COLUMBUS, OH (February 22, 2017)—The Columbus Foundation celebrated the outstanding work of our business and nonprofit leaders and innovators who were named the best in the United States for their accomplishments over the past year. The individuals and organizations were honored at the annual National Number Ones event held at the Foundation.
Pictured with Nancy Kramer (far right), Vice Chairman of The Columbus Foundation Governing Committee and Mayor Andy Ginther. First row (l-r): Maximilien Chastanet, Elaine Roberts, Angela Mingo, Wendy Bowles, Karen Days, Beth A. Gibson. Second Row (l-r): Phil Heit, Brian Ross, Tom Walker, Guy Worley, Peter Bruce, Andrew Huster.
“Columbus is full of remarkable visionaries and people working together for the betterment of everyone—that’s why we celebrate our National Number Ones,” said Douglas F. Kridler, Columbus Foundation President and CEO. “Together we are building Columbus’ reputation as a place distinguished by both its knowledge resources and its openness to new ideas.”
The National Number Ones include:
Downtown Columbus Riverfront
Guy Worley, Columbus Downtown Development Corporation
2016 National Planning Excellence Award for Implementation by American Planning Association
Mayor Andrew Ginther / Columbus,
Winner of the Smart City Challenge,
Department of Transportation
Steve Allen, M.D., CEO,
Nationwide Children’s Hospital
America’s Largest Pediatric Hospital
Columbus, Nation’s Top City to Watch for Real Estate Growth
Emerging Trends in Real Estate Report by PricewaterhouseCoopers and the Urban Land Institute
Elaine Roberts, Columbus Regional Airport Authority
Top in the nation for Total Value Textiles and Footwear imported into the U.S.
Simone Biles
Columbus Born, Olympian Gymnast,
4 Gold Medals
Tom Walker, Rev1Ventures,
#1 City for Scaling Startups in U.S.
Kauffman Index of Entrepreneurship
Phil Heit, The New Albany Walking Classic
#1 Largest Walking-only Race in North America
Twenty One Pilots,
Grammy Award for Best Pop Duo/Group Performance
for “Stressed Out”
Bernadette Mazurek Melnyk, Dean, Ohio State College of Nursing
RN to BSN Program Nation’s Best for 2016 by TopRNtoBSN.com
New Albany Classic, 4th consecutive year
In support ofThe Center for Family Safety and Healing, Karen Days, President
#1 Specialty Equestrian Event North American Riders Group
Julia Bray, Ashton Cofer and Luke Clay, Gahanna students
Scientific American Innovator Award 2016 Google Science Fair
Beth A. Gibson, Buddy Up Tennis, Inc.
2016 USTA National Adaptive Tennis Community Service Award
Brian Ross, Experience Columbus
JD Power Award for Number One Destination in the Midwest Region
EcoCAR, The Ohio State University
Year Two of North American EcoCAR 3 Competition
Venturi Buckeye Bullet 3 Team, The Ohio State University
All-electric Landspeed Record
Kyle Snyder,
The Ohio State University Wrestling
Youngest Wrestling World Champion in U.S. History
Gene Smith, The Ohio State University, Athletic Director
Athletic Director of the Year Sports Business Journal
Francesca Di Lorenzo,
The Ohio State University Tennis
Repeat Singles Champion in the USTA/ ITA National Indoor Intercollegiate Championships
Maximilien Chastanet,
The Ohio State University Fencing Team
National Title in Men’s Foil
The Ohio State University Football
Number 1 All-time Football Program over 80 years
Associated Press
The Ohio State University Men's Volleyball
2016 NCAA National Champions,
tournament MVP Miles Johnson, National Player of the Year Nicolas Szerszen, and National Coach of the Year Pete Hanson
About The Columbus Foundation
The Columbus Foundation is the trusted philanthropic advisor® to more than 2,500 individuals, families, businesses, and communities that have created unique funds to make a difference in the lives of others through the most effective philanthropy possible. More than 70 years strong, The Columbus Foundation is ranked among the top ten foundations in the United States based on asset size. The Foundation’s online giving marketplace makes it possible for everyone to access valuable information about nonprofit organizations in central Ohio. Visit columbusfoundation.org to learn more.