By
David
Holthaus
&
Th e
Ed i t o r s
From business leaders to politicians, those in power know that it is work to get to the top and a struggle to stay there. Challenges from opponents can present themselves at any time and there’s always the next test, the next task, the next obstacle. Cincy’s 16th annual Power 100 list recognizes those people who hold and use the most clout to benefit the region. = New to the Top Ten = New to this year’s list
1
John Cranley mayor, City of Cincinnati
With John Cranley entering the penultimate year of his second term as Cincinnati’s mayor, speculation is certain to intensify about his political future. If he does seek a higher office, he’ll certainly tout the redevelopment of The Banks, downtown and Over-theRhine, developments that he has called “the Cincinnati miracle.” Cranley has also presided over a rise in population in the city after years of population declines and stagnation. In the year ahead, he is expected to continue championing the community’s anti-poverty efforts, including his Hand-Up Initiative and the Cincinnati Poverty Collaborative.
3John Barrett
president, chairman & CEO,
Western & Southern Financial Group
In addition to leading Western & Southern, Barrett continues to be very active in downtown development and in the broader business and nonprofit communities. A new hotel proposed by Western & Southern, The Lytle Park Hotel, is scheduled to open this year. Barrett is also spearheading a $105 million fundraising campaign to help the University of Cincinnati’s Barrett Cancer Center and other members of the Cincinnati Cancer Consortium pursue National Cancer Institute designation for cancer research excellence. His company reported record profit last year while an acquisition pushed its assets owned over the $50 billion mark for the first time.
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2Bob Castellini
principal owner & CEO,
Cincinnati Reds; chairman, Castellini Co.
Since 2006, a group of people led by Bob Castellini has controlled one of Cincinnati’s icons, the Cincinnati Reds. After a disappointing season in 2019, Castellini and the Reds had an active off-season, acquiring the club’s first Japanese-born player and shelling out big payroll for free agents. Castellini’s influence extends far beyond the Reds, as he has been instrumental in the development of The Banks and the broader Cincinnati riverfront. He chairs the Joint Banks Steering Committee and is on the board of the Cincinnati Center City Development Committee (3CDC).
4 Carl Lindner III
majority owner, FC Cincinnati;
co-president & Co-CEO, American
Financial Group
Carl Lindner III is the co-CEO of one of Cincinnati’s largest companies, $7 billion financial services giant American Financial Group. But these days, he is best known for bringing professional soccer to Cincinnati. In just a few years, FC Cincinnati has earned an invitation to join the big leagues and a new home for the team is rising in the West End, a stadium funded predominantly by Lindner and the other club owners. Over the last year, Lindner has attracted new investors to the team, including former eBay CEO Meg Whitman.
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5Tom Williams
president & CEO, North American
Properties Inc.; co-principal owner & vice chairman, Cincinnati Reds
For the last 25 years, Tom Williams has led North American Properties, a national real estate company that has developed millions of square feet of commercial space and thousands of residential units in 15 states and 67 cities. In the year ahead, the company is expected to transform a signature local commercial property, Newport on the Levee. Beyond his own business, Williams is vice chairman and one of the principal owners of the Cincinnati Reds and serves on several boards that exert influence over development in the region, including JobsOhio.
7Denise Driehaus
president, Hamilton County Board
of Commissioners
Democrats are firmly in control of the Hamilton County Board of Commissioners, and Denise Driehaus wields considerable power in that body, which holds the county’s purse strings. Driehaus holds a long-time interest in inclusive economic development, and serves as a board member of the OKI Regional Council of Governments, REDI Cincinnati and the Hamilton County Landbank. She has been a leader in pushing for a coordinated response to the region’s drug epidemic and will be a key participant in continued development of The Banks as well as negotiations with City Hall over the Metropolitan Sewer District.
9Neville Pinto
president, University of Cincinnati
The University of Cincinnati celebrated its bicentennial in 2019 and university president Neville Pinto used the milestone to highlight a new strategic direction for the university called Next Lives Here. His vision encompasses three areas: improving academics through new curricula and faculty and staff investments; expanding the university’s impact in the community through its health resources, stronger links to Cincinnati Public Schools and community partnerships; and focusing on innovation through its 1819 Innovation Hub, a reimagined co-op program and an emphasis on inclusion and diversity.
