CINCINNATI, Ohio, July 08, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Black Tech Week, presented by JobsOhio, today announced Damola Adamolekun, Chief Executive Officer of Red Lobster, as the Keynote for its 2026 conference, taking place July 14–16 in Cincinnati.
One of the youngest CEOs leading an iconic American brand, Adamolekun has earned national recognition for leading Red Lobster through a historic transformation. Previously, he served as CEO of P.F. Chang’s, where he successfully guided the company through a period of renewed growth.
His keynote will explore leadership, innovation, resilience, and what it takes to reinvent legacy organizations in an era of constant disruption, offering valuable insights for founders, investors, executives, and entrepreneurs navigating today’s rapidly evolving economy.
“Damola’s leadership exemplifies vision, courage and execution,” said Candice Matthews Brackeen, Founder and CEO of Lightship Foundation. “He represents the next generation of business leadership and embodies the kind of innovation that extends beyond technology into every industry. We’re thrilled to welcome him to Black Tech Week.”
Presented by JobsOhio, and with support from its regional network partner REDI Cincinnati, Black Tech Week brings together thousands of entrepreneurs, investors, corporate leaders, creators and innovators from around the world to build connections and shape the future of business.
“Damola exemplifies the innovativeness and tenacity that fuels Ohio’s entrepreneurial spirit,” said JobsOhio President and CEO J.P. Nauseef. “Our state supports businesses from globally recognized brands to growing community start-ups—each playing a critical role in building a strong economic future for Ohio.”
JobsOhio is Ohio’s economic development partner and plays an important role in attracting, developing, and retaining talent so businesses in the state can thrive. That effort includes empowering small businesses with a variety of resources and opportunities and engaging aspiring leaders in high-impact settings, including Black Tech Week.
“Black Tech Week highlights the energy, talent and entrepreneurial spirit that make the Cincinnati region a place where innovation thrives,” said Kimm Lauterbach, president and CEO of REDI Cincinnati. “Bringing together entrepreneurs, investors and business leaders creates meaningful connections, sparks new ideas, strengthens our innovation ecosystem and reinforces our region as a destination for companies and talent looking to grow.”
As a Black Tech Week’s presenting sponsor, JobsOhio will host several events throughout the conference to better connect founders, jobseekers, industry professionals, and key community partners. They include:
- Find Your Ohio STEM Career Mixer (July 14, 1:30-4 p.m.): Presented by Find Your Ohio, this limited-capacity event intentionally matches Ohio-based employers with top talent actively pursuing careers in science, technology, engineering, mathematics, and related fields. Registration is required.
- Ohio Opportunity Day Powered by JobsOhio (July 15, 1:30-4 p.m.): Get connected to the Ohio innovation ecosystem and matched with the resources, investors, and statewide partners most relevant to you. Advance registration is required to reserve a one-on-one conversation with an industry professional.
Details are available at www.blacktechweek.com.
About Black Tech Week
Black Tech Week is an award winning, culture-driven event rooted in community and powered by collaboration. For more than a decade, BTW has driven the conversations, connections, and opportunities powering technology, entrepreneurship, and economic development, creating a platform where ideas turn into action and relationships lead to real impact.
About JobsOhio
JobsOhio is a private nonprofit economic development corporation designed to drive job creation and new capital investment in Ohio through business attraction, retention and expansion. The organization also works to seed talent production in its targeted industries and to attract talent to Ohio through Find Your Ohio. JobsOhio works with seven regional partners across Ohio: Dayton Development Coalition, Lake to River, Ohio Southeast, One Columbus, REDI Cincinnati, Regional Growth Partnership and Team NEO. Learn more at www.jobsohio.com. Follow the company on LinkedIn, Twitter and Facebook.
Matt Englehart JobsOhio 614-300-1152 englehart@jobsohio.com