Crain's Cleveland Business articles from November 2008

Crain's Cleveland Business archives from November 2008

Despite public airing of struggles, Rego's confident in future.(Rego's grocery stores)
November 3, 2008... Byline: JOHN BOOTH Locally owned Rego's grocery stores may bear visible bruises of the tough economy, but there's still a determined optimism within the family ownership. "We're not going out of business,'' said Jim Rego, part-owner...

Choice Bits.(frontman David Byrne )(IBM user group)
November 3, 2008... In Cleveland, David Byrne sees a road to nowhere Former Talking Heads frontman David Byrne came to town last month to play a show at the Allen Theatre in Playhouse Square. He left with a sad story to tell. In an item on his blog,...

Veteran developer lends expertise to growing self-storage concern.
November 3, 2008... Byline: STAN BULLARD Victor Cohn is 75, but his age is no impediment to undertaking new ventures. The longtime Beachwood-based office building developer and owner has even entered a new realty-related industry, the self-storage...

Nat City employees gloomily await fate.
November 3, 2008... Byline: ARIELLE KASS The mood at National City Corp., employees say, is glum. Somber. Morose. But despite the uncertainty workers have felt since the Oct. 24 announcement of the bank's planned sale to Pittsburgh's PNC Financial...

What's New.(Spectrum Infrared introduces Die and forge heaters)(Brief article)
November 3, 2008... COMPANY: Spectrum Infrared, Eastlake PRODUCT: Die and forge heaters The company, a division of ADS Inc., offers custom control systems for all die and forge heater uses. Spectrum says a "percentage'' input timer is used to control the...

Once-robust Rysar facing a "nightmare'.(CEO of Rysar Properties forecasts companys growth)
November 3, 2008... Byline: STAN BULLARD Mounting legal woes, shrunken payroll lead builder back to home rehab Facing a fresh, $2.7 million foreclosure filing over his mostly empty, 91-home subdivision at the old Miles Drive-In site in Warrensville...

Going Places.(Michael J. Serdinak joins as project planner in CBLH Dsign)(Sue N. Averill joins as associate in Kent State University)(Tatyana Hower joins as assistant in First Place Bank)
November 3, 2008... Job Changes architecture CBLH DESIGN: Michael J. Serdinak to project planner; John P. Rach to project designer. HSB ARCHITECTS+ENGINEERS: Susann Geithner to project manager; Ben Gingrich to designer; George Gatta to project...

Rough road ahead.
November 3, 2008... Byline: DAN SHINGLER The battered U.S. auto industry finds itself on its roughest road ever. And, like it or not, all of Northeast Ohio is along for the bone-rattling ride, as a critical economic sector the region's automotive supply...

Opinion.(Viewpoint essay)
November 3, 2008... Issue 6: No Even if you love to gamble, Ohio's constitution should not be used to allow a single casino operator to create the only game in town or, in this case, the state. But that's precisely what passage of Issue 6 would do. We...

Andrettis leave auto business in the dust; Vermilion dealership sold back to Chrysler.
November 3, 2008... Byline: JOHN BOOTH With the closing of their Chrysler dealership in Vermilion, Mario and Michael Andretti have put the car-selling business in their taillights. The father-and-son duo of auto racing fame bought the Andretti...

Agilysys symbolic of IT industry's struggles.
November 3, 2008... Byline: CHUCK SODER Tech trend: Companies' customers delaying many nonessential purchases, upgrades Agilysys Inc. might not be making excuses when the information technology company cites the struggling economy as an explanation for...

Restored storefronts bring communities to life.(Community development)(Brief article)
November 3, 2008... Byline: HARRIET TRAMER Many of those who work to redevelop commercial strips share one belief renovated storefronts help to make an entire community marketable and appealing. So it's not surprising there are a number of Northeast Ohio...

FINDING A BALANCE; In planning lakefront's future, communities must consider development, access and environmental concerns.
November 3, 2008... Byline: BRAD DICKEN There's only so much lakefront property in Northeast Ohio and for those plotting the future of the region, finding the proper balance between priorities is just one of the challenges to managing growth along the area's...

