CEOs come and go. Leaders endure.
That’s a lesson Central Ohio has learned in the past couple years as a handful of revered executives — Paula Spence, John H. McConnell, Dimon McFerson and David Lauer, to name a few — have stepped down, but not out of the business community. Their influence remains strong.
And they continue to hold a spot among those who make things happen in corporate Columbus.
Joining them on SBN‘s Power 100 list this year are a select group of executives who fit into at least one of the following categories: they personally affect government policies, legislation or regulation changes that impact business; they have or know how to get money invested in local businesses; they control or know how to get media coverage; they actively advise, mentor or serve on the boards of area businesses; they are outspoken in their industry and/or the local business community.
Many of the names you’d expect, such as Les Wexner, John Wolfe, Frank Wobst and the Schottensteins, are on this list, but they’re not all ranked in the top 10 — or even the top 50, for that matter. We’ve also found for you numerous lesser-known but surprisingly influential executives like Curt Loveland, Karen McVey, Kyle Katz, John Rosenberger and Olin Jones.
These are people you should know. They are the executives whose actions and opinions are heeded most in this city. They’re committed. They’re connected. They are the real leaders of Central Ohio’s business community.
1. Les Wexner
chairman and CEO
The Limited Inc. and Intimate Brands Inc.
2. John F. Wolfe
chairman, publisher and CEO
The Dispatch Printing Co.
3. Alex Shumate
managing partner, Columbus office
Squire, Sanders & Dempsey LLP
Shumate’s high rank within the inner circle of corporate Columbus is becoming increasingly clear. Not only is he chairman of the Greater Columbus Chamber of Commerce, but he’s a trustee of the Capitol South Community Urban Redevelopment Corp. and a director of The Limited Inc.
In addition, Shumate monitors legislative proposals on behalf of the Ohio Chamber of Commerce and regularly represents developers and real estate clients before local as well as county zoning and tax abatement agencies.
4. Ron Pizzuti
chairman and CEO
The Pizzuti Cos.
5. Roger Geiger
state director
National Federation of Independent Business — Ohio
6. Sally Jackson
president and CEO
Greater Columbus Chamber of Commerce
7. Bea Wolper
partner
Chester, Willcox & Saxbe LLP
8. Mark Barbash
director
Columbus Department of Trade and Development
At the rate this city is growing, Barbash can’t help but have an impact on the business community. Consider just two of his departments: The Downtown Development Office, which is working with businesses toward improvements, and the Business Development Office, which assists business expansion and central city revitalization in areas including I-670, North and South Linden, the airport and the south and west sides of the city.
Enforcement of Columbus’ building and zoning codes also falls under his jurisdiction. Outside the office, he is a founding board member of the Columbus Urban Growth Corp. and a board member of the Ohio Foundation for Entrepreneurial Education.
9. Bob Taft
governor
State of Ohio
10. Richard Sensenbrenner
chairman
Columbus City Council Development Committee
Columbus City Council Appropriations Committee
11. Mike Coleman
mayor
City of Columbus
12. George Jenkins
partner
Vorys, Sater, Seymour and Pease LLP
Jenkins is firmly entrenched in the city’s private investment community, serving as an adviser and financier for numerous promising companies in Central Ohio. Last year, he helped round up $3 million in financing for Ultryx Corp., including funds from John Wolfe’s investment company, The Ohio Partners — marking Wolfe’s first investment in a Central Ohio business.
Jenkins also worked with former Scotts Co. chairman Tadd Seitz in the Ultryx deal, as well as former Ultimate Software Group managing partner Tariq Farwana. Jenkins, Seitz and Farwana also invested together in EC Next, a local e-publishing company lead by former Trade Point USA director Randy Smith. Clearly, when Jenkins sees potential in a firm, other business leaders pay attention.
13. Tadd Seitz
founder
Bridlespur Partners
14. Rich Langdale
founder
NCT Ventures
Langdale was relatively unknown in the business community until a couple years ago, despite the fact that he’d already built his first company, Digital Storage Inc., into one of the largest distributors of computer storage products in the world. What caught the corporate community’s eye in 1999 was Langdale’s ability to raise $75 million in venture capital for his start-up online fulfillment business, SubmitOrder.com.
