Entrepreneurs + Innovators
The accounting firm SS&G expanded its presence in the Midwest late last year by merging with Chicago-based Ahlbeck & Company. In doing so, Cleveland-headquartered SS&G added 22 members to its 400-plus staff and helped the firm to concentrate more intently on its growing base of Chicago clients. SS&G also has offices in Cincinnati, Columbus and Erlanger, Kentucky.
SS&G, which provides tax, assurance, employee benefit, payroll and consulting services, was named one of the top 50 accounting firms in the country to work for in 2011 by Vault, an online resource for career management and job search information. The firm was listed in the top 20 in individual categories, including overall diversity, culture, compensation, business outlook and manager relations.
"Providing our employees with a great place to work contributes to the overall success of our firm," says Gary Shamis, managing director of SS&G.
SS&G also continued to grow its Cleveland presence by further developing its SS&G Healthcare Consulting and SS&G Wealth Management entities. For example, Flourish: Women and Wealth Management, was launched as a product of the SS&G Wealth Management division. Flourish hosts events and offers strategies specifically geared to female investors.
SOURCE: SS&G
WRITER: Diane DiPiero
SS&G, which provides tax, assurance, employee benefit, payroll and consulting services, was named one of the top 50 accounting firms in the country to work for in 2011 by Vault, an online resource for career management and job search information. The firm was listed in the top 20 in individual categories, including overall diversity, culture, compensation, business outlook and manager relations.
"Providing our employees with a great place to work contributes to the overall success of our firm," says Gary Shamis, managing director of SS&G.
SS&G also continued to grow its Cleveland presence by further developing its SS&G Healthcare Consulting and SS&G Wealth Management entities. For example, Flourish: Women and Wealth Management, was launched as a product of the SS&G Wealth Management division. Flourish hosts events and offers strategies specifically geared to female investors.
SOURCE: SS&G
WRITER: Diane DiPiero
The team at Idea Engine could feel the wheels turning when they met with local innovator Dave Petno, who approached Idea Engine with a web application he was interested in having developed: a custom tool that allows high school sports scores and statistics to be submitted to the media as well as to family and friends of the sports program.
The business communication solutions company saw the potential in this idea, and ScoreFeeder was born. The way ScoreFeeder works is that a team coach or rep enters scores and stats from a game onto the site, and that information is sent via email to media outlets chosen by the team. Schools also have the opportunity to receive instant updates of scores from their conference. The service is free and can be used by high school teams across the country. ScoreFeeder is currently available for basketball, with other sports to be available soon, according to Dan Carbone, chief technology officer for Idea Engine.
The seven-member Idea Engine team is working with an iPad developer to see if the application can be used on the iPad as well.
Carbone says that the ScoreFeeder concept allowed Idea Engine to develop a custom web application that goes beyond the traditional website or e-commerce site. "ScoreFeeder.com adds a counterpart to social networking by providing an interactive tool focused on a particular audience and particular interest," he says.
SOURCE: Idea Engine
WRITER: Diane DiPiero
The business communication solutions company saw the potential in this idea, and ScoreFeeder was born. The way ScoreFeeder works is that a team coach or rep enters scores and stats from a game onto the site, and that information is sent via email to media outlets chosen by the team. Schools also have the opportunity to receive instant updates of scores from their conference. The service is free and can be used by high school teams across the country. ScoreFeeder is currently available for basketball, with other sports to be available soon, according to Dan Carbone, chief technology officer for Idea Engine.
The seven-member Idea Engine team is working with an iPad developer to see if the application can be used on the iPad as well.
Carbone says that the ScoreFeeder concept allowed Idea Engine to develop a custom web application that goes beyond the traditional website or e-commerce site. "ScoreFeeder.com adds a counterpart to social networking by providing an interactive tool focused on a particular audience and particular interest," he says.
SOURCE: Idea Engine
WRITER: Diane DiPiero
draft mag puts three cle-area bars in 'best' list
Draft Magazine, the premier source for all things hoppy and inebriating, published its annual list of "America's 100 Best Beer Bars: 2011." Cleveland area bars snagged a whopping 3% of the entire list! Okay, so three spots out of 100 may not be shocking -- but it is great news.
"Beer bars are cropping up around the country at a frenetic pace," the article states at the outset, "so paring our annual list down to 100 was no small feat. That said, we're confident that if you find yourself on a barstool at any one of these stellar spots, you'll be surrounded by top-notch brew and folks who are committed to it."
