Follow Us On
 
|
August 2006 issue
Pirates of Ohio
In those days, as we reporters were leaving the newsroom to cover our beats, a Plain Dealer editor named Wilson Hirshfeld would send us off with a departing remark: “Remember men, politicians lie.†We thought it an odd remark, for the country was still aglow over the New Frontier and civil rights. (Vietnam had yet to work its corrosive effect upon the nation.) Besides, the politicians we encountered in covering the news in those days seemed harmless enough – friendly councilmen intent on war... |
Groundbreaker
Robert Stark lives to break ground. “It’s kind of like a farmer’s reflex, something new is about to grow,†he says. His latest multibillion-dollar development plan in the Warehouse District, his most ambitious vision to date, is about growing a whole new city. Stark pictures West Third, West Sixth and West Ninth streets as spectacular European-style boulevards that extend from Superior Avenue to the waterfront. He envisions boardwalks along the river and lakefront that extend far enough that if ... |
Hot Stuff
Brad and Angelina. Nicole and Keith. Dan and (fill in the lucky Geekette’s name here). They are all “hot.†But they aren’t as hot, even in August, as the tech products I’m about to review. Windows Vista, the next release of Microsoft Windows, may not be available yet, but it still qualifies as hot. Microsoft has released a beta version of Vista, currently Beta 2, to the public. So you can download (or send for a CD) the latest pre-release from www.microsoft.com/windowsvista/getready/default.ms... |
Brighter Futures
Sister Maureen Doyle is passionate about her students – all 440 of them. She brags about their successes, spouting out such statistics as: 91 percent of them graduate from high school and 62 percent continue on to college. “The environment is such that kids like coming to school,†says Doyle, director of the Urban Community School (UCS) in Cleveland and a member of its board. “It’s a full moral educational development; a real anchor for a family struggling.†Since 1968, lower-income families... Dynamic Duo
“Perseverance is why we’re still here,†says co-Founder Frank Rausche. And that determination is what helped GRL Engineers Inc. become the growing business that it is in the Cleveland community and the country for the past 30 years and counting. It all started in the research labs of Case Western Reserve University. “There was an idea; there was potential, but no clear picture of what could come later,†says Rausche. In 1976, GRL Engineers was launched based on Case research ... New Israel
Eddy Zai admits he’s one of the last people who should be in Israel. But the Iranian-born Muslim travels there several times a year. Despite religious and cultural differences, he’s there to do business. And he’s been quite successful. For the last three years, the 38-year-old founder and CEO of The Cleveland Group, a multidisciplined company based in Eastlake with offices in New York, Miami, London and Beijing, has been recruiting Israel-based companies to set up their U.S. operations in Northeas... |
|
Heart Smart
Today, the number one killer of both men and women over the age of 25 in this country is heart disease. Working Americans lead busy lives and, therefore, many fail to follow through on healthy lifestyle habits. Sadly, 50 percent of Americans die of cardiovascular disease, including heart attacks, strokes, heart failure, congenital heart disease or other related conditions. On the positive side, heart disease is preventable. But medical experts say that the biggest mistake people make is not taking a pro... |
Health Care
Clinic kicks off $1.25 billion campaign In May, The Cleveland Clinic launched “Today’s Innovations, Tomorrow’s Healthcare,†a five-year philanthropic campaign to raise $1.25 billion for patient care, basic and clinical research, medical and patient education, and its campus master plan. “This is an ambitious campaign – the first comprehensive campaign in Cleveland Clinic’s history,†says Dr. Delos “Toby†M. Cosgrove, CEO and president of The Cleveland Clinic. “Our plans will ... Team Player
Bricker & Eckler LLP understands and appreciates the importance of Ohio manufacturing. In fact, the law firm, which has locations in Cleveland, Columbus and the Cincinnati-Dayton area, formed an industry group four years ago devoted solely to manufacturing interests. “It’s no surprise that when manufacturing goes well, Ohio goes well,†says Mark Engel, chair of the manufacturing and logistics group for Bricker & Eckler. “We ask the question, ‘How can we add business to our clients?’ We shift... |
|
|
Fit for a King
In June, Cedar Point’s parent company, Sandusky-based Cedar Fair LP, completed its acquisition of Paramount Parks, which includes Cincinnati’s Kings Island, from CBS Corp. in a cash transaction valued at approximately $1.24 billion. For those of you unfamiliar with one of the Queensland’s top attractions, editor of our sister publication Cincy Business magazine, Felix Winternitz, offers this primer on the park. Many roller coaster enthusiasts claim Paramount’s Kings Island is the finest theme pa... From Fairways to PB&Js
If you have a golf outing with one of the top brass from the J.M. Smucker Co., be careful: They may have been getting some tips from their new director. In May, women’s golf legend Nancy Lopez was nominated to the board of directors for the Orville-based jam, preserve and peanut-butter maker. A vote will take place during its 2006 annual meeting of shareholders this month. Lopez would join Cleveland Indians Owner Paul Dolan and Davey Tree CEO R. Douglas Cowan on the J.M. Smucker board. She is the foun... Good to be Green
It was more than one year ago when Barbara Reynolds moved her business, Realty One Real Living, to the Warehouse District in downtown Cleveland. “It has given me an opportunity to enter another market – an urban living market,†says Reynolds, president. “I would recommend other businesses move to downtown Cleveland.†As part of the district’s effort to attract businesses and consumers, it has undergone a beautification project. WOW! In the Warehouse District was initially started last year b... Got Wheels?
