Meet the Staff
Ford Weber
President/ C.E.O.
(419) 213-4510
Ford Weber is the President and Chief Executive Officer of the Lucas County Improvement Corporation (LCIC). The LCIC promotes economic development and enhances the quality of life in Lucas County by working strategically to attract, retain and grow businesses; and revitalize brownfields and other vacant properties. The LCIC accomplishes its mission through partnerships with the private, public, not for profit, and educational sectors.
A Toledo native, Ford obtained a BS in History from the University of Toledo and a JD from the UT College of Law. Ford practiced law full-time for fourteen years before transitioning his career to economic and community development. Ford served in a number of senior positions with the City of Toledo from 2000-2005, including Senior Attorney, Commissioner of Real Estate, Acting Director of Neighborhoods, Deputy Director of Economic & Community Development, and Commissioner of Utilities Administration. While with the City of Toledo, Ford headed the City's brownfield redevelopment program. Under Ford's leadership, the City of Toledo obtained $7.7 million in Federal and State brownfield grants, as well as one of only five Smart Growth in Brownfield Communities Grants awarded nationally by the US EPA. Ford also developed the Toledo NOFA an innovative approach to utilizing brownfield, economic development and housing funds in an effort to holistically redevelop neighborhoods.
From 2005 - 2006 Ford served as the Director of Housing and Neighborhood Services for the City of Roanoke, Virginia. While at Roanoke, Ford started a highly successful brownfield program and led the formation of a cross-functional, multi-departmental code enforcement team to tackle major commercial and industrial nuisance properties.
From 2006 - 2009 Ford served as Executive Director of the Virginia office of Local Initiatives Support Corporation in Richmond, Virginia. While at Virginia LISC, Ford led it to the most successful lending year in the seventeen year history of that office and raised nearly $2,000,000 for strategic economic and community development initiatives in Petersburg and Martinsville.
Ricci Gardner
Vice President/ C.O.O.
(419) 213-4829
Ricci Gardner, is an executive with a diverse set of management skills and work experiences. He has a BBA Majoring in Transportation and Logistics from the University of Tennessee Knoxville.
Ricci has both domestic and international leadership management experience working in the Transportation ,Consumer Goods, and Manufacturing Industries. In addition he has led functions in Human Resources, Transportation and Logistics, and Economic Development .
He is the Managing Partner of the Gardner and Buchanan Companies LLC , and is currently engaged at the Lucas County Improvement Corporation as a consultant. Ricci and his wife, Chiquita, have five adult children. They currently reside in Perrysburg, Ohio.
Theodore M. Foreman Jr.
Economic Development Specialist
(419) 213-4537
Theodore Foreman is an experienced economic/ community development professional with an extensive background in asset, cash flow, mortgage, and automotive financing. Mr. Foreman's varied financial background provides him a unique perspective on the needs of businesses. Mr. Foreman's manufacturing experience is derived from working as a financial controller for a small locally-owned paper converting company.
His economic development career began with the City of Toledo in 1993 as an Economic Development Specialist. He was promoted to Manager of Neighborhood Economic Development before joining the Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC) as an Economic Development Program Officer in the Toledo office. At the turn of the century Mr. Foreman left LISC to start his own real estate/ small business consulting company. He returned to economic development in 2005 to become the Director of the Toledo Minority Business and Contractor's Assistance Program (MCBAP). He has been with Lucas County Improvement Corporation as Economic Development Specialist since it was initially staffed 2006.
Mr. Foreman is a graduate of the Florida A&M University, School of Business and Industry where he obtained a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration with minors in accounting and military science. Mr. Foreman served as a commissioned officer in the Ohio National Guard where he was the Chief of Logistics for 135th M.A.S.H. He is the father of one girl and three boys. He enjoys traveling, outdoor activities, art, music, photography and soon film making. He originally hails from New Bern, North Carolina.
Brian Bilger
Economic Development Speciaist
(419) 213-4677
Brian was the Manager of the County's former Office of Economic Development from 2001 until the recreation of the LCIC. A native of Toledo, Ohio, Brian earned a BBA from the University of Toledo and an MBA from Heidelberg College in Tiffin.
Jeanne Karpanty
Accounting Specialist
(419) 213-4808
Jeanne Karpanty has been with the Lucas County Improvement Corporation for approximately 2 years.
She has over twenty years of experience in the area of Finance having worked with several non-profit organizations. She has been educated at the University of Toledo, Davis Business College and most recently Owens Technical College. She worked at Rosary Cathedral Church and School, where she was responsible for four different financial accounts as well as payroll. She has a great deal of enthusiasm and confidence that the L.C.I.C. will help the city of Toledo and Lucas County continue to flourish.
Kristy Davis
Receptionist/ Clerk
(419) 213-4510
Currently working as LCIC’s main receptionist, Kristy Davis’s role is to support the team of Economic Development Specialists. She is enrolled at Southwestern College where she hopes to graduate within one year and obtain her Associates Degree in Medical Administration Assistant.
Kristy is a Youth Director for the Tabernacle of Praise Christian Church. She also spends much of her time volunteering to help the elderly and visits them within their homes. Kristy resides in Toledo and has two children. She enjoys traveling and spending time with her family.
