HCDC, Inc. and the Office of Innovation + Creativity welcomes Paul G. Fisher as its new Director. Paul is an innovator who enjoys making a meaningful impact on the companies and communities he serves. He has 15+ years of experience managing teams, driving change, and leading businesses strategy, with both Fortune 1000 companies and startups. He does this by leveraging innovative problem-solving techniques, developing clear strategic choices, and establishing meaningful relationships and connections to effect team and business growth. Paul’s creative and strategic abilities stem from his variety of educational, professional, and personal experiences.
Paul originally hails from Chicago, Illinois. He completed his Bachelor of Science in Horticulture from the University of Illinois in Urbana-Champaign. After 3 years managing operations at Wynstone Golf Club, Paul went on to pursue his MBA at Indiana University’s Kelley School of Business. Paul completed an exchange program at the ESADE Business School in Barcelona, Spain and led an economic impact study with the Harbor Shores Development Company in Benton Harbor, Michigan while he completed his studies at Indiana.
Since completing his MBA in 2006, Paul has led teams and businesses in a variety of roles and challenges. Paul spent 10 years in Finance and Marketing at Procter & Gamble. He also drove innovative business growth strategies at E.&J. Gallo Winery, in California, and The Garage Group, a Lean Innovation and Growth Strategy Firm, in Cincinnati.
Over ten years with P&G, Paul led employees, agencies, and teams across multiple brands and business units, including Family Care, P&G Ventures, Personal Health Care, and Salon Professional. Along the way, Paul gained invaluable experience in digital marketing, marketing and financial strategy, deal management, capacity expansion, new product innovation, and more.
Beyond P&G, Paul co-led Business Strategy and Innovation efforts while employed at E.&J. Gallo Winery and The Garage Group. With Gallo, he co-led the strategy refresh of Gallo subsidiary California Natural Colors and helped return the business to growth. Paul refocused the struggling division on a premium value proposition behind differentiated products backed by proprietary technologies. While at The Garage Group, Paul became an expert in leading innovation and strategy engagements with Fortune 1000 companies including Cargill, Constellation Brands, Newell Brands, Nationwide, and Kraft Heinz.
Outside of work, Paul is married to Cincinnati native Lauren Croall. They enjoy traveling, hiking, wine, and many other activities together. Paul enjoys wine so much that he has obtained certifications from the Court of Master Sommeliers and the Wine & Spirits Education Trust.
Paul is excited to put his diverse experience and passion for business strategy to work as HCDC’s Director of Innovation Services. He possesses a variety of tools and skills in his tool box that will help the OIC (i.e. – Office of Innovation & Creativity) further its mission for Hamilton County: help innovative companies with a proven success record (i.e. revenues between $1-$50M and employees between 10 – 100) with strategic growth decisions by providing access to in-depth market research, geographic market expansion potential, and connections to implementation resources.
We are so happy to have him as a member of our team and know he’s going to make a real difference for our clients.