For the Record.
November 3, 2008... HEARINGS SLATED ON PNC-NAT CITY DEAL U.S. Rep. Steven C. LaTourette said the House Committee on Financial Services will hold hearings Nov. 12 and Nov. 18 into what he characterized as "the potential misuse of bailout funds, including the...

CWRU economics prof: Financing incubators provides little stimulus; Future Fund better off recruiting qualified entrepreneurs, he says.
November 3, 2008... Byline: CHUCK SODER One might not guess that Scott Shane teaches entrepreneurship, judging by his study that suggests the Fund for Our Economic Future should not finance business incubators and entrepreneurship education programs because...

A. Schulman praised for reaction to market swing; CEO plans emphasis on healthy packaging sector.
November 3, 2008... Byline: DAN SHINGLER A. Schulman Inc. CEO Joseph Gingo has his work cut out for him, including the less-than-pleasant task of downsizing the business in reaction to slumping auto sales. But analysts who follow the Akron-based company are...

CWRU-based fuel cell developer loses momentum, files for Chap. 11; HydroGen had deal with Samsung, among others.
November 3, 2008... Byline: CHUCK SODER A Cleveland fuel cell company has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection from creditors because of its inability to find money to continue developing its technology. The nine remaining employees of HydroGen...

The Week.(KeyCorp plans to invest in Capital Purchase Program,)(Canadian call center company plan for changing location)
November 3, 2008... The big story: The latest attempt to restore life to Cleveland's Flats entertainment district is on hold, and it might be on the shelf for a good while to come thanks to the credit crunch. The developers of the massive, $522 million Flats East...

Hitting the finish line, and glad of it.(Presidential elections)
November 3, 2008... So, we're finally at the conclusion of what may have been the longest presidential election in American history, and I can't wait for the end of the incessant campaign ads. This week, we will have a president-elect and the ticket we choose will...

NEED FOR SPEED.
November 3, 2008... Byline: DAN SHINGLER Rapid enrollment rise allows Ohio Technical College to feed growing demand for its trained technicians hio Technical College is running on all cylinders these days. The school teaches students how to repair...

Retailers' post-holiday exits early this year; Industry watchers cite glut of space likely available early in '09.
November 10, 2008... Byline: STAN BULLARD For some retailers, call it a rush for the exits. That is how Keith Hamulak, a specialist in retail leasing at the Cleveland office of broker CB Richard Ellis, sees the unusual phenomenon of a herd of retailers...

Ohio welcomes you back; Natives take lives in new direction by culling experience out of state, then return home and apply skills to business ventures.(Randy Solganik)
November 10, 2008... Byline: SHARON SCHNALL California beckoned to Randy Solganik, a Shaker Heights native and Princeton University chemistry graduate. First, in 1987, he was a movie extra, briefly nurturing another talent, acting. Next, he worked for...

Whoa!
November 10, 2008... One of the first and most important questions President-elect Barack Obama will need to address is just how much the federal government should inject itself in the process of determining winners and losers in the financial marketplace. We hope...

Going Places.
November 10, 2008... Job Changes financial service BOBER, MARKEY, FEDOROVICH & CO.: Michelle DeGordon, Leif Erickson and Tara Shulas to senior managers; Steve Swann to manager; Joanna Hoiles to supervisor; Andrew Allman, Chad Basquin and Nichole Prater...

Amid glum holiday retail forecast, seasonal tenants still renting.
November 10, 2008... Byline: JOHN BOOTH Some area shopping centers adapt terms, but most still reporting strong demand for space The retail trade may be taking its punches this year, but at Northeast Ohio shopping centers, the down economy doesn't seem to...

Proenza plan aims to enhance Akron U.'s visibility; University president details strategic plan to power educational reputation.
November 10, 2008... Byline: SHANNON MORTLAND After completing more than $500 million in construction projects to transform the University of Akron campus, Luis Proenza now wants to spend the next decade turning the school into a research powerhouse. UA's...

Short Takes.(World Truck Towing & Recovery Inc.opened a new corporate office)(Women's accessory retailer Faye Kornfeld opens new store)(Brief article)
November 10, 2008... KEEP ON TRUCKIN': World Truck Towing & Recovery Inc. of Medina County has opened a new corporate office at 4970 Park Ave. West, Seville. The facility includes a heavy-duty truck and trailer parts department, along with chrome and stainless...

