Inside Business articles from January 2009

Inside Business archives from January 2009

Angels in America: book by Case Western Reserve professor peers into the reality of angel investing.(INVESTING)
January 1, 2009... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] They are all kindly, retired executives with fat checkbooks who descend upon young companies with good ideas and a cash-flow problem, right? They find and finance companies such as Amazon.com, The Body Shop and...

Business baldies: they killed the comb-over and said no to the rug. Bald is a beautiful thing for executives who use their smooth status as a calling card.(MARKETING)
January 1, 2009... Bad hair days are a thing of the past for baldies in business. Age is not always a factor in the decision to shave it all off, but avoiding disasterous comb-over 'dos, head rugs and Hollywood implants was reason enough for these Cleveland...

Can I bounce an idea off of you? UA professor sails past 100th patent mark in work With rubber.(TECHNOLOGY)
January 1, 2009... Joseph Kennedy had to be told that he had just been awarded his 100th U.S. patent because, frankly, he had lost track. "I don't really count," says the University of Akron professor of polymer science and chemistry. "Believe me, it's not...

Financial hangover: times are tough, and we know that's not news to you. Here's what a handful of Cleveland business leaders foresee for '09 (and how we can make it better).(THE ECONOMY)
January 1, 2009... Ringing in the New Year while facing he nation's worst economic slump in 70 years doesn't exactly make us feel like popping open a bottle of champagne. It appears the same goes for the Cleveland business leaders we talked to about the most...

2008 Business Hall of Fame.(WORKING THE ROOM)
January 1, 2009... The 2008 Business Hall of Fame, held Nov. 5, inducted four Northeast Ohio business titans: Robert Keegan, president, CEO and chairman of the Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co.; Bob Shearer, CEO of Shearer's Foods Inc.; Scott Wolstein, chairman and CEO...

2008 Weatherhead 100 awards.(WORKING THE ROOM)
January 1, 2009... Nearly 1,000 people gathered at Executive Caterers at Landerhaven Dec. 2, to celebrate growth and success in Northeast Ohio at the 2008 Weatherhead 100 awards. The Cleveland Group earned the No. 1 spot on the Weatherhead 100 list. The Federal...

MAGNET's manufacturing magic.(WORKING THE ROOM)(Manufacturing Advocacy and Growth Network)(Brief article)
January 1, 2009... On Nov. 13, the Manufacturing Advocacy and Growth Network (MAGNET) honored the winners of the second annual Competitiveness Challenge at the Manufacturing Magic awards dinner, held at the John S. Knight Center in Akron. Winners Swagelok,...

Seth Trowbridge.(ADVERTISING/PUBLIC RELATIONS)(appointment by polkadotpeeps)(Brief article)
January 1, 2009... Seth Trowbridge has joined polkadotpeeps as interactive director. Trowbridge will lead the firm's Web department as it launches new print, Web and TROWBRIDGE branding initiatives for clients such as Case Western Reserve University, Weatherhead...

Kleidon & Associates.(ADVERTISING/PUBLIC RELATIONS)(appointment of Diana Lueptow)(Brief article)
January 1, 2009... Kleidon & Associates has appointed Diana Lueptow to director of strategic communications. Previously, she served as senior vice president of Edward Howard. Lueptow has more than 25 years of experience in marketing communication, strategic...

Perspectus Architecture.(ARCHITECTURE)(appointment of Joseph Wilson )(Brief article)
January 1, 2009... Joseph Wilson has been appointed director of construction administration for Perspectus Architecture. Wilson has 32 years of experience providing leadership for health care and educational projects. He earned his bachelor's degree in mechanical...

Wachovia Securities.(BANKING/FINANCE)
January 1, 2009... Wellborn Jack III joined Wachovia Securities in Pepper Pike as first vice president, investments, where he will specialize in high net-worth wealth planning. Jack was previously a financial adviser with Merrill Lynch. Jack is a chartered...

