Advisory Council/Staff Profiles

Jeff Williams
Chair

I am a Senior Project Manager at Temperance Distilling. Born and raised in Fostoria, I graduated from the University of Toledo and have remained in the area. I joined EPIC to meet like minded individuals who see the value of being involved in the community and wish to make our region a better place.

I am the President of Gorillas & Gazelles LLC. Gorillas & Gazelles LLC is a professional services firm that specializes in Assessments that businesses use for benchmarking, development and hiring for employees. They are also used for high school and college students to help them determine major and ideal work environment after college. I am also the Chairman of the Entrepreneurial & Business Excellence (EBE) Hall of Fame. The EBE Hall of Fame is an annual program that honors and recognizes entrepreneurs and businesses in NW Ohio and SE Michigan. I have been a member and involved in many organizations around NW Ohio such as EPIC Toledo, TAHRA, ASTD, NAMI of Wood County and I am involved with my college alma mater, BGSU.

Jeff Schaaf
Chair Elect/Community Impact Co-Chair

I am the classic hometown boy. Born and raised in the Toledo area, I graduated from St. Francis de Sales high school and traveled slightly farther west on Bancroft St. to the University of Toledo where I earned a Bachelor’s degree in Entrepreneurship, Family, and Small Business. My work experience has been focused primarily in sales, marketing and project management for large corporations. Most recently, I am working for Maritz Research as a Sr. Project Director as well as selling real estate as a licensed residential Agent for The Danberry Co. I joined EPIC in 2008 because I’m proud of Toledo and all that we have to offer. Our location and people have enormous potential, and I think EPIC is a key element in helping the community recognize all that we are and all that we can be.

Brian Niedzwiecki
Past Chair

I am the Executive Vice President of Operations at Stautzenberger College, where I am responsible for the daily operation of the school. I am a native Toledoan, graduating from St. John’s Jesuit and then pursuing a Bachelor of Arts in Social Humanitarianism from BGSU and a Master of Arts in College Student Personnel focusing on Adult and Continuing Education, also from BGSU. I have been involved with EPIC since the original Kickoff Party and am thrilled to be associated with a group of people who thinks that Toledo is as great a place to live as I do!

Robyn Peabody
Community Impact Co-Chair

I landed in Toledo by way of a doctorate degree through Bowling Green State University and an AmeriCorps position at United Way of Greater Toledo, where I now work. I have a passion for the community, and in my work I help oversee programs funded through United Way and support new and exciting collaborations in the area. I joined EPIC and specifically the Community Impact Committee as one way to improve and enjoy the community, and to meet others who want to do the same.

Julie Heigel 
Cultural Arts Chair

A native of Toledo and graduate of the University of Toledo, I recently returned after a successful tenure with shopping center developer Simon Property Group (Indianapolis, IN).  As Promotions Manager of the mall owner and developer I was responsible for new shopping center grand openings and all corporate meetings and conferences.

Now a part of the Toledo Symphony Marketing and Development team since 2006, my vast experience in event and promotions serves to connect the community with one of Toledo’s cultural gems and to sustain a working community of professional resident musicians in northwest Ohio; my specific responsibility being community engagement and business development. The TSO lives out its mission of high-quality music performance and education for all people by producing nearly 400 performances annually that reach over 300,000 listeners. 

My enthusiasm for the Toledo Symphony does not come by way of a classical music background, but by a newly learned appreciation for the art as well as first-hand experience in the important role the arts in general plays in the vitality of a community. 

It was this ambition for a strong and vibrant community that encouraged my membership in EPIC.  Through a shared mission of building a strong Toledo by engaging people in the fabric of the community and developing them for leadership, I have been an active EPIC member having served on the Cultural Arts and Marketing Committees for two years. I have also been on the Birthday Bash Committee and had an instrumental role in the “That’s My EPIC” campaign.

Diversity being key, I am also a sports enthusiast. I am engaged in my church community as well both on council, as a bible study leader, a youth director, and on the contemporary worship team.

Blake Underwood 
Leadership & Professional Development Co-Chair

I am a faculty member in the marketing department at Bowling Green State University (BGSU) and assistant Director of the Dallas-Hamilton Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation. I serve as the director of entrepreneurship program as BGSU and am charged with developing and fostering the entrepreneurial environment on campus.

Previously, I have served as President of Bowling Green Equipment Company, a wholesaler of school supplies and equipment to the K-12 market and as CFO of BPNC Distillery, a specialty contract packager of ready to drink mixed alcoholic beverages. Most recently I served as a client service manager for Launch, a program of the Regional Growth Partnership, where I helped tech based startups with business plan development, business level strategy awareness and investment securitization.

Katie Rofkar
Leadership & Professional Development Co-Chair

I was named CEO of NEMSYS, a Toledo-based provider of information technology support, in 2010.  I joined the company in 2008 as a sales representative following a three-year stint as director of Curriculum and Instruction and Athletic Director at Mason Consolidated Schools.

My career started as a teacher at Washington Local Schools and has also served as a television meteorologist at Fox affiliate WUPW in Toledo.

I enjoy speaking and lecturing on a variety of topics that include managing an IT infrastructure in the workplace, emerging technologies, leadership and personal development.

