Inside Business articles from October 2006

Inside Business archives from October 2006

'Poorest City' is a bad image for a world-class city.(ABSOLUTELY)(Viewpoint essay)
October 1, 2006... The king of image has retired. Andre Agassi will be remembered as much for his TV ads promoting a camera as he will for his tennis game. "Image is everything" was so popular at one time that when someone paid you a compliment about the way you...

Building barriers.(Letter to the editor)
October 1, 2006... I found your article on "Breaking Down Barriers" (July 2006) annoying as heck. Why do businesses have to teach their employees to speak Spanish? It's just another example of the United States losing its identity as "one nation," and becoming...

Constructive criticism.(Letter to the editor)
October 1, 2006... Good information and thoughts on the "New Israel" article (August 2006), but if I were your editor, I would have edited out the whining about competition between economic development organizations and asked the question: Who is actually...

Rust Belt neighbors.(Letter to the editor)
October 1, 2006... I enjoyed reading Dan Hanson's reference to cooperation with Pittsburgh ("Geekonomics II--Revenge of the Geek," July 2006) as something Cleveland could do to better compete with the coasts for new business opportunities. I couldn't agree more...

Political play.(Letter to the editor)
October 1, 2006... This is in regards to Michael D. Roberts' column, "Pirates of Ohio," in the August 2006 issue of Inside Business. This article was recently brought to my attention. And in it Mr. Roberts mentions my father, the late Wilson Hirschfeld, and how...

Ready for some football?(COLLEGE ATHLETICS)
October 1, 2006... In his three years as athletic director for Lake Erie College in Painesville, Ken Krsolovic was rarely stopped on the street to talk about the Storm's sports teams. Now, he says, everybody seems to want to talk to him about one thing: football....

"Sensored" solutions.(TECHNOLOGY)
October 1, 2006... Northeast Ohio has been a hotbed for sensor technology (robotic-control systems) for years, says Mark Tumeo, vice provost for research and dean of the College of Graduate Studies. "The largest concentration of industry is here," he...

Looking for fast companies.(VENTURE CAPITAL)(Mentor's Growth Strategies' David J. Hazard)(Brief article)
October 1, 2006... It's not often you hear about a regional investor eager to spend money, but Mentor's Growth Strategies Founder David J. Hazard has more faith in Northeast Ohio than most. So, he's giving the area's economy a little boost. "I want to...

Digital detectives.(LAW & TECHNOLOGY)(JurInnov Ltd.)
October 1, 2006... Like the detectives in the popular police drama series "CSI," attorney Timothy Opsitnick and his team of computer forensic specialists solve complex computer whodunits in multimillion-dollar national and international law suits. ...

Singing a new tune.(FOOD SERVICE)(Brief article)
October 1, 2006... Former Lockkeepers Executive Chef Pamela Waterman was ready for new responsibilities in the culinary world, but not quite ready for the commitment of a restaurant. Combine her rich background in AAA four-diamond cuisine, a passion for...

Going for the Gold's.(HEALTH AND FITNESS)(Global Fitness Holdings LLC)(Brief article)
October 1, 2006... Although Northeast Ohio has three times the national average of pizza and doughnut shops, it is still one of the top 25-fittest cities in America, according to Men's Fitness magazine, due to our access to health clubs. That access is about...

Home sweet home.(FILM PRODUCTION)(Film Commission of Ohio appoints Ivan Schwarz)(Brief article)
October 1, 2006... Ivan Schwarz felt Midwestern values were top priority when it came to choosing the best spot for he and his wife to raise their 15-month-old daughter. The Southern California native got a great sense of community in Cleveland after...

Squire helms Cedar Fair acquisition.(Inside Track: Law)
October 1, 2006... A team of lawyers with Cleveland-based Squire, Sanders & Dempsey LLP guided longtime client Cedar Fair LP in its $1.24 billion acquisition of Paramount Parks. The transaction closed this summer. Gordon S. Kaiser, who heads Squire Sanders'...

Thompson Hine opens artful New York office.(Inside Track: Law)(Thompson Hine L.P.)(Brief article)
October 1, 2006... Cleveland-based Thompson Hine LLP opened a new New York City office on Madison Avenue in conjunction with the preview of an exhibition for a fundraising auction by the New York Academy of Art that will take place this month. The preview will...