Lakewood's Buckeye Beer Engine gets billing as "The casual drinker's answer to Ohio's beer-snob bars." Who knew we had beer-snob bars? This west-side gem gets credit for its Buckeye Brewing house brews, lesser-known options from well-known breweries, and two beer engines that dispense real-ale specialties
Cleveland Heights landmark La Cave du Vin also makes the list, with the list-makers urging folks to "Ignore the vinous name: This basement wine spot's beer paradise." While The Cave gets approval for its large bottle and draft selection, it receives special attention for its frequent seasonal tappings and brewery nights. Tip: "The owner's rare beer collection on the shelves will leave you jaw-droppingly awestruck."
Ohio City's Bier Markt naturally earned inclusion, with the mag calling the joint nothing less than a "Cleveland institution." Who cares that the fact-checkers failed to confirm whether or not Market Garden Brewery was actually open as the item states? (It's not.) One shouldn't look a gift horse in the mouth.
Drink up the entire list here.
"Beer bars are cropping up around the country at a frenetic pace," the article states at the outset, "so paring our annual list down to 100 was no small feat. That said, we're confident that if you find yourself on a barstool at any one of these stellar spots, you'll be surrounded by top-notch brew and folks who are committed to it."
Lakewood's Buckeye Beer Engine gets billing as "The casual drinker's answer to Ohio's beer-snob bars." Who knew we had beer-snob bars? This west-side gem gets credit for its Buckeye Brewing house brews, lesser-known options from well-known breweries, and two beer engines that dispense real-ale specialties
Cleveland Heights landmark La Cave du Vin also makes the list, with the list-makers urging folks to "Ignore the vinous name: This basement wine spot's beer paradise." While The Cave gets approval for its large bottle and draft selection, it receives special attention for its frequent seasonal tappings and brewery nights. Tip: "The owner's rare beer collection on the shelves will leave you jaw-droppingly awestruck."
Ohio City's Bier Markt naturally earned inclusion, with the mag calling the joint nothing less than a "Cleveland institution." Who cares that the fact-checkers failed to confirm whether or not Market Garden Brewery was actually open as the item states? (It's not.) One shouldn't look a gift horse in the mouth.
Drink up the entire list here.
Social media provides entrepreneurs with a great vehicle for communicating with current and potential clients. And like the companies they seek to promote, social media feeds often mimic the personality of their owners. But marketing experts warn that one size definitely does not fit all. What works for one type of business may come across as inappropriate for another.
Steve Arless has nearly four decades of experience in the medical-device industry. As president and CEO of CryoCath, he grew the company to more than 300 employees before arranging its sale for $380 million. Now, he brings his expertise to Cleveland in hopes of doing the same for CardioInsight, which is developing a cardiac arrhythmia ablation therapy.
What soul food restaurants lack in ambiance, they often make up for in good, down-home cuisine -- the modest digs are part of the charm and lend authenticity to the tried-and-true menus of chicken and biscuits, greens, and mac and cheese.
Yet Zanzibar Soul Fusion, a new restaurant now open at Shaker Square, is no ordinary soul food joint. The new hotspot offers soul food with a twist, dishing out traditional southern comforts in the atmosphere of an upscale lounge.
"We offer a foundation of soul food fused with other popular food items from different ethnic groups," says owner Akin Affrica. "It's Southern comfort food for the masses."
Affrica, a third-generation restaurant owner whose family also owns Angie's Soul Café, says that soul food fans will recognize the scratch cooking, traditional recipes and fresh ingredients, but will be surprised by the fresh, unusual take on soul food.
Instead of artichoke and spinach dip, for instance, chef Tony Fortner substitutes collard greens. Other unique, mouth-watering treats include the shrimp Po' Boys with lime zest sauce and slaw, and the Soul Rolls, a southern take on the Chinese egg roll.
Zanzibar also adds a new flavor to Shaker Square, the historic east side shopping center that's become a restaurant destination since it was purchased by the Coral Company in 2004. "I've always wanted to open a soul food restaurant here," Affrica says, "so when the owners contacted me, I figured it was meant to be."
Source: Akin Affrica
Writer: Lee Chilcote
Yet Zanzibar Soul Fusion, a new restaurant now open at Shaker Square, is no ordinary soul food joint. The new hotspot offers soul food with a twist, dishing out traditional southern comforts in the atmosphere of an upscale lounge.
"We offer a foundation of soul food fused with other popular food items from different ethnic groups," says owner Akin Affrica. "It's Southern comfort food for the masses."
Affrica, a third-generation restaurant owner whose family also owns Angie's Soul Café, says that soul food fans will recognize the scratch cooking, traditional recipes and fresh ingredients, but will be surprised by the fresh, unusual take on soul food.
