Inside Business articles from February 2008

Inside Business archives from February 2008

I've got it.(Letters)(Letter to the editor)
February 1, 2008... I have an idea as to how to spend the $70 million that might be saved on regional planning, as requested in your December column, "The Willy Sutton Syndrome." Certainly, one of our long-standing complaints is the disgraceful condition of...

Positively Pittsburgh.(ABSOLUTELY)(Personal account)
February 1, 2008... Wasn't it Anita Bryant who appeared on TV and told us that a day without orange juice was like a day without sunshine? I never bought her pitch. I could drink a gallon a day and it wouldn't satisfy my craving for sunshine in January, February...

Put your hands together.(IBmag.com: the Web)
February 1, 2008... Now that the nominations are in, it s time to celebrate! Inside Business' 2008 NEO Success Awards will be held on Tuesday, March 11. Honoring the top performers in Northeast Ohio for more than 10 years, the awards commemorate companies that...

IB Blog Center.(IBmag.com: the Web)
February 1, 2008... Opinions and observations continue to fly at IB's Blog Center. In January, our editors analyzed the Ohio Civil Rights Commission's decision to fight for the rights of working new mothers and also looked at a normal working guy's approach to...

On the Web.(IBmag.com: the Web)
February 1, 2008... IBmag.com features original Web content and follow-up material to our magazine features, giving you a behind-the-scenes look at the stories and people changing business in Northeast Ohio. Log on today and get an in-depth look at the court cases...

Rolling the dice: Beachwood duo pair up to cash in on casino resort in Southwest Ohio.(GAMBLING)
February 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] They tried it in 1996, but it was too early. Twelve years later, Rick Lertzman and Dr. Bradford Pressman are confident about their chances to cash in on a $600 million casino resort project in rural Southwest Ohio....

Speed of the Web: Times columnist and Cleveland native David Pogue warns of blogging inaccuracy.(MEDIA)
February 1, 2008... It was half technology speech, half Broadway show as David Pogue appeared at the City Club of Cleveland. Pogue is the Personal Technology columnist for The New York Times and son of Cleveland powerhouse attorney Richard Pogue, who introduced...

Shopping the world: American companies need to understand foreign markets before expansion.(GLOBAL COMMERCE)(Developers Diversified Realty Corp's Richard Brown )(Interview)
February 1, 2008... As Developers Diversified's executive vice president of international, Richard Brown has overseen the Beachwood-based shopping-center developer's recent forays into foreign markets such as Canada, Brazil and Russia. In this excerpted interview...

Sedona on the Black River: plans unveiled for a $500 million residential development in South Amherst Quarries.(DEVELOPMENT)
February 1, 2008... The first time it was suggested to Stuart Lichter that he redevelop the property containing the former Cleveland Quarries in South Amherst, he was, let's say, unmoved. "What the hell would I need with a quarry property?" Lichter, president...

Street beets: Akron has a new recipe for deicing roadways.(DRIVING)
February 1, 2008... The vegetable you hated as a kid may keep your car from sliding off icy roads this winter. Akron is experimenting with a de-sugared beet solution to deice roadways. According to Akron Public Works Bureau Manager Paul Barnett, when beet...

Finding good in bad times: Weatherhead School founder pens instructive memoir on hardship.(BOOKS)(Albert Weatherhead's The Power of Adversity: Tough Times Can Make You Stronger, Wiser, and Better)(Brief article)
February 1, 2008... Albert Weatherhead was kicked out of the family business and struggled through the death of an infant son, two failed marriages and a lifelong battle with alcoholism. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] He suffered from crippling rheumatoid...

Dream team: McDonald Hopkins' new white-collar crime division boasts the nation's top talent.(LAW)
February 1, 2008... With a sub-prime mortgage lending crisis in full swing, Martha Stewart fresh from the slammer and Enron a not-so-distant memory, you might start to think we're in the middle of the white-collar crime era. Cleveland-based law firm McDonald...

