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May 2008 Issue
Absentee Ballots
If you live in Cleveland and have ever worried about Cuyahoga County’s voting system — whether it is more reliable to poke a computer screen or pencil a ballot — forget about it. You have more important things to worry about: Clevelanders don’t vote with their hands, they vote with their feet. In the latest statistical blow to our collective solar plexus, we became America’s biggest population loser. Cuyahoga County lost 130,000 reside... |
Building Tigertown
The ritual happens every day. About two hours before their tee times for the six days of the World Golf Championships-Bridgestone Invitational, golf’s greatest athletes arrive at the Firestone Country Club men’s locker room. It’s one of the only places during the summer event where the pros can escape from the ever-present fans and TV cameras. Inside, you might spot Tiger Woods at one of the circular maroon dining tables in the center of the room reading the newspaper, or see Phil Mick... Executive Leader Board
EXECUTIVE LEADER BOARD NAME ORGANIZATION TITLE HANDICAP '07* HANDICAP '06 GOLF CLUB Padgett III Donald Bridgestone Invitational Tournament Executive Director 0 0 Firestone Country Club Albright Carl Infocision Mgt. Corp. President, CEO 4.3 4.7 Firestone Country Club Greig Paul FirstMerit Corp. Chairman, CEO 5.4 N/A The Country Club Thornton Andre ASW Global Chairman, CEO 6.8 6.2 Mayfield Country Club Smucker Richard K. The J.M. Smucker Co. President, Co-CEO, CFO 7 8.9 Firestone Country Club Falco... |
How To: Choose a Graduate Degree Program
In today’s competitive business world, career advancement often requires an advanced degree. Surprisingly, with thousands of degree programs available throughout the country, deciding which best meets your needs isn’t as daunting as it seems. Selecting between each college’s program often comes down to what you are hoping to accomplish with your degree, says Tom Clevidence, director of the MBA and executive MBA programs at Baldwin-Wallace College. Are you seeking a graduate degree to g... How To: Create the Right Corporate Culture
These are the scandals that sell newspapers: stories about Enron, New York Gov. Eliot Spitzer, and steroid use in baseball. That’s why today’s definition of what is ethical in the workplace is an “easy question that is tough to answer,” says Robert M. Torok, managing director of RSM McGladrey, an accounting, tax and business consulting firm. Defining and establishing a corporate culture that adheres to an appropriate ethical code affects all companies, large and small. Most compa... How To: Obtain Financing for Your Business
Northeast Ohio entrepreneurs are constantly conceiving new business ideas, but new opportunities often require financing to execute. The solution could be as close as your local bank branch, says Brian A. Fisher, senior vice president, business banking sales manager at FirstMerit Bank. “A good business banker, including those at FirstMerit, will talk through your ideas and introduce you to local accountants, attorneys and small-business development officers. We’ll direct you in areas like ma... How To: Plan an Outdoor Event
Once the snow finally thaws, Cleveland’s glorious spring and summer months give event planners good reason for suggesting outdoor events. Thoughts of sunshine, blue skies, birds chirping and flowers in bloom are enough to persuade even those enamored of air conditioning to consider the outdoors. Unfortunately, the pretty picture can just as quickly turn into disaster. Not wanting to put a damper on things, Rick Kish, production consultant/ sales for Hughie’s Audio-Visual & Staging, cautions ... How To: Save Money on Your Office Energy Bills
Save Money on Your Office Energy Bills:Concerned about skyrocketing energy costs? There are many ways to make your office more energy efficient and avoid falling into shock when your energy bills arrive each month. The easiest way to save money is to install energy-efficient lighting throughout the office, says Bernie Woller, director of facilities and special projects for Buckeye Power Inc., an electric cooperative. Lighting systems are responsible for about 35 percent of the electricity costs in a typ... |
2008 Manny Awards
In the 10th year of the Manny Awards, the winners featured in the following articles display a unique ability to grow and improve their manufacturing businesses not only domestically, but also on a global scale. These 15 companies compete against an increasingly challenging market and continue to add new jobs, create great workplaces, design new, innovative products, achieve breakthroughs and reach record-breaking growth. These manufacturers are also tackling new markets, and designin... 2008 Manny Awards - Best Places to Work
