Jun 30, 2026
“Ohio business leaders must defend the rule of law”
When courts are independent, contracts are secure and investments are safe. Without it, talent leaves, companies hesitate, and economic growth stalls. Richard…
Ohio
Leadership Now Ohio is a partnership of business and civic leaders—Republicans, Independents, and Democrats—committed to defending democracy and ensuring a stable, competitive future for our state. We believe Ohio’s economic success depends on the strength of our democratic institutions and the trust citizens place in them.
We’ve spoken out against efforts to undermine majority rule, weaken election systems, and entrench partisan power—because when democracy falters, Ohioans pay the price.
Leadership Now Ohio, led by Richard Stoff, is a state affiliate of the Leadership Now Project. Richard draws on the advice, counsel and engagement of a broad spectrum of business and thought leaders, both in Ohio and from across the country.
Spotlight
Mar 30, 2026
“Why Ohio Business Leaders Are Backing Amy Acton for Governor”
Leadership Now Senior Advisor Richard Stoff outlines why a broad coalition of Ohio business leaders is supporting Dr. Amy Acton for governor,…
Feb 18, 2026
John Pepper in Conversation
Leadership Now Ohio member John Pepper, retired CEO of Procter & Gamble, recently authored 100 Books That Shaped My Life: Reflections on a…
Oct 30, 2025
“DeWine’s Leadership Exemplifies Decency. He Must Deliver Pledged Fair Election Maps.”
Leadership Now Senior Advisor Richard Stoff writes that Governor Mike DeWine has the chance to close his tenure with a defining act…
Oct 1, 2025
Ohio Voices from the C-Suite
Leadership Now Ohio member Martyn Redgrave, former Chief Operating Officer of L Brands and a lifelong Republican, makes the case for upholding…
Sep 17, 2025
“Fair maps mean a stronger Ohio economy: James Ratner and Richard Stoff”
Leadership Now Senior Advisor Richard Stoff and member James Ratner co-authored an opinion piece in The Plain Dealer calling for fair redistricting…
Sep 2, 2025
New Report Analyzes Ohio Redistricting Scenarios Ahead of 2026 Elections
A new report from the Electoral Innovation Lab warns that Ohio’s upcoming congressional redistricting could displace millions of voters, destabilize incumbents, and…
Elections, Competitiveness, and America at 250
We have no democracy without trust in our elections and our election officials. Business leaders are speaking out.
Thank you to my fellow Ohio Leadership Now colleagues Jeni Britton, Jeff Berding, and Martyn Redgrave for their compelling voices in this video.
Our Work
Supporting Higher Education Amid Trump's Funding Cuts
Led by John Pepper, Jeni Britton and Richard Stoff, 25 Ohio business leaders are among 275 across the country affirming that our research universities are critical to America’s competitiveness.
June 18, 2025
End Gerrymandering in Ohio: Citizens Not Politicians Amendment (Issue 1, 2024)
Ahead of the 2024 election, over 80 bipartisan Ohio business and thought leaders signed an open letter in support of a constitutional amendment advanced by Citizens Not Politicians to create an Independent Citizen Commission for statehouse legislative and congressional redistricting.
January 24, 2024
Preserving Ohio's Democracy and Majority Rule by Opposing Issue 1 (August 2023 Special Election)
Concerned Ohio business leaders signed an open letter expressing opposition to Issue 1. The formerly proposed constitutional amendment threatened the integrity of Ohio’s democratic processes and aimed to ensure that a simple majority could no longer pass constitutional amendments.
The election was held on August 8, 2023, and Issue 1 was defeated 57%-43%, paving the way for a November 2023 reproductive freedom ballot victory and the November 2024 objective redistricting ballot initiative.
June 14, 2023
Passage of the Electoral Count Reform Act (2022)
In 2022, Leadership Now members and Ohio business leaders—including Albert Ratner and John Pepper—advocated for passage of the bipartisan Electoral Count Reform Act. This legislation clarified the vice president’s role in certifying presidential elections, raised the threshold for congressional objections, and safeguarded the orderly transfer of power.
November 6, 2022
Featured Press
Ohio Business Leaders Must Defend the Rule of Law | Richard Stoff
Leadership Now Senior Advisor Richard Stoff makes the case for why judicial independence matters to Ohio’s economy—and why business leaders should support the Judges’ Bus Tour for Democracy, happening July 8 in Columbus. When courts are independent and fair, contracts are secure, investments are safe, and talent stays. Without that credibility, companies hesitate, and people leave. Stoff underscores that this isn’t partisan politics. It’s business necessity.
Ohio Business Leaders Back Amy Acton for Governor | By Richard Stoff
DeWine's leadership exemplifies decency. He must deliver pledged fair election maps
Leadership Now Senior Advisor Richard Stoff writes that Governor Mike DeWine’s legacy of decency will be defined by whether he delivers on his 2025 pledge to establish a fair, nonpartisan redistricting system as Ohio prepares to redraw its congressional maps. Stoff calls on DeWine to lead a bipartisan effort to produce fair maps that reflect Ohio’s voters, rebuild trust in the state’s democracy, and strengthen its long-term economic competitiveness.
Fair maps mean a stronger Ohio economy: James Ratner and Richard Stoff
Leadership Now Senior Advisor Richard Stoff and member James Ratner call for fair redistricting in Ohio as essential to both democracy and economic competitiveness.
Business Thrives on Competition and Trust – So Should Our Politics | By Richard Stoff & Mario Morino
Leadership Now Senior Advisor Richard Stoff and business leader Mario Morino advocate in an op-ed for the passage of Ohio’s Issue 1, a proposed state constitutional amendment to empower citizen-led redistricting, emphasizing its importance in restoring competition and trust in the state’s political system by ending gerrymandering.
Not Every Voice Matters in Ohio. Issue 1 Will Change That. | By Jeni Britton & Richard Stoff
In this op-ed, Leadership Now member Jeni Britton and Senior Advisor Richard Stoff advocate for Ohio’s Issue 1, urging voters to end gerrymandering and ensure every voice in the state matters.
Business Is All Over The Map On Issue 1 | By Editorial Staff
Leadership Now Project’s open letter is compared to the Ohio Chamber position, reporting that while the Chamber’s position is “understandable” it doesn’t make it right and calling Issue 1 a “pure power grab”.
The Business Case for Rejecting Ohio Gerrymandering | By Steven H. Steinglass
“Among all its other ills, partisan gerrymandering also threatens Ohio’s business climate, risking its reputation as a business-friendly state”, writes Dean Emeritus of the Cleveland State University College of Law Steven H. Steinglass.
Leadership Now is mentioned as a key business voice advocating for the Citizens Not Politicians amendment, which aimed to end partisan gerrymandering in Ohio by assigning redistricting to an independent 15-person commission.
Business Leader: An End To Majority Rule In Ohio? Issue 1 An Unprecedented Affront To Democracy
Issue 1 Backed By Pro-Business Groups But Justification Lacking | By Doug Buchanan
Leadership Now Ohio’s open letter opposing Issue 1 was featured as the leading business voice against the measure, countering several statewide business associations and warning that it would undermine democratic stability and harm the state’s long-term business climate.
Leadership Now Ohio Receives 2024 Anthem Award
Leadership Now Project is a 2024 Anthem Award recipient for “Protecting Majority Rule in Ohio and Supporting Wisconsin Election Administrators.” The award recognizes our work in Ohio and Wisconsin to ensure that elections reflect the will of the people and that election administrators can safely do their jobs.
In Memoriam
Leadership Now Ohio has lost three valued partners: David Gergen, Oliver “Pudge” Henkel, and Francie Pepper. We mourn their passing.