Page 7 - Ohio Restaurant Association Industry Awards

Outstanding Public Official
Jon Husted is the current Lt. Governor of Ohio. He previously served as the Ohio Secretary of State and as Speaker of the Ohio House of Representatives. Lt. Governor Husted has had an extensive career in economic development, dating back to his time at the Dayton-Area Chamber of Commerce.
As Lt. Governor, Mr. Husted serves as the Director of both InnovateOhio and the Governor’s Office of Workforce Transformation as well as oversees the Common Sense Initiative (CSI-Ohio). These three initiatives come together to support the mission he and Governor DeWine share in making Ohio the most attractive state for innovators and entrepreneurs in the Midwest.
The Lt. Governor earned both his Bachelor’s and Master’s Degrees from the University of Dayton where he was an All-American defensive back for the Dayton Flyers and a member of the University of Dayton’s 1989 National Championship Football Team.
Of all his responsibilities, he considers his most important roles to be that of husband to his wife, Tina, and father to Alex, Katie, and Kylie.
Chef/Owner Liz Valenti grew up in the Chicago area, graduating from Northwestern University with a degree in Organizational Behavior and a minor in Accounting. Liz also has a culinary degree from the California Culinary Academy in San Francisco.
Chef Liz’s earliest memories are of being in the kitchen with her mother, surrounded by aunts and cousins. The Valentis were from Abruzzi, a wild, mountainous region in Italy east of Rome, while the Espositos, her mother’s side of the family, were from Naples. The recipes may have been different, but the food from both families was full of tradition and love. Liz began cooking in professional kitchens in high school. More than forty years later, Liz is still in the kitchen, inspired by the mentors and chefs she has worked under, including California Cuisine pioneers Judy Rogers, Barbara Tropp, Annie Summerville and Joyce Goldstein, and more recently, 13-time World Pizza Champion and restaurateur Tony Gemignani.
Called “The Energizer Bunny” by some and “Wild Bunch” by her closest friend, Liz starts her day in the middle of the night, excited to cook and work with her amazing team. To Liz, there is nothing better in the world!
Liz lives in Yellow Springs with her wife Ann. In 2011, she leapt at the chance to join her oldest and dearest friend Wiley and the Meadowlark team, moving to the Dayton area from Chicago. Together, they opened Wheat Penny Oven and Bar in 2013.
LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR
JON HUSTED
STATE OF OHIO
sponsored by
Nourishing
the Community
ELIZABETH VALENTI
WHEAT PENNY OVEN & BAR MEADOWLARK RESTAURANT
sponsored by
INDUSTRY AWARD WINNERS
2021