Building Value Hygenic Corp. trains workers for multiple jobs for flexibility As human resources director at Hygenic Corp., an Akron-based synthetic rubber sheeting and tubing manufacturer, Carol Stahl knows she's lucky. "We've had almost no voluntary turnover in years," she says. "And most of our [production] employees have been here 10 to 15 years." Not having to fill vacancies and train new workers makes Stahl's job easier. She can concentrate on adding new jobs and keeping her current workers happy,... 2008 Manny Awards - Biggest Breakthrough
Think Thin Ventrure funds fuel Thin battery technologies Imagine standing along the edge of the Grand Canyon surrounded by breathtaking views and creating a talking postcard that could be delivered with your audible message attached. Or taking a cruise to Alaska and donning a bracelet that could track your entrance and exit off the ocean liner to make sure you won’t get left behind. Or applying a Band-Aid sized patch soaked in a drug that will deliver a prescribed and controlled amount of m... 2008 Manny Awards - New Job Creation
Mold Standard Acquisitions provide room for freeman's talent to grow. By acquiring its first international company in August 2007, Freeman Manufacturing & Supply Co. became the largest distributor of urethane and epoxy tooling material in both the United States and Canada. The acquisition of the distribution company based in St. Laurent, Quebec, bolstered the Avon company's already impressive growth in jobs and sales. "We've grown 50 percent in sales the last six years," says Matthew Turco, vice preside... 2008 Manny Awards - New Product Development/Innovation
Built to Last Keene Building Products sets itself up for long-term success by marketing pioneering products. James Keene hopes that his company's products put an end to neighbors stomping on their apartment floors and yelling, "Turn down that music!" Founded in 2002, Keene Building Products Inc. in Mayfield Heights manufactures products for noise and moisture control in construction projects such as multifamily apartments and condominiums. Its Quiet Qurl and Acoustical Assurance products stop noise from... 2008 Manny Awards - Top Growth
Champions of Change OM Group's sales soar thanks to a business transformation. In his letter to shareholders in OM Group's annual report, CEO Joseph Scaminace calls 2007 "a year of change." The Cleveland-based company sold its nickel business, completed two acquisitions, expanded a partnership with a manufacturer of nano metals and alloys, and instituted operational excellence initiatives. The moves paid off: 2007 sales reached $1.02 billion for OM Group, which develops, produces and markets specialty c... Industry Insight
Great Lakes plants lag behind others throughout the country when it comes to efficiency, according to Grant Thornton's “2008 Great Lakes Manufacturing” report, which analyzes financial and operational information using benchmarking data from the IndustryWeek/ Manufacturing Performance Institute 2007 Census of Manufacturers. Nationally, 75 percent of designed plant capacity is in use, compared to just 70 percent among Great Lakes manufacturers, according to the second annual report. And while... |
Just Like Old Times
In 2000, Jonathan Schaefer and Darren Rose launched a brick-and-mortar mortgage business in Independence at the crest of the dot-com boom. Eight years later, with the housing industry tumbling, the duo has moved on to launch a Web site. HeyButler.com , which generates coupons and promotions for shoppers to redeem at neighborhood merchants, restaurants and other businesses, has all the trimmings of a turn-of-the-century dot-com: off-beat name, cartoon logo, a Super Bowl TV ad and even an irritatingly hau... |
About Face
Dr. Maria Siemionow is looking for the perfect face. As a transplant surgeon and section head of plastic surgery research at the Cleveland Clinic, Siemionow has been searching for the ideal candidate to receive the first face transplant to be done in the United States. This groundbreaking work led the 58-year-old physician to write about her experiences. Siemionow’s “Transplanting a Face: Notes on a Life in Medicine” chronicles her journey from a resident in a Finnish hospital to her c... Just Like Old Times
In 2000, Jonathan Schaefer and Darren Rose launched a brick-and-mortar mortgage business in Independence at the crest of the dot-com boom. Eight years later, with the housing industry tumbling, the duo has moved on to launch a Web site. HeyButler.com , which generates coupons and promotions for shoppers to redeem at neighborhood merchants, restaurants and other businesses, has all the trimmings of a turn-of-the-century dot-com: off-beat name, cartoon logo, a Super Bowl TV ad and even an irritatingly hau... Pizza, Chinese ... Pet Food?
