OLA Elects New Leadership and Honors Members at 2026 Annual Meeting

03/12/2026

OLA Elects New Leadership and Honors Members at 2026 Annual Meeting

The Ohio Lobbying Association held its 2026 Annual Meeting on Wednesday, March 11 at the Athletic Club of Columbus, celebrating a year of growth and accomplishment for the association and welcoming new leadership. Following the business meeting, the OLA hosted its annual Legislative Reception, which drew more than 100 registered legislators and staff from across Capitol Square.

Chrisy Wright Installed as 2026 OLA President

Members elected Chrisy Wright of IGS Energy as the new OLA President. Wright, who has been a leader in Ohio's lobbying profession throughout her career, succeeds Melissa Kuhn Wheeler of Westfield Insurance, who served as President in 2025.

The full 2026 Board of Trustees:

• President: Chrisy Wright, IGS Energy
• Immediate Past President: Melissa Kuhn Wheeler, Westfield
• President-Elect: Michelle Holdgreve, Ohio Contractors Association
• Vice President: Ronnie Romito, Governmental Policy Group
• Secretary/Treasurer: Hunter Wright, The Batchelder Company
• At-Large Member: Dave Salisbury, Statehouse Impact Group
• At-Large Member: Aaron Ockerman, Ockerman Consulting
• At-Large Member: Rick Frank, Strategic Health Care

Chrisy Wright Receives the Darryl Dever President's Award

Outgoing President Melissa Wheeler presented the 2026 Darryl Dever President's Award to Chrisy Wright in recognition of her exceptional service and dedication to the OLA. The President's Award is the association's highest honor, recognizing a member who has gone above and beyond on behalf of the organization.

OLA Foundation Awards Three Scholarships

OLA Foundation Chair Lora Miller presented the Foundation's annual report, highlighting a successful year for the scholarship program. The OLA Foundation awarded three scholarships to college students pursuing studies in public policy:

• Wyatt Morrow - Wilmington College
• Juliana McClure - Ohio Northern University
• Amelia Alexander - Bowling Green State University

Wyatt Morrow and Amelia Alexander were present at the Annual Meeting to receive their scholarship certificates. Congratulations to all three recipients!

2026 OLA Foundation Scholarship Recipients Amelia Alexander and Wyatt Morrow with members of the OLA Board.

The Foundation also acknowledged the tremendous outpouring of support following the passing of Past OLA President Tom Green in April 2025. More than $10,000 in memorial contributions were received in his honor from friends and colleagues across the lobbying community. Miller reported that the Foundation currently holds nearly $85,000 in assets and is pursuing an investment account to help those funds grow in support of future scholarships.

The Foundation extended special thanks to Andrew Huffman and the Fundraising Committee for organizing the 2025 Spring Fundraiser, which raised nearly $28,000, and to Dave Salisbury for his leadership of the NCSL Ohio Night fundraiser.

The board also welcomed two new Foundation members: Amanda Sines and Melissa Wheeler, both past Scholarship Committee Chairs and past presidents of the OLA. The Foundation recognized Vince Squillace and Kevin Futryk for nine years of dedicated service as founding board members.

A Year of Growth: President's Report Highlights

In her final President's Report, Melissa Wheeler reflected on a landmark year for the OLA:

• OLA membership surpassed 385 members - the highest in the association's 37-year history
  
• 31 new members joined the association
• The OLA hosted lunch-and-learns for House and Senate staffers
• Signature Series luncheons featured Ohio Secretary of State Frank LaRose and Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost
• The End-of-Summer Happy Hour at Jackie O's brought together 70 Statehouse staffers and 75 OLA members
• The Holiday Reception at Club 1893 at the Ohio Chamber of Commerce was attended by more than 150 staffers and members

"Serving as your President and working with such a committed Board has been one of the great honors of my career," said Wheeler. "I'm so proud of what we've accomplished together and confident our profession is in excellent hands."

Looking ahead, the OLA has Signature Series luncheons planned for April, including events featuring Kathleen Clyde of the Ohio Democratic Party and Ohio Republican Party Chair Alex Triantafilou, both to be held at the Athletic Club of Columbus. The OLA also plans to host Signature Series events with both gubernatorial candidates later in the year.

Legislative Reception

Following the Annual Meeting, more than 100 registered legislators and staff attended the OLA Legislative Reception - one of the largest in recent memory. The reception provided members with a valuable opportunity to connect, build relationships, and engage with policymakers from across Capitol Square.