By Okon Ekpenyong

I shared a table with Jane Scott, the current CEO of the Columbus Metropolitan Club, during the Women in Business Summit at the Renaissance Hotel in Downtown Columbus, and about 20 minutes later, I received a notification on my phone that Sophia Fifner will be the organization’s next president and CEO starting on May 1, 2023.

I was looking at a few of the shoots that I took on the camera, so I had my head down for a little bit. We were attending one of the breakout sessions, so I thought I should wait until it was over before I said hello. 

Before the session ended, I had already left the room, and CEO Scott had left for the day. However, I did have the opportunity to speak with other members of CMB, who spoke highly of Scott’s tenure as CEO and the incredible changes she brought to the organization. In response to Fifner’s appointment, they are excited about the future. 

Currently, the CMC has over 1200 members and 125 sponsors, putting on about 52 events a year and hosting over 210 keynote speakers a year, building relationships between people and ideas and creating community conversations

In May 2023, Fifner will take over for Jane Scott, retiring on May 31 after serving in this position since September 2003.

Fifner will be joining the organization after spending the last two years working with NiSource as director of corporate social responsibility and executive director of the NiSource Charitable Foundation. Over the past fifteen years, she has held various positions with nonprofit organizations and municipal government, including Director of Community Relations for Columbus, Ohio.  

According to the Columbus Metropolitan Club press release, Fifner stated that the importance of inclusive civic engagement cannot be overstated because in today’s increasingly polarized world. I’m overjoyed to take the helm of this deeply respected organization, which serves as a bedrock for community conversation and a welcoming space for the mosaic voices that make central Ohio a remarkable place to live and work”.

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