Inside Business articles from June 2008

Inside Business archives from June 2008

When going broke is good news.(ABSOLUTELY)(Human resource management)
June 1, 2008... While I was growing up, my mother would say the same thing I'm guessing your mother said when something bad happened: Always look for the silver lining. If we take that positive approach to what's been happening in Cleveland lately, you might...

Attention grabbers: off-the-wall job hunting can be effective--but also risky.(JOB MARKET)
June 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Pat Pujolas has received countless shoes in the mail from job seekers wanting to get a foot in the door." He's been sent resumes attached to cookies, cakes and once even to a pizza delivered to his office. But...

Puzzling package: cable company gets our attention with strange press kit.(MARKETING)
June 1, 2008... What do a Superman action figure, photo of Oprah Winfrey and her best friend Gayle King, a bag of M&M's, a pack of breath-freshening strips and shoe inserts have to do with fixing computer problems? That's the same question we had when Cox...

Learning and earning: a new college class allows CSU students to invest up to $300,000 in the stock market.(STOCK MARKET)
June 1, 2008... Few financial planners would drop $300,000 into the hands of a group of college interns, but about a dozen Cleveland State University students will have the chance to see what they can turn that initial investment into when classes resume in...

The $7 billion question.(BY THE NUMBERS)
June 1, 2008... National City Corp.'s April announcement that it was receiving $7 billion of private-equity investment to help pull itself out of the financial turmoil caused by the housing foreclosure crisis got us wondering what else $7 billion could buy in...

Grant Thornton client reception.(WORKING THE ROOM)
June 1, 2008... On May 6, Grant Thornton LLP hosted a cocktail reception for its clients, referral sources, alumni and prospects at the Allen Theater in Playhouse Square. The global accounting, tax and business advisory services organization holds the annual...

Global Healthcare Investing Conference.(WORKING THE ROOM)(Conference news)
June 1, 2008... On April 29, attendees of the second-annual Global Healthcare Investing Conference kicked off the event with a welcome reception at the InterContinental Hotel. Hosted by BioEnterprise and the International Business Forum, the conference drew...

Case Western Reserve University Research ShowCASE.(WORKING THE ROOM)
June 1, 2008... Students, scientists and community leaders convened April 16 and 17 to experience collaboration, creativity and innovation at the Case Western Reserve University Research ShowCASE. The event highlighted the full range of faculty, postdoctoral...

The Akron Art Museum.(ARTS)
June 1, 2008... The Akron Art Museum named Ellen Rudolph as curator of exhibitions. Previously, Rudolph was assistant curator of the Progressive Corp.'s art collection and was an independent curator and manager of private collections in Cleveland and worked at...

FirstMerit Corp.(BANKING)
June 1, 2008... FirstMerit Corp. named Norman Lange as vice president, commercial banking for the Cleveland region. Prior to joining FirstMerit he served in a similar capacity at National City Bank and KeyBank as a vice president of commercial lending. Lange...

EMH Regional Healthcare System.(HEALTH CARE)
June 1, 2008... EMH Regional Healthcare System appointed Jim Gosky as director of business development. In this newly created role, Gosky will be responsible for developing business strategies to support existing and new service lines for the health care...

Advantage Partners Inc.(HUMAN RESOURCES)
June 1, 2008... Advantage Partners Inc. named Donald A. McMurchy and Allen E. Griffin as partners at the executive search firm. Both join API from Progressive, where they held senior management, sales and operating positions. McMurchy was most recently...

Ogletree, Deakins, Nash, Smoak & Stewart PC.(LAW)
June 1, 2008... Ogletree, Deakins, Nash, Smoak & Stewart PC named Barton A. Bixenstine as shareholder in the firm's Cleveland office. Most recently, Bixenstine was a partner with Ulmer & Berne LLP. He holds a bachelor's degree from Kent State University, a...

Dix & Eaton.(MARKETING/PUBLIC RELATIONS)(Dix and Eaton Inc. promoted Chas Withers and Keith Mabee )(Brief article)
June 1, 2008... Dix & Eaton promoted Chas Withers to president of the firm and Keith Mabee to vice chairman. Withers is senior managing director of the firm and a member of its executive committee and board of directors. He has been with Dix & Eaton for 10...

Hawk Corp.(MANUFACTURING)
June 1, 2008... Hawk Corp. promoted B. Christopher DiSantis as its president and COO. Ronald E. Weinberg will remain as chairman and CEO of the company. DiSantis joined Hawk in 2000 as head of corporate development and launched the company's Six Sigma program....

McNeil Industries.(MANUFACTURING)(McNeil Corp. appointed Jordan L. Owens )(Brief article)
June 1, 2008... McNeil Industries named Jordan L, Owens as executive vice president, business development. Owens joins the company after two years as president of Vanguard National Trailer Corp. and six years as president of Danly IEM, a Cleveland-based maker...

