Podcasts about columbus partnership

Jane Scott Legacy in Civic Engagement Forum Celebrating Community Leaders If “The Columbus Way” were a river, its source might just be The Columbus Partnership. In this one-on-one conversation, the Partnership's new President and CEO Jason Hall shares his vision for the influential coalition of regional CEOs. As Columbus grows, so does the importance of collaborative leadership—and Hall's next steps could help shape the future of Central Ohio's economy, equity, and civic identity. Featuring: Jason Hall, President and CEO, The Columbus Partnership The host is Sophia Fifner, President and CEO, The Columbus Metropolitan Club The forum's presenting sponsor was Nationwide. This forum was also sponsored by The Columbus Landmarks Foundation, The Columbus Zoo and Aquarium, Encova Insurance, The Edwards Companies, Huntington, Smoot Construction, and The United Way of Central Ohio. The presenting sponsor of the CMC livestream was The Center for Human Kindness at the Columbus Foundation. CMC's livestream partner was The Columbus Dispatch. This forum was also supported by The Ellis.

Jason Hall built a reputation as one of St. Louis' most vocal cheerleaders in various positions at different economic development organizations over the past 12 years, most recently as the first CEO of Greater St. Louis Inc. Hall is leaving his post to take over the reins of the Columbus Partnership on Jan. 13. He talks with STLPR economic development reporter Eric Schmid about his time in St. Louis and upcoming transition.

How did Steve Steinour go from small-town beginnings to becoming the powerhouse CEO of Huntington Bank?

This forum is part of CMC's Optimal Health Series. Columbus may still be working toward an overall identity as a city, but leaders in healthcare have already put the region on the globe as a worldwide hub for health. Central Ohio is now home to four major hospital systems and a growing number of global leaders in therapeutics and medical technology. With the new heads of The Ohio State University's Wexner Medical Center and Cardinal Health, we dive into a conversation on what the future holds for advanced healthcare in Central Ohio and around the world.  Featuring: Jason Hollar, Chief Executive Officer, Cardinal Health John Warner, MD, Chief Executive Officer, The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center and Executive Vice President, Ohio State  The host is Tracy Townsend, Anchor & Medical Correspondent, WBNS-10TV The presenting sponsors of CMC's Optimal Health Series are The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, Nationwide Children's Hospital, and OhioHealth. The sponsors of this forum were The United Way of Central Ohio, Cardinal Health, Ohio Life Sciences, and The Columbus Partnership. This forum was supported by The Ellis. The livestream presenting sponsor was The Center for Human Kindness at The Columbus Foundation. The livestream partner was The Columbus Dispatch. This forum was recorded before a live audience at The Ellis in Columbus, Ohio's historic Italian Village on March 20, 2024. 

What's in store for Central Ohio's economy in 2024? Inflation seems to be coming under control, and is well off its summer 2022 highs, yet the region's labor market remains incredibly tight, with just 3.3% unemployment in October 2023. While the local economy appears to be booming from some perspectives, many residents are feeling left behind and left out. Will Central Ohio's string of economic successes continue, or will the economy succumb to the slower growth and possible recession that many expect? This forum features the 25th annual official release of the Regionomics Columbus Economic Forecast and unpacks what the year ahead looks like for Central Ohio's economy from a panel of leading experts. The panelists are: Ben Ayers, Senior Economist, Nationwide Insurance  Joyce Chen, Ph.D., Professor of Economics, Women's Gender and Sexuality Studies, The Ohio State University  Bill LaFayette, Ph.D., Owner, Regionomics  The host is host Mark Williams, Business Reporter, The Columbus Dispatch  This forum was sponsored by Fifth Third Bank, The Robert Weiler Company, The United Way of Central Ohio, Ian Alexander Photography, and The Columbus Partnership.  The forum was supported by The Ellis and by The Columbus Dispatch. The livestream was presented by The Center for Human Kindness at The Columbus Foundation and The Columbus Dispatch.  This forum was recorded before a live audience at The Ellis in Columbus, Ohio's historic Italian Village on January 3, 2024.  

Ohio State Senior Vice President & Wolfe Foundation Endowed Athletics Director Gene Smith is joined by Kenny McDonald, President & CEO of the Columbus Partnership, and Xen Riggs, Vice President for Business Advancement and COO of the Ohio State Department of Athletics.

You can thank Ohio farmers for the beginnings of one of the state's business powerhouses and one of Columbus's top philanthropic supporters. Nationwide Insurance, one of the county's largest property and casualty insurance companies, was created in 1926 by the Ohio Farm Bureau as the Farm Bureau Mutual Automobile Insurance Company to help the state's farmers insure their vehicles. By the 1930s, the company's offerings had expanded to other states and added property and life insurance coverage. Today, Nationwide is a Fortune 100 company that has helped put Columbus, Ohio on the map, while agriculture remains Ohio's top industry, supplying one in seven Ohio jobs. Hear from the current leaders of both the Ohio Farm Bureau and Nationwide Insurance as they share perspectives on Ohio's economic future and the power of lasting partnerships in a changing world. The panelists are: Adam Sharp, Executive Vice President, The Ohio Farm Bureau Federation Kirt Walker, Chief Executive Officer, Nationwide The host is Colleen Marshall, Anchor, NBC4 This forum was sponsored by The Columbus Partnership and The Ohio State University. It was recorded before a live audience in Columbus, Ohio on December 14, 2022.

The “Columbus Way” is often touted by Ohio leaders as a unique collaborative process between organizations that delivers big economic wins for Central Ohio. Can “The Columbus Way” keep harnessing the power of partnerships to get things done?  The speakers are:  Kenny McDonald, President and CEO, The Columbus Partnership   Kevin Boyce, Franklin County Board of Commissioners   Tanny Crane, President and CEO, Crane Group   The host is Doug Buchanan, Editor, Columbus Business First.  The forum sponsors were the American Dairy Association Mid-East and Deloitte.     This forum was recorded live at The Boat House in Columbus, Ohio on Wednesday, September 21, 2022.  

