Meet the 2025 East Central finalists

Barbara Kudis is the President of Allegheny Petroleum Products Co.

Allegheny Petroleum and their affiliates are headquartered in Monroeville, Pennsylvania, with manufacturing facilities in Wilmerding and Ambridge, Pennsylvania; Boonville, Indiana; and Angleton, Texas, where they manufacture industrial, automotive and fleet lubricants, as well as manufacture and distribute lubricant and fuel additives.

Since 1987, Allegheny Petroleum has been driven to provide their customers with quality products and exceptional service. The company is large enough to handle complex needs at some of the world’s largest industrial sites, but nimble enough to act with great speed and agility when their customers need them — no matter the size.

If customers cannot find what they need from their 2,000+ products, the technical team works collaboratively to make a custom blend or find where to source and deliver a third-party product on their behalf. Allegheny Petroleum staff prides themselves on not only quality products but their ability to offer innovative and effective procurement, logistics, supply chain and fluid management solutions.

Yousuf Ahmad is the President and CEO of AssureCare.

AssureCare is a leading provider of population health management platforms and the only company connecting payers, providers and pharmacies. With 50 million members and growing, AssureCare has been able to support some of the largest national brands in the pharmacy and health insurance industries. 

Alison Alvarez is the Co-Founder and CEO of BlastPoint.

BlastPoint is a Pittsburgh-based company specializing in AI-driven customer intelligence solutions. Founded in 2016 by CEO, Alison Alvarez, and CTO, Tomer Borenstein, the company aims to make predictive analytics. The BlastPoint team is comprised of a diverse blend of data technologists, entrepreneurs, writers and operations experts who come from a wide range of backgrounds. Together, they share a common goal: To provide reliable, excellent software that their customers can use to answer fundamental questions and drive smart growth.

BlastPoint is a values-driven organization that takes a wider view of AI analytics. It’s not adequate to simply achieve a one-time positive outcome for their clients; it’s equally important to take a critical look at the results and make sure that there are no blind spots for the people who are affected by data-driven business decisions. BlastPoint protects their customers from unintended negative impacts while helping them serve their broader communities.

BlastPoint also believes their mission as a company is not just to make money, but to serve the wider world. They offer special pricing and programs for non-profits and community change makers, often for free.

James Cullinan is the Owner, Founder and CEO of CityScapes Inc.

Founded in 1997, CityScapes Inc. is a leader in architectural screening and outdoor enhancement solutions. Specializing in Envisor® roof screens, Covrit® enclosures, ToughGate™ gates, NatureScreen® trellises, Planx® planters and Marquee® canopies, the company delivers durable, code-compliant and maintenance-free products. Their solutions enhance aesthetics, provide privacy and meet municipal regulations for commercial and industrial spaces.

With a state-of-the-art, 180,000 sq. ft. facility in Hilliard, Ohio, CityScapes ensures precision engineering and high-quality manufacturing. Their in-house team handles design, project management and nationwide installation, delivering seamless solutions.

Committed to innovation and customer satisfaction, CityScapes works with architects, contractors and property owners to transform outdoor spaces with customizable, long-lasting products. Their expertise in screening, enclosures and branding solutions makes them a trusted partner in enhancing commercial environments.

Joseph E. Consolino is the Founder, President & CEO of Core Specialty Insurance Holdings, Inc.

The company offers a variety of specialty insurance products to commercial customers through its business units.

Purba Majumder is the CEO of Cybervation, Inc.

Cybervation has established itself as a dynamic force in technology and talent solutions, marked by strategic growth and impactful innovation. Headquartered in Dublin, Ohio, the company excels in IT and health care staff augmentation, addressing critical market needs.

Through its TrailBlazer Staffing Solutions, Cybervation enhances patient care by connecting health care facilities with top-tier professionals. Cybervation also drives innovation with product-based solutions, notably BistroUX, an award-winning, cloud-based online ordering/gift card platform for the retail and hospitality industry. Recognized as a Startup to Watch by Columbus Business First, BistroUX addresses complex business challenges and delivers tangible results, showcasing Cybervation’s commitment to innovation and client success. Their diversified offerings and strategic growth solidify their position as a key player in the technology and staffing landscape.

Ravi Kopuri is the Co-Founder and CEO of DATAECONOMY.

DATAECONOMY is a fast-growing, global, cloud-first data and AI consultancy that delivers enterprise-grade solutions powered by an innovative IP suite. Headquartered in Dublin, Ohio, the company has offices in Charlotte, North Carolina; Sydney, Australia; and Hyderabad and Pune, India.

With a team of more than 500 data engineers, DATAECONOMY serves Fortune 500 companies in the banking and financial services, insurance and health care industries.

The company’s core expertise spans data and BI platform modernization, self-service AI platforms, data mesh, data fabric, master data management, data governance, cloud enablement, digital engineering, knowledge graphs and machine lakes for cybersecurity and financial crimes.

Tommy Floyd is the Co-Founder and Partner of Denton Floyd Real Estate Group (Denton Floyd).

Denton Floyd Real Estate Group is a real estate development company based in Louisville, Kentucky, that specializes in the development, construction and property management of Class A multi-family, industrial and senior living housing.