Benesch launches health care law blog.(Inside Track: Law)
October 1, 2006... Jayne Juvan, a Cleveland associate in Benesch, Friedlander, Coplan & Aronoff's Health Care Practice Group, is one of only a few attorneys across the region to launch a blog related to her practice. Launched this summer, the purpose of the...

Former Realtor group counsel joins Reminger.(Inside Track: Law)
October 1, 2006... Cynthia A. Lammert, former in-house counsel to a large Realtor group, has switched sides to join Cleveland's Reminger & Reminger Co. LPA in the firm's real estate practice group. Lammert previously served as vice president and general...

Realty One Real Living partners with builders.(Inside Track: Real Estate)
October 1, 2006... The Midwest's largest independent real estate firm unveiled a partnership with several Northern Ohio builders to help future homeowners find or design a home. Realty One Real Living's Builder Development Services Group's portal will allow...

Q-Lab expands Westlake facility.(Inside Track: Real Estate)
October 1, 2006... Just five years after building its current facility, Q-Lab Corp. broke ground on an expansion of its Westlake headquarters. The 72,000-square-foot addition will more than double the size of its current facilities and allow the scientific...

Wachovia continues expansion.(Inside Track: Real Estate)
October 1, 2006... Wachovia Securities opened an office at Crocker Park in Westlake this summer that houses 22 of the firm's advisors and an office manager. The 13,000 square feet of offices takes up the entire second floor of 25 Main Street at the Westlake...

TCP breaks ground on headquarters.(Inside Track: Real Estate)
October 1, 2006... TCP Inc. of Aurora broke ground this summer on its 125,000-square-foot facility that will include both a two-story office building and a distribution center. The manufacturer of energy-efficient lighting projects, TCP aims to increase...

Marcus Thomas lands MTD.(Inside Track: Advertising)
October 1, 2006... Cleveland integrated marketing communications firm Marcus Thomas LLC was chosen as MTD Products Inc.'s agency of record. Marcus Thomas will oversee the building of customer awareness for the Valley City-based manufacturer of outdoor power...

SME launches free workshops.(Inside Track: Advertising)
October 1, 2006... The Sales & Marketing Enhancement Group (SME) is giving small-business owners and marketing managers an opportunity to gain the necessary skills to grow their businesses. SME is launching a complimentary series of educational workshops for 2006...

Rock Hall names Mesek to VP.(Inside Track: Advertising)
October 1, 2006... The renowned Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum named Todd Mesek to vice president of marketing and communications. He will now spearhead marketing, media relations, sponsorship and sales for groups, private events and general admission to...

Brandade builds a relationship.(Inside Track: Advertising)
October 1, 2006... Amherst communications firm Brandade Inc. has taken Los Angeles-based VIZION Technologies under its belt. Brandade will provide marketing programs for the award-winning 3D CAD/CAM solutions provider. This will include initiatives such as...

Put your hands together.(The Web)
October 1, 2006... Join Inside Business magazine for a night of honoring the region's business titans at the 2006 Business Hall of Fame Induction Dinner. This marquee event applauds this year's inductees: Delos "Toby" Cosgrove of The Cleveland Clinic, Anthony...

Geek my ride: personal technology has not only permeated our homes, it is now invading our cars.(E-INDUSTRY)
October 1, 2006... The PC, at least the IBM PC, that became ubiquitous in the office and then the home, is now 25 years old. Yep, the venerable IBM 5150 was released in 1981. Sure, there were other personal computers before that--the TRS80, the Apple II--but it...

Biz links: Northeast Ohio's business resource guide.(Directory)(Table)
October 1, 2006... Biz Links Northeast Ohio's business resource guide ACCOUNTING & FINANCIAL PLANNING Zinner & Co. LLP (216) 831-0733 www.zinnerco.com AUDIO/VISUAL PRODUCTION Hughie's Audio-Visual & Computer (216) 361-4600...