As a Toledo, Ohio native, I holds a Bachelor of Science from The Ohio State University and a Master of Education from The University of Toledo.

As Native Toledoan, I was thrilled to join EPIC and be a part of this dynamic group of individuals that wish to see Toledo thrive.  I graduated from St. Ursula Academy and went on to earn a BA in Communication and BA in German from the University of Toledo.

I started my career in computer tech support then moved on to the SeaGate Convention Centre as the Sales Manager.  Currently, I work at the Toledo Zoo where it is my duty to book and plan all weddings and private events.

In addition to the EPIC advisory board, I also sit on the SEANO (Special Events Association of Northwest Ohio) Board and have been a part of that particular group since its inception.  I am active with St. Ursula Academy’s young alumnae club.  I was a past EPIC Birthday Bash chair and continue to contrubute to that committee.

In the fall of 2011, I was married to Daniel Tankoos, also a native Toledoan, who owns a local restaurant.  We are family oriented and proud Toledo supporters.

I am a 2008 graduate of The University of Toledo with a degree in Human Resource Management and International Business. A lifelong Toledoan, I am also a graduate of St. Ursula Academy and a proud resident of the Glass City! Upon graduating from UT, I worked at Northwestern Mutual as the Director of Campus Recruitment. In June of 2011 I took a position with the Dana Holding Corporation in SAP Implementation Team-Training and Change Management. My first few months at Dana have been immersed in the planning and orchestration of a new warehouse facility in Gyor, Hungary. I am an avid promoter of EPIC and believe strongly that EPIC inspires members of the community to make a difference by getting involved in many aspects of their community. EPIC has something for everyone! I am also very active in giving back to those that are less fortunate. I have spent time helping at the YWCA and adopting families through the Salvation Army during the holidays.

Joe Schlageter 
Networking/Social Co-Chair

I am currently an attorney for Con-Way Freight Services. I am married to Alyson Schlageter (Gabel) and have two children, fraternal twins William and Paige who were born on 11/11/10. I graduated from the University of Toledo College of law in 2006. Prior to that I earned my bachelor’s degree in finance from Miami University in 2003.

I was born and raised in Toledo and have been involved with EPIC since its early days, serving on the economic development committee and more recently on the social/networking committee.  I have been on several planning committees for EPIC, including for the most recent birthday bash, and am a regular attendee for a variety of EPIC events.  In addition to my involvement with EPIC, I am involved in the local community in a variety of ways, including as a board member of the Northwest Ohio chapter of the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation, frequent volunteer for the Junior League of Toledo (in which my wife is very involved), a member of Leadership Toledo Class of 2011, and most recently I was a “celebrity” dancer in a Dancing With the Stars themed fundraiser for Catholic Charities Diocese of Toledo.

I am originally from Dayton Ohio,  moved to Toledo in 2004, and now reside as a proud resident of the downtown warehouse district. I hold a Bachelor’s of Business Administration from the University of Toledo specializing in Information Systems.  Currently  I am a SAP FI/CO analyst with Owens-Illinois and have been with them since 2005.

I joined EPIC in 2008 to attend social and networking events and have enjoyed every moment becoming more involved with the various committees. I also serve as Steering Committee member for the Northwest Ohio Susan G.Komen Race for the Cure, as a graduate advisor for Phi Gamma Delta and a 2010 Leadership Toledo graduate.

In my spare time I enjoy bird calling, sheep herding, quantum mechanics, catfish noodling, and caber tossing.

Melissa Noe
Corporate Member Representative - Fifth Third Bank

I work at Fifth Third Bank where I am dedicated to servicing and assisting small business clients in the management of their funds as their Treasury Management Officer. Prior to this, I served as Financial Center Manager at Fifth Third’s One Seagate Banking Center. I joined Fifth Third Bank in 2006 and has six years of financial experience. 

I was born and raised in Toledo Ohio and attended St. Ursula Academy.  I am a graduate of Baldwin Wallace College with a major in Music Performance (Opera) and a minor in Business Management.  I am a  member of the Rotary Club of Toledo where I enjoy serving as co-chair of the Itza ball’s silent auction.  I try to stay very active in the Toledo community volunteering my time with EPIC, where I serve on the Leadership and Professional Development Committee, Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure, United Way,  Junior Achievement and the Toledo Children’s Hospital Fundraising Committee. I am a great advocate for The Salvation Army of Toledo serving as the Chairman of their annual event for 2012.  In 2011 I introduced EPIC to The Salvation Army where, along with the Anderson’s, was able to have a very successful Kettle Bell Sunday. I am very much looking forward to serving on the EPIC board where I will continue to find ways for EPIC members to get involved in the community while growing as a “young professional” and give EPIC the great name they deserve.   

Sam Scott

EPIC Toledo Communication Coordinator

I love this city! Born and raised in Toledo, I went to Bowling Green State University and earned my Bachelor of Fine Arts in Graphic Design in 2002. I have been an employee of the Chamber since 2004 and been on staff for EPIC Toledo since its inception in 2007. As a resident of South Toledo, I continue to become more involved in this great city and continue to grow professionally with the like-minded EPIC members that I have the privilege of knowing and interacting with on a daily basis.