After starting in 2008 with just over 300 units, Denton Floyd has strategically grown to develop and manage over 13,000 units in Kentucky, Indiana, Florida, Ohio, South Carolina and Tennessee.

Today, Denton Floyd specializes in the development and construction of Class A garden-style apartments, industrial developments and senior living communities. The company focuses on certain targeted markets in high-growth areas that will support the development of at least 2,000 units. 

Adam Edelen is the Founder and CEO of Edelen Renewables.

With a founding mission of bringing the promise of renewable energy to the forgotten places of America, Edelen Renewables is a pioneer in social impact solar. The firm is best known for inventing the concept of coal-to-solar in advancing large-scale solar projects on reclaimed mine sites in Appalachia, facilitating massive private capital investments and significant job opportunities for hard-luck coal communities.

Building on that foundation, the firm has expanded its social impact focus to include majority-minority communities in the rural US South, as well as tribal nations in the American West.

Richard Palmer is the CEO of Eleeo Brands.

Eleeo brands is a collection of safe, effective, family-focused health and household brands that ensure a happier, healthier life is always within reach. The company’s portfolio of brands includes three leading baby brands: Boogie, Dapple and Earth Mama.

Boogie is a fast-growing health and wellness brand known for Boogie Wipes, their patented natural saline nose wipes. Dapple is the No. 1 baby cleaning brand with a broad line of plant-based cleaning products and mom-care products. Earth Mama is the leading certified organic mom and baby brand, known for their Organic Nipple Butter and Organic Diaper Balm.

Our products are sold in major retailers, across the nation and we are a certified B-Corp focused on hiring individuals with barriers to employment.

Jon Cocco is the President and CEO of Feedall Automation (Feedall).

Feedall is a private company that designs and manufactures world-class automation equipment that uniquely focuses on solutions for optimizing the use of industrial robots. While the company intentionally does not sell robots, it does provide highly engineered products that enhance the use and reliability of robotics at manufacturers.

Feedall’s expert engineering staff designs part feeding systems and software guidance technologies that allow companies to deploy robotic automation more easily in production environments. With continued labor shortages and the pursuit of safety, Feedall’s solutions allow customers to meet the ever-growing demands of American manufacturing.

National automotive, motorcycle, and construction companies consistently use Feedall’s equipment to increase manufacturing uptime and improve the overall reliability of traditional robotic cells and other critical plant processes.

Ole Rosgaard is the President and CEO of Greif, Inc.

Greif is a global leader in industrial packaging products and services and is pursuing its vision: being the best customer service company in the world. The company produces steel, plastic and fiber drums, intermediate bulk containers, reconditioned containers, jerrycans and other small plastics, containerboard, corrugated sheets and products, uncoated recycled paperboard, coated recycled paperboard, tubes and cores and a diverse mix of specialty products.

Greif also manufactures packaging accessories and provides other services for a wide range of industries. In addition, the company manages timber properties in the southeastern US. Greif has a workforce of over 14,000 colleagues spread across more than 250 facilities in 37 countries to serve global as well as regional customers.

Stephen Hightower is the President and CEO of Hightowers Petroleum Company.

Hightowers Petroleum Co has been incorporated since November 1985 and is a wholesale distributor of gasoline and diesel fuels, providing energy solutions throughout North America and globally for its customers.

The company operates with integrity, using a creative fuel distribution model with expert handling of complex upstream and downstream issues. In addition to servicing all 48 states with traditional fuels, Hightowers now provides transitional fuels, consisting of 100% renewable diesel and sustainable aviation fuels, along with turn-key electric vehicle (EV) infrastructure and hydrogen solutions.

Hightowers Petroleum Company provides responsible and reliable fueling solutions while seeking to decarbonize traditional vehicle fuels. This contributes to a better environment for their community, customers, employees and essentially, their families. Hightowers provides emergency response to utility companies, the Red Cross, commercial facility management companies and municipalities nationally during disastrous events.

Joe Huber and Alexa Lowe are the Founder/CEO and Founder/COO of Huber Equity Group and Verti Commercial Real Estate.

Huber Equity Group is a private equity firm specializing in off-market multi-family acquisitions. Using its proprietary Direct-to-Seller System (DTS System™) — a technology and data-driven approach combining cold-calling and strategic outreach — HEG generates 150,000+ owner touchpoints annually. This system has fueled 1,700+ units acquired across the US, all sourced exclusively off-market.

In 2024, Verti Commercial Real Estate was launched as a brokerage to monetize HEG’s off-market deal flow. In its first six months, Verti identified 8,609 multi-family units new-to-market deals, demonstrating the scalability of the model.

Huber Equity Group and Verti prioritize innovation and community impact, donating 20% of profits to empowering vulnerable communities. Together, Huber Equity Group and Verti disrupt traditional real estate by combining acquisition expertise with a brokerage engine designed to create exclusive opportunities.

Tony Lamb is the Founder and CEO of Kona Ice.

