City of Columbus

Catherine Willis A dedicated community activist for many years, Catherine supported education, the arts, and family advocacy. She has been involved in The United Negro College Fund, a founding member of Friends of Art for Community Enrichment, The Ohio Wesleyan University Upward Bound program. She was a member of the SOUL committee which helped promote art from the National Afro American Museum and Cultural Center in Wilberforce University - learn more

Nancy Wilson Multi-talented recording star and actress Nancy Wilson is a favorite of millions of Americans. While a student at West High School, Miss Wilson spent much of her time developing her singing talent and poise. And after attending Wilberforce College, she decided on a singing career, touring the Midwest and Canada. She hosted her own Columbus television series, then signed with Capitol Records and produced 14 albums in her first six years. Miss Wilson’s dramatic acting debut came in 1966 in NBC’s “I Spy” series. Always anxious to help the less fortunate, she conducts her own campaign to combat the school dropout problem by performing free concerts in ghetto schools, followed by a talk on the advantages of education. - learn more

Harry Preston Wolfe H.P. Wolfe, humanist and entrepreneur and brother, Robert Frederick Wolfe, were long involved in the development of Columbus in character and economic growth. - learn more

Robert Frederick Wolfe "I was born to circumstances which I refused to accept. I changed them." - R.F. Wolfe.
  R.F. Wolfe, a man of vision and spirit, and brother, Harry Preston Wolfe, were long involved in the development of Columbus in character and economic growth. As co-founder of the Wolfe Bros. Shoe Company in 1895, and as Publisher of the Ohio State Journal (1903) and The Columbus Dispatch (1905), the Wolfe brothers battled for the civic welfare of Columbus citizens, exposing graft and corruption without regard to personal strife.   In 1907, in a move to save a failing banking establishment, the Wolfe brothers diverted their private funds into the Ohio Trust Company, which ultimately led to the formation of the BancOhio Corporation - an organization of affiliated banks in Central Ohio.   His unconquerable spirit is still remembered as well as his respect for his fellow man. - learn more

Sanborn Wood Sanborn Wood, affectionately known as Sandy, is the godfather of Columbus' Short North Arts District. Sandy had a remarkable vision for the area between downtown and Ohio State in the mid-1970s. He believed it possible to transform it into a premiere district that would celebrate entrepreneurshi - learn more

Les Wright During her more than six decades of service to the city of Columbus in the public and private sectors, Les Wright was an elected official, an institution builder, and a committed community leader focused on improving the status of women and families. - learn more