Columbus Metropolitan Club

The Atlantic Magazine recently awarded the US economy “superstar status” – calling it the “Taylor Swift” of global economies – for its robust sustained performance. Closer to home, Central Ohio’s economy also seems to be roaring along, with the region leading the state in growth. What’s in store for Central Ohio’s economy and our region in 2025? Hear what the year ahead looks like for Central Ohio’s economy from a panel of leading experts at CMC’s first program of 2025 and one of the year’s most popular CMC forums. Featuring: Dr. Joyce Chen, Professor of Economics, Women’s, Gender and Sexuality Studies, The Ohio State University Kathy Bostjancic, Senior Vice President and Chief Economist, Nationwide Mutual Dr. Bill LaFayette, Owner, Regionomics The host is Benjamin Lanka, Business Editor, The Columbus Dispatch. This forum is sponsored by The Columbus Region, Frost Brown Todd, Ian Alexander Photography, PNC, and Smoot Construction. The presenting sponsor of the CMC livestream is The Center for Human Kindness at the Columbus Foundation. CMC's livestream partner is The Columbus Dispatch. This forum is also supported by Vue Columbus.

Can downtown retail make a comeback in Columbus? City leaders and downtown developers don’t doubt it for a second. Recent efforts are delivering results, including Columbus’ Ground Floor Growth Initiative, a new program gaining steam that’s aimed at helping small, minority- and women-owned businesses find street-level retail space in downtown Columbus. With a panel of downtown leaders and advocates, we’ll unpack the Ground Floor Growth initiative and other new efforts to re-energize downtown as we explore what’s coming next for retail in the heart of Columbus. Join us for lunch, an in-depth panel conversation with top leaders, and the presentation of the 2024 Harrison Smith Award as the Downtown Commission announces the winner of the 2024 “Smithy” for excellence in downtown development. Featuring panelists: Nicholas J. Bankston, Columbus City Council Amy Taylor, President, Downtown Columbus, Inc. Jim Merkel, CEO and Co-Founder, Rockbridge The moderator is Jessica Ralston, Anchor, Good Day Columbus, ABC6/FOX28. This forum is sponsored by The Harrison Smith Legacy in Civic Engagement Fund, Downtown Columbus, Inc., The Edwards Companies, and Rockbridge. The presenting sponsor of the CMC livestream is The Center for Human Kindness at the Columbus Foundation. CMC's livestream partner is The Columbus Dispatch. This forum is also supported by The Ellis.

Ohio’s labor market remains incredibly tight, but Central Ohio organizations that are building strong cultures of belonging are attracting top talent from diverse backgrounds. Leading employers know from experience that cultivating a strong and authentic sense of belonging among employees can revolutionize recruitment, engagement, retention, productivity, and ROI, even with remote workers. With a panel of passionate leaders, we’ll explore the meaning and value of creating a culture of belonging in the contemporary workplace, and how it’s helping key Central Ohio employees and employers to stay at the top of their games. Featuring: Daniel Juday, Founder + Facilitator, Space Creator LLC Dr. Tina Pierce, Chief of Strategy and Belonging, The Ohio State University Alumni Association Jennifer Robinson, Chief Human Resources Officer and Deputy Director, Ohio Department of Veterans Services The moderator is Margaret Finley, Head of DEI and Corporate Affairs, ADS, and President, Board of Directors, Central Ohio Diversity Consortium. This forum is sponsored by Advanced Drainage Systems, with additional support from Aspyr and The Central Ohio Workforce Development Network. The presenting sponsor of the CMC livestream is The Center for Human Kindness at the Columbus Foundation. CMC's livestream partner is The Columbus Dispatch.

How can we turn empty storefronts into thriving retail destinations? This dynamic panel brings together local leaders to discuss actionable solutions and bold ideas to shape the future of retail in downtown Columbus: ✨ Speakers: Nicholas J. Bankston | Council Member, Columbus City Council Amy Taylor | President, Downtown Columbus, Inc. Jim Merkel | CEO & Co-Founder, Rockbridge Moderator: Jessica Ralston | Anchor, Good Day Columbus, ABC6/FOX28 📅 Date: December 18, 2024 📍 Location: The Ellis, 777 N. 4th Street, Columbus, OH 💻 Virtual Option: Available ➡️ Be part of the change—register today! https://lnkd.in/gYMh6v8X

How can creating spaces of belonging transform your workplace? Join us for a panel discussion that dives into the strategies and stories shaping the future of work. Gain actionable insights from leaders at the forefront of inclusion and belonging: ✨ Speakers: Daniel Juday, M.Ed, C.D.P. | Founder + Facilitator, Space Creator LLC Dr. Tina D. Pierce | Chief of Strategy and Belonging, OSU Alumni Association Jennifer Robinson | Chief HR Officer & Deputy Director, Ohio Dept. of Veterans Services Moderator: Margaret D. Finley, CPEC, CDP | Head of DEI, ADS & President, Central Ohio Diversity Consortium 📅 Date: Wednesday, Dec. 11, 2024 📍 Location: The Ellis, 777 N. 4th St., Columbus, OH ➡️ Seats are limited. Reserve yours now! https://lnkd.in/gmSpkvMj