Recent electric outages have put Ohio's power grid in the news, but more challenges await Ohio's power industry as new factories come to our state, more drivers opt for electric cars, and climate change raises global temperatures. This forum unpacks Ohio's electric future from the perspective of American Electric Power, Ohio's largest energy utility.  This forum is sponsored by Accenture, Steptoe & Johnson, and The Columbus Partnership. The panelists are: Nick Akins, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, AEP Marc Reitter, President and Chief Operating Officer, AEP Ohio  The host is Andy Chow, News Editor, State House News Bureau This forum was recorded live at The Boat House in Columbus, Ohio on Wednesday, August 17, 2022. 

Welcome to Episode 3 of Moore DEI Discussions with host Dr. Marlon Moore, President of Marlon Moore Consulting, LLC.Join Dr. Moore and special guest Jane Grote Abell as they have a conversation about Diversity, Equity and Inclusion.Jane is the Executive Chairwoman of the board for Donatos Pizza and Jane's Dough Premium Foods, a $250M, 59-year-old family-owned restaurant operator/franchisor and manufacturing company.  In addition, she is the Donatos brand ambassador and responsible for the overall strategic direction of the company. As an author and expert in the field of Culture, Jane is a frequent speaker at both industry conferences and universities. In 2015, Jane released her first book THE MISSING PIECE: Doing Business the Donatos Way, the story of a classic American family business, and an insightful account of Jane's lifelong education in leadership, authenticity and running a values-based business. She was also featured in CBS's hit series Undercover Boss. In 2022, Jane spearheaded the launch of the Donatos Family Foundation.  Jane is a co-founder and Secretary of the Board of Trustees of the non-profit, Reeb Ave. Center, where she raised $16M to create a new model for lifting people out of poverty.  Jane is a founding member of the Ross Leadership Institute, serves on the Otterbein Women's Leadership Advisory Council, Columbus' Young Presidents Organization (YPO), and serves on the Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Committee as a member of the Columbus Partnership. 

My guest today is Kenny McDonald, third president and CEO of the Columbus Partnership, a civic organization of our city's top business leaders. His current day-to-day environment varies greatly from his early childhood experience, living on a ranch in Eastern Montana – which sounds like an episode straight out of Yellowstone. This small town upbringing, and his achievements playing team sports, shaped the man, and the leader, he is today. In this episode, we learn how he's translated those qualities to his career work as a community builder. In fact, he tells us of a recruiting trip he took here just before the Columbus Partnership came to be, where he and his family were introduced to the city on ComFest weekend – an important city event that just celebrated its 50th anniversary this past weekend in Victorian Village. I ask Kenny about how his role has changed, both after taking over as CEO, and since the beginning of our current period of social and economic upheaval. We also unpack the perfect circumstances, and incredible teamwork by hundreds across the region, it took to land the Intel development project for our city. Kenny's voice and perspective on the true viability and cultural health of Columbus is second to none. Even, and especially, as the larger civic foundation shakes under our feet, he and the community leaders he's taken on the role of “coach” for, represent as good a shot as any we have at coming out the other side as a stronger, more united people.  The only thing we can do now is come together. I'm proud to be part of Kenny's team and excited to share this important episode with you this week. What Brett asks: Kenny's early childhood on a sheep ranch Prioritizing sports over academics  Embracing leadership roles  Cultural experience going to grad school in the South Getting into economic development  Gaining a global perspective and building a network Moving from Charlotte to Columbus Hope for the future To learn more about intentional living, and for the complete show notes, visit: http://brett-kaufman.com/ (brett-kaufman.com) Resources: https://columbuspartnership.com/ (Columbus Partnership) https://columbusregion.com/ (One Columbus) LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kennymcdonald/ (Kenny McDonald) Gravity is produced and published by http://crate.media/ (Crate Media).

Robbie Banks is the director of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) at the Columbus Partnership and has played a huge role in cultivating change here in Columbus. In this "Big Picture" episode, she gives great insight into how we have seen positive change as a community in DEI and where there is still room to grow. Take a listen to hear how we can all contribute to diversifying and improving our industry.

Kenny gives us updates on the Intel project and what Columbus Partnership is working on

Sandy Doyle-Ahern is the President of EMH&T, one of Ohio's largest professional engineering and survey firms. Sandy joined EMH&T in 1997, leading the company's first Environmental Department. Over the course of her 20 years with EMH&T, she worked to grow the environmental division as well as her career, and became EMH&T's first female shareholder in 2006 and vice president in 2008. Sandy was named president of the company in 2012. Today Sandy is responsible for overall company management and focuses on client relationships, business development, quality control, and employee engagement. She guides the activities of almost 350 professionals and technical personnel – including civil engineers, surveyors, construction managers, environmental scientists, and land planners. Her external leadership focus has allowed the company to be a part of many remarkable projects. From public infrastructure improvements and urban revitalization, to single- and multi-family developments, to design services for projects in healthcare, education, and energy, Sandy has guided EMH&T to leadership in both the public and private sectors in a diverse array of markets. Sandy has always recognized that one of the fundamental elements of a community's prosperity is reliable, modern infrastructure surrounding transportation and housing. Her work within EMH&T and her dedication to social and civic organizations to address poverty disparity and homelessness, racial inequality, and affordable housing, combined with her commitment to helping the leadership in Central Ohio address these issues, make her an integral member of the Rise Together Steering Committee. Sandy is a member of the Columbus Partnership and she is currently serving on the boards of YWCA Columbus, The Nature Conservancy Ohio, the American Council of Engineering Companies of Ohio, and Columbus Academy. She also serves on the advisory boards of the Miami University Institute for the Environment and Sustainability and the Affordable Housing Alliance of Central Ohio. Sandy recently hosted the first 2-part series on addressing the growing housing gap in Central Ohio, bringing together stakeholders of single and multi-family residential developers to explore solutions.

Kenny McDonald is an experienced economic developer and leader here in Columbus, as well as the current CEO of Columbus Partnership. His past experience in the Carolinas, Georgia, and New Mexico led him here to Ohio 11 years ago, where he has been a part of some of the most exciting projects Columbus has seen. We are lucky to have him lead this city in economic development! Take a listen to learn more about where Columbus is going and what that means for you.

