away from an OrthoNeuro office. In addition, OrthoNeuro offers physical therapy at our Dublin, Grandview, New Albany and Westerville offices, with a free-standing clinic in Pickerington.

OrthoNeuro’s multidisciplinary centers specialize in the best available neuromusculoskeletal care, always wrapped in compassion and understanding for our valued patients.

Each practitioner strives to provide warm, skillful and

affordable care. Because OrthoNeuro’s physicians aim to be the leading providers of musculoskeletal health services in the area, they are progressive in their research, training and continuing education.

In addition, the doctors at OrthoNeuro strive to be leaders and educators themselves, emphasizing high quality and patientfocused care.

“Great acumen is basically worthless if no one can access it,” says Todd.

“We have made it a point to build our practice in a way that enables people from around Central Ohio to have access to an ortho-

pedic specialist in a day.”

OrthoNeuro offers orthopedic appointments within 24 hours, and patients can make appointments online with most physicians with ease. The practice also has a pair of Orthopedic Walk-In Clinics located in Westerville and Pickerington for those who need care even faster. Each offers the ultimate convenience and specialized care when unexpected pain or injury strikes. No appointment is required at either of these locations, though patients do have the option to call ahead to alert the staff they’re coming in.

OrthoNeuro is composed of a dedicated team of health care professionals committed to providing the highest quality care.

This year the practice is honored to have received the Columbus CEO Best of Business Award in the Physical Therapy, Orthopedic, and Sports Medicine Practice categories. Thank you to all who voted for Orthoneuro.

Scenes of OrthoNeuro

OrthoNeuro 5040 Forest Drive Suite 300 New Albany, OH 43054 (614) 890-6555 orthoneuro.com

50 ColumbusCEO l August 2021

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7/23/21 1:24 PM

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7/22/21 11:17 AM

Diverse Leaders in Law

George Floyd, one year later Why getting “back to normal” sounds like a bad idea to many.

By Laura Newpoff + Photo by COURTNEY HERGESHEIMER

T

he murder of George Floyd by a Minneapolis police officer in May 2020 sparked an uprising in cities across America that took calls for racial justice to heights not seen since the civil rights movement of the 1960s. His death, which was captured on video,

File/ROB HARDIN

“Going back to normal is to me, it’s like saying, ‘Let’s Make America Great Again.’ It reminded me of: Let’s go back to Jim Crow. Let’s go back to segregation. Let’s go back to the time in which it was OK not to have Black folks on your board.”

Michael Coleman, partner-in-charge of government law, Ice Miller

Protesters gather at Broad and High streets just before curfew on the ninth day of racial justice protests in 2020. led to massive protests across the globe and calls for police reform and passage of the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act. While Derek Chauvin recently was found guilty of second-degree murder and sentenced to 22.5 years in prison, the struggle for equality and accountability persists.

Columbus CEO and sponsors Barnes & Thornburg and Frost Brown Todd explored the topic at its July 6 Diverse Leaders in Law session – “George Floyd: One Year Later. How far have we come? And what work still needs to be done?” The critical work of leveling the playing field for Black and brown people must continue, and that includes changes spurred on by the corporate world.

The panelists were: • Dawn Rosemond, firm diversity partner, Barnes & Thornburg • Michael Coleman, partner-incharge of government law, Ice Miller • Kelly Livingston, assistant vice president, senior counsel, CIB technology, JPMorgan Chase Diverse Leaders in Law is a quarterly discussion from local thought leaders advancing gender and racial equity in the legal profession

at a critical time. The following are excerpts from the conversation, which have been edited and condensed for clarity.

Why going back to ‘normal’ isn’t a welcome idea Coleman, Columbus’ former longtime mayor, says Floyd’s death has resulted in a new activism in the city, corporate, civic and legal communities. He doesn’t want that enthusiasm to wane. And he definitely doesn’t want to hear anyone pining “to go back to the old days.”

“Going back to normal is to me, it’s like saying, ‘Let’s Make America Great Again.’ And when that was used back in (the presidential election of) 2016, it reminded me of: Let’s go back to Jim Crow. Let’s go back to segregation. Let’s go back to the time in which it was OK not to have Black folks on your board,” Coleman says.

