Business Magazine - The Corporate Magazine

Fostering Inclusion & Diversity | Kathryn Mason

Being open and transparent is an essential and intrinsic part of Kathryn Mason, Co-Chief Executive Officer of Rice Search Partners’, leadership style. This has resulted in an ongoing focus on diversity and inclusion within the company. In 2013 Rice Search Partners was predominately white, male, and privately educated. The team is now over 70% diverse (as defined by gender, ethnicity, socioeconomics, and LGBTQ+ criteria) across the company and 66% across the management team.

Creating Health, Happiness & Community Cohesion | Joan Kanigan

Joan Kanigan, CEO of the Western Development Museum (WDM), took an extraordinarily unique yet bold step as a leader in 2021. She initiated a 360o Performance Assessment to better understand how she was performing and where she needed to improve—all through an honest and critical feedback system to know where she was standing as a leader and a manager.

Leading with Positivity & Objectivity | Brandi Martin

Brandi Martin, President & CEO, InstaFab, has always been fascinated by leadership and the idea of positively impacting the world. Even as a child, she found herself naturally drawn to organizing and leading groups of people toward a common goal. Whether it was planning a game with friends or working on a school project, Brandi was always eager to take on a leadership role and make a difference.

Enhancing Human Potential | Angela Cusack

Angela Cusack, Founder & CEO of Igniting Success®, is understated and patient. She moves quickly as she partners with executive leaders in shaping cultures that produce deeper connections, higher engagement, and overall well-being and prosperity for all involved. Angela is an impact player. Someone whom many refer to as their “organization’s secret weapon.”

A Compassionate Leader | Ally Zahler

A critical quality that defines Ally Zahler’s leadership is her willingness to listen. Whether it’s the clients she serves, organizational partners, her board of directors, or her staff – Ally is always listening for the direst problems facing the people she serves and the best solutions. The innovative strategies she has implemented at The Reeb Center in the organization’s relatively short tenure have made it a standout among Central Ohio’s venerable non-profit peers. Ally has been keen on collecting client data with stories from the field to ensure she has a complete perspective and can make genuinely equitable and impactful decisions. The Reeb Center has navigated incredibly challenging times with the strength of Ally’s people-centered leadership style.

Enhancing the Industry with Visionary Ideas | Geneviève Biron

Geneviève Biron is a dedicated leader who brings an optimistic view of the business world to everything she does. Driven by a passion for innovation, she transforms her vision into concrete solutions via dynamic collaboration and partnerships with fellow business leaders. She works tirelessly to advance society by fostering positive social and environmental initiatives. Putting people and communities at the heart of her work, she strives to improve the quality of life for all through visionary ideas and entrepreneurship.

A decorated Leader building Countries, Companies and Communities | Riva Walia

Riva Walia is an accomplished leader who has been recognized both in Canada and internationally. As the first woman of Indian origin in Canada to receive the prestigious Chevalier de L’ordre national du Mérite (Knight of the French National Order of Merit) from President Emmanuel Macron of France, she has demonstrated her commitment to strengthening bilateral trade relations between Canada and France, as well as promoting growth and innovation within the French business ecosystem.

A lifetime commitment to education | Madeline Burillo-Hopkins

It’s the start of a school day at HCC West Loop campus and Dr. Madeline Burillo-Hopkins is walking the halls, talking to students waiting for classes to begin.
“How’s everything going?” she asks one student. She leans in and listens intently. Whether it’s a concern with financial aid, finding a ride to school or balancing family obligations and schoolwork, Burillo-Hopkins offers common sense advice rooted in her own experiences.

Always Striving for Excellence | Layne Lewis

“Maintaining our company values and culture are essential to us. As we grow our engineering and consulting firm, we will be able to adapt and exceed expectations because of them.”
Layne Lewis, President of Willowview Consulting LLC (WVC), is a visionary, both professionally and in her personal life. Layne is a highly motivated individual, often giving more than 100% and modeling her motto “Expect Excellence” every day in all aspects of her life. She consistently goes above and beyond to achieve results with her seasoned team of likeminded individuals.

Leading with Big-picture Approach | Julie L. Butner

Julie Butner, President & CEO of Tarrant Area Food Bank, takes a big-picture approach to finding meaningful ways to impact. She envisions ways for Tarrant Area Food Bank to address current issues facing the community while positioning innovative solutions to develop future solutions to address food insecurity. She encourages her team to approach challenges with a positive attitude and a “can-do” spirit that inspires creativity and results.