This week's CMC forum welcomes former and current editors of The Columbus Dispatch for an in-depth discussion about the past, present, and future of journalism.  This forum was sponsored by The Columbus Partnership with support from The Columbus Dispatch. It was recorded before a live audience following COVID protocols at the Boat House on December 1, 2021.   The speakers are:  Mike Curtin, Former Editor and Former Associate Publisher of The Columbus Dispatch  Luke Feck, Former Editor of The Columbus Dispatch Ben Marrison, Former Editor of The Columbus Dispatch and current Chief of Staff for the Ohio Attorney General Alan D. Miller, current Executive Editor of The Columbus Dispatch and Regional Editor for Gannett Ohio The host is Ann Fisher, a former Columbus Dispatch columnist, state editor, editorial writer, and reporter, and since 2009, the executive producer and host of WOSU Public Media's All Sides with Ann Fisher. Fisher also covered the Statehouse for nine years for The Toledo Blade.  

We're really privileged to have Cameron Mitchell, Founder and CEO of Cameron Mitchell Restaurants, the CRM Group on this episode. And he is no stranger to anyone in central Ohio. And now Cameron Mitchell Restaurants are breaking out on the national scene, with restaurants from coast to coast. We're going to hear more about his success, his origins, where it all came from, and some of the challenges that they have in the restaurant industry today. And we'll get Cameron's take on the 10 most controversial restaurant policies. Cameron Mitchell Restaurants (CMR) will be celebrating its 30th anniversary in 2022, and Mitchell has enjoyed success as a lifelong entrepreneur, accomplished businessman, culinary expert and nationally recognized restaurateur. Cameron has been a much-needed voice for the industry, pushing for PPP loan amendments for the hospitality sector, being appointed as one of 18 CEO's on Ohio Governor DeWine's Economic Recovery Task Force, collaborating with the Cleveland Clinic to create a company-wide safety protocol, writing op-eds for national hospitality trade publications, and appearing on national television representing not only CMR, but other independent restaurant companies. With an entrepreneur's energy, vision and passion, Mitchell's sights are set on the development of new restaurant concepts, and the expansion of concepts currently in his company's portfolio, particularly Ocean Prime (known in Columbus, OH, as Mitchell's Ocean Club). Plans include the continued introduction of this concept in major metropolitan markets throughout the United States. Among his service to numerous local charities and committees in Columbus, Ohio, where he lives with his family, is his dedication to The United Way, Nationwide Children's Hospital Foundation, and the Columbus State Community College Foundation. Cameron chaired the capital campaign, led by his $3.5 million donation, towards the newly opened Mitchell Hall, a $40 million, state-of-the-art Hospitality Management and Culinary Arts School at Columbus State. He is also an active member of the Young President's Gold Organization, the Columbus Partnership, and he serves on the board of directors of the charter school, KIPP Columbus. The Driving the Cbus podcast co-hosts, Scott McComb, CEO of Heartland Bank and Kailyn Bucklew (McComb), a third-generation community banker, offer two different perspectives as they sit down and get real with local business owners. From well-established companies to startups, small businesses are the heart and soul of Columbus. Tune in to find out how it all began, what keeps them up at night – the current struggles they face, and what successes they are most proud of with some entertaining stories along the way.

Jon talks with Brett Kaufman, Founder of Kaufman Development & The Gravity Project, about how we turn our wounds into success! Brett Kaufman, founder and CEO, has been working in real estate development through the investment, banking and development lens—for 20 years. During this time, he has developed, leased and/or sold over 10,000 homes and developed a variety of commercial, retail, land and office projects. Since founding the company, Kaufman Development has donated numerous resources to various philanthropic organizations, including Besa, KIPP Journey Academy, Community Shelter Board, Ohio State University Star House, Hunger Alliance, Ronald McDonald House, OSU James Cancer, Columbus Jewish Federation and many others. Brett personally has donated much of his professional life to many community organizations, and various committees, including Adjunct Professor Ohio State Fisher School of Business, Agudas Achim Synagogue, the Columbus Jewish Federation, and the Columbus Jewish Day School. Brett also serves as board member for The Columbus Partnership, Greater Columbus Arts Council, and the Wexner Center for the Arts. His professional accomplishments have been recognized by a variety of generous awards and designations. He was twice named Developer of the Year by the Building Industry Association (BIA); is past president of the Columbus Apartment Association; and serves on many civic boards throughout Central Ohio. In 2012, he was named Next Generation Builder of the Year by the BIA, and in 2014, Brett was honored as Ernst & Young's Emerging Entrepreneur of the Year. Brett has been recognized as one of the top 50 leaders in the region for his ability to drive innovation within his organization, impact his employees and the community-at-large, as well as lead Kaufman Development in a direction that is built to transform. In 2015 and 2016 Brett has been honored with Smart 50 and Fast 50 awards and was recently listed at #657 on the Inc. 5000.   Connect with Jon Dwoskin: Twitter: @jdwoskin Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jonathan.dwoskin Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thejondwoskinexperience/ Website: https://jondwoskin.com/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jondwoskin/ Email: jon@jondwoskin.com Get Jon's Book: The Think Big Movement: Grow your business big. Very Big!   Connect with Brett Kaufman: Website: https://livekaufman.com/ Facebook: http://facebook.com/livekaufman Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/LiveKaufman YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/user/livekaufman Instagram: https://instagram.com/livekaufman/