“It was (at a time) OK not to have Black folks in your law firm. You know, that, to me, is ‘normal.’

“I think there will be a new normal that comes out of the activism of this past year,” he says, referring to a heightened focus on diversity in law firms; in the business community, including at the board level; among partners companies

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do business with; and in the civic environment. “So much needed to happen, that I think there are steps in the right direction. We need to see a continuation of those steps, and not a conclusion. We’ve made steps but we haven’t gotten to the destination in our journey,” Coleman says.

Livingston agreed. When she hears any kind of reference to a return to normalcy, what she hears is a return to the disenfranchisement of people of color. To keep the momentum going, law firms and corporate America will need to think bigger than small gestures.

“Oh, it’s African American History Month so we’ll put out a commercial that features a Black family. Or it’s Pride Month, so we’ll raise a flag.

No. We’re not settling for small token changes. We want true change,” she says. And it’s not just economic equality, she says. Work needs to continue to increase equality in health care, at the voting booth and at the corporate table.

“2020 uncovered not a rock, but a boulder if you look at all of the disparities that came to light,” Livingston says. “So, whenever I hear a return to normal, what I hear is people are ready to put that boulder back in place because they feel uncomfortable with what we’ve uncovered.”

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Med

Taking action against racism

Subscribe to

Subscribe or renew your annual subscription to Columbus Monthly for $18.

Go to columbusmonthly.com or call (760) 237-8505.

Shortly after Floyd’s murder, more than 1,200 central Ohio business, institutional and nonprofit leaders signed a letter of support of Columbus City Council’s resolution declaring racism a public health crisis. Coleman wondered how many of those businesses actually did something within their companies to effect change or how many plan to. There are a variety of ways to take action, even in the short term. At Ice Miller, for example, a racial justice task force that is tackling issues such as the impact of race and the administration of the death penalty, is partnering with five other prominent Columbus law firms to address mass incarceration of people of color and offering pro bono clinics.

Rosemond says law firm leaders can tap into the wealth of data they have about their associates to make change.

“Look at who’s there and who’s not there. Look at your department heads, your office heads, your partnership heads” and then assess whether the firm has the right representation. It’s also important to cultivate a diverse talent pipeline, investing in programs to help Black and brown kids remove barriers to the profession, she says.

“Whether in a firm or corporate environment, you have to decide whether you’re interested, or committed, because they’re very different,” Rosemond says. “If you’re interested in diversity, you will do it only when it feels good or when someone is looking or a client’s pushing you. But when you’re committed to it, you’ll do it when it’s hard.

“One of the dangers of this is that it’s a 400-plus-year-old problem,” Rosemond says. “And because people want to win and check a box, they want everything done tomorrow. I do think we can do something now, but that doesn’t mean you failed if you don’t resolve racism right now – that’s just not going to happen.

“It’s hard work, not just if you’re the CEO or the chief diversity officer, or whatever the title is. It’s the hard work of everybody. If the organization truly cares about it, this is something that’s going to be integrated into every aspect of how you do business.”

P

Laura Newpoff is a freelance writer.

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Meetings & Events

A new gathering protocol Area business leaders speak on the logistics of meeting in the next phase of COVID.

By Peter Tonguette + Photos by Rob Hardin

T

he Columbus Chamber of Commerce usually holds its annual meeting the first week in February.

Last year, that wasn’t a problem.

“We were really lucky—I mean, really lucky,” says Don DePerro, president and CEO of the Columbus Chamber. “We got that annual meeting in, and it was a great success. We had nearly 1,200 people in Battelle Hall at the [Greater Columbus] Convention Center.”

Just a month later, when COVID-19 hit, in-person events and meetings of any sort, and particularly those of that size, became instantly inconceivable. With state health orders prohibiting or restricting gatherings, nearly all live events in central Ohio’s business community were put on hold.

“We had 306 groups that were scheduled to meet here that basically canceled between 2020 and 2022,”

“For some organizations, it’ll be real quick. And others it may take awhile.

It may take a year, a couple years, or a couple months, but I think patience and understanding ... go a long way.”

Derek Grosso, founder and CEO, Columbus Young Professionals Club

AmericanHort Culitvate21 conference attendees visit the trade show in the Greater Columbus Convention Center in July 2021. says Dan Williams, vice president of sales at Experience Columbus. “That represented about $319 million in direct spend for our city, so it was just tough.”