Plante & Moran.(ACCOUNTING)
February 1, 2008... Plante & Moran named Christopher Wagner as vice president. Most recently, he served in the corporate finance division at KPMG in Atlanta. Wagner holds an MBA from the University of Texas at Austin, and is a licensed securities representative....

Greenleaf Investment Management & Counsel.(BANKING & FINANCE)
February 1, 2008... Greenleaf Investment Management & Counsel named Richard Alt as vice president of portfolio management. Alt holds a bachelor's degree in finance at the University of Dayton. Before joining Greenleaf, he worked for several large investment firms,...

County Commissioners' Association of Ohio (CCAO).(GOVERNMENT)
February 1, 2008... Lake County Commissioner Daniel Troy was elected to serve as president of the County Commissioners' Association of Ohio (CCAO). Since his election as Lake County Commissioner in 1999, Troy has served as a vice president of CCAO, on the CCAO...

McDonald Hopkins.(LAW)(appointment of Douglas V. Bartman )(Brief article)
February 1, 2008... McDonald Hopkins named Douglas V. Bartman as a member (partner) in the firm's Litigation Department. Most recently, Bartman was partner in the Labor & Employment Group at Kahn Kleinman LPA. He holds a bachelor's degree from the University of...

Ulmer & Berne LLP.(LAW)
February 1, 2008... Ulmer & Berne LLP elected John J. Haggerty, chair of the firm's Business Litigation Group, to its five-member management committee, which is responsible for the overall guidance and fiscal responsibility of the firm. Haggerty joined the firm in...

OMCO.(MANUFACTURING)
February 1, 2008... OMCO promoted Gary M. Schuster to chief executive officer and president. Most recently, he served as president and chief operating officer. Prior to joining OMCO in 2006, Schuster held executive positions with Regal-Beloit Corp. as group...

TCP Inc.(MANUFACTURING)
February 1, 2008... TCP Inc. promoted Joe Colant to the newly created position of president. Most recently, he served as vice president of sales and marketing. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] "Joe has been a tremendous asset to the organization in his role as...

Flashes of Hope.(NONPROFIT)(Brief article)
February 1, 2008... Flashes of Hope named Sondra Miller as its executive director. Most recently, Miller was chief operating officer for the YWCA of Greater Cleveland. She began her career at Landau Public Relations. Miller holds a bachelor's degree in...

Cuyahoga Valley National Park Association.(NONPROFIT)
February 1, 2008... Cuyahoga Valley National Park Association named Laurie Principe as its chief development officer. Principe has more than 20 years of experience in the education and nonprofit sectors. She holds a bachelor's degree in communications and fine...

St Ives.(PRINTING)
February 1, 2008... St Ives promoted Mark Berkey to president and chief operating officer of the St Ives US Division, Since 2002, Berkey served as senior vice president and general manager. Berkey began his career with commercial printer RR Donnelley & Sons Co. He...

Real Living Realty One.(REAL ESTATE)
February 1, 2008... Real Living Realty One named Gina M. Pastuszynski as its director of marketing. Most recently, Pastuszynski held the positions of marketing manager of SuperTrapp Industries, global marketing manager of Ceilcote Air Pollution Control and...

Dominion East Ohio.(UTILITIES)
February 1, 2008... Dominion East Ohio promoted Bruce C. Klink to president. His most recent assignment was vice president of Gas Regulation for Dominion's natural gas distribution companies in Ohio, Pennsylvania and West Virginia. Klink also has held...

Reviewing the process: don't let the formalities of employee performance reviews ruin it for your organization's top performers. Keep it a two-way conversation.(HUMAN RESOURCES)
February 1, 2008... Sitting here in the dead of winter with the hustle and bustle of the holidays behind us, I hope all those New Year's resolutions are being kept, both personally and professionally. As organizations closed out 2007 and began a fresh start in...

