Celebrating the culture of community service
Medical Mutual, along with co-founding partner, Smart Business, is proud to present the 10th annual Pillar Awards for Community Service.
The Pillar Awards recognize organizations that set the standard for outstanding service to their communities. These organizations’ service efforts take many forms, including volunteer time, charitable giving and pro bono support. What all our honorees have in common, though, is the culture they have built where service is ingrained in their values and employees are empowered to support their communities.
At Medical Mutual, we strive to embody a culture of service. As a company dedicated to our Ohio customers and employees, we have a responsibility to support the local communities where we live and work. When businesses help those in need, we strengthen our entire community.
One of the Pillar Awards that will be presented is a special honor given to a company whose employees best exemplify the values of Medical Mutual’s own Employee SHARE Program. SHARE stands for serve, help, aid, reach and educate.
Our SHARE Program is the heart and soul of Medical Mutual’s community service effort. Through our employees’ generosity and passion, the program coordinates more than 50 events in support of nonprofit and community agencies. Last year, our employees spent more than 5,800 hours aiding area organizations.
We are proud to be in the company of extraordinary organizations that improve the communities we serve. Together, through our culture of service, we are building stronger communities.
On behalf of Medical Mutual and Smart Business, we congratulate all our 2019 Pillar Award recipients.
Rick Chiricosta
Chairman, president and CEO, Medical Mutual of Ohio
Pillar Award honorees
American Electric Power
Nick Akins, Chairman, president and CEO
American Electric Power seeks to play an active, positive role in the communities where its employees live and work. In Central Ohio and throughout AEP’s service area, employees volunteer for things like Habitat for Humanity, United Way Community Care Day and Make a Difference Day. In 2017, AEP and its foundation donated approximately $16.8 million to support more than 1,520 community organizations, including LifeCare Alliance.
AEP, led by Chairman, President and CEO Nick Akins, has been one of LifeCare Alliance’s foremost supporters. In 2017, LifeCare Alliance accepted its largest single gift, a $1 million contribution from the AEP Foundation. President and CEO Charles Gehring is using this transformational gift to purchase a new Meals-on-Wheels delivery van each year for four years and support the health and nutrition programs that keep seniors and people with medical challenges safe, independent and living at home.
AEP has been represented on LifeCare Alliance’s board for more than a decade and is a loyal supporter of its annual fundraising efforts and capital campaigns. Perhaps most importantly, AEP is a significant and reliable source of volunteer manpower.
Employees volunteer in the Groceries-to-Go Pantry for people fighting cancer and HIV/AIDS, serve meals at the Senior Dining Center, and pack and sort food for Meals-on-Wheels and Senior PetCare. Nearly 100 AEP volunteers from the downtown Columbus, Gahanna and New Albany offices deliver meals five days a week during lunch. AEP, in its 13th year participating in the Corporate Adopt-a-Route program, has delivered more than 100,000 meals. ●
City Barbeque
Rick Malir, Founder and CEO
The team at City Barbeque, which is under the direction of Founder and CEO Rick Malir, takes every opportunity to give back to the folks it serves.
With every new City Barbeque location, the local team chooses a cause it cares about: a nonprofit, school, charity or community group. That organization receives 10 percent of the restaurant’s grand opening sales, a tradition that resulted in more than $8,000 donated to community groups last year.
All City Barbeque restaurants hold frequent fundraiser nights, where 25 percent of revenues are given to a community partner. This generated more than $217,000 in 2018, with $42,000 of that going to Central Ohio organizations. Ultimately, City Barbeque’s commitment results in it donating about 10 percent of pre-tax profits every year.
During Pelotonia 2018, the company sponsored three riders and donated $1 from every large drink sold in July. In honor of National Barbeque Month this past May, teams brought barbeque to folks in local shelters in every market, with the Columbus teams serving dinner at the Faith Mission Emergency Shelter.
City Barbeque’s 41 locations freeze surplus food at the end of each day for transport to local food pantry partners (Food rescue is the only reason the restaurants have freezers). Through these efforts, the company has donated more than 25,000 pounds of food over the past three years.