In fact, since its annual meeting a year-and-a-half ago, the Columbus Chamber’s only major in-person events have been two editions, last August and this past May, of its annual fundraiser “Play to Work,” a golf and tennis event at the New Albany Country Club.

“We did have it last year,” DePerro says. “We didn’t want it to be huge.”

Now, with the lifting of state health orders due to the declining COVID-19 threat, DePerro is one of many area business leaders looking forward to the resumption of inperson events—events that, experts say, can be done safely with proper adherence to protocols.

In June, Ohio State University’s Office of the Chief Wellness Officer, College of Nursing and College of Public Health, issued recommendations on how best to safely reconvene attendees at in-person events.

The recommendations include mandated mask wearing for the unvaccinated and encouraging mask wearing even for those who have been vaccinated. If events include

attendees from both pools of people, six-foot social distancing is also advised. Prepackaged meals are suggested, and surfaces should continue to be disinfected in adherence to CDC guidelines. Above all, though, the emphasis should be on vaccination.

“The most important thing is for people to get vaccinated,” says Bernadette Melnyk, chief wellness officer and dean of the College of Nursing at OSU. Businesses, though, aren’t waiting for the entire population to be vaccinated. According to Williams, over 80 events are scheduled to take place in Columbus through the remainder of 2021.

“We don’t necessarily know what those are going to look like,” he says.

“With reduced budgets all over the country, some people will be able to have 10; some people came out of this much better than others. . . We don’t know how many attendees are going to come.”

While large-scale events will not return to pre-pandemic numbers immediately, a number have already taken place or are on the books. In mid-July, AmericanHort, an organization that represents the horticulture industry, held its major annual event, “Cultivate’21,” which typically

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Motivational speaker Jon Petz delivers the keynote address at AmericanHort Culitvate21.

draws over 10,000 attendees, at the Greater Columbus Convention Center.

Then, Aug. 14-17, a hybrid version of the National Association of Insurance Commissioners’ annual meeting is expected to bring around 2,000 to the convention center.

Yet that excitement is tempered by the nervousness some feel about going back to an in-person business world many left behind over the past year, and concerns about the Delta variant.

Williams emphasizes the need for businesses to place trust in “the destination” hosting the meeting.

“They’re looking for the destination to be the forthright expert,” says Williams, who points to Columbus event facilities, including the convention center, Nationwide Arena and the Hyatt Regency, having received the Global Biorisk Advisory Council’s GBAC STAR accreditation.

“The majority of our visitor touchpoints [are] GBAC-certified, which is a third-party entity that is all about the validation of cleanliness and sanitation,” he says. “Our practices are going to make you comfortable with our destination. . . Safety procedures and cleanliness are still very important.”

Similarly, Melnyk says that something as simple as a company providing its guests with a fact sheet of

frequently asked questions relating to pandemic-era protocols and procedures can help ease worries.

“People do have anxiety about reentry,” she says.

Derek Grosso, the founder and CEO of Columbus Young Professionals Club, agrees that communication between event organizers and attendees is key.

“Almost treat it like a new orientation—a new-member orientation or a new-hire orientation,” Grosso says.

“Let people know, and keep constant updates through email and through social media . . . ‘Hey, this is what we’re doing.’ There are a lot of people who don’t ask those questions.”

Before a company’s first in-person event is even scheduled, leaders can take steps to address employee depression or anxiety. “People have been attempting to cope with the pandemic with unhealthy behavior,” says Melnyk, pointing to alcohol use and unhealthy eating habits. “Companies need to be really concerned about this, not only for their people’s engagement and productivity, but for absenteeism and turnover rates.”

With an unknown number of people reticent about returning to in-person events, virtual or hybrid meetings are sticking around for some time. As it has since the start of the pandemic, the Columbus Chamber plans to continue budgeting for events to take place either virtually or, if possible, in-person.

And DePerro says that virtual trade shows had been gaining steam even before the pandemic, including those with international speakers. “This has spawned some incredible software development and platforms by which

you can have breakout rooms and multiple speakers,” he says.

