Landmark Columbus Foundation elects a new Board Chair and Vice Chair
Columbus, Indiana — The Landmark Columbus Foundation Board of Directors has elected a new board chair and vice chair, marking the first significant board leadership change for the organization. Mark Elwood has moved from vice chair to chair and current board member Tracy Haddad has moved to the vice chair position. With this transition, founding Board Chair Rick Johnson will remain part of the executive committee as the immediate past chair.
Elwood was elected Board Chair unanimously by the Board of Directors in the first quarter meeting and begins a new chapter for the organization.
“I’m excited to carry the baton of leadership forward for Landmark Columbus Foundation,” said Elwood. “The work that we do is pivotal to the future of our community, especially downtown. I’m looking forward to building on what we’ve accomplished so far to make LCF an even more vital and solid organization.”
Elwood is the Chairman and co-founder of Elwood Staffing, Inc. He helped build the company from scratch into one of the state’s most successful, privately owned corporations and one of the largest staffing companies in the U.S., with its headquarters in Columbus and offices that span the United States.
He and his wife, Wendy Elwood, are actively involved in many efforts in Columbus as volunteers and philanthropists who often lead the way in supporting major initiatives around youth, animal care, mental health, substance abuse prevention, and the arts. He has previously served on the boards of the Columbus Indiana Philharmonic, Heritage Fund of Bartholomew County, Sports Advisory Council, Economic Development Board, Columbus Area Arts Council, and other significant cultural and business efforts.
Elwood takes over as LCF Board Chair as the organization is actively working on many high-profile Progressive Preservation projects and building the fourteen installations that will make up the 2023 Exhibit Columbus exhibition. As one of his first efforts, Elwood is working to bring the Landmark Columbus Foundation Endowment over the $1 million mark, a key goal that was established when the endowment was created.
His predecessor, Rick Johnson, served as the Founding Board Chair since the organization’s inception in late 2014, helping to establish a stand-alone non-profit in the fall of 2019 when the organization evolved from a key program of Heritage Fund to become a 501(c)(3) with the mission to care for, celebrate, and advance the cultural heritage of the Columbus area.
“Together, we have created an organization that is so visibly and impactfully engaged with the world-renowned design legacy of one of America’s most unique places and my hometown, Columbus, Indiana,” said Rick Johnson. “It’s been a privilege to work with such an excellent Board of Directors, dedicated staff, and leadership at Heritage Fund to shape this organization. Today it is well-positioned to continue making a big difference here and around the country.”
During Johnson’s board chairmanship, the organization matured from a conceptual idea in 2013, when leaders in the community were exploring ways to manage and advance the world-renowned legacy of one of America’s most famous small towns, into an organization that today is actively working with a wide swath of the Columbus community and some of the most inspiring urban thinkers across the globe.
Among the highlights of Johnson’s tenure as Board Chair are:
Securing a $3.5m grant from Lilly Endowment Inc. in collaboration with Heritage Fund
Launching an endowment campaign whose balance is currently over $800k
Shepherding key Progressive Preservation projects forward at multiple National Historic Landmark Sites, and expanding ideas of cultural heritage to include other significant sites
Continuing the innovative program Exhibit Columbus through the pandemic, and having it emerge strongly positioned for a fourth cycle, with the exhibition Public by Design set to open August 24–25, 2023
Joining Elwood on the executive committee is Tracy Haddad, a long-time resident of Columbus and active community volunteer. She is an owner of Golden Endeavors, LLC, a property management company based in Columbus. She has worked as an interior designer in Indiana, Arizona, and Colorado. Her community service includes recently serving as Interim Executive Director at the Columbus Indiana Philharmonic and has been on the Indiana Landmarks Board of Directors since 2018 and a founding LCF Board since its beginning as well as the Heritage Fund of Bartholomew County Board of Directors.
“My family supports the community in many areas, the arts being one. I am proud to be a part of serving the arts through Landmark Columbus to ensure our community experiences Columbus for all its uniqueness. Landmark Columbus’s mission to preserve Columbus’ historical significance and its uniqueness brings awareness within the community, across generations and around the globe to so that others can experience what we are SO fortunate to live every day.
With these changes on the board, LCF is poised to continue its growth in Columbus and impact there and far beyond.
“We are fortunate to have such strong leadership within this organization,” said founding executive director Richard McCoy. “I’ve learned a lot working with Rick Johnson and know that his ideas will continue to shape our effort while at the same time, we are poised for new growth with Mark leading the way.”
Other members of the Board of Directors are:
Mark Elwood, Chair
Chairman, Elwood StaffingTracy Haddad, Vice Chair
Owner at Golden Endeavors, LLC.Surekha DiOrio, Treasurer
Chief Financial Officer, Indiana Youth Services Association and Director of Financial Services, Mission Management ServicesTracy Souza, Secretary
President and CEO, Heritage FundRick Johnson, Past Board Chair
President and CEO, Johnson Ventures, Inc.Betsy Laskey
Columbus Community Supporter and VolunteerThe Honorable James Lienhoop
Mayor of the City of ColumbusRichard McCoy
Founding Executive Director, Landmark Columbus FoundationLaura Miller
Director of Experiences and Technology, IBM iXHutch Schumaker
President, Coca-Cola Bottling Co., Columbus, IN, Inc.
Media Contact
Jamie Goldsborough
jamie@landmarkcolumbus.org
About Landmark Columbus Foundation
Landmark Columbus Foundation (LCF) 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.
To fulfill its mission, LCF accomplishes Progressive Preservation efforts that assist in caring for buildings, landscapes, and art in Bartholomew County. It serves to educate and advocate for these cultural resources through research, conservation, fundraising, and documentation. It also runs two programmatic arms, Exhibit Columbus and Columbus Design Institute. landmarkcolumbusfoundation.org