The Cleveland-Akron-Elyria region was ranked eighth in the country for the most year-round particle pollution, according to the American Lung Association’s State of the Air 2005 survey. Ryan McKenzie, transportation manager for EcoCity Cleveland, a nonprofit that promotes the design of cities in balance with nature in Northeast Ohio, is doing his part to make a difference. In February, he started CityWheels, a car-sharing business in Ohio City, Cleveland Heights and Oberlin, and already is serving 75 ... Hair-Raisning Discovery
Iron, the nutritional element found in most meat, beans and green, leafy vegetables, may help regrow hair, according to new research by a team of Cleveland Clinic experts. Led by Dr. Wilma Bergfeld, head of clinical research in the Department of Dermatology at the Clinic, researchers reviewed scientific literature that has been published over the past 40 years and found that iron deficiency may be more closely linked to hair loss than previously thought. The researchers’ findings first appeared in the... Muscular Mechanics
The employees at Tallmadge Collision Center Inc. do bodywork on more than just cars; they do it to themselves. What began four years ago as a motivational tool for employees to improve their health has turned into a full-blown bodybuilding competition. “We were looking for ways to motivate our employees, and what better way than through physical fitness,†says Robert Black, president of Tallmadge Collision. In 2003, only five employees signed on to do the “Body Work†contest, to vie for the “B... Spirit of Advertising
First launched in 1925, Akron-based Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co. has floated more than 300 airships emblazoned with its winged-foot logo and company name. In the past, these blimps have carried names that have leaned toward the patriotic side, such as “Spirit of America†or “Stars & Stripes.†For its latest blimp, Goodyear decided to open the naming game to the public. Through its Web site and the mail, more than 21,000 unique names were submitted, including such finalists as “American Dream,â€... |
All in the Family
Growing up with a blind grandmother, Matthew Love saw firsthand the hardships of life in the dark. “I grew up knowing what it was like to go through life with vision impairment because of my grandmother, and it’s difficult,†he says. That experience, in part, prompted Love to join his father’s business, Brooklyn-based Gateway Safety, a manufacturer of protective eye, head, hearing and respiratory gear. While his grandmother’s blindness was caused by genetics, Love is driven by the mission to m... |
Cleveland Botanical Garden
The Cleveland Botanical Garden offers its business guests more than just meeting space. “The best thing about having meetings here is that guests have free reign of the facilities,†says Carla Valyco, marketing manager for Cleveland Botanical Garden. “On meeting breaks, they can tour the gardens and the Glasshouse.†Situated on 10 acres of beautiful gardens, the meeting and event facilities at the garden can accommodate up to 250 people. The meeting rooms offer wireless Internet capabilities and... Colortone Staging & Rentals Inc.