Emily Shacklett.(BANKING/FINANCE)
January 1, 2009... Emily Shacklett, a senior adviser for Fairport Asira set Management, has been elected to partner in the firm. Shacklett has more than 10 years of investment experience. Prior to joining Fairport in 2001, she worked with Brockman, Coats,...

Lake Hospital System.(HEALTH CARE)
January 1, 2009... Lake Hospital System has named John Rusnaczyk Jr. vice president of corporate finance, where he will be responsible for financial reporting, general accounting, payroll, accounts payable, tax and treasury. Previously, Rusnaczyk was vice...

Dr. Carol Cunningham.(HEALTH CARE)
January 1, 2009... Lake Hospital System emergency physician Dr. Carol Cunningham has been selected by the National Association of State EMS 0fficials as the chair-elect for the National Council of State EMS Medical Directors. Cunningham is the first woman,...

InfoCision Management Corp.(INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY)
January 1, 2009... InfoCision Management Corp. has promoted Michael Van Scyoc from senior vice president of information technology, client services, to chief information officer. Van Scyoc began his career with InfoCision in 1988 as an entry-level data processor...

Jeffrey J. Fanger.(LAW)(Fanger & Adelman LLC)(Brief article)
January 1, 2009... Jeffrey J. Fanger, managing member and founding partner of Fanger & Adelman LLC, Attorneys & Counselors at Law, has been awarded the inaugural Thomas G. Woods Humanitarian Award by the Euclid Hunger Center. The award recognizes individuals who...

Cleveland Museum of Natural History.(NONPROFIT)
January 1, 2009... The Cleveland Museum of Natural History appointed Douglas E. Stelzer as chief financial officer. Most recently, Stelzer served as principal for CF0 Consulting Services. A certified public accountant, Stelzer earned his bachelor's degree in...

WECO Fund Inc.(NONPROFIT)(appointment of Carrie Rosenfelt)(Brief article)
January 1, 2009... WECO Fund Inc. appointed Carrie Rosenfelt as its first director of development. She will direct all fundraising activities for the organization, as well as solicit and close major gifts, create a strategic development plan and budget, secure...

Fight for your right ... to party, techies. While you shouldn't spend your celebration time debugging computers, these tips will make you a star among the revelers.(E-INDUSTRY)(Column)
January 1, 2009... I pretend that I'm a doctor at cocktail parties--especially around the holidays. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] That would have been unheard of years ago. Back then, medical professionals disguised their occupations so as not to be pestered by...

Going to the dogs: Snuzzlo Bun branches out into matching canine apparel.(Ohio Entrepreneur)
January 1, 2009... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Ten years before Lauri and Brent Gross ever had children, they had a cat named Bunny. Now Patchy and Chamois roam their Auburn Township home, the latest in a series of felines the couple has taken in from shelters or...

Financial aid: the "bailout bill" does more than restore financial health to banks--there are significant implications for individuals and businesses aimed at improving economic conditions throughout the country and around the globe.
January 1, 2009... Since its inception, Congress' much berated and ballyhooed bailout program, the Emergency Economic Stabilization Act of 2008 (EESA), has undergone several transformations. To date, the package has had some positive impact, but it has not been...

The Cost of Bankruptcy: think bankruptcy is the best way out of a failing business? Think again. Bankruptcy can cost companies thousands just to file, making it crucial to weigh your options carefully before making the plunge.
January 1, 2009... During the past few months, the headlines have been filled with such high-profile companies as Circuit City, Linens 'N Things and Sharper Image filing for bankruptcy. While the inevitable result of the current economic crisis would seem to...

Unique by design: a recent court ruling strengthens design patents for inventors.
January 1, 2009... What do a Coca Cola bottle, an Apple iPod, a Chevy Corvette and a Bose radio system have in common? All of these successful products have a distinguishing brand design that consumers easily recognize and buy. Because the design of a product...

Act now on EFCA: legislation that aims to change how unions organize could drastically affect the labor landscape in the U.S.
January 1, 2009... For nearly 75 years, workers and management have strictly adhered to the National Labor Relations Act. Enacted by Congress in 1935, the act protects the rights of employees and employers, encourages collective bargaining and curtails practices...