Instead of artichoke and spinach dip, for instance, chef Tony Fortner substitutes collard greens. Other unique, mouth-watering treats include the shrimp Po' Boys with lime zest sauce and slaw, and the Soul Rolls, a southern take on the Chinese egg roll.
Zanzibar also adds a new flavor to Shaker Square, the historic east side shopping center that's become a restaurant destination since it was purchased by the Coral Company in 2004. "I've always wanted to open a soul food restaurant here," Affrica says, "so when the owners contacted me, I figured it was meant to be."
Source: Akin Affrica
Writer: Lee Chilcote
Making good on a 2010 goal to build and strengthen its interests in the healthcare industry, The Riverside Company this month announced the acquisition of Physicians Pharmacy Alliance
(PPA). The North Carolina-based company specializes in drug dispensing
to at-home chronically ill patients. PPA was founded in 2002 and has
been recognized as one of the fastest growing companies in the region by
the Triangle Business Journal.
Riverside, a private equity firm with offices in Cleveland, considers itself a generalist when it comes to acquisitions; nevertheless, the company has made strides specializing in the healthcare, education and training industries. Riverside benefits from the knowledge and input of senior advisers in these fields. "We bring them into the fold to complement our investment professionals," says Graham Hearns, Riverside's director of marketing and communications.
Also this month, Riverside announced the add-on acquisition of CareFacts Information Systems, a St. Paul, Minnesota provider of software for home care, hospice and public health organizations. CareFacts will join Riverside's HEALTHCAREfirst, which provides web-based software to home care and hospice agencies.
SOURCE: The Riverside Company
WRITER: Diane DiPiero
Riverside, a private equity firm with offices in Cleveland, considers itself a generalist when it comes to acquisitions; nevertheless, the company has made strides specializing in the healthcare, education and training industries. Riverside benefits from the knowledge and input of senior advisers in these fields. "We bring them into the fold to complement our investment professionals," says Graham Hearns, Riverside's director of marketing and communications.
Also this month, Riverside announced the add-on acquisition of CareFacts Information Systems, a St. Paul, Minnesota provider of software for home care, hospice and public health organizations. CareFacts will join Riverside's HEALTHCAREfirst, which provides web-based software to home care and hospice agencies.
SOURCE: The Riverside Company
WRITER: Diane DiPiero
social media studio teaches ins and outs of new-economy tools
Just when you thought you knew everything about social media, or were afraid to ask anymore questions, a new resource arrives on the scene. Social Media Studio (SMS), a partnership between Rapid Fire Media and Virginia Marti College, launched on January 1 of this year, and is off to a speedy start with the announcement of six upcoming events and the release of its daily e-zine.
"The intent of forming SMS was to create a forum for the best social media practitioners and educators," says Michael DeAloia, the former tech czar of the City of Cleveland and social media guru, who is helping to spearhead this new learning community.
The learning opportunities began on January 11, with an intro to social media led by DeAloia. On January 25, there's a class on effective Twitter tools. "We have planned our first six events for 2011," DeAloia says, "but I suspect we will produce between 20 and 24 events over the course of the calendar year." Experts in social media, marketing and branding will lead various classes. "The Northeast Ohio area is blessed with a rich number of social media experts," he says.
In addition to fee-based classes, SMS recently launched its inaugural Social Media Studio Daily, containing local and national news.
Through classes and the online publication, SMS seeks to broaden Northeast Ohioans' understanding and use of social media. "We have actually created a class where we are going to teach students how to be social media entrepreneurs," DeAolia says.
SOURCE: Michael DeAloia
WRITER: Diane DiPiero
"The intent of forming SMS was to create a forum for the best social media practitioners and educators," says Michael DeAloia, the former tech czar of the City of Cleveland and social media guru, who is helping to spearhead this new learning community.
The learning opportunities began on January 11, with an intro to social media led by DeAloia. On January 25, there's a class on effective Twitter tools. "We have planned our first six events for 2011," DeAloia says, "but I suspect we will produce between 20 and 24 events over the course of the calendar year." Experts in social media, marketing and branding will lead various classes. "The Northeast Ohio area is blessed with a rich number of social media experts," he says.
In addition to fee-based classes, SMS recently launched its inaugural Social Media Studio Daily, containing local and national news.
Through classes and the online publication, SMS seeks to broaden Northeast Ohioans' understanding and use of social media. "We have actually created a class where we are going to teach students how to be social media entrepreneurs," DeAolia says.