Before the pandemic, Columbus Young Professionals’ “Coffee with a Cause,” a long-running series of panel discussions featuring leaders of nonprofit organizations, would draw 40 to 50 attendees in person, but the series’ pandemic-era virtual installments have generated thousands of views online.

“Even if we were to host it in-person or hybrid, we wouldn’t even get that many people to show up,” says Grosso, adding that other events, such as an expanded series of “open-air markets” that Columbus Young Professionals runs, by definition have to take place live.

Most leaders agree that many are ready to resume face-to-face events and meetings. For example, the Columbus Chamber has been conducting one-on-one virtual consultations with members since last year, but, DePerro says, “Now everybody is asking for in-person meetings.”

“The members that want to meet in-person, we’re going to meet inperson,” he says. “We’re going to go out and see their business; we’re going to talk to them.”

In the end, each of us will go back in our own way and in our own time—something businesses need to keep in mind, too.

“For some organizations, it’ll be real quick,” Grosso says. “And others it may take awhile. It may take a year, a couple years, or a couple months, but I think patience and understanding ... go a long way.”

Peter Tonguette is a freelance writer.

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Health Watch

Skin color matters Dermatology, like other medical fields, doesn’t reflect patients’ diversity.

By Sarah Donaldson + Photos by Rob Hardin

W

hen Dr. Shari HicksGraham of Downtown Dermatology in Columbus sees patients, she looks at their skin as a window to the health problems they might hold inside.

“If a patient had diabetes, or kidney disease, or an autoimmune condition, in many cases, you could see that by looking at some of the features on their skin,” Hicks-Graham says.

As one of only three Black dermatologists in the Columbus region, however, she believes other doctors sometimes look at skin of color as a barricade, rather than a window.

The tiny number of dermatologists of color in Columbus mirrors a trend around the state and country, where the population of physicians doesn’t always resemble its population of patients.

“Representation matters when it comes to patient care and outcomes,” Hicks-Graham says. “It’s evident

Dermatology disparity by the numbers

3%

Of dermatologists in the United States were Black, according to a June 2017 study published in the Dermatology Journal of the American Medical Association.

13.4%

Of the U.S. population was Black or African American in 2020, according to the U.S. Census.

Nearly 30%

Of Columbus residents identify as Black or African American, according to the U.S. Census.

when I see patients who come to me with very mundane conditions—eczema, hair loss, things that are kind of bread and butter for dermatology.”

For people of color, such basic conditions sometimes go undiagnosed or misdiagnosed by doctors unfamiliar with treating darker skin, she says.

According to a June 2017 study published in the Dermatology Journal of the American Medical Association, 3 percent of dermatologists in the United States were Black. In 2020, 13.4 percent of the U.S. population was Black or African American, according to the U.S. Census.

“Columbus is just like any other city that struggles with this,” HicksGraham says.

But she added that, because of the city’s racial breakdown, it may be particularly pronounced here. Nearly 30 percent of Columbus residents identify as Black or African American alone, according to the census.

From education on, need for diversity at the helm of issues Dr. Susan Taylor, an associate professor of dermatology at the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, says the lack of diversity in dermatology finds its roots in medical school. Taylor also serves as the department’s vice chair for diversity, equity and inclusion.

For one, she says medical students from groups that have been traditionally underrepresented in medicine sometimes feel pressured to enter primary care over other specialties to better serve minority populations.

As a medical specialty, dermatology is highly competitive. Taylor says late exposure to dermatology in school and the need for prior research experience, high board scores or status in an honor society also can prevent students from underrepresented groups from gaining placement in a dermatology residency program.

A lack of diversity in any medical field can hurt the quality of care given. And a doctor from one ethnic or racial background might be able to offer a doctor from a different background information not necessarily taught in school.

“It’s about resetting the standard, so that patients of color are not made to feel like they are once again marginalized because of who they are. We just have to begin to normalize diversity.”

Dr. Shari Hicks-Graham, dermatologist and founder of Downtown Dermatology

“Diversity of thought, opinion, experience—it strengthens medicine,” Taylor says.

Hicks-Graham wants to buck this trend she and others see as a glaring issue in her field, but she’s also a busy woman.

Beyond Downtown Dermatology, she created a hair-care line called LivSo that includes shampoos for people with curly hair who struggle with scalp irritation. She is raising two children. She goes to the gym most afternoons, to let off steam.

