76. Janet Jackson
president and CEO, United Way of Central Ohio Inc. (77)
The agency has set 10-year goals that lay out specific benchmarks to be achieved in the areas of education, income, health and home safety. As an example, Jackson wants to reduce by 20 percent the number of households in Franklin County that don’t earn enough income to meet basic needs. The goals will not be easy to achieve as fundraising for 2009-10 was down 16 percent from the prior year. Officials are also concerned that donors are directing their contributions to programs outside of the United Way system.
77. Cameron Mitchell
founder and president, Cameron Mitchell Restaurants LLC (79)
Mitchell’s company is planning to open an eighth Ocean Prime restaurant in Denver in early 2011. Ocean Prime has won several awards across the country, including Best Piano Bar in Tampa, Best Bar in Orlando and Best Dining Service in Columbus. Mitchell himself is serving as chair of the board of trustees for the Culinary Institute of America.
78. Joel Pizzuti
president and COO, The Pizzuti Cos. (99)
The developer was keeping busy as the year wound down. Construction has begun on a 700,000-square-foot warehouse in Marion for Whirlpool Corp., as well as an office complex in the appliance manufacturer’s hometown of Benton Harbor, Mich. Closer to home, Pizzuti has been hired to build a 417,000-square-foot center at the New Albany Business Park for contract packager Accel Inc.
79. Neil Mortine
president and CEO, Fahlgren Mortine (84)
Mortine led the agency’s first acquisition in six years, buying the PR firm Edward Howard. He also spearheaded the purchase of GRIP Technology to bolster his firm’s digital capabilities. Mortine encourages his team to use their skills for “the greater good” and the firm itself has ongoing pro bono relationships with several organizations, including the Franklin Park Conservatory and the Columbus Symphony.
80. Guy Worley
president and CEO, Columbus Downtown Development Corp. and Capital South Community Urban Redevelopment Corp. (80)
Work is continuing on Columbus Commons. The old mall was dismantled beginning in late 2009 and continuing into 2010. A park is scheduled to open in the spring and work is ongoing to bring tenants to the 1.2 million square feet of space.
81. Douglas Morgan
partner, Hahn Loeser & Parks LLP (78)
Morgan was honored with a Community Service Award from the Columbus Bar Association for his contribution of time and service to Central Ohio. He is also involved with the Columbus Chamber of Commerce, where he chairs the Green Council, and the Nationwide Children’s Hospital Foundation.
82. Sheri Tackett
founder and president, Delta Energy LLC (82)
The company broke ground over the summer on its new headquarters in Dublin. The building is expected to be completed in March. A time capsule was left that will be unearthed in 2017 in honor of the company’s 20th anniversary. Among the items in the capsule: Silly Bandz, drawings by the children of employees, a gasoline receipt and natural gas price charts.
83. Robert Trafford
managing partner, Porter Wright Morris & Arthur LLP (75)
His law firm was once again named one of the best in the nation by Chambers USA. He is also a member of the Ohio Business Roundtable, a director with the executive committee of the Columbus Symphony Orchestra and an honorary trustee with the Columbus Council on World Affairs.
84. David Bianconi
founder and CEO, Progressive Medical Inc. (new)
Bianconi was inducted into the Central Ohio Business Hall of Fame this year. Bianconi has helped his company consistently grow and adapt since he launched it as a provider of electromedical equipment in 1986. Bianconi serves on the boards of TechColumbus and Kids Chance Ohio.
85. Robert C. White
co-founder and chairman, The Daimler Group Inc. (87)
A great deal of hard work paid off in January with the opening of the JamesCare Comprehensive Breast Health Center on the old Gowdy Field landfill site. An open house is scheduled for April at the four-floor, 114,000-square-foot center. Daimler worked hard to get EPA-mandated remediation completed to get this project, which includes a new regional headquarters for Time Warner and an eye and ear center for OSU.
86. James Davidson
president and partner, Schottenstein Zox & Dunn (86)
Davidson is coordinator of the employment litigation practice area, focusing on commercial and employment litigation. His firm received numerous accolades in 2010, including being named a top health law firm in Ohio for the sixth year in a row.
87. George Barrett
chairman and CEO, Cardinal Health Inc. (90)
As CEO for most of fiscal 2010, Barrett watched his company register $98.5 billion in revenue, up from $96 billion in fiscal 2009. Barrett is a recipient of the Distinguished Alumni Award of Excellence in Global Business from New York University Stern School of Business and a recipient of an Ellis Island Medal of Honor.