Privately held Colortone Staging & Rentals Inc. (CSR) has roots that go back to 1947 in White Plains, N. Y. Today it’s a leader in the audiovisual staging industry, headquartered in Cleveland, with offices in Salt Lake City and Pittsburgh. CSR provides a range of services from straightforward equipment rentals (sound systems, projection screens, video displays and lighting packages) to comprehensive meeting set up, scenic design and staging special events. “The services we provide are on two levels,... Forum Conference Center
The Forum Conference Center, located in downtown Cleveland, is the proud home of a 400-seat auditorium, along with 14 conference and meeting rooms. “Our auditorium is unlike any other in the city,†says Debbie Gaal, a meeting planner for the Forum. “The room is so user-friendly and the acoustics are amazing.†The soundproof meeting rooms can seat up to 150 people. The Forum owns all of its own audiovisual equipment and offers interactive video-conferencing, Web casting and a satellite downlink. ... Heart Smart
Today, the number one killer of both men and women over the age of 25 in this country is heart disease. Working Americans lead busy lives and, therefore, many fail to follow through on healthy lifestyle habits. Sadly, 50 percent of Americans die of cardiovascular disease, including heart attacks, strokes, heart failure, congenital heart disease or other related conditions. On the positive side, heart disease is preventable. But medical experts say that the biggest mistake people make is not taking a pro... InterContinental Hotel Cleveland
InterContinental Hotels and Resorts has established itself as a respected brand throughout the world. The InterContinental Hotel in Cleveland is no different. “We must be really aware of what’s going on around in the city and maintain high levels of service standards,†says Mike Reich, director of sales and marketing for InterContinental Hotel Cleveland. “We many times have guests under high levels of stress and we need to be attuned to that. Markets change and we must become adaptable.†The I... John S. Knight Center
The John S. Knight Center, which opened in 1994, is equipped with 22 meeting rooms and offers 12 rooms that are flexible in size to accommodate any size crowd. The largest room can hold up to 4,000 people. “We are a full-service convention center,†says Gregg M. Mervis, vice president of the John S. Knight Center. The Center has state-of-the-art technology and communication capabilities including a computer-controlled sound system, data and satellite reception, video confe... Kalahari Resort
The Kalahari Resort has made quite a splash in Ohio. It’s an 80,000-square-foot African-themed water park located in Sandusky, but the Kalahari Resort is above and beyond the average water resort. Guests can get their kicks on the uphill Zip Coaster waterslide or enjoy a calm ride on the lazy river. Water is not the only thing the Kalahari Resort offers as entertainment; it also features indoor mini-golf and a four-story Tree Top Dry Play zone. The success of the Kalahari Resort is not just in the res... NEOUCOM
NEOUCOM’s Ralph Regula Conference Center, located between Akron and Youngstown, has 18 halls and meeting rooms to accommodate any conference size. The versatility of its room sizes, ranging in seating room for 22 people in the Executive Suite to 720 people in the Great Hall, isn’t the only thing NEOUCOM has to offer. Additional meeting rooms are available for breakout sessions, holding eight to 30 people. State-of-the-art technology helps keep everyone on the same page. Audio, video and telephone si... Panera Bread – Covelli Enterprises
Panera Bread is a perfect place for meetings or events. “Most of our cafes have VIP rooms that can be reserved for your meeting or get together,†says Allen Ryan, director of Public Relations for Covelli Enterprises, a Warren-based owned and operated franchisee of Panera LLC. “Or if it’s just a small business meeting, our cafes are great because they are not only comfortable and relaxing, they also serve as a quiet professional setting. They are also great for business meetings because we offer ... Red Maple Inn
The Red Maple Inn, located in the heart of Amish Country in Burton, is a peaceful destination for any gathering. With only 18 rooms, the bed and breakfast offers intimate settings to accommodate events from business meetings and conferences to small weddings. “Our guests will enjoy a unique experience when visiting Geauga County,†says Gina Holk, general manager for Red Maple Inn. “Our Inn will give them a whole different feel from any other hotel or Inn in the country.†Red Maple’s banquet ro... The Bertram Inn and Conference Center
The Bertram Inn and Conference Center in Aurora offers 20,000 square feet of meeting space equipped with the latest in technology, with associates on hand ready to assist at any time. With 19 conference rooms, eight ballrooms, an amphitheatre and The President Room boardroom, The Bertram Inn can accommodate any size gathering for your business’ needs. “Our venue is different from a typical hotel because we have specialized people for meeting purposes,†says George Kimson, president of The Bertram ... Windows on the River
Located on the West Bank of the Flats, Windows on the River offers two rooms with unique views of Cleveland, the bridges and the skyline. The Bridge View Room can hold up to 450 people, while the City View Room holds nearly 300. An adjoining room can be opened to connect the two rooms for larger events. “The room in between is mostly used for silent auction space or as a cocktail room,†says Molly Coyne, director of sales for Windows on the River. Each room has its own entrance, coat-check and bathr... |
|
|