She also works to mentor undergraduate and medical students with an interest in dermatology and a devotion to diversity.

Looking to the next generation Maiya Davis was quick to notice a reference book that sits on the table outside Hicks-Graham’s office.

Davis, 19, says it was unlike the glossy pages of published text she pored over during her first year of college, with 21-credit-hour semesters, and it was nothing like the tattered book that weighed down her bookbag when she took high school anatomy at St. Francis De Sales.

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CEO LEADERBOARDS The book highlighted skin illnesses and how they might show on darker skin.

“The references are never on skin of color, so you’re always seeing white or fair skin,” she says. “It was really cool to see a whole book that was created for skin like mine.”

When Davis was in late elementary school, her family sought HicksGraham out for that same reason. Skin issues began to emerge with Davis and her younger brother, and Hicks-Graham had a reputation for strongly caring about patients with skin of color.

Today, her relationship with Hicks-Graham is that of a mentor and mentee.

Davis shadowed her longtime doctor this summer in preparation for her second year of six in an accelerated, dual-degree bachelor’s and medical program at Howard University.

Her brother M.J. will take his first classes for the same dual-degree program come fall.

From taking summer classes in organic chemistry to volunteering in the community, Davis stays busy in the way that her mentor does. At the end of the day, she knows she wants to be a dermatologist.

Hicks-Graham says she believes

newer graduates are more open to learning about serving a diverse population of patients.

Taylor adds that in the last year, professional dermatology organizations—including the American Academy of Dermatology and the Association of Professors of Dermatology—promoted efforts to increase diversity, equity and inclusion.

She says some dermatology training departments also have prioritized similar endeavors in their residency programs.

Meanwhile, Hicks-Graham says work still needs to be done.

She still finds herself concerned about her patients, who tell her previous physicians haven’t taken issues as seriously or have outright said they aren’t equipped to diagnose and treat skin of color.

Hicks-Graham wants to see diversity as the norm, not an afterthought.

“It’s about resetting the standard, so that patients of color are not made to feel like they are once again marginalized because of who they are,” HicksGraham says. “We just have to begin to normalize diversity.”

Sarah Donaldson is a business writer for the Columbus Dispatch.

• Private Schools • Women Owned Businesses Space closing: August 27

NOVEMBER 2021 Diverse Leaders in Law Emerging Business Intellectual Property Holiday Planning Guide (advertising section)

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For advertising information, call 614-540-8900 today or email advertise@columbusceo.com August 2021 l ColumbusCEO

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COLUMBUS REGION LAW FIRMS

Ranked by number of full-time attorneys in the Columbus region and, for ties, by number of local employees and firmwide full-time attorneys

Firm 1 Vorys Sater Seymour and Pease

52 E. Gay St., Columbus 43215 614-464-6400 vorys.com

2 Porter Wright Morris & Arthur

41 S. High St., Stes. 2800-3200, Columbus 43215 • 614-227-2000 porterwright.com

3 Bricker & Eckler

100 S. Third St., Columbus 43215 614-227-2300 bricker.com

4 Dinsmore & Shohl

191 W. Nationwide Blvd., Ste. 300, Columbus 43215 614-628-6880 dinsmore.com

5 Ice Miller

Arena District, 250 West St., Ste. 700, Columbus 43215 • 614-462-2700 icemiller.com

6 Squire Patton Boggs (US)

2000 Huntington Center, 41 S. High St., Columbus 43215 • 614-365-2700 squirepattonboggs.com

7 BakerHostetler

200 Civic Center Dr., Ste. 1200, Columbus 43215-4138 • 614-228-1541 bakerhostetler.com

8 Kegler Brown Hill + Ritter 65 E. State St., Ste. 1800 Columbus 43215 • 614-462-5400 keglerbrown.com

9 Bailey Cavalieri

10 W. Broad St., Ste. 2100 Columbus 43215 • 614-221-3155 baileycav.com

10 Jones Day

325 John H. McConnell Blvd., Ste. 600, Columbus 43215 • 614-469-3939 jonesday.com/en/locations/unitedstates/columbus wnd = would not disclose na = not applicable Source: Survey of Law Firms Information compiled by Linda Deitch

