Data company president wins Goering Center volunteer award

Jonathan Adams clearly sees the value of the Goering Center for Family and Private Business. And as a dedicated volunteer, he also shares the knowledge he’s gained from the Center over the years with others in the community.

Adams, president and co-founder of SALIX Data in downtown Cincinnati, is the 2020 recipient of the Center’s Baldwin Award that honors an outstanding volunteer. His company joined the Goering Center more than 10 years ago.

“Jon was an easy choice for this award,” said Carol Butler, the Goering Center’s president. “He has gone above and beyond to assist the Goering Center as we strive to achieve our mission. He gives, he cares, he shows up, and then he gives some more. He owns and operates a successful multinational business, but gives back to the communities in which he operates. He sees opportunities clearly and speaks up to drive better outcomes for all.”

Adams has served on several of the Goering Center’s committees, including the Roundtable and Program committees. He is currently the chair of the Center’s Board of Advisers. As chair, he also sits on the Center’s Board of Directors, where Butler said he shares his experience and wisdom as a business owner, leader, and core member of the Center to help direct its future.

Adams and his brother Rob started SALIX Data 21 years ago. With additional operations in Kenya and India, SALIX Data today is a leading content management and litigation support company. The company employs more 100 workers. Its local clients include Procter & Gamble, the University of Cincinnati, and Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center.

Adams said the Goering Center provides a safe haven for business owners and leaders to equip themselves with educational opportunities and surround themselves with people who understand the challenges a businessperson experiences every day.

Adams recalled once attending a Goering Center Roundtable discussion that resulted in his company doing a pricing analysis, leading them to identify areas where they were underpriced.

“That drove a significant amount of profitability for us in margin increase,” he said.

Adams also pointed out that there are unique challenges when one mixes business and family. He said the Goering Center has provided his company specific skills that have allowed them to proactively think about issues that might arise in the future.

“[It’s] just the value that it’s brought to both my personal life and our business,” Adams said. “I just feel like when something delivers that type of value to you the right thing to do is make sure that you give back.”

Butler said Adams and SALIX Data embrace the Center’s “10 Best Practices of Family and Private Business.” She said his company’s values are service, achievement, leadership, integrity, and expertise.

“These are clearly Jon’s personal values as well,” Butler said. “He has effectively implemented the Entrepreneurial Operating System® (EOS) in his own business and has been an expert speaker on that subject at several of our EOS programs. He lends his industry knowledge to the Center in the areas of new business development, project management, records management, entrepreneurship, customer service, and fundamentally just doing good work in our community, as well as communities in India and Kenya.”

About the award

Butler said the Goering Center’s success is the result of its more than 200 volunteers who give their time and expertise to help it carry out its mission to nurture and educate family and private businesses.

“To recognize this outstanding effort, each year we present one of our volunteers with The Baldwin Award,” she said. “This award was created to honor the exemplary commitment of one of our earliest and most dedicated volunteers, Keith Baldwin.”

Featured image at top: Jonathan Adams, president and co-founder of SALIX Data, is the 2020 recipient of the Baldwin Award, acknowledging exemplary commitment and voluntary service to the Goering Center.

SALIX Data is a Goering Center core member, and the Goering Center is sharing this content as part of its Business Courier supplement for the 2020 Family & Private Business Awards. View more of the digital supplement here.