John Bishop
John Bishop is chairman, president and CEO of
The Motorists Insurance Group, a collective group of ten insurance entities doing business in seventeen states with more than 3,000 independent agents and sales representatives. He holds the Chartered Property and Casualty (CPCU) and Chartered Life Underwriter (CLU) designations. John is active in numerous community industry organizations, including serving on the board of the National Association of Mutual Insurance Companies (NAMIC). He has been recognized by the Professional Insurance Agents of Ohio with a Presidential Citation and as the “Industry Person of the Year.” He also has received the National Service Award from NAMIC.
Derek Grosso
Derek Grosso is the Founder and President of the Columbus Young Professionals Club. With over 10,000 members, the CYP Club has the distinction of being the third-largest organization of young professionals in the United States. It offers its eclectic members (entrepreneurs, executives, free spirits, etc.) a wide range of social activities and events, including professional development and networking opportunities. Derek recently helped launch the first-ever Ohio Young Professionals Weekend – a gathering in Columbus for sharing best practices among leaders of Ohio-based young professional organizations.
Born and raised in New York, Derek moved to Columbus in 2005 after working in the magazine publishing industry in Washington, D.C. He holds a bachelors degree in business administration from George Washington University. Derek serves on a number of boards and committees, including: Nationwide Children’s Hospital Development Board; Experience Columbus Membership Advisory Committee; Networking Leaders Alliance Executive Board; United Way of Central Ohio 2010 Campaign Cabinet; and the Mid-Ohio Foodbank’s Kitchen Cabinet. He was recently named one of “Columbus’ People to Watch” by Columbus Alive, a weekly news publication owned by the Dispatch News Company.
Dr. Brian Kaspar
Dr. Brian Kaspar was honored as the “Visionary of the Year” at the 2010 “Celebrating Visionaries” event for his efforts to develop new ways to deliver drugs and therapies to the brain and spinal cord to treat serious neurological and neuromuscular diseases such as Spinal Muscular Atrophy and Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis – also known as Lou Gehrig ’s disease. Dr. Kaspar is a Principal Investigator at Nationwide Children’s Hospital. He was trained at The University of California-San Diego and The Salk Institute for Biological Studies in La Jolla, California. Dr. Kaspar’s research has been published in a number of high-impact and prestigious journals, including: Science, Nature Biotechnology, and Proceedings of the National Academy of Science.
Elizabeth Lessner
Elizabeth Lessner was honored at the 2010 “Celebrating Visionaries” event for her efforts to create a “green” eco-friendly restaurant group through recycling. Elizabeth is the President and CEO of Betty's Family of Restaurants, which includes: Betty's Fine Food and Spirits, The Surly Girl Saloon, Tip Top Kitchen and Cocktails, Dirty Frank's Hot Dog Palace and The Jury Room. She is also a principal owner of Eartha, Limited – an environmental consulting firm dedicated to helping restaurants compost and recycle. All of Elizabeth’s restaurants use energy efficient lighting and recycle cardboard, glass, aluminum, vegetable oil and food scraps. Elizabeth’s restaurants have received local, regional and national attention for their green initiatives and creative food. In addition to her focus on protecting the environment, Elizabeth is a social entrepreneur who is actively engaged in downtown development and community affairs.
Karen McCoy
Karen McCoy is Chief of the Division of Pulmonary Medicine and Director of the Cystic Fibrosis Center at Nationwide Children’s Hospital. She is also the Principal Investigator for the Translational Therapeutic Development Center and the Asthma Clinical Research Center.
Dr. McCoy received her undergraduate degree, B.S. in Chemistry from Eckerd College, St. Petersburg, Florida. She earned her MD at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill and completed a residency and chief residency in Pediatrics at the same institution. She then completed a fellowship in Pediatric Pulmonology and Cystic Fibrosis Care at the Arizona Health Sciences Center in Tucson, Arizona.
In the twenty-three years at Nationwide Children’s Hospital, Dr. McCoy has pursued growth of excellence in staff, quality and organization of clinical care and more than 60 research protocols in cystic fibrosis and asthma. In the past two years, she has opened the Center to national quality of care ventures and was selected as the Chair of the Therapeutic Development Network Translational Steering Committee.
Angela Pace
Angela Pace is the Director of Community Affairs for
WBNS-10TV, where she serves as a liaison between the station and the Central Ohio community. Angela anchored the 6 p.m. and 11 p.m. editions of 10TV Eyewitness News for 13 years following her 13 years as the weekday evening news anchor for WCMH-TV. Angela has deep roots in Central Ohio. She was raised in Columbus and graduated from Capital University – where she later served as a trustee for eight years. Her board involvement is extensive and currently includes: the Mid-Ohio Food Bank: the Lincoln Theater Association; the Nationwide Children’s Hospital Foundation; the Columbus Association for the Performing Arts; and the Jazz Arts Group.
Angela is the recipient of a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Columbus Association of Black Journalists. She has won three regional Emmy’s and one regional Telly award for her documentaries. The Columbus Bar Association has established a foundation in her name. A large portion of the funds from that foundation was used to help build the Center for Child and Family Advocacy at Nationwide Children’s Hospital.
Debra Penzone
Debra Penzone has been integral to the success of the Charles Penzone Salons for over 20 years. Debra has served as artistic director, training director, senior vice president and currently is Company President.
Debra speaks to and consults with local and national businesses on engaging topics such as “Creating a Purposeful Work Environment” and “Going the Distance-Delivering Guest Services like a Champion,” to name a few.
Debra is committed to finding purpose in all aspects of life. She is active in the community and donates her passion and leadership to various non-profit organizations. Additionally, Debra has built Charles Penzone, Inc. on a pillar of community service and empowers professionals to volunteer.
Because of her volunteerism, Debra was honored with the American Cancer Society’s “Volunteer of the Year” Award in 2002 and 2007, Modern Salon magazine’s “Spirit of Noel” award in 2003, the Ohio Division Sunrise “Look Good…Feel Better” award in 2003, the American Heart Association’s “Volunteer Achievement” award in 2004 and in 2010, Debra was named recipient of the prestigious Kent Clapp CEO Leadership Award.
