Award Winners were honored at our 2024 program

Nominate Your Family Business for a 2025 Award!

Central Ohio’s Only Awards Program Celebrating Family Businesses

On Wednesday, November 13, 2024, we gathered at the Hilton Easton in Columbus to celebrate the accomplishments of Central Ohio family businesses at the 26^th Annual Family Business Awards & Expo.

VIEW the listing of award winners and browse the photo gallery of all the honorees on the bottom of this page.

Conway Center members were invited to participate in the Family Business Expo preceding the Awards luncheon, providing them the opportunity to showcase their business, products, and services to hundreds of family business leaders and advisors. This year, nearly one-third of our exhibitors were new to our Expo!

VIEW the Expo participant directory. The photo gallery of candid expo photos can be found at the bottom of this page.

The Awards luncheon honors recipients in categories consistent with the success and longevity of a family business: leadership, planning, communication, and support.

VIEW the complete 2024 Awards Program to discover more about each of the award winners.

More than 400 companies have been honored in the past 26 years and represent many of Central Ohio's finest family-owned businesses.

The Conway Center for Family Business Awards Program annually recognizes family businesses that have:

Successfully transferred the leadership of the company from one generation to the next
Found a unique solution to a complex business problem
Made a contribution to our community
Gone above and beyond the call of duty to help an employee, customer, or vendor

Thank you to our generous signature Award sponsors in 2024: First Merchants Bank, Morgan Stanley, and Taft/. Thank you also to our visionary sponsor Meaden & Moore, to our contributing sponsors Marsh McLennan Agency and Porter Wright, and to our media sponsor Columbus CEO.

Nominations are now open for the Family Business Awards on November 12, 2025! Nominate a family business (including your own!) by submitting the online nomination form. Nominees do not have to be members of the Conway Center to be considered for an award.

All award categories are listed at the bottom of this page. Please contact us if you have any questions.

Award Categories

We are now accepting nominations for our November 12, 2025 program. Click on the categories below to view the description of each award.

Conway Center Champion

Recognizes organizations or individuals that have shown significant support to the success of the Conway Center or who have made substantial gifts during life, and/or have included the Conway Center for Family Business in their estate plans.

Nominate

Family Business of the Year

Recognizes a family business that has made a significant contribution to their industry or the Central Ohio business community. Winner in this category will be asked to give short remarks.

Nominate

J. Richard Emens Lifetime Achievement

Recognizes a family business leader who has made a significant contribution to their industry or the Central Ohio business community. Winner in this category will be asked to give short remarks.

Nominate

Milestone Achievement

Recognizes family businesses that have reached a significant anniversary milestone during the award year.

Nominate

Resiliency Award

Recognizes a family business that has persevered, re-invented themselves, worked hard on sustainability of the family business, and/or that has come back from adversity.

Nominate