Recreation and Parks Commission

Letha Pugh

President

Pronouns: She/Her/Hers

Letha Pugh has co-founded a family of small businesses in the Columbus community: Bake Me Happy (a wholesale/retail gluten free bakery with 2 locations, Preston’s Burger (the best burger in the Midwest with 2 locations), Café Overlook (a workforce development café inside the Franklin County Courthouse, and Core Café (located inside the new Bob Crane Recreation Center in Upper Arlington). Letha is also the Chair of the Columbus Department Recreation and Parks Commission, general board member of The Women’s Fund of Central Ohio, Freedom Equity, The Columbus Sports Commission and Goldman Sachs 10k Small Businesses Voices.

 

Awards/Recognitions:

  • 2026 YWCA Women of Achievement
  • 2025 COAACC Business Advocate of the Year
  • 2025 CCDC Economic Development Project of the Year
  • 2025 Business First Woman of Influence
  • 2024 Human Rights Campaign Equality Award
  • 2020 Columbus Urban League Honda Award of Excellence
  • 2020 The Shellabarger Illuminator Award
  • 2020 Women WELDing the Way Honoree
  • 2019 Ohio Restaurant Association Rising Star Award
  • 2019 Reese Nader Memorial Award
  • 2017 Empowered Women To Watch Awardee
  • 2017 The Ohio State University Diversity Business Award
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