SOURCE: Michael DeAloia
WRITER: Diane DiPiero
Alex Tapie has always wanted to open an art gallery, the kind of space that provides young, emerging artists with an opportunity to show their work to an audience.
"I wanted to create a space that was interactive and that would demystify the art experience," says Tapie, a graduate of the Cleveland Institute of Art. "A collective gallery, studio and venue space."
She mentioned the idea to fellow artists Brian Straw, Dan Price and Suzanne Cofer. "We all clicked creatively," Tapie says. Survival Kit art gallery was born.
The gallery opened with a bang in December, attracting over 200 people to its first show. Rotating exhibits and events, including music and craft fairs, are planned for 2011. On Friday and Saturday, Jan. 21-22, Survival Kit will host the 4th Coast Pop Up Market, an exhibit by local artists, designers and vendors that features art, vintage clothing and music.
Getting to this point wasn't easy, say the owners. To turn vision into reality, Tapie and her cohorts first had to find a space. They stumbled upon the perfect location, a 4,500-square-foot space in the 78th Street Studios, a hub for arts-related businesses in the Detroit Shoreway neighborhood, which Tapie labels "a great arts community."
The problem was that the space was "trashed." Tapie talked the landlord into letting her fix it up in exchange for cheap -- even free -- rent. The artists spent five months cleaning trash and debris, scraping tile, painting floors and building walls.
As for the name, Tapie says it's fitting because the gallery is a creative lifeline for young artists seeking community here. "We started joking around that this project was our survival kit -- that we could survive collectively," Tapie says. "The name just fit." And stuck.
Source: Alex Tapie
Writer: Lee Chilcote
"I wanted to create a space that was interactive and that would demystify the art experience," says Tapie, a graduate of the Cleveland Institute of Art. "A collective gallery, studio and venue space."
She mentioned the idea to fellow artists Brian Straw, Dan Price and Suzanne Cofer. "We all clicked creatively," Tapie says. Survival Kit art gallery was born.
The gallery opened with a bang in December, attracting over 200 people to its first show. Rotating exhibits and events, including music and craft fairs, are planned for 2011. On Friday and Saturday, Jan. 21-22, Survival Kit will host the 4th Coast Pop Up Market, an exhibit by local artists, designers and vendors that features art, vintage clothing and music.
Getting to this point wasn't easy, say the owners. To turn vision into reality, Tapie and her cohorts first had to find a space. They stumbled upon the perfect location, a 4,500-square-foot space in the 78th Street Studios, a hub for arts-related businesses in the Detroit Shoreway neighborhood, which Tapie labels "a great arts community."
The problem was that the space was "trashed." Tapie talked the landlord into letting her fix it up in exchange for cheap -- even free -- rent. The artists spent five months cleaning trash and debris, scraping tile, painting floors and building walls.
As for the name, Tapie says it's fitting because the gallery is a creative lifeline for young artists seeking community here. "We started joking around that this project was our survival kit -- that we could survive collectively," Tapie says. "The name just fit." And stuck.
Source: Alex Tapie
Writer: Lee Chilcote
No brakes are being applied now on the new Bike Rack parking station in Downtown Cleveland. The City of Cleveland is overseeing the transformation of a city-owned parking garage at East 4th Street and Huron Road, expected to be completed this spring.
A search for a bike station operation manager was announced last month by Downtown Cleveland Alliance (DCA), and the position was offered, but the name of the applicant has not yet been identified. DCA says it was in search of an entrepreneurial-spirited individual to manage the Bike Rack and make it a self-sustaining business. The goal is for the Bike Rack to eventually be owned and operated by the manager without DCA involvement. In addition to the full-time operation manager, the Bike Rack will initially employ two part-time staffers.
More than just a place to park your two-wheeler, the Bike Rack will offer lockers, bicycle repair services, bike rental and an information center. The garage will be open 24/7 and will have room for at least 50 bikes, according to Josh Taylor, marketing and public relations manager for DCA. If this first venture into bike parking is as successful as experts predict, other stations will likely open around the city in the future, Taylor adds.
SOURCE: Josh Taylor
WRITER: Diane DiPiero
A search for a bike station operation manager was announced last month by Downtown Cleveland Alliance (DCA), and the position was offered, but the name of the applicant has not yet been identified. DCA says it was in search of an entrepreneurial-spirited individual to manage the Bike Rack and make it a self-sustaining business. The goal is for the Bike Rack to eventually be owned and operated by the manager without DCA involvement. In addition to the full-time operation manager, the Bike Rack will initially employ two part-time staffers.
