Cleveland's CEOs You Should Know

The Center for Black Health & Equity is a leading nationally recognized public health entity that provides solutions to issues impacting African American health. We engage health care organizations, public health officials, faith leaders, and African American communities in health promotion and disease prevention work.Our mission is to facilitate programs and services to benefit communities and people of African descent. We do this by building community capacity, developing community infrastructure, and advocating for equity-centered policies. We are committed to addressing the social and economic injustices that have marginalized our communities and led to deep health disparities.We apply our proven framework for policy and social change to our work in tobacco control, COVID-19, HIV/AIDS, women’s health, cancer, mental health and other disparities.

Matt Jones, CPA serves as CEO of Affinity Whole Health. Founded in 2012, Affinity has assisted thousands of men and women with hormone therapy and injectable weight loss. Matt's career began in public accounting, he spent time in Fortune 500 sales and business operations. Matt is a life-long Clevelander and enjoys reading, exercise and spending time with his wife and two sons.

Ilan Sobel has been the CEO of BioHarvest Sciences since July 2020. Ilan has brought the company’s first product, VINIA, to North America, building a direct-to-consumer machine that is now generating significant revenues. VINIA’s go-to-market success has established a template for the company’s near-term product pipeline of nutraceutical plant cell banks. In addition to commercial focus and planning, Ilan has scaled production capabilities from R+D up to industrial levels, and is building a biotech company with novel, and even patentable plant-based products that are based on science and backed by clinical trials.. Prior to BioHarvest, Ilan served for 6 years at Weissbeerger, as both Chief Operating Officer and then Chief Commercial Officer. In this capacity, Ilan played a major leadership role in building a disruptive BIG Data, IOT & Software Company servicing major Beverage players which was ultimately purchased by Anheuser Busch InBev. Previously, Ilan served an 18 year stint as an International Employee of The Coca-Cola Company, where he played a pivotal role in key senior leadership positions generating significant revenue and profit growth and improving brand health trends across diverse global markets including the United States, China, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Thailand, Singapore, Malaysia, Vietnam, the Philippines and South Africa.

Robin Ganzert, Ph.D., serves as president and CEO of American Humane, the country’s first national humane organization and the first to serve animals, whenever and wherever they are in need of rescue, shelter or protection. She is the executive producer of the acclaimed documentary, Escape from Extinction, narrated by Dame Helen Mirren, and its follow-up, Escape from Extinction Rewilding, which features narration by Oscar winner Meryl Streep. She is also the executive producer of the annual American Humane Hero Dog Awards which aired for ten years on Hallmark Channel and most recently aired on A&E and fyi networks. Additionally, she is the author of The Humane Table: Cooking with Compassion, Mission Metamorphosis and Animal Stars. Her next book, Escape from Extinction, is set to come out in 2025. Dr. Ganzert serves on the board of Loro Parque Foundation, the Lois Pope LIFE Foundation and is a member of The Explorers Club, the Palm Beach Chamber of Commerce Trustee Program, and the International Women’s Forum. She has been awarded the prestigious Gorilla Prize by world-renowned zoological organization Loro Parque for her efforts in conservation. Dr. Ganzert is frequently highlighted in prominent national news and media platforms as an authoritative advocate for animals. In the recent season, she made appearances on shows like Good Morning America, Fox & Friends, Fox News Saturday Night, and America’s Newsroom, among others. During her tenure at American Humane, she has been a guest on broadcast outlets such as the TODAY Show, MSNBC, World News Tonight, CNN, and Fox Business News, to name a few. Additionally, her insights have been featured in major newspapers, including The Washington Post, The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, USA Today, Chicago Tribune, Los Angeles Times, and the Boston Globe. Under her leadership, American Humane continues to earn recognition for its commitment to transparency, accountability, efficiency, and financial responsibility. Thanks to this dedication, American Humane is a top-rated charity having earned, for six years, Charity Navigator’s “Four- Star” rating; the “Seal of Excellence” from Independent Charities of America – awarded to fewer than three percent of charities nationwide; an “A” rating from Great Nonprofits; and is one of the few charities that meet all of the Better Business Bureau’s Wise Giving Alliance 20 Standards for charity accountability. Since her appointment in 2010, Dr. Ganzert has spearheaded unprecedented growth and transformational change at the historic 145-year-old nonprofit, which has reemerged as the most effective humane organization, directly impacting the lives of more animals around the world than any other organization through innovative, life-changing and life-saving programs that set the gold standard in animal welfare and protection. Dr. Ganzert has dramatically expanded the scope and scale of the organization’s programs globally with a presence in 40 countries making American Humane the largest certifier of animal welfare in the world. In addition to this growth she has provided oversight for iconic humane programs such as No Animals Were Harmed®, protecting animals in film and entertainment; and, American Humane Certified®, helping to ensure humane treatment of animals in agriculture. She launched a first-of-its-kind humane certification in global conservation for animals in zoos and aquariums and an innovative humane certification effort for the airline industry to help improve the safety and protection of companion animals in transportation. Most recently, Dr. Ganzert launched a new Humane Certified Pet Provider program focused on assessing the condition, well-being and welfare of small mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians, invertebrates and aquatic life at pet provider locations and animal suppliers. Dr. Ganzert is also responsible for the creation of American Humane’s famed Pups4Patriots™ program that...

