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0 71486 01032 6 49 www.crainscleveland.com LATE Richfield. a 10,000-square-footbuildingin aid BDCinleasingandmovingto at $545,135overfiveyears,would taxes forBDC.Thecredit,valued on corporateincomeorfranchise approved afive-year,50%credit the OhioTaxCreditAuthorityhas Department ofDevelopmentsaid is consideringamove.TheOhio related companiesinStrongsville, services forautodealersand 2-year-old providerofphonesales ■ FIRM PREPS FORMOVE CAR DEALERMARKETING occurs. context inwhichtheviolence relationships andthecommunity the lastingimpactofviolent get outofthoserelationships, why theystayinthem,how get involvedinviolentrelationships, communities tofindouthowthey 18 to21in12NortheastOhio to studymorethan90adultsages The three-yeargrantwillbeused Prevention tostudydatingviolence. Centers forDiseaseControland a $900,000grantfromtheU.S. ■ ON DATING VIOLENCE KSU EFFORTTO FOCUS Bullard Stan — supplier basedinBeloit,Wis. an exteriorbuildingmaterials is oneof360branchesforABC, the sizeofits is 42,500square showroom andwarehousebuilding at 8745MunsonRoad.Thenew from itsformerhomeof20years to 9099TylerBlvd.,aquarter- tors, hasmoveditsMentor and windowsdistributortocontrac- ■ EXPANDS WITHNEWSHOP CONSTRUCTION SUPPLIER Brookpark Road. process. Anchoremploys308on efficiency andaddanewgrinding equipment thatwillimprove the metalstampingcompanybuy The 2%,seven-yearloanwillhelp grinding workthat’snowoutsourced. allow thecompanytobringin-house Cuyahoga Countyloanthatwill in Clevelandhaswona$500,000 ■ EQUIPMENT, PROCESS METAL STAMPER TO ADD NEWSPAPER Turner A. Shawn — recovery groupsofKeyBank. flow, asset-basedlendingandasset president intheleveragedcash Strazella workedasseniorvice Superior Ave.Mostrecently,Mr. Strazella tostarttheofficeat600 . ScoulerhastabbedAlex one-person officeindowntown restructuring firm,hasopeneda based financialservicesand ■ STEPS INTO CLEVELAND L.A. FINANCEFIRM Kent StateUniversityhasreceived ABC SupplyCo.,aroofing,siding Anchor ManufacturingGroupInc. BDC ManagementGroup,a Scouler &Co.,aLosAngeles- — Shannon Mortland Shannon — — Stan Bullard Stan — old location. NEWS — Jay Miller Jay — feet, doubling Mentor office mile [email protected] By JAYMILLER Athletic Ch.11 clubpreppingtofile 100 would allowtheclubtocelebrateits and outlineaplanforthefuturethat lay outtheclub’sfinancialsituation hear clubpresidentHarryMcDonald meet thisWednesday,Dec.12,to ruptcy protection. close tofilingforChapter11bank- initiatives, ourabilitytoeliminate includes marketingandfinancial with ournewoperatingplan,which members latelastmonth.“Equipped said inanundatedletterreceivedby ruptcy reorganization,”Mr.McDonald ourselves tofileforChapter11bank- Club membersareexpectedto The ClevelandAthleticClubis “We arecurrentlypositioning th anniversary nextyear. rise asinterest insustainablepower picks upelsewhere makers of Despite ’sinertia, THEIRBACKS WIND BEHIND in otherstatesthataremovingaheadwith Bearings nonethelessisseeingitssalesrise company’s businesstocomefromOhio,Avon diameter foruseinwindturbines. precision turntablebearingsthatare9feetin 20% ofsalesatthecompany,whichmakes days, windgenerationaccountsformorethan wind energybusinessforabout20years.These a companyinAvonthathasbeeninvolvedthe from thestateofOhio. continue toblowhiswaywithorwithoutahand Walsh’s company—andheexpectsitto Though Mr.Walshwouldlikemoreofhis Mr. WalshispresidentofAvonBearingsCorp., A favorablewindisdrivingbusinessatJohn By DAVID BENNETT See with Grubb&Elliswhorepresents Richard Sheehan,arealestatebroker the topfivefloors. negotiating toreducethatonly a telephoneinterviewlastweekheis building, butMr.McDonaldsaidin club occupiesthetop10floorsof Building at1118EuclidAve.The the 15-storyClevelandAthleticClub Mann, whoinSeptemberbought with itsnewlandlord,developerEli zation willbenegotiatinganewlease and theBankruptcyCourt. it sortsoutitsdebtswithcreditors tion cancontinuetofunctionwhile ruptcy Code,abusinessororganiza- oncurrentoperations.” trate past debtshouldenableustoconcen- WIND PLUS: challenges duringtheir firstyear Entrepreneurs musttread through many SMALL BUSINESS SECTION SPECIAL “We’re workingonadeal,”said A keypartoftheclub’sreorgani- Under Chapter11oftheBank- ■ Page 8 GRAND OPENINGS [email protected] Vol. 28,No.49/$1.50 advanced energy equipment advanced energy ■ TAX TIPS because ofaquirkylongtimelease lost itsheatwhentheclub—which sharply curtaileditsfoodservice. costs, theclubinlastyearhas at presentfrom1,300in2002.Tocut move thathascostitmembers. ments tokeeptheclubafloat,a to itsmembersforspecialassess- aged. attheclubandotherslikeithas ship clubs haveopenedup;andmember- dropped; new,lessexpensivehealth years asdowntownemploymenthas we’d liketokeeptheclub.” Mr. Mann.“We’dliketokeepthem; ■ Last January,thebuildingnearly Membership hasdeclinedto299 In addition,theclubhashadtogo The clubhasstruggledforseveral & MORE ■ Page 15 See CLUB Page 21 Page 8 of advancedenergyresourcesinOhio. other thingswouldfosterdevelopment of astateenergypolicy,whichamong Partnership putsforthitsownversion INSIDE: [email protected] By STANBULLARD to Brunswick lure bigproject Cabela’s could site thedeveloperisassemblingat to wintheCabela’sforan83-acre based JacobsGroupareindiscussions Zienkowski saidthecityandWestlake- create. Richard E.JacobsGroupwantsto center thatrealestatedeveloper would landa$100millionshopping the MedinaCountycommunityalso famed Cabela’ssportinggoodsstore, The GreaterCleveland see fortunes Brunswick citymanagerRobert If thecityofBrunswickbagsa PAGE 3 SETUPS. AUTO SUPPLYSHOP FROM THEUSUAL STORES SPEEDAWAY RACY RETAIL ■ SUMMIT RACING’S by CrainCommunications Inc. Entire contents DECEMBER 10-16,2007 See CABELA’S © 2007 Page 21

