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Biography

Todd focuses his practice on serving private, closely held and/or family-owned businesses as their outside general counsel and trusted advisor on all legal and risk issues. Besides a prior career as an Air Force officer, Todd also has unique background in construction law, where he has advised companies on myriad legal issues affecting the industry in both private practice and as a general counsel. Before joining Frost Brown Todd, Todd served for seven years as the general counsel for Baker Concrete Construction Inc., the nationโ€™s largest concrete construction specialty contractor, where he had daily oversight over the companyโ€™s legal, enterprise risk management, contracts, ethics, compliance, political lobbying and government relations functions. Prior to Baker, Todd was a partner with a large Cincinnati law firm where he gained substantial litigation, arbitration and alternative dispute experience while assisting the firmโ€™s clients in resolving risk issues that threatened their profitable growth or continued sustainability.

Todd’s full time practice is serving as outside general counsel to private and family-owned businesses of all sizes. He (and his team of experts at FBT) provide timely, practical, strategic, and value-added advice on various issues and opportunities faced by closely held companies involving, but not limited to, enterprise risk management, contract drafting and negotiation, litigation and dispute resolution oversight, corporate restructuring, tactical and strategic HR and employment, and intellectual property and government compliance. He also offers business advice in areas such as succession planning/ exit strategies and strategic plan development. Todd takes a proactive approach on identifying and providing innovative solutions impacting his clientsโ€™ continued development and success. He also advises his clients on potential strategies for seizing current market opportunities while concurrently and effectively leveraging the risks commensurate with these opportunities.

Other Info About Todd

Experience

Legal Work Highlights

Assisted 40-year-old private Company in effectively transferring ownership from first to second generation family ownership.

Serves as outside general counsel to fast-growing logistics/intermodal transportation company in its growth from $60 million to currently over $300 million

Serves as outside general counsel to early stage cosmetic company that is growing its national and international footprint

Serves as outside general counsel to start up company that provides innovative property management solutions

Serves as outside general counsel to building operations management company that is rapidly expanding its operations to multiple states

Formed companyโ€™s first legal departmentย andย had responsibility forย daily management over the companyโ€™sย legal, enterprise risk management and contracts departments in the drafting, review, negotiating and execution of over $800 million in contractual transactions annually

Created companyโ€™s first Code of Ethics program to address corporate succession issues and federal government requirement issues and trained approximately 1,000 companyย employees throughout U.S.

Helped create and implement companyโ€™s Crisis Management Program and led companyโ€™s Crisis Management Response Team on two projects involving fatalities

Worked with business development and operations teams to identify key repeat customers or prospective customers in new geographical areas and negotiated master agreements to facilitate securing new projects worth over $300 million

Education

Law School

Regent University, J.D., M.A.,ย Public Policy, 1998

Undergraduate School

U.S. Air Force Academy, B.S., International Affairs, 1989

Continuing Education/Certificates

LPM Institute, Fundamental Skills of Legal Project Management, Certificate, August 2023

Bar Memberships

Todd is licensed to practice in the following state(s):

Ohio

Recognition

Local & National Recognition

The Best Lawyers in Americaยฎ, Construction Law, 2019-2024; Closely Held Companies and Family Businesses Law, 2021-2024

C-Suite Award, Lead Magazine, 2013

AV Ratedยฎ,ย Martindale-Hubbell

Cincinnati Business Courierโ€™s Forty Under 40, 2004

Cincinnati Academy of Leadership for Lawyers, 2006

Defense Meritorious Service Medal, 1994

Held Top Secret SBI clearance and L Clearance (DOE)

Professional Affiliations

Professional Affiliations & Memberships

Conduit Apprenticeship Program, Board of Advisors

Turning Point Fractional Business Partners, Member

Cincinnati Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, Member

Construction Industry Ethics and Compliance Initiative, Membership Committee, 2009-2014

Association of General Contractors โ€“ National General Counsel Roundtable, 2008-2014

Association of Corporate Counsel, 2007-2014

Civic Activities

Civic & Charitable Organizations

Goering Center Board of Advisors, 2015-present

USA Cares, Board Member 2022-present

Salvation Army of Greater Cincinnati, Board Member,ย 2009-present

ArtsWave Board 2016

PUREhope, Board Member,ย 2011-present

St. Rita School for the Deaf, Director, 2000-2006

Teen Challenge of Cincinnati, Trustee, 2000-2006

Friars Club, Trustee, 2001-2005

Council on Child Abuse, Board Member, 2002-2008

Regent University School of Law Board of Visitors, 2016-present

USAF Academy Association of Graduates

Presentations

Todd was invited to speak at the following events:

Podcast Guest, “Revolutionizing Legal Services for Small Businesses“, The Drop In CEO, September 18, 2023

Panelist, “Building Your Company’s C-Suite with Fractional Advisors“, May 23, 2023

Panelist, “Building Your Company’s C-Suite with Fractional Advisors“, April 27, 2022

Podcast Guest, “Episode #99: The Future of Law Firms and M&A in the Age of AI“, Deep Wealth, February 14, 2022

Podcast Guest, “Episode #96: Why a Fractional General Counsel Helps You Get to Yes“, Deep Wealth, February 2, 2022

Podcast Guest, “Episode #137: Servant Leadership“, The Rich Life, September 28, 2021

Podcast Guest, “Episode #93: 2020, Don’t Put it in the Rearview Mirror“, Side Effects, February 2, 2021

Panelist, “Scaling for Sustainable Growth: What You Should be Doing Now“, Cincinnati Business Courier, October 27, 2017

Major Publications

Todd is an author or contributor to the following publications:

โ€œReassessing Your Business’ Go-forward Plan: Why? Who? How?โ€, Goering Center, University of Cincinnati, August 2022

Helping People, Growing a Community“, Venue Magazine, July 2022

โ€œNew Year, New Youโ€, Goering Center, University of Cincinnati, March 2020

Emergence of Fractional/Outsourced Trusted Business Advisory Services“, Goering Center, University of Cincinnati, March 2018

A New Field of Battle“, American Builders Quarterly, September, 2013

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