More than just a place to park your two-wheeler, the Bike Rack will offer lockers, bicycle repair services, bike rental and an information center. The garage will be open 24/7 and will have room for at least 50 bikes, according to Josh Taylor, marketing and public relations manager for DCA. If this first venture into bike parking is as successful as experts predict, other stations will likely open around the city in the future, Taylor adds.
SOURCE: Josh Taylor
WRITER: Diane DiPiero
Don't call us Silicon Valley just yet, but Cleveland has a growing list of small and mid-sized technology companies that call downtown home. In late December, Strongsville technology company MCPc announced that the firm will join their ranks, bringing 165 jobs and their corporate headquarters to downtown Cleveland in June.
MCPc, an international provider of tech products and support services with 320 employees, will move to the Plain Dealer building at 1801 Superior Ave., just east of the central business district. As two reasons behind its move, the company cited a desire to join downtown's growing hub of tech companies, and to be more centrally located. Incentives from the City of Cleveland and State of Ohio sweetened the deal.
"From major sporting events to entertainment venues, downtown Cleveland has a lot to offer our customers," says Beth Stec, Director of Corporate Communications and Human Resources. She added, "Our CEO, Mike Trebilcock, was excited about moving downtown."
The move was also celebrated by the Plain Dealer, whose headquarters is now just 70 percent full after years of cost-cutting. The building was completely occupied when it was built in 2001. MCPc plans to fill about 48,000 square feet on the third floor, as well as 49,000 square feet within the first floor parking garage. MCPc will spend about $3 million on improvements, including a new Customer Experience Center to allow clients to experience products first-hand, and a technology and distribution center.
MCPc plans to create at least 45 new jobs in downtown Cleveland. Since 2004, more than 30 technology companies have set up shop downtown, bringing over 1,000 jobs. More than half of these businesses moved from Cleveland suburbs.
Writer: Lee Chilcote
Source: Beth Stec, MCPc
MCPc, an international provider of tech products and support services with 320 employees, will move to the Plain Dealer building at 1801 Superior Ave., just east of the central business district. As two reasons behind its move, the company cited a desire to join downtown's growing hub of tech companies, and to be more centrally located. Incentives from the City of Cleveland and State of Ohio sweetened the deal.
"From major sporting events to entertainment venues, downtown Cleveland has a lot to offer our customers," says Beth Stec, Director of Corporate Communications and Human Resources. She added, "Our CEO, Mike Trebilcock, was excited about moving downtown."
The move was also celebrated by the Plain Dealer, whose headquarters is now just 70 percent full after years of cost-cutting. The building was completely occupied when it was built in 2001. MCPc plans to fill about 48,000 square feet on the third floor, as well as 49,000 square feet within the first floor parking garage. MCPc will spend about $3 million on improvements, including a new Customer Experience Center to allow clients to experience products first-hand, and a technology and distribution center.
MCPc plans to create at least 45 new jobs in downtown Cleveland. Since 2004, more than 30 technology companies have set up shop downtown, bringing over 1,000 jobs. More than half of these businesses moved from Cleveland suburbs.
Writer: Lee Chilcote
Source: Beth Stec, MCPc
Northeast Shores Development Corporation continues its push to attract out-of-town artists by offering affordable housing. Since 1994, the North Collinwood-based nonprofit has rehabbed approximately 125 area homes. A more focused development plan is concentrating efforts within a tight 14-block footprint.
The Garland Co. may not be a household name to everyone in Cleveland,
but the fact is that the company has been providing roofing solutions
for businesses, industrial facilities and public properties for about
115 years. "Garland has a great local story to tell," says Brain
Lambert, director of products and systems. That story involves having a
presence in the area since 1895, a reputation for innovation that
includes green building and a common sense approach to business that has
resulted in zero layoffs during tough economic times.
An employee-owned business, Garland makes products for new construction, renovation, retrofit and maintenance projects. The company also services companies through engineering, design-build construction management and computerized roof asset management. Garland has been "going green" before it was a popular thing to do. In the mid-1990s, Garland introduced a modified roofing system using post-consumer recycled tires. Garland Energy Systems, Inc., created as a subsidiary of the company in 2007, focuses solely on alternative energy solutions such as thin-film solar rooftop cells.
Being forward-thinking while respecting its strong history seems to be a successful combination for Garland, which has received numerous awards and recognitiions over the last year. Garland's Green-Lock product, a polymer-based, VOC-free flood coat, made it to the list of Top Products of 2010 by Building Operation Management magazine. Garland has also been named to the North Coast 99 list of best places to work for 11 years in a row.
SOURCE: The Garland Co.
