Columbus College of Art & Design announced Tuesday that local ice cream entrepreneur Jeni Britton will lead its board of trustees as chair.
Britton, founder and chief creative officer of Jeni’s Splendid Ice Creams, will serve a two-year term at the board’s helm. She’s best known for her far-out flavors, eccentric style and friendship with U.S. President Joe Biden, who shares her love of ice cream.
Jeni’s has been a Columbus staple for nearly two decades since Britton opened her first location inside the North Market in 2002. The brand has since opened dozens of scoop shops in 16 cities nationwide.
Britton also served on Biden’s Small Business Council and as a member of the Small Business for America’s Future Council.
But long before she was making artisanal ice creams, Britton got her start at CCAD. She attended the college’s Saturday Morning Art classes, which she credits as the being the impetus of her creative career.
“Jeni’s, as a company, has benefited from CCAD and its graduates and so has Columbus and the world,” Britton said. “Our city is the thriving hub of culture and commerce that it is because of generations of CCAD artists, designers, and entrepreneurs. I’m thrilled to continue to support the college and the next generation of creative thinkers through this new role as chair.”
In addition to naming Britton as chair, the board of trustees elected seven new members, who will serve three-year terms. They include:
- Darci Congrove, managing director, GBQ Partners
- Leigh Householder, managing director, Strategy, Syneos Health
- Jana Litsey, senior executive vice president & general counsel, Huntington Bancshares Incorporated
- Pete Mattingly, managing director, JPMorgan Chase
- Urvi Patel, founder, CEO & leadership coach, Urvi Patel Coaching
- Neil Shah, vice president, Finance, Cardinal Health
- Primus Suffren Jr., project executive, Continental Building Company
“These seven new trustees represent the breadth of impact CCAD has in our community, the importance of the creative economy to our region, and the diversity of talent in leadership positions across Columbus,” CCAD President Melanie Corn said.
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