26. Peter Geier
CEO, OSU Health System; COO, OSU Medical Center (20)
Geier pointed to increased demand for patient services as a key reason for OSU’s foray into the retail health clinic business. Two FastCare centers opened at Giant Eagle grocery stores in the Columbus area, geared to treat ailments and conditions that do not require a trip to the emergency room.
27. Russell Gertmenian
managing partner, Vorys, Sater, Seymour and Pease LLP (27)
Gertmenian’s law firm was one of a dozen Columbus-area firms to take part in a scholarship drive for The Ohio State University Moritz College of Law. He continues as a board member with the Columbus Metropolitan Library Foundation and is also part of the Ohio Business Roundtable.
28. Rob Portman
U.S. senator, Ohio (new)
Portman is a familiar name to Ohioans and to those who follow the national political scene. While he is one Republican replacing another, taking over for retired Senator George Voinovich, Portman still rode the wave of voter frustration with the Democrats. He successfully hammered Lee Fisher on his failure to create jobs for Ohioans, so we’ll see how Portman fares in helping people get back to work. Like Kasich, results will be expected quickly.
29. Linda Heasley
chairman and CEO, Limited Stores (30)
The company has relocated to new headquarters in New Albany and is riding a wave of fresh energy. Heasley is confident she can build on the fact that the company turned a profit for the first time in 16 years and continue the women’s clothing retailer’s success.
30. Jack Kessler
owner, John W. Kessler Co.; chairman, The New Albany Co. (24)
Kessler was one of a number of Columbus business leaders to co-host a pre-election fundraiser last October for new U.S. House Speaker John Boehner. Otherwise, Kessler kept a rather low profile in 2010.
31. Doug Kridler
president and CEO, The Columbus Foundation (31)
Kridler leads the ninth-largest community foundation in the United States. The group has committed $500,000 to the Great Needs Challenge, which helps those in need with health care, housing, food and work assistance. Kridler also serves on the board and executive committee of Compete Columbus, a leadership group working to develop a regional economic development strategy.
32. John P. McConnell
chairman and CEO, Worthington Industries Inc.; majority owner, Columbus Blue Jackets (35)
Worthington began to turn things around in 2010, recovering from what the company described as its worst year ever. While net sales fell to $1.9 billion from $2.6 billion in 2009, the company realized net earnings of $51.5 million, compared to a loss of $103.7 million in 2009. As for the Blue Jackets, McConnell posted a video on the team’s website expressing cautious optimism about the team’s future in Columbus and thanking fans for their continued support. But he also called on other community leaders to step up and work with him to find a solution to the team’s arena issues.
33. Jeffrey Wadsworth
president and CEO, Battelle Memorial Institute (39)
Wadsworth was named to the board of trustees at The Ohio State University as well as to President Obama’s National Advisory Council on Innovation and Entrepreneurship. The council supports the Obama administration’s innovation strategy by helping to develop policies to foster entrepreneurship and help get new ideas from the lab to the marketplace.
34. Roger Geiger
Ohio executive director, National Federation of Independent Business (34)
Geiger worked hard to help John Kasich unseat Ted Strickland and become Ohio’s new governor. One of his key talking points was a need for lower taxes in Ohio to help smaller businesses. He also encouraged business groups to let their voices be heard when it comes to endorsing candidates for public office.
35. John B. Gerlach Jr.
chairman, president and CEO, Lancaster Colony Corp. (32)
Lancaster’s net sales for fiscal 2010, which closed at the end of June, once again topped $1 billion and grew 0.5 percent over fiscal 2009. Gerlach continues to focus on staying flexible to accommodate future growth potential. He also remains active with the Dean’s Advisory Council for The Ohio State University Fisher College of Business.
36. Boyce Safford III
director, Columbus Department of Development (36)
Safford took part in an economic development round table in April with other city leaders to discuss strategies for job retention, creation and attraction. He also called on additional funding to be allocated to social service agencies to help them meet an increased demand for their services.
37. Gene Smith
director of athletics, The Ohio State University (38)
Smith is chairman of the NCAA Men’s Basketball Committee for the 2010-11 academic year, a term which began last September. So you can look for Smith next month on CBS as he reviews this year’s selection process for March Madness. Smith also received a pay raise at OSU that makes him one of the highest paid athletic directors in the country, according to the Associated Press. Smith manages a $120 million budget with 36 intercollegiate sports, the most of any athletic department in the nation.
