Inside Business articles from December 2008

Inside Business archives from December 2008

Obama victory lesson for Cleveland.(ABSOLUTELY)(Barack Obama)
December 1, 2008... Barack Obama won the presidential election because he did what leaders have done throughout history: He took us to the promised land. Obama took us to the promised land while John McCain took us on a plane ride. When McCain got us in the...

A man with a plan? Urban planning has been on the federal back burner.(GOVERNMENT)(Interview)
December 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] More than 200 years ago, planning was a huge priority for the nascent U.S. Western lands had to be surveyed and bought. Parcels had to be sold. Settlements had to be established. Heck, even setting the new seat...

Shooing off Scrooge: a faltering economy has some companies rethinking what to give as holiday gifts.(CORPORATE GIFTS)
December 1, 2008... The economy has been naughty this year, no question about it. That has left some Northeast Ohio businesses looking for imaginative ways to connect with their clients come holiday gift-giving time, while still keeping an eye on the bottom line....

What's in a name (change)? Businesses, schools mess with their monikers.(BRANDING)
December 1, 2008... Let's hope Cleveland State University president Michael Schwartz has considered putting Prince (the artist formerly known as a symbol) on retainer. Schwartz recently announced the university would examine changing its name to the University of...

Pitch and wretch: a new online venture wants to help fix your PR delivery. (We stepped up to the plate.).(WEB)
December 1, 2008... Jim Kukral has always been astounded at just how many bad press releases he receives. The problems the Cleveland-based Web marketing consultant sees extend far beyond spelling, punctuation and grammatical errors. Some are downright unreadable....

Get to work! A presidential adviser offers his advice for taking on the big role.(LEADERSHIP)
December 1, 2008... Getting the job is the easy part. Sure, a president-elect deserves some executive-in-waiting downtime. But David Gergen, an adviser to the Nixon, Ford, Reagan and Clinton administrations, has some clear advice for President-elect Barack Obama...

Now what? The end of your job ins't the end of the world.(CAREERS)
December 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Welcome to the pink slip economy, where almost no job is sacred or secure. Layoffs were recently announced at Forest City. Thousands of National City employees in Northeast Ohio wait to learn their fate under...

Northern Ohio area Chambers of Commerce Bright Star Awards.(WORKING ROOM)
December 1, 2008... The Northern Ohio Chambers of Commerce held its first Bright Star Awards during the group's semiannual meeting on Oct. 30 at Pickwick and Frolic. The 37 winners, who were nominated by their fellow chamber members, received recognition for...

Beachwood Chamber Business-to-Business Expo.
December 1, 2008... On Oct. 6, business owners gathered at the Hilton Cleveland East/Beachwood for the Beachwood Chamber Business-to-Business Expo. More than 750 attendees sampled food and products from the more than 100 exhibitors as they networked and learned...

Lake Hospital Foundation's The Glitz 2008.
December 1, 2008... On Oct. 18, Lake Hospital Foundation hosted its annual fundraiser, The Glitz--Alia Buona Salute! (To Your Good Health!), at the Holiday Inn Express Hotel and Suites LaMalfa in Mentor. Guests participated in a silent auction that featured...

First Place Bank.(BANKING/FINANCE)
December 1, 2008... First Place Bank appointed Tatyana Hower to assistant vice president, private client services. Most recently, Hower served as the bank's regional marketing manager. Hower has a bachelor's degree in business administration from Baldwin-Wallace...

Ryan Beeler.(BANKING/FINANCE)
December 1, 2008... Ryan Beeler has joined Planned Financial Services as client service manager, where he will be responsible for implementing the advice from the advisory team to create a positive experience for clients. Beeler earned his degree in business...

Skylight Financial Group.(BANKING/FINANCE)
December 1, 2008... Beth Bowers was named recruiting coordinator for Skylight Financial Group, where she will identify, recruit and ultimately retain financial service professionals to join the Skylight team. Bowers most recently held management positions with...