FOUNDATIONS' FUNDS FALLING; As economy's ill winds dramatically shrink endowments, nonprofit leaders fear further grant declines, greater competition.(portfolio management of nonprofit organizations)
November 10, 2008... Byline: SHANNON MORTLAND As the financial markets continue on their roller-coaster ride, local foundations are mourning significant declines in their assets and are warning of a more competitive market for grants in the coming years. ...

Art museum expansion opens up new doors; Renovation boosts market position.
November 10, 2008... Byline: SHANNON MORTLAND Heidi Strean expects the Cleveland Museum of Art finally to be able to run with the big dogs of the art museum world. The museum has opened the first of its new space in the first floor of the east wing. With...

Amid building crunch, West End Lumber moving iconic yard to larger operation.
November 10, 2008... Byline: STAN BULLARD The end is near for West End Lumber's location at Lorain Avenue and West 73rd Street in Cleveland, a landmark since 1896, when the lumberyard took its name from the end of a streetcar line. Owners of the company...

Grand Openings.
November 10, 2008... Pandora store 26300 Cedar Road Beachwood 44122 www.pandora-jewelry.com The Pandora store at Beachwood Place, located on the second floor of the Saks Fifth Avenue wing, is the first Pandora Concept retail store in Ohio. Owners...

Reporters' Notebook.(Kent State University provides online CARE for Stroke Program)(University of Akron is partnering with Henan University launch the Confucius Institute)
November 10, 2008... Check it out Cleveland is check-processing winner Cleveland will be the lone destination for paper checks that go through the Federal Reserve Bank under a program to eliminate more check-processing operations. Declining check volumes...

YOUNG OR OLD, IT HURTS; Economic crisis impacts generations differently.
November 10, 2008... Byline: ARIELLE KASS It's only been a few months since Corrine Bell and Cheryl Ober entered retirement. Maybe not the best timing or the best of times. Ms. Bell and Ms. Ober are watching their savings drop, contemplating their...

National econ group honors CWRU lecturer.
November 10, 2008... Byline: ARIELLE KASS Case Western Reserve University lecturer Jack Kleinhenz joins a list of notable economists honored for their work in business economics. Dr. Kleinhenz, 56, was named a fellow of the National Association for...

130 Ceva jobs lost as Ford contract ends.
November 10, 2008... Byline: DAN SHINGLER Ceva Logistics is closing its warehouse operations in Elyria and Avon Lake that serve Ford Motor Co.'s Avon Lake plant. The decision will result in the loss of 130 jobs at the end of the year. Julie Palus, Ceva's...

Nat City transition begins sans Raskind.
November 10, 2008... Byline: ARIELLE KASS CEO could have been advocate in PNC merger; nonetheless, deal quietly proceeds Fitting National City Corp. into Pittsburgh's PNC Financial Services Group Inc. won't be a quick process. But just more than a week...

The Week.(Allstate Insurance Co. is closing its Hudson Claims Service Center)(Forest City Enterprises Inc. plans for layoff )(Cuyahoga County Board of Elections )
November 10, 2008... The big story: The Cuyahoga County Board of Elections started to shake off its reputation as the gang that can't count straight as the Nov. 4 election took place without major problems, thanks in part by a great deal of early voting. Heavy...

State's fund losses cause little worry.
November 10, 2008... Byline: JAY MILLER With no rush for the door by public employees, pension assets can wait for market to recover Like every person and organization with money in the financial markets, Ohio's five public employee pension funds have seen...

For the Record.(Arteriocyte Inc awarded finance from Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency)(Cleveland Clinic acquired national Speaking of Women's Health Foundation)(WXZ Development Co. moves its office)(Brief article)
November 10, 2008... ARTERIOCYTE RECEIVES DEFENSE AGENCY DOLLARS Arteriocyte Inc. of Cleveland, a creator of medical products, has been awarded nearly $2 million from the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency to develop further a system aimed at mass...

More software developers moving to agile practices.(Agile software development)
November 10, 2008... Byline: CHUCK SODER The rising popularity of so-called agile software development practices has helped Jeff Morgan finally shed the stereotype that he's a long-haired hippie. An increasing number of companies in Northeast Ohio and...

