Rep. Beatty Names Bake Me Happy's Letha Pugh As Virtual Guest To State of the Union Address
"Our country has made tremendous strides this past year thanks to the American Rescue Plan and the Infrastructure Law. So, for this year's State of the Union Address I wanted to highlight one of the millions of hardworking Americans whose perseverance in the face of the challenges presented by the pandemic fueled our nation's historic recovery. People like my guest, Letha Pugh, are the true heroes behind America's progress over the past year, and I am proud to uplift her as my virtual guest to the State of the Union Address," said Beatty.
WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Congresswoman and Congressional Black Caucus Chair Joyce Beatty (OH-03) is uplifting Columbus business owner Letha Pugh, as her Hometown Hero virtual guest to President Biden's State of the Union Address to Congress on Tuesday.
The State of the Union Address will highlight the achievements and work still to be done under the leadership of President Biden. While safety protocols mean this year's in-person attendance will be limited, Beatty said inviting Pugh as her virtual guest is an important way to honor the people of Central Ohio and uplift their stories.
"It is an honor to be selected as Congresswoman Beatty's guest for the State of the Union. As a small business owner, I am truly grateful the Congresswoman is listening to the concerns of her constituents and allowing me to represent entrepreneurs at this time. The pandemic has brought a new set of challenges to the economy of small businesses; however, we have and will continue to persevere. I am looking forward to hearing about the President's initiatives to continue the economic recovery and how he plans to help small business owners like me across the nation," said Pugh, who plans to watch the speech from her home in Central Ohio.
Born and raised in Omaha, Nebraska, Pugh graduated from the University of Nebraska with a Bachelors' Degree in Nursing and worked for 3 years at the University of Memphis in Nursing Informatics (Nursing and Computers). She has lived in Columbus, Ohio since 2001, when she was recruited to The Ohio State Medical Center for an electronic medical record project at OSU East. She began down the path of entrepreneurship with a consulting firm in 2003, started and sold a home health care agency and her latest ventures are in the food industry. She co-founded Bake Me Happy, a wholesale/retail, gluten free bakery located in Merion Village, with a second location in Dublin with her wife, Wendy, of 15 years, and their 10 year old daughter, Avery, who is a competitive swimmer with the Worthington Swim Club. Pugh is also a founding member of Muse Hospitality, a newly formed restaurant group who's current project includes Preston's: A Burger Joint, located in the Historic North Market. She is co-founder of two non-profits: Service! A relief effort for hospitality workers displaced during the COVID 19 pandemic and Black, Out and Proud, an organization that advocates, inspires and educates the Columbus Black LGBTQ+ community. Pugh is also a Commissioner for the City of Columbus Department of Parks and Recreation and Secretary of the Board for The Women's Fund of Central Ohio.