Mayor Andrew J. Ginther is serving his third term as the 53rd mayor of the City of Columbus, Ohio. He

previously served on Columbus City Council from 2007-15, and was president of Council from 2011 until

assuming the Office of the Mayor on January 1, 2016. Under his leadership, Columbus has been named

“America’s Opportunity City” while setting new records for job creation and population growth.

Mayor Ginther is committed to working with community, business, faith and labor leaders to promote

equitable opportunities for every Columbus resident. Signature initiatives include launching the

Comprehensive Neighborhood Safety Strategy to reduce violent crime while realizing the most

significant policing reforms in city history; creating the Columbus Housing Strategy, a multi-pronged

regional endeavor to build more housing at all price points, with a particular emphasis on affordable

units; standing up the city’s first-ever offices of Diversity and Inclusion, and Violence Prevention, and

appointing the most diverse leadership cabinet; forming the Columbus Women’s Commission to

advance the well-being of women in the workplace; and establishing the Department of Neighborhoods

to lead community-driven investments for revitalization.

Acknowledging transportation as the great equalizer, Mayor Ginther is working to provide reliable,

affordable transportation options so that all Columbus residents have convenient, equitable access to

housing, jobs, education and health care. During his first year in office, the city was awarded the U.S.

Department of Transportation’s Smart City Challenge Grant, making Columbus America’s “Smart City.”

Mayor Ginther just finished his term as president of the U.S. Conference of Mayors – another first for

the mayor of Columbus.

A proud graduate of Columbus City Schools, Mayor Ginther was originally elected to the Columbus

Board of Education in 2001 and re-elected in 2005 before joining Council. He earned a bachelor’s degree

in political science from Earlham College, studied abroad at the University of Ulster and Queen’s College

in Northern Ireland, and taught at public schools in Belfast and Derry. He also completed consecutive

internships at the Carter Presidential Center in Atlanta, where he taught non-violence and dispute

resolution.

Mayor Ginther, his wife – Shannon – and their daughter live in Columbus.

Joe manages all aspects of buying, selling, and leasing of industrial real estate. He specializes in landlord representation, tenant representation, owner/occupied sales, investment sales, and land acquisitions/disposition. Joe’s approach since he began his real estate career in 2002 focuses on building long-term partnerships with clients to help them achieve their business and real estate objectives.

Joe is a Certified Commercial Investment Member (CCIM), a designation that highlights his expertise as a leader in commercial real estate. His previous experience as a Certified Real Estate Appraiser in the Central Ohio market provides him with a distinctive, analytical approach to property evaluation.

Michael Schottenstein leads Kegler Brown Hill + Ritter’s celebrated Real Estate + Finance team, which is consistently recognized by Chambers USA for its work advising top real estate

investors and developers on projects across the country. As outside general counsel to some of

Central Ohio’s most recognizable developers, Michael guides projects from diligence to

acquisition and through financing, development, and leasing. Honored by Super Lawyers and

Best Lawyers in America, he brings deep experience in residential and commercial real estate

law. Michael is a graduate of Syracuse University and The Ohio State University Moritz College

of Law and resides in Bexley, Ohio, with his wife, three children, two cats, and a dog.