ISTOCKPHOTO CCLB 12-10-07 A 2 CCLB 12/7/2007 12:25 PM Page 1

2 CRAIN’S CLEVELAND BUSINESS WWW.CRAINSCLEVELAND.COM DECEMBER 10-16, 2007 COMING SOON 20 IN THEIR 20S

Giving back In conjunction with the Dec. 24 “Work & Play: Giving Back” section, Crain’s calls for up-and-comers 700 W. St. Clair Ave., Suite 310, Crain’s Cleveland Business plans to publish an online list of ways to Attention, all young up-and- will not be considered. The year and Cleveland, OH 44113-1230 help area nonprofits. To be included, nonprofit organizations should Phone: (216) 522-1383 send the following — organization name; address; phone number; comers. The time is coming to turn date of birth of the nominee also the spotlight on you. should be included. Only people Fax: (216) 694-4264 web site; organization purpose; contact name; contact number; www.crainscleveland.com and how to help (in 50 words or less outline volunteer and Crain’s is seeking nominations who still will be in their 20s as of April other assistance opportunities). Please send information for our Twenty in Their 20s feature, 28, 2008, are eligible for this feature. Publisher/editorial director: by Dec. 15 to sections editor Amy Ann Stoessel at which runs in the April 28, 2008, Send your nominations by Brian D. Tucker ([email protected]) Editor: Mark Dodosh astoessel @crain.com. Call 216-771-5155 with questions. issue. There’s no nomination form Dec. 14, 2007, to editor Mark to fill out. Simply provide us Dodosh either via regular mail at ([email protected]) Managing editor: Scott Suttell with narrative information about a 700 W. St. Clair Ave., suite 310, ([email protected]) REGULAR FEATURES person’s accomplishments in his Cleveland, OH 44113, or via e-mail Sections editor: Amy Ann Stoessel or her field and the nominee’s to [email protected]. Please ([email protected]) Classified ...... 22-23 List: Banks ...... 20 involvement in civic, charitable or put “Twenty in Their 20s” in the Design editor: Kristen Miller Editorial ...... 10 Personal View...... 10 professional activities. subject line of e-mailed nomina- ([email protected]) Nominations must be kept to tions. Senior reporter: Stan Bullard Going Places ...... 14 Stocks...... 26 ([email protected]) a single typed or Word page; Fax submissions will not be Reporters: Letters ...... 11 Tax Liens...... 12 submissions that exceed this limit accepted. David Bennett ([email protected]) Shannon Mortland ([email protected]) Jay MIller ([email protected]) John Booth ([email protected]) Shawn A. Turner ([email protected]) Chuck Soder ([email protected]) Designer/reporter: Joel Hammond ([email protected]) Research editor: Deborah W. Hillyer ([email protected]) Cartoonist/illustrator: Rich Williams >cigdYjXidgn6EN Online editor: Jeff Stacklin ([email protected]) Marketing coordinator:  Laura Franks ([email protected]) 6EN Advertising sales director: Mike Malley ([email protected]) Account executives: Adam Mandell ([email protected]) Art Bouhall Jr. ([email protected]) Andrea Rubin ([email protected]) )#,*;dg&-%YVnh#&%!%%%b^c^bjbWVaVcXZ# Dirk Kruger ([email protected]) 7jh^cZhh6XXZhhBdcZnBVg`ZiVXXdjci Nicole Nolan ([email protected]) Classified advertising manager: Don Schwaller ([email protected]) Office coordinator: Toni Coleman ([email protected]) Ndjgldg`^c\XVe^iVaXVcWZ Western accounts manager: Ellen Mazen, 323-370-2477 ([email protected]) Western accounts assistant: Alexander Carlos, 323-370-2400 ([email protected]) ldg`^c\]VgYZg# Production manager: Craig L. Mackey ([email protected]) Production assistant: Steven Bennett ([email protected]) Graphic designer: Kristen Wilson ([email protected]) Receptionist: Jodi Stirtmire ([email protected]) Billing: Susan Jaranowski, 313-446-6024 ([email protected]) Credit: Donna Meeks, 313-446-6097 ([email protected]) Circulation manager: Erin Miller ([email protected]) Customer service manager: DeZcV;^ghiBZg^i7jh^cZhh6XXZhhBdcZnBVg`ZiVXXdjciidYVn# Kate Schumacher ([email protected]) Crain Communications Inc. The FirstMerit Business Access Money Speak with one of our Business Service Center specialists Keith E. Crain: Chairman Market account allows you to get more about opening a Business Access Money Market account Rance Crain: President for your money. It gives you the easy today. Call us toll-free at 1-888-283-2303, or visit us Merrilee Crain: Secretary Mary Kay Crain: Treasurer access to your funds that you need and online at www.firstmerit.com. William A. Morrow: the high yield that you want. Executive vice president/operations Brian D. Tucker: Vice president FirstMerit Bank. Robert C. Adams: Group vice president The bank for owner-managed businesses, technology, circulation, manufacturing Here’s what else they give you: Paul Dalpiaz: Chief Information Officer their employees and their families Dave Kamis: • Interest on all balances Vice president/production & manufacturing • Check writing capability Patrick Sheposh: Corporate circulation director • Online Banking access G.D. Crain Jr. • Security of FDIC insurance Founder (1885-1973) Mrs. G.D. Crain Jr. Chairman (1911-1996)

