March-April 2011 Follow the Leader!

Welcome to the March-April 2011 edition of Leadership Columbus’ Follow the Leader enewsletter.

If you have any questions about any announcements in our newsletter or you’d like to place a news items, contact Max Moore by the 10th of every month.

Leadership Columbus’ mission is to develop leaders who are well informed, committed and passionately engaged in creating a vital and thriving community for current and future generations.

Recruiting Deadline Approaching for the Class of 2012

We are in full-on recruitment mode for our 2012 class. If you know someone who you feel demonstrates a strong commitment to civic involvement and is ready to take their leadership ability to the next level, tell them about the program and how it can help expand and hone their leadership skills. Individuals interested in applying can check out the Leadership Columbus website, where they can also download the application. The application deadline is Monday, April 18, 2011.

Executive Director Laurie Marsh to Receive Women of Achievement Award

The Leadership Columbus Board of Trustees is pleased to have its executive director Laurie Stein Marsh named a YWCA Woman of Achievement for 2011, along with board member Patti Eshman, assistant vice president of community relations at Grange Insurance. The luncheon celebration will be on Wednesday, April 6, 2011. For more details and to purchase tickets, visit the YWCA website. Congratulations to Laurie and Patti!

Save the Date – 2011 Best Party Ever – Thursday, August 25, 2011

Mark your calendars now for our 4th Annual Best Party Ever. This summer party gets bigger and better each year and is a great way to enjoy some great food and drink while connecting with Leadership Columbus supporters and alumni and community stakeholders. Location and details forthcoming!

Class of 2011 Activities

Group Project Spotlight: Pelatonia for Children

Group members: Chris O’Shaughnessy, Jim Lynch, Jill Sustar, Ben Hartings, Domonic Deluca and Dan Creekmur.

Using our community contacts, collective education and experience as well as the Leadership Columbus platform, our group collaborated with Pelotonia to plan a bicycle ride event specifically for children between the ages of two and twelve that teaches the importance of civic responsibility, charitable giving and a healthy lifestyle. Specifically, our group prepared a business plan for an event in Central Ohio that will allow children to raise funds for necessary cancer research while promoting exercise and fitness by participating in a non-competitive, age appropriate ride- ranging from a quarter-mile ride to potentially 10 miles. The event is currently being planned for May of 2012.

We have formed a 501(c)(3) organization to manage the event and its liabilities, surveyed hundreds of parents for input as to suitable date, ride length, rider recruitment and fundraising projections, and sought out sponsors to finance the administration of the event. Members of the group researched benchmarks from similar events in other locations to learn from their successes and failures. Through anticipated corporate sponsorships, every dollar raised by the riders’ fundraising efforts will go directly to fund cancer research in the hopes of preventing and curing cancer. A report will be presented to the Executive Director of Pelotonia and the Leadership Columbus Class of 2011 in May of 2011.

Professional Updates

Doug Frazier (’01) is the co- owner of FrazierHeiby, Inc., formerly Clary Communications. Doug acts as Chief Creative Officer and co-owner Tom Heiby is CEO. Doug can be reached at info@frazierheiby.com.
Erika Haupt (‘00) has been named partner-in-charge at Roetzel and Andress LPA. Erika has been at the firm since 2004 and is recognized as one of the Top 25 Female Lawyers in Columbus and Top 50 Female Lawyers in Ohio. She is also a recipient of Columbus Business First’s Forty Under 40 award. Erika can be reached at ehaupt@ralaw.com.
Janine Hancock Jones (’10) has joined the law firm of Bricker & Eckler LLP as a member of the Employment and Labor group. Prior to joining the firm, she served as the senior advisor and deputy legal counsel to former Ohio Governor Ted Strickland. Janine was a recipient of Columbus Business First’s “Forty Under 40” award and has been named a “Rising Star” by Ohio Super Lawyers since 2005. She can be reached at jjones@bricker.com.
Michelle Mooney (’05) is the new owner of The Olive Orchard, a Columbus-based curator/importer of award-winning extra virgin olive oils from around the world. Michelle was formerly with the Wexner Center for the Arts. She can be reached at mmooney@theoliveorchard.com.
Greg Overmyer (‘96) recently launched an independent insurance agency – Overmyer Associates. Greg’s brother Dan Overmyer (’08) has also joined the company .The Columbus-based company specializes in commercial, personal property and casualty insurance. Greg and Dan can be reached at info@oh-ins.com or 614-453-4400. The Overmyers are actively involved in the central Ohio community, serving on the boards of Columbus Chamber, United Way of Central Ohio, The American Red Cross of Columbus and the Columbus Symphony Orchestra.
Jeff Redfield (‘01) has moved to a new job as director of development for the Grange Insurance Audubon Center. Jeff was previously director for development for 8 years at CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocates) for Children. He can be reached at jredfield@audubon.org.
Ryan Sherman (’11) was recently made a partner at Porter Wright. Ryan concentrates his practice on complex commercial disputes, with a focus on construction matters and intellectual property litigation. An active member of the community, Ryan is a mentor for the Ohio Supreme Court Lawyer to Lawyer Mentoring Program, a contributor to the Pro Bono Tenants’ Advocacy Project and Collections Defense Project. Additionally, he has been named a “Rising Star” by Ohio Super Lawyers since 2009. He can be reached at rsherman@porterwright.com.

Trusteeship Opportunities/Board Member Positions

Paul Haggard (‘03) was recently appointed to the St. Stephen’s Community House Board of Trustees. Paul is manager of community affairs for Sterling Commerce and can be reached at pauldhaggard@gmail.com.

Alison Barrett (‘05) has been appointed to the Thurber House Board of Trustees.

Bill Kiefaber (’02) was appointed as the Communications Chair for the Columbus Chapter of the Entrepreneur’s Organization.

The Columbus Center for Human Services has openings on its board of trustees. CCHS is a not-for-profit organization that provides care and activities for developmentally disabled adults. The Center employs over 400 individuals and operates both residential and community-based services. It also provides recreational and employment opportunities through its Open Door Art Studio and The Career and Activity Center. Rather, anyone interested in serving on the Board can contact Dave McCarty (’06) at dmccarty@keglerbrown.com or 614-462-5469. You can also visit the following websites for more information on CCHS: thecareerandactivitycenter.com, opendoorartstudio.org, or cchs-col.org.

Are you involved with a non-profit that is seeking volunteers and/or trustees? Let us know and we will include such opportunities in future newsletters.

LC Membership Association

The mission of our Membership Association is to enhance and connect alumni, other community trustees and Leadership Columbus stakeholders. For yearly dues of just $50.00, you will receive this newsletter, get discounts to the annual Best Party Ever, and be kept informed of upcoming alumni events, educational/social opportunities and timely articles that will enhance your leadership capacity.

Become a 2011 alumni member of Leadership Columbus today by using our online form.