Alex Fischer

Alex Fischer is the former President and CEO of the Columbus Partnership, a civic leadership organization. Throughout his career, he has been committed to economic development, education reform, and other civic causes.

Prior to joining the Columbus Partnership, Fischer was Senior Vice President for Business and Economic Development for Battelle headquartered in Columbus, Ohio, and served on the company’s Executive Committee and as a corporate officer. His responsibilities included commercialization of Battelle’s technologies including six national laboratories managed or co-managed by Battelle. Fischer also oversaw the office of Public Affairs and Government Relations, Battelle’s Economic Development programs, as well as Business Development activities. Fischer was previously the Director of Technology Transfer and Economic Development for UT-Battelle at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL). Before joining Battelle, Fischer served as the Deputy Governor and Chief of Staff to Tennessee Governor Don Sundquist. In this position, he served as the principal advisor to the Governor on all matters of the State of Tennessee including the oversight of the 22 agencies of state government.

Fischer has been active on numerous for-profit boards and community organizations including serving as the past Chairman of Velocys, OmniViz and the SunTrust Bank of East Tennessee Board of Directors. He is currently Chairman of Columbus Downtown Development Corporation and Capitol South Community Urban Redevelopment Corporation and Chairman of the Advisory Board for White Oak Partners, LLC, a national multi-family housing company. Fischer is also a Trustee of The Ohio State University and on the boards of Advanced Drainage Systems, Andelyn Biosciences, Nationwide Children’s Hospital, and Abigail Wexner Research Institute at Nationwide Children’s Hospital.

A native of Hendersonville, Tennessee, Fischer graduated from the University of Tennessee in Knoxville with a bachelor’s degree in business administration and a master’s degree from the school of Architecture and Planning.