Landmark Columbus Foundation Enters New Institutional Chapter with Board Leadership Transition and Sharpened Focus
Columbus, Indiana — Landmark Columbus Foundation (LCF) announced a significant transition in board leadership and governance, alongside the addition of two new directors, as the organization enters a new phase focused on long-term institutional strength, disciplined stewardship, and deepened impact rooted in Columbus, Indiana.
At its December meeting, the Board appointed Tracy Haddad as Chair, succeeding Mark Elwood, whose tenure coincided with a period of organizational maturation, major philanthropic investment, and increased national visibility. The transition reflects not a change in direction, but a deliberate evolution in how the organization governs itself and positions its work for the future.
At the same meeting, the Board of Directors welcomed Bill Browne, Owner, Ratio Architects, Indianapolis, Indiana, and Kyle Inskeep, News Anchor, Sinclair Broadcast Group, Cincinnati, Ohio. These two appointments reflect the organization’s growing emphasis on regional leadership experience, civic judgment, and long-horizon thinking as LCF continues to mature as an institution.
“This is a moment of careful change of responsibility,” said Tracy Haddad, Board Chair. “I’m honored to be leading this organization into its next chapter. The question before us now is how to steward what has been built, make careful decisions about growth, and ensure the organization remains clear in its purpose and relevant in our city and beyond. The Board is aligned around that charge.”
Laura Miller was elected Vice Chair. Edith Blakeslee, the recently hired President and CEO of Heritage Fund, joined the Board as Secretary this summer, succeeding Tobi Herron. Surekha DiOrio remains the longest-serving member of the executive committee as Treasurer.
Over the past decade, LCF has established itself as a civic institution operating at the intersection of design excellence, cultural heritage, and public life through its interwoven programs: Progressive Preservation, Exhibit Columbus, and Columbus Design Institute, which includes Monumental Gestures. With that, success has come with increased complexity, broader partnerships, and heightened expectations around governance and institutional clarity.
During the December meeting, the Board took several actions that underscore this shift, including the establishment of two new board-level committees focused on Progressive Preservation and Institutional Stewardship, signaling increased attention to long-term care, decision-making, and organizational health.
Mark Elwood, who completed his term as Chair and will continue to serve on the Board, emphasized that the transition reflects confidence in the organization’s foundation.
“When I began my term as chair, the priority was building capacity and proving that the organization could deliver over the long term,” Elwood said. “Today, the work is about judgment, stewardship, and focus. The Board has been intentional about making sure Landmark Columbus Foundation grows in ways that strengthen the institution rather than stretch it thin.”
Founding Executive Director Richard McCoy framed the moment as a recalibration rather than an expansion.
“There’s a temptation for successful organizations to chase scale for its own sake,” McCoy said. “The work we’ve been doing has clarified something important: Landmark Columbus Foundation’s strength comes from its sustained commitment to Columbus. Our responsibility is to deepen the work here, in this place, as a living example of how design excellence functions as a civic practice over time.”
McCoy noted that the organization’s current planning work is helping articulate how Columbus can serve as a point of learning and exchange for leaders from across Indiana and the nation, without diluting the care and attention required to sustain the city’s own design legacy.
“This is about long arcs,” he said. “Institutions earn trust by knowing what they are, and just as importantly, what they are not.”
The Board also recognized the service of community leaders who helped steward the organization through its formative years, including former Mayor Jim Lienhoop, who was a founding Board member. Recognition was also given to Tracy Souza, another founding Board member who resigned last summer after leaving her role at Heritage Fund.
Additional details about Landmark Columbus Foundation’s next chapter will be shared later in 2026, following the conclusion of its strategic planning process.
Media Contact
Jamie Goldsborough
jamie@landmarkcolumbus.org
About Landmark Columbus Foundation
Landmark Columbus Foundation is a public resource and thought leader for Progressive Preservation in Bartholomew County; an advocate and educator for and about cultural heritage; and a source of inspiration to advance good design for public benefit throughout Indiana and beyond. To fulfill its mission, Landmark Columbus Foundation works in three key program areas intertwined in building the organization’s vision: Progressive Preservation, Exhibit Columbus, and Columbus Design Institute. landmarkcolumbusfoundation.org
