Peak Potential

“The thing I learned at the Glenn College, besides management, is it’s important to have a plan, then work the plan, execute the plan and get the results you’re trying to achieve. Mountain climbing is very similar. You have to plan before you get there and execute the plan,” he said. “Many times, you don’t succeed. It’s similar to a career. You learn a lot more from failures than successes. You analyze what you could do differently.” 

Retired as CEO and president of Columbus Downtown Development Corp. and Capitol South Community Urban Redevelopment Corp., Worley has been on the forefront of downtown Columbus revitalization, including development of the former City Center Mall into an 18-hour urban neighborhood anchored by an award-winning greenspace, Columbus Commons, as well as the restoration of the Scioto River and creation of Columbus’ riverfront destination, the Scioto Mile. 

“I’m a very goal-oriented person. I like to achieve success,” Worley said, explaining how his climbing experiences relate to his career. “What I like about government is seeing us provide services so that the citizens can benefit and enjoy their life, raise a family and experience a great life in the communities we work in.”  

Aiming to provide that same success for students, he has established the Guy V. Worley Scholarship for Public Management Excellence in the Glenn College to support fourth- and fifth-year undergraduate students enrolled in the five-year combined bachelor’s and MPA program with a goal of working in city or county management.  

“I’m interested in helping someone who wants to lead one of the more than 19,000 incorporated cities, towns and villages or 3,000-plus counties in America. Those governments are providing direct services to our citizenry. I would never have had the opportunity to lead the governments I led if I hadn’t gotten the credentials the Glenn College provided me,” said Worley, who also serves on the Glenn College Board of Distinguished Visitors as development committee chair, helping the college reach its $20 million goal for the university’s Time and Change Campaign. 

Prior to leading the Columbus Downtown Development Corp., Worley served as chief of staff for Mayor Michael B. Coleman in Columbus, Ohio; an executive consultant in performance management and budgeting with what is now CGI Group Inc., an international information technology and business process services firm; and county administrator for the Franklin County Board of Commissioners in Columbus, Ohio. 

He considered it an honor to, while leading development of the National Veterans Memorial and Museum in Columbus, work with Sen. John Glenn to successfully secure legislation, passed unanimously by Congress, designating it the official national museum. 

“He was a great leader, a good mentor, who was kind with his time and his sage advice. This wouldn’t have happened without him,” Worley said. “He had such an impact on me and what I did. He was definitely my hero.” 

Joe Laborie, the inaugural recipient of the Guy V. Worley Scholarship, shares Worley’s passion for public management. 

“When it comes to local government, I think it can often be more exciting and impactful than on the state or federal levels,” said Laborie, who is earning a BS in public policy analysis and his Master of Public Administration. “Every day we drive on roads, walk on sidewalks, turn on the lights and grab water from a faucet. Local governments help to ensure that all of this can happen.” 

The Worley Scholarship, he said, will benefit him by covering costs now and decreasing his future debt load so he can focus on finding a position that he enjoys and where he can make a difference. Through the Mid-Ohio Regional Planning Commission’s local government internship program, he was placed as an intern in Jefferson Township on the far east side of Columbus. He also serves as president of the student chapter of the International City/County Management Association and as a senator for the Council of Graduate Students.

Once he graduates, Laborie plans to work for a local government in Ohio. 

“As the dream of the Silicon Heartland comes to fruition, Ohio will continue to grow and provide opportunities,” Laborie said. “It’s collaborative local governments and regional planning that make Ohio such an attractive state for a project such as Intel. While workforces adapt, change and grow, local governments need to be abreast of the specific challenges to them in order to serve their communities. This is a task that I am willing to face!” 

Read the latest edition of Public Address, the Glenn College magazine.