Western Reserve Partners.(BANKING/FINANCE)(appointments of)(Brief article)
December 1, 2008... Kevin J. Mayer has joined Western Reserve Partners as a director. Previously, Mayer was a vice president in KeyBanc Capital Markets' mergers and acquisitions group. Mayer has a bachelor's degree in political science from Yale University and an...

Newry Corp.(BUSINESS SERVICES)(promotions of )(Brief article)
December 1, 2008... Newry Corp. has announced the promotion of Andrew Walleck to consultant 2. Walleck earned his bachelor's degree in international studies from Colby College and is currently pursuing coursework in finance and quantitative methods at the...

Swagelok Company.(COMMUNICATIONS/MARKETING)
December 1, 2008... Swagelok Company has appointed Patricia A. Carlson to director of corporate communications, a newly created position in the company. Prior to joining Swagelok in 2006, Carlson was vice president, public relations at Marcus Thomas LLC. Carlson...

Brian Rieger.(COMMUNICATIONS/MARKETING)(Brief article)
December 1, 2008... Brian Rieger recently launched True Impact Communications, a marketing and public relations agency. Previously, Rieger worked for October Research Corp. as vice president for its seminars and studies unit, a division he helped develop. Rieger...

Eliza Jennings Senior Care Network.(HEALTH CARE)
December 1, 2008... Gregory T. Storer was appointed vice president of operations and COO of Eliza Jennings Senior Care Network. Prior to joining Eliza Jennings, Storer was COO of University Hospitals Health System Heather Hill Hospital. Storer holds a bachelor's...

Benesch, Friedlander, Coplan & Aronoff.(LAW)
December 1, 2008... Benesch, Friedlander, Coplan & Aronoff announced the reappointment of Jeremy Gilman to co-chair of the professional liability subcommittee of the commercial and business litigation committee of the American Bar Association Section of Litigation...

From fossil to FOSS: there's still no such thing as a free lunch, but free software is another story.(E-INDUSTRY)(free and open source software)
December 1, 2008... "Pwrdwnsys *immed." Programmers will understand that line means to power down the system and end all active jobs immediately. In other words, That's All, Folks. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] It's not as recognizable as the phrase "mission...

Kids these days: considering the generational mix and habits of your employees can help build a company for the ages.(HUMAN RESOURCES)(Column)
December 1, 2008... "I see no hope for the future of our people if they are dependent on the frivolous youth of today, for certainly, all youth are reckless beyond words. When I was a boy, we were taught to be discrete and respectful of elders, but the present...

Taste of success: Fred Karm poured his love of lager and flair for bold flavor into hoppin' frog brewery. In just two years, it's grown by leaps and bounds.(Ohio Entrepreneur)
December 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Fred Karm first brewed beer at a friend's house on a muggy summer day in the early 1990s. Then an engineer at Telxon Corp. in Fairlawn, Karm wasn't impressed with the painstaking process. It was a lot of...

Rod map.(Directory)
December 1, 2008... Ohio Entrepreneur is a partnership of companies, universities and economic development organizations dedicated to providing access to the information and services entrepreneurs need to start or expand their businesses in Northeast Ohio. We...

Fill'er up! Using the corner gas station as a model, CEO Dirk Kettlewell has InkStop fueled for growth in the office-supply sector.(Company overview)
December 1, 2008... Dirk Kettlewell has never been afraid of movement. He is famous for his trapezelike mentality, fearlessly jumping from one job to another with no safety net or cushion. As a young married man with a newborn, he left a stable, full-time gig...

Honoring the region's fastest growing companies.(2008 WEATHERHEAD 100)(Cover story)
December 1, 2008... WE'RE IN GOOD COMPANY! COSE is proud to salute 75 member organizations that were recently honored at the 2008 Weatherhead 100 Awards Dinner, recognizing the fastest growing companies in Northeast Ohio. WEATHERHEAD 100 WINNNERS ...

The business ambassador: a serial entrepreneur, driven leader and committed community mentor, the Cleveland Group's A. Eddy Zai wants to inspire the next generation of minority immigrant business owners.(2008 WEATHERHEAD 100)
December 1, 2008... No. 1 The Cleveland Group LAUNCHED: 1998 LOCATION: BEDFORD HEIGHTS FOUNDER: A. EDDY ZAI SALES GROWTH PERCENTAGE 2003-2007: 8,026% One of the most important lessons A. Eddy Zai has learned in business is that anything can...

