Paul J. Hooker Center Leadership

Ebony Carter, CBA is the Vice President of the Minority Business Services at the Toledo Chamber and the Director of the Minority Business Assistance Center (MBAC). Prior to this role, Ebony was also a Financial Analyst at Launchpad Incubator.

Ebony is a Toledo native, has eight siblings, has no children, but is a proud Auntie! She has a bachelor’s degree in finance from the University of Toledo. Her passions are traveling and mentoring, uplifting and encouraging youth.

Kenny Farrar serves as Senior Associate for JumpStart Inc in Toledo, OH. In his role since 2019, Kenny has connected over 700 local small business owners to crucial resources and capital, with a focus on empowering minority and women entrepreneurs, accounting for over 500 of these businesses.

Kenny is the lead administrator of the Impact Program, a 12-week educational program for business owners, connecting them to educational resources and vital funding opportunities. To further support small businesses, Kenny created "Balancing the Books" in 2023, a program that connects high potential businesses to free accounting services.

Prior to joining JumpStart, Kenny assisted entrepreneurs through his personal business providing web and software solutions. His work in the region has helped create nearly 400 jobs and he is committed to making Northwest Ohio a thriving hub for aspiring entrepreneurs.

Following graduation from Bowling Green State University in 1975 (B.S., Journalism), Steve Hanson began his career as a photojournalist. While working for a regional newspaper, he took on additional freelance work that was published by UPI, AP, Time, Newsweek, and Sports Illustrated. Hanson further honed his communication skills as Assistant Director of Public Relations for BGSU as the university photographer.

From public relations, Hanson segued into advertising and sales promotion as a producer for film, video & multimedia presentations at a Toledo advertising agency before becoming one of the founding partners at Packo, Mitchell, Hanson, & Comer, a leading regional sales promotions agency. In 1981 he founded Hanson Productions Inc, specializing in film and video production. In 1996 he renamed the company Hanson Inc, evolving it into a digital agency which continues to thrive on understanding, innovating, and delivering on the promise of strategic interactive communications. In 2009 he led a group that secured the film rights to The Prophet by Kahlil Gibran, one of the bestselling books of the 20th century.

While Hanson has grown Hanson Inc. from a local production company into a global digital agency, he continues to actively support the local community. He sits on the board of directors of several local businesses and contributes resources and professional services to Assistance Dogs of America, Kids Unlimited, The Arts Council of Greater Toledo, The Toledo Symphony, and Taste of the Nation.

Mike Hart is CEO of Hart, one of Ohio’s largest independent, full-service marketing firms, with offices in Toledo and Columbus, Ohio, and Washington, D.C. Started as one-man shop by his father in 1965, today Mike guides a team of more than 80 strategic professionals, spanning seven marketing-communications disciplines. The agency grew by 65% each year from 2020 to 2022, and has an adjusted gross income of $13 million. Notable milestones include being named a Top Workplaces Winner by the Toledo Blade in 2023, the 2022 acquisition of MDB Communications, a full-service media-neutral agency based in Washington, D.C., and Hart I MDB being named Washington Business Journal’s 24th Fastest Growing Companies for 2022. Mike was inducted into the Paul J. Hooker Center for Entrepreneurial Leadership 2022 Hall of Fame at BGSU, and was an Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year® in the Multimedia, Marketing and Communications category for the Central Great Lakes Region in 2005. He also has served on the boards of the Press Club of Toledo, The University of Toledo’s Center for Family Business, the Toledo Area Small Business Association and the Make-A-Wish Foundation of Northwest Ohio.

Education

BGSU, B.S. in Business Administration, 1983

Experience:

George Heath is a retired group president at Sherwin Williams in Cleveland, where he drove the growth of its industrial businesses from $1.6 billion to over $3 billion in five years, closing seven acquisitions and leading 7,000 employees in more than 50 countries. He is actively involved in higher education, teaching economics and entrepreneurship at University School in the Cleveland metropolitan area. George was a BGSU athlete and earned his Bachelor of Fine Arts degree from BGSU in 1987.  

https://www.linkedin.com/in/george-heath-4819bb2/

Education:

BGSU, B.F.A., Design Studies ‘87

Experience: 

Paul was the CEO of SFERRA Fine Linens in New York City for 35 years before becoming Board Chairman in 2013. In 1977, he purchased SFERRA and the company experienced dramatic growth under Paul’s leadership, selling to over 600 retail stores in North America and internationally. In1990 he started RallyCap Sports Inc, a non-profit sports program for children and young adults with special needs. In 2010, Paul was recognized as one of the top 100 graduates in BGSU’s first 100 years, and he was inducted into the BGSU Dallas-Hamilton Entrepreneurial Hall of Fame in 2012.

