The chief of Columbus’ most powerful business organization is resigning, extending a period of turnover that will now require the nonprofit to find its third leader in less than two years.
The Columbus Partnership announced June 22 that President and CEO Jason Hall would step down at the end of the month “because of a personal need to relocate closer to his parents in the St. Louis metro area,” according to a press release from the organization. Hall’s time at the Partnership’s helm began in January 2025, not long after his predecessor Kenny McDonald announced his resignation in September 2024.
“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, who moved to Columbus after previously serving as CEO of the economic development organization Greater St. Louis, Inc., will be temporarily replaced by longtime JPMorgan Chase managing director Corrine Burger until a permanent successor is found.
What is the Columbus Partnership?
The private economic development organization describes itself as a nonprofit, member-based coalition made up of CEOs from Columbus’ leading businesses and institutions, according to its website.
The Partnership was founded in 2002 by retail mogul Les Wexner; Jack Kessler, a longtime business partner of Wexner; and former Dispatch publisher John F. Wolfe, built on the belief that “by bringing together the Region’s top CEOs in a collaborative, focused effort, they could help drive meaningful economic growth and prosperity for Columbus,” the website states. Since then, the organization has grown from eight to more than 80 executives in its membership base.
The Partnership’s executive committee is made up of leaders from the following 12 organizations.
Hall previously said the Partnership’s role should involve building policy insights to shape the region’s economy and compete for deals to stay ahead of other markets.
“The private sector is an important source of leadership,” Hall told The Dispatch in August 2025. “We are blessed to have CEOs who have very busy day jobs. They can be doing anything, but they lend their time to help us be more effective in creating more jobs and winning more capital investment in central Ohio.”
Reporter Emma Wozniak can be reached at ewozniak@dispatch.com or @emma_wozniak_ on X, formerly known as Twitter.
This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Columbus Partnership is on the hunt for a new leader. Here’s what the powerful group does
Reporting by Emma Wozniak, Columbus Dispatch / The Columbus Dispatch
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By Emma Wozniak, Columbus Dispatch | USA TODAY Network