6Mike Brown
president & principal owner,
Cincinnati Bengals
The Cincinnati Bengals may have just endured one of the worst seasons in franchise history but team owner Mike Brown’s clout in the region hasn’t lessened. Witness the Bengals’ role in stalling the development of a music venue on the riverfront until a new location could be found to replace the loss of tailgating spots. But the clock is ticking on the 2026 expiration agreement of the team’s stadium lease and as it draws nearer, the sway of Brown, his family and his team should become apparent.
8Joe Deters
Hamilton County prosecutor
The Hamilton County prosecutor is, arguably, the most powerful office in local politics, controlling law and order in the county with the help of more than 100 attorneys. Joe Deters is the county’s longestserving prosecutor, first elected in 1992 and serving until 1999, when he entered state politics. In 2004, he returned and was subsequently re-elected in 2008, 2012 and 2016. After some speculation, Deters has announced he is running for re-election again in 2020. Deters has helped streamline litigation in death penalty cases, helped create the statewide DNA database and successfully argued for laws permitting certain violent juveniles to be incarcerated until age 21.
10
Nancy Grayson president, Horizon Community
Funds of Northern Kentucky
A relative newcomer on the region’s philanthropic scene, the Horizon Community Funds was established in 2017 as a vehicle to pool resources, increase giving among Northern Kentucky residents and corporations and build resources to improve the community’s quality of life. Nancy Grayson is its first president and is responsible for carrying out the vision and strategic direction of the organization. The organization gained nearly $20 million in assets under management by the end of 2018—in just a year and a half since its launch in August 2017.
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Jocile Ehrlich Better Business Bureau, president & CEO Scott D. Farmer Cintas Corp,. chairman & CEO
Those who didn’t make the top 10 are still important players in town. Below are the remaining 90,
Tim Fogarty West Chester Holdings, CEO; CRBC, co-chair
sorted by organization type. = New to this year’s list
B u siness
Leigh Fox Cincinnati Bell Inc., president & CEO S. Kay Geiger PNC Bank, Greater Cincinnati and
Stuart Aitken
Northern Kentucky, president
84.51, CEO Charles H. Gerhardt III Neil Bortz
Government Strategies Group, president & founder
Towne Properties, co-founder & chairman George T. Glover Katie Brown Blackburn
Taft/Focused Capitol Solutions, managing director
Cincinnati Bengals, executive vice president Christopher S. Habel William P. Butler
Frost Brown Todd, member-in-charge Cincinnati
Corporex Cos., chairman & founder Gary Heiman Julie Calvert
Standard Textile Co., Inc.,
Cincinnati USA Convention & Visitors,
president & CEO
president & CEO Stephen Hightower Greg D. Carmichael
Hightowers Petroleum Co.,
Fifth Third Bancorp, chairman,
president & CEO
president & CEO David L. Joyce Phil Castellini
GE Aviation, president & CEO
Cincinnati Reds, president & chief operating officer Eric Kearney Brent Cooper
Greater Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky African-
Northern Kentucky Chamber of Commerce,
American Chamber of Commerce, president & CEO
president & CEO Stephen G. Leeper
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Alfonso Cornejo
Cincinnati Center City Development Corp. (3CDC),
Hispanic Chamber Cincinnati USA, president
president & CEO
Bill Cunningham
Steve Martenet
WLW Radio talk show host
Anthem Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Ohio, president
W. Stuart Dornette
Candace McGraw
Taft Stettinius & Hollister, partner; Cincinnati Zoo &
Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky
Botanical Garden, board chair
International Airport, CEO
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James J. McGraw Jr.
