NAWBO Virtual Visionary Awards

Join NAWBO Columbus as we honor Central Ohio women business owners who have achieved success with their business while making notable contributions to their communities, their industries and to initiatives for other women in business. NAWBO Columbus hosts this coveted award as a prestigious way to recognize and showcase the amazing women who not only own and operate businesses that are vital to Ohio’s economy but also find time and resources to identify needs and drive social change. These Visionary women make Central Ohio better and stronger for all of us.

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The 2020 honorees include:

Theresa Harris, TMH Solutions

Theresa Harris, President and Founder of TMH Solutions, has more than 30 years of progressively responsible experience in Management and Information Technology. TMH Solutions, LLC is a certified women and minority owned and managed company working to collaborate with her customers and strategic partners to deliver high quality, cost effective solutions.

Prior to establishing TMH Solutions, Theresa was Application Sales Manager for Public Sector for Oracle in the States of Kentucky, Michigan, and Ohio. During her years in the IT field, she’s proven to be a top performer in sales, sales management and professional services with companies such as: Blackwell Consulting Services of Ohio, LLC, Compuware, Computer Associates, Digital Equipment Corporation, Unisys and Xerox. Theresa has led these companies either through start-up, survival, turnaround and growth modes. To read more about Theresa click HERE

Crystal Hughey, Corporate Cleaning Inc.

Crystal Hughey is the Founder and CEO of Corporate Cleaning Inc. Originally created in 1997 as a way to stay home with her son, Corporate Cleaning has grown to a multi-dimensional commercial and construction cleaning company providing services within Central Ohio. 

Crystal Hughey has more than 30 years of project management experience and the heart of an entrepreneur. Earning a bachelor’s degree in 1990 from The Ohio State University in Fashion Merchandising, a bachelor’s degree in 2007 from DeVry University in IT Technology, and a master’s degree from Ohio Christian University in Theology. She understands how to motivate people, improve processes, connect resources, and accomplish project-based goals. To read more about Crystal click HERE

Lori Kaiser, Kaiser Consulting 

Lori Kaiser is a chief executive, corporate leader, and business strategist with a proven track record in assessing risk and creating solutions for Fortune 500 Company C-Level Executives and Boards. As CEO of Kaiser Consulting an international professional services firm specializing in accounting, finance and IT consulting with 80 finance and accounting professionals, Ms. Kaiser provides clients’ value-based services that allow firms to navigate transitions and successfully execute critical projects. She is considered a trusted advisor to executive management on issues of risk identification and mitigation, mergers, acquisitions and integrations. She combines strong business judgment, financial acumen, global perspective and a team approach to implement innovative solutions to complex business challenges. She meets all the criteria and currently functions as an SEC Audit Committee Financial Expert. 

She has founded and led the firm to 20 years of successive revenue growth achieving multi-million-dollar revenues. With the foresight to capitalized upon a niche market the firm partners finance and accounting professionals with Fortune 500 companies, through a unique, flexible staffing business model, that provides high level consulting and business solutions. Ms. Kaiser established and continues to grow long-term client relationships by providing accomplished financial, technical and project management with staffing consistency on client engagements. To read more about Ms. Kaiser click HERE.

Lacey Picazo, ZoCo Design 

As the founder of ZoCo Design, Lacey guides her team to design products and experiences people love. Since 2013, ZoCo has been delivering brands and digital products that improve lives and connect people, all by prioritizing an understanding of the human experience. They help their clients identify with the people they serve and the problems they face to uncover opportunities, inform design decisions, and launch products that solve complex problems.

Furthermore, Lacey and ZoCo have built a reputation preparing companies for what’s next—inciting transformation and growth for innovation teams at global companies, to highly impactful nonprofits in their own backyard. Though their clients are diverse, what ties ZoCo’s work together is a bold vision for the future and a passion for improving customer experience through human-centered design. To read more about Lacey click HERE

Kimmi Wernli, Crazy Richard’s Peanut Butter Company 

Kimmi Wernli is the first female owner of one of the oldest natural food companies in America. When Kimmi assumed the reigns as the second generation owner of her family’s historic peanut butter business, she took Crazy Richard’s Peanut Butter Company into the 21st century by disruptive product innovation, brand exposure and elevation and positioning.

With Kimmi’s leadership and vision, Crazy Richard’s revenue has increased by 20%. Kimmi recently received a Nexty Award for Product Innovation and has led Crazy Richard’s to be environmentally aware and incorporate sustainable practices achieving the highly esteemed Benefit Corporation Certification (B-corp) status. She credits this success to her amazing team, company culture and values and tapping into a savvy young socia media audience of Crazy Richard’s fanatics.  To read more about Kimmi click HERE.

Meet Our MC

Lindsay Karas Stencel

Lindsay Karas Stencel has been in venture capital for nearly 15 years. She is a Partner at Thompson Hine LLP running the VC and Emerging Companies group in Columbus where she focuses on growing venture capital, and increasing capital access generally, for entrepreneurs throughout the Midwest, representing venture firms and startups from Albany to Chicago. 

As a licensed attorney in multiple states, Lindsay began her venture career on the pure deal side working in big law in New York. After she obtained her MBA from THE Ohio State University, she shifted to a true venture role in 2008 when she joined NCT Ventures, an early stage venture capital firm based out of Columbus, OH. There she worked her way up the ranks from associate and in-house counsel, to become one of the managing partners and chief legal counsel, making her one of the first female venture capital partners in the State of Ohio. There she has worked with the firm to structure 100s of transactions and proudly assisted the firm in being the top performing venture firm in the Midwest for its vintage years (2008 and 2013, respectively), according to PitchBook. 

To read more about Lindsay click HERE.

Thank you to our Visionary Sponsors!

PRESENTING SPONSORS

TRAILBLAZER SPONSORS

SPOTLIGHT SPONSORS

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