Equally impressive was the group of Silicon Valley investors that funded his venture; former Netscape president Jim Barksdale was among them. Clearly, Langdale has the right connections.
Today he is founder and CEO of NCT Ventures, an investment and operating company which includes in its portfolio such familiar names as Retail Planning Associates and EnergyGateway.com.
15. Jack Kessler
chairman
The New Albany Co.
16. Curt Loveland
partner
Porter, Wright, Morris & Arthur LLP
17. Karen McVey
CEO
Women in New Growth Stages
18. Friedl Bohm
chairman
NBBJ
19. & 20. Jan Allen & Curt Steiner
president & CEO, respectively
HMS Success
21. & 22. Paul Tipps & Neil Clark
principals
State Street Consultants
Super-lobbyists Tipps and Clark come from opposite ends of the political spectrum, but that’s exactly what makes them such great business partners. Together, Tipps, a former chairman of the Ohio Democratic Party, and Clark, a former chief operating officer of the Ohio Senate Republican Caucus, have virtually cornered the market on high-powered political persuasion.
No wonder their firm, State Street Consultants, has represented high-profile clients including The Limited, Bank One, AT&T and Riverside and Grant hospitals in various capacities. Not only do these guys have access to the state’s top politicians, but they can deftly weave their way through the most complex bureaucratic maze, helping their clients win state contracts as well as legislative fights.
23. Linda Hondros
president
Hondros College
In the past couple of years, Hondros has taken the lead in small business development in Central Ohio. She’s become very active in the Greater Columbus and Ohio chambers initiatives along that line. And she’s even bent Bob Taft’s ear as a member of the Governor’s Small Business Advisory Council and co-chair of its work force development committee.
24. Kurt Tunnell
administrative partner
Bricker & Eckler LLP
25. Roger Blackwell
president
Blackwell Associates Inc.
26. Don M. Casto III
president
Don M. Casto Organization
27. Sandy Dickinson
executive director
Ohio Foundation for Entrepreneurial Education
28. Curt Moody
president and CEO
Moody/Nolan Ltd.
29. Jeff Keeler
chairman and CEO
The Fishel Co.
30. Bob Walter
chairman and CEO
Cardinal Health Inc.
31. Dimon McFerson
retired chairman
Nationwide
32. Nancy Kramer
founder, president and CEO
Resource Marketing Inc.
33. Brad Beasecker
president
Helston Capital Group
If you want to talk investments, this is the guy to know.
Beasecker is not only the co-founder and president of Helston Capital Group, a private investment banking firm, he’s also the chief executive of OhioAngels.com, a growing Web site dedicated to hooking up private investors with promising entrepreneurs. In addition, he’s vice president of ResearchStock.com, a company whose niche is providing research on small- and mid-cap stocks that can be good investments, yet are typically overlooked by Wall Street analysts.
As if that’s not enough involvement in the financial arena, Beasecker recently ended his stint as chairman of the Columbus Investment Interest Group (since renamed the Columbus Venture Network), but remains active in the chamber-affiliated organization of private investors.
34. Brit Kirwan
president
The Ohio State University
35. Frank Wobst
chairman and CEO
Huntington Bancshares Inc.
36. Mike Mizesko
president
OhioAngels.com
Look for Mizesko to make his mark in the state’s investment and entrepreneur communities as his OhioAngels.com Web site passes the launch stage. In less than one year, the site he founded has grown to 100,000 hits per month.
Mizesko’s assembled a high-powered advisory group, including former CompuServe CEO Bob Massey, who is now chairman of CallTech Communications Inc., and Rich Langdale, founder of SubmitOrder.com and NCT Ventures. Mizesko also is active in Columbus Venture Network, the former Columbus Investment Interest Group of the Greater Columbus Chamber of Commerce, and is part of the planning group for Innovest, an annual venture capital conference that’s been making waves in Ohio.
