Learn more and register below. Sign up for updates to stay informed about what’s coming next. Also, recordings are now available for all three Speaker Series for those who were unable to join.
Community Choices (Round 2 of Public Input)
Did we hear the community correctly? Rate and help refine draft principles based on previous community input. Then, help choose the look and feel for key places. The in-person workshop, webinar, and online survey have been scheduled to offer alternative ways for the community to get involved. All events in the community choices round will involve similar activities – simple rating and choices – so attend the opportunity most convenient to you.
Public Workshop
November 12th from 6:30 to 8 pm at Worthingway Middle School
Register for the Public Workshop
Registration is not required to attend, but is encouraged.
Webinar
November 20th from 12 to 1 pm (Virtual)
Register for the Webinar
Previous Events
Speaker Series
Economic Development
October 27th at 6 pm at City Hall
This panel is an opportunity to learn about the role economic development and fiscal responsibility play in community development, balancing high-quality public services with a healthy and diverse tax base.
Moderated by:
David A. Collinsworth is currently the Managing Partner for the Management Advisory Group LLC, based in Westerville, Ohio which provides a variety of consulting and executive recruitment services for local governments. Dave has 32 years of local government management experience, serving as city manager of Westerville, Ohio from 2007-2020, Tipp City, Ohio from 1997-2007, and as assistant city manager in Miamisburg from 1990-1997. He has managed construction efforts for a variety of infrastructure projects including streetscape initiatives, utility plant expansions, police & court facilities, government centers, industrial parks, park developments, recreation centers including a $20M community center expansion, and development of a $9M fiber-optic backbone and data center.
Dave has served as the past president/chair of the Ohio City/County Management Association (OCMA), the Central Ohio Mayors & Managers Association (COMMA), the Tri-Cities North Regional Wastewater Authority and the Northern Area Water Authority (NAWA). He has also been recognized by the Dayton Area Managers Association as “Public Manager of the Year” and by Dayton’s Business First Newspaper as a “40 under 40” award recipient. Dave is currently serving the OCMA as Senior Advisor for the Central Ohio region and has been awarded Life Member Status by ICMA. He has been a member of Rotary International for over 23 years and is a Paul Harris Fellow.
Panelist of speakers includes:
Joe Hayek is president and chief executive officer (CEO) of Worthington Enterprises. As vice president and chief financial officer of Worthington Industries from 2018 through 2023, Hayek helped lead the Company through the COVID pandemic to record earnings and oversaw the development and implementation of the Worthington 2024 strategic initiative to separate the organization into two standalone, publicly traded companies: Worthington Enterprises and Worthington Steel. He was instrumental in positioning both companies to capitalize on differentiated growth and value creation strategies.
Prior to joining Worthington, Hayek was the president of PCM/Sarcom, an IT solutions provider and the largest subsidiary of PCM, Inc. He also served as PCM’s executive vice president of corporate development and investor relations from 2008 to 2012. Prior to PCM, Hayek spent 10 years in investment banking with Raymond James and Wachovia.
Hayek currently serves on the boards of advisors of ODW Logistics Inc. and The Fishel Company, and is a member of the board of Catholic Social Services. He previously served on the board of trustees of the Community Shelter Board.
Matt McCollister is the interim president of One Columbus and serves as a board member for the Ohio Economic Development Association (OEDA), the Central Ohio Commercial Information Exchange (COCIE), and the Mid-Ohio Development Exchange (MODE). As interim president, Matt is focused on driving continuous improvement in the organization’s performance and aligning domestic, international, and existing industry outreach strategies. He engages with One Columbus’ network of national site consultants and works closely with our network of local economic development professionals.
Matt has more than 25 years’ experience working in economic development, with international experience in Japan, China, Korea, Italy, UK, Netherlands, Austria, and Germany. He also worked directly within the real estate industry. He was recognized as a Top 50 Economic Developer by Consultant Connect in both 2016 and 2024.
Ashley Solether serves as the Executive Director of ULI Columbus, where she leads strategic initiatives, member engagement, and cross-sector collaboration to advance responsible land use and create thriving, sustainable communities across Central Ohio. She is committed to positioning ULI Columbus as a trusted convener and thought leader in development, housing, mobility, and urban resilience.
Quality of Place
October 1st at 6 pm at City Hall
This panel is an opportunity to learn about communities that have created and nurtured quality places over time with changing demographics and market forces.
Moderated by Jamie Greene, Principal of Planning NEXT, the panelists will include:
Kelly Dannenfelser, AICP, is the Assistant Director of Long-Range Planning & Historic Preservation for the City of Franklin, Tennessee, where she helps steward a beloved historic downtown while planning for thoughtful growth. She has worked on cornerstone “quality of place” tools including Envision Franklin—the city’s long-range land-use framework—updates to the Franklin Zoning Ordinance, and the 2022 Historic District Design Guidelines that shape context-sensitive infill and preservation. Through her oversight of the Historic Preservation Program, she supports design review and the comprehensive Preservation Plan update currently underway. Before Franklin, Kelly served as a planner in Dublin, Ohio—experience that gives her a practical perspective on central Ohio and creating high-quality, enduring communities.
Herb Koehler is the Village Manager of Granville, Ohio, where he oversees day-to-day operations under the council-manager form of government and keeps the community’s small-town character front and center. His recent work includes collaborating regionally on issues that shape quality of place—most recently, cooperative utility planning with neighboring communities amid growth across Licking County. He also has recently partnered with the Granville Community Foundation to preserve the historic Old Academy Building and guiding streetscape discussions that balance function with the aesthetics residents cherish. A former U.S. Army officer, Koehler brings decades of leadership and strategic planning experience to placemaking and community stewardship.
Letty Schamp is the City Engineer for the City of Hilliard, Ohio. She provides budget oversight and oversees the planning, design, construction, and asset management programs for all capital improvement projects and developer-initiated projects for public infrastructure.
Letty holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Civil Engineering from The Ohio State University and is a registered Professional Engineer in the State of Ohio.
Central Ohio Today:
Understanding a Period of Incredible Growth & Change
By Michael Wilkos
July 23 at 6pm at the McConnell Arts Center
Our comprehensive planning process continues with the first in a series of community presentations about forces shaping our community and region. This presentation is an opportunity to learn about regional trends, how those trends are impacting housing and neighborhoods in other central Ohio communities. Our comprehensive plan should acknowledge these forces and set policies that are appropriate for Worthington. Everyone is welcome.
Michael Wilkos brings over 35 years of community development experience and deep knowledge of central Ohio’s growth patterns. He holds a B.A. in Geography and a Master of City & Regional Planning, both from The Ohio State University. He has served as grant maker for The Columbus Foundation and United Way of Central Ohio for over two decades, investing tens of millions of dollars in community improvement projects.
The Launch Webinar
Thank you to those who attended the webinar on June 26. If you missed the webinar, the recording is now available to watch.
Does your group or organization have a meeting you would like us to attend to speak about Worthington Together?
Contact us to request a meeting or if you have any other questions.