The company also raises funds nationwide for a number of causes, including the American Cancer Society, Resurrecting Lives Foundation and FFA, an organization Malir has been involved with for decades. ●
Condado Tacos
Joe Kahn, Founder and CEO
Condado Tacos was founded in 2014 with the intention of being a great neighbor. Even with the company’s aggressive growth, Founder and CEO Joe Kahn has worked to preserve Condado’s unique environment and culture for both customers and employees. That includes prioritizing and championing causes that are important to the internal Condado team, which not only builds a bridge with the community and neighbors, but also drives the passion and commitment of the restaurant’s employees.
For example, last April, Condado offered a special drink of the month, the Light it Up Blue Margarita, to shine a light on Autism Awareness Month and support a local academy for children with autism. This resonated among the Condado team because the child of a leadership member attends the school.
The success of this drink special inspired Condado to continue the program year-round with bi-monthly partners. Condado closed 2018 raising more than $7,500 through monthly drink specials for nonprofits that included Bridgeway Academy, Equitas Health, Stonewall Columbus, Gamma Rho – LGBTQ+ – Kaleidoscope Youth Center & Trevor Project, and Susan G. Komen Columbus.
Overall, Condado estimates its 2018 contributions were more than $9,000 and went to 25 nonprofits and community groups through the drink of the month partnership, gift card donations and in-kind contributions.
Though the brand was founded just four years ago, Condado intends to grow its involvement with community organizations. In fact, the company has an aggressive goal for 2019 to donate all leftover food daily to address hunger needs in the communities it serves. ●
Donatos Pizza
Jane Grote Abell, Chairwoman of the board
Donatos Pizza believes in giving back in the communities that it serves. This dates back 55 years to when Jim Grote started the business. He ran every aspect of it by the Golden Rule of treating others the way that he wanted to be treated.
Donatos associates are encouraged to contribute in many different ways through volunteer efforts and financial giving opportunities. This is modeled through the leadership of Jane Grote Abell, chairwoman of the board, and Tom Krouse, CEO. Both are heavily involved in various boards and also through their contributions to different charities. The Reeb Avenue Center is a big recipient of many kinds of support from Donatos.
During 2017 alone, Donatos provided nearly $70,000 in food donations to various charities, clubs and organizations just in Central Ohio. It also provided more than $53,000 in free pizza certificates and contributed another $27,000 in sponsorships. In addition, Donatos presented Nationwide Children’s Hospital with a check for $44,253 from its cookie sale, which took place in November and December.
Some of the many beneficiaries throughout the year were the American Red Cross, the Harmony Project, I Know I Can, the American Heart Association, the Community Shelter Board, the United Negro College Fund, Alvis House and others. The stores contributed more than $52,000 in local donations in each of their communities for a total of more than $246,000 in support back to the Central Ohio community. ●
E.E. Ward Moving & Storage Co.
Brian Brooks, President and co-owner
The E.E. Ward Moving & Storage Co. was founded in 1881 under the principle of providing service excellence. This value still holds true 137 years later — and the practice of excellence includes the company’s long history of making a positive impact on the Central Ohio community.
In 2018, E.E. Ward held its second annual Laps for Learning fundraiser. This swim-a-thon helps raise money to provide swim lessons. Water safety is a major concern for Ohio youth, especially in the African-American community. Ohio’s youth drownings increase by 119 percent during the summer and African-American children are three times as likely to die from drowning. Last year, Laps for Learning raised $12,705 to provide swim lessons for 161 children.
In addition, E.E. Ward supports other organizations through monetary donations and moving assistance. Gary Sinise Foundation’s RISE program builds smart homes specifically adapted to accommodate wounded veterans. In July, E.E. Ward provided in-kind moving services for U.S. Army Capt. Nick Vogt.