Richard F. Trice Jr., R.Ph., MBA President Glenbeigh Hospital & Outpatient Centers Rick Trice is the President of Glenbeigh Hospital, part of the ARMC Health System. Before joining the ACMC Healthcare System in 2017, Rick served as Pharmacy Manager at University Hospital Health System Geneva Medical Center and Conneaut Medical Center. With 19 years of experience in managing clinical and non-clinical departments, Rick’s leadership was integral to the University Hospital System. Graduating from Ohio Northern University with a BS in Pharmacy, Rick owned and operated two pharmacies in Madison, Ohio. He transitioned to the acute care setting in the late 1990s, eventually earning an MBA in healthcare from Baldwin Wallace University

David has been a banking leader in Northeast Ohio since 2011, as part of a career that includes more than three decades of banking experience nationally, focused on corporate and commercial banking. Cleveland is his home, and he enjoys supporting his city and finding success for his company all at the same time. David is the first regional president for First Financial in Northeast Ohio. In his first year after being named to the position in 2023, he quickly added $100 million in investment in Northeast Ohio through his clients. He considers his biggest win in business to have come from finding a path to success as the first employee hired in a new market, which he has done twice now, most recently with First Financial Bank. He holds his MBA, specializing in finance and marketing, from Case Western Reserve University, and a bachelor’s degree in finance from Miami University. David also holds FINRA investment banking licenses. David is a proud of his local connections and volunteers his time to improve the community. He is the board chair of Building Hope in the City, a nonprofit organization that is transforming the neighborhoods of Clark-Fulton and Stockyards, and Cleveland’s refugee and immigrant communities. David is also active with the Leadership Cleveland Foundation, the Miami University Venture Pitch competition and Bay Presbyterian Church.

With over a decade of pioneering work at Heirloom Traditions Paint and my current leadership role as CEO of CamCoat, I bring a wealth of experience in product development and the creative direction of our products. My core competencies lie in transforming spaces with a keen eye for color, interior design aesthetic, furniture placement and kitchen & bath design. At CamCoat/Heirloom Traditions, our mission is to deliver sustainable coating solutions that aligns with my dedication to innovation and excellence in the realm of home aesthetics and paint & coatings. By leveraging my background in design, we aim to make a positive environmental impact while enhancing the beauty and functionality of our customers living spaces using our innovative paint products.

Founder, CEO and Chairman of the Board Matt Calkins is Appian's founder, CEO, and Chairman of the Board. Matt grew Appian from a startup in his basement to the most successful software IPO of 2017 with only $10 million of outside capital. He serves on the board of the Sorensen Institute and sits on the Leadership Council for the Virginia Public Access Project. Matt was the top Economics graduate of his class at Dartmouth. He is the author of several award-winning board games, and is frequently a top finisher at the World Boardgaming Championships.