The Fund for Our Economic Future.(NONPROFIT)(Members of the Fund for Our Economic Future elected David Abbott)(Brief article)
June 1, 2008... The Fund for Our Economic Future elected David Abbott as its chairman. Abbott, who will remain executive director of the George Gund Foundation, replaces Robert Briggs, executive director and co-trustee of the GAR Foundation, who has served as...

Your own personal Cleveland: even if you're small, there can be huge opportunities outside the city for businesses willing to tap into the global economy.(E-INDUSTRY)
June 1, 2008... Get out of Cleveland! That was the advice offered to a COSE audience by Michael Gerber, small-business guru and author of the "E-Myth" series of books. I was seated at a table with Tim Reynolds, COSE chairman, and Louis Licata,...

The 2008 ATHENA Awards.(IBmag.com: the Web)(ATHENA International Award Program )(Brief article)
June 1, 2008... The ATHENA Award is named in recognition of the Greek goddess of wisdom and courage. ATHENA International is an established international organization that has recognized thousands of women and men helping women reach their full leadership...

On the Web.(E-INDUSTRY)
June 1, 2008... Featuring unique Web content and follow-up material to our magazine features, IBmag.com gives you a behind-the-scenes look at the stories and people changing the face of business in Northeast Ohio. Log on today to check out the Players and...

Center of attention: without any real plan for the future, the county seemingly drifts from port to port looking for economic treasures. A downtown convention center and medical mart are currently occupying our fancy. But turning up anything better than fool's gold is less than guaranteed.(AT LARGE)
June 1, 2008... Soon, the site of the proposed convention center will be chosen by a committee of businessmen, who will do the obvious. They will select a site behind Tower City, and the $900 million project will be built overlooking the Flats. ...

The question is the answer: want to transform your business for the better? All you need to do is ask the right question. The answers--and the talent--will follow.(HUMAN RESOURCES)
June 1, 2008... At your next management retreat, begin by asking your leadership the following question: What question must we answer correctly to significantly increase our odds for dramatic business success? Give them about five minutes to write down...

TTYL, traditional media: that's "talk to you later" in text-speak. Punchkick Interactive thinks more businesses should mobilize their marketing efforts--to mobile phones, that is.(Ohio Entrepreneur)
June 1, 2008... What is the one device you carry with you everywhere? You take it to work, bring it to dinner dates and lunch meetings, weddings and funerals. You sleep with it close by, and you'd even consider making a U-turn in the middle of I-480 if you...

Road map.(Directory)(Directory)
June 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...

Search & employ: jobs have left the state for years, but Ohio Lt. Gov. Lee Fisher has an up-close and personal approach toward working to create new ones. As head of the Ohio Department of Development, he's claimed wins with his role in recent deals for Goodyear's new Akron headquarters and Continental's reinvestment at Cleveland Hopkins International Airport--but the climb is a steep one.(Cover story)
June 1, 2008... Lee Fisher loves to tell stories--none of them short. As he begins to work the room of economic development professionals at the Cleveland Foundation, he is just getting started, describing his hunt for new Ohio jobs "I was in this...

Working together for good.(Team NEO Economic Development Impact Awards)
June 1, 2008... Collaboration. It's how Painesville landed a new manufacturing plant for PCC Airfoils in the face of stiff competition from Oregon and Georgia. It's why LeBron James and his Cleveland Cavaliers teammates have one of the best practice...

Marketing Cleveland Plus: Akron-Canton Airport and Cleveland Hopkins International Airport.(Team NEO Economic Development Impact Awards)
June 1, 2008... Friendly Skies COMPETING AIRPORTS WORK TOGETHER TO PROMOTE NORTHEAST OHIO [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] In the world of competitive marketing, there's little room for friendship, much less collaboration. That's why those in the audience...

Job retention: Lake County Development Council.(Team NEO Economic Development Impact Awards)(Report)
June 1, 2008... Grape Success LAKE COUNTY DEVELOPMENT COUNCIL UNCORKS JOB MARKET IN GRAPE INDUSTRY In Lake County, grape growing has been an integral part of the landscape for almost 100 years. The Lake County Development Council realized that...

New job creation: Lorain County Growth Partnership's R.E.A.L. Team.(Team NEO Economic Development Impact Awards)
June 1, 2008... R.E.A.L. Progress LORAIN COUNTY SHOWS THERE'S MORE TO ATTRACTING NEW BUSINESSES THAN A RELOCATION PLAN--IT HELPS THEM GROW TOO. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Charles Koskovich and his team at TeleTech Holdings Inc. are used to being...

Foreign investment: Wayne Economic Development Council.(Team NEO Economic Development Impact Awards)
June 1, 2008... Smooth Move COUNCIL MAKES COMPANY RELOCATION A BREEZE The worries of relocating Speed Frances headquarters from Montreal to Wooster kept Arnaud Legrand up at night. It was the height of production season for the maker of...