Columbus Partnership CEO Alex Fischer talks about why he is going to step down in the next six months and explains why he thinks now is the right time to do so. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Jon talks with Brett Kaufman, Founder of Kaufman Development & The Gravity Project, about how we turn our wounds into success! Brett Kaufman, founder and CEO, has been working in real estate development through the investment, banking and development lens—for 20 years. During this time, he has developed, leased and/or sold over 10,000 homes and developed a variety of commercial, retail, land and office projects. Since founding the company, Kaufman Development has donated numerous resources to various philanthropic organizations, including Besa, KIPP Journey Academy, Community Shelter Board, Ohio State University Star House, Hunger Alliance, Ronald McDonald House, OSU James Cancer, Columbus Jewish Federation and many others. Brett personally has donated much of his professional life to many community organizations, and various committees, including Adjunct Professor Ohio State Fisher School of Business, Agudas Achim Synagogue, the Columbus Jewish Federation, and the Columbus Jewish Day School. Brett also serves as board member for The Columbus Partnership, Greater Columbus Arts Council, and the Wexner Center for the Arts. His professional accomplishments have been recognized by a variety of generous awards and designations. He was twice named Developer of the Year by the Building Industry Association (BIA); is past president of the Columbus Apartment Association; and serves on many civic boards throughout Central Ohio. In 2012, he was named Next Generation Builder of the Year by the BIA, and in 2014, Brett was honored as Ernst & Young's Emerging Entrepreneur of the Year. Brett has been recognized as one of the top 50 leaders in the region for his ability to drive innovation within his organization, impact his employees and the community-at-large, as well as lead Kaufman Development in a direction that is built to transform. In 2015 and 2016 Brett has been honored with Smart 50 and Fast 50 awards and was recently listed at #657 on the Inc. 5000. Connect with Jon Dwoskin: Twitter: @jdwoskin Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jonathan.dwoskin Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thejondwoskinexperience/ Website: https://jondwoskin.com/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jondwoskin/ Email: jon@jondwoskin.com Get Jon's Book: The Think Big Movement: Grow your business big. Very Big!   Connect with Brett Kaufman: Website: https://livekaufman.com/ Facebook: http://facebook.com/livekaufman Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/LiveKaufman YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/user/livekaufman Instagram: https://instagram.com/livekaufman/

Early on in Robbie Banks' career, she grew used to being in rooms where she was the only woman, the only young person, and often, the only person of color. Banks, the new program director for diversity, equity and inclusion for the Columbus Partnership, is now helping Columbus' private sector build more racial equity inside their organizations. "My job essentially is to shepherd the work that is being done with our members that are the CEOS of our region's employers who have a strong interest and passion in moving our community toward being anti-racist," she said on our latest episode of the Women of Influence podcast. Banks said that she decided early on to embrace the role in which she found herself. "I soon recognized how valuable (it was) being in that space was and how I needed to embrace that," Banks said. "Not to look at it as a negative. How do I make sure that I speak up, that I advocate for things that are important to me and my work? I wanted to make sure I was listening more than anything, taking it in and being ready to add any input, ask questions when appropriate, so that I could make sure my demographic or my gender or whatever it may be, had a voice at the table." She comes to Columbus Partnership from Leadership Columbus, where she served as the program director for more than two years. She also spent five years before that working for Experience Columbus. Previously, she also served as the leader of Columbus Chamber's young professionals program. Banks said when she was younger, she decided to "just be a sponge in any room that I was in," soaking up leadership lessons. Now, as the result of her experience, she has realized the value of speaking up. And she feels much more confident doing so. "There was a time where I would kind of sit back and more or less listen," she said. There's a time and place for that. But now because of my experience people look to me to speak up. I don't always need to, but that is certainly the expectation that comes with being a leader and helping to advance this important work." She said that advancing diversity, equity and inclusion will require her to build a "sustainable strategy" that is executable over several years. It's not a quick process, she said. "My hope is for myself to continue learning to be a continuous learner and educating myself and being more aware," she said. "Self awareness is key in any leadership position, any position period. ... We need to work toward being at the forefront of having this be a sustainable strategy. That is something that takes a lot of learning and listening on my end."

In this episode Heather Brilliant stops by The Business Brew to discuss what it is like to run a valuation focused asset manager in 2021.  Heather has a unique view on asset management and what she is trying to accomplish at Diamond Hill.  She is stakeholder focused and believes constraining asset management capacity helps align client and manager incentives.     She currently serves as Chief Executive Officer and President for Diamond Hill Capital Management, an independent active asset management firm providing valuation-driven investment management services across a range of asset classes. Heather joined the firm in 2019 bringing more than 20 years of domestic and international investment industry experience to the role.   Previously, Heather served as Chief Executive Officer, Americas with First State Investments. Prior to that role, she spent nearly 14 years with Morningstar where she served as Global Head of Equity & Credit Research before advancing to Chief Executive Officer, Morningstar Australasia. Earlier in her career, she held several roles analyzing both credit and equity at firms including Bank of America and Driehaus Capital Management.   Heather is a long-standing member of the CFA Institute, a global credentialing organization for the investment industry. She served on the board of the CFA Institute from 2013 to 2020 and was chair of the board from 2018 to 2019. As chair she provided leadership and governance to a board of 15 senior investment management executives. She is also a member of the CFA Society of Columbus.   She is a member of the Columbus Partnership, a non-profit, membership-based organization of more than 70 CEOs from Columbus’ leading businesses and institutions focused on improving the economic vitality of the Columbus Region, and YPO (Young President’s Organization), a global leadership community of chief executives that are committed to lifelong learning and idea exchange.   Heather is on the executive committee of the Ohio chapter of the International Women’s Forum (IWF), an invitation-only membership organization made up of more than 7,000 diverse and accomplished women from 33 nations. IWF’s mission is to support women leaders and build better leadership across careers, continents and cultures by connecting accomplished women both locally and globally.   She is a frequent speaker at industry conferences and is a volunteer teacher for Rock the Street, Wall Street, a non-profit organization that aims to spark interest in finance among high school girls. Heather was recently named a 2021 Women WELDing the Way® honoree by Women for Economic and Leadership Development (WELD) for supporting the leadership development of other women and women-owned businesses in the community.   Heather earned her MBA from the University of Chicago Booth School of Business and has a degree in economics from Northwestern University.