Paul J. Hooker LinkedIn profile

Education:

BGSU, B.S. Business Administration ‘75

Experience:

Mike is Vice President and General Manager of Global Workplace and Mobility. He is responsible for DXC’s global workplace experience business, leading innovation and growth, managing all activities and a global staff, and achieving customers’ expectations.

Previously, he spent 15 years in several senior positions at Accenture. Most recently, he was senior managing director for Accenture’s North America sales organization, active in sales origination, client management, technology and innovation development, and C-suite engagement plans for major transformation programs.

Education

University of Toledo, B.S. in Mechanical Engineering

BGSU, Master of Business Administration ‘01

Experience: 

Doug is a partner and national service line leader for Intellectual Property at Shumaker, Loop & Kendrick, LLP in Toledo, OH. He is a mechanical engineer and registered patent attorney licensed in the State of Ohio and before the United States Patent and Trademark Office. He counsels clients in a variety of patent-related matters, and has extensive experience in different technology areas. Prior to practicing law, Doug worked as an environmental engineer/manager and solvent recovery system manager for a chemical compounding facility and a project engineer in the chemical process group with a global engineering consulting firm.   

Education:

University of Toledo, Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering
University of Toledo - College of Law, Juris Doctor

Experience:

Eric is a former senior executive for WW Grainger and Maytag who now invests and supports numerous Private Equity sponsors with acquiring and operating B2B distribution & manufacturing businesses. He serves on multiple boards as an Outside Director, Operating Partner, Chairman, Investor & LP. 

https://www.linkedin.com/in/ericnowlin/

Education:

BGSU, B.S. Business Administration ‘82

Experience:

Brad is the Managing Partner of Parallel49 Equity which is a private equity firm that makes control investments in middle market companies in the specialty manufacturing and business services industries.  Parallel49 Equity has made 26 platform investments and has completed 45 add-on acquisitions to grow the scale of the platform companies.  Parallel49 Equity, and its predecessor firm Tricor Pacific Capital, have raised 5 investment partnerships with over $1 billion of committed capital.  Brad serves as the Chairman of the Board of CPI Card Group [NASDAQ: PMTS] and has previously served as Chairman of seven other Parallel49 Equity portfolio companies.  In addition, Brad serves on the board of directors of Steel Dynamics [NASDAQ: STLD], a leading steel manufacturer with over $12 billion in annual revenue and employs over 8,500 people.  

Prior to his career in private equity, Brad spent 15 years with GE and GE Capital in a series of increasingly responsible roles.

https://www.linkedin.com/in/brad-seaman-982b4110/

Education:

BGSU, B.S. Business Administration, Selling & Sales Management ‘82

Experience:

Luke joined Rally Cap Sports following graduation from BGSU in May 2015. During his time at BGSU, he interned at Promedica, Marathon Petroleum Corporation, and O-I, while working with founder Paul J. Hooker to expand RallyCap and begin the first university chapter. After graduation, he moved to New York City to begin working for RallyCap Sports. RallyCap has since expanded to seventeen chapters in six states, under Luke’s leadership as Executive Director. In 2015, Luke was awarded Outstanding Youth in Philanthropy by the Association of Fundraising Professionals. Luke has since moved back to his hometown of Maumee, Ohio and remains in his position of leadership with RallyCap Sports.

https://www.linkedin.com/in/luke-sims/

Education:

BGSU, B.S. Business Administration, Marketing with Entrepreneurship minor ‘15

Vontoba is Co-Founder of UI Global Brands LLC, the manufacturer and marketer of owned personal care brands Urban Hydration and Breath of Fresh Hair. Vontoba has 14 years of executive experience in the fashion and beauty industries, and prior to becoming a full time business owner, he spent 12 years in the corporate banking industry.

https://www.linkedin.com/in/vontoba

Education:

BGSU, B.S.B.A, Finance, '03
UNLV, M.A., Economics, '09

Kati Thompson is a creative problem-solver who works with communities and organizations to achieve collaborative change and growth. As Executive Director of Bowling Green Economic Development, she is responsible for industry attraction, retention and expansion. Kati takes a wholistic approach in development to ensure an increased quality of life for all residents. With a focus on relationship-building along with strategic planning and partnerships, Bowling Green is poised for continued success.

With entrepreneurial and community development roles in her background, Kati brings a broad range of experience to BGED. She continues to own and operate Eden Fashion Boutique, a contemporary women’s clothing store in Downtown Bowling Green which opened in 2016. In addition, Kati’s husband Dave owns ACE Hardware and Thompson & Thompson Construction and they enjoy their entrepreneurial lifestyle.

Kati holds a BA in Marketing and a Masters of Organization Development from Bowling Green State University. In her free time, Kati enjoys spending time with her husband and five children, traveling, reading and fitness.