About Us: Management Team

Tillie Hidalgo Lima, President/CEO
thl@bestuponrequest.com
513-605-7800 x 105

Born in Havana, Cuba, Tillie was 10 months old when she and her parents escaped to find freedom in the United States. Coming into this country with only one suitcase and 10 Cuban pesos, her parents taught her to never give up, to be resourceful, to strive to be the best one can be and to appreciate that freedom is a privilege and a responsibility.

Tillie attended the University of Cincinnati where she earned her B.S. in pharmacy. Tillie was a pharmacist for 13 years before coming to Best Upon Request in 1996 as vice president of operations. In 1999, she became president and in 2003, she was promoted to president/CEO. The company has grown 384 percent since she became CEO. Tillie is an active member of Vistage, formerly known as TEC International (The Executive Committee for Emerging Entrepreneurs), Girl Scout Great Rivers Council Board of Directors, Bridges for a Just Community Board of Directors, Cincinnati USA Regional Chamber’s Women’s Initiative Executive Advisory Council, World at Work, American College of Healthcare Executives (ACHE), and has contributed to her alma mater serving as Saint Ursula Academy’s 2005-2006 Annual Fund Alumnae Chair. In addition, she attended “Leadership, Disney Style” in February 1999 and in November 2004 she participated as a panelist on talent in Toyota’s Fifteenth Annual Opportunity Exchange, entitled “The Power of Getting Connected.”

Tillie’s Vistage group (Vistage #250), selected Best Upon Request as the Most Improved Business of 2004 and in 2005 the Most Outstanding member. In 2004, the Journal of Organizational Excellence recognized Best Upon Request as a best practice for concierge services. Tillie co-authored an associated case study article entitled, “Concierge Services Help Deliver Better Work/Life Balance at Bronson Healthcare Group,” which was published in the Summer 2005 issue of the Journal. She has authored many articles about work/life balance. In 2006, Tillie was the winter speaker at The Center for Cuban Business Studies at Ohio Northern University, the guest speaker for The Ohio State University’s Public Relations Student Society of America meeting, the guest speaker for The University of Cincinnati’s Minorities in Business class, the keynote speaker for the Ohio Treasurer of State’s Ohio Women and Money conference, and a guest on WNKU BusinessWise radio program. In 2007, Tillie participated in a panel discussion at the Greater Cincinnati Venture Association presentation on Women and Minority Businesses Success Stories and at the Cincinnati USA Regional Chamber’s WE Speak, Beyond the Bios February luncheon event. Most recently, Tillie became the co-chair of Equity, Inclusion and Openness, Livable Communities Action Team for Agenda 360, a regional action plan sponsored by Cincinnati USA Regional Chamber. The coalition addresses five categories of work: competitive economy, educational excellence, livable communities, urban renaissance and effective governance.

Tillie and Best Upon Request have been recognized locally and nationally:

Honored as the 2005 “Woman Against All Odds” by the Leading Women of Cincinnati
One of Deloitte’s One Hundred Wise Women in 2005 and in 2007
Participant in the Leadership Cincinnati USA program, Class XXIX, ’05-’06 and WE (Women Excel) Lead program, Class I, ’06-’07
In July, 2005, Best Upon Request was listed in the Business Courier’s Greater Cincinnati’s Largest 250 Companies, ranking in the top 25 Largest Tri-State Women-Owned Businesses
2005 Cincinnati USA Regional Chamber Small Business Excellence Award for Minority Business of the Year
In 2005 and 2006 Best Upon Request was named by the Cincinnati Business Courier to Fast 55, Greater Cincinnati's premier program recognizing the 15-county region's fastest-growing private companies
Best Upon Request was an honoree for the 2006 and 2007 Torch Awards, the Marketplace Ethics Award of the Better Business Bureau
2006 Woman of the Year, corporate category finalist, the Cincinnati USA Regional Chamber’s WE Celebrate Women in Business Awards
Best Upon Request was the national winner of the 2006 Stevie Award for Women in Business for Best Overall Company of the Year – Service Businesses – up to 100 Employees
2007 YWCA Career Women of Achievement
2007 Award for Entrepreneurial Excellence by the University of Cincinnati, College of Business, Center of Entrepreneurship Education and Research
2007 NMSDC scholarship recipient (sponsored by Procter & Gamble) to Advanced Management Education Program at Kellogg School of Management, Northwestern University
In 2007, Best Upon Request was ranked 47th on Hispanic Business magazine’s 100 fastest-growing Hispanic companies in the United States
Best Upon Request was ranked 2,139 on the Inc. 5,000 Fastest Growing Private Companies in America in 2007.

Tillie and Dave Lima, her husband of 26 years, have three daughters: Jessica, Natalie and Sofia. Tillie’s most courageous achievement was climbing the Sydney Harbor Bridge in Australia in 1999.