37. Terry Foegler
president
Campus Partners for Community Urban Redevelopment Inc.
38. James Conrad
administrator and CEO
Ohio Bureau of Workers’ Compensation
39. Pete Klisares
principal
MIGG Capital
As we predicted last year, Klisares has remained active — and influential — in the business community even though he’s not in the limelight as much since he left executive posts at Karrington Health (now Sunrise Assisted Living) and Worthington Industries. He continues to serve on the boards of Huntington Bancshares, Dominion Homes, Sunrise and MPW as well as two out-of-state companies. In addition, he’s been a consultant and private investor in a few other firms, including one being started by former Karrington CEO Richard Slager.
40. Lewis Smoot Sr.
president
Smoot Corp.
41. Tanny Crane
president
Crane Plastics Holding Co.
42. Dwight Smith
president and CEO
Sophisticated Systems Inc.
43. Jack Ruscilli
CEO
Ruscilli Construction Co. Inc.
44. John Christie
president
JMAC Inc.
45. Kyle Katz
president
The Katz Interests Inc. and New World Restaurants Inc.
46. Frank Kass
CEO
Continental Real Estate Cos.
47. Maury Cox
president
The Ohio Partners LLC
48. Cheryl Krueger-Horn
president and CEO
Cheryl&Co.
49. Dick Emens
partner
Chester, Willcox & Saxbe LLP
50. Bill Lhota
executive vice president
AEP
51. Jeff Wilkins
chairman and CEO
Metatec Corp.
52. Herb Glimcher
chairman, president and CEO
Glimcher Realty Trust
53. Bob Weiler Sr.
chairman
The Robert Weiler Co.
54. John H. McConnell
chairman emeritus and founder
Worthington Industries
55. Benjamin Zox
president and CEO
Schottenstein, Zox & Dunn LPA
56. George Skestos
founder
Homewood Corp.
Although he’s officially retired from Homewood, Skestos is still highly sought after for the business knowledge he brings to the table. That’s obvious from the boards upon which he serves. They include Huntington Bancshares, Central Benefits, Midland Financial, The Ohio State University, CAPA and the Columbus Museum of Art.
57. Don Shackelford
chairman
Fifth Third Bank, Central Ohio
58. David Lauer
retired president
Bank One, Columbus, NA
59. Pat Dugan
partner
Squires, Sanders & Dempsey LLP
60. John Rosenberger
executive director
Capitol South Community Urban Redevelopment Corp.
Rosenberger’s organization is involved in redevelopment activities in the city’s central business district, bordered by I-670 on the north, I-71 on the east, I-70 on the south and the railroad behind COSI on the west. Under Capital South’s auspices is the Capital Crossroads Special Improvement District of Columbus, focusing on a 25-square-block area in the heart of downtown.
Capitol South also holds a membership in The Downtown South Association, working to rejuvenate the area connecting Downtown and German Village. In the game of business development in Columbus’ center city, Rosenberger is a key player.
61. Sam Gresham Jr.
president and CEO
Columbus Urban League
62. Paula Spence
retired vice chair
HMS Partners
63. Sandy Harbrecht
president
Paul Werth Associates Inc.
64. Timothy O’Dell
president and CEO
Fifth Third Bank, Central Ohio
Late last year, 19-year Fifth Third veteran O’Dell was named president and CEO of the company’s Central Ohio bank operations. As the banking landscape continues to change in Columbus, look for O’Dell to make an impression in the business realm and the community.
Already he serves on the development board of trustees of Columbus State Community College and is a trustee of the Columbus Council on World Affairs and Life Care Alliance.
65. Robert Schottenstein
president
M/I Schottenstein Homes Inc.
66. Larry Hilsheimer
managing partner, Columbus office
Deloitte & Touche LLP
67. David Milenthal
chairman
HMS Partners
68. Bill Wilkins
president and CEO
OhioHealth
69. Gary Glaser
chairman
National City Bank
70. Bill Habig
executive director
Mid-Ohio Regional Planning Commission
71. Artie Isaac
president
Young Isaac Inc.
72. Bill Schottenstein
owner
Arshot Investment Corp.
