Jodi Jordan Allen

Jodi Jordan Allen

Jodi Jordan Allen, wife, mother, daughter, sister, mentor to many, friend to more, died December 31, 2020 following a determined and gritty battle with pancreatic cancer. She was 55 years old. No surprise to those who knew her, Jodi faced her death, mortality, and what she expects to follow, as she did with her life, face on. To the many that flocked to Naples to see her these last few months, Jodi reiterated her signature sentiment that "life is too short to beat around the bush." She left as she lived, showing others the way, and getting to the point with few regrets.

Jodi of Toledo, OH, Cincinnati, OH, and most recently, Naples, FL., was born the middle daughter of five girls to Joseph and Sheila (O'Loughlin) Jordan on July 7, 1965. She grew up excelling at school and sports (throwing in a little mischief for good measure) graduating from St. Joseph, Sylvania, Parish School and Notre Dame Academy. Jodi spent her summers swimming and hitting tennis balls at Devil's Lake and Sylvania Country Club. She went on to earn her bachelor's degree with an athletic scholarship to Xavier University, studying management information systems and playing tennis. Jodi cherished the mentoring she received from legendary coach, Jim Brockhoff, and lived channeling his sense of humor, passion for family, and service to the school and to Musketeer Athletics.

After her graduation from XU (Class of 1987), Jodi joined Procter & Gamble, spending her first 17 years in Information Technology, rising to the role of Vice President, Central and Eastern Europe, Middle East and Africa. She reveled in the chance to move with her husband and children to Geneva, Switzerland.

She went on to lead Pampers in North America, P&G's largest brand, and later directed a staff of 2500 working on familiar products, including Head & Shoulders, Herbal Essences, and Pantene. Throughout her P&G career, Jodi received numerous accolades: Advertising Age recognized her as a "Woman to Watch," the Cincinnati Enquirer named her as one of their "Professional Women to Watch" and she was given an "Excellence in Mentoring Award" by Advertising Women of New York. What pleased Jodi most, though, was in a company with hundreds of thousands of employees, she was widely known as just "Jodi."

After more than 30 years, Jodi left P&G in 2017 to become vice president and chief marketing officer at car rental company, Hertz, based in Florida where she continued to deliver results and inspire those she met along the way.

Jodi was quick to point out that mentoring students at her alma mater, as well as many women and men across all areas of business, at all levels, all over the world was truly her most important professional success. Believing firmly in "lift as you climb," she always took time to connect with groups and individuals as she worked and traveled. Jodi focused squarely on putting people and their needs first knowing that business results would follow. She was especially proud of two of her protegees, Julie Edelman and Carrie "C.B." Birth-Davis, trusting them implicitly to fearlessly change the world.

Jodi's enthusiasm for her career, though, was a distant second to her joy in being a wife of 32 years to Chris Allen and mother to her four – in her oft-repeated adjective, "AMAZING" – children, Jordy, Kelsey (Daniel Butler), Madison, and Shawn. Jodi was thankful for the experiences and education her job allowed her to share with her family. From living abroad, to canvassing the world together, to seeing various campuses through their eyes, to celebrating as they launched successful careers of their own, Jodi let her kids know in every way possible how proud she was of their accomplishments and how confident she felt with the future in their hands. She especially looked forward to becoming with Chris first-time grandparents to Wesley Allen Butler arriving in April 2021. Anchored in faith, Jodi believed that he, and all the grandbabies to follow, will always know "J.J." has their back.

In addition to her husband, children, and parents, Jodi leaves behind her sisters (#Forever5), Jennifer (David Maisch), Julie (Doug Laux), Melissa (Geoffrey Smith), and Micky (Chuck Schmalzried); 16 Jordan nieces and nephews; her mother-in-law, Judy Drake, aunts, uncles, cousins, colleagues, life-long friends including Rita Mansour, Christine Patterson, Kristy Voytek, and countless others too numerous to name.

Arrangements are made with George H. Rohde & Son Funeral Home. Family and friends will be welcomed at a visitation at 3183 Linwood Avenue on Friday, January 8, 2020 from 2:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. with social distancing in place and masks required.

Fittingly, Jodi's life will be celebrated as a proud member of Xavier Nation with a Mass of Christian Burial on Saturday, January 9, 2020 at 11 o'clock a.m. at the Bellarmine Chapel on Xavier's campus. The service will be presided over by President of the University, the Reverend Michael J. Graham, S.J. Due to COVID, only family members will be permitted in the chapel, but others may gather to watch the ceremony live from the adjacent Cintas Center. A reception for those gathered for Jodi's celebration of life will follow. The memorial service will also be live streamed at www.bellarminechapel.org for those unable to attend in person. On-line condolences may be shared at www.rohdefuneral.com.

Jodi was honored to serve as a member of the Board of Trustees and the Athletic Board of her beloved Xavier University and hoped that those wishing to honor her legacy consider a gift to support the women's tennis program there. Jodi was firm in her belief that Xavier and tennis gave her the foundation needed for all that followed; she hoped to afford others the same opportunities. To make a gift, please go to the Xavier athletic site www.goxavier.com and click on the "AFO" link, or gifts may be mailed to the Jodi Jordan Allen Women's Tennis Memorial Fund, Xavier University Athletics, ATTN: The Office of Greg Christopher, 3800 Victory Parkway, Cincinnati, OH 45207-7530.

What also would have made her happiest is for people to meet with friends, share a toast in her name, and send a heartfelt, "Go X" loudly into the universe.