Meet The Board
Meet The Team & Advisors
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Meet The Board
Meet The Team & Advisors
Chairman
Treasurer
Co-founders
Greg and Peggy are the co-founders of The Waterford Project. They lead Waterford Enterprises, a family-owned diversified business focused on real estate investing, consulting, and investing in early-stage startups, and Waterford Studios, a digital content studio dedicated to producing top-tier education and professional development content.
Greg’s background is in starting and leading businesses in technology, marketing, and manufacturing sectors. Peggy is an attorney who practiced law for 40 years and specialized in family law and adoption.
Their passion is in assisting individuals who find themselves at a crossroad in their life and providing resources that enable them to develop the skills, foundation, and confidence to reach their full potential.
Board Member
David is a dynamic entrepreneur with a passion for innovation and a track record of building successful businesses. With a background in technology, he helped build early internet pioneers like CompuServe and Equinix. Known for his strategic vision and leadership, David has cultivated thriving teams dedicated to producing high growth. Beyond his work in the private sector, he actively mentors aspiring entrepreneurs.
In his spare time, David enjoys golf, OSU football, and family. Having known Greg Tillar for more than forty years, he is pleased to be part of The Waterford Project.
Board Member
Board Member
Board Member
A native of Cincinnati, Steven moved to Columbus to attend Ohio Dominican University where he received his Bachelor’s Degree in Public Relations & Marketing Communications.
Today, Steven is a Strategic Accounts Executive at NetJets, the world’s leading private aviation provider. Steven’s role entails interfacing with both prospective and existing customers to better understand their aviation needs and provide tailored solutions primarily for corporate clientele.
In his free time, Steven and his wife, Kylie, enjoy exploring new restaurants and activities in Columbus. Steven is a private pilot and enjoys weekend flying adventures with family and friends.
Board Member
John Kompa has led global corporate communications and investor relations teams, as well as serving as vice president and firm officer with two independent public relations firms.
He is past board president of the Central Ohio Chapter of PRSA and NIRI Central Ohio, as well as a graduate of the Leadership Columbus Program. In 2023, he was honored to serve as board chair for Children’s Hunger Alliance, a statewide organization dedicated to ending childhood hunger in Ohio.
Kompa earned an MBA from Capital University graduating with honors and holds a bachelor’s degree from The Ohio State University.
Since founding and leading a professional services firm in 2001, Eric has helped organizations achieve their goals through a combination of data science, innovative digital marketing, business automation, and management consulting services. His personal mission is to live as the highest, truest expression of who God created him to be and to help others do the same. He is honored to serve on the board of The Waterford Project alongside its founder, Greg Tillar, whom he has known since 1997.
Board Member
Board Member
With over 14 years of experience in the Insurtech industry, Jake has built a career at the intersection of operational excellence and human-centric leadership. Most recently, he served as the Director of the Project Management Office (PMO) and Consulting at Zywave—one of the industry’s top three largest firms—where he specialized in transforming complex organizational challenges into streamlined, scalable successes.
Having risen through the ranks of Sales, Customer Success, and Support, he brings a rare, holistic perspective to executive leadership. He is deeply passionate about mentoring high-performing teams, focusing not just on hitting KPIs, but on helping individuals align their professional work with their personal purpose. An “outside-the-box” problem solver by nature, he thrives when tackling the high-stakes challenges inherent in scaling businesses.
Outside of work, Jake is a dedicated family man. He can usually be found exploring Columbus with his wife and three children, experimenting with new recipes in the kitchen, or cheering from the sidelines of his kids’ sporting events.
Executive Director
Beth Wenning is the Executive Director of The Waterford Project, where she helps individuals and organizations leverage their strengths to achieve success. She specializes in career development, developing recruiting best practices, creating onboarding programs, and all aspects of supporting the employee journey.
Beth has held leadership roles at NuGrowth Solutions and Strategic Insurance Software, where she led recruiting, onboarding, and training initiatives. She has supported sales organizations at Metatec, UUNET, and Aelita Software and is a Gallup-Certified Strengths Coach and a Certified TED* Practitioner.
Beth is devoted to continuing to help individuals realize their gifts, uncover opportunities, and contribute meaningfully to the organizations where they belong.
Program Director
Brian is a seasoned professional in sales coaching and training. With a remarkable blend of strengths, including Developer, Belief, Relator, Empathy, and Maximizer, he brings a fresh and practical approach to sales leadership.
Brian is dedicated to using his strengths and experiences to positively impact individuals and teams. He firmly believes in the power of strengths-based leadership principles to transform interactions and drive success.
As a Gallup-Certified Strengths Coach and Certified TED* Practitioner, Brian’s mission is to nurture the potential of professionals. He uses extensive knowledge and practices to create engaging and impactful training content. He has a strong passion for mentoring and aims to empower the next generation of professionals.
With a focus on curiosity, grace, respect, service, and the importance of helping others, Brian is on a mission to make a meaningful difference with individuals and their career.
Advisor
After 15 years in corporate America and 10 years as a full-time pastor, John has been building leaders and teams for privately held businesses and nonprofits in Central Ohio since 2008 with BUILT TO LEAD (www.builttolead.com). A colleague and friend of founder Greg Tillar since 1982, he is privileged to serve as an advisor to the board.
Advisor
Barry is the founder of The Strength of 10, a consultancy focused on inspiring individuals and organizations to perform purposeful and sustainable work. A graduate of Brigham Young University as well as The Ohio State University, he was a co-founder and master facilitator of FranklinCovey’s Speed of Trust practice and co-authored the business parable, A Slice of Trust.
His favorite work roles now focus on developing the next generation of emerging leaders. He is the Executive Leadership Coach at the Sorensen Center for Moral & Ethical Leadership and a strategic advisor to The Waterford Project and Cumorah Academy in the Czech Republic.
Barry and his wife, Lorilee, live in the shadows of the Rocky Mountains with their family. Barry’s interests outside of work include family activities, music, reading, inspirational writing, and people development.
Advisor
Yvethe Blackmore is a marketing strategist with more than 15 years of experience driving go-to-market plans, brand growth, and client engagement for global leaders in both the technology and food & beverage industries. In the tech space, she held multiple leadership roles at Assurant for nearly a decade, where she partnered with brands such as Apple, Google, Xfinity, Spectrum, DISH, and U.S. Cellular to launch innovative products, scale marketing campaigns, and enhance customer journeys. She earned the CEO Equity Award for her contributions to high-stakes strategy and client success.
Earlier in her career, Yvethe helped shape consumer engagement in the food and beverage sector with Del Monte Fresh Produce where she supported brand growth with partners including the Produce for Kids, Produce Marketing Association, and the Miami HEAT.
Today, Yvethe is the Founder and Chief Marketing Strategist of Blackmore Consulting, a boutique marketing firm that helps organizations—from startups to nonprofits—create impactful strategies that connect brands with people and accelerate growth. She brings not only her expertise in brand positioning, content strategy, and integrated go-to-market execution, but also a passion for mentoring and mission-driven storytelling.