Co-founder and chairman of The New Albany Company, Jack Kessler is one of central Ohio's most accomplished real estate developers and influential civic leaders. The developer of numerous residential communities across the country, Kessler's commitment to the evolution of New Albany is both professional and very personal. Along with co-founder, Les Wexner, Kessler was among its first residents. Kessler serves on The John Glenn School of Public Affairs; New Albany Surgical Hospital Foundation; and is a board member of The Columbus Partnership. Kessler is past Chairman of The Ohio State University Board of Trustees; past Chairman of Ohio Public Works Commission; past Chairman of United Way of Central Ohio; past Chairman of Greater Columbus Chamber of Commerce; past Chairman of Columbus Museum of Art; past Chairman of The Ohio Arts & Sports Facilities Commission and past President of the Columbus School for Girls. He also was on the Board of Directors of JPMorgan Chase & Co., The Limited, Inc., Commercial Vehicle Group, Abercrombie & Fitch, Columbus Regional Airport Authority, the Columbus Downtown Development Corporation, and Cleveland Federal Reserve. Kessler was inducted into the Central Ohio Business Hall of Fame, received the Builder of Columbus Award, the Builders Exchange Columbus Award, Columbus Chamber of Commerce Outstanding Citizen, The Ohio State University Foundation Gerlach Award, the Columbus Public Schools Hall of Fame Award, Honorary Doctorate Degree from Otterbein University, and Recipient of the 2012 Distinguished Service Award from The Ohio State University. Mr. Kessler is a graduate of The Ohio State University, College of Business Administration. Mr. Kessler and his wife, Charlotte, live in New Albany.

2020 was a difficult year for many. As some communities struggled, others pushed forward. On this episode, we're joined by friend and leader, Greg Davies. As Vice President of Planning and Development for the Columbus Partnership, Greg shares his biggest challenges and greatest successes in carrying the region through 2020 and creating 1.7B in new investments.

How do you do something that’s never been done before? It’s a difficult question to answer, no matter what problem you’re trying to solve, but Jordan Davis has managed to pull it off over and over again, from kickstarting the Smart Columbus initiative to incepting Can't Stop Columbus. Jordan also went through a unique and traumatic adolescent experience that helped shape her perspective and instilled in her a drive that very few people have: for every year from 9th grade to sophomore year in college, she lost someone important to her. It was incredibly traumatic, but coming together with her community gave her much-needed support — and it taught her that all you need to solve a problem is community buy-in and support. What Brett asks: [08:15] How did growing up surrounded by unconditional love help shape your life? [14:50] From 9th grade to sophomore year in college, you lost someone important to you every year? [18:45] When experiencing tragedy as a kid, did you allow yourself to feel it or were you spiritually bypassing? [22:33] Tell me more about the experience of distrusting faith after being raised religiously [33:10] How do you get such a clear vision of what needs to happen and then actually make it happen when what you’re trying to do hasn’t been done before? [39:30] How difficult is it to get people on board to make things happen that have never happened before, especially as a young woman? [45:17] Let’s talk about the Columbus Partnership and Smart Columbus [56:55] What does the future look like for Jordan? [59:15] Tell us a little bit about Can’t Stop CBUS To learn more about intentional living, and for the complete show notes, visit: https://gravityproject.com/ (gravityproject.com) Resources: http://cantstopcolumbus.com (Can’t Stop Columbus) http://smart.columbus.gov (Smart Columbus) LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jordan-davis-96116310/ (linkedin.com/in/jordan-davis-96116310) Gravity is a production of http://crate.media (Crate Media).

Alex Fischer capstones the series as he shares about his time serving in government in Tennessee, working for Battelle, how he found his way to Columbus, the inception of The Columbus Partnership, and the great potential of our city including what we are striving for over the next 10, 20, 50, or even 100 years in Columbus. Keep up with the CBUS Speaks conversation on instagram and twitter.

Interview starts: 6:24Debrief starts: 58:09Jordan Davis is the Director of Smart Columbus for the Columbus Partnership, leading strategy and public-private partnerships for the Central Ohio region's $550 million smart cities initiative. She was instrumental in Columbus becoming the sole winner of the U.S. Department of Transportation's Smart Cities Challenge in 2016 and since has managed the upstart of a new joint venture for the region focused on realizing a connected, autonomous, shared, and electric transportation ecosystem that improves people's lives. Jordan facilitates collaboration between the public and private sector, secures new private investment in the Acceleration Fund, oversees public affairs, and supports the long-term strategy to sustain the Smart Columbus Initiative. Additionally, she oversees an aggressive electric vehicle adoption program, shared mobility growth plan, autonomous vehicle deployment, and a dynamic corporate engagement portfolio.We discuss: AD: Finding experienced employees for your new business with Integrity Power Search (4:58) "Smart" trends currently happening in cities (7:03) Initial focus when the grant started (9:16) Other forward thinking cities at the time of winning the grant (11:06) Why did Columbus win? (14:57) Research process (18:50) Choosing technology vendors (20:13) Evaluating successful adoption (25:08) New structural (vs. iterative) changes (27:30) EVs in Columbus (31:37) Replicable Columbus (36:31) Learn more about Smart Columbus: https://smart.columbus.gov/Follow Jordan on Twitter: https://twitter.com/JDLeadFollow upside on Twitter: https://twitter.com/upsidefmAdvertise with an upside classified: https://upside.fm/classifieds--This episode is sponsored by Integrity Power Search, the #1 full stack high growth startup recruiting firm between the coasts. They partner with venture capitalists, private equity groups and CEOs to build amazing teams for the world's most disrupting companies.Learn more about or get in touch with Integrity Power Search: https://upside.fm/integrity

Jordan leads a team that is accelerating human progress through open mobility.