Becky Wilber
Keating Muething & Klekamp, corporate partner;
Union Centre Boulevard Merchant Association,
KMK Consulting, CEO
president; CTI Restaurants, owner
Rodney McMullen
James M. Zimmerman
Kroger Co., chairman & CEO
Taft Stettinius & Hollister, Cincinnati partner-in-charge
Jill P. Meyer Cincinnati USA Regional Chamber, president & CEO
ED U C AT I O N
Molly North
The Rev. Michael J. Graham
Al. Neyer Inc., president & CEO; Cincinnati USA
Xavier University, president
Regional Chamber, chair Laura Mitchell Mike Prescott
Cincinnati Public Schools, superintendent
U.S. Bank, Cincinnati region, president Monica J. Posey Maribeth S. Rahe
Cincinnati State Technical & Community College,
Fort Washington Investment Advisors,
president
president & CEO Harry Snyder Carl Satterwhite
Great Oaks Career Campuses, president & CEO
RCF Group, president & owner Ashish Vaidya J. Michael Schlotman
Northern Kentucky University, president
Kenton County Airport Board, chairman Larry Sheakley Sheakley Group, CEO
government & politics Steve Chabot
Jamie Smith
U.S. Representative, Ohio’s 1st District
Cincinnati Business Courier, publisher Warren Davidson Amy B. Spiller
U.S. Representative, Ohio’s 8th District
Duke Energy Ohio and Kentucky, president Patrick Duhaney David S. Taylor
City of Cincinnati, city manager
Procter & Gamble Co., chairman, president & CEO Eliot Isaac Eddie Tyner
City of Cincinnati, police chief
USA Today Network, Gannett Midwest, regional president & vice president of sales (Enquirer Media)
Kris Knochelmann Kenton County, judge executive
Matthew D. Van Sant Clermont County Chamber of Commerce, president &
Thomas Massie
CEO
U.S. Representative, Kentucky’s 4th District
Mike Venerable
Gwen McFarlin
CincyTech, CEO
Hamilton County Democratic Party, chair
George H. Vincent
Gary Moore
Dinsmore & Shohl, managing partner & chairman
Boone County, judge executive
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g o v ernm ent & p o l i t i cs (continued)
Michael Fisher Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center,
Jim Neil
president & CEO
Hamilton County, sheriff Most Rev. Roger J. Foys Greg Pence
Diocese of Covington, bishop
U.S. Representative, Indiana’s 6th District Ellen M. Katz Steve Pendery
Greater Cincinnati Foundation, president & CEO
Campbell County, judge executive Dr. Richard P. Lofgren Mark R. Policinski
UC Health, president & CEO
Ohio-Kentucky-Indiana Regional Council of Governments, CEO
Timothy J. Maloney Carol Ann and Ralph V. Haile, Jr./U.S. Bank Foundation,
Rob Portman
president & CEO
United States Senator, from Ohio Thane Maynard Todd Portune
Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden, director
former Hamilton County commissioner The Rev. Wendell Mettey T.C. Rogers
Matthew: 25 Ministries, founder
Butler County, Board of Commissioners; OKI Regional Council of Goverments, past president
John Pepper Procter & Gamble Co., retired chairman & CEO
Joshua A. Smith City of Hamilton, city manager
Barbara C. Perez YWCA of Greater Cincinnati, president & CEO
Chris Smitherman Cincinnati City Council, vice mayor
Jorge Perez YMCA of Greater Cincinnati, president & CEO
Alex Triantafilou Hamilton County Republican Party, chairman
Elizabeth Pierce Cincinnati Museum Center, president & CEO
Brad Wenstrup U.S. Representative, Ohio’s 2nd District
Arturo Polizzi The Christ Hospital, president & CEO
NONPROFITS
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Archdiocese of Cincinnati, archbishop
Laura N. Brunner
John M. Starcher
The Port, president & CEO
Bon Secours Mercy Health, president & CEO
Mark C. Clement
Neil F. Tilow
TriHealth, president & CEO
Talbert House, president & CEO
Garren Colvin
Brian Tome
St. Elizabeth Healthcare, president & CEO
Crossroads Church, senior pastor
Harry & Linda Fath
Dick Weiland
Philanthropists
Philanthropist
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Most Rev. Dennis M. Schnurr
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PEOPLE TO WATCH They may not be on this year’s Power 100, but here are some people to keep an eye on in the coming year. David J. Adams
Innovation District, is designed to be a place
Chris Seelbach
CHIEF INNOVATION OFFICER,
where entrepreneurship can be accelerated
CITY COUNCIL MEMBER
UC OFFICE OF INNOVATION
through the collaboration of the university, big companies and startups.