WRITER: Diane DiPiero
An employee-owned business, Garland makes products for new construction, renovation, retrofit and maintenance projects. The company also services companies through engineering, design-build construction management and computerized roof asset management. Garland has been "going green" before it was a popular thing to do. In the mid-1990s, Garland introduced a modified roofing system using post-consumer recycled tires. Garland Energy Systems, Inc., created as a subsidiary of the company in 2007, focuses solely on alternative energy solutions such as thin-film solar rooftop cells.
Being forward-thinking while respecting its strong history seems to be a successful combination for Garland, which has received numerous awards and recognitiions over the last year. Garland's Green-Lock product, a polymer-based, VOC-free flood coat, made it to the list of Top Products of 2010 by Building Operation Management magazine. Garland has also been named to the North Coast 99 list of best places to work for 11 years in a row.
SOURCE: The Garland Co.
WRITER: Diane DiPiero
JumpStart Ventures closed out 2010 strong, adding to its portfolio and making second investments in two existing companies. A $250,000 investment in Cleveland-based MedCity Media, formerly MedCity News, will allow the online news service to expand its healthcare-specific content to Philadelphia and Raleigh/Durham. JumpStart Ventures president, Lynn-Ann Gries, says that MedCity's media model has created a unique niche in the industry.
JumpStart also announced an investment in another Cleveland company, Caralon Global. This startup is producing a thermal insulating material that because of its ultra-thin design can be used in very small spaces. Caralon Global received a loan in early 2010 from Cuyahoga County's North Coast Opportunities (NCO) Technology Fund, which allowed the company to create molds for the manufacturing process.
JumpStart also showed support for the continued growth of two of its existing portfolio companies: Tursiop Technologies and OnShift. Tursiop Technologies received a second investment of $150,000 for the development of its MRI coil devices. OnShift, which provides employee scheduling and communications technology, also received a $150,000 second investment from JumpStart. That was part of a total $2.3 million venture capital investment rounds in OnShift.
In 2010 alone, JumpStart invested in 15 companies, with a total financial offering of more than $3 million.
SOURCE: JumpStart Ventures
WRITER: Diane DiPiero
JumpStart also announced an investment in another Cleveland company, Caralon Global. This startup is producing a thermal insulating material that because of its ultra-thin design can be used in very small spaces. Caralon Global received a loan in early 2010 from Cuyahoga County's North Coast Opportunities (NCO) Technology Fund, which allowed the company to create molds for the manufacturing process.
JumpStart also showed support for the continued growth of two of its existing portfolio companies: Tursiop Technologies and OnShift. Tursiop Technologies received a second investment of $150,000 for the development of its MRI coil devices. OnShift, which provides employee scheduling and communications technology, also received a $150,000 second investment from JumpStart. That was part of a total $2.3 million venture capital investment rounds in OnShift.
In 2010 alone, JumpStart invested in 15 companies, with a total financial offering of more than $3 million.
SOURCE: JumpStart Ventures
WRITER: Diane DiPiero
E pluribus unum. If this motto hadn't already been snatched for the United States seal, it might have worked nicely for Cleveland's Corporate United. The group-purchasing organization manages the contracts and suppliers of its member companies, which include Akron General Health System, Caribou Coffee, Malt-o-Meal, PolyOne, Progressive, Sherwin Williams and Toro.
According to president Marc Rosen, the purchasing strength of the companies it serves fuels Corporate United's growth. "As a member-based organization, we measure success by the bottom-line value we generate for our members. This value leads to the positive growth of Corporate United as a whole," Rosen says.
Corporate United enjoyed 91 percent growth in 2010, and was recognized locally and nationally for its efforts. Corporate United ranked 56 on the Weatherhead 100, was named a Crain's Leading EDGE award winner for its service to a 17-county region in Northeast Ohio and made it onto Inc's list of the 5,000 fastest-growing small- to mid-sized companies in America. Supply & Demand Chain Executive Magazine also recognized Corporate United for its role in preparing member companies for post-recessionary growth.
Corporate United added three members to its staff last year, and plans to make another new hire in the first half of 2011.
Source: Corporate United
Writer: Diane DiPiero
According to president Marc Rosen, the purchasing strength of the companies it serves fuels Corporate United's growth. "As a member-based organization, we measure success by the bottom-line value we generate for our members. This value leads to the positive growth of Corporate United as a whole," Rosen says.
Corporate United enjoyed 91 percent growth in 2010, and was recognized locally and nationally for its efforts. Corporate United ranked 56 on the Weatherhead 100, was named a Crain's Leading EDGE award winner for its service to a 17-county region in Northeast Ohio and made it onto Inc's list of the 5,000 fastest-growing small- to mid-sized companies in America. Supply & Demand Chain Executive Magazine also recognized Corporate United for its role in preparing member companies for post-recessionary growth.
