OhioHealth is proud to celebrate Tristan Hall, MPA, SHRM-SCP, Senior Vice President and Chief Human Resources Officer, as a 2025 honoree in Columbus Business First’s “40 Under 40” list.

At 35, Hall leads human resources strategy for OhioHealth’s more than 35,000 associates across the system, a role he views not just as operational, but transformational. A Columbus native and proud product of Franklin University’s Master of Public Administration program, Hall has steadily grown his career by centering people at the heart of leadership.

His journey at OhioHealth began working in nutrition services as a high school student. He returned to the organization in 2017 as an HR manager and went on to hold several key leadership roles before being named CHRO, a role that echoes his childhood ambition to serve people and lead change.

“As a kid, I wanted to be a politician; maybe the president – working for the people, solving problems, making things better,” Hall told Business First. “Now I'm the chief human resources officer of the largest private employer in central Ohio, and it's not so different: I advocate for people, build great workplaces and help drive change.”

Hall is passionate about reinvigorating culture in the post-pandemic era, modernizing HR practices and making sure every associate feels valued and connected to OhioHealth’s mission.

“I believe in being brilliant at the basics,” he said. “That means creating a seamless journey for our associates and an environment where they’re proud to work.”

Beyond his professional responsibilities, Hall is actively involved in the Columbus community. He serves on the boards of the Columbus Urban League and ICE Youth Mentors, supporting workforce development and youth empowerment.

A proud father of two daughters, Hall values time with family and has a deep appreciation for travel. He is currently working toward his pilot’s license, which he says has sharpened his leadership mindset.

“For me, it's about pushing boundaries, staying focused and trusting the journey – lessons that carry over into leadership and life,” Hall told Business First. “Sometimes, you have to soar beyond your comfort zone to reach new heights.”

To view the full 2025 “40 Under 40” list, click here.

OhioHealth currently has more than 4,200 associates who earn less than $15 per hour. Moving from $12 to $15 per hour will increase annual compensation for a full-time employee (FTE) by 25 percent, from $24,960 to $31,200 per year.

To read about how the increase is affecting one associate, click on the The Columbus Dispatch logo.

Additionally, associates earning just above the $15 minimum starting wage will receive a pay adjustment to preserve their relative placement in their pay grade. In total, more than 9,600 associates will receive a pay increase as a result of this change. The increase will not impact healthcare costs. 

“One of the most foundational things we do to ensure a great workplace for all associates is to pay people fairly,” said Johnni Beckel, senior vice president and Chief Human Resources Officer. “That means each and every associate – regardless of where they work or the job they perform.”

OhioHealth defines fair pay as compensation that is equitable within OhioHealth and competitive with its external market. For some jobs, however, the external market rate may be insufficient. Ohio’s state minimum wage of $8.55 per hour is not enough to enable people to support themselves and their families.

“For many years,” said Beckel, “OhioHealth has paid well above minimum wage for certain jobs in order to attract and retain talent and, more importantly, to live our values. In today’s strong labor market, competitive pay helps us attract top talent for patient-facing roles that are essential to a positive patient and family experience.”

Groups most impacted include areas of highest voluntary turnover such as Environmental Services, Patient Escorts and Patient Support Associates (PSAs).

“As one of the largest employers in central Ohio with 28,000 associates, we are happy and proud to be able to provide this to our associates. It’s one very important way we live our cardinal value of honoring the dignity and worth of every person.”

About OhioHealth

OhioHealth is a nationally recognized, not-for-profit, charitable, healthcare outreach of the United Methodist Church.

Based in Columbus, Ohio, OhioHealth has been recognized as one of the top five large health systems in America by Truven Health Analytics, an honor it has received six times. It is also recognized by FORTUNE as one of the “100 Best Companies to Work For” and has been for 13 years in a row, 2007-2019.

Serving its communities since 1891, it is a family of 30,000 associates, physicians and volunteers, and a network of 12 hospitals, 200+ ambulatory sites, hospice, home-health, medical equipment and other health services spanning a 47-county area.

OhioHealth hospitals include OhioHealth Riverside Methodist Hospital, OhioHealth Grant Medical Center, OhioHealth Doctors Hospital, OhioHealth Grady Memorial Hospital, OhioHealth Dublin Methodist Hospital, OhioHealth Hardin Memorial Hospital, OhioHealth Marion General Hospital, OhioHealth O’Bleness Hospital, OhioHealth Mansfield Hospital, OhioHealth Shelby Hospital, OhioHealth Grove City Methodist Hospital and OhioHealth Berger Hospital. For more information, please visit our website at www.ohiohealth.com.

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