The FirstMerit Business Access Money Market account gives Subscriptions: In Ohio: 1 year, $59; 2 years, $102. Outside of Ohio: 1 year, $102; 2 years, $180. Single you one more powerful feature. A FirstMerit Business Banker. copy, $1.50. Allow 4 weeks for change of address. Someone who’s dedicated to help you achieve long-term Send all subscription correspondence to Circulation De- partment, Crain’s Cleveland Business, 1155 Gratiot Av- financial success. enue, Detroit, Michigan 48207-2912. 1-888-909-9111 or FAX (313) 446-6777. Reprints: Call 1-800-290-5460 Ext. 183

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DECEMBER 10-16, 2007 WWW.CRAINSCLEVELAND.COM CRAIN’S CLEVELAND BUSINESS 3 New 1100 Superior owner wooed by redo

The 576,086-square-foot structure $15.35 a square foot. With skyscraper’s vacancy tumbling down, Illinois is 18% vacant. However, American The 1100 Superior building has Landmark sees the 80,000 square feet received a massive remodeling and firm scoops up ‘one of nicest buildings in the city’ of empty space as an opportunity. upgrade since 2005 from the prior “We will be very competitive,” Mr. owner and its management and By STAN BULLARD American Landmark, which is based Roeser said. “We have a great deal of leasing company, the Cleveland [email protected] in Skokie, Ill. “We think we bought experience leasing vacant space.” office of Hines Interests, a develop- one of the nicest buildings in the city, With the vacancy rate among ment and property management American Landmark Properties and we’re in it for the long haul.” prime, or Class A, buildings down- concern based in Houston. Ltd., a real estate investment com- Mr. Roeser declined to disclose town approaching 10%, Mr. Roeser During the past two years, the redo pany that owns a stake in Chicago’s terms of the building’s purchase, said he’s confident his company and has attracted several companies to Sears Tower, is the new owner of which closed Dec. 3, from 1100 its yet-to-be-hired local leasing agent the building. Among them are locally 1100 Superior, a skyscraper with Superior Square Venture, another will take the building to a higher based concerns such as Cleveland- that name and address in down- out-of-town investor that lists occupancy rate within a year. Mr. Cliffs Inc., Edward Howard & Co. and town Cleveland. to an Atlanta address. Cuyahoga Roeser declined to disclose the asking Colliers Ostendorf-Morris, as well as “We think we’ve added another County assigns the 21-story build- rate for space in the building. The First American Lenders Advantage, a trophy to the portfolio,” said John ing a market value of $38 million for CoStar real estate data service said the Cleveland-based division of First Roeser, executive vice president of property tax purposes. average rent paid in the tower is See SUPERIOR Page 24 STAN BULLARD

INSIGHT Chancellor, commission agree: State universities must produce more grads

By SHANNON MORTLAND INSIDE: A more detailed look at the [email protected] master plan set by Eric Fingerhut, the Ohio Board of Regents chancellor. Increase the educational attain- Page 24 ment of Ohioans. Make a college education more nine, two- and four-year state schools affordable. to work together more closely. The Raise the quality of the state’s commission consists of community public colleges and universities. leaders and presidents of the Univer- Play a greater role in economic sity of Akron; Northeastern Ohio leadership. Universities Colleges of Medicine Those are the four broad goals and Pharmacy; and Cleveland State, that Eric Fingerhut, chancellor of Kent State and Youngstown State the Ohio Board of Regents, has set universities. for the University System of Ohio in “The chancellor’s goals and the drafting a 10-year master plan to commission’s goals are aimed at the create a more collaborative system same, basic fundamental issue for of higher education in the state. The Ohio, and that is increasing the master plan is due March 30 to the number of graduates that are coming General Assembly. from the university system,” said Mr. Fingerhut’s goals mirror many MARC GOLUB Lester Lefton, president of Kent State. ABOVE: Summit Racing is revamping the look of its three retail stores — in Tallmadge, McDonough, Ga., and Sparks, of those put forth by the Northeast Historically, many Ohioans either Nev. — to allow for more creativity and project-oriented layout. “We’ve always tried to make this a ‘wow’ environment,” Ohio Universities Collaboration and haven’t gone to college or have says Summit advertising manager Nan Gelhard. BELOW: The Summit facade illuminates the Tallmadge night sky. Innovation Study Commission. It was gone out of state for degree work. formed by the Legislature in late 2006 Mr. Fingerhut wants the university and is charged with creating by Dec. system to compete with other states DEFINITELY NOT A DRAG 31 a blueprint for ’s See FINGERHUT Page 24 Summit Racing’s new THE WEEK IN QUOTES retail store layout bucks “With so much to gain “In all my work with … in the renewable entrepreneurs, I never trend of traditionally energy industry, we met one that didn’t bland auto supply shops should strive to enact a have a failure. …

By JOHN BOOTH policy that will put us Most important is to [email protected] on an equal playing separate the business

n the cusp of turning 40, field with the other failure from individual Summit Racing Equip- 25 states that have failure.” ment probably is old enacted standards.” — Mark Hauserman, executive director, Muldoon Center for enough to be considered — Erin Bowser, director, Entrepreneurship, John Carroll Environment Ohio. Page One Oa classic. Still, even the best engines can Nev. Executives of the privately held com- University. Page 15 use some tinkering, as evidenced by pany won’t discuss nuts-and-bolts data “Have a good business a coming overhaul of the Tallmadge such as sales figures or the number of “Our goal was to company’s retail stores and its recent employees, but Tallmadge city officials esti- plan and stick to it. expansion into new merchandise arenas. mate Summit employs between 700 and 750 Use it as a guideline make something that Founded in 1968, Summit has a mail- people locally and is easily the city’s largest or you can lose track warmed the towel to order business as its backbone but runs employer. of what your ideas make it feel like it just three retail stores at its distribution centers “We’ve always tried to make this a ‘wow’ were a year ago.” came out of the dryer.” in Tallmadge, McDonough, Ga., and Sparks, See SUMMIT Page 25 — Doug Whitner, president, — Dan Pribanic, owner, Innovations Direct. Page 26 Chagrin River Outfitters. Page 18 CCLB 12-10-07 A 4 CCLB 12/7/2007 3:10 PM Page 1