Brett Kaufman, founder and CEO, has been working in real estate development through the investment, banking and development lens—for 20 years. During this time, he has developed, leased and/or sold over 10,000 homes and developed a variety of commercial, retail, land, and office projects. Since founding the company, Kaufman Development has donated numerous resources to various philanthropic organizations, including Besa, KIPP Journey Academy, Community Shelter Board, Ohio State University Star House, Hunger Alliance, Ronald McDonald House, OSU James Cancer, Columbus Jewish Federation and many others. Brett personally has donated much of his professional life to many community organizations, and various committees, including Adjunct Professor Ohio State Fisher School of Business, Agudas Achim Synagogue, the Columbus Jewish Federation, and the Columbus Jewish Day School. Brett also serves as board member for The Columbus Partnership, Greater Columbus Arts Council, and the Wexner Center for the Arts. His professional accomplishments have been recognized by a variety of generous awards and designations. He was twice named Developer of the Year by the Building Industry Association (BIA); is past president of the Columbus Apartment Association; and serves on many civic boards throughout Central Ohio. In 2012, he was named Next Generation Builder of the Year by the BIA, and in 2014, Brett was honored as Ernst & Young's Emerging Entrepreneur of the Year. Brett has been recognized as one of the top 50 leaders in the region for his ability to drive innovation within his organization, impact his employees and the community-at-large, as well as lead Kaufman Development in a direction that is built to transform. In 2015 and 2016 Brett has been honored with Smart 50 and Fast 50 awards and was recently listed at #657 on the Inc. 5000. What you'll learn about in this episode: How Brett entered the world of real estate via a journey that includes architecture and banking Why Brett founded Kaufman Development on the principles of philanthropy, wellness, innovation, and sustainability How Kaufman Development works to develop real estate properties centered on creativity and community development How Kaufman Development is expanding beyond Columbus, Ohio, including working on a project in partnership with the Green Bay Packers Why Brett refocused his life on lifting up communities, and how he first began doing the work he does Why Brett believes passionately in helping people, and why he sometimes questions the path he is on Why our hobbies, interests, and passions are seldom things we look to for our purpose in life Why Brett's difficult childhood involving divorce and abuse shaped his views on self-care, mental health, and perseverance Why opening yourself up to the help you need to overcome your challenges is the first step to taking action What advice Brett has for people needing to overcome trauma and find internal healing and happiness How to connect with Brett Kaufman: Website: www.livekaufman.com Website: www.gravityproject.com

In a herculean effort that included grassroots and top leaders, the Columbus community rallied to save the Crew, MLS' inaugural team. Hear new Co-Owners Peter Edwards, Jr., M.D., Dee Haslam, and Alex Fischer (President and CEO of the Columbus Partnership), about what's in store for the team, the stadium and the Columbus community in the future. Recorded on February 27, 2019 at the Boat House at Confluence Park in Columbus, Ohio.

Bobby & Joey discuss all things 'future' with Smart Columbus' Jordan Davis. Jordan is the Director of Smart Columbus at the Columbus Partnership and she helps us understand what technologies and collaborations are happening in our city -- and the impact it will have on us all. Download, subscribe and share!   www.ElevateCbus.com

Summary: Alex Fischer is the President and CEO of the Columbus Partnership, a civic organization of Columbus, Ohio’s top business leaders formed in 2002 to improve the economic and cultural base of central Ohio. He has served on numerous for-profit boards, and is currently serving as Chairman for Nationwide Children’s Hospital amongst other board positions. …

