COLUMBUS, OH – Champion Real Estate Services joined an elite class of businesses to make up the 2015 Class of Pillar Award recipients.

The Medical Mutual Pillar Award for Community Service, presented by Smart Business, honors businesses of all types and sizes that make outstanding contributions to their community. Its purpose is to encourage a charitable environment, recognize creative efforts and demonstrate the ties between the for-profit and nonprofit worlds.

“We are truly excited and humbled to win the Pillar Award among such great company,” Brian Yeager, president and CEO, said. “Giving back to the community is something that is very important to us at Champion. In fact, community is one of our four core principles. It is a part of our culture.”

Champion was recognized for its recent creation of the Champion Cares Foundation and its Round Up Your Rent program, which gives residents at a Champion apartment community the ability to round up their rent $1 each month. All of the proceeds are then donated to three charity organizations, including the YWCA Family Center in Columbus, Big Brothers Big Sisters of Central Ohio and Children’s Hunger Alliance.

“Brian and I firmly believe that no one person should be without the basic necessities, namely food, shelter and access to medical care,” Michelle Yeager-Thornton, co-founder and chief operating officer, said. “And with the Champion Cares Foundation we are able to utilize our large audience of renters to give back to those in need.”

BBBS president and CEO, Ed Cohn, presented the Pillar Award to Yeager and Yeager-Thornton during the awards reception on January 29, 2015 at The Ohio Statehouse.

Champion’s current portfolio boasts more than 4,000 apartment homes in the surrounding suburbs of Central Ohio, so full-participation from each of its communities could result in nearly $50,000 a year to be split between the three charities.

“The impact could actually be even greater, because we have pledged to match each dollar donation that our residents give,” said Yeager-Thornton.

Other Pillar Award recipients included, Accel Inc. American Electric Power (AEP), Columbus Crew/Crew Soccer Foundation, Delta Energy Services LLC, Diamond Hill Capital Management Inc., Fifth Third Bank (Central Ohio affiliate), Ice Miller LLP and Worthington Industries.

About Champion Real Estate Services

Founded in 2010, Champion is a privately-held, fully-integrated, multi-family real estate firm. Champion is family-owned and operated and specializes in investment management, property management and investment sales in Central Ohio. Champion currently manages more than 4,100 apartments across 14 communities in the growing cities of Delaware, Dublin, Gahanna, Grove City, Hilliard, Lewis Center (Polaris), New Albany, Powell and Westerville. Champion has been recognized three years in a row as one of Central Ohio’s fastest growing companies by Columbus Business First’s Fast 50 list, ranking third in 2012, fifth in 2013 and ninth in 2014.