The company also has a strong relationship with The Childhood League Center, which provides education, intervention and therapeutic services to children under the age of six with developmental delays, as well as In Christy’s Shoes, a foundation that raises money to support women facing homelessness, human trafficking, domestic violence, substance abuse, brain cancer and unemployment.
President and co-owner Brian Brooks and the E.E. Ward team are committed to being trustees of the humanitarian legacy created by founder John T. Ward and further advanced by his great-grandson Eldon Ward. ●
IGS Energy
Scott White, President and CEO
IGS Energy is an inspiration and corporate role model for the Central Ohio community. Whether it’s educating future generations of energy consumers, helping a special needs school control its long-term energy costs by financing a solar power system, solidifying Columbus’ designation as America’s Smart City, empowering social enterprises to change the world or inspiring other corporations to pursue a purpose beyond profits, IGS constantly takes steps to ensure a better future for all.
IGS has adopted the principles of Conscious Capitalism, a movement that aims to “liberate the heroic spirit of business” through higher purpose, stakeholder orientation, conscious leadership and conscious culture. But as President and CEO Scott White observed, “The Conscious Capitalism movement basically formalizes the things we’ve been doing all along.”
White also initiated the development of IGS Impact, a philanthropic community investment program. In 2017, it donated more than $1.2 million. A few noteworthy giving initiatives were donating 13,589 new coats to children in need, launching the E3 Project (energy, engineering, environment) to educate students, and partnering with the Community Shelter Board to purchase a refrigerated truck.
The company also matches employee charitable gifts dollar for dollar; hosts an annual Make an Impact contest to identify, support and celebrate the causes meaningful to employees; and uses a handful of programs to encourage service. As a result, over 95 percent of IGS employees volunteer each year and approximately 15 percent of local employees serve in a volunteer leadership capacity. ●
Nationwide
Chad Jester, President of Nationwide Foundation
Since 2000, the Nationwide Foundation, which is under the direction of President Chad Jester, has contributed more than $430 million to U.S. nonprofits. The foundation also matches the contributions of Nationwide associates, partners and retirees to the company’s United Way campaign and to accredited higher-education institutions.
One organization the company has a long history with is the American Red Cross. Associates began donating blood in 1944, but the partnership has evolved. The Nationwide Foundation is a founding member of the Red Cross Annual Disaster Giving Program. Since 2000, the foundation has donated $16.5 million to support disaster services and funded several bloodmobiles. Nationwide also opened the first full-time corporate on-site American Red Cross blood donor center in the country in 1995. As a result, Nationwide associates throughout Central Ohio contribute approximately 5 percent of the local blood supply. In addition, a number of Nationwide leaders serve on chapter boards.
Other charities have felt the impact of Nationwide’s generosity, too. In 2006, Nationwide committed $50 million to Children’s Hospital in Columbus. Today, Nationwide Children’s Hospital is one of America’s largest pediatric health care and research centers. Nationwide associates have donated 18 million meals to Feeding America food banks since 2000. In 2009, the Nationwide Insurance Foundation began funding Feeding America, as well.
Nationwide encourages volunteerism, and a significant number of the more than 32,000 U.S. associates donate time and energy each year. The company’s Community Connect service helps interested volunteers find worthy causes, and Nationwide offers paid time off and recognizes a Volunteer of the Year. ●
Ricart Automotive
Rick Ricart, president
A third-generation, family owned business, Ricart Automotive prioritizes its philanthropy by focusing on family, education and the arts. To date, the company has supported more than 30 charities and nonprofits and donated more than $1 million in corporate financial contributions. Some organizations that have benefitted include Shadowbox Live, After-School All-Stars, The Ohio State University, several schools, St. Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital, Dreams on Horseback, the Alzheimer’s Association, Susan G. Komen, Big Brothers Big Sisters, Mid-Ohio Foodbank, FFA, the United Way and the Women’s Small Business Accelerator.
Community service is also embedded in Ricart Automotive’s employee culture. The company gives its 540 employees one paid service day every year, so they can volunteer. Employees have volunteered for causes such as the Ronald McDonald House, school fundraisers for their children, A Kid Again and Habitat for Humanity.
