Susan Mustian, Hebron resident and community volunteer, has been selected to co-chair the annual JDRF Cincinnatian of the Year Gala, which will be held May 9 at the Duke Energy Convention Center.
This annual event draws nearly 1,000 community and business leaders from the greater Cincinnati area each year, and last year raised more than $1 million. The Cincinnati Business Courier has ranked this event as the top non-profit fundraising gala in the region for the past four consecutive years.
Along with co-chair Mara Wolf, Mustian is leading the charge for this key event, which is the largest one for JDRF Southwest Ohio. JDRF is the world’s leading funder for type 1 diabetes research, and each year the Southwest Ohio chapter, which covers 43 counties in Kentucky, Indiana and Ohio, raises $3 million toward finding a cure. T1D is an autoimmune disease where the body’s immune system attacks and destroys certain cells in the pancreas, and it can strike in both children and adults.
The recipient of the Cincinnatian of the Year honor this year is Mike Michael, president and CEO of Fifth Third Bank’s Cincinnati affiliate. Mustian and her co-chair will work along with Mike to ensure that the gala fundraising goal of $1 million is met. Having lived with type 1 diabetes for many years, the mission of JDRF is very personal to Mustian.
Throughout the years, she has been a critical part of the JDRF volunteer team, working with not just the gala committee but strategic planning, nominating, and major gifts. Mustian is currently president-elect of the chapter’s board of directors and she also volunteers her time to other community causes including the northern Kentucky/greater Cincinnati University of Kentucky Alumni Club.
“The JDRF Cincinnatian of the Year Gala simply wouldn’t be the powerhouse that it is without the hard work of our dedicated team of volunteers,” said JDRF Executive Director Melissa Newman. “This event is not only big in scale in terms of fundraising, but it also requires a tremendous amount of planning and creativity. Each year, the committee goes all out to ensure that the event is fun, different and exciting. As co-chair, Susan plays a critical role in executing this event and we are thrilled to have her take on this position.”
More information about the gala, and how to get involved with JDRF, can be found here or by contacting the JDRF Southwest Ohio chapter office at 513-793-3223.
From JDRF
Congrats, Susan! You and Mara are both amazing volunteers and gala co-chairs.