Planning for a bright future: federal laws and current economic conditions have created estate-planning opportunities.
January 1, 2009... The manic state of the economy as prompted many business owners to hold on tightly to their assets and avoid making long-term decisions. But there is one eventuality no business owner can afford to overlook--what will happen when he or she is...

Road map.(Directory)(Brief article)
January 1, 2009... 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...

Best of business.(business favorites)
January 1, 2009... WE'RE A RUGGED BUSINESS COMMUNITY RAISED ON STEEL, MANUFACTURING AND THE WATERS OF OUR GREAT LAKE. SO IT'S NO WONDER WE LOVE THE HISTORIC RECYCLED WOOD IN THUNDER[??]TECH'S NEW CONFERENCE ROOM, DIGIKNOW'S PINBALL ARCADE AND GRANDMA TORCHIA'S...

No business like the snow business: seeing green where other see white.
January 1, 2009... CLEVELAND STOP FOR SNOW? YEAH RIGHT. Early last March, as a third snowstorm headed toward the city and Mayor Frank Jackson dismissed many municipal workers and asked private companies downtown to do the same, Cleveland just kept going. ...

Brighter shades of green: to keep up with the demand for sustainable business practices and prepare for the future job market, many Northeast Ohio universities have infused some green into their curriculums.(Guide to Continuing Education)
January 1, 2009... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Picture Cleveland's horizon with wind farms spinning air into energy; manufacturing plants churning out solar panels, wind turbines and hybrid cars; office buildings run completely on solar energy. Imagine the city...

Weathering the Economic Storm: many business professionals are earning graduate degrees to ensure a recession-resistant career in the future.(Guide to Continuing Education)
January 1, 2009... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Whether they've been laid off r are in an unstable job, any business professionals are turning today's tough economy into an opportunity to earn a graduate degree that will make them more marketable once conditions...

Directory of continuing education programs.(Guide to Continuing Education)(Directory)
January 1, 2009... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Baldwin-Wallace College 275 Eastland Road Berea, OH 44017 (440) 826-2222 www.bw.edu Baldwin-Wallace College has been providing life-changing educational opportunities tailored to the goals and...

Estate of readiness: every cloud has a silver lining, including a down economy. Planning your estate now can ensure a sound future for your business and family.(Guide to Tax Preparation)
January 1, 2009... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] As his manufacturing business prospered, Roger Valentine realized he needed to protect his assets in case something happened to him. "I could potentially leave my family with enormous messes that they would not...

Ask the experts.
January 1, 2009... Howard J. Kass, CPA Partner Zinner & Co, LLP 29125 Chagrin Blvd., Suite 200 Cleveland, OH 44122 (216) 831-0733 ext. 159 www.zinnerco.com hkass@zinnerco.com Q: HOW OFTEN SHOULD I REVIEW MY ESTATE PLAN? ...

Leaders of the pack.(TOP 25 UNDER 35)(award for young professionals)
January 1, 2009... Headlines about Northeast Ohio's declining Rust Belt economy and brain drain often dominate the news, making it tough to see success stories and the people leading the city's revitalization. Since 2005, the Cleveland Professional 20/30 Club has...

Insurance indecision: when it comes to health insurance, research backed by solid advice from a professional can ensure a plan that fits your business' needs.(Special Section: Guide to Business Insurance)
January 1, 2009... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] In most small businesses, health care is often an employer's second highest cost after salaries. And with ever-rising costs of coverage, many business owners are faced with a rather disconcerting situation: They...

Green dreamer.(ONE 2 WATCH)(Gregory Perry)(Beachwood High School)(Interview)
January 1, 2009... "WHEN PEOPLE TELL YOU 'NO,' FIND OUT WHY AND DECIDE IF IT'S IMPORTANT TO YOU. IF IT IS, FIND A WAY TO OVERCOME IT." WHAT INTERESTS YOU ABOUT MARKETING? It's a very creative field that revolves around all aspects of business. Anyone...