In addition, Ricart Automotive’s leadership, which includes President Rick Ricart, knows that in order to foster a community of giving, it needs to support those closest to the company: its employees.
Through the company’s internal 501(c)3, One of R Own, employees have the option to donate a certain amount of money per pay period. If at some point an employee falls on hard times and needs assistance making ends meet, another employee can anonymously nominate the person to be a candidate for a donation. The committee then silently writes that employee a check — whether it helps pay a bill or provides another type of service — to help get the employee through the rough patch. ●
The Ohio State University Hospital East
Mary Howard, Executive director
For more than 17 years, The Ohio State University Hospital East, led by Executive Director Mary Howard, has sponsored Community Health Day. This free neighborhood-based event on the Near East Side helps improve the lives of those who live in and around the hospital.
In 2017, the event was strategically re-focused on the six greatest community health needs: access to care, mental health and addiction, obesity, chronic disease, infant mortality and infectious disease.
All screenings are free and include breast and prostate, hearing, dental, vision, glucose, cholesterol, body mass index, lung function, podiatry, blood pressure, pulmonary function, mammography, sexually transmitted diseases and sports physicals for middle and high school students. Some coaches even bring their entire team on a bus for the sports physicals.
Area organizations that provide care and services to the medically underserved are also invited to participate at no charge, such as the African American Male Wellness Walk, the Columbus police and fire departments, The American Diabetes Association, Big Brothers Big Sisters and CelebrateOne. This enables organizations to reach potential customers free of charge and lets participants know about additional services and resources.
Last year, 800 people attended the event. Of those, 275 adults participated in screenings and 222 teens received sports physicals. Fifty-three organizations were exhibited in the expo tent.
More than 370 physicians, nurses, clinicians and non-clinicians from University Hospital East, the Wexner Medical Center and across Ohio State donate their time each year to this event. The average volunteer gives at least four hours of time, and around 3,000 total volunteer hours are needed to put on the event. ●
The Wendy’s Co.
Todd Penegor, President and CEO
Dave Thomas, founder of The Wendy’s Co., was an adoption advocate and adoptee. In 1992, he established the Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption to 1) raise awareness about the hundreds of thousands of children waiting to be adopted, and 2) drive innovative grant programs that move children out of foster care into loving adoptive homes.
While Thomas died in 2002, and the adoption community lost its biggest champion, Wendy’s — led today by President and CEO Todd Penegor — has only increased its support for the company’s charity of choice.
In 2004, the foundation launched Wendy’s Wonderful Kids. Today, through grantmaking, more than 400 adoption recruiters across the U.S. and Canada use an evidenced-based, child-focused recruitment model to find adoptive homes for the longest-waiting children. Nearly 8,000 children now have permanent homes and families because of the program.
This success, in large part, is due to support from the Wendy’s family. For example, a year and a half ago, Carter Wilkerson used social media to ask for free chicken nuggets for a year. Wendy’s challenged the eager teenager to beat the re-tweet record. During that time, the foundation benefited from heightened national media awareness, including receiving a donation of $100,000. Last year alone, employees and customers contributed more than $18.7 million to the foundation, through corporate donations, innovative in-restaurant campaigns, special events, in-kind donations and individual financial gifts.
The foundation plans to scale nationally within the next 10 years. This should result in the adoption of nearly 60,000 children and youth, 70 percent more than would have otherwise been adopted. ●
U.S. Bank
Steven Bennett, Central Ohio market president
U.S. Bank is focused on being a good corporate citizen and closing the gap between people and opportunity in local communities across the country. The bank does this through a commitment to economic development, financial literacy, the environment and sustainability, diversity and inclusion, and employee volunteerism and service. It uses Community Possible, a corporate giving and engagement platform focused on the areas of work, home and play.