The Philanthropy Episode – A Holiday Double Feature A CEO’s Virtual Mentor® Episode 14 Holiday greetings from The Leadership Lyceum!  Welcome to our 14th episode of the podcast. ‘Tis the season of giving and we give you our holiday gift in the form of this holiday special double episode on Philanthropy.  We’ll cover the subject from a few different angles. First. from the perspective of the giver – with our first guest, University of Chicago benefactor Bernard DelGiorno.  Bernie also advises his clients on charitable giving in his role in private wealth management at UBS. Next, from the angle of the recipient.  We’ll glean the perspectives of Jennifer Sampson, CEO of The United Way of Metropolitan Dallas.  Jennifer led a remarkable turnaround in Dallas and has led the development of programs that fund impactful and innovative social entrepreneurship.  Finally, we introduce you to a group of public company CEO’s in Ohio that are leveraging their musical talents to raise money for charities in Ohio.  Two of the CEOs that we feature have the ultra-cool distinction of being board members of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.  We feature the music of the CEO band, Power Chords throughout the music interludes in the program.  Segment I: Bernard DelGiorno, University of Chicago benefactor Segment II: Jennifer Sampson, CEO of the United Way of Metropolitan Dallas Segment III: The Ohio CEO band for charity - The Power Chords.  Perhaps it is not widely known that there is a group of several CEOs in Ohio have given their musical talent and time to charitable fundraising events.  One band that raises money for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame includes three of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame board members: Drums: Nick Akins, CEO of utility AEP in Columbus; Guitars, vocals and keyboards: George Barrett, CEO of Cardinal Health; Guitars: Dr. Michael Drake, President of The Ohio State University and; Bass: Greg Harris, President of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.  Another band, The Power Chords, includes Akins and Barrett, plus multi-instrument virtuoso and vocalist Joe Hamrock, the CEO of utility NiSource.  Segment III is my coverage of The Power Chords at their Thursday, September 28th evening gig fundraiser for the Mid-Ohio Foodbank in Grove City, Ohio, outside Columbus. Conclusion  We hope you enjoyed this holiday season episode of A CEO’s Virtual Mentor and the fitting subject of Philanthropy from its many different angles.  It’s clear across all of these segments the devotion of our guests to something larger than themselves.  Famous Last Words We close our episode in Lyceum tradition with Famous Last Words.  It’s December 24, 1941.  Christmas Eve.  Just 17 days after the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor.  President Franklin D. Roosevelt lights the White House Christmas tree and is joined in this, his 9th ceremonial act (pre-presidential term-limits) by Prime Minister Winston Churchill, who was in Washington for the Arcadia Conference, the first wartime conference between these two close allies since the US entrance into World War II just 16 days prior on December 8th. Try as I might to edit this down for our 21st Century attention spans and our improved discourse efficiency at between 140 to 280 characters, with the fate of the world hanging in the balance, I lacked the courage to cut.  Use a bookmark, because it’s well worth a listen.  On this day, 76 years ago, two of the 20th century’s most monumental figures took the stage with two purposes.  On the surface, they took to the microphone to announce the lighting of a tree.  But in their soaring speeches, they made clear the principles for which they had now committed both of their nations.  The overtones and undertones are thought-provoking and revealing for our current state of sensibility.  Warm wishes for the holidays and for your resolve for the New Year. Thanks for joining us.  We can’t improve without your feedback – write us through our website www.LeadershipLyceum.com and subscribe on iTunes.  See you next time. Program Guide Episode 14 The Philanthropy Episode   0:19        Introduction 0:29        Introduction to specific programming in this Episode 14 2:38        Segment I: Bernard DelGiorno, University of Chicago Benefactor 23:05      Segment II: Jennifer Sampson, CEO of The United Way of Metropolitan Dallas 53:20      Segment III: The Power Chords, Benefit Concert 54:18      Nick Akins CEO of AEP 57:19      Matt Habash, CEO of Mid-Ohio Foodbank 1:04:26   Nick Akins CEO of AEP 1:08:03   George Barrett, CEO of Cardinal Health 1:12:12   Joe Hamrock CEO of NiSource 1:13:04   Nick Akins CEO of AEP & Joe Hamrock CEO of NiSource 1:22:42   Conclusion and Famous Last Words with Franklin Roosevelt and Winston Churchill (Christmas 1941).    Informative and Helpful Links  Our Sponsor – TransparentCareer https://www.transparentcareer.com   Board Game: Tesla vs Edison War of Currents To ensure pre-Christmas arrival, order your game now through Amazon at www.artana.com/store   Segment I – The Benefactor – Mr. Bernard DelGiorno Article on University of Chicago Alumni Service Medal Award Recipient: http://www.kintera.org/site/c.fnKDIQNsEkG/b.5179039/k.9C22/Bernard_DelGiorno.htm   Segment II – The Recipient – Jennifer Sampson, CEO of the United Way of Metropolitan Dallas https://unitedwaydallas.org/   Segment III – Giving Charitable Talents – Ohio's Rock and Roll CEOs The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame CEO Band: http://www.shadowboxlive.org/shows/are-you-ready-to-rock The Power Chords: https://aepretirees.com/2012/10/08/harvest-palooza-raises-50000-to-fight-hunger/ Rock and Roll Hall of Fame: https://www.rockhall.com   Famous Last Words Historical Background on the Darkest Days of World War II – 17 days after Pearl Harbor – FDR and Churchill Together in Washington Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony http://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/darkest-days-world-war-ii-winston-churchills-visit-white-house-brought-hope-washington-180961798/   The Full Audio of FDR and Churchill’s Speeches on December 24th 1941 Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony in Washington https://archive.org/details/PresidentFranklinRoosevelt411224WhiteHouseChristmasTreeCeremony   Biographies of Guests    Mr. Bernard DelGiorno Donor profile from the University of Chicago Alumni & Friends online community: http://www.kintera.org/site/c.fnKDIQNsEkG/b.5179039/k.9C22/Bernard_DelGiorno.htm   Ms. Jennifer Sampson Ms. Jennifer Sampson has been Chief Executive Officer and President of United Way of Metropolitan Dallas since September 13, 2011. Ms. Sampson served as an Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer at United Way of Metropolitan Dallas Inc. since 2004. Ms. Sampson serves as a Member of Customer Advisory Board at Atmos Energy Corp.   Mr. Nick Akins Nick Akins is chairman, president and chief executive officer of American Electric Power. He is AEP’s 11th chairman, 10th president and sixth CEO in the company’s more than 100-year history. He is a member of AEP’s board of directors and is the only management representative on the board. Akins rose through the ranks at both AEP and the former Central and South West Corp. (CSW), which merged with AEP in 2000. Akins began his career in 1982 as an electrical engineer before moving up to positions of increasing responsibility. Prior to being elected president of AEP in December 2010, he served as executive vice president - Generation from 2006 through 2010 with responsibility for all generation activities of AEP’s approximately 38,000 MW of generation resources. Previously, he served as president and chief operating officer for Southwestern Electric Power Company, and held other leadership roles in Energy Marketing Services, Transmission, External Affairs and Industry Restructuring. A native of Louisiana, Akins received his bachelor’s degree in 1982 in electric engineering from Louisiana Tech University in Ruston and a master’s degree in electrical engineering in 1986 from Louisiana Tech. Additional training includes executive management programs at Louisiana State University, the University of Idaho and the Reactor Technology Course for Utility Executives at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. He is a registered professional engineer in Texas. Akins is a former chairman of the Board of Directors of both the Edison Electric Institute (EEI) and the Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI), and currently serves on both boards. He is a member of the Executive Committee of the Business Roundtable (BRT) and was appointed chair of the BRT's Energy and Environment Committee. Additionally, he is a member of the boards of the Nuclear Energy Institute (NEI), Global Sustainable Electricity Partnership (GSEP), The Columbus Partnership, Columbus Downtown Development Corporation, Nuclear Electric Insurance Limited (NEIL), Fifth Third Bancorp, OhioHealth and the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum. Akins and his wife, Donna, live in Dublin, Ohio. They have two adult sons.   Matt Habash, CEO of Mid-Ohio Foodbank Matt Habash became executive director of Mid-Ohio Foodbank in 1984.  Prior to that, Matt was with the St. Stephen’s Community House, first as a youth worker and then as the assistant to the executive director.  Matt also was a member of Columbus City Council from 1993 to 2006, serving as Council President from 1999 to 2006. As Council President, Matt governed with civility and humanity.  Co-Chair with Columbus Mayor Michael B. Coleman, Matt led the 21st Century Growth initiative, a plan designed to balance job creation with sustainable neighborhood development.  Other efforts spearheaded by Matt in his role as Council President was the 315 Research Corridor, the City’s Indoor Clean Air Act and the City’s Bike Path Plan.  He holds a Masters of Business Administration from Xavier University, a Masters of Public Policy from The Ohio State University, and a Bachelor of Arts in philosophy from Xavier University. Matt takes an active leadership role in the community, having served on numerous boards and has received numerous awards, recognizing his commitment and work in serving those most vulnerable.   Mr. Joe Hamrock Joe Hamrock serves as NiSource President and Chief Executive Officer. He has been in this role since July 1, 2015, and is also a member of the NiSource Board of Directors. Joe previously served as Executive Vice President and Group CEO for NiSource's Gas Distribution segment, which included local gas distribution companies in Kentucky, Maryland, Massachusetts, Ohio, Pennsylvania and Virginia. In that role, he was responsible for all financial, operational, regulatory and commercial performance at NiSource's gas distribution operations. In coordination with leadership teams across each of these areas, he focused on driving the company's long-term growth plan, premised on executing a steady stream of infrastructure improvements and growth investments, synchronized with complementary regulatory and customer program initiatives. Joe joined NiSource in May 2012 after serving in a variety of senior executive positions with American Electric Power (AEP), including President and Chief Operating Officer of AEP Ohio, and roles in engineering, transmission and distribution operations, customer service, marketing and information technology. He began his energy industry career as an electrical engineer in transmission and distribution planning at AEP in Steubenville, Ohio. He went on to work in commercial and industrial customer services, and held leadership roles in commercial marketing and customer services, strategic development and other executive roles. Prior to becoming President of AEP Ohio, Joe was Senior Vice President and Chief Information Officer in AEP's Shared Services organization from 2003-2007, and from 2002 to 2003 was Senior Vice President - General Services. Joe serves on the boards of the American Gas Association, Columbus Downtown Development Corp., the Columbus Partnership, the Greater Columbus Sports Commission and OhioHealth. He holds a bachelor's degree in electrical engineering from Youngstown State University and a master's degree in business administration from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, where he was a Sloan fellow.   Mr. George Barrett George S. Barrett is chairman and chief executive officer of Cardinal Health, a company ranked among the top 25 on the Fortune 500 and dedicated to improving the cost-effectiveness of health care. Barrett has refocused Cardinal Health on its essential role in supporting hospitals, pharmacies and alternative sites of care in their efforts to improve the quality and safety of patient care, while reducing costs and improving efficiency.  The tagline – Essential to care – embodies the company’s strategy and the culture of the organization. Barrett has been chairman and CEO of Cardinal Health since 2009.  He joined the company in 2008 as vice chairman and CEO of the company’s Healthcare Supply Chain Services. From 2005 to end-2007, Barrett served as president and CEO of North America for Teva Pharmaceutical Industries.  During 2007, he also served as corporate executive vice president for Global Pharmaceutical Markets.  He held the position of president of Teva USA from 1999 to end-2004. Prior to joining Teva, Barrett held various positions with Alpharma Inc., serving as president of US Pharmaceuticals from 1994 to 1997, and president of NMC Laboratories, prior to its acquisition by Alpharma in 1990.  Barrett serves on the board of directors of the Federal Reserve Bank of Cleveland, Nationwide Children’s Hospital and the board of trustees of the Corporation of Brown University. He is a member of the Healthcare Leadership Council and The Conference Board. He is also a member of the Business Roundtable, The Business Council and The Columbus Partnership. Barrett also serves on the board of directors of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Barrett earned his Bachelor of Arts degree from Brown University and a Master of Business Administration from New York University.  He also holds an Honorary Doctor of Humane Letters degree from Long Island University’s Arnold & Marie Schwartz College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences.   Subscribe to the podcast at iTunes: https://t.co/a70rtSiQnW or SoundCloud: https://soundcloud.com/thomas-linquist Follow Leadership Lyceum on:          Our website: www.LeadershipLyceum.com          LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/thomas-linquist-682997          Twitter: @LeaderLyceum https://twitter.com/LeaderLyceum          Email us: info@LeadershipLyceum.com Please subscribe to the Leadership Lyceum: A CEO’s Virtual Mentor® at iTunes which will enable future content to come to you automatically.  Rate us and spread the word among your fellow executives and board colleagues.  Your host Thomas B. Linquist is the Founder and Managing Partner of Lyceum Leadership Consulting and Lyceum Leadership Productions. Over his 15 years in management and leadership consulting he has served a wide array of industrial clients.  This includes leadership assessment and search for chief executive officers, chief financial officers, chief operating officers and boards of directors.  He holds an MBA from the University of Chicago and over his 25-year career has served in a variety of roles: as an engineer with Shell Oil Company, a banker with ABN AMRO Bank, and as treasurer was the youngest corporate officer in the 150+ year history at Peoples Energy Company in Chicago.  He is an expert on hiring and promotion decisions and leadership development.  Over the course of his search career, he has interviewed thousands of leaders.  Please subscribe to the Leadership Lyceum: A CEO’s Virtual Mentor® in the podcast section at iTunes which will enable future content to come to you automatically. Rate us and spread the word among your fellow executives and board colleagues.  Program Disclaimer The only purpose of the podcast is to educate, inform and entertain. The information shared is based on the collection of experiences of each of the guests interviewed and should not be considered or substituted for professional advice. Guests who speak in this podcast express their own opinions, experience and conclusions, and neither The Leadership Lyceum LLC nor any company providing financial support endorses or opposes any particular content, recommendation or methodology discussed in this podcast. This podcast Leadership Lyceum: A CEO’s Virtual Mentor® has been a production of The Leadership Lyceum LLC. Copyright 2017. All rights reserved.

