Contact: Colleen McCarthy, Columbus Chamber of Commerce media relations manager at (614) 225-6941 or colleen_mccarthy@columbus.org
Attention Editors: A photo of Robert Walter is available for download at www.ohiou.edu/news/pix/walter_bob.jpg
COLUMBUS, Ohio (February 21, 2001) -- Ohio University trustee and one of Columbus' most successful businessmen was saluted for his phenomenal success and impact on Greater Columbus at the Greater Columbus Chamber of Commerce's 117th Annual Meeting today. Columbus native Robert D. Walter, chairman and CEO of Cardinal Health, received the "Columbus Award," the Chamber's highest honor.
He was selected for the award by Chamber Board Chairman Alex Shumate, managing partner of Squire, Sanders & Dempsey LLP, in recognition of Walter's "significant contributions to the growth and development of the Greater Columbus region."
"This year's recipient is a truly remarkable example of homegrown entrepreneurship, admirable modesty and unwavering leadership," said Shumate. "In less than three decades, Bob has transformed his small Columbus distribution company into a Fortune 100 international powerhouse. Even more importantly, he has never compromised the values that brought him such success and is passionately committed to growing Cardinal Health here at home -- in Greater Columbus."
A Columbus native, Walter earned a degree in mechanical engineering from Ohio University and his MBA from Harvard University. In 1970, Walter invested $135,000 in a small food distribution company, Cardinal Foods, and eventually refocused the business solely into healthcare, renaming the venture Cardinal Health. Today, with more than 43,000 employees in 160 facilities around the world, and an stock market worth of $28 billion, Cardinal Health is one of the largest and most diversified healthcare organizations in the United States. Walter's other contributions include:
- Serving on the Ohio University Board of Trustees and Foundation Board
- Donating $5 million to Ohio University to help fund a state-of-the-art science lecture hall and "smart" classroom facility, along with his wife Peggy. The facility will allow the integration of the latest technologies in the educational process.
- Establishing the Robert D. and Margaret M. Walter Endowed Scholarship for students in the Russ College of Engineering and Technology. The scholarship has benefited 52 students since its inception.
- Personal endowments to the Arthur G. James Cancer Hospital, the Columbus Museum of Art, and his high school alma mater, St. Charles Preparatory School.
- A commitment to keeping Cardinal Health's headquarters in Dublin and maintaining more than 1,500 Greater Columbus jobs.
- Serving on the Board of Directors for Battelle Memorial Institute.
In addition, Dr. Mauro Ferrari, director of the Biomedical Engineering Center at The Ohio State University and founder of iMEDD, Inc., received the Chamber's "Ambassador Award."
The Greater Columbus Chamber of Commerce, consisting of 4,800 area businesses and organizations, leads and supports economic growth and development for the Greater Columbus community in the global marketplace.