Disgrace, suspicion, cluelessness: an alternative newspaper dukes it out with the most powerful company in Cleveland--winner to be decided.(AT LARGE)
October 1, 2006... A writer from New York City, researching a book on Cleveland, asked over lunch at Night-town how well The Plain Dealer covered the city. He was considering writing something about the newspaper. "Not well," I said. "There is a lot of news...

Register a complaint: customer service just isn't what it used to be.(HUMAN RESOURCES)
October 1, 2006... As a child, my mom would take me with her on a variety of errands. Grocery shopping was not on my top ten list of favorite activities, but my mom had a knack for making every trip fun. She routinely turned the checkout line into a game--we...

The World Is Flat; civic leaders need to educate and inform voters of our evolving earth.(MY SAY)
October 1, 2006... "The World Is Flat" by New York Times columnist Thomas Friedman remains a best seller a year after publication. Although Christopher Columbus concluded the world was round, Friedman highlights ten "flattening" events that have occurred...

Lively launcher.(ONE 2 WATCH)(Interview)
October 1, 2006... Victoria Colligan, 37 co-founder, Ladies Who Launch info@ladieswholaunch.com CORPORATE PLAYER: After earning a law degree and an MBA from Case Western Reserve University, Colligan earned her marks in the corporate world, first as...

Strength in numbers: the Cleveland chapter of the entrepreneurs' organization boasts big growth among its members due to a unique structure that emphasizes commitment, honesty and support.(Ohio Entrepreneur)
October 1, 2006... Tom Hobson had joined business networking groups in the past. The owner and president of Abanaki Corp., a Chagrin Falls-based manufacturer of industrial oil skimmers, had been a member of a business executives' organization that asked for...

Growing together: the Cleveland chapter of the women presidents' organization launches this month to provide guidance and support for women entrepreneurs.(Ohio Entrepreneur)
October 1, 2006... With more than 350,000 women-owned businesses in Cleveland that account for 44 percent of the privately held companies, the city is on pace with the fastest-growing sector of the economy--women entrepreneurs. "Cleveland has a great...

Road map.(Ohio Entrepreneur)(Directory)
October 1, 2006... 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 Ohio. We...

Independent spirit: Dan Klimas is capitalizing on the residential and small-business activity in Lorain County to grow the 101-year-old Lorain National Bank.(Regional Focus: LORAIN COUNTY)
October 1, 2006... Dan Klimas didn't take the large corner office, the one with windows overlooking Broadway Avenue in downtown Lorain, when he became CEO and president of 101-year-old Lorain National Bank, Instead, the 48-year-old Klimas chose the smaller,...

Homegrown talent: Elyria's Banyan Technology uses the Internet to revolutionize freight distribution.(Regional Focus: LORAIN COUNTY)
October 1, 2006... Lance Healy knows a good thing when he sees it. Otherwise, Banyan Technology may never have come into existence. It was the late 1990s, and Healy and his partner, Jim Walborn, were in the midst of running a successful online construction...

Community Health Partners to expand to Wellington.(Inside Track: Lorain County)(Brief article)
October 1, 2006... Ground breaking could take place as early as December on Community Health Partners' new medical office in Wellington. The 5,000-square-foot complex will be located on the recently purchased 2.5 acres on North Main Street. Slated to open on...

PolyOne adds Poland facility.(Inside Track: Lorain County)
October 1, 2006... Avon Lake polymer manufacturer PolyOne Corp. reported it will expand its presence in central Europe with the construction of new facilities in Poland. This new location will expand its growing customer base in the region. "The Kutno...

Barnes Wendling acquires CPA firm.(Inside Track: Lorain County)(Barnes, Wendling CPA Inc. acquires Wrabel & Co.)(Brief article)
October 1, 2006... Barnes Wendling CPAs Inc. announced a merger in August with Middleburg Heights-based Wrabel & Co. The announcement comes just 18 months following Barnes Wendling CPAs merger with Sandusky-based Koby & Co. Barnes Wendling has more than 80...

Nanotechnology conference slated for LCCC.(Inside Track: Lorain County)
October 1, 2006... The Lorain County Manufacturing Council (LCMC) will host its Nanotechnology Manufacturers' Forum on Oct. 4 at the Lorain County Community College's Spitzer Conference Center. The event, which is designed to encourage collaboration between...