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COLUMBUS REGION

Firmwide

FT Attorneys

FT Attorneys

FT Employees

FT Employees

170 182

359 275

116 102

PARTNERS IN THE COLUMBUS REGION

NOTEWORTHY CLIENTS IN THE COLUMBUS REGION

MANAGING PARTNER IN THE COLUMBUS REGION

PRIMARY AREAS OF PRACTICE

94

Abercrombie & Fitch, L Brands, Honda

Michael Martz

Corporate, labor & employment, litigation/trial practice

216 163

61

American Electric Power, Crane Group, Huntington National Bank

Robert Tannous

Corporate, litigation, labor & employment

98 105

118 115

71

OhioHealth, Nationwide, Huntington

Jim Flynn

Health care, litigation, public sector

86 46

713 658

42

na

Stacey Borowicz

na

71 43

332 278

35

Drive Capital, MedVet, Jeni’s Splendid Ice Creams

Catherine Strauss

Corporate, litigation/ trial practice, real estate

70 38

1,437 753

23

Advanced Drainage Systems, Ohio State University, Nationwide

Traci Martinez

Corporate,litigation, public policy

69 39

970 745

29

Cardinal Health, OhioHealth, Greif

Gary Wadman

Litigation, data privacy, healthcare

60 40

61 40

40

Donatos, Piada Group, Capital City Group

Chris Weber

Corporate, litigation, government affairs

55 25

55 25

29

wnd

Robert Dunn

Litigation, corporate, estates/trusts/probate

50 21

2,394 1,852

17

Abercrombie & Fitch, L Brands, Nationwide Insurance

Elizabeth Kessler

Corporate, litigation/ trial practice, intellectual property

The CEO Leaderboard features selected topics each month. The November Leaderboards will feature Columbus region accounting firms and wealth management firms. The deadline for inclusion in those surveys is Sept. 7.

If you want your company or organization to be considered for an upcoming CEO Leaderboard, contact Linda Deitch at ldeitch@columbusCEO.com.

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

7/22/21 4:12 PM

COLUMBUS REGION CATERING COMPANIES Ranked by 2020 catering sales

COMPANY 1

Catering by Scott

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

2

4

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

$2.2 m

7

8

$1.2 m

12 25

$1.13 m

$664,990

L.A. Catering

670 Harmon Ave., Columbus 43223 614-358-5252 la-catering.com

20 50

$1.6 m

PC Events Catering

50 S. Liberty St., Powell 43065 614-792-3993 pceventsinc.com

Private

20 15

6 Gourmet Fresh

651 Lakeview Plaza Blvd., Ste. C, Worthington 43085 614-541-3044 gourmetfresh.biz

Part-Time

$2.9 m

5 Creative Cuisine Catering

Corporate

4 1

Together & Co.

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

Full-Time

$7 m

Milo’s Catering

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

Catered EVENTS

24 18

Donatos Pizza

935 Taylor Station Rd. Columbus 43220 • 614-340-3333 donatos.com

3

2020 CATERING SALES

CATERING EMPLOYEES

$260,000

20 110 8 15 9 8

Off-Site

2020 SALES

On-Site

CATERING SERVICES

Drop-Off

Year Founded

$4.1 m $1.2 m $1.6 m

29% 71% na

20%

$605,378 $2.3 m

80%

$2.2 m 30%

$1 m

70%

62%

na (included Off-site)

$297,000 $986,000 $302,000

38%

30% 70%

$700,000 na $500,000

20% 80%

$1,131,000 na $15,166 (included Off-site)

5% 95% 15% 85%

$495,550 na 169,440 $143,000 $114,000 $3,000

The CEO Leaderboard features selected topics each month. The November Leaderboards will feature Columbus region accounting firms and wealth management firms. The deadline for inclusion in those surveys is Sept. 7. If you want your Columbus region company or organization to be considered for an upcoming CEO Leaderboard, contact Linda Deitch at ldeitch@ColumbusCEO.com.