Corporate United added three members to its staff last year, and plans to make another new hire in the first half of 2011.
Source: Corporate United
Writer: Diane DiPiero
ray's indoor mountain bike heads west
Since opening in 2004, Ray's Indoor Mountain Bike Park has been nothing short of a wild ride. The 100,000-plus square-foot park attracts thousands of thrill-seekers from all across the Midwest, making it a bona fide Cleveland success story. Last week, owner Ray Petro accomplished what he had been planning to do for years: open a second location out of state.
Last week, Petro opened a 110,000-square-foot Milwaukee location in a former Menards Home Improvement Center, a move he pulled off by partnering with Trek.
In a recent Cycling News article, the writer says the new facility "builds upon the success of the original location in Cleveland, Ohio." The indoor park gives riders a place to ride, train, and develop skills -- especially during the long winter months.
The article states that the grand opening of the Milwaukee location had been postponed until New Year's weekend from its original November date because of city permit issues.
Read the trail story here.
Last week, Petro opened a 110,000-square-foot Milwaukee location in a former Menards Home Improvement Center, a move he pulled off by partnering with Trek.
In a recent Cycling News article, the writer says the new facility "builds upon the success of the original location in Cleveland, Ohio." The indoor park gives riders a place to ride, train, and develop skills -- especially during the long winter months.
The article states that the grand opening of the Milwaukee location had been postponed until New Year's weekend from its original November date because of city permit issues.
Read the trail story here.
The recession grinds on, but the new store Native Cleveland has found a surprisingly lucrative niche: Local.
"Business is great," says manager Megan Coffman. "Everybody wants holiday gifts that are locally made."
Pushing local products is Native Cleveland's business model and mission. Located on Collinwood's Waterloo Road, in the former home of Shoparooni, Native Cleveland carries mostly products made in Ohio, and most are from the Cleveland region. Coffman says the idea for the store came from her time at CLE Clothing and seeing how well that company's Cleveland-themed gear sold at festivals and other events.
Native Cleveland is a featured vendor for CLE Clothing products, and Coffman says they're selling well there, too. Another big seller is exclusive Cleveland-themed prints from Grey Cardigan. Current inventory also includes buttons and signs from Northcoast Zeitgeist and Cleveland, Akron and Kent baby onesies.
Native Cleveland's holiday hours are noon to 9 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday, and 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Sunday.
Source: Megan Coffman
Writer: Frank W. Lewis
"Business is great," says manager Megan Coffman. "Everybody wants holiday gifts that are locally made."
Pushing local products is Native Cleveland's business model and mission. Located on Collinwood's Waterloo Road, in the former home of Shoparooni, Native Cleveland carries mostly products made in Ohio, and most are from the Cleveland region. Coffman says the idea for the store came from her time at CLE Clothing and seeing how well that company's Cleveland-themed gear sold at festivals and other events.
Native Cleveland is a featured vendor for CLE Clothing products, and Coffman says they're selling well there, too. Another big seller is exclusive Cleveland-themed prints from Grey Cardigan. Current inventory also includes buttons and signs from Northcoast Zeitgeist and Cleveland, Akron and Kent baby onesies.
Native Cleveland's holiday hours are noon to 9 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday, and 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Sunday.
Source: Megan Coffman
Writer: Frank W. Lewis
Technically, Ohio Knitting Mills' first retail store in Cleveland is temporary. "But the reception has been tremendous," says owner Steve Tatar, "and it's encouraging for staying the long term."
Tatar's Ohio Knitting Mills sells sweaters and other apparel manufactured long ago -- between 1947 and 1974 -- by a large Cleveland-based company of the same name. "Beginning after World War II, the Mill plucked samples of each style they produced and put them into storage," the website explains. "We've opened this time capsule, and offer to you our collection of perfectly preserved American fashion and industrial craftsmanship."
In addition to selling online, Tatar ran a retail shop in Brooklyn, N.Y., for a couple years before returning to Cleveland in 2008. The new "pop-up shop", at 6505 Detroit Rd. in the Gordon Square Arts District (the former home of Room Service), has been well received, even by those who know nothing of the company's intriguing story.
"At first people were coming in and were like, 'This is cool -- what am I looking at? Who are you, what are you doing here?'" Tatar explains. So the store has become something of a gallery or museum, reviving interest in Cleveland's extensive but unheralded history as a garment-manufacturing center.
