CEO of the Year 2023: Meet Our 12 Finalists From the For-Profit and Nonprofit Sectors

Columbus CEO’s 13th annual CEO of the Year awards honor four winners and 12 finalists from for-profit and nonprofit companies around Central Ohio. They are divided into four categories: Large and Small For-Profit, and Large and Small Nonprofit.

Here are our 2023 finalists, who—like our winners—were selected by their C-suite peers in our annual survey of economic conditions.

LARGE FOR-PROFIT FINALISTS

Scott Barbour

President and CEO, Advanced Drainage Systems Inc.

Scott Barbour is a believer in data-driven decision making. He’s been in the top executive post at 5,000-employee Advanced Drainage Systems Inc. since joining the company in 2017.

“I have a strong commitment to building a high-performing culture and the company’s role in helping to protect the environment, primarily through water management and the use of recycled plastic material in ADS products,” he says. “Taking a long-term view and developing clear strategies will be how we’re successful in reaching company goals and outpacing the competition.”

Barbour, 61, has a bachelor’s in mechanical engineering from Southern Methodist University and an MBA from Vanderbilt University’s Owen Graduate School of Management.

He is a member of the Columbus Partnership, and his board service includes Allison Transmission, Buddy Up Tennis Inc. and Recreation Unlimited.

Advice on leadership: “Be visible and over-communicate key messages. Create your messaging based on the main objectives you are trying to drive, while knowing your audience. Share them throughout the organization consistently and incessantly. It’s important that everyone understands the strategy and how their role supports that strategy. We are all part of a team, working together to drive growth.”

Lara DeLeone

Market president of Central Ohio and managing director, senior vice president public sector, KeyBank

Lara DeLeone likes to lead by example. “I lead from the front by taking action, facilitating open communication, delegating and finding strengths of other team members and keeping everyone organized to make sure we’re all on the same page and contributing equally.”

DeLeone, 55, has been in her market president role at KeyBank since 2021 and the public sector role since 2013. As market president, she’s responsible for helping to grow KeyBank’s business and community presence in the region. She also partners with Key’s corporate responsibility officer to plan strategic investments to help the community.

She holds a bachelor’s degree in liberal arts and sciences/liberal studies from Wittenberg University and a master’s in communications from Miami University.

Her community involvement includes the Ohio Chamber of Commerce, the Columbus Partnership, Meals on Wheels and the Capitol Square Foundation. She was elected vice chair of the 2016 U.S. Senior Open Golf Tournament and of the Ohio Chamber of Commerce executive committee.

Advice on leadership: “Show up with energy, a positive attitude and a smile. Do the best job with the job that you have and the future will take care of itself.”

Kirt Walker

CEO, Nationwide

Kirt Walker says his leadership vision is built around people, planning, performance and partnerships. “Based on the Nationwide values, these concepts guide my actions and decisions and help keep focus on creating value for all stakeholders—members, associates, partners and neighbors.

Walker has been CEO of the Fortune 100 insurance and financial services organization since 2019. In his role leading 25,000 employees, his top responsibilities include: driving business strategy, customer experience and financial results; generating, growing and deploying capital; and cultivating “a strong, caring and inclusionary culture that enables performance excellence and the continuation of best-in-class engagement fortified by people-based values.”

Walker, 60, holds a bachelor’s degree in business management from Iowa State University and a master’s in management from the American College of Financial Services.

He co-chairs the governing board of the Columbus Partnership. Other current board roles include: Nationwide Children’s Hospital, American Red Cross, Iowa State University’s Ivy College of Business, The Institutes and Catalyst Inc.

Advice on leadership: “A leader is only as strong as the people they surround themselves with, which is why I think it’s important to have a ‘personal board of directors.’ Mine includes other CEOs, community leaders and individuals who I respect, and who challenge and inspire me.”

Walker also was a finalist in the 2022 CEO of the Year awards.

SMALL FOR-PROFIT FINALISTS

Heather Brilliant

CEO, Diamond Hill Capital Management Inc.

Heather Brilliant says she embraces a leadership style that empowers those around her to collaborate and make informed decisions. “I encourage my team to take initiative, demonstrate our core values of curiosity, trust, respect and ownership, and keep pushing for improvement.”

She’s been CEO of the 130-employee investment firm since joining Diamond Hill in 2019 and oversees all aspects of the business, including setting and delivering on strategy, establishing effective leadership and ensuring a sound investment philosophy and positive long-term investment outcomes for clients.

Brilliant, 47, holds a bachelor’s degree in economics from Northwestern University, an MBA from the University of Chicago Booth School of Business and is a Chartered Financial Analyst charterholder.

