Bellefontaine native Sean Simon is a Columbus Business First 40 Under 40 honoree this year, along with receiving the Purpose Jobs’ Purpose Award. (SUBMITTED PHOTO)
A Bellefontaine High School graduate has been recognized for his career success and giving spirit.
Sean Simon, 35, was recently named a Columbus Business First’s Class of 2023 40 Under 40 recipient, published May 26. He also was honored for his accomplishment alongside other honorees during the annual 40 Under 40 Awards Gala May 25.
The 35-year-old, a son of Tom and Andrea Simon of Bellefontaine, is the chief credit & operational risk officer at Provide in Columbus.
Provide financially empowers healthcare providers to achieve their practice ownership dreams.
The Columbus Business First’s 40 Under 40 judges candidates on their career accomplishments, volunteer activity, community impact and letters of recommendation.
The honoree earned this recognition for starting the Simon Family Giving Fund in 2021, creating credit and operations teams that work in unison with the sales team, and helping create and establish Provide’s Columbus office.
In May 2017, Simon joined Provide as director of credit. He was the company’s first employee in Ohio.
Since then, he has helped build Provide’s operational headquarters in Columbus while also building a credit and sales team. The office surpassed 100 employees last year.
“Everyone at Provide is proud and excited to see Sean so deservingly included on the 40 Under 40 list,” said Provide Chief Business Officer Andrew Bennett. “Nobody at Provide has contributed more than Sean to the company’s presence and growth in Central Ohio.”
The Columbus Business First’s feature examines each of the honorees’ favorite books and incorporates a photo shoot at the Columbus Metropolitan Library, which is celebrating its 150th anniversary this year. The city native said the book Give and Take by Adam Grant helped validate some of his own views and business philosophy.
“I grew up watching my dad run a small business (CoverLink Insurance) where he prioritized the interest of his customers, team, and community, often over his own short-term interests. I think he understood that helping others succeed was more valuable in the long term than prioritizing his own short-term interests and burning bridges in the process.
“Adam Grant’s research helped reaffirm some of the assumptions I made in watching my dad and gave me confidence in applying a similar philosophy to my own career.”
Simon was also recently honored by Purpose Jobs with the Purpose Award.
The Purpose Award honors community and company leaders who embody what it means to be a purpose-driven leader.
In addition, the award celebrates people who impact the Midwest startup and tech community by demonstrating empowerment, compassion, and actions that uplift others.
Outside of work, Simon gives back to those around him. He lives his passion for children’s mental health, having launched the Simon Family Giving Fund. This fund supports school counselors by providing materials and supplies needed by their students, removing a layer of stress and burden, allowing counselors to focus on the child’s wellbeing.
Additionally, he spends time building handicap-accessible garden beds for nursing homes throughout Central Ohio, creating a healthy, engaging outlet for the elderly.
“It’s easy to see Sean genuinely cares about the most vulnerable among us and takes action to make our community a better place for all,” Provide Senior Director of Marketing and Culture Jess Ehler said.
Simon graduated from BHS in 2006, then earned his undergrad degree in finance at Miami University in 2010 and a Master of Business Administration at Ohio State in 2018.
He and his wife, Emily, have a 2-year-old son, Bennett.