Public-private partnership: Cities of Cleveland and Independence, the Cleveland Cavaliers.(Team NEO Economic Development Impact Awards)
June 1, 2008... Hoop Dreams TWO CITIES AND THREE PORT AUTHORITIES PRODUCE ONE BIG VICTORY IN THE CLEVELAND CAVALIERS' NEW $27 MILLION PRACTICE FACILITY [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Cleveland Cavaliers owner Dan Gilbert wants his team to exude class, on...

Asset creation: City of Painesville.(Team NEO Economic Development Impact Awards)
June 1, 2008... A Need For Speed PAINESVILLE CUTS THROUGH RED TAPE TO BRING PCC AIRFOILS TO THE CITY On the first day PCC Airfoils LCC sat down with the city of Painesville, the company made clear its need was for speed. The company--a growing...

Fostering entrepreneurship (tie): IdeaCrossing Youngstown/Warren Regional Chamber/Youngstown Central Area Community Development Improvement Corp. & Youngstown Business Incubator.(Team NEO Economic Development Impact Awards)
June 1, 2008... United Front YOUNGSTOWN GROUPS COLLABORATE TO CREATE NEW BUSINESS [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Although they're two separate organizations with unique missions, the Youngstown Central Area Community Development Improvement Corp.,...

Community improvement: Civic Innovation Lab.(Team NEO Economic Development Impact Awards)
June 1, 2008... Head of the Class CIVIC INNOVATION LAB EARNS HIGH MARKS FOR E PREP SCHOOL Class from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. isn't exactly the average sixth-grader's idea of school. Neither is an 11-month school year, or having to adhere to a dress code of...

Minority job creation: Applied Technology Systems Inc.(Team NEO Economic Development Impact Awards)
June 1, 2008... Reworking Cleveland's Job Corps COMPANY'S CALLING: HELP OTHERS FIND THEIR OWN [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] The Cleveland Job Corps Center had fallen into dire straits. A single cramped building housed classrooms and dormitories for...

Deal of the year: Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co.(Team NEO Economic Development Impact Awards)
June 1, 2008... A Great Year WHEN THE REGION'S LARGEST PUBLIC COMPANY--AND ONE OF ITS LARGEST EMPLOYERS--NEEDED A NEW HEADQUARTERS, LEADERS FROM THE STATE, COUNTY AND CITY DIDN'T WASTE TIME TO MAKE SURE IT STAYED HOME. Stuart Lichter, whose Los...

Baby steps: pregnancy-discrimination claims are on the rise in the U.S., but a solid understanding of the laws and an airtight leave policy can protect your company from a costly lawsuit.(Special Section: Guide to: Law)
June 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] A female employee reveals she is pregnant shortly after her first few weeks on the job. Then, she is involved in an automobile accident. She tells her supervisor she needs to leave work for a prenatal exam to ensure...

Ask the experts.(Special Section: Guide to: Law)
June 1, 2008... John R. Cernelich Co-chair, Labor and Employment Practice Group Calfee, Halter & Griswold LLP 1400 KeyBank Center 800 Superior Ave. Cleveland, OH 44114-2688 (216) 622-8200 www.calfee.com [ILLUSTRATION...

The new frontier: is your web site ready for Web 2.02?(Special Section: Guide to: Web)
June 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] The Web today is no different than it was back in the mid-1990s. Sure, Google was little more than a search engine called BackRub and the dot-com crash was still years away. But that doesn't mean the business...

Legal leader.(ONE 2 WATCH)(interview of lawyer Amy DeLuca )(Interview)
June 1, 2008... "'DON'T OVERREACT.' I THINK THAT'S ONE OF THE BEST PIECES OF ADVICE I'VE EVER BEEN GIVEN. WHAT MADE YOU WANT TO SWITCH CAREERS? I loved teaching the kids, but it was the other aspects of my job that got to me, like pressures from...

Letter from the president.
June 1, 2008... Dear readers, Messes can happen to anyone. They can strike at any time, but more often than not, a mess is the result of a subtle, slow accumulation. ASID designers have discovered the sources of many a mess, and have become masters of...

Having fun with functional: the key to today's commercial spaces is flexibility.(Business Testimonials)
June 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Life in the Classroom When Northeastern Ohio Universities College of Medicine (NEOUCOM) opened its pharmacy school last year, already-crowded laboratories became too crammed for comfort. The college had lightly...

Get organized: ASID designers are experts at designing simple solutions for complicated lives. Answering a few simple questions can help take the guesswork out of cleaning up your own space.(Educating the Consumer)
June 1, 2008... What Is It Missing? Terri Maurer, FASID, still remembers the physicians in dire need of a new office. Their group practice was so overcrowded that boxes of pills were stacked helter-skelter and nurses did paperwork on gurneys. But Maurer...