Standing ovation: turning technologies' products can turn a one-man show into an interactive event.(2008 WEATHERHEAD 100)(Mike Broderick)(Interview)
December 1, 2008... No. 2 Turning Technologies LAUNCHED: 2001 LOCATION: YOUNGSTOWN FOUNDERS: MIKE BRODERICK, MIKE CROSBY AND DON ARTHURS SALES GROWTH PERCENTAGE 2003 * 2007: 5,229% Mike Broderick founded Turning Technologies in October 2001...

Repeat, offender: David MacGregor's sophomore business venture has surpassed the goals of his first company and is on pace for record growth.(2008 WEATHERHEAD 100)(Longbow Research)(Company overview)
December 1, 2008... No. 3 Longbow Research LAUNCHED: 2003 LOCATION: INDEPENDENCE FOUNDER: DAVID MACGREGOR, CFA SALES GROWTH PERCENTAGE 2003 * 2007: 3,424% [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] When David MacGregor started his first company in 1996, he...

Smooth operations: Sagequest's GPS fleet tracking system makes it easier to manage a mobile work force.(2008 WEATHERHEAD 100)
December 1, 2008... No. 4 SageQuest LLC LAUNCHED: 2003 LOCATION: BEACHWOOD FOUNDERS: MARK AND GARY MINTZ SALES GROWTH PERCENTAGE 2003 * 2007: 1,469 An extensive network of satellites hurtling through the heavens beams 200-plus channels to...

Seizing the opportunity: everyone needs a good I.T. guy (or girl). Murtech is in the business of finding you the right one.(2008 WEATHERHEAD 100)(dialogue with Ailish Murphy and Brian Murphy)(information technology)(Interview)
December 1, 2008... No. 5 MurTech Consulting LAUNCHED: 2000 LOCATION: INDEPENDENCE FOUNDER: AILISH MURPHY SALES GROWTH PERCENTAGE 2003 * 2007: 1,351% Ailish Murphy founded MurTech in 2000 because she saw a much-needed market for IT...

Giving back: Life Equity turns unwanted life insurance policies into available funds for clients.(2008 WEATHERHEAD 100)
December 1, 2008... No. 6 Life Equity LLC LAUNCHED: 2000 LOCATION: HUDSON FOUNDERS: WAYNE MOSLEY AND BRIAN SMITH SALES GROWTH PERCENTAGE 2003 * 2007: 1,241% [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] If you're 65 and you no longer need to cling to a life...

Creating a niche: exential aims to be the small, specialized fish in a big I.T. industry pond.(2008 WEATHERHEAD 100)(Exential LLC)(information technology)(Interview)
December 1, 2008... No. 7 Exential LLC LAUNCHED: 2001 LOCATION: BRECKSVILLE FOUNDERS: GREG MUFFLER, CEO; JEFF MONTEFORTE, PRESIDENT SALES GROWTH PERCENTAGE 2003 * 2007: 1,226% Greg Muffler and Jeff Monteforte met while working together at a...

Military strength: military products group's hardware keeps U.S. soldiers and cargo safe.(2008 WEATHERHEAD 100)(Interview)
December 1, 2008... No. 8 Military Products Group LAUNCHED: 2001 LOCATION: NORTH RIDGEVILLE FOUNDER: BUD LEINENGER SALES GROWTH PERCENTAGE 2003 * 2007: 933% Bud Leinenger likes to capitalize on his strengths. In 2001, he was president and...

Design and conquer: after leaving the comfort of a large firm, two seasoned architects set out to create a firm that's different ... by design.(2008 WEATHERHEAD 100)
December 1, 2008... No. 9 Perspectus Architecture LAUNCHED: 2001 LOCATION: CLEVELAND FOUNDERS: BILL AYARS, AIA, NCARB, ACHA, AND LARRY FISCHER, AIA, NCARB, ACHA SALES GROWTH PERCENTAGE 2003 * 2007: 895% [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] When...