In 2023, Columbus saw nearly 24,000 eviction filings, marking a 12,000-case increase from the previous year. Early 2024 data shows this trend worsening, with evictions reaching a 20-year high in Franklin County. Across Ohio, landlords initiated almost 108,000 eviction cases in 2023 — the highest since 2015. A major driver behind the surge is sluggish wage growth, which isn’t keeping pace with skyrocketing rents. The “housing wage” — what a worker needs to earn per hour to afford a two-bedroom apartment — rose 9% since last year. To afford such a home, full-time workers need an hourly wage of at least $20.81. In Columbus, however, this figure climbs even higher to $25.04 per hour. With a panel of regional leaders, CMC unpacks why evictions are climbing, the impact on communities when families lose their homes, and the strategies that advocates are leveraging to ensure more Central Ohio families stay housed. Featuring: Kate McGarvey, Executive Director, Legal Aid of Southeast and Central Ohio Shayla D. Favor, Columbus City Council Member and Franklin County Prosecutor-Elect Gene Edwards, Director of Legal Research and Magistrate, Franklin County Municipal Court, The moderator is Danae King, Underserved Communities Reporter, The Columbus Dispatch. This forum was sponsored by The Community Shelter Board with support from The Columbus Dispatch. The presenting sponsor of the CMC livestream is The Center for Human Kindness at the Columbus Foundation. CMC's livestream partner is The Columbus Dispatch.

Belonging Is Redefining the Modern Workplace – Join Us on December 11! In a challenging labor market, top Central Ohio employers are redefining the modern workplace by fostering cultures where all employees feel they belong. With belonging as a cornerstone, organizations are seeing gains in engagement, retention, productivity, and ROI—even for remote teams. This Columbus Metropolitan Club forum will feature insights from leaders who are driving this transformation by expanding the definition of diversity to be fully inclusive. 📅 Date: Wednesday, December 11, 2024 📍 Location: The Ellis, 777 North 4th Street, Columbus, OH ⏰ Lunch: 11:30 AM | Forum: 12:00 PM 🎥 Livestream available Featured Panelists: Daniel Juday, Founder & Facilitator, Space Creator LLC Dr. Tina Pierce, Chief of Strategy and Belonging, The Ohio State University Alumni Association Jennifer Robinson, Chief HR Officer & Deputy Director, Ohio Department of Veterans Services Moderator: Margaret Finley, Head of DEI, ADS; President, Central Ohio Diversity Consortium Whether you’re in HR, a business leader, or an advocate for DEI, this conversation will provide actionable insights to strengthen your organization’s culture. 🔗 Register today: https://lnkd.in/gmSpkvMj

For the first time since 2019, the all-new Columbus Foundation Community Benchmarking Report has measured how Central Ohio compares to more than 20 peer regions across more than 50 metrics and indices. Building on a decade of community tracking, this newest research across a range of metrics offers a clear window to understanding how Central Ohio stacks up to comparable metro areas and gives us one of the best snapshots of where our region finds itself on this side of the COVID-19 pandemic.  The findings dive deeply into five overall categories – population vitality, economic strength, personal prosperity, lifelong learning, and overall community wellbeing. In this second of two forums, we’ll dive deep into the study’s findings on Personal Prosperity, Lifelong Learning, and Overall Community Wellbeing, and explore what the data says about Central Ohio’s future. Featuring: J. Averi Frost, Freedom Equity Inc. and the Central Ohio African American Chamber of Commerce Dr. Gina Ginn, CEO, Columbus Early Learning Centers Matt Martin, Director of Community Research, The Columbus Foundation The moderator is Autumn Glover, Senior Vice President, Provider + Community Partnerships, AndHealth. The presenting sponsor of this two-part series is The Columbus Foundation. This forum is sponsored by The American Electric Power Foundation.  The presenting sponsor of the CMC livestream is The Center for Human Kindness at the Columbus Foundation. Our livestream partner is The Columbus Dispatch.  This forum is also supported by The Ellis. 

Join us for Part 2 of the Benchmarking Central Ohio Forum on November 20! In this session, we’ll dive into findings from The Columbus Foundation’s 2024 Community Benchmarking Report on Personal Prosperity, Lifelong Learning, and Community Wellbeing—key indicators of Central Ohio’s progress in fostering opportunity and resilience. Featured Speakers: J. Averi Frost, Freedom Equity Inc. Dr. Gina Ginn, Columbus Early Learning Centers Matt Martin, The Columbus Foundation Moderator: Autumn Glover, AndHealth 📅 Date: Wednesday, November 20, 2024 📍 Location: The Ellis, 777 North 4th St, Columbus ⏰ Lunch: 11:30 AM | Forum: 12:00 PM 🔗 Register here: https://lnkd.in/grumKq3N #ColumbusMetroClub #BenchmarkingCentralOhio #CommunityWellbeing #LifelongLearning #PersonalProsperity

For the first time since 2019, an all-new Columbus Foundation Community Benchmarking Report has measured how Central Ohio compares to more than 20 peer regions across more than 50 metrics and indices. Building on more than a decade of community tracking, this newest research across a range of metrics offers a clear window to understanding how Central Ohio stacks up to comparable metro areas and gives us one of the best snapshots of where our region finds itself on this side of the COVID-19 pandemic.  The findings dive deeply into five overall categories – population vitality, economic strength, personal prosperity, lifelong learning, and overall community wellbeing.  In this first of two forums, we’ll reflect on the results of the last benchmarking study in 2019 before diving deep into the findings of the first two categories: Population Vitality & Economic Strength – to see how Central Ohio measures up to its peers. Featuring: Matt Martin, Director of Community Research, The Columbus Foundation Kenny McDonald, President and CEO, One Columbus Padmini Roy-Dixon, Economic Development Director & Regional Innovation Officer, Mid-Ohio Regional Planning Commission The host is Doug Buchanan, Editor in Chief, Columbus Business First. This forum was sponsored by The Columbus Foundation. The presenting sponsor of CMC's livestream was The Center for Human Kindness at the Columbus Foundation. CMC's livestream partner was The Columbus Dispatch.  It was also supported by The Ellis.