Her board service includes the Investment Company Institute, Future Ready Columbus and the Columbus Downtown Development Corp. She is a former member of the CFA Institute (2013-2020), where she also was a former chair, and served as chair for the Chicago society.

Advice on leadership: “Lead by example, and, as Ruth Bader Ginsburg said, ‘Fight for the things that you care about, but do it in a way that will lead others to join you.’ ”

William Ebbing

President and CEO, The New Albany Co.

For William (Bill) Ebbing, building a cohesive and empowered team is a key focus. “I believe this is achieved by supporting the professional growth of each individual and providing ongoing opportunities for others to take the reins and advance the work.”

Ebbing has been at the helm of The New Albany Co. since joining the organization in 1995. He and his team of 15 oversee the development of the New Albany International Business Park, which drew major recent investments from Intel and Amazon Web Services, as well as development activity of New Albany Co. holdings in the town center, the New Albany Country Club community and other areas in and around the city.

Ebbing, 60, holds a bachelor’s degree in environmental design/architecture from Miami University.

His current board service includes: Ohio Dominican University, Ohio State University Fisher College of Business, New Albany Community Foundation, the Orthopedic Foundation, City of New Albany Economic Development Committee, Union Village LLC, Urban Land Institute and Building Industry Association of Central Ohio.

Advice on leadership: “Relationships matter and it’s just as important to spend time developing relationships as it is to spend time on the technical aspects of your profession. And the relationships that you develop are often just as rewarding as the work you’re doing.”

Ebbing also was a finalist in the 2022 CEO of the Year awards.

Kathy Keeney

Founder and CEO, Boss Gal Beauty Bar

Kathy Keeney thinks of herself as a “charismatic leader.” “I am an expert in my field with a passion for the industry. I focus on communication with my team and lead by example. I like to inspire, excite and spark enthusiasm among my team members. My employees’ opinions are always heard and valued. I enjoy coaching people to achieve greatness with a side of competitiveness.”

Keeney founded med-spa business Boss Gal Beauty Bar in 2019 with four employees. It has grown to 63 employees and four locations. She manages the overall operations of the business, sets strategy, and assists in implementing existing policies and procedures and creating new ones. “I do everything from client care to cleaning, interviewing and onboarding,” she says. “I am very hands on.”

Keeney, 38, holds a BSN (Bachelor of Science in Nursing) RN from Trent University in Canada. In the community, she prioritizes collaborating and networking with other female business owners.

Advice on leadership: “Practice letting go, delegate whenever possible. Clarify the priorities and be flexible. Don’t take things personally and never focus on your competitors. Stay innovative.”

LARGE NONPROFIT FINALISTS

David T. Harrison

President, Columbus State Community College

David Harrison has served as the leader of the largest community college in Ohio since 2010. During his tenure, he has shaped the institution into a critical and trusted partner to Central Ohio business, workforce development and K-12 education.

Under Harrison’s leadership, the 2,700-employee college has launched efforts including the OhioHealth Center for Health Sciences, White House Workforce Hub, National Information Technology Innovation Center funded by the National Science Foundation, the Columbus Promise program to provide tuition-free opportunities for Columbus City Schools graduates to earn associate degrees and the Mitchell Hall School of Hospitality Management and Culinary Arts.

Harrison holds a Ph.D. in educational policy and leadership from Ohio State University, an MBA from the University of Pittsburgh and a bachelor’s degree in chemical engineering from the University of Dayton. He serves on the boards of OhioHealth, the Columbus Partnership, Future Ready Five, Rise Together Innovation Institute and the Community College Presidents Initiative.

Advice on leadership: “Leadership is a team effort. It’s about people, values and vision, not strategy and planning. There is no more rewarding professional experience than to be part of a team committed to a common cause. With the right team in place, you can accomplish much more than most think is possible, and can turn challenges into opportunities.”

Harrison also was a finalist in the 2018 CEO of the Year awards.

Eric Karolak

CEO, Action for Children

Action for Children has doubled in size and impact since Eric Karolak took the helm in 2013. Initiatives he has overseen include creating what the 93-employee organization calls the largest fatherhood program in the Columbus region and Ohio’s first staffed family child care network supporting home-based providers. Its child care survey has spurred $30 million in funding to child care locally.

On the national stage, Karolak helped write a child care planning guide for semiconductor manufacturers who qualify for CHIPS Act incentives, founded a national child care advocacy organization and has testified on child care topics before Congress.

He serves on the boards of: Human Service Chamber of Franklin County; Ohio Association for the Education of Young Children; Ohio Child Care Resource and Referral Association; and Child Care Aware of America Joint Leadership Council. He holds a bachelor’s degree from University of Toledo and master’s and doctoral degrees from Ohio State University.