The store is also helping Tatar meet more Clevelanders who are creating things, like clothing and furniture, and slowly creating national buzz in their respective industries. Ohio in general, and Cleveland in particular, are reclaiming their reputations for high-quality manufacturing. As Tatar put its, "We still have the souls of makers."
Source: Steve Tatar
Writer: Frank W. Lewis
Tatar's Ohio Knitting Mills sells sweaters and other apparel manufactured long ago -- between 1947 and 1974 -- by a large Cleveland-based company of the same name. "Beginning after World War II, the Mill plucked samples of each style they produced and put them into storage," the website explains. "We've opened this time capsule, and offer to you our collection of perfectly preserved American fashion and industrial craftsmanship."
In addition to selling online, Tatar ran a retail shop in Brooklyn, N.Y., for a couple years before returning to Cleveland in 2008. The new "pop-up shop", at 6505 Detroit Rd. in the Gordon Square Arts District (the former home of Room Service), has been well received, even by those who know nothing of the company's intriguing story.
"At first people were coming in and were like, 'This is cool -- what am I looking at? Who are you, what are you doing here?'" Tatar explains. So the store has become something of a gallery or museum, reviving interest in Cleveland's extensive but unheralded history as a garment-manufacturing center.
The store is also helping Tatar meet more Clevelanders who are creating things, like clothing and furniture, and slowly creating national buzz in their respective industries. Ohio in general, and Cleveland in particular, are reclaiming their reputations for high-quality manufacturing. As Tatar put its, "We still have the souls of makers."
Source: Steve Tatar
Writer: Frank W. Lewis
Digiknow and Downtown Cleveland Alliance have partnered up in a new mobile marketing plan that uses QR codes to provide information to on-the-go residents. The QR codes will connect residents and customers to online profiles of downtown stakeholders such as bars, restaurants, entertainment venues, hotels, and commercial and residential properties.
CLE equity firm riverside continues to make deals, grow staff
The Riverside Company is experiencing its strongest fourth quarter in the company's 22-year history. That, in addition to snagging Mergers & Acquisitions Journal's recent designation as "Private Equity Firm of the Year."
"It has been a remarkably busy time," admits Graham Hearns, director of marketing and communications for the Cleveland-based private equity firm. "We've had four or five acquisitions and a couple of business exits so far, and we could have as many as six or seven more transactions in the next two weeks."
Hearns attributes this growth to lenders once again offering money to businesses and to more realistic buyer and seller expectations.
For Riverside, this meant moving forward with company acquisitions that it has been researching in the midst of an economic downturn. "During the whole global financial crisis we never came to a standstill," Hearns says. "We are generalists, so we like to window shop."
Riverside has found success in maintaining its general portfolio while also beefing up two key areas of company acquisitions: healthcare and education and training. The company's latest investment is G&H Wire Company, a Franklin, Indiana-based manufacturer and supplier of orthodontic products. G&H becomes Riverside's 49th healthcare transaction. Overall, Riverside has made more than 200 acquisitions of companies with $200 million or less in enterprise value.
Riverside has 19 offices around the world, but Cleveland continues to be its largest with about 50 employees. "There's been a continuous growth of the Cleveland team," Hearns says, adding that Riverside hired about six new people in 2010 and expects to add about the same amount in the next year or so.
SOURCE: The Riverside Company
WRITER: Diane DiPiero
"It has been a remarkably busy time," admits Graham Hearns, director of marketing and communications for the Cleveland-based private equity firm. "We've had four or five acquisitions and a couple of business exits so far, and we could have as many as six or seven more transactions in the next two weeks."
Hearns attributes this growth to lenders once again offering money to businesses and to more realistic buyer and seller expectations.
For Riverside, this meant moving forward with company acquisitions that it has been researching in the midst of an economic downturn. "During the whole global financial crisis we never came to a standstill," Hearns says. "We are generalists, so we like to window shop."
Riverside has found success in maintaining its general portfolio while also beefing up two key areas of company acquisitions: healthcare and education and training. The company's latest investment is G&H Wire Company, a Franklin, Indiana-based manufacturer and supplier of orthodontic products. G&H becomes Riverside's 49th healthcare transaction. Overall, Riverside has made more than 200 acquisitions of companies with $200 million or less in enterprise value.
Riverside has 19 offices around the world, but Cleveland continues to be its largest with about 50 employees. "There's been a continuous growth of the Cleveland team," Hearns says, adding that Riverside hired about six new people in 2010 and expects to add about the same amount in the next year or so.
SOURCE: The Riverside Company
WRITER: Diane DiPiero