In celebration of Dayton’s heritage of business accomplishments, Dayton Magazine created the Dayton Business Hall of Fame to recognize the rich tradition of success and civic involvement of the region’s business community.
The Dayton Business Hall of Fame honors men and women who have made a lasting contribution to the community in economic, cultural and civic endeav- ors. Inductees were honored at the seventh annual Dayton Business Hall of Fame event Aug. 17 at The Mandalay in Moraine. The event was sponsored by Coldwell Banker Commercial Heritage and Superior Dental Care. The nonprofit partner was the Therapeutic Riding Institute. The media sponsor was WDTN.
Al Wofford
Founder & President, CDO Technologies
Al Wofford’s success is proof that hard work, dedication and caring about your employees can lead to great success. He started CDO Technologies nearly 30 years ago with just two employees and today the data-collection, advanced technology communications and managed services capabilities company employs over 300 in eight locations throughout the U.S.
“When I started CDO Technologies in 1995, my focus and our passion at that time was to leverage technologies that improve the quality of life as well as having improved efficiencies and effectiveness of businesses to address business challenges,” he says. “We take technology, we take a problem, and we… create something that solves a problem or allows them to do something, achieve something that’s better, more efficient, safer. That’s what gives me pleasure.”
While Wofford has found great success with his company, he has also remained dedicated to the Dayton community. He has served on numerous boards and volunteered for multiple initiatives, including the Dayton Development Coalition, Omega CDC and Air Camp.
“Al is a superior candidate for the Hall of Fame, and that’s because he has a true belief in supporting this community. He’s on a million boards. Nearly every time I run into someone I know that I haven’t seen in a while, they ask me where I work. I tell them, they say, ‘Oh, I know Al, I serve on a board with him,’” says Subie Certo, a recruiter at CDO.
When asked to describe Wofford in one word, Tate Grossmann, a digital media specialist and executive assistant at CDO, called him determined. “He really focuses on doing his best in everything he does, from working with the employees to his home life. He’s always striving for excellence.”
In celebration of Dayton’s heritage of business accomplishments, Dayton Magazine created the Dayton Business Hall of Fame to recognize the rich tradition of success and civic involvement of the region’s business community.
The Dayton Business Hall of Fame honors men and women who have made a lasting contribution to the community in economic, cultural and civic endeavors. Inductees were honored at the seventh annual Dayton Business Hall of Fame event Aug. 17 at The Mandalay in Moraine. The event was sponsored by Coldwell Banker Commercial Heritage and Superior Dental Care. The nonprofit partner was the Therapeutic Riding Institute. The media sponsor was WDTN.
Debbie Feldman
President & CEO, Dayton Children’s Hospital
Having grown up near Washington, D.C., Debbie Feldman didn’t know what to expect when she moved to Dayton with her husband more than 40 years ago.
“However, it didn’t take long for me to fall in love with the people and the place. What I found was a city of people that cared for each other, where someone who wanted to make a difference could, and a place full of innovative spirit,” she says.
And over the last 40 years, she’s done what she can to make a difference in Dayton and the Miami Valley. She served in Montgomery County government for more than 30 years, including 16 years as county administrator. In that role, she led community initiatives that addressed issues like homelessness, out-of-school youth and the development of Riverscape. In 2012, she joined Dayton Children’s Hospital as president and CEO, where’s she led the revitalization of the health care organization.
“Deb joined Dayton Children’s more than 10 years ago, and she has led our efforts to go from a good community hospital that happens to specialize in pediatrics to a nationally known children’s hospital that happens to be in Dayton,” says Dr. Adam Mezoff, vice president and chief medical officer at Dayton Children’s. “The quality of care, the safety of care, Dayton Children’s is comparable to any of the top children’s hospitals in the country, and communities this size often do not have the benefit of a children’s hospital like that.”
“She has always had the innate ability to identify an issue or a problem, bring people together, find solutions and then move them to action,” adds Tom Kelley, president and CEO of the United Way of the Greater Dayton Area. “One of the things that Debbie has always had is a great interest in our community, a great vision for how our community can be better, and then knowing how to move people to action in solving those problems, solving those issues, and rallying everyone around a cause that has lifted our community to a better place.”
Linda Kahn
CEO & Vice President, Media Services, Ohlmann Group
When Linda Kahn joined her father’s marketing communications company, The Ohlmann Group, in 1979, she was starting a journey that would lead her to becoming one of the most respected media planners and negotiators in the business.
“My father was an incredible mentor and a role model. He was dedicated to his work, and he was committed to his community,” she says. “He taught me that great business leadership doesn’t mean always being in the office. It reaches people beyond the office walls.”
Kahn started with the Ohlmann Group as a media planner/buyer before being promoted to associate media director. Today, as CEO and vice president of media sales, she leads the company while also maintaining management responsibility for all media evaluation, analysis, purchase and post-buy analysis.
“She’s the best in the world at what she does, so she sets a very high bar for delivering great work,” says David Bowman, president of the Ohlmann Group. “And that’s what we’re all about here, is doing great work and being great to work with. And she exemplifies both of those simple statements day in and day out.”
In addition to her work with the company, Kahn has also remained dedicated to the community for the last 40-plus years. This dedication was on display recently when the Ohlmann Group moved to a new office downtown. Kahn and her sister, Lori Ohlmann, decided to give their previous office building to Omega CDC.
“If I were to describe Linda in a single word, it would be caring. Linda cares deeply about the people that work here, the people we work for, the work that we do. And that comes through in everything she does as a person. Every day she exhibits how much she cares, and that shows around the community, that shows in her relationships, and it shows in her work,” adds Bowman.
Sandy Mendelson
Owner, Mendelson’s Liquidation Outlet
Posthumous Inductee
When asked to describe Sandy Mendelson, his friend, Mat Heck, Montgomery County prosecutor, didn’t know where to start.
“There’s so many things to say and not enough time to do it except larger, larger than life. I don’t mean just in stature, but in the way he lived and enjoyed life,” he says. “Sandy Mendelson never grew old. He may have gotten older, but he never grew old because he enjoyed life to the fullest. That’s one of the many things I loved about him.”
Mendelson, who passed away in 2021 at the age of 77, was known by many as the owner of Mendelson’s Liquidation Outlet. The massive store was the place to find eclectic and unique items, from mechanical pieces and vintage parts to jewelry and housewares.
But he was much more than the store. Mendelson loved Dayton and was involved in revitalizing downtown. He worked hard to get the Dayton Dragons to locate their stadium downtown.
“Sandy was the man who would volunteer for any adventure or anything,” says his friend Ken Betz. “When he bought the property that he did, there was nothing there. And we look at it today. You got a baseball field, you got a hotel, you got restaurants, you got bars, and you got community. And it was always Sandy Mendelson who had his finger into those projects.”
“Looking around at the renewed life and businesses now, it is heartwarming to think my dad’s dreams are coming alive all around the river corridor and Dayton historic streets,” says Heather Mendelson-Goodrich, Sandy’s daughter.