Growing opportunities: entrepreneurial farming brings enormous benefits to the regional economy by generating significant revenue and keeping dollars circulating in Northeast Ohio.(AGRICULTURE)
October 1, 2006... Larry Klco understands the meaning of toil. From April until the first snow fall, a typical work day for Klco is 12 to 14 hours, and 16 on Saturday, from sun up to well after sundown. That's many more than he used to clock in as a...

Horrifying discovery: Cleveland Attorney Jack Landskroner is at the heart of a class action lawsuit involving transplant patients who were given illegally harvested tissue, bone and organs stolen from cadavers.(LAW)
October 1, 2006... Jack Landskroner, principal of Cleveland law firm Landskroner, Grieco and Madden Ltd., is at the forefront of a national class action lawsuit that sounds like something out of a Stephen King novel. In McCauley vs. Biotissue Medical...

Handle with care: Ohio envelope consistently evaluates the market in order to cater to a niche of customers who need special deliveries.(IB birthday club)
October 1, 2006... Envelopes have maintained their physique over the years. Shaped in rectangles or squares with sharp corners, crisply folded flaps and a strip of lick-'em-and-stick-'em underneath to seal the deal--not much has changed. But the dynamics of...

Hometown champion: one of Akron's favorite sons, Anthony Alexander, has led FirstEnergy Corp. through times of great challenge and dynamic growth.(2006 Business Hall of Fame)(Cover story)
October 1, 2006... If cities enjoy boasting about their native sons, then Akron has certainly earned bragging rights. Anthony Alexander, president and CEO of FirstEnergy Corp., has spent nearly all his life in the Rubber City. "I can't ever recall being...

Golden touch: Warren Anderson traveled the world and changed careers before he created the largest black-owned company in Ohio--Anderson-Dubose Co.(2006 Business Hall of Fame)
October 1, 2006... Warren Anderson can cover his desk with trophies honoring his career. He's particularly proud of being named Ernst & Young Northeast Ohio Entrepreneur of the Year in 1997 and National Minority Male Entrepreneur of the Year by the U.S....

Miracle worker: the Cleveland Clinic CEO and president Dr. Delos "Toby" Cosgrove has spent his life healing others, while building the reputation of one of Northeast Ohio's most cherished assets.(2006 Business Hall of Fame)(Cover story)
October 1, 2006... It takes a great doctor to lead a group of great doctors. At The Cleveland Clinic, Dr. Delos "Toby" Cosgrove is that great doctor. A world-renowned cardiac surgeon, Cosgrove has proved to be an energetic and innovative leader during...

He shoots, he scores! Greater Cleveland Sports Commission's David Gilbert is engaging the community to affect change.(2006 Anthem Impact Awards)
October 1, 2006... David Gilbert is an athlete. Though he spent the majority of his childhood on the tennis courts, for the last 20 years he has turned his focus to marathons and triathlons. "I just love playing sports," he says. "I try to workout every...

Community builder: National City's Terri Hamilton Brown is driven by a lifelong passion for improving her hometown for all its residents.(2006 Anthem Impact Awards)
October 1, 2006... Terri Hamilton Brown's passion for making Cleveland a better place for everyone to live dates back to her childhood in the city's Lee Harvard neighborhood. While her vision began in one small neighborhood during her idealistic youth,...

Bold moves: Cleveland State University's Michael Schwartz is integrating a campus master plan that is changing the face of the university and the region.(2006 Anthem Impact Awards)
October 1, 2006... "I think that awards are wonderful; progress is better," says Michael Schwartz, referring to the Anthem Impact Awards. And progress is certainly something Cleveland State University (CSU) has made. For the past several years, Cleveland...

Inductees 1996-2005.(2006 Business Hall of Fame: the History)(Company overview)
October 1, 2006... Monte Ahuja formed Transtar Industries four weeks after graduating from Cleveland State University in 1975. Through nearly 30 years of growth, Transtar burgeoned into an international business with operations in 25 cities and sales in 60...

Posthumous inductees.(2006 Business Hall of Fame: the History)
October 1, 2006... Samuel Andrews arrived in Cleveland in 18S7 and helped oil supplier Charles Dean's company become the first to refine kerosene from petroleum. In 1863, he co-founded Andrews, Clark & Co., which became Standard Oil Co. Andrews went on to fund...

