Kelly A. Borth, CBC/APR
Kelly started her career in marketing in 1976 in Chicago, Illinois, as a sales promotion assistant for the leading manufacturer of water purification and treatment systems worldwide. After relocating to Ohio in 1980, she became a marketing specialist for the nation’s largest incentive travel company, working with clients such as Avon Worldwide, Delco Electronics, Chrysler Mopar, and Merrill Lynch.
Kelly later settled in Columbus as assistant advertising director for BancOhio National Bank (now National City Bank). She held marketing director and public relations director positions for two small agencies, and was marketing director for a seven-store local retail chain. In 1990, Kelly started her own advertising, marketing and public relations firm, GREENCREST Marketing, Inc. Today, GREENCREST is recognized as one of Columbus’ leading agencies.
As a past member of the Small Business Council of the Columbus Chamber of Commerce, Kelly founded the Entrepreneur Exchange. She served on the Chamber’s Economic Development marketing steering committee as a Columbus to Columbus project team leader. She is a past president of the Advertising Federation of Columbus, where she founded the Advertising Techniques School in 1995. She is past president of the Columbus Chapter of the National Association of Women Business Owners (NAWBO) where she founded the Women Business Owners annual recognition program (Visionary Awards), the Women Business Owners Roundtables and was named the 2003 Member of the Year and a 2005 Visionary Award Honoree.
Kelly currently serves on the board of Friends of the Columbus Public Library, Neighborhood Design Center and Young Survivor Coalition, and is a member of the American Heart Association Columbus Metro Board. Kelly is president of the St. Pius X Parish Council and is a past president of the development board of the Heinzerling Foundation. She is a board advisor for Shepherd’s Corner, Athena Powerlink and the Inn at Cedar Falls and served for seven years as a trustee of the Jefferson Water & Sewer District.
Kelly has been a regular speaker for the Small Business Administration and has mentored numerous women-owned businesses through Women’s Network for Entrepreneurial Training. In addition to her board responsibilities, she is a member of the Public Relations Society of America, Roundtable of Agency Management Presidents, TechColumbus and Business Marketing Association.
She has been recognized as one of Columbus’s top “Forty under 40” up and coming leaders and was honored as the 1998 “Communicator of the Year” by the Columbus Chamber of Commerce Sales Executive Club. She is a 1999 Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year, Supporter of Entrepreneurship Award finalist. Kelly was also listed as one of Columbus’s Power 100 by Smart Business magazine for 2000 and 2001.
Kelly has earned numerous industry awards including BizComm Best of Category, Excellence and Merit, Bronze Quill Best of Category, Addy Award of Excellence awards, and AIM Best of Show Best Marketing Campaign Award.