Not even the greatest distance can come between a dog and his dinner thanks to Cleveland’s North Coast Dogs. In February, the dog behavioral and training company launched a home-delivery service after owner Ed Dickson’s clients started barking about their troubles finding natural, upscale dog food brands. “The food is hard to get a hold of at most chain dog stores, so we just wanted to make it convenient,” Dickson says. The company only sells “human-grade” (we’l... |
2008 Manny Awards
In the 10th year of the Manny Awards, the winners featured in the following articles display a unique ability to grow and improve their manufacturing businesses not only domestically, but also on a global scale. These 15 companies compete against an increasingly challenging market and continue to add new jobs, create great workplaces, design new, innovative products, achieve breakthroughs and reach record-breaking growth. These manufacturers are also tackling new markets, and designin... 2008 Manny Awards - Best Places to Work
Building Value Hygenic Corp. trains workers for multiple jobs for flexibility As human resources director at Hygenic Corp., an Akron-based synthetic rubber sheeting and tubing manufacturer, Carol Stahl knows she's lucky. "We've had almost no voluntary turnover in years," she says. "And most of our [production] employees have been here 10 to 15 years." Not having to fill vacancies and train new workers makes Stahl's job easier. She can concentrate on adding new jobs and keeping her current workers happy,... 2008 Manny Awards - Biggest Breakthrough
Think Thin Ventrure funds fuel Thin battery technologies Imagine standing along the edge of the Grand Canyon surrounded by breathtaking views and creating a talking postcard that could be delivered with your audible message attached. Or taking a cruise to Alaska and donning a bracelet that could track your entrance and exit off the ocean liner to make sure you won’t get left behind. Or applying a Band-Aid sized patch soaked in a drug that will deliver a prescribed and controlled amount of m... 2008 Manny Awards - New Job Creation
Mold Standard Acquisitions provide room for freeman's talent to grow. By acquiring its first international company in August 2007, Freeman Manufacturing & Supply Co. became the largest distributor of urethane and epoxy tooling material in both the United States and Canada. The acquisition of the distribution company based in St. Laurent, Quebec, bolstered the Avon company's already impressive growth in jobs and sales. "We've grown 50 percent in sales the last six years," says Matthew Turco, vice preside... 2008 Manny Awards - New Product Development/Innovation
Built to Last Keene Building Products sets itself up for long-term success by marketing pioneering products. James Keene hopes that his company's products put an end to neighbors stomping on their apartment floors and yelling, "Turn down that music!" Founded in 2002, Keene Building Products Inc. in Mayfield Heights manufactures products for noise and moisture control in construction projects such as multifamily apartments and condominiums. Its Quiet Qurl and Acoustical Assurance products stop noise from... 2008 Manny Awards - Top Growth
Champions of Change OM Group's sales soar thanks to a business transformation. In his letter to shareholders in OM Group's annual report, CEO Joseph Scaminace calls 2007 "a year of change." The Cleveland-based company sold its nickel business, completed two acquisitions, expanded a partnership with a manufacturer of nano metals and alloys, and instituted operational excellence initiatives. The moves paid off: 2007 sales reached $1.02 billion for OM Group, which develops, produces and markets specialty c... How To: Choose a Graduate Degree Program
In today’s competitive business world, career advancement often requires an advanced degree. Surprisingly, with thousands of degree programs available throughout the country, deciding which best meets your needs isn’t as daunting as it seems. Selecting between each college’s program often comes down to what you are hoping to accomplish with your degree, says Tom Clevidence, director of the MBA and executive MBA programs at Baldwin-Wallace College. Are you seeking a graduate degree to g... How To: Create the Right Corporate Culture
These are the scandals that sell newspapers: stories about Enron, New York Gov. Eliot Spitzer, and steroid use in baseball. That’s why today’s definition of what is ethical in the workplace is an “easy question that is tough to answer,” says Robert M. Torok, managing director of RSM McGladrey, an accounting, tax and business consulting firm. Defining and establishing a corporate culture that adheres to an appropriate ethical code affects all companies, large and small. Most compa... How To: Obtain Financing for Your Business
Northeast Ohio entrepreneurs are constantly conceiving new business ideas, but new opportunities often require financing to execute. The solution could be as close as your local bank branch, says Brian A. Fisher, senior vice president, business banking sales manager at FirstMerit Bank. “A good business banker, including those at FirstMerit, will talk through your ideas and introduce you to local accountants, attorneys and small-business development officers. We’ll direct you in areas like ma... How To: Plan an Outdoor Event
Once the snow finally thaws, Cleveland’s glorious spring and summer months give event planners good reason for suggesting outdoor events. Thoughts of sunshine, blue skies, birds chirping and flowers in bloom are enough to persuade even those enamored of air conditioning to consider the outdoors. Unfortunately, the pretty picture can just as quickly turn into disaster. Not wanting to put a damper on things, Rick Kish, production consultant/ sales for Hughie’s Audio-Visual & Staging, cautions ... How To: Save Money on Your Office Energy Bills
Save Money on Your Office Energy Bills:Concerned about skyrocketing energy costs? There are many ways to make your office more energy efficient and avoid falling into shock when your energy bills arrive each month. The easiest way to save money is to install energy-efficient lighting throughout the office, says Bernie Woller, director of facilities and special projects for Buckeye Power Inc., an electric cooperative. Lighting systems are responsible for about 35 percent of the electricity costs in a typ... Industry Insight
Great Lakes plants lag behind others throughout the country when it comes to efficiency, according to Grant Thornton's “2008 Great Lakes Manufacturing” report, which analyzes financial and operational information using benchmarking data from the IndustryWeek/ Manufacturing Performance Institute 2007 Census of Manufacturers. Nationally, 75 percent of designed plant capacity is in use, compared to just 70 percent among Great Lakes manufacturers, according to the second annual report. And while... |
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