New president, but old issues remain.(Viewpoint essay)
November 10, 2008... This is an election season that few people will soon forget, and it won't be just because of the historic election of this country's first African-American president. As President-elect Barack Obama begins to assemble a transition team with an...

Milestones.
November 10, 2008... THE FIRM: Brown and Miller Advertising, Beachwood THE OCCASION: Its 60th anniversary On Nov. 3, 1948, high school and college friends Irv Brown and Len Axelband opened an ad agency on East 65th Street and Euclid Avenue in Cleveland....

PNC may net billions in tax benefits.
November 10, 2008... Byline: MATTHEW SCOTT PNC Financial Services Group Inc. stands to get a huge helping hand from the tax man in its planned acquisition of National City Corp., thanks to the continued relaxation of tax rules by the U.S. Treasury and the...

Parker nearly meets additional revenue goal with six newcomers.
November 10, 2008... Byline: DAN SHINGLER Spending spree nets industrial heavyweight $496 million, or 4.1% increase, in total sales The world is on sale and, with an economic winter looming, Parker Hannifin is stocking up. In the five weeks since Oct....

Manufacturer fears intensify; Uncertain future creates chilling effect on expansion and investment plans.
November 10, 2008... Byline: DAN SHINGLER The nation's manufacturing sector is experiencing its worst slump in a quarter century, and the specter of an even more severe downturn is scary enough that it's causing many local manufacturers to curtail plans for...

COMING NEXT WEEK.
November 10, 2008... We've again gathered 40 of Northeast Ohio's most influential people under the age of 40, turning the spotlight on their contributions that make the region shine. Study up on their accomplishments and goals for Northeast Ohio in our annual...

UNMISTAKEABLE TRENDS.(Economic forecasting)(Brief article)
November 10, 2008... You probably don't need any statistics to know that Ohio's economy is struggling mightily. But the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services crunches numbers every month, and the department's Leading Indicators data for September aren't...

Chad Schron.
November 17, 2008... Byline: Dan Shingler If Chad Schron didn't know a thing or two about manufacturing, there would almost have to be something wrong with him. But hardly anyone expected him to teach the rest of the world about it, which is exactly what he's...

Scott Kokones.(Intelect Medical Inc. )
November 17, 2008... Byline: Chuck Soder Scott Kokones never attended business school. Unless you count his time at Cleveland-based Intelect Medical Inc. As vice president of research and development at the medical therapies startup, the former mechanical...

S-W shifts ad account away from Wyse.
November 17, 2008... Sherwin-Williams Co. has put Durham, N.C.-based agency McKinney in charge of advertising for its paint stores group, moving the account from Cleveland agency Wyse. Terms of the deal and potential billings were not disclosed. "Wyse...

Bethany Friedlander.
November 17, 2008... Byline: Stan Bullard When Bethany Friedlander joined her husband, Brad Friedlander, at his home in Pepper Pike, the move was such a change for the urban advocate who had lived near Shaker Square for eight years that friends gave her a tape...

REPORTERS' NOTEBOOK.(Cleveland State University received funding from Wal-Mart Foundation)(National Association of College Stores Inc's partnership with Digital College Network )
November 17, 2008... The tie that binds Mike White and Barack Obama Political consultant David Axelrod, whose work has extended to Cleveland, is getting a large measure of credit for the impressive 53% to 45% victory of President-elect Barack Obama. In its...

Chris Palange.(Andrews Moving and Storage Co.)(Occupation overview)
November 17, 2008... Byline: Dan Shingler It takes talent to sign on as a summer intern and end up running the company in 10 years especially when the president who hired you is gone two months after you start. Chris Palange has that kind of talent. Mr....

David Woodburn.(Buckingham Doolittle and Burroughs L.L.P.)(Occupation overview)
November 17, 2008... Byline: Jay Miller David Woodburn gets to his desk at Akron's Buckingham Doolittle & Burroughs law firm from his home in Copley most mornings before sunrise. "I get to the office by 5:45 in the morning so I can get out by 6 o'clock to...

David D. Dunstan.(Western Reserve Partners)
November 17, 2008... Byline: Arielle Kass David Dunstan's third child was a month old when he quit his job. He was at KeyBanc Capital Markets, and was pretty successful. But he was excited about the chance to try something new. "I felt great about the...

