Facilitator
Diego Hodge
Diego Hodge believes that by empowering leaders to be more effective at solving problems and preventing them from happening, that leaders will have more impact in the communities that they serve. He does this by creating productive environments that serve the needs of people, places, and things.
His belief is evident in his role as Chief Operating Officer of FLOH Spirits, an Ohio-based ultra-premium vodka company and the home of FLOH Vodka. Since 2012, FLOH has expanded its presence in the United States, changing how people experience adult refreshments.
Mr. Hodge has spent over 25 years creating environments that serve various organizations, including companies in his portfolio. His excitement for building, fixing, buying and selling companies and real estate has allowed him to lead teams of as many as 200 people, developed systems that operated $40M properties and generated over $36M in Revenue.
He serves on the Advisory Board of the Women’s Business Center of Ohio (Cleveland), is a Board Member of the Golden Opportunity Foundation, and the Georgia Worship Choir.
Mr. Hodge lives between Cleveland and Atlanta with Julia, his wife, enjoying their six adult children and seven grandchildren.
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His belief is evident in his role as Chief Operating Officer of FLOH Spirits, an Ohio-based ultra-premium vodka company and the home of FLOH Vodka. Since 2012, FLOH has expanded its presence in the United States, changing how people experience adult refreshments.
Mr. Hodge has spent over 25 years creating environments that serve various organizations, including companies in his portfolio. His excitement for building, fixing, buying and selling companies and real estate has allowed him to lead teams of as many as 200 people, developed systems that operated $40M properties and generated over $36M in Revenue.
He serves on the Advisory Board of the Women’s Business Center of Ohio (Cleveland), is a Board Member of the Golden Opportunity Foundation, and the Georgia Worship Choir.
Mr. Hodge lives between Cleveland and Atlanta with Julia, his wife, enjoying their six adult children and seven grandchildren.
Ella Frye
Ella Frye is the Director of Southern Ohio and Greater Cincinnati Women Business Center. She has over 20 years’ experience in commercial lending, economic development, community planning, zoning, and business development. Ella joined the Ohio Economic Development Institute (ECDI) Cincinnati office in 2018 aiding in lending, business development training and education for startups and existing businesses. ECDI is a 501 c3 non-profit economic development organization founded in 2004. ECDI is rank the #1, U.S. SBA intermediary micro-lender and a U.S. Treasury designated Community Development Financial Institute (CDFI).
Our mission is to invest in to create measurable and enduring social and change for helping communities by helping entrepreneurs and small achieve access to capital, as well as business education and training.
Prior to joining ECDI, she owned her on financial business consultant business for 5 years and before starting the consult business she was the Director of Economic Development and Planning/Zoning for 14.5 years.
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Our mission is to invest in to create measurable and enduring social and change for helping communities by helping entrepreneurs and small achieve access to capital, as well as business education and training.
Prior to joining ECDI, she owned her on financial business consultant business for 5 years and before starting the consult business she was the Director of Economic Development and Planning/Zoning for 14.5 years.