This past summer, U.S. Bank initiated Work Hard Play Hard. The company impacted more than 1.6 million people across the country with volunteerism and giving under the work and play pillars. U.S. Bank also completed signature projects as part of its play pillar, renovating and upgrading makerspaces. In Columbus, the company granted COSI $20,000 to provide accessible science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) experiences to all learners, making the space accessible to nearly 4,500 children, families and teens.
In the Columbus area, other grantees from 2018 include: Catco-Phoenix, Lincoln Theatre Association, Columbus Literacy Council, Communities in Schools of Central Ohio, the Economic and Community Development Institute, Godman Guild Association, Goodwill Columbus, Increase Community Development Corp., Junior Achievement of Central Ohio, Ohio CDC Association, Homeport, Habitat for Humanity, The Ohio State University Foundation and the YWCA.
Of the 484 employees in Columbus, which includes Central Ohio Market President Steven Bennett, 252 of them participated in group activities, such as cleaning up parks, volunteering at events like Columbus Pride or Stand Down, or working with Habitat for Humanity. Columbus employees volunteered more than 1,140 hours in 2018. ●
Medical Mutual Share Award
Express
David Kornberg, President and CEO
Express epitomizes the spirit of employee-driven community service. A few years ago, two Express associates signed up for a project through Besa, a nonprofit that connects people to volunteering. Soon, they signed up for more, and brought friends. Eventually, they asked Express to partner with Besa.
In March 2014, Besa and Express headed up a reusable tote bag drive for the Broad Street Food Pantry. Express collected 115 bags so Broad Street could allocate more money toward food, instead of paying for plastic bags.
Nearly five years later, that small project has turned into a tidal wave of good. More than 4,500 Express volunteers have given more than 11,000 hours and made more than $300,000 in community impact. Express’ work with Besa ranges from large group projects organized for them to individual associates volunteering their time and sharing their talents.
The philanthropy extends beyond Besa, too. The company and its employees do a lot more, such as contributing approximately 200,000 meals to the Mid-Ohio Foodbank between donations and its Operation Feed campaign, and donating time and money to numerous Central Ohio nonprofits.
Here are a few highlights of the impact that Express, under the direction of President and CEO David Kornberg, has made:
- When the Neighborhood Services Food Pantry wanted an improved look, Express jumped in to renovate its displays, providing a better experience for clients.
- One 115-person team donated its time to the Columbus Diaper Coalition, packaging 50,000 diapers in two hours — a feat that typically takes weeks.
- People with developmental disabilities at Goodwill have experienced beautiful proms thanks to one Express group; others at Goodwill were treated to a day of stimulating problem-solving exercises, via a group of Express IT specialists.
- Express associates have helped package thousands of Meals-on-Wheels at LifeCare Alliance.
- One Express department with 150 associates performs a neighborhood takeover every year, fanning out to support community building by doing everything from gardening to painting.
Two individual associates sparked a substantive, committed partnership with Besa, but hundreds of volunteers are keeping those flames stoked.
“I’ve been at the Express home office for two years now, since moving from Michigan. I was introduced to Besa due to the connection Express has with the organization. There have been a few volunteer events that I’ve attended with co-workers, but I have been going to many events by myself or with my daughter. Thanks to Express and Besa, I quickly felt welcomed into the Columbus community and realized that this is home,” says Jessica Cass, Express visual communications coordinator. ●
Nonprofit Board Executive of the Year Awards
James D. Benseler
Immediate past chair, Alvis Inc.
A fter a friend and board trustee asked James D. Benseler to get involved with Alvis Inc., the agency soon discovered “involved” is not a word Benseler takes lightly.
Despite being busy as a managing director for Accenture Strategy, where he travels extensively, Benseler has generously donated his time, money and talent. Benseler was elected to the Alvis board of trustees in 2007, joined the executive committee in 2011 and served as chair from 2015 to 2018 — one year past the normal term. He is currently on the executive committee as immediate past chair.
As chair, he attended virtually every meeting, participated in staff recognition activities and was committed to being at the orientation of new trustees. Benseler also helped champion and promote the agency’s new brand.