Weddings, corporate, sport services, private aviation, nonprofit

1989 Menu planning, COVID-safe individually packaged items, corporate and private events, delivery and pickup

1963 Full service for special events, delivery, pickup, take-home meals

1998

Owner Catering Manager Scott Bast Audriana Bast

Jim Grote Lianne McGlade

Louie Pappas & Demetra Stefanidis Stacy Terman

Drop-off, pickup, weddings, corporate, full service

Angela Petro

1997

Carly Ziemer

Breakfast and lunch deliveries; weddings; special events

Shauna Chrisman, Dan Mummaw

1973

Jayne Roberts

Full-service catering for any event type; exclusive caterer for BTTS Holdings; five local event venues

2014 Wedding receptions, BBQ catering, corporate events, large event planning, all occasions

1990

Delivery, full service, boxed, weddings, galas

2001

John Brooks Jenn Rasar

Kevin Porter Diane Frank

LifeCare Alliance David Imwalle

Note: All figures in millions are rounded. m = million Source: Survey of catering companies

Information compiled by LINDA DEITCH

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

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COLUMBUS REGION ORTHOPEDIC GROUP PRACTICES Ranked by number of new patients in 2020

2020 PATIENTS New

GROUP NAME 1

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

2 Ohio State Orthopaedics

3

241 W. 11th Ave., Ste. 6081 Columbus 43201 614-293-2663 wexnermedical.osu.edu/ orthopedics

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

4

JIS Orthopedics 7277 Smith’s Mill Road, #200, New Albany 43054 614-221-6331 JISorthopedics.com

5 Orthopedic Foot & Ankle Center 350 W. Wilson Bridge Road, Ste. 200, Worthington 43085 614-895-8747 orthofootankle.com

6 Hand and Microsurgery Associates 12110 Gemini Place, Ste. 200 Columbus 43240 • 614-262-4263 handandmicro.com wnd=would not disclose Source: Survey of orthopedic group practices Information compiled by LINDA DEITCH

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Active

43,556 wnd

33,668 79,663

20,984 wnd

BOARDCERTIFIED ORTHOPEDISTS OTHER PHYSICIANS

54 6 35 5 22 8

TOTAL STAFF

634

2020 SURGICAL PROCEDURES

wnd

FREQUENT PROCEDURES AND SPECIALTIES Year Founded Foot and ankle; hand and upper extremity; spine; sports medicine; total joint replacement and general musculoskeletal care

7,500

5,460 wnd

5,000 15,000

9 0 3 6 5 1

MEDICAL DIRECTOR

Tim Smith Joel Politi

2013

wnd

14,840

Sports medicine; hand and upper extremity; foot and ankle; joint replacement; spine

2001

238

wnd

Joint replacement; spine surgery and care; sports medicine; foot, ankle, shoulder, hand, elbow, knee, and hip surgery; podiatry and wound care

1941

5,500

CHIEF ADMINISTRATOR

90

4,636

Orthopedic surgery including total joint replacement, arthroscopy, fracture care, spinal fusion and general orthopedics

1972

65

wnd

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

Mike O’Brien Andrew Glassman

Larry Todd Nicholas Cheney Sandy Solomon Adolph Lombardi

Chris Masciola Gregory Berlet

1998

47

2,700

Revision surgery; fractures; work-related injuries; sports-related injuries; peripheral nerve surgery

1987

Dana Winegarner Raymond Kobus

The CEO Leaderboard features selected topics each month. The November Leaderboards will feature Columbus region accounting firms and wealth management firms. The deadline for inclusion in those surveys is Sept. 7. If you want your company or organization to be considered for an upcoming CEO Leaderboard, contact Linda Deitch at ldeitch@ColumbusCEO.com.

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

7/22/21 10:55 AM

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er

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

8121 CROSSGATE - This home in a well sought-after Dublin neighborhood has all the room & space that you could need. A large, updated kitchen w/custom cabinetry, granite countertops, a large island & SS appliances are perfect for entertaining. This home & its 1st-floor master & spacious LL in the quiet Muirfield Village, close to the action of the golf tournament, is perfect. $1,150,000

PREMIER CANDLEWOOD LAKEFRONT HOME - This stunning log cabin dream home boasts over 7,000 sq ft of custom-built luxury! An entertainer’s dream with gourmet kitchen and serving bar overlooking a soaring great room, wood beamed ceiling, full height stone fireplace and upstairs loft, all with stunning lake views and full-length deck opening outside. Walk-out lower level w/ lg rec room and another full bdrm & bath, steps down to the lake. 4 car garage. $1,500,000