4 CRAIN’S CLEVELAND BUSINESS WWW.CRAINSCLEVELAND.COM DECEMBER 10-16, 2007 Ownership stability helps MAI thrive Playhouse Square declined to give an exact number of Investment management emphasis also credited how many hires will be made. He also declined to disclose the firm’s Foundation adds to By SHAWN A. TURNER would change hands again when asset level target. [email protected] IMG was acquired in November “We were hoping that in the first 2004 by an affiliate of private equity year or so we would just stabilize the Theater District stable When he first received the call in firm Forstmann Little & Co. business,” Mr. Buoncore said. March 2006 from an investment “This was an organization that “Truth be told, we were expecting By STAN BULLARD banker who was shopping what was was sort of in limbo,” Mr. Buoncore some decline.” [email protected] then McCormack Advisors Interna- said of McCormack Advisors. Mr. Buoncore, managing partner tional in Cleveland, former Victory But Mr. Buoncore said a closer of MAI, credits in part the firm’s Playhouse Square Foundation, Capital Management CEO Rick look revealed McCormack Advisors attention to its wealth management operator of the restored theaters in Buoncore admits he was not terribly could benefit from placing more business as helping boost its asset and producer interested in acquiring the business. emphasis on its investment man- levels. For instance, the firm in of property makeovers in the city’s “This is a perfect fit for you,” he agement business and from stable January plans to introduce its MAI Theater District, is the new owner of recalled the investment banker as ownership. He also was impressed Strategic Equity Allocation Fund, the long-vacant former Cowell & saying. by the people at McCormack. which will provide investors expo- Hubbard jewelry store building at “Oh, you tell that to everyone,” So, on Feb.1 of this year, he sure to several asset classes. 1305 Euclid Ave. Mr. Buoncore responded. assumed control of the firm, which “It’s the whole universe,” Mr. With the purchase, the foundation Mr. Buoncore had left Victory has been renamed MAI Wealth Buoncore said. “Domestic and inter- assumes control of an underused in 2005 to set up his own small Advisors LLC. national equities, commodities” and stretch of frontage on Euclid Avenue, investment management company, It turns out that perhaps the real estate investment trusts. The which is drawing interest from real BC Investment Partners LLC, investment banker who’d called Mr. firm also offers tax, estate and retire- estate developers and businesses and wasn’t ready to acquire a Buoncore wasn’t wrong. ment planning services. thanks to construction on the street money management firm that had MAI currently counts billable So far, selling the firm’s own clients of the Regional Transit Authority’s undergone multiple management assets under management of $1.2 on its investment management $200 million Silver Line. The RTA changes in a short time span. billion, a 41% increase from $853.1 services — something McCormack project is creating dedicated lanes STAN BULLARD McCormack Advisors had been million on April 30 of this year, Advisors hadn’t done — is paying off, for hybrid diesel-electric buses con- sold in 2000 to Merrill Lynch by according to a July 16 Crain’s Cleve- said Martin Christ, a director at MAI. necting Public Square, University also gives the building a possible sports marketing giant IMG, whose land Business list of Northeast “We’re still in the elementary Circle and the Woodmere transit showroom for a consumer products or founder, Mark H. McCormack, had Ohio’s largest money managers. stages,” Mr. Christ said. “We’ve got station. It also is dressing up the industrial design firm, which would be created the money management The firm employs 55, and several to catch up on a business almost 35 streetscape and sidewalks along the in keeping with a use envisioned by affiliate. Merrill then sold the busi- more could be added during the years old and tell a story that’s route. promoters of a Design District on ■ ness back in 2002 to IMG, though it next year, though Mr. Buoncore never really been told.” Jack Herrick, president of Realty Euclid. Investors Co. of Cleveland, which Ned Hill, vice president for eco- owned the Cowell & Hubbard build- nomic development at Cleveland ing, said the company decided to sell State University who is involved in after it was approached by multiple the Design District effort, confirmed parties interested in the structure. that the Cowell & Hubbard building The foundation was one of four would be of interest to his group as a groups — but not the first — that location for design talent or a show- IT’S JUST AN IDEA. submitted written offers for the room. property, he said. The Playhouse Square Foundation The foundation paid Realty is a partner in the Idea Center build- An idea worth protecting. So talk to us before you tell your golf buddy, who Investors $1 million for the two- ing, which houses technology firms story, 43,000-square-foot building and ideastream, the umbrella organi- tells his accountant, who tells her brother who happens to be married to the on Oct. 22, according to Cuyahoga zation for Cleveland’s public broad- County land records. casting stations. The Cowell & Hub- Art Falco, Playhouse Square Foun- bard building occupies the same block city’s most successful venture capitalist. Our Intellectual Property practice dation president, said the foundation as four of the foundation’s theaters bought the property because it occu- and the Idea Center. develops and protects the technology assets and intellectual property of pies the key southeast corner of East Cowell & Hubbard, a jewelry store 13th Street and Euclid. company dating to 1861 in Cleve- a broad spectrum of clients. While your Research & Development team is “We have a lot of ideas for what we land that later was purchased by might get in there,” Mr. Falco said. out-of-town interests, constructed However, he said it likely will be next the building in 1920 and operated focusing on their next great idea, our IP team is already protecting it. year before a course is set for the there until 1981, according to “The property. Encyclopedia of Cleveland History.” When it comes to technical capabilities, communication skills, Mr. Falco noted the city of Cleve- Mr. Herrick said the building was land’s Civic Vision 2000 master plan constructed so that it can accommo- pragmatic legal counseling, and litigation experience, identifies the corner as a potential date construction of more floors atop housing site. He said the storefront it. ■ we go beyond the expected. Calfee – move forward

with confidence.