Advice on leadership: “I’m fond of the lyric, ‘Our life is more than our work, and our work is more than our job.’ Whether you’re thinking about yourself, your team, anyone really, it’s good to remember to balance with that maxim in mind.”

Lark Mallory

President and CEO, Affordable Housing Trust for Columbus and Franklin County

Lark Mallory has distinguished herself as the leader of the Affordable Housing Trust by serving as a key voice in regional housing conversations and building coalitions with stakeholders. She led the creation of programs to advance equity in homeownership. The AHT’s Housing Innovation Grants aim to further homeowners’ ability to make repairs and to subsidize housing-related efforts in the nonprofit sector. The Emerging Developers Accelerator program supports real estate development organizations led by people of color and other underrepresented groups.

Mallory joined the organization, which now has nine employees, as a board member in 2009 and as a staffer in 2016. An attorney and former CPA, Mallory previously served as a partner at Frost Brown Todd and an associate at Chester Willcox & Saxbe.

She holds a bachelor’s degree in business administration and a Master of Laws in Taxation from Ohio State University and a law degree from University of Florida College of Law. She serves on the boards of the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium and RiverSouth Authority.

Advice on leadership: “Be curious. I don’t know everything, so ask questions and listen for the answers. Focus on the work, drown out the extra noise.”

She also was a finalist in the 2022 CEO of the Year awards.

SMALL NONPROFIT FINALISTS

Matthew Goldstein

Founder and CEO, Besa

Matthew Goldstein has supported more than 150 charitable agencies by connecting them with volunteers through his nonprofit, Besa. The 11-year-old organization has rallied more than 70,000 corporate and individual volunteers on more than 11,300 service projects, resulting in an $80 million community impact. Besa’s mission is to strengthen volunteerism and the world at large by making giving back simple and more impactful for individuals and businesses.

Besa, which has grown to 19 employees, collaborates on volunteer programs with companies including Bath & Body Works, CoverMyMeds, the Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center and Crane Group. Goldstein volunteers himself as a community gardener in Bronzeville, serves dinners at shelters and delivers gifts to seniors as part of Besa’s annual drive.

Goldstein, who holds bachelor’s degrees in political science and business administration from Ohio State University, describes his leadership style as “inclusive and thoughtful. I like to bring a variety of people and voices to our table, listen intently and lead with heart,” he says.

Advice on leadership: “Listen to understand rather than talking to be understood. And meditate as regularly as possible, even if it’s only five minutes a day. For me, it clears my head and heart in powerful ways.”

Goldstein also was a finalist in the 2022 CEO of the Year awards.

Toshia Safford

President and CEO, The Center for Healthy Families

Toshia Safford has led the strategic growth of the Center for Healthy Families since it was founded in 2007. The 16-employee agency, which includes the Black Girls’ and Young Women’s Collective, delivers services to support youth with education; giving birth to healthy babies; establishing healthy relationships; finding stable housing; and workforce readiness.

“I understand the struggles of young people in crisis—poverty, homelessness, abuse, feeling lost, being trafficked, facing scarcity of all kinds and struggling to stay in school—can weigh heavy. Each day, I urge my team to find joy to share with one another and to take time to reflect and even step away to recharge when it gets too hard,” she says.

Safford, who holds a bachelor’s degree in communications from Capital University, serves on the boards of the United Way of Central Ohio and CAPA.

Advice on leadership: “Maintain [commitment] to the work that you are purposed to do, as well as maintain dignity and the necessary stamina, in order to ensure that those whom you are entrusted to serve are met with joy and dignity. Wholeheartedly understand the connection, and know that one begets the other.”

Sonya Thesing

Executive Director, Huckleberry House

Since 2019, Sonya Thesing has led all aspects of day-to-day operations at Huckleberry House, which supports at-risk youth with a teen crisis shelter, transitional housing across 113 apartments at three locations, a youth outreach team and a counseling program.

Thesing, who holds a bachelor’s degree in international studies from Dickinson College and an MBA from the George Washington University, joined the 75-employee organization as development director in 2017.

She describes her leadership style as inclusive and authentic. “My co-workers deserve to know that I will always show up for them as my true self so they can show up as their true selves,” she says. “We generate the best ideas and solutions when we include several authentic voices in the conversation.”

In addition to her role leading the nonprofit, Thesing serves on the board of the Human Service Chamber of Franklin County.

Advice on leadership: “I often share President Truman’s quote, ‘It is amazing what you can accomplish if you do not care who gets the credit.’ I would add that it is amazing what you can accomplish when improving human life is the goal. That said, strong leaders give credit where credit is due, and always shine a light on the amazing work of their teams.”

This story is from the CEO of the Year package in the Winter 2024 issue of Columbus CEO.