Meet Our Team

Mary Beth Cowardin leads the AmericanHort marketing and communications team to help build the organization’s brand, engage current members in the organization’s work and expand the association’s membership base.

The majority of Mary Beth’s professional career has been spent working in consumer brand marketing roles. With over 25 years of experience and a track record for growing leading brands, she knows the power of a brand and the importance of a brand fulfilling its promise to the consumer. Prior to joining AmericanHort Mary Beth was the executive director of a non-profit organization, LeadershipUA, whose mission is to identify, educate and inspire emerging leaders to become involved in their community. Mary Beth has experience as director of marketing for the Marzetti® brand of produce dressings, dips, croutons and other grocery products. She was also director of marketing at Elmer’s Products, Inc. where she led the marketing efforts for the flagship Elmer’s® stationery glue business, as well as lead marketing for the Krazy Glue® brand. She led efforts to resume both Elmer’s and Krazy Glue consumer advertising after more than a decade of the brand being in the dark. Experienced at working on seasonal business, Mary Beth started her consumer brand marketing career at S.C. Johnson & Sons, Inc. where she worked on the OFF!® brand of personal repellents and the fantastik® brand of all-purpose cleaners.

Mary Beth worked for nearly a decade with The Ohio Department of Agriculture where she served as chief of the Division of Markets, she led the team that promoted Ohio made food and agricultural products across the U.S. and worldwide through the OHIO PROUD® grassroots marketing program and various international trade services.

Mary Beth is a two-time graduate of The Ohio State University holding both a Bachelor of Arts in French and finance, and an MBA in marketing and international business. Mary Beth is an avid sports enthusiast, she plays tennis and cycles. She is co-chair of a grassroots peloton, Girls with Gears, that has raised over $1.3MM to fund cancer research during their thirteen seasons participating in Pelotonia, a local cycling event. She lives in Columbus with her husband Gregg and their pups, Klio and Luna. She’s a proud stepmom of 3 adult children.