Carlos Ruiz is the director of finance for the Zepf Center, a non-profit in Toledo. He helps oversee the fiscal operation of the $45 million behavioral health agency and assisted in growing the agency grant portfolio from approximately $5 million to over $20 million in less than three years. He began his career for Lucas County as a fiscal intern in 2011, and through promotions was eventually named chief tax accountant for the Lucas County Auditor in 2015, overseeing annual property tax settlements in excess of $600 million.

Ruiz is a first generation immigrant from Nicaragua, and is a proud graduate of The University of Toledo (UToledo). He has been recognized in the community, including as a 2009 Diamante Youth Leadership Award recipient; 2020-2021 UT Latino Alumni Affiliate Distinguished Award recipient; and highlighted by the Toledo Regional Chamber of Commerce’s Limelight series in 2020 as a community leader, to name a few.

Ruiz has served the community in a range of ways, including as a board of trustees member for Adelante, a Latino & Community Resource Center non-profit, since 2013; as a Latino Alliance of NW Ohio officer for five years; as an officer of the Latino Alumni Affiliate for UToledo; and on the UToledo Alumni Association board of trustees; among others.