Calfee, Halter & Griswold llp Volume 28, Number 49 Crain’s Cleveland Business (ISSN 0197-2375) is published weekly at 700 West St. Cleveland - 216.622.8200 www.calfee.com Columbus - 614.621.1500 Clair Ave., Suite 310, Cleveland, OH 44113-1230. Copyright © 2007 by Crain Communications Inc. Periodi- cals postage paid at Cleveland, Ohio, and at additional mailing offices. Price per copy: $1.50. POSTMASTER: 1400 KeyBank Center, 800 Superior Avenue, Cleveland, Ohio 44114 • 1100 Fifth Third Center, 21 East State Street, Columbus, Ohio 43215 Send address changes to Crain’s Cleveland Business, Circulation Department, 1155 Gratiot Avenue, De- troit, Michigan 48207-2912. (888)909-9111.

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DECEMBER 10-16, 2007 WWW.CRAINSCLEVELAND.COM CRAIN’S CLEVELAND BUSINESS 5 Call-back software keeps Virtual Hold’s line busy

By CHUCK SODER Virtual Hold today houses about “We’re actually saving your place in line, and calling even faster rate, adding that he aims [email protected] 60 employees at its headquarters in to employ 100 by the end of 2008. Copley Township. That number you back when it’s your turn, in the time promised.” “The challenge is finding the right A coffee break isn’t the social stood at 22 in 2000 and barely – Eric Camulli, director of technology, Virtual Hold Technology LLC people,” he said. experience it used to be for Mark changed for four years. They’ve found the right technol- Williams, president of Virtual Hold All the while, though, the company companies and wireless phone accommodate them, the company ogy, said Denece Shields, director Technology LLC. was building its customer base service providers. last April expanded its headquarters of consumer services at Moen The software company in Copley among gas and electric companies, Those customers helped Virtual to take the entire first floor of the Inc., one of Virtual Hold’s first Township has doubled its staff and which Virtual Hold saw as a key Hold open even more doors because Creative Technologies building at customers. tripled its revenue during the past market because they often receive call center managers in other indus- 137 Heritage Woods Drive, growing The maker of plumbing supplies three years on the popularity of a large call volumes when services go tries would stumble upon the tech- to 16,000 square feet from 9,000 that’s based in North Olmsted product for call centers that tells down. nology when calling the cable com- square feet. already has about 30 people answer- callers when an operator will contact Virtual Hold said it now sells pany, for instance, Mr. Camulli said. Virtual Hold’s revenue has grown ing phones on any given shift, but them so they don’t need to wait on Concierge to about 80% of the major “We started getting this exposure as well and today is “in the healthy Ms. Shields estimated Moen would hold. gas and electric companies in at the grassroots level,” he said. eight figures,” product marketing need nine to 15 more without Mr. Williams used to be able to the . Gaining a solid manager Eric Ryan said. He would Concierge. greet all his fellow employees by foothold in that market gave the Now that’s customer loyalty not reveal exact figures. “You would take it away from name whenever he bumped into Summit County software provider Virtual Hold has added about 10 Mr. Williams said he expects me kicking and screaming,” she them while grabbing a cup of joe in the credibility to market to cable people per year since 2004. To growth to continue next year at an said. ■ the company break room — but that was before Virtual Hold took off. “Now I have to introduce myself,” he said. Mr. Williams, who founded the company in 1995, said its growth rate started increasing in 2004, because by then Virtual Hold had established a customer base among utility companies, which gave its main product, Concierge, credibility in other industries. Virtual Hold also by then had recovered from the dot-com bust and the recession following the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, and potential customers were starting to understand the difference between Concierge and less expensive call- back technologies, Mr. Williams said. “We were way ahead of the curve,” he said. The selling point of Virtual Hold’s product is that the software is able to estimate how long it will take for an operator to contact the caller, based on how many operators are working, the length of each call and how many other callers are waiting. Most call-back technologies return calls only after operators have taken care of everyone on hold, and they don’t estimate how long that will take, said Eric Camulli, director of technology at Virtual Hold. “We’re actually saving your place in line, and calling you back when it’s your turn, in the time promised,” Mr. Camulli said. So much for downtime Call centers are showing interest in the technology, though it still has not gained wide acceptance, said Mark Czarnecki, president of The Benchmarking Network Inc. of MAKE LATE NIGHT Houston, which conducts studies and surveys for the telecommunica- tions industry. DEPOSITS IN THE COMFORT of Mr. Czarnecki said he did not know if other companies sell any- thing similar to Concierge. However, YOUR OWN BUSINESS. he noted that the technology, by redirecting calls, could help call centers keep their representatives GET MORE DONE IN LESS T IME W I TH REMOTE DEPOSI T. busy during downtime, which is one of their major goals. Announcing the greatest time saver since Internet banking. Now there’s never a rush to “It’s all about rep utilization,” he said. get to the bank before it closes; deposit checks 24/7, right from your desk. And funds deposited by 8 p.m., ET, are available the next business day. Just scan your checks, validate the totals, then securely transmit the check images to National City for deposit. To Need reprints of learn more, visit NationalCity.com/remotedeposit or call 1-888-NCB-4BIZ (622-4249). an article that appeared in Crain’s Cleveland Business Call YGS Group at BUSINESS BANKING • PERSONAL BANKING • INVESTMENTS • MORTGAGE LOANS 1-800-290-5460 ext.183

