Former chairman of Ohio State Medical Board Les Wexner made an appearance at the meeting on Sept. 1, marking his first meeting attendance since 2025. Credit: Courtesy of TNS
Les Wexner appeared at the Sept. 1 Medical Center Board meeting, after being absent from meetings for over a year, according to previous Lantern reporting.?
Wexner announced that he would be stepping down as chair of the medical board on Aug. 20, though he would still remain on the board itself, as stated in a Lantern article. Robert Schottenstein, a former board member and owner of M/I homes, replaced Wexner as president, CEO and chairman.?
The only meeting Wexner attended in 2025 was in May. He was also in attendance for three of four meetings held in 2024, though this was his first meeting in 2026, according to the Columbus Dispatch and other reporting.?
Before the board broke for an executive session, Wexner commented on his time as chair, the time he spent working with Ohio State and his absence from recent meetings.?
“I apologize for missing a few meetings, but I schedule myself out pretty much two years in advance, so my schedule is in advance of the university board schedule.”
“I think I’ve on average four hours a week for the last 40 years [at] Ohio State,” Wexner said in the meeting transcript. “So four hours a week, times a 50-week year, that’s 2,000 [hours]. Multiply it by four decades, and it’s a lot of time, and it was very well spent. Even if I’m not at meetings, my head goes with me everywhere I am,” Wexner said.?
Wexner also noted that he felt that board meetings were “the least productive time” over his “40 year history with Ohio State.”
Before Wexner’s comments, other board members praised Wexner’s involvement in the medical center and his service to Ohio State.?
“No one surpasses his loyalty or passion for this place,” Schottenstein said. “A lot of people are right there up with him, but I’ve never seen anyone surpass him… Thank you, and is there no better Buckeye.”
Wexner will stay on the board as chair emeritus, meaning he will not be a voting member, according to prior Lantern reporting.?
“The board values Les Wexner’s insight and expertise and is glad he has chosen to remain involved with the committee as chair emeritus, a nonvoting position,” University spokesperson Ben Johnson said in an email.?
Wexner has donated over $200 million to the university over the course of 30 years, according to the medical center.?
Both the university and Wexner have faced public backlash in recent months due to his relationship with sex-offender Jeffrey Epstein, with Wexner being? named a co-conspirator in Epstein’s case. His name also appears in the Epstein files over 1,000 times.?
Over 500 requests to remove Wexner’s name from buildings across campus have been made, according to prior Lantern reporting.?