Founded in 2007 by Tony Lamb, Kona Ice launched its first Kona Entertainment Vehicle (KEV) in Florence, Kentucky, offering a unique combination of cleanliness, friendliness and a one-of-a-kind experience, featuring the opportunity to create your very own shaved ice on the self-serve Flavorwave™, while enjoying the soothing sights, sounds and smell of the tropics, all while giving back to every community Kona Ice serves.

Since its inception, Kona Ice has given back more than $200 million to neighborhood schools, organizations and teams. Today, Kona Ice has grown to more than 3,000 points of sale that serve 49 states across the country. Striving to stay ahead of the competition and offering more customers a refreshing treat, Kona Ice launched a new line of products in 2025 with its new Blended™ line of fresh smoothies in addition to its traditional shaved ice offering.

Chris Dischinger and Mark Lechner are the Founders and Principals of LDG Development (LDG).

LDG was founded based on the belief that everyone deserves a quality place to live. The company provides high-quality multi-family housing and has built almost 25,000 units of affordable and market-rate housing in eight states.

Mitchell Eviston is the Founder and CEO of Meristem Crop Performance Group, LLC (Meristem).

Meristem Crop Performance® helps farmers produce more bushels for less cost per bushel. Meristem is the global leader in delivering live, in-field biologicals through the patented BIO-CAPSULE™ Technology platform. Meristem significantly reduces waste in crop input systems through improved supply chain efficiency and advanced concentrates.

Sandra Lausecker is the Owner and CEO of Nature Pure LLC / Outward, LLC (Nature Pure/Outward).

As an industry leader, Nature Pure/Outward knows that their generation is more socially conscious and values-driven when it comes to who they support, the products they buy and the rationale behind those decisions. This is why Nature Pure/Outward intentionally built a farm that mirrors what they value and delivers on the highest of consumer expectations.

Nature Pure/Outward has also done something unexpected by designing their farm as a model for education, innovation and full transparency on the way hens are cared for and how their food is produced. A lot was learned from their dad — a man who devoted his entire career to egg farming. Beyond the basics of the business, he taught them to embrace continuous improvement and to never shy away from solving tough problems.

Neil Sethi is the President and CEO of NexaMotion Group.

Founded in 1975, NexaMotion Group began its journey as Transtar, a dedicated leader in transmission and driveline solutions. Headquartered in Cleveland, Ohio, the company established a strong presence with over 70 branches, becoming a worldwide leader in the distribution of aftermarket transmission repair parts.

By providing high-quality components from the industry’s leading brands, Transtar built its reputation on excellent customer service and reliable same or next day delivery. In 2023, Transtar expanded its vision by acquiring several warehouse distributor businesses across the country that focused on general automotive repair.

This strategic move led to the launch of NexaMotion Group — a collective of industry-leading brands and businesses serving the automotive aftermarket, all purposed to pursue a common mission, simplifying complex vehicle repair to keep the world moving. NexaMotion Group boasts over 125 locations, a team of 1,500 professionals and an industry-leading e-commerce platform called Transend, further solidifying its position as a trusted partner in the automotive sector.

Stacey Wade and Dr. Dawn Wade are the CEO and Managing Partner and Chief Strategy Officer of NIMBUS.

NIMBUS – is a fiercely independent strategic marketing and communications agency. The NIMBUS team is passionate about combining intelligence with ingenuity to generate and nurture authentic connections between their clients’ brands and targeted audiences.

Colin Huwyler is the Founder and CEO of Optimus Technologies® (Optimus).

Founded in 2010, Optimus is a clean energy technology company based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Optimus manufactures the Vector System, an advanced fuel system technology that enables diesel engines to operate on 100% biodiesel.

The Vector System is designed for medium- and heavy-duty fleet applications where emission reductions are challenging or impossible to achieve in a cost-effective manner through other means. With over 1,100 systems deployed and more than 95 million miles driven, Optimus technology is reducing emissions every day across nationally recognized fleet brands, transforming how supply chains achieve sustainability.

At Optimus, the goal is to help fleets reduce operating costs, eliminate carbon emissions and meet long-term sustainability targets in a cost-effective way.

Peter Klekamp is the Founder, Owner and CEO of PLK Communities (PLK).

Founded by Peter Klekamp in 2001, PLK Communities started out as a real estate management company with a focus on multi-family and industrial properties. Throughout the years, PLK has evolved into the ownership and management of retail, office and self-storage facilities in the Eastern United States.

With the acquisition, redevelopment and management of multi-family properties, PLK’s focus is centered on exceptional service and distinctive living experiences for their residents.

Greg Lignelli is the President and COO of System One Holdings LLC (System One).

System One is a leading provider of specialized, highly technical services and solutions to critical infrastructure, technology, life sciences and government sectors. The company partners with large private and public organizations who trust them to execute their complex, mission-critical initiatives through their outsourced services and workforce solutions.

Michael Vindler is the CEO of Tronix3D.

Tronix3D is a cutting-edge 3D printing service bureau specializing in rapid prototyping and custom manufacturing. The company leverages advanced additive manufacturing technologies to provide clients with fast, cost-effective solutions for product development, design validation and end-use parts.

Tronix3D expertise in a variety of materials and printing processes enables the company to deliver highly customized, high-quality results, empowering businesses to innovate and bring ideas to life.