Smart Business Magazine, September 2017

32 Smart Business Columbus September 2017 J Michael Vargo PRESIDENT AND CEO VARGO Cos www vargosolutions com VARGO Cos is helping businesses move beyond traditional fulfillment and distribution methodologies Its Continuous Order Fulfillment Engine software works for large companies with peak order days of 400000 or 500000 units a day as well as small companies that might have a minimum of 2000 orders a day Even with the leading warehouse execution system J Michael Vargo and his team of 52 isnt resting on its laurels The company developed two new COFE modules that give managers real time information about their distribution centers from anywhere on any device Managers also can build individual custom statistical and analytical reports Vargo and his leadership team believe in letting go of old tired processes that no longer work Today almost 70 percent of VARGOs business comes from designing custom engineered material handling systems 2017 Central Ohio Smart 50 Steve Wathen CEO Equity www equity net Equity started by Steve Wathen in 1987 has grown from one Ohio office to 10 offices nationwide The full service commercial real estate company also has four other affiliated companies The core of Equitys success lies in its values as conceived by Wathen known affectionately in house as Steve isms absolute integrity pursuing excellence inspiring personal growth and honoring God The Equity intolerables are lack of integrity poor customer service and disparaging Equity Equity leaders lead from the front by example Wathen stresses the value of staying emotionally cool and only being animated in ways that inspire the positive business forward results Wathen is also co founder of Franklinton Rising a faith based nonprofit focused on reducing generational poverty It prepares at risk young adults for construction careers while rehabbing blighted homes in Franklinton Kimmi Wernli OWNER AND PRESIDENT Crazy Richards Peanut Butter www crazyrichards com Kimmi Wernli has taken over her historic family peanut butter business and identified ways for Crazy Richards Peanut Butter to break into new markets in particular tapping into a savvy young audience via social media Her family owned both the Krema Products Co and Crazy Richards brands and Wernli decided to merge Krema into the Crazy Richards brand She worked tirelessly with her sales team national grocery store distributors and the marketing team to ensure a smooth transition Although Crazy Richards had national distribution the brand lacked a voice and presence on social media The brand is now very active on Facebook Instagram Twitter and Pinterest Wernil is also following her passion for supporting healthy kids and families through ongoing charity work and contributions Guy Worley CEO Columbus Downtown Development Corp www columbusddc com Guy Worley has generated national attention from orchestrating first of its kind development projects through the Columbus Downtown Development Corp From the National Veterans Memorial Museum and John F Wolfe Columbus Commons to the Scioto Mile and more his leadership at the CDDC has been a key driver in creating an open and vibrant downtown Worley also was the impetus behind the much needed 2010 2020 Downtown Strategic Plan which involved more than 50 stakeholder interviews and five public meetings with more than 600 attendees that generated over 1100 survey responses The result a smart investment and prioritization plan to propel Columbus forward via eight key strategies 10 principles and 12 catalytic ideas Never scared of a challenge Worleys collaborative and forward thinking leadership has raised over 25 billion in investments Scott Zemba PRESIDENT AND CEO Zemba Bros Inc www zembabrosinc com Scott Zemba and his brother Steve started what is now Zemba Bros Inc in 1987 with a push lawnmower and a no one will outwork us attitude Today the growing family of Zanesville companies specializes in industrial commercial and residential construction excavation rail transportation and mining With its vertical integration Zemba Bros can cross train employees and employ them year round Zemba emphasizes that good business boils down to always bring the right tools the right people and a relentless drive to get the job done with the best possible solution for customers During a period of explosive growth Zemba felt the weight of his organizations success He shifted focus to the discovery adoption and implementation of more sustainable systems which has improved operations and office efficiencies by over 50 percent Jim Zink Mike McGuire MANAGING PARTNERS Zink Foodservice www zinkfsg com After purchasing the company from its founder Jim Zink expanded the size and profitability of Zink Foodservice with his partner Mike McGuire Zink Foodservice represents more than 40 manufacturers and sells their products throughout the Midwest The Zink core values directs the companys approach to food service excellence customer first results driven forward focused and that we care The five point approach has allowed Zink to expand from the kitchen equipment it started with to the smallwares and other tabletop items it now also represents Inside this Zink Foodservice sells more than 200 million in product annually The partners divided the team into three different sales teams tabletop and smallwares equipment and health care and education which allows the team to specialize and have a better understanding of the market they represent Smart50COL