Scott Altman PRESIDENT & CEO, CINCINNATI BALLET
Lauren Hannan Shafer CEO, ARTWORKS
Greg Landsman
Named as CEO of ArtWorks in October, Lauren
CITY COUNCIL MEMBER
Hannan Shafer takes over the day-to-day manage-
John Brannen
ment of the organization from founder Tamara Har-
Marianne Lewis
kavy. ArtWorks has changed the visual landscape
John Brannen was named the
DEAN & PROFESSOR OF MANAGEMENT, UC’S CARL
in Greater Cincinnati and has contributed to the
27th head coach in University of
H. LINDNER COLLEGE OF BUSINESS
education of hundreds of youth. Pairing student
UC BASKETBALL COACH
Cincinnati men’s basketball history in
apprentices with professional artists, ArtWorks
April. In selecting Brannen, UC picked another
Gary Z. Lindgren
has created and executed dozens of large, color-
hometown boy (he’s a native of Alexandria, Ky.,
PRESIDENT, CINCINNATI BUSINESS COMMITTEE
ful murals throughout Cincinnati and beyond. As
an alumnus of Newport Central Catholic High
CEO, Shafer plans to expand ArtWorks’ capacity
School and the former head coach of Northern
Doug Loftus
Kentucky University) to replace Mick Cronin. As
MARKET LEADER, JPMORGAN CHASE
to enable more youth apprentices to get involved.
Steve Shifman
head coach of the UC basketball program, he’ll be courting big donors, speaking to community
Rob McDonald
organizations, fi lling a renovated Shoemaker
PARTNER, TAFT STETTINUS & HOLLISTER; CO-
Center and under pressure to advance in the
MANAGER, VINE ST. VENTURES
President & CEO, MICHELMAN; BOARD CHAIR, UNITED WAY OF GREATER CINCINNATI
NCAA postseason tournament.
Donald L. Dixon
Steve Shifman was named board chair
Dan Meyer, CEO
of the United Way of Greater Cincinnati in June after
NEHEMIAH MANUFACTURING
a tumultuous period in which the previous board
PRESIDENT, BUTLER COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS
Tamaya Dennard
chair and the agency’s CEO both departed amidst
Ed Rigaud
controversy. Shifman and the agency’s executive
PRESIDENT, REAL ESTATE ENTERPRISES FOR
leadership will be expected to right the ship of the
AFRICAN AMERICA LEADERS LLC
region’s leading funder of social service agencies,
COUNCIL PRESIDENT PRO TEM, CINCINNATI CITY COUNCIL
an agency that has committed to the long-term goal
Beth Robinson
of reducing the area’s high rate of childhood poverty.
PRESIDENT & CEO, UPTOWN
Luke Fickell UC FOOTBALL COACH
CONSORTIUM INC.
Meg Whitman
Beth Robinson leads the Uptown
MANAGING OWNER, FC CINCINNATI
Consortium’s ef forts to revitalize
Fernando Figueroa
Uptown Cincinnati, a job hub of the city that
Verna Williams
PRESIDENT & CEO, GATEWAY COMMUNITY
includes major employers like University of
DEAN, UC COLLEGE OF LAW
& TECHNICAL COLLEGE
Cincinnati, Cincinnati Children’s Hospital
In March, the University of Cincinnati made a historic
Medical Center, UC Health, TriHealth, and
appointment to lead one of its highest-profile col-
Jason Heikenfeld
the Cincinnati Zoo and Botanical Garden.
leges, the College of Law. Verna Williams is the first
VICE PRESIDENT FOR OPERATIONS,
The Uptown Consortium has assembled and
African American to lead the college, the fourth oldest
UC OFFICE OF INNOVATION
owns dozens of acres in the Uptown area, and
continuously operating law school in the country.
As vice president of operations at University of
is working to create the Uptown Innovation
Williams has served in the College of Law for
Cincinnati’s Offi ce of Innovation and its 1819
Corridor along Martin Luther King Drive, an
nearly two decades, joining in 2001 as an as-
Innovation Hub, Jason Heikenfeld will be a
avenue that was opened for major develop-
sistant professor. She was named professor in
leader of the university’s efforts to commer-
ment with the completion of the Interstate 71
2006 and served as the Judge Joseph P. Kinneary
cialize new ideas. The Hub, part of the Uptown
interchange there.
Professor of Law from 2013 to 2017. w w w.
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