Meet Our Keynotes

We’re excited to dive into the key areas that help our companies thrive: capital markets, partnerships, culture, leadership and technology. This year’s educational programming will feature four session tracks led by nationally-known, industry experts including Former Ohio State University Football Coach, Jim Tressel, CNBC On-Air Editor, Rick Santelli, CEO & Founder of Cameron Mitchell Restaurants, Cameron Mitchell, and Real Estate Futurist, Nikki Greenberg.

Dive into their bios below to learn more about what’s to come at this year’s retreat.

Rick Santelli

On-Air Editor, CNBC

Cameron Mitchell

Cameron Mitchell

Founder, Cameron Mitchell Restaurants

Coach Jim Tressel

Coach Jim Tressel

Former Head Football Coach, The Ohio State University; Former President, Youngstown State University

Nikki Greenberg

Real Estate Futurist

Brent Crawford

Principal and Founder, Crawford Hoying

Bob Hoying

Principal, Crawford Hoying

Rick Santelli | On-Air Editor, CNBC

Rick Santelli joined CNBC as on-air editor in June 1999, reporting live from the floor of the Chicago Mercantile Exchange. His focus is primarily on interest rates, foreign exchange and the Federal Reserve. Santelli is a regular contributor to CNBC’s “Squawk on the Street ” (M-F, 9AM-11AM ET).

A veteran trader and financial executive, Santelli has provided live reports on the markets in print and on local and national radio and television. He joined CNBC from the Institutional Financial Futures and Options at Sanwa Futures, L.L.C. There, he was a vice president handling institutional trading and hedge accounts for a variety of futures related products.

Prior to that, Santelli worked as vice president of Institutional Futures and Options at Rand Financial Services Inc., served as managing director at the Derivative Products Group of Geldermann Inc., and was vice president in charge of Interest Rate Futures and Options at the Chicago Board of Trade for Drexel, Burnham, Lambert.

Cameron Mitchell | Founder & CEO, Cameron Mitchell Restaurants

Cameron Mitchell is the founder and CEO of Cameron Mitchell Restaurants (CMR), which is headquartered in Columbus, Ohio and celebrates 30 years of business in 2023.

Cameron’s rise has been called “a dish room to boardroom story,” as he began his career in the restaurant industry more than 40 years ago as a dishwasher at a local Columbus steakhouse. He decided he wanted to make the restaurant business his life’s work, and in October 1993, Cameron Mitchell Restaurants began with the launch of Cameron’s, an intimate, contemporary American bistro in northwest Columbus. Today, CMR operates 47 restaurant locations under 21 concepts, in addition to Cameron Mitchell Premier Events, Budd Dairy Food Hall, Rusty Bucket Restaurant and Tavern (22 locations) and the virtual kitchen, Cluck Norris. Additionally, the company’s national flagship brand, Ocean Prime, has 19 locations in 14 states, plus the District of Columbia.


In 2019, Cameron published his book, Yes is the Answer ! What is the Question?, which made Forbes’ list of 12 Best Business Memoirs of all Time. In addition, his successes in business and keen understanding of the restaurant industry has earned him countless awards and acknowledgements. Most recently, Cameron was honored with the 2023 Entrepreneur of the Year East Central Lifetime Achievement Award from Ernst & Young (EY).

Coach Jim Tressel | Former Head Football Coach, The Ohio State University; Former President, Youngstown State University

A native of Northeast Ohio, Jim Tressel graduated from Berea High School in suburban Cleveland in 1971. He earned a Bachelor’s degree in Education from Baldwin-Wallace College in 1975 and a Master’s degree in Education from the University of Akron in 1977. He also holds Honorary Doctoral degrees from Youngstown State University (YSU) in 2001 and Baldwin-Wallace in 2003.

After serving as an Assistant Football Coach at the University of Akron, Miami (OH), Syracuse and Ohio State, Tressel was named YSU Head Football Coach in 1986. In his 15 year tenure, including six as Executive Director of Intercollegiate Athletics, YSU appeared in the playoffs 10 times and won four National Championships. In January 2001, Tressel left YSU to become the Head Football Coach at The Ohio State University. During his 10 seasons, he guided the Buckeyes to the 2002 National Championship and to seven Big Ten Championships. After leaving Ohio State, Tressel served as Executive Vice President for Student Success at the University of Akron before returning to YSU in 2014 as President.

Nikki Greenberg | Real Estate Futurist

Nikki Greenberg is one of the top real estate futurist and most sought-after industry trends presenter. Through her high energy keynotes, she explores the convergence of real space and cyberspace. She is determined to not only inspire her audiences on the possibilities of emerging technologies and innovative ways of thinking, but provide insights on ways to capitalize upon it. In short, Nikki directs companies on what to do today to deliver on the needs of tomorrow.

A true digital nomad with an international career that has spanned the US, Asia and Australia, she has held cross-functional leadership positions with a focus on innovation and design. Most recently she served as Head of Technology Strategy for QIC, an Australian investment manager, where she led the transformation of its $17Bn AUM real estate portfolio and $4Bn development pipeline, towards a tech-enabled future. In New York, she led the innovation efforts of the #1 private brokerage Brown Harris Stevens, for new luxury residential developments. In Australia, she designed and developed transformative mixed-use residential, retail and masterplan projects with Lendlease and Koichi Takada Architects.