Young Jacobs adds to gaming interests, elected to top MTR board spot; Nautica owner now Mountaineer parent's largest stockholder.
November 17, 2008... Byline: STAN BULLARD The far-flung gambling interests of developer Jeffrey Jacobs recently took a big step closer to home as groups he controls became the largest single stockholder in MTR Gaming Group Inc. of Chester, W. Va. Mr....

Matthew Davis.(SecureState LLC)
November 17, 2008... Byline: Chuck Soder Matthew Davis is a tech geek and a businessman, a philosopher and a handyman, and he possesses a vault of knowledge, both useful and trivial. That strange dichotomy, however, is part of what makes him a good fit...

Maciej Zawadzki.
November 17, 2008... Byline: Chuck Soder Maciej Zawadzki is all about finding someone else to do his work for him, but don't go calling him lazy. After all, that's how Mr. Zawadzki transformed Urbancode Inc. from a three-person custom software shop into a...

Kyle McChesney.(sales executive at OEConnection)(Brief article)
November 17, 2008... Byline: Dan Shingler Kyle McChesney figured out in college that a career in sales likely would reward his hard work more than any other field. So far, so good. "What I realized in college is that I was a hard worker it's cliche, but it...

FDA scrutiny could derail Athersys drug; Weight-loss product subject of `non-clinical' concerns; analysts' reactions to news vary.
November 17, 2008... Byline: CHUCK SODER The weight-loss drug that biotech company Athersys Inc. thought would be its first commercial product could be in danger of never reaching the market at all. Cleveland-based Athersys announced last week that...

Pam C. Schuellerman.
November 17, 2008... Byline: John Booth Pam Schuellerman really didn't expect to land her job as executive director of what was then a three-county chapter of the Alzheimer's Association. After all, she was just 25 years old and, she confesses, kept needing to...

FOR THE RECORD.
November 17, 2008... U.S. IN RECESSION, SAYS FED'S PIANALTO * The United States is in a recession, Federal Reserve Bank of Cleveland president Sandra Pianalto said last Friday, even though an official call has not yet been made. "At the moment, the signs...

Natalie Ronayne.(Cleveland Botanical Garden)
November 17, 2008... Byline: Joel Hammond From the time she could order her own salad all fresh ingredients, please at the local restaurant, Natalie Ronayne has understood the importance of the environment and plant life to all walks of life. It...

Med equipment outfit adds presence in W. Va., SE Ohio.(Medical Service Co acquires Pioneer Home Medical of Marietta)(Brief article)
November 17, 2008... Byline: SHANNON MORTLAND Medical Service Co. of Oakwood Village has bought Pioneer Home Medical of Marietta and plans to keep growing its business as a home medical equipment provider. This is the third acquisition in 18 months for...

Tia Ramlow.
November 17, 2008... Byline: Kathy Ames Carr Tia Ramlow began her career at Great Work Employment Services with the intention of temporarily working as an account representative for the family-owned business. That was 1994. It is 2008, and she has been...

Repairing Big Three a complex issue.
November 17, 2008... What was your first thought when you heard that the Big Three American automakers were asking for part of the cash from the government financial bailout program? I'm sure it depended on many factors, and that proves how this issue isn't...

THE WEEK; NOVEMBER 10 - 16.
November 17, 2008... The big story: PNC Financial Services Group Inc., the Pittsburgh company that's buying National City Corp., said it will commit $28 million in charitable donations and community sponsorships to National City communities in 2009 $5 million...

ONE BIG PRODUCTION; Manufacturers take cue from Jay Leno, use tube to reach students.
November 17, 2008... Byline: DAN SHINGLER With a little help from Jay Leno, Northeast Ohio manufacturers are reaching out to local high school students in the hope of convincing at least some of them that the area's plants and factories still offer a future...

Thomas R. Wirbel.
November 17, 2008... Byline: Dan Shingler Plenty of top-notch sales people focus much of their time on closing deals. Some even specialize in it. Tom Wirbel focuses on the other end of the process. He prospects like it's California in 1849. "My...