Craig has worked in the arts in the United Kingdom, Australia and now, the United States. His current role is in Cleveland, Ohio as the President & CEO of Playhouse Square, a unique collection of 12 venues presenting an impressive season of performances and concerts as well as hosting eight resident companies. Craig was previously in London as CEO of the Royal Albert Hall, one of the world’s most wellknown and busiest performance venues. Prior to this, he was CEO of Opera Australia, the country’s largest performing arts organization. Craig also worked in London for nine years as CEO of English National Ballet; COO of Raymond Gubbay Ltd, a commercial promoter of classical music; and also consulted to the London 2012 Olympic Games on cultural presentations. Before leaving Australia, Craig was Deputy General Manager of Sydney Theatre Company, and worked with the Sydney 2000 Olympic Games as General Manager of Image, Special Events and Olympic Arts Festivals - a role that involved the development and delivery of a comprehensive, substantial, and successful four-year cultural program. Craig has served on the boards of LIFT - the London International Festival of Theatre; The Exhibition Road Cultural Group and English National Ballet School. He is currently on the board of d&b audiotechnik, a leading manufacturer of speakers for the entertainment industry; C4RD – Centre for Recent Drawing, London; and the University of London. In 2015, Craig was awarded an AM (Australia Medal) for services to the performing arts in Australia and is now a Global Ambassador for Advance Australia.

Erika L. Anthony, a native New Yorker, is the Co-Founder and Executive Director of Cleveland VOTES. Cleveland VOTES is a nonpartisan, democracy-building movement that works to reconstruct and strengthen power through active participation of our collective partners. Erika has held executive and senior positions with the Ohio Transformation Fund, Cleveland Neighborhood Progress, and Oriana House, Inc. She also serves on a number of boards and commissions in Cleveland. Erika holds a B.S. in Psychology from The Pennsylvania State University and a Masters of Public Administration from the Maxine G. Levin College of Urban Affairs at Cleveland State University.

The Cuyahoga County Veterans Service Commission understands the issues today’s veterans are facing. Most of the staff is comprised of veterans dedicated to serving their fellow veterans and their families.

Dr. Amber C. Gibbs joined Cuyahoga DD in 2008 and served in a variety of supervisory and leadership roles, most recently as Chief Administrative Services Officer, before becoming Superintendent and CEO in 2023. Her notable accomplishments include leading a major effort to eliminate the waiting list in Cuyahoga County and to find ways to serve the needs of all 13,000 county residents with developmental disabilities and their families; overseeing several key service departments, a staff of 300 and budgets of more than $40 million; and building a culture of service excellence throughout the organization. A leader at the state level with the Ohio Department of Developmental Disabilities and other county boards, Gibbs was recognized in 2018 with the Ohio Association of County Board’s Partners in Excellence Award for her groundbreaking work to eliminate the statewide Medicaid waiting list. Gibbs holds a bachelor’s degree in psychology from Wittenberg University, a master’s degree in social science and psychology from the University of Chicago, and a doctorate in organizational leadership from the University of Dayton. She lives in Cleveland with her husband and three daughters.

Dr. Warren Morgan is Chief Executive Officer for Cleveland Metropolitan School District where he leads one of the largest school systems in Ohio. As an experienced educator, Dr. Morgan recognizes the potential of every child and advocates for equity and excellence. He previously served as Chief Academic Officer in Indianapolis, as Executive Director for Teach for America, as a Network Leader of Cleveland's investment turnaround schools, as a high school principal in Chicago Public Schools, science teacher in St. Louis where he was awarded Outstanding Teacher, and he began his career with the Illinois Senate. Dr. Morgan also had the pleasure of working for both Presidents Obama and Trump as a prestigious White House Fellow. He currently serves on the Board of the White House Fellows Foundation Association. Dr. Morgan holds a Bachelor's from Butler University, where he served as student body president; a Master’s from the University of Missouri- St. Louis; and a Doctorate from the University of Illinois–Chicago. He is an alum of the Broad Fellowship at Yale University. He is an active member of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc

Travis Nelson is the CEO of Diversified Fall Protection, the largest turnkey fall protection integrator in the U.S. for regulatory-driven systems and services. Nelson is a distinguished leader and influencer in the fall protection industry and brings over 20 years of industry experience to the position. Nelson's journey with DFP began in 2019, initially as Vice President of Engineering and later as Vice President of Strategy. His tenure at DFP commenced after the acquisition of PEAK Fall Protection, where Nelson served as managing partner and president for nearly 12 years. A trusted industry leader since 1994, Diversified Fall Protection (DFP) specializes in the design, fabrication and installation of complete fall protection solutions that keep workers safe from falls, one of the most common causes of workplace injury and fatality. The company minimizes customer liability and protects employees through a comprehensive system of OSHA-compliant fall protection solutions, education programs and an in-house engineering and design team. As a certified integrator of every major manufacturer of system components, DFP provides fall protection partnership for life through the systems we engineer, produce, install, and service.

Presented by Cleveland, Ohio-based, non-profit organization, Values-in-Action Foundation, the Kindland movement is bringing together communities, businesses, organizations, and schools by recognizing and sharing the acts of kindness around us in an effort to inspire a ground swell of positivity and goodness. Kindland relies on the power of the people to do, recognize, report, and share the acts of kindness happening everyday. ​The goal is to create a communities that can sustain a unified sense of kindness, compassion, empathy and understanding. These values are the foundation we need for our community to have the strength to find solutions to our most prominent issues including poverty, social justice, racism, and political polarization. Stuart Muszynski is the co-founder, President and CEO of Values-in-Action Foundation. He has been a business and community leader in Greater Cleveland for more than 25 years. He co-founded Project Love, Remember the Children Foundation, with his wife, Susan Muszynski, Ph.D. in 1994, and is the author of the book Searching for Values: a Grandmother, and Grandson and the Discovery of Goodness (Hiram College, 2005) as well as numerous articles on education, character and values. Muszynski graduated from Hamilton College in 1976 and is the 2011 recipient of the National Cyberbully Day of Awareness Caring and Daring Award. He and Susan have been married for more than 30 years.

1978 the Waterproofing company where DiCello worked folded on a Friday afternoon. DiCello's over-the-weekend scramble prompted a new business venture: Ohio State Waterproofing. With a shoestring budget, a basement waterproofing system that would prove to be years ahead of its time, and dogged determination to make the home services company succeed, DiCello was well on his way to building the industry-leading provider of basement waterproofing services. Early on, the Company's vision was week to week, with the main objective to generate enough revenue to make payroll for its three employees. Fourty-six years later, DiCello has grown the Company, establishing Ohio State Waterproofing as the number-one provider of waterproofing services in Northeastern Ohio, and operating 13 EverDry Waterproofing franchises throughout the United States. To date, the Company has installed more than 100,000 successful waterproofing and foundation repair systems. In an industry laden with fly-by-night contractors, Ohio State Waterproofing has established itself as the professional and dependable solution for basement water issues. The Company invested in R&D efforts, refining and then patenting its Multi-Step waterproofing system in 1984. Today, it remains the only system on the market that attacks water issues from inside and outside the home. DiCello worked with vendors to ensure quality product procurement, and in the process, developed patented concrete mixes and other products that are incorporated into the exclusive waterproofing system. Quality is it’s benchmark: Ohio State Waterproofing guarantees it’s work for the life of the home-a point that differentiates the Company from its competitors.

Cliff A. Megerian, MD, is Chief Executive Officer of University Hospitals (UH), a comprehensive health system with annual revenues of $6 billion, 21 hospitals (including 5 joint ventures), more than 50 health centers and outpatient facilities, and over 200 physician offices located throughout 16 counties. He assumed this position in February 2021 and joined UH in 2002. He is also the Jane and Henry Meyer Chief Executive Officer Distinguished Chair. In December 2019, Dr. Megerian was appointed the system’s President, where he led the organization through an unprecedented pandemic. Prior to that, he served as President, University Hospitals Physician Network, Physician Services and System Institutes. In these positions, he was charged with managing the clinical integration strategies, policies and practice guidelines for more than 2,500 UH employed physicians as well as the operations and infrastructure for UH system institutes. These clinical care institutes bring highly trained subspecialists together from multiple disciplines to collaborate on the best treatment for patients – promoting uniform, standard care protocols and the sharing of best practices. Additionally, he raised physician productivity to its highest level and significantly increased physician engagement and research funding. UH’s physician network includes the full-time academic medical practice at UH Cleveland Medical Center and UH’s community-based, multi-specialty physician network throughout Northeast Ohio.