Social climbers: Face(book) it, online social networking can mean business.(E-INDUSTRY)
February 1, 2008... you need to find a skilled widget technician so you thumb through your trusty Rolodex. But that is so last century. There's a better solution. Today, business professionals alike use online social networks to keep in touch with their contacts...

The zest-free zone: it's not by chance that life in Cuyahoga County has gone awry.(AT LARGE)
February 1, 2008... You wonder how Cuyahoga County got this way. The spirit has been sucked from the soul of the community by inept and indifferent public officials who have allowed corruption and mismanagement to become the hallmarks of government here. ...

Two's company: one local entrepreneur doubled his success by launching a second company.(Ohio Entrepreneur)
February 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] In the early 1990s, Mario F.X. Salwan struggled to stay awake during his pre-med classes at The Ohio State University. He was tired from painting the town red--and yellow and blue and green. Salwan wasn't hitting the...

Road map.(OHIO ENTREPRENEUR)(Directory)
February 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, locate and expand their businesses in Northeast...

The power 100: reflecting the transitioning economy of Northeast Ohio.(Cover story)(Company overview)
February 1, 2008... Browsing through the top 25 of the 100 most powerful people in Northeast Ohio, you will see only two manufacturing titans, no labor leaders and no one affiliated with the auto industry. Who you will see are the innovators in health care and...

One 2 watch.(Financial Whiz)(Interview)
February 1, 2008... Brian Hopkins, 31 vice president and portfolio manager, Ancora Advisors LLC brian@ancora.ws INVESTMENT INTEREST: Brian Hopkins earned a degree in finance and economics from Georgetown University in 1998. Before the Akron native's...

Growing pains: after 40 years working behind the scenes to help local governments cooperate across county, city and township borders, the Northeast Ohio Areawide Coordinating Agency, or NOACA, suddenly finds itself under fire due to a controversial highway interchange agreement.(REGIONALISM)
February 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Not too long ago, Howard Maier picked up a copy of the World Almanac and discovered something curious: Under the narrow definition of Cuyahoga, Geauga, Lake, Lorain, Medina, Portage and Summit counties, there are...

Old world goes global: Amish entrepreneur Ernie Hershberger may not use a computer, but he is a sophisticated business owner capitalizing on clever marketing to take his hardwood furniture worldwide.(MANUFACTURING)(Company overview)
February 1, 2008... Let's get the Amish questions out of the way. First, Ernie Hershberger does use electricity for his business. He will use a phone or fax machine, but so far doesn't need a computer to run his 30-employee furniture manufacturing facility and...

2007 winners.
February 1, 2008... ADP, Inc. AdvoCare, Inc. Aero-Instruments Akron Children's Hospital Akron General Medical Center Altercare of Ohio, Inc. AmTrust Bank Antares Management Solutions Applied Industrial Technologies ...

Join the revolution.(Employers Resource Council)(Brief article)
February 1, 2008... For nearly a decade, an initiative has been gaining significant momentum in Northeast Ohio. This initiative was ignited back in 1999 with a little known program and by a little known organization--NorthCoast 99 and ERC, respectively. Since...

Employee incentives: to thwart the burden of ever-rising health-care costs, many companies are promoting healthier lifestyles in exchange for lower rates.(Guide to: Human Resources)
February 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] What comes to mind when you think of insurance agents? Pioneers? Mavericks? Those are the words that ERC (Employers Resource Council) President Patrick Perry uses to describe Robert J. Klonk, executive vice president...

Ho to implement a health and wellness plan into your organization.(How To: The Source to Better Your Business)
February 1, 2008... Health and wellness aren't just New Year's resolution buzzwords, they're becoming crucial to business owners as health-care costs continue to climb. The solution for many organizations is to implement wellness programs, which not only improve...

How to plan the design and production of an event.(How To: The Source to Better Your Business)
February 1, 2008... Whether it's an event for 50 or 5,000, quality sound, staging, video and lighting can make a huge impact and add to the success of your event. But where do you start? How do you know what equipment you'll need? Brian Lackritz, director of...