88. Barbara Kunz
president, Health and Life Sciences Global Business, Battelle Memorial Institute (new)
Kunz is replacing Jeff Wadsworth as chairman of the board at The Ohio State University’s Medical Center. She is also a trustee of OSU’s James Cancer Hospital, the Nationwide Children’s Hospital Research Institute Board and is the chair of the technology commercialization subcommittee. Kunz is the chairwoman of the board for BioOhio and chairs that group’s finance and audit subcommittee. BioOhio works to help companies advance in the biosciences industry.
89. Dave Sceva
president, Central Ohio, U.S. Bank (93)
Sceva presented a check in March for $1.05 million to the new Ohio Union. A total of $500,000 will go to the new Union and the balance will benefit more than 900 student organizations at OSU. The Union, a focal point for student life, activities and organizations, is recognizing the support by naming its theater in honor of U.S. Bank. The theater hosts movie showings and a lecture series and will now be known as the U.S. Bank Conference Theater.
90. Alex Fischer
president and CEO, Columbus Partnership (100)
Fischer’s organization is a collection of top executives from Central Ohio’s largest companies. It has set a goal of raising $30 million over the next five years to help spur economic development in Ohio.
91. John McEwan
managing partner, Deloitte LLP’s Central Ohio practice (91)
McEwan’s team moved into a new building in 2010 that Deloitte calls an “office of the future.” Designers focused on creating a space that would be sustainable and foster a collaborative environment that includes all of the necessary technology and features employees need to succeed.
92. Deborah Pryce
senior public policy adviser, SZD Whiteboard (new)
SZD Whiteboard is a consulting enterprise with roots in Schottenstein Zox & Dunn. Pryce brings both leadership and legislative experience to the table, having served as House Conference Chair, the highest-ranking woman in the history of the U.S. House of Representatives.
93. Adam Heeter
CEO, Oxford Consulting Group Inc. (new)
Heeter graduated from Leadership Columbus, an intensive 10-month program meant to develop informed and committed leaders in the Columbus area. He manages all Oxford business units and functional disciplines, including sales and client delivery, and has played a central role in Oxford’s dramatic growth.
94. Tom Krouse
CEO, Donatos Pizza (new)
Krouse took over as CEO in October. Before this, he headed up the development of Donatos’ new brand concept, franchise growth strategy and started the Jane’s Dough Foods business unit. Now, he is primarily concentrating on growing the Donatos brand through franchising as the pizza chain currently holds development rights for an additional 250 franchise stores.
95. Sue Zazon
president and CEO, FirstMerit Bank, Columbus region (96)
Zazon and FirstMerit Bank were recognized for their contributions to the Madison County Hospital Foundation. On the financial front, the bank reported third quarter net income of $29 million, down from the previous quarter but up from the $22.8 million registered in the third quarter of 2009.
96. Debra Penzone
president, Charles Penzone Family of Salons (97)
Penzone continues to be a visible presence in the Columbus region trying to help and inspire people to succeed. She is on the board of Dress for Success Columbus, an organization that helps give women the skills they need to achieve in today’s business world.
97. Philip R. Smith II
office managing partner, KPMG (new)
Smith is a big believer in giving back to the community. He donates his time to Big Brothers Big Sisters of Central Ohio and mentors Central Ohio youth weekly through the Project Mentor program. He has been an integral member of KPMG Columbus’s United Way campaign, which has raised more than $125,000 each of the past two years.
98. Martin Inglis
executive vice president, CFO, Battelle Memorial Institute (new)
Inglis made lovers of classical music throughout Columbus very happy through his efforts to help the Columbus Symphony Orchestra erase a projected $1.5 million deficit. Cost-cutting, corporate support and taxpayer dollars all helped the cash-strapped musical entity end its 2009-10 season with a surplus of about $200,000. Inglis’ own company, Battelle, stepped up with $900,000 of support and Inglis was named chairman of the symphony’s board.
99. Thomas M. Zaino
managing member, Columbus, McDonald Hopkins LLC (new)
Zaino is not only well known in the business community in Columbus, but he is also a nationally recognized expert on multistate tax issues. He heads the law firm’s Columbus office, is chair of the firm’s multistate tax practice and is on the firm’s board of directors. He is also a sought-after tax expert in Ohio for companies and business owners facing tax audits or needing state tax policy changes.
100. Jim Tressel
football coach, The Ohio State University (new)
You’re not a leader if you don’t have people to follow you, right? Well, Tressel has more than 100,000 people following him every Saturday in the fall. They wear vests and cheer on his team during the game and then they solemnly sing “Carmen Ohio” with his boys after the game is over. Most of all, of course, they adore him for going 9-1 against that school up north. But it’s about more than football with Tressel. He’s active throughout the Columbus community with numerous charitable causes, and he’s a big reason why OSU’s athletic department is so successful and generates so much revenue. So he belongs on our list.
