Speakers

Jennifer Alford

Jennifer Alford is the president and founding member of Creative Financial Partners. She began her career in the financial services industry while interning at Savage and Associates. Creative Financial Partners is an independent financial services firm in Perrysburg, Ohio with 20 advisors and a staff of 10 with more than 16,000 clients. The firm manages 600 million in assets and is licensed in 33 states. Alford has been recognized as the 2015 Advisor of the Year by National Association of Insurance and Financial Advisors, the 2009 “20 Under 40” Leadership Toledo Award Winner and the 2006 Winner of Advisor Today Magazine 4 Under 40 Financial Advisor Award.

Pamela Byrne

Pamela Byrne joined Welltower in 2013 and is the Assistant Vice President of Talent Management at Welltower Inc. Byrne has spent the majority of her career within the healthcare space. After graduating from John Carroll University, she worked as both an Account Manager and Regional Director for Sterling Healthcare. After receiving her MBA from The University of Notre Dame, Byrne went on to serve as the VP of Human Resources and Administration at Corner Dental. In her current role with Welltower, Byrne leads the Talent Management function. She is responsible for developing, executing and implementing
strategies to attract and retain top talent across the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom.

Judith M. Cowan

Judith M. Cowan is the President of the Ohio Energy and Advanced Manufacturing Center, Inc. in Lima, Ohio. The OEAMC is a R&D Center currently specializing in the full commercialization of High Velocity Metal Forming (HVMF) technologies. Before joining OEAMC, Cowan was on the staff of three Ohio Governors – George Voinovich, Bob Taft and Ted Strickland. She entered state politics after 22 years in the banking industry where she was the Vice President of the Bank of Leipsic. Cowan also served as Mayor of the Village of Leipsic, and during her administration, the Village welcomed United States Steel, IAMS Pet Foods and POET Ethanol into the community.

State Representative Robert McColley

State Representative Robert McColley is serving his second term in the Ohio House. He represents the 81st District, which
includes Putnam, Henry and Williams counties, as well as part of Fulton County. He also serves as the Assistant Majority Whip
for the 132nd General Assembly. McColley graduated from Napoleon High School in 2003 and then went on to attend The
Ohio State University, where he earned a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration. He then attended the University of
Toledo College of Law and graduated with a Juris Doctorate in 2010. Prior to being elected to the House, he served in the Community Improvement Corporation of Henry County.

Dean Monske

Dean Monske is the President and CEO of the Regional Growth Partnership (RGP). The RGP is a private, nonprofit development corporation dedicated to fostering local, national, and international economic growth opportunities for northwest Ohio and southeast Michigan. Prior to his appointment as President and CEO of the RGP, Monske was the Deputy Mayor for External Affairs in the administration of Toledo Mayor Michael P. Bell. He also served as Vice President with the Regional Growth
Partnership from 2006-2009. Monske also served as the Executive Director of the Oregon Economic Development Foundation. He was born and raised in Toledo and is an alumnus of Bowling Green State University.

Jen Murphy

Jen Murphy is the campus relations program manager at Hyland Software. Murphy’s responsibilities include working with target schools to identify and hire top talent at Hyland into their robust internship program, as well as full time roles. Hyland produces an award-winning software solution that solves problems resulting from time consuming, costly and error-plagued manual, paper-based tasks.

Lauren Stiller Rikleen

Lauren Stiller Rikleen is a nationally recognized expert on developing a thriving, diverse and multigenerational workforce. Stiller Rikleen is president of the Rikleen Institute for Strategic Leadership and author of “You Raised Us - Now Work With Us: Millennials, Career Success, and Building Strong Workplace Teams.” This widely acclaimed book provides a nuanced perspective and rebuts old stereotypes about millennials, offering practical recommendations for all generations to strengthen workplace relationships and promote organizational excellence. Stiller Rikleen is also a visiting scholar at the Boston College Center for Work and Family in the Carroll School of Management. She is the author of more than 150 articles,
including topical commentary and op-ed pieces. Rikleen is a contributor to Fortune. com, including its Most Powerful Women Insiders Network and Leadership Insiders Network, sections that offers business and career advice from influential thought
leaders in business. She has written for or been interviewed by publications and media outlets including the New York Times, the Washington Post, National Public Radio and the Boston Globe

Dr. Mark Schweitzer

Dr. Mark Schweitzer is senior vice president of External Outreach and Regional Analytics at the Federal Reserve Bank of Cleveland. Schweitzer’s own research has focused on the macroeconomic impact of labor market developments and the identification of factors contributing to regional economic growth. He joined the Bank in 1992 as an economist. From 2000 to 2002, he took leave to serve as a senior economist at the Bank of England. After returning to the Federal Reserve Bank of Cleveland, he was promoted to assistant vice president and director of the Regional Economic Issues Program in 2004. He left Cleveland in 2007 to serve as vice president and branch executive of the Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City’s Denver Branch.