The Columbus Chapter of the Construction Specifications Institute (CSI) and USGBC Ohio – co-hosts of the annual education day and expo DesignColumbus – announce the keynote panelists for their 2017 show, to be held Tuesday, Oct. 10, at the Ohio Union, 1739 N. High St., Columbus, Ohio.

Redevelopment of the Scioto riverfront has been a focus of Columbus's 2010 Downtown Strategic Plan and has really gained traction since the opening of the Scioto Greenways in 2015. Recent groundbreakings in the Scioto Peninsula and Franklinton neighborhood continue to fuel those placemaking efforts. Keynote panelists at DesignColumbus 2017 represent major project stakeholders who will discuss current and upcoming development in the area, as well as share insights on the planning process. Highlighted will be two major ongoing projects: the National Veterans Memorial & Museum and COSI (Center of Science and Industry).

An introduction will be delivered by Mahesh Ramanujam, President/CEO of the USGBC
Mahesh Ramanujam is president and CEO of the USGBC and Green Business Certification Inc. (GBCI). He graduated from India’s Annamalai University with a degree in Computer Engineering. Before becoming President and CEO, Mahesh served as USGBC’s chief operating officer, and before that he served as USGBC’s chief information officer. Prior to joining GBCI in 2009, Mahesh was COO of Emergys Corp., a business technology-consulting firm that leverages emerging technologies to deliver business transformation to its clients. Ramanujam currently sits on the Advisory Council of the International WELL Building Institute, and the Board of Directors of GRESB, a private, Netherlands-based industry-driven organization, wholly owned by GBCI.

Panelist Steven Schoeny is the Director of Development, City of Columbus
Steven R. Schoeny joined the City after serving as a principal with Ice Miller Whiteboard, a consulting group that provides growth and development strategies to corporations, organizations and state and local governments. Schoeny worked as director of the Strategic Business Investment Division of the Ohio Department of Development from 2006 to 2010. Prior to that, he worked for the Ohio Department of Development International Trade Division from 1997 to 2005, Economic Consulting Services Inc. from 1995 to 1997 and the Institute for International Economics from 1994 to 1995.

Panelist Guy Worley is the President/CEO of the Columbus Downtown Development Corporation (CDDC)
Guy Worley has more than 25 years of leadership, management, and financial experience. Since January 2007, he has served as President/Chief Executive Officer of the CDDC and Capitol South Community Urban Redevelopment Corporation. In this role, Mr. Worley is focused on the redevelopment and revitalization of Downtown Columbus, Ohio. Previously, Mr. Worley served as Chief of Staff for Mayor Michael B. Coleman in Columbus, Ohio.

Panelist Frederic Bertley is the President/CEO of COSI
Frederic Bertley is the president and CEO of COSI. Previously, Bertley was the senior vice president for science and education. After graduating from McGill University where he studied Physiology, Mathematics and the History of Science, and earned a Ph.D. in Immunology, Bertley worked internationally in preventative medicine and basic vaccines in Haiti, The Sudan, and the Canadian Arctic. Bertley continued this work by joining a vaccine research group at Harvard Medical School focusing on the development of DNA vaccines for HIV/AIDS.

Attendees can register and find additional information at http://designcolumbus.org or contact Jim McDonald, CSI Columbus Chapter, at organizer@designcolumbus.org.