His employer, Accenture, became Alvis’ first community partner, after it invested more than $60,000 through direct contributions, in-kind consulting and other services. As a result of Accenture’s recommendations, Alvis began offering more opportunities for training and skills certifications. This, in turn, led to two U.S. Department of Labor grants.
Alvis held its first significant community awareness and fundraising event, Evening of Light, in 2014. Benseler served as event chair from 2015 to 2017. Each year, the funds raised to support Alvis’ family and children’s program significantly exceeded the goals set.
During the decade Benseler has been on the board, Alvis has transformed into an outward-facing, international example of best practices in services for individuals and families impacted by justice involvement and behavioral health care needs. ●
Dr. Keith Berend
Board chair, The New Albany Community Foundation
Dr. Keith Berend gives back to his community in many ways, within New Albany and elsewhere.
Through his work with The New Albany Community Foundation — where he has spent five years on the board and two years as board chair — he and his family have supported New Albany High School and its students through various donations.
Berend and his wife, Cindy, also funded a special exhibition of The Remnant Trust collection. In conjunction with a visit by author and historian Jon Meacham, The Remnant Trust enabled members of the New Albany community to have access to first-edition books and manuscripts from seminal thinkers such as Thomas Jefferson, Aristotle, John Adams and more. The exhibition was on display at the New Albany branch library for the benefit of local students.
Berend and his wife received the McCoy Award in 2016, an honor bestowed by the foundation on those who emulate the values of community engagement.
As an orthopedic surgeon, Berend is in the business of helping people. He is a senior partner at Joint Implant Surgeons Inc. and CEO of White Fence Surgical Suites. Within his profession, Berend helps students develop orthopedic skills by providing scholarships and grants and funding a biology lab at his alma mater, Florida Southern College. He also is involved with Operation Walk USA, which provides free hip and knee care in third-world countries. For the past decade, Berend has helped more than 1,000 patients and families in Guatemala and Nicaragua. ●
Deborah Manos-McHenry
Board chair, American Red Cross – Ohio Buckeye Region
Deborah Manos-McHenry has served passionately as an American Red Cross board member for the past six years. She took her first leadership role as vice chair and is now chair.
A busy executive with Huntington National Bank, Manos-McHenry has made it her mission to donate her time and talent as a volunteer for the American Red Cross – Ohio Buckeye Region. She is often joined by her mother and daughter, who also are Red Cross volunteers.
She makes it a priority to travel around Ohio for important Red Cross meetings and has flown to Washington, D.C. for the American Red Cross Disaster Symposium. Manos-McHenry, executive senior vice president and chief sourcing officer at Huntington, also is a blood drive supporter at her employer and was instrumental in the promotion of Huntington’s Connecting with the Community commercial segment with the American Red Cross.
In addition, Manos-McHenry has been generous with her monetary donations. She is a member of the American Red Cross Tiffany Circle. The Tiffany Circle is a community of women leaders who advance the American Red Cross mission through a focused investment of time, talent and treasure by engaging women locally, nationally and internationally.
In addition to the American Red Cross, Manos-McHenry is involved in the United Way of Central Ohio, the Sourcing Interest Group, Women for Economic and Leadership Development (WELD), the South Central Ohio Minority Supplier Development Council and the Ohio Society of Certified Public Accountants. ●
Craig Marshall
Immediate past chair, United Way of Central Ohio
Craig Marshall’s ability to connect with the agency staff at the United Way of Central Ohio and make them feel appreciated and recognized is something special.
A board member for the past seven years, Marshall has served on the audit, finance, governance and nominating committees, has been on the executive committee since 2013, was board chair from 2014 to 2017, and is now immediate past chair.
When he became board chair, he arranged a meeting to introduce himself. He made a game of asking everyone their favorite candy, and within 48 hours, each staff member — nearly 80 in total — had a note from Marshall with their favorite treat. This is just one example of Marshall’s authentic engagement.
Marshall helped lead the organization through a time of transition when the previous president and CEO, Janet Jackson, retired after 14 years with the organization. The search for her replacement was a year-long undertaking. Marshall was instrumental to this complex process and its successful conclusion.
