Western & Southern Executive Jill McGruder Recognized Among 2026 Women of the Year

Jill McGruder, senior vice president and enterprise chief marketing officer for Western & Southern Financial Group, has been named one of the 2026 Women of the Year by the Cincinnati Enquirer and Cincinnati.com.

The award honors women who have made a meaningful and lasting impact on the Greater Cincinnati region through leadership, service and philanthropy.

"Jill has been a principal architect of Western & Southern's modern success and one of the most consequential leaders in company history," said John F. Barrett, chairman, president and chief executive officer of Western & Southern Financial Group. "The incredibly strong company she has been so instrumental in building has enabled Western & Southern to do tremendous good for Greater Cincinnati, and her impact on our community will be felt for generations."

For nearly 35 years, McGruder has helped build businesses, develop leaders and strengthen the institutions that make Greater Cincinnati a better place to live and work. She has played a key role in expanding Western & Southern's business and helping guide its growth from a company with $5 billion in assets to one that today owns and manages nearly $140 billion.

Beyond her business leadership, McGruder has devoted decades of service to Greater Cincinnati's civic and nonprofit community. She has held leadership roles with organizations including the University of Cincinnati Board of Trustees, Taft Museum of Art, ArtsWave, United Way of Greater Cincinnati and YWCA of Greater Cincinnati.

Established in 1968, the Cincinnati Enquirer's annual program "recognizes area women who have supported philanthropic efforts and who have improved civic life through their investment of time, energy and their belief in helping others." McGruder is among more than 550 women who have received the honor over the program's 58-year history.

For more information about the 2026 Women of the Year program, visit https://www.enquirerwoy.com.