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6 CRAIN’S CLEVELAND BUSINESS WWW.CRAINSCLEVELAND.COM DECEMBER 10-16, 2007 STUFF Political policy For 15 years, Sen. has shunned his government-subsidized medical plan in support of his constituents and universal health care. U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown wants are, but he said the coverage doesn’t Congress to enact universal health really kick in until after a $5,000 care not only because he thinks it’s annual deductible. The financial the right thing to do, but also so he consequences of such coverage could get access to better coverage. have been significant; a January A Dec. 7 profile in The 2000 car accident led to injuries Post noted that the Ohio Democrat that ultimately cost Sen. Brown since 1992, when he was running for about $12,000 out of pocket. a House seat, has decided to show The senator’s pledge is a “mean- solidarity with constituents “by ingful gesture,” according to Gail pledging not to sign up for govern- Shearer, director of health policy ment-subsidized analysis for Consumer Union, “because for members of Congress until lawmakers are generally shielded lawmakers had guaranteed all from the hardships that many ordinary access to health care.” Americans endure to get and keep Now-Sen. Brown didn’t think he’d health insurance,” The Post noted. be waiting so long. Sen. Brown said he’s optimistic “Truth be told, I thought that we that Congress can make “major would pass some real universal progress” in the next year or two, and health care (by 1994),” he told The he still hopes for universal coverage. Post. “I didn’t think it was going to “I’m not judging my colleagues for be a 15-year-long or two-decade- what plan they are on,” he told the long commitment.” newspaper. “I just think that everybody PROVIDED The newspaper said Sen. Brown, in this country should have better Ohio Technical College plans to renovate the former J.C. Penney building at Randall Park Mall. The building will become who served 14 years in the House health care than many get to have. its PowerSport Institute, which will be used to train students in repairing motorcycles, watercraft and all-terrain vehicles. before winning a Senate seat last year, Maybe in some sense, it gave me did what millions of others without some incentive to work on real health employer-sponsored coverage do: He reform for people. ... I just think that bought a policy on the individual market. if we (lawmakers) get an option for a PowerSport Institute to roll into Sen. Brown declined to tell The good health plan, the public ought to Post how much his annual premiums have the same option.” empty Randall Park Mall space

By SHANNON MORTLAND College’s main campus at East 51st the second for Ohio Technical College [email protected] Street and St. Clair Avenue. Five in . Salt for Ice Control more employees will be hired imme- “We’ve got a lot of room out there Ohio Technical College is renovat- diately, with more to come later in and Cleveland is a pretty central Bag and Bulk ing the former J.C. Penney building at 2008, said Tom King, director of location to get to from the East and Randall Park Mall to become the new enrollment management at Ohio Midwest,” Mr. King said. At least one • Halite Big Savings on home of its PowerSport Institute. Technical College. other manufacturer of motorcycles Truckload Orders! The 210,000-square-foot building The new home of the PowerSport or all-terrain vehicles could sign • JiffyMelt is slated to open in February and a similar deal within the next year, Minimum Delivery = 1 Pallet Institute also will become the Midwest • Calcium will be used to train students in training center for Kawasaki Motors and others have expressed interest, Chloride Forklift Delivery Available the repair of motorcycles, watercraft Corp. USA and Polaris Industries Inc., according to Mr. King. and all-terrain vehicles from various Mr. King said. Kawasaki and Polaris The school is overhauling the John S. Grimm, Inc. 1-800-547-1538 manufacturers. dealers from across the East and Mid- former department store to accom- Authorized Dealer About 20 employees will be moved west will send their technicians to the modate classrooms, a Main Street to that location from Ohio Technical North Randall location, which will be area that will include dealer store- fronts and a motorcross/snowcross training course, Mr. King said. He was unsure how much money will be spent on renovations. Vacated space at the main campus will be used for other programs, he said. The power sports program now has about 150 to 200 students, but Mr. King expects enrollment to grow to 300 students next year as the current one-year training program is extended to 18 months and an asso- ciate’s degree program is added. "USINESS!DVISORSAND#ERTIFIED0UBLIC!CCOUNTANTS Overall, Ohio Technical College has about 900 students — two-thirds of whom are from outside Ohio — but Mr. King expects enrollment to reach 1,200 in the next year. He said rising gas prices have spurred interest in motorcycles because they’re more fuel efficient than cars and trucks, a trend that leads to the need for more technicians. 7HATSINANAME With the opening of the North Randall location, Kawasaki will increase its involvement with the PowerSport Institute beyond just moving the company’s Midwestern training center here from Grand Rapids, Mich., said Donald Church, director of the Technical Services Department at Kawasaki Motors Corp. USA. The motorcycle maker will provide #/.&)$%.#% &ORMERLY(AUSSER 4AYLOR"ASEDIN/HIO WITHOFlCESIN#LEVELAND #ANTONAND%LYRIA technical training on Kawasaki prod- 42534 )NDEPENDENT LOCALLYOWNEDANDMANAGED/URNAMEHASCHANGED NEVEROURCLIENTFOCUS ucts to instructors at the institute who will be teaching the Kawasaki % 80%2)%.#% /UR YEARLEGACYSTAYSAT-ALONEY .OVOTNY)NOTHERWORDS YOUVEKNOWNUSALLALONG program, Mr. Church said. Kawasaki also has donated vehicles for training. “We want to try to take an active &INDOUTMOREAT MALONEYNOVOTNYCOM role in training their instructors so they know the newest technology for Kawasaki,” Mr. Church said. ■ CCLB 12-10-07 A 7 CCLB 12/7/2007 1:52 PM Page 1

