Heart Ball 2020 Set for February 22

 Kerry and John Mongelluzzo

By Staff Writer

Last fall, the 2020 Heart Ball officially kicked off at a pre-party at the home of John and Kerry Mongelluzzo in Indian Hill. The Mongelluzzos are past Heart Ball chairs and John is the current board chair of the Greater Cincinnati American Heart Association. Nearly 100 guests attended the party to gear up for the 27th annual Heart Ball, the American Heart Association’s annual black-tie gala celebrating the year-round lifesaving work of the association. The Heart Ball presented by TriHealth and St. Elizabeth Healthcare will take place on Saturday, February 22 at the Duke Energy Convention Center.

Jeff Hock, Heart Ball Chair

Jeff Hock, President/Chief Executive Officer of HBH Holdings Inc. is serving as chair of the Heart Ball, along with other committee chairs: Marci Campbell, Auction Chair and Ryan Campbell and Katie Hock, After Party Co-Chairs.

Heart Ball After Party Co-Chairs, Ryan Campbell and Katie Hock

In addition to committee chairs, the Heart Ball campaign is driven by the Executive Leadership Team of Patrick Brown, Medtronic; JB Buse, LOTH, Inc.; Garren Colvin, St. Elizabeth Healthcare; Jerin Dunham, Funky’s Catering; James Ferguson, BIG Idea Group; Tom Finn, Ft. Washington Investments; Joseph Hricovsky, Huntington National Bank; Michelle Boutillette Hudgens, Heart Institute at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center; Mark Jahnke, Katz Teller; Mark McDonald, Heart Institute at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center; John Mongelluzzo, Calfee, Halter & Griswold LLP; Ben Russert, Total Prosource; Lee Stautberg, Dinsmore & Shohl; Joel Stone, Fifth Third Bank, DP Suresh, MD, St. Elizabeth Healthcare; Greg Sweeney, Jake Sweeney Chevrolet; Craig Todd, Amend LLC  and Andy Wade, AtriCure, Inc.

Executive Leadership Team (couch left to right) Mark McDonald, Michelle Boutillette Hudgens, John Mongelluzzo, Dr. DP Suresh; Standing, left to right: Craig Todd, Lee Stautberg, Jerin Dunham, Jeff Hock, Ben Russert, Joel Stone, Joseph Hricovsky, Garren Colvin, James Ferguson, Mark Jahnke, JB Buse

The Heart Ball will honor technology executive Lawrence Griffith, CEO of Digital Factory, Inc. Griffith recently made a $2.5 million gift to the American Heart Association to improve the health of Americans, particularly the underserved in his hometown of Cincinnati.

Joining presenting sponsors, TriHealth and St. St. Elizabeth Healthcare are BFF Fund; Dave and Wendy Herche; The Heart Institute, Cincinnati Children's Hospital; AtriCure Inc.; Huntington Bank; Calfee, Halter & Griswold LLP; Jake Sweeney Automotive and ProSource.

Last year’s Heart Ball raised nearly $1,800,000 and drew a crowd of 1,100 attendees. Funds raised from the event are used to fund the American Heart Association’s lifesaving research and year-round efforts to make Greater Cincinnati a healthier place to live, work and play. Extending long after the Heart Ball, the AHA works in our community through grassroots programs such as Recess in the Stadium and Fit 4 Life Bootcamp, which were designed to fight our childhood obesity crisis and teach heart healthy lifestyles to our youth.

The Heart Ball evening includes live and silent auctions, elegant gourmet dinner, live entertainment and ends with dancing at a Young Professionals’ After Party. For more information about the Heart Ball, contact Pam Schramm at the American Heart Association, 513-699-4214 or pam.schramm@heart.org.