In addition, Marshall understands board members need to not just govern, but also advocate, volunteer, give and fundraise. He puts those values into action as a member of the champion of children committee, campaign cabinet and as a Tocqueville ambassador.
He also helped the United Way launch a program to raise money from the accounting community. (The EY Columbus office managing partner for nearly 11 years, Marshall is now EY’s Central Region independence consultant.) With support from his peers, firm and individual giving increased, leading to accounting sector growth of more than $100,000. ●
Philanthropist of the Year
Joe Chlapaty
Chairman emeritus, Advanced Drainage Systems Inc.
Joe Chlapaty, who retired as the president and CEO of Advanced Drainage Systems Inc. in 2017 after 37 years, has left his mark on the company and the Central Ohio community. (He continues at ADS as the chairman emeritus.)
He has been a long-time supporter of numerous nonprofits, including the American Heart Association, CASA, I Know I Can, KIPP Columbus, Nationwide Children’s Hospital and the United Way of Central Ohio. He has given generously, whether it’s time, money or expertise.
Chlapaty’s commitment to the American Heart Association started nearly six years ago. He suffered a ministroke in his eye and was diagnosed with atrial fibrillation, which is a quivering or irregular heartbeat. Due to this condition, Chlapaty received a pacemaker — one of the American Heart Association’s many important scientific advances. In the time since, he has helped the nonprofit fund lifesaving science, like the kind of research advancements that saved his life.
In addition to serving on the Columbus affiliate’s board, in 2017, Chlapaty agreed to chair the Central Ohio Heart Ball.
When he learned about the American Heart Association’s Hands-Only CPR Kiosk program, he and ADS teamed up to fund the first Hands-Only CPR Kiosk in Central Ohio, which was installed at John Glenn Columbus International Airport in June. Nearly 90 percent of cardiac arrests happen outside of a hospital, which means people who perform CPR are most likely doing so on someone they know and care about. The Hands-Only CPR Kiosk at the Columbus airport has already trained thousands in this life-saving skill.
As Chlapaty and his wife, Linda, learned more about the American Heart Association and its research, they wanted to do more. In 2018, he and Linda donated the largest individual gift in the history of the American Heart Association. The $6.25 million gift is now funding a strategically focused research network, which is working to improve patient outcomes for those with atrial fibrillation, a cause near and dear to Chlapaty. There are nearly 3 million Americans living with this type of irregular heartbeat, and the impact of the Chlapatys’ gift will affect generations to come.
The American Heart Association hasn’t been the only nonprofit organization touched by Chlapaty’s generosity, either. He gave a multimillion-dollar gift to Nationwide Children’s Hospital to help fund its latest capital campaign and funded KIPP Columbus’ new Sports Complex with a commitment of more than $7 million dollars. The Chlapatys are also members of the Tocqueville Society for the United Way of Central Ohio to help reduce the poverty issues in the community.
Throughout his career, and now in retirement, Chlapaty is determined to make a difference in the lives of people in Central Ohio. ●
Nonprofit Executive Director of the Year Awards
Susan Lewis Kaylor
President and CEO, St. Vincent Family Center
A skilled and experienced leader, Susan Lewis Kaylor has aligned her life’s work to reflect her desire to serve those in need. In her short time since joining St. Vincent Family Center, the president and CEO has focused her leadership around three critical areas: trauma-informed care, staff health and wellness, and a concentrated organizational strategic action plan.
She has a keen eye for organizational planning, doesn’t fear collaboration and believes in organizational learning from missteps, especially during critical transformations.
Kaylor has given St. Vincent Family Center’s business model a more unified approach by developing a strategic business plan, so the organization, which provides residential and daytime mental health and behavioral health treatment for children and youth, can constructively grow in both the immediate and long term.
Kaylor co-leads the trauma-informed care core implementation team, responsible for ensuring the agency is applying trauma-informed practices from the front door to the back office.