Deal Maker Forum takes a gamble; this year, Frank Fahrenkopf Jr. of the American Gaming Association and Tom Grey of the National Coalition Against Legalized Gambling address both sides of this issue.(Deal Maker Forum)(Discussion)
October 1, 2006... Proponents of the statewide gambling issue on this November's ballot are betting on voters' desire to keep dollars in Ohio and put them toward education. But such issues are never that simple. That's exactly the discussion the Deal Maker Forum...

Roll the dice: Frank J. Fahrenkopf Jr., president and CEO of the American Gaming Association, says it is not like Ohio doesn't already have gambling--the Ohio Lottery.(Deal Maker Forum)
October 1, 2006... Frank J. Fahrenkopf Jr., president and CEO of the American Gaming Association (AGA), grew up in Reno, Nev., giving him a profound perspective on the state's number one industry. After 17 years of practice as a trial and gaming lawyer in Nevada...

Taking a stand: Tom Grey, national spokesperson for the National Coalition Against Legalized Gambling, says gambling is not good for economics, public policy or quality of life.(Deal Maker Forum)
October 1, 2006... As minister of the United Methodist church in Galena, Ill., Reverend Tom Grey readily admits the issue of gambling was not on his radar screen. But in 1991, he became a leading activist for the cause and ever since has worked full time at the...

The takes are high: both sides argue the pros and cons of the Ohio amendment that would allow casino gambling.(Deal Maker Forum)
October 1, 2006... On Nov. 7, Ohio voters will decide whether to legalize casino gambling throughout the state. But the emotionally charged debates among supporters and opponents are painting two starkly different images of casino gambling. The opposition...

On the bright side: commercial real estate trends are shining a light at the end of the tunnel.(Deal Maker Forum)
October 1, 2006... Although no one is comparing the region's upward trends in commercial real estate development to LeBron's vertical leap, there is more reason for hope of an ongoing healthy status than even just a year ago. Brian Hurtuk, vice president,...

NEOUCOM.(GREAT Meetings)(convention centers)(Directory)
October 1, 2006... NEOUCOM 4209 State Route P.O. Box 188 Rootstown, OH 44272 P: (330) 325-6850 F: (330) 325-5932 www.neoucom.edu/audience/conference center NEOUCOM's Ralph Regula Conference Center, located between Akron and...

InfoTelis.(Broadband Business Communications)
October 1, 2006... INFOTELIS (216) 373-0967 www.infotelis.com Our hosted VoIP communication solution presents a richer, more robust feature set that is cost effective, flexible and scalable. InfoTelis offers Cleveland area's small to medium...

Cynergies Solutions Group.(Information Technology Solutions)(Brief article)
October 1, 2006... CYNERGIES SOLUTIONS GROUP (440) 918-9341 ext.106 www.cynergies.net Cynergies sources and delivers the most critical component in the technology industry: human capital. Cynergies specializes in Contract, Contract-to-Hire,...

ERC Health.(Health Insurance/Health Benefits)
October 1, 2006... ERC HEALTH (440) 684-9700 www.erchealth.com ERC Health is a fully insured health insurance program sponsored by ERC designed for employers with two to 500 employees throughout Northeast Ohio. UnitedHealthcare underwrites...

JumpStart Inc.(Economic Development-Venture Capital)
October 1, 2006... JUMPSTART INC. (216) 363-3400 www.jumpstartinc.org JumpStart Inc. accelerates the growth of early-stage ideas into venture-ready companies by delivering vital, focused resources to entrepreneurs in Northeast Ohio. JumpStart...

ERC.(Human Resources)
October 1, 2006... ERC (440) 684-9700 www.ercnet.org ERC is the area's largest organization dedicated to HR and workplace programs, practices, training and consulting. The organization also hosts NorthCoast99 and sponsors the ERC Health insurance...

2006 ATHENA[R] Awards.(WORKING THE ROOM)
October 1, 2006... More than 400 people turned out to honor 12 Northeast Ohio luminaries who have achieved professional excellence, given back to their communities and created leadership opportunities for women. The fourth annual ATHENA Awards were held on...