2014 Ingenuity Board Officers and New Members

Ingenuity Announces New Board Officers and Members

Cleveland, OH (February 4, 2014) — Ingenuity, celebrating its 10th anniversary in 2014, announces the appointment of new Board officers and welcomes two new members to its Board of Directors.

Deborah Wilcox, a partner at BakerHostetler, was elected as the new President of Ingenuity’s Board, succeeding Doug Hoffman. Hoffman, a principal at Weber Murphy Fox, served as President for five years. Holly Little, associate at Thompson Hine, will serve as Vice President. David Tholt, Vice President and Senior Portfolio Manager at Huntington National Bank, will serve as Treasurer. Mark Wallace, Chief Financial Officer at ECKART America Corp., will serve as Secretary.

Mike Benz, a consultant recently retired from heading up United Way Cleveland, and Todd Mesek, Vice President of Marketing and Communications at the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame and Museum, have joined Ingenuity’s Board of Directors.

Outgoing President Doug Hoffman said, “Over the past five years I’ve had the great fortune to see Ingenuity grow tremendously. It has been exciting to see the economic impact this organization has made in Cleveland. As a newly appointed member of the Emeritus Board, I am delighted to stay involved and see the organization evolve further over the coming years.”

“I am honored to lead the Board for Ingenuity,” said Deborah Wilcox, incoming Board President. “With the 10th anniversary and all of the planned collaborations, this is a very exciting time for Ingenuity, and for Cleveland. This organization is an important and unique asset to the city.  It improves upon how the city is portrayed not only to its residents, but the rest of the country.  I am excited to guide Ingenuity in continuing to develop and showcase the countless things that make Cleveland great.”

About Deborah Wilcox

A partner at BakerHostetler and coordinator of the Cleveland Intellectual Property practice group, Wilcox is an experienced trademark lawyer, copyright practitioner and first-chair litigator. Highly regarded in her field, Deborah is listed in Chambers USA: America’s Leading Lawyers for Business in the area of Intellectual Property and was been named a 2013 “IP Star” by Managing Intellectual Property magazine, as well as in “IP Stars—Top 250 Women in IP.”  Ms. Wilcox also serves on the Board of The Music Settlement, and chairs its governance committee.

About Holly Little

Little is an associate in the Business Litigation practice group at Thompson Hine. She focuses her practice on representation in litigation and other forms of dispute resolution concerning fiduciary duties, contracts, business torts, corporate governance, professional malpractice, and other business transactions and relationships.  Little is also involved with the firm’s pro bono practice.

About David Tholt

Tholt joined Huntington Bank in May 2010 as a Senior Portfolio Manager for the Cleveland region.  He actively manages a $175MM portfolio of complex upper middle market and middle market clients.  Tholt has extensive experience structuring New Markets Tax Credit facilities, syndicate, leveraged, and acquisition loan facilities, and healthcare related transactions.

About Mark Wallace

Wallace is the Chief Financial Officer of ECKART America Corporation.  Wallace ensures compliance with legal, accounting and group directives while managing the financial position of the company. This includes the preparation of annual budgets and the regular review of performance against these targets, providing guidance on options to achieve their published goals. He is also responsible for the HR, IT and Procurement functions within the company.

About Ingenuity

Ingenuity highlights the creativity and innovation that make Northeast Ohio a vibrant place to live. We ignite the creative spark where the arts, science, and technology intersect. By animating Cleveland’s urban spaces with world-class, innovative experiences, Ingenuity provides a unique platform for exploring the boundaries of arts, science, and technology. We do this through our innovative outreach programs, creative partnerships, and events, including our annual Cleveland Mini Maker Faire and IngenuityFest.

Ingenuity, now entering its 10th season, is funded by The George Gund Foundation, Cuyahoga Arts and Culture, The Cleveland Foundation, and the Ohio Arts Council as well as hundreds of corporations, non-profits, and private individuals. IngenuityFest creates a combined annual economic impact of $4.5 million to Cleveland’s economy.