DECEMBER 10-16, 2007 WWW.CRAINSCLEVELAND.COM CRAIN’S CLEVELAND BUSINESS 7

day to avoid infection, said Dr. Nathan Levitan, chief medical officer for UH. Hospitals taking extra care in preventing infections Lake Hospital System is testing two machines designed to clear the By SHANNON MORTLAND safety for the Summa Health System. The U.S. Centers for Disease patient who is on a ventilator devel- air of infectious organisms. The new [email protected] Infections have been in the news Control and Prevention estimates oping pneumonia. VaproSure Room Sterilizer from lately due to outbreaks of clostridium about 1.7 million people a year get In addition to stressing hand Steris Corp., a Mentor-based maker Mothers have always told children difficile, or C-diff, and drug-resistant infections while in the hospital and washing over the last year, the Cleve- of sterilization products, uses a dry to wash their hands, but now hospitals staph infections. While such infec- about 100,000 die each year from land Clinic is piloting a project in sterilization vapor to make biologi- are reinforcing the practice to medical tions can be acquired in the commu- those infections. As of next October, which it tests patients in the medical cal contaminates inactive, said Joyce workers, patients and visitors. nity, they’re also common in health Medicare will stop reimbursing intensive care unit and those who are Taylor, chief quality officer and a Hand hygiene is one of the biggest care settings, said Dr. Steven Gordon, hospitals for the treatment of some having open heart surgery to see if registered nurse at the Lake system. efforts hospitals are making as they try chairman of the Department of of the most common ailments, such they are carriers of certain infections. The hospital system also is piloting to reduce the number of infections Infectious Diseases and a hospital as urinary tract infections. If so, preventative measures are the GE Germicidal Fixtures machine, people get while in the hospital. epidemiologist at the Cleveland Clinic. Local hospitals said they’re trying taken to try to ward off the infection which is placed near a heating and They’re also educating hospital Hospital-acquired infections are to reduce infections just because it’s before it starts, Dr. Gordon said. ventilation intake vent and uses ultra- employees on how infections can common simply because people are good for the patients. They’ve already Both University Hospitals and violet light to melt away dust and con- spread, improving preventative proce- living longer and, therefore, getting seen decreases in the amounts of Lake Hospital System have created taminants that exist on the vent. dures and assessing a patient’s likeli- sicker, and more invasive surgeries some infections commonly acquired lists of procedures designed to pre- The hospitals say they welcome hood of attracting an infection as soon lead to lower immune systems for in the hospital. For example, Univer- vent infections in situations where the increased focus on hospital- as they are admitted to the hospital. hospital patients, said Dr. Jennifer sity Hospitals Case Medical Center’s they commonly form. For example, acquired infections, even if such “Hand washing is still the hallmark Hanrahan, chairman of the Infection medical and surgical intensive care patients on ventilators commonly get infections can be hard to control. of infection prevention,” yet people Control Committee at MetroHealth units have gone nine consecutive pneumonia because their airways are “We are being challenged, and I still don’t wash their hands as much Medical Center. months without a single case of a open, so their mouth is cleaned every think that’s good,” Dr. Gordon said. ■ as they should,” said Ginnie Abell, director of infection control and clinical Northern TrustNorthern Banks are members FDIC. © 2007 Trust Northern Corporation. McDonald Hopkins hires white-collar group leader

By SHAWN A. TURNER [email protected]

Cleveland law firm McDonald Hopkins LLC has turned to an old friend in starting a white-collar crime, antitrust and securities legis- lation practice group. The firm has recruited Edmund Searby to fill the position of chairman of the practice group. Mr. Searby is a former partner at McDonald Hopkins who worked at the firm from 2001 to 2004 before leaving to become managing partner of the Chagrin Falls office of Scott & Scott, a national litiga- tion firm.

LEVEL OF STRESS relative to change at your financial institution

Searby Jackowski more Mr. Searby, who also is a former federal prosecutor, mentioned the firm’s geographic growth as one reason he chose to come back to McDonald Hopkins. “The firm has grown a lot and

has diversified away from Cleveland comfort a little bit,” he said. In addition to the Cleveland home base, McDonald Hopkins has offices in Columbus, Chicago, Detroit and West Palm Beach, Fla. less consistency more The new practice group comprises eight attorneys. In addition to Mr. Stressed by the multitude of mergers and acquisitions in the financial world? With more than a century of Searby, McDonald Hopkins also independence, experience and history of financial strength, Northern Trust has consistently delivered exceptional announced that Mark V. Jackowski, a service. Make that award-winning service. Add our solutions-based approach and reliable, leading-edge former federal prosecutor with the Securities and Exchange Commission, technology, and it is easy to understand how we’ve become one of the largest asset managers in the world. is joining the firm. Mr. Jackowski For more information, as well as more stability, call Mike Cogan at 216-357-2439 or visit northerntrust.com. currently is working in Cleveland, but the plan is to move him to Chicago eventually, Mr. Searby said. In addition to McDonald Hopkins, at least one other firm in Cleveland has added to its resources this year in the area of white-collar crime. In January, Baker Hostetler announced Asset Management | Asset Servicing | Wealth Management that it had added two white-collar defense attorneys in Jack A. Blum and John W. Moscow. ■ CCLB 12-10-07 A 8 CCLB 12/7/2007 3:00 PM Page 1