73. Blane Walter
chairman and CEO
Gerbig, Snell/Weisheimer & Associates
Fast growth at GSW means a widening sphere of influence for Walter, who in the past four years has led the company’s expansion from 50 to more than 400 employees and to estimated capitalized billings of more than $500 million. Already he serves on the boards of directors for The Arthur G. James Cancer Hospital Foundation and the Columbus Foundation, and he’s a member of the Young President’s Organization. Walter’s specific knowledge of business development, having grown GSW to top spots in his industry — both statewide and internationally — should be in high demand.
74. Jerry Jurgensen
CEO
Nationwide
Watch Jurgensen’s moves as he steps into the traditionally high-profile slot as head of Nationwide. Don’t expect him to step into retired CEO Dimon McFerson’s shoes; he’ll forge a path all his own. If his history in Chicago, where he was executive vice president of Bank One Corp., is any indication, he won’t shy away from the local community.
In Columbus, he was appointed to the Greater Columbus Chamber of Commerce board of directors soon after he walked through the doors at Nationwide; watch for more participation in other areas.
75. Bob Maynard
partner
Vorys, Sater, Seymour and Pease
76. Carol Sheehan
managing partner
Carlile, Patchen & Murphy LLP
77. Paula Inniss
president
Ohio Full Court Press
78. Cameron Mitchell
president
Cameron Mitchell Restaurants LLC
79. John P. McConnell
chairman and CEO
Worthington Industries
80. Sue Doody
president
Lindey’s Grant Avenue Investments
81. J. Daniel Schmidt
president
Downtown South Association
As revitalization and development spreads from the Arena to the Brewery District, Schmidt will have his hands full improving and promoting the Downtown South area as a link between Downtown Columbus and German Village.
82. Peg Mativi
owner and CEO
Solutions Staffing
83. Jim Robbins
managing partner, Columbus office
PricewaterhouseCoopers
84. & 85. Ken Mills & Cameron James
president and CEO, respectively
Mills/James Productions Inc.
86. Al Dietzel
vice president of public affairs
The Limited Inc.
87. Kelly Borth
president
Greencrest
88. Audrey Weil
general manager
CompuServe
89. & 90. Nick Bandy & Doug McIntyre
partners
Zero Base Advertising Inc.
91. Tami Longaberger
president and CEO
The Longaberger Co.
92. Rosa Smith
superintendent
Columbus Public Schools
Smith continues to increase her role in the business community in an effort to provide high quality graduates to fill the abundance of jobs in our city. Already a member of the chamber’s Workforce Leadership Council, Smith teamed up with chamber executives this past year to refocus the Adopt-A-School program, which was renamed Partners in Education. Expect more initiatives of this nature from Smith in the coming year.
93. Paul Otte
president
Franklin University
94. Melinda Carter
director
Equal Business Opportunity Commission
City of Columbus
95. Hal Miksch
president
Main Street Connection LLC
96. Frank Henson
executive director
Industry & Technology Council of Central Ohio
97. Bob Bender
chairman, president and CEO
Lord, Sullivan & Yoder
98. Patrick Grabill
president
King Thompson, Realtors
99. Olin Jones
president
Capitol Square Ltd.
When Arshot Investments sold its interest in the Brewers Yard development to Capitol Square Ltd. at the close of last year, it left Jones in full control. Not only will Capitol Square, a wholly owned subsidiary of The Dispatch Printing Co., build the apartment units it had originally planned for the area, but it will now oversee the commercial and retail development of the 27-acre site adjacent to the Brewery District. This is already shaping up to be one high-profile project.
100. Bill Patterson
president
Reputation Management Associates
A sampling from Patterson’s client list leaves no question about his connections in the business community: AEP, Bob Evans Restaurants, the Greater Columbus Chamber of Commerce, Dominion Homes, Executive Jet, Nationwide Insurance, PricewaterhouseCoopers and Techneglas. Nancy Byron ([email protected]) is editor of SBN Magazine in Columbus. Joan Slattery Wall ([email protected]) is associate editor.
