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Columbus, OH – Nationwide played a significant role in the creation of Columbus 2020 Regional Growth Strategy in 2010, and its executive vice president and chief information officer Mike Keller has served on the board since 2011. To reaffirm Nationwide’s commitment to remain actively engaged in the continued strategic development efforts of Columbus 2020, Mark Berven, president and chief operating officer of Nationwide Property and Casualty, is joining the Columbus 2020 Board of Directors. Berven is replacing Keller, who has announced his retirement from Nationwide.
“Nationwide’s commitment to the Columbus Region’s growth and prosperity has been exemplary,” noted Pablo Vegas, chairman of the Columbus 2020 Board of Directors and executive vice president, Gas Segment & chief customer officer, NiSource Inc. “We look forward to having Mark on the board of directors as we evolve the strategy and define new goals for the regional economy. His experience with Smart Columbus and emerging vehicle technology gives him a unique perspective on many of the Region’s key issues.”
The Columbus 2020 Regional Growth Strategy goals are to create jobs, generate capital investment, raise per capita income and make the Columbus Region known as a leader in economic development.
Prior to his current role at Nationwide, Mark served as Nationwide’s chief strategy and product management officer. He joined Nationwide in 1994 and has held positions of increasing responsibility, including roles in claims and personal and commercial lines underwriting. Nationwide is a Columbus-based Fortune 100 company and one of the largest and strongest diversified insurance and financial services organizations in the United States.
An active and committed member of the community, Berven’s leadership extends to a variety of nonprofit and industry-related organizations. He serves on the Board of National 4-H, the National Association of Mutual Insurance Companies and the Insurance Information Institute. Berven is a past chair of The Childhood League Center in Columbus and has been involved in the United Way of Central Ohio in various capacities.
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About Columbus 2020 As the economic development organization for the Columbus Region, Columbus 2020’s mission is to generate opportunity and build capacity for economic growth across 11 Central Ohio counties. In 2010, hundreds of business and community leaders developed the Columbus 2020 Regional Growth Strategy, and the Columbus Region is now experiencing the strongest decade of growth in its history. The Columbus 2020 team conducts business outreach, promotes the Columbus Region to market-leading companies around the world, conducts customized research to better understand the Columbus Region’s competitiveness, and works to leverage public, private and institutional partnerships. Funding is received from more than 300 private organizations, local governments, academic institutions and JobsOhio. Learn more at ColumbusRegion.com.
Columbus 2020 Media Contact
Irene Alvarez
614-225-6941
ia@columbusregion.com