Columbus’ most powerful business organization is searching for a new leader for the second time in less than two years.
The Columbus Partnership on June 22 announced that CEO Jason Hall would be resigning as of June 30 “because of a personal need to relocate closer to his parents in the St. Louis metro area,” according to a release from the partnership.
Corrine Burger will serve as interim CEO of the partnership while a search for Hall’s permanent successor is conducted.
“It has been an extraordinary honor to serve this dynamic region and be a part of the uniquely collaborative Columbus civic culture. The future is extremely bright in Columbus, and I will be proudly cheering on the continued success of the Columbus Partnership members and team as well as the broader community,” Hall said in a statement.
Hall began his tenure as CEO of the partnership in January 2025, months after then CEO Kenny McDonald announced he was resigning in September 2024. Hall came to Columbus after previously serving as the CEO of the economic development organization Greater St. Louis, Inc., across the Mississippi River from his hometown of Granite City, Illinois.
“We are grateful for Jason’s engagement with our members and partners. Under his leadership, the Columbus Region’s ranking and reputation as a top U.S. metro for economic development has grown, bringing new employers, thousands of jobs and billions of capital investment dollars to our community,” Kirt Walker, Columbus Partnership co-chair and CEO of Nationwide, said in a statement. “The Columbus Partnership team is one of the best in the country and the addition of Corrine will continue the mission of building economic prosperity across the Region.”
Burger worked a 34-year career at JPMorganChase and its predecessor Bank One, where she served as managing director and site lead in Columbus while holding global responsibility as chief control officer prior to her retirement in 2025. She was a member of the Columbus Partnership and served on the One Columbus board of directors.
“The Columbus Partnership is fortunate to have someone of Corrine’s caliber ready to step into this role. She brings decades of executive leadership and deep ties to this community,” Steve Steinour, Columbus Partnership co-chair and chairman, president and CEO of Huntington Bancshares Incorporated, said in a statement. “Alongside the exceptional executive team in place, she will ensure the Partnership remains focused on delivering for our region as we conduct a thorough search for a permanent leader.”
The Partnership dates to 2002, formed by retail giant Les Wexner and former Dispatch Publisher John F. Wolfe. The two created what has turned out to be a powerful nonprofit group now made up of 82 Columbus-area CEOs with a focus on improving the economy and creating better-paying jobs.
This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Columbus Partnership CEO resigns as group seeks third new leader in two years
Reporting by Columbus Dispatch / The Columbus Dispatch
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
By Columbus Dispatch | USA TODAY Network