In this hour, Wes turns a critical eye toward public transit. He speaks with transportation expert and Harvard Business School Professor, Rosabeth Kanter. He then talks with Alex Fischer of the Columbus Partnership about how the private sector can be vital to developing Smart transit systems. Turning back to to Baltimore, he speaks with Jimmy Rouse of the Baltimore Transit Campaign and with Samuel Jordan of the Baltimore Transit Equity Coalition. Finally, he'll talk with Liz Cornish of Bikemore about how biking connects diverse communities. Baltimore has notoriously poor public transit - what does the future of transportation look like for our city? Guests on this program include:

For this week's podcast, we sat down with Alex Fischer, president and CEO of the Columbus Partnership, the influential organization representing leaders of the region's largest companies. The discussion included the Partnership's long-range goals for the Columbus region, its members' "curiosity tours" across the U.S. to study other cities' best practices, why we all need to stop saying "Ohio" when we tell people where we're from, and how the Partnership fits in with Columbus 2020 and the Columbus Chamber of Commerce. We also hit on some topics making news today, including the fate of Columbus Castings, how the city's Smart City Challenge opportunity may make mass transit unnecessary, and the Partnership's stance on medical marijuana proposals circulating in Ohio.

For this week's podcast, we sat down with Alex Fischer, president and CEO of the Columbus Partnership, the influential organization representing leaders of the region's largest companies. The discussion included the Partnership's long-range goals for the Columbus region, its members' "curiosity tours" across the U.S. to study other cities' best practices, why we all need to stop saying "Ohio" when we tell people where we're from, and how the Partnership fits in with Columbus 2020 and the Columbus Chamber of Commerce. We also hit on some topics making news today, including the fate of Columbus Castings, how the city's Smart City Challenge opportunity may make mass transit unnecessary, and the Partnership's stance on medical marijuana proposals circulating in Ohio.