AHEAD OF THE FIELD; Thompson Hine subsidiary makes name for itself by working out complex details of publicly financed stadiums.
November 17, 2008... Byline: JAY MILLER Attorney Jeffrey Appelbaum roots for Cleveland's pro sports teams. But that hasn't stopped him from spending a large part of his working life improving the lot of more than a dozen competing franchises. Mr....

UA, LCCC tech collaboration under way.
November 17, 2008... Byline: CHUCK SODER No longer are transfers of college credits the main form of collaboration between the University of Akron and Lorain County Community College. The two institutions have initiated several projects to improve...

Buzz Tabone.
November 17, 2008... Byline: Dan Shingler Buzz Tabone's given name is Angelo, but almost no one knows that, he says. Plenty of folks, however, know the name of his company, Zoresco Equipment Co. of Cleveland. The company outfits and maintains work trucks...

Columbus Woodruff.(Hotcards.com)(Occupation overview)
November 17, 2008... Byline: Joel Hammond Columbus Woodruff was one of the lucky ones: He struck it rich in Las Vegas. Not at the slots or roulette wheel, mind you, but rather with an idea: Mr. Woodruff, a small concert promoter visiting Sin City to see...

Lee Ponsky.(Oncologist)(Occupation overview)
November 17, 2008... Byline: Shannon Mortland Dr. Lee Ponsky claims he wasn't always as driven as he is today. As a child, he plugged along through school and "wasn't really a superstar in anything'' in high school. However, he always knew he'd be a...

DATA CENTER.
November 17, 2008... ANNIVERSARIES Micro Clean Services, which cleans critically controlled environments, is celebrating its 20th anniversary. The company has two locations, in Richmond Heights and Mayfield Heights. MOVES OneCommunity, an information...

Cipriano Beredo.(Squire, Sanders and Dempsey L.L.P.)
November 17, 2008... Byline: Jay Miller Cip Beredo has a LeBron James story. But it's not a basketball story. It's a lawyer-out-of-his-element story, and he told it only after he was asked about his contacts with the basketball star. Mr. Beredo is a...

Quincy L. Miller.(Brief article)
November 17, 2008... Byline: Arielle Kass Quincy Miller trains dogs. But Mr. Miller makes it clear that none of the tricks he has learned from instructing Jazzy, a bull mastiff puppy, or the black labs he trained for agility in the past, have influenced how...

Nat City surprises analysts with deal; Bank seemed stable before sale.
November 17, 2008... Byline: ARIELLE KASS The people outside the bank who were closest to what was happening at National City Corp. the securities analysts who follow the company were fooled. And many of them are none too happy about it. Just days...

Susan E. Petersen.
November 17, 2008... Byline: Jay Miller Susan Petersen rejects the notion that personal injury lawyers are ambulance chasers responsible for needlessly raising the cost of car insurance and frightening physicians out of the profession with frivolous medical...

Sarah Wilson-Jones.
November 17, 2008... Byline: Kathy Ames Carr The coffee industry would seem saturated, but Sarah Wilson-Jones says Cleveland-based Phoenix Coffee Co. has captured its market share by cultivating the local coffee culture. It's a concept that stems from her...

Alan Jaffa.(Safeguard Properties)
November 17, 2008... Byline: Jay Miller Alan Jaffa, chief operating officer of Safeguard Properties, is in the delinquent mortgage field service business. That's a fancy way of saying the company cleans up a home after the mortgage has gone delinquent, the...

Nestle ready to serve its new Solon product development center; 67,000-square-foot site will bring together under one roof company's innovation teams.
November 17, 2008... Byline: JOHN BOOTH After two years, that little red "done'' button has popped up on Nestle's new Customer Innovation Campus in Solon. The 67,000-square-foot building, a first for the Nestle Professional foodservice division, is set to...

Todd Federman.
November 17, 2008... Byline: Chuck Soder Todd Federman may not get as muddy as "Dirty Jobs'' star Mike Rowe, but he knows a thing or two about rolling up his sleeves. As executive director of North Coast Angel Fund, Mr. Federman gets to plunge headfirst...

John Cavanaugh.
November 17, 2008... Byline: John Booth Looking at his career and path through life, John Cavanaugh said he has often asked himself, "What's the most challenging path I can take?'' "And then I've done that,'' the vice president of Goodyear's North...