38. Larry Hilsheimer
president and COO, Nationwide Direct & Customer Solutions (41)
Hilsheimer is focused on Internet strategy and operations, affinity, strategic alliances, and Nationwide’s call-center-based sales units. In addition, he oversees Nationwide Bank, Nationwide Better Health, Veterinary Pet Insurance and Nationwide’s Customer Services organization. He also sits on the Dean’s Advisory Council at the OSU Fisher College of Business and is a board member of The Ohio State University Alumni Association.
39. Jack Ruscilli
chairman, Ruscilli Construction Co. Inc. (40)
Ruscilli continues to serve as chairman and work with the fourth generation at Ruscilli’s to lead the construction firm. The company took on a $24.4 million construction project in late 2009 to gut Cunz Hall at The Ohio State University and recycled much of the old material from the building to show the benefit of doing so.
40. Lewis Smoot Sr.
chairman and CEO, Smoot Construction Co. (33)
Smoot has stepped down from his role as president at Smoot Construction Co. and passed the reins to his nephew, Mark Cain, who has led the company’s office in Washington, D.C., for several years.
41. Michael Gonsiorowski
Central Ohio regional president, PNC Financial Services Group Inc. (42)
The PNC Foundation committed $250,000 in grants to BalletMet Columbus and the Center of Science and Industry for programming that will help prepare area preschoolers to succeed in school. The program incorporates creative movement and science into learning activities designed to engage their minds and bodies. This represents the first major grant effort by PNC in the Columbus area. Gonsiorowski has also been serving as chair of the board of trustees for United Way of Central Ohio. As for PNC, the company reported a slight dip in revenue but a larger gain in net income for the first three quarters of 2010.
42. David Milenthal
CEO, The Milenthal Group (43)
Milenthal and his company were big supporters of both Gov. Ted Strickland and Lt. Gov. Lee Fisher, who were ousted in the November election. Otherwise, Milenthal kept a rather low profile in 2010.
43. Kurt Tunnell
managing partner, Bricker & Eckler LLP (45)
Tunnell was elected managing partner at the firm in February 2010. He spoke last spring to the Ohio Chemistry Technology Council about the potential impact of the 2010 election on chemical manufacturers. Tunnell remains a respected voice in the Columbus region and is being looked to for guidance at Bricker & Eckler.
44. Abigail Wexner
founder and chair, Columbus Coalition Against Family Violence (50)
Wexner continues to serve as the chair of Nationwide Children’s Hospital and the Center for Child and Family Advocacy and is the founding chair of KidsOhio.org. The latter group has been busy in 2010 advocating for students in Ohio’s schools and raising awareness in less-publicized issues, such as the growing poverty in Ohio’s suburban school districts.
45. Michael Morris
chairman, president and CEO, AEP (51)
AEP reached $13.5 billion in 2009 revenue and was on pace to top that figure after the third quarter of 2010. Morris is leading efforts to develop an advanced interstate high-voltage transmission system that is both reliable and efficient. Morris is chairman of the Columbus Downtown Development Corp. and Capitol South.
46. Curt Steiner
senior vice president for government affairs, The Ohio State University (46)
Steiner continues to strengthen OSU’s ties with government and civic leaders. His efforts have led to formal recognition of OSU by Ohio’s Board of Regents as the state’s national research university. OSU is using this position to push an aggressive agenda at the congressional level.
47. Nancy Kramer
founder and CEO, Resource Interactive (47)
Kramer leads the largest independent, woman-owned agency in the United States. Her company has been chosen by Advertising Age as one of five agencies on its way to the top.
48. Chester R. Jourdan Jr.
executive director, Mid-Ohio Regional Planning Commission (48)
Jourdan was elected to the American Highway Users Alliance Board in October. The advocacy organization promotes safe, uncongested highways and enhanced freedom of mobility. His term will run through 2013.
49. Dwight Smith
founder and CEO, Sophisticated Systems (49)
Smith took part in a panel discussion at The Ohio State University in late November to discuss the state of the national economy. The discussion, which included Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke, focused on the importance of finding a way to create new jobs. Smith said his IT company is taking advantage of every opportunity it can to drive new business.
50. Gene T. Harris
superintendent, Columbus City Schools (74)
Harris was honored in February with the Community Leadership Award presented by the Key Club at an event hosted by Les and Abigail Wexner. Harris was also rewarded for her efforts to move the school district from academic emergency to continuous improvement with a new four-year contract that also included a pay raise. Harris had deferred previous votes by the board to give her a salary bump.