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ciola

CUTLER REAL ESTATE

VIP REALTY

KELLER WILLIAMS CLASSIC PROPERTIES

Greg Skinner (614) 537-1994 Greg@soldby gregskinner.com

Jim & Betsy Edwards (614) 325-1920 Jim_Betsy@kw.com

ESTATE HOME IN PRESTIGIOUS PINNACLE - Flowing open floorplan features a Great Room with a coffered ceiling, custom fireplace/built ins & wall of windows. Chefs dream kitchen w/expansive eat in island, gas cooktop, walk in pantry. Private owner suite with tray ceiling, dual closets, soaking tub, dual quartz sinks. Finished LL pub, family rm & bedroom. Outdoor Oasis, firepit, pergola. $749,900

UPPER ARLINGTON - This entertainer’s home has a stunning great room open to the gourmet chef’s kitchen, a 2,100-square-foot indoor pool, a private1,000+ bottle wine vault, A 4+ collector’s car showroom plus 4 more! Private office with a bar, half-bath and patio. Fabulous Owners suite plus 4 other bedrooms and 6 bathrooms. Minutes from Exciting Downtown Columbus sports, dining and entertainment.

KELLER WILLIAMS CLASSIC PROPERTIES

ZETTLER PROPERTIES

Sarah Eagleson (614) 804-8470 seagleson@kw.com

Janet Zettler (614) 361-5898 Amy Stevens (614) 783-8901 janet@janetzettler.com

SADDLE UP! - 35+ acres with gorgeous, traditional 4 bedroom, 3.5 bath home, a 3-5 stall barn with water and electricity, riding ring and fenced pastures. Imagine enjoying the miles of riding or walking trails in your own woods. With over 3500 sq ft including 2 large offices, you may never leave home! Discover all this estate has in Delaware County. $1,250,000

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1552 CO ROAD 10, BELLEFOUNTAINE - Overlooking green pastures and your own beautiful horse stable, this great family home features 4 BRs and 4.5 baths, nestled on 16 acres. Upgrades galore incl. outdoor kitchen (2020) with 7 seat bar and 50’ tv, Napoleon grill & Thor refrigerator & a 40x20 heated pool w/connected hot tub. Beautiful 2 story foyer, kitchen features granite countertops , Viking stove and wet bar. Owners bdrm with 2 walk-in closets, sitting area and soaking tub. Walk out LL with 2nd living room, full bath and wet bar. Stable is 24x36 with water and electricity. $1,500,000

7/22/21 2:03 PM

Office Space

By JESS DEYO + Photos by Rob Hardin

Quantum Health 5240 Blazer Parkway Dublin 43017 quantum-health.com

The health care navigation company’s new office was designed to offer a space to decompress.

Relax, unwind Employees can catch their breath with cozy seating, a fountain and a 1-mile outdoor walking path.

A safe space President Shannon Skaggs says the office is like a warm hug with inviting colors and curved corners.

Visit columbusCEO.com for a full article on the space.

The sanctuary The lower level of the office, known as “The Sanctuary,” is 110,000 square feet and features a commercial kitchen, market, game space, area for nursing mothers and more.

Hidden gems Easter eggs throughout the office reference iconic movies like Elf and The Wizard of Oz to motivate and inspire staff.

64 ColumbusCEO l August 2021

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Senior Winning.

INDEPENDENT LIVING

ASSISTED LIVING

MEMORY CARE

allick Senior Living is turning senior living into Senior Winning.

That means exceptional resident-

Explore our communities at

focused services, amenities and care

WallickSeniorLiving.com or see

at every one of our communities.

for yourself what Senior Winning is

Whether you’re looking for Independent Living focused on

all about by calling 614-697-0295 to schedule a personalized tour.

an active senior lifestyle, Assisted Living featuring tailored levels of care or the best Memory Care in the area, there’s a Wallick Senior Living CD-0006285745-01

community for you.

THE ASHFORD | THE CRESCENT | THE GROVE | OAKLEAF VILLAGE

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7/22/21 11:20 AM

BEST

Residential/ Multifamily Developer 2021

BEST

Commercial Developer 2021

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7/22/21 11:21 AM