Recognizing that secondary trauma and burnout is something the staff experiences, she also connected with Ken Yeager of The Ohio State University’s Wexner Medical Center. Yeager developed a model for Wexner surgical and medical staff experiencing significant secondary trauma in their roles as caregivers. He has since piloted that model with St. Vincent Family Center’s care team, the first of its kind in the field of community mental health. Kaylor believes this peer-support program is a critical step in the direction of caring for the emotional health and wellness of her team. ●
Jerry Saunders Sr.
CEO, Africentric Personal Development Shop Inc.
Jerry Saunders Sr. has led the Africentric Personal Development Shop Inc. for more than 20 years, but the nonprofit has traditionally been better known among its client base than the community at large. APDS is an innovative behavioral health care center specializing in cognitive behavioral therapy for the prevention, treatment of and recovery from addictions.
In 2016, APDS’ board updated its strategic plan, hoping to change APDS’ image as a small community counseling agency.
Under Saunders’ leadership, the organization committed to increasing training and technological resources for three of its most needed and effective programs. As a result, APDS is rapidly growing its reputation in Central Ohio. It has been recognized as a leader in domestic violence programming for male batterers and a leader in youth prevention services relating to substance abuse and violence reduction with the APDS SMART 2.0 Summer Enrichment Program for 120 youth ages 6 to 12. APDS is still working on the effectiveness of its alcohol and other drug treatment programs.
Three years before Ohio’s Medicaid expansion, Saunders also had the vision to have APDS certified to be eligible to bill Medicaid. Although Medicaid reimbursements declined under its recent redesign, APDS is adding medication-assisted treatment to its services. This allows APDS to continue to serve more people and increase its capacity to treat Medicaid-eligible clients.
In addition, Saunders, the nonprofit’s CEO, volunteers on various committee and boards, such as Creative Renovations, which provides accessible and affordable housing for people with disabilities, where he is board vice chairman. This, in turn, increases the awareness of APDS. ●
Kent Clapp CEO Leadership Award
Lisa Hinson
Founder and president, Hinson Ltd Public Relations
Lisa Hinson — who is the founder and president of Hinson Ltd Public Relations, a boutique agency that advises clients on media and community relations, marketing and event management — plays an irreplaceable role in the Pelotonia community. She embodies the nonprofit’s mission of mobilizing purpose-driven communities and accelerating funding for innovative cancer research.
As one of the founders of Girls with Gears, a community Peloton that has raised more than $874,000 for cancer research at The James over the past decade, Hinson has helped to build one of Pelotonia’s most impactful teams. She supports countless other members of the Pelotonia community who want to increase their impact and she’s a constant presence at year-round fundraisers, training rides and events. She has set a phenomenal example for other Pelotonia leaders by empowering women and men to engage with cycling, educating them about safety, and promoting cancer research and prevention.
“It is rare to encounter a leader as remarkable, passionate and invested as Hinson. She is a beacon to the Columbus community and makes a profound impact on each organization she is involved with,” says Doug Ulman, president and CEO of Pelotonia.
In addition to her community leadership through Pelotonia, Hinson serves on the boards of several nonprofits, including The James Cancer Hospital Foundation Board and The Ohio State University Foundation Board. She is a member of the governing committee of The Columbus Foundation and serves as vice chair of the Hinson Family Foundation, a supporting organization of The Columbus Foundation.
Hinson is a recipient of the YWCA Women of Achievement Award.
She also is a former board chair of Experience Columbus, and previously served on the boards of the Columbus School for Girls, the Columbus Symphony Orchestra, the New Albany Children’s Ballet Theatre, the Jeanne B. McCoy Community Center for the Arts and Directions for Youth and Families.
Hinson has been involved with the United Way of Central Ohio and co-chair of several campaigns over the years, including the Young Leadership, Cinquefoil Fellowship and Tocqueville campaigns. She is also a member of National Association of Women Business Owners (NAWBO), Women for Economic and Leadership Development (WELD) and Urban Land Institute (ULI). ●