How to deliver an outstanding speech or presentation.(How To: The Source to Better Your Business)(Brief article)
February 1, 2008... One of the most common phobias among Americans is glossophobia, the fear of public speaking. But the time may come for you to give a speech--whether it's at a five-person staff meeting or a 1,000-attendee conference. In case the old trick of...

How to apply for a SBA loan.(How To: The Source to Better Your Business)
February 1, 2008... Ever dream of being your own boss, hanging a shingle on Main Street or bringing a product to market? You're in good company. According to statistics from the Small Business Administration's (SBA) Office of Advocacy, there were 649,700 new...

How to benefit from an electric co-op.(How To: The Source to Better Your Business)
February 1, 2008... Created more than half a century ago with the purpose to provide reliable power at a reasonable cost, electric cooperatives energized rural areas throughout the United States where for-profit utility providers would not serve. ...

How to ensure employee Internet usage isn't putting your network at risk.(How To: The Source to Better Your Business)
February 1, 2008... Security threats have changed dramatically over the past several years. Assuming every business has a firewall, hackers are capitalizing on their secret weapon--end users. The majority of threats that exist today are due to unsuspecting...

How to build morale in a growing company.(How To: The Source to Better Your Business)
February 1, 2008... Company morale can make or break the success of your company. If your employees aren't motivated, they're not likely to contribute to company growth. Eliza Wing, president and CEO of Cleveland.com, believes the groundwork for building a...

The main event: time for the annual meeting, and you're in charge. Here's your ultimate event-planning cheat sheet.(2008 GREAT MEETINGS & EVENTS)
February 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATIONS OMITTED] It couldn't be worse. A lake-effect storm decided to stop in for your day-long seminar, so your keynote speaker's flight is delayed. The meeting room you reserved is so large you could actually land the plane in...

Events gone wild: the unexpected will derail even the best laid plans.(2008 GREAT MEETINGS & EVENTS)
February 1, 2008... Plan all you want, but life just happens. Even experienced event coordinators can share near-disaster stories. Of course, there are always the little things: a sub-zero room that freezes out attendees; a box of programs the printer never drops...

Great meetings & events.(Directory)(Table)
February 1, 2008... 2008 GREAT MEETINGS & EVENTS GREATER AKRON [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] CAROUSEL DINNER THEATRE Stage your perfect event at 1275 East Waterloo Road, Carousel! Theater buyout option Akron, OH 44306 available or rent...

A touch of Hollywood: Think Media's Brian Glazen used his experience in the movie-making capital to build a successful production company in Cleveland.(2008 GREAT MEETINGS & EVENTS: Sponsor Spotlight)
February 1, 2008... In 2004, Brian Glazen moved back to Cleveland after an 11-year stint in Los Angeles, where he worked with some of the biggest names in Hollywood on films, commercials and videos. His plan? To bring a touch of Hollywood to Northeast Ohio by...

PRSA Cleveland Rocks Awards.(WORKING THE ROOM)(Public Relations Society of America)(Brief article)
February 1, 2008... The Greater Cleveland Public Relations Society of America held its annual PRSA Cleveland Rocks Awards in December at Windows on the River. The awards honor the region's exemplary public relations programs. Shattering last year's record of 123...

Lt. Gov. Lee Fisher announces Innovation Fund' Awardees.(WORKING THE ROOM)
February 1, 2008... Lieutenant Governor Lee Fisher announced in December the first awardees of the Lorain County Community College Foundation Innovation Fund grants at LCCC's Entrepreneurship Innovation Center. The Innovation Fund, a newly established pre-seed...

COSE's Annual Meeting.(WORKING THE ROOM)
February 1, 2008... On Dec. 11, COSE (Council of Smaller Enterprises) held its 2007 Annual Meeting and Holiday Shopping Celebration. From 3 to 4 p.m. was the business meeting and the rest of the evening was dedicated to networking and shopping, plus music,...