Brad Griffith, President of Buckeye Innovation, Honored with the 2026 Columbus Chamber of Commerce Small Business Leader Award

Brad is a technology innovator and a champion for equitable opportunity. He founded Buckeye Innovation in 2009 with a mission to close equity gaps by creatively applying software and design. Today, Buckeye Innovation is a Columbus-based web engineering and design firm with a fully remote team of designers and developers serving clients ranging from tech startups to libraries and local and county governments. Under Brad’s leadership, the company has built a reputation for excellence, impact, and values-driven growth.

“Brad Griffith represents exactly what this award stands for – visionary leadership, purposeful growth, and a deep commitment to using business as a force for good,” said Derrick R. Clay, President and CEO of the Columbus Chamber of Commerce. “Through Buckeye Innovation, Brad has built not just a successful company, but a values-driven organization that is expanding opportunity and strengthening our region’s innovation economy. We are proud to recognize him as our 2026 Small Business Leader.”

Prior to founding Buckeye Innovation, Brad built web applications for organizations including JPMorgan Chase, QUALCOMM, and the Go Big Network. He holds both an MBA and a Bachelor’s degree in Electrical and Computer Engineering with honors from The Ohio State University. His technical expertise, paired with a strong business foundation, has helped shape Buckeye Innovation into a high-performing and people-centered company.

Buckeye Innovation has been recognized on the Inc. 5000 list in 2022 and 2023 as one of the nation’s fastest-growing private companies and was named one of Inc.’s Best Workplaces in 2023 and 2025 – a testament to both its business performance and its culture.

Brad’s leadership and impact have also been recognized across the Columbus business community. He was selected for the inaugural Columbus CEO Future 50 class in 2020 and was previously a finalist for the Columbus Chamber’s Small Business Leader Award in 2019 and 2023.

Brad lives in New Albany with his wife and two daughters and is actively involved in the community, including proudly serving as a Girl Scouts “Troop Cookie Dad.”

Congratulations, Brad!

For more information on the Small Business Leader Award, visit: https://columbus.org/members/awards/small-business-award/

To learn more about Buckeye Innovation, visit: https://www.buckeyeinnovation.com/

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About the Columbus Chamber of Commerce: The Columbus Chamber of Commerce is a mission-driven nonprofit organization that serves more than 2,500 organizations across the Columbus Region. Founded in 1884, the Chamber serves as a strategic partner to the region’s businesses. We convene the community, advocate as the active voice for business, and navigate the insights, connections, and solutions that drive prosperity and growth. The Chamber provides an interconnected ecosystem where businesses collaborate to eliminate barriers to success, creating a vibrant environment for enterprises throughout the region. Together, we make our region an exceptional place to do business. Learn more: https://columbus.org/.