Good on paper: luscious Verde pushes the envelope with elaborate invitations and greeting cards.(2008 WEATHERHEAD 100)
December 1, 2008... No. 10 Luscious Verde LAUNCHED: 2002 LOCATION: BEACHWOOD FOUNDERS: CHRIS-ANNA GOLDSTONE STERLING AND WENDY SCHKOLNICK SOLGANIK GROWTH PERCENTAGE 2003 * 2007: 879% On any given day, you'll find some of the biggest names in...

Common threads: Amy Hammond wove her experience and determination into her own textiles company.(SUCCESS STORY SPOTLIGHT)
December 1, 2008... MMI Textiles LAUNCHED: 1997 LOCATION: ROCKY RIVER FOUNDER: AMY HAMMOND GROWTH PERCENTAGE 2003 * 2007: 1,762% Amy Hammond's life has always been wrapped up in fabrics. As a child, she worked for her father and...

Sophomore hit: Samuel Keller's second Weatherhead success models web development after the automotive industry.(SUCCESS STORY SPOTLIGHT)(Oxcyon Inc.)(Company overview)
December 1, 2008... Oxcyon Inc. LAUNCHED: 2001 LOCATION: MIDDLEBURG HEIGHTS FOUNDER: SAMUEL KELLER GROWTH PERCENTAGE 2003-2007: 356% Founding a company with no capital and recording millions in sales within seven years is impressive. Doing...

The Weatherhead 100.(2008 WEATHERHEAD 100)(Company overview)
December 1, 2008... The Weatherhead 100 The Weatherhead 100 identifies the 100 top-growth companies in Northeast Ohio based on sales from 2003 through 2007. Companies on this list must have had sales of more than $100,000 in 2003 and more than $1 million...

Upstarts.(2008 WEATHERHEAD 100)(Statistical table)
December 1, 2008... Upstarts Companies on this list had the percentage sales growth to qualify for the Weatherhead 100, employ 15 or fewer employees and/or had less than $1 million in net sales for 2007. NAME WEB...

Centurians.(2008 WEATHERHEAD 100)(Statistical table)
December 1, 2008... Centurians Companies on this list had 100 percent or more in sales growth from 2003 through 2007 and had a net sales of $100 million or more in 2007. NAME WEB SITE 1 The Federal Metal...

Bar graphs: these Northeast Ohio attorneys are taking their profession to new heights.(LEADING LAWYERS)
December 1, 2008... The attorneys listed in the following pages for the 2009 Leading Lawyers were nominated by colleagues, either by mail or online, and selected by a jury of peers. Those chosen as Leading Lawyers must have received at least one nomination from...

Alphabetical listing.(LEADING LAWYERS)
December 1, 2008... KEITH ASHMUS FIRM: Frantz Ward PRACTICE: Labor and Employment STEVE L. AUVIL FIRM: Benesch, Friedlander, Coplan & Aronoff PRACTICE: Intellectual Property BRETT BACON FIRM: Frantz Ward PRACTICE: Business...

List by practice.(LEADING LAWYERS)(Table)
December 1, 2008... LIST BY PRACTICE ADMIRALTY HENRY E. BILLINGSLEY II Tucker, Ellis & West ANTITRUST DARRELL A. CLAY Walter & Haverfeld WAYNE C. DABB JR. Baker & Hostetler THOMAS DEMITRACK Jones Day...

Leading lawyers 2009.
December 1, 2008... KEITH ASHMUS Frantz Ward LLP 2500 Key Center 127 Public Square Cleveland, OH 44114 (216) 515-1660 kashmus@frantzward.com [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Ashmus is one of Ohio's leading employer-side labor lawyers....

Jeff Brummel, 29.(ONE 2 WATCH: Natural Builder)(Interview)
December 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] "EFFICIENT DESIGN IS IMPORTANT NOW AND FOR FUTURE GENERATIONS TO MAINTAIN OR BETTER THE QUALITY OF OUR WORLD." HOW DID YOU BECOME INTERESTED IN SUSTAINABLE DESIGN? We're in an energy crisis, and the cost of...