Smart Business Magazine, January 2018

2018Pill r Award for Community Service NONPROFIT EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE YEAR AWARD NONPROFIT EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE YEAR AWARD 16 Smart Business Cincinnati Northern Kentucky Winter 2018 PillarCIN R oni Luckenbills impact goes beyond Girl Scouts of Western Ohio She is one of 10 Girl Scout CEOs in the country to serve on a national Girl Scout committee that examines the challenges the Girl Scout movement faces Luckenbill has proven to be an exceptional leader who has achieved growth thus impacting more girls and young women while the national organization works through issues such as the changing face of volunteers a pension deficit and a membership decline Luckenbill has guided her staff to be at the leading edge of the development and implementation of a new model for engaging and supporting volunteers and girls and has encouraged them to do their best work through the transition process She has also implemented innovative compensation changes to focus staff on key performance measures This is already paying off with Girl Scouts of Western Ohio showing a 5 percent increase in membership over the previous year in contrast to national trends which remain down or flat Luckenbill has dealt with financial challenges She addressed a significant pension deficit by managing the councils financial resources without compromising current operations She also demonstrated her excellent business and communication skills by involving volunteers and board members in the sale of three council properties and the development of a plan for camp and community based program offerings that meet the varied needs of girls across the council Roni Luckenbill CEO Girl Scouts of Western Ohio www gswo org M argo Spence has made an important impact on First Step Home for over 16 years In a quiet manner she has forwarded the needs of women in the opiate addiction crisis and beyond She has advocated for women suffering from trauma as well as from substance use disorder She manages all the day to day activities of the agency from clinical services to housing finance development and human resources and is responsible for the programs and staff at First Step Home Spence the nonprofits president and CEO manages all board relations and provides in depth materials and reports to the board every month while meeting every other month She provides leadership within the addiction treatment community with sister organizations and manages press and promotion for the agency Spence speaks at local state and national conferences on behalf of the agency and women who need treatment in Cincinnati and stays current on the latest research and trends with a national and regional focus on sustainability Spence has a unique management structure at First Step Home whereby the directors on her management team are all equal She uses a lead by example model and provides methods including surveys to get important organizational feedback All decisions are based on the welfare of the clients and the agency as a whole Spence uses models of management that focus on productivity and meeting clear goals and she encourages professional development and growth for the entire staff Margo Spence president and CEO First Step Home www firststephome org