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With all the recent headlines about Intel coming to New Albany, we were reminded of how many businesses have been headquartered in Columbus. Did you know Columbus is home to 16 Fortune 1000 companies + five Fortune 500 companies? Follow along as we take you through some of the biggest companies that call Columbus home.
Bath and Body Works
- Founded in 1990 in New Albany by Les Wexner
- Now headquartered in Reynoldsburg
- Employs 57,350 people nationally
2,000+ retail stores globally, including 1,700+ in the US
Big Lots!
- Founded in 1967 by Sol A. Shenk in Columbus
- Now headquartered in Westerville at 4900 E. Dublin Granville Rd.
- Employs 37,000 people nationally
- Rejoined the Fortune 500 list in 2021 for the first time since 2017
Nationwide Mutual Insurance Company
- Founded in 1926 through the Ohio Farm Bureau
- Now headquartered in downtown Columbus at One Nationwide Plaza
- Employs 25,391 people nationally
- Ranked No. 2 on Forbes Best Employers By State list
- Best known for insurance plans + work with Nationwide Children’s Hospital
Battelle Memorial Institute
- Founded in 1929 in Columbus by Gordon Battelle + remains headquartered in Columbus
- Employs 20,000 people nationally
- Ranked No. 39 on Forbes’ America’s Best Employers for Diversity list
- Best known for science and technology research centers in Columbus + across the globe
American Electric Power Co. (AEP)
- Founded in 1906 + became American Electric Power Co. in 1958
- Now headquartered in Columbus at 1 Riverside Plaza
- Employs 16,787 people nationally
- Ranked No. 26 on Forbes’ Green Growth Companies in 2021 list
- Best known as an energy provider for Ohio through AEP Ohio
Wendy’s
- Founded in 1969 by Dave Thomas in Columbus
- Now headquartered in Dublin
- Employs 14,000 people nationally
- There are ~412 locations in Ohio, including 35 throughout Columbus + 6,500+ locations across the US
Looking for more CBUS biz? Check out this article from Columbus Business First with 100 of central Ohio’s largest employers.