E. Douglas Beach, Ph.D., Chief Executive Officer of Western Reserve Area Agency on Aging (WRAAA), has empirical leadership experience and expertise at the federal, state, and local levels. Having spent much of his childhood on family farms, it quite naturally followed Dr. Beach would pursue a doctorate in agricultural economics. Engaged in this pursuit at North Carolina State University, Dr. Beach found it necessary to return to Ohio to care for his ailing father. This circumstance led him to an awareness and interest in a different national resource: the senior population. Dr. Beach began a career advocating for elders while serving as the Ohio Department of Aging's Deputy Director of Programs, and after many years at the Department of Aging, Congressman David L. Hobson (R-OH) asked Dr. Beach to come on board as a staff economist. Utilizing his assured background in education and economics, Dr. Beach drafted major long-term care insurance legislation working for Congressman Hobson; it was then that Dr. Beach's desire to promote and defend the needs of seniors was revitalized. In September 1999, Dr. Beach was named the CEO of the Senior Resource Alliance, Florida's most prominent and industrious area agency on aging. Under his leadership, the Orlando-based organization's budget rose from $16 million to $25 million. Soon after, the Senior Resource Alliance became Florida's first Aging and Disability Resource Center (ADRC) and was honored as one of the nation's top 10 Information & Referral systems. February 2007 brought a knock on the door from Governor Charlie Crist tapping Dr. Beach to be Secretary of the Florida Department of Elder Affairs. Although rough economic times ensued, the Department's budget matched in equal measure to meet the needs of Florida's seniors with the preponderance of funding allocated for senior community and healthcare needs. One of the premier aging providers in the State of Florida, the Council on Aging of Volusia County (COA) welcomed Dr. Beach as its new Executive Director in June 2010. The COA provided traditional Older Americans Act (OAA) services but also emphasized private pay services and in-home Medicare services. In October 2014, Dr. Beach became Chief Executive Officer of WRAAA. With his blend of skills, business acumen, and respect for older adults and individuals with disabilities, Dr. Beach continues to provide comprehensive leadership and panoptic guidance to future opportunities and anticipated challenges. Over the past decade, Dr. Beach has transformed an agency on the edge into the largest minority-dominated Area Agency on Aging in the State of Ohio.

Adam Nash is the co-founder & CEO of Daffy.org, a fast-growing platform and community for charitable giving. Adam has served as an executive, angel investor, and advisor to some of the most successful technology companies to come out of Silicon Valley. Adam previously served as President & CEO of Wealthfront. He has held executive and technical roles at Dropbox, LinkedIn, eBay, and Apple. Adam also serves as an Adjunct Lecturer at Stanford University, where he teaches “Personal Finance for Engineers.” As an angel investor, Adam is well known for being an early investor in Firebase (sold to Google), Opendoor (Ticker: OPEN), Figma, Gusto, and over 120 other startups. Adam holds BS and MS degrees in Computer Science from Stanford University, as well as an MBA from Harvard.

AmCoat Industrial, maker of high-performance coatings for walls, roofs, and specialty industrial applications. AmCoat is home to some of the most recognized paint brands in the U.S., most notably Rhino Shield Ceramic Coatings, Floor Shield Polyaspartic Coatings and, Super Shield Roof Coatings. Through a network of independent dealers, AmCoat distributes its products nationally and internationally coating thousands of homes, buildings and, commercial and industrial applications. Terry Andre has led AmCoat as its CEO since 2010. With more than twenty years of contract manufacturing experience, he is uniquely qualified to help dealers develop their businesses and keep the supply chain moving. Terry and his wife Kathy, reside in Destin, Florida and have three adult children