8 CRAIN’S CLEVELAND BUSINESS WWW.CRAINSCLEVELAND.COM DECEMBER 10-16, 2007

standard provisions that require a opment of the wind energy business. certain part of a utility’s power plant Rotek, which manufactures large Wind: Turbine biz a solid opportunity generation or capacity to come from diameter bearings and rolled rings, renewable sources by a certain date, laid off 50 of its workers in 2002. How- continued from PAGE 1 The bill still must pass the Ohio Wind as a primary customer and has Mr. Weston said. Ohio is in the other ever, with a renewed interest in wind programs that push electric utilities House. orders for its wind turbine bearings half with no such provisions. energy, Rotek has come roaring back. to produce power from sustainable Though the strength of Ohio’s through 2011. Avon Bearings was Erin Bowser, director of Environ- Now it employs 340 and has been energy sources such as the wind. commitment to is acquired Oct. 29 by Kaydon Corp. of ment Ohio, a nonprofit environ- upgrading its production operations Indeed, Mr. Walsh is confident that in doubt, wind power advocates Ann Arbor, Mich., the leading U.S. mental advocacy group, said the on Chillicothe Road in Aurora. such programs and the rising reliance remain upbeat about this region’s supplier of wind turbine bearings. original language in the bill had “It’s been millions of dollars during of wind turbine manufacturers on prospects for capitalizing on the Mr. Weston already has been busy allowed the Public Utilities Commis- the last couple of years,” Bob Hersko, Ohio suppliers will cause Avon Bear- broader push toward the generation promoting Ohio’s wind turbine man- sion of Ohio to establish its own vice president of sales and market- ings’ wind business segment to grow of electricity from alternate sources. ufacturing potential in this country criteria for monitoring utility efforts ing for Rotek, said of the company’s to 40% of the company’s total sales in Ed Weston, director of the Great and abroad. Last month, for example, to comply with the standard between investment pace. the next few years. Lakes Wind Network, said the wind Clipper Windpower visited Akron for a the time the legislation is enacted Because of the falling U.S. dollar Gov. wants more turbine business is a solid market meet-and-greet event hosted by the and the year 2025. The amended and a strong consumer base, Mr. companies like Avon Bearings that opportunity for Northeast Ohio Great Lakes Wind Network. More than version of the bill does not. Hersko predicts international man- make advanced energy equipment to manufacturers capable of producing 45 potential suppliers showed up to “With so much to gain with regard ufacturers will become more inter- grow and prosper in Ohio. To help the critical parts that original equip- the event. to new economic opportunities, pro- ested in potential locations in the promote their development, the gover- ment manufacturers such as General In Mr. Weston’s opinion, Ohio has tecting existing jobs and creating new United States to invest in wind tur- nor has been pushing an energy bill Electric Wind and British wind turbine three attributes that are attracting ones in the renewable energy indus- bine plants, which would be a good that would require Ohio utilities by maker Clipper Windpower PLC can’t attention from wind turbine manu- try, we should strive to enact a policy development for Rotek and other 2025 to supply 25% of their power from get fast enough. facturers: proponents of the technol- that will put us on an equal playing U.S.-based wind turbine suppliers. advanced energy sources. Of that total, The Cleveland industrial advocacy ogy in state government; a supplier field with the other 25 states that have Other local suppliers include at least half would need to be gener- group WIRE-Net launched the Great base with the capability of building enacted standards,” Ms. Bowser said. Advanced Manufacturing Corp., a ated from sustainable energy sources, Lakes Wind Network three months ago the large components needed for machining company in Cleveland including the sun, and at least half of the to market the region’s wind energy the gigantic wind turbines; and the The way the wind blows that Gov. Strickland visited last advanced energy output would need to capability in the hope of attracting natural setting of to attract There are other eyes on Gov. Strick- month to see firsthand the 22,000- come from facilities located in Ohio. wind turbine manufacturers to Ohio. wind farm developers. land’s bill and its renewable portfolio pound gear assemblies it produces The approved on Oct. Mr. Weston estimated at least a dozen However, the latest version of standard component. Rotek Inc. of for Clipper’s assembly operation in 31 an amended version of the energy Ohio manufacturers make metal parts, Gov. Strickland’s energy bill doesn’t Aurora, a local competitor to Avon Cedar Rapids, Iowa. bill, known as the Energy, Jobs and including bearings, gears and castings, offer the kind of commitment wind Bearings that makes similar bearings Advanced Manufacturing presi- Progress for Ohio plan. However, for the large wind turbines that pro- turbine makers are seeking from for the wind industry, is among those dent Herman Bredenbeck said the 40- critics say the legislation as amended duce the juice. About half of that dozen state lawmakers, Mr. Weston said. keeping watch. person company in the last two years provides no benchmarks or penalties are based in Northeast Ohio. “2025 seems like an elusive policy For many suppliers, including has invested $6 million in equipment prior to 2025 to ensure that utilities benefit,” Mr. Weston said. Rotek, the expiration of federal alter- upgrades at its West 68th Street plant are on their way toward complying Welcoming the British Currently, 25 states including native energy production tax credits at to keep up with the volume of wind with the measure’s advanced energy Avon Bearings, for one, counts Illinois, Michigan and Pennsylvania the start of the decade seriously cur- turbines that Clipper is producing in requirements. wind turbine maker General Electric have so-called renewable portfolio tailed private investment in the devel- the United States and abroad. ■

Partnership proposes state policy with focus on alternative energy

With the debate over a state energy tremendous economic development bill entering what it called “a critical opportunities,” he said. stage,” the Greater Cleveland Part- The partnership calls for the ener- nership has come out with its own gy bill now before the Ohio House proposal for a state energy policy that to include “an aggressive energy includes an emphasis on fostering portfolio standard,” which would re- development of alternative energy quire electric utilities operating in resources, such as wind power and the state to produce a certain per- clean coal technology. centage of their power from ad- The business advocacy group last vanced energy sources by a set Thursday, Dec. 6, said its energy date. The partnership also states policy is aimed at keeping electric there should be “effective bench- costs manageable while improving marks for implementation” of that Ohio’s business environment. standard — which is lacking from “Like many of the business an amended version of the bill that groups in Ohio, the GCP supports passed the state Senate in October. maintaining predictable rates for The partnership contends that business big and small which are Northeast Ohio has much to gain dealing with some of the highest from the policy it’s advocating. utility rates and energy costs in the “Cleveland is not only a center for country,” said Joe Roman, the part- manufacturing, it is also a hotbed nership’s president. for innovation,” said Bill Christo- “Where we decided to take a stand pher, the partnership’s chair of advo- is in the development of alternative cacy and group president of Alcoa in energy sources, which present Cleveland.

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DECEMBER 10-16, 2007 WWW.CRAINSCLEVELAND.COM CRAIN’S CLEVELAND BUSINESS 9

warning letter to the bank’s law some nice exposure in a Dec. 6 reporting them, followed CHOICE BITS firm, John D. Clunk Co. LPA, in New York Times story about by peanut allergies, 3.3 Hudson. Judge Steven E. Martin the growing number of million people. Excerpts from recent Editor’s Choice blog entries on wrote that it was “troubling” that entrepreneurs who are Beth Cherico of CrainsCleveland.com. the plaintiff “and its counsel filed starting businesses Westlake, who started the lawsuit with no basis what- that make foods free of Amanda’s Own Confec- Elizabeth Kucinich the pay in Ohio, for example, is soever” and that the firm must not potential allergens. tions in 2002, told the paper around $1,000 a case.” do so again. “There’s been a pretty huge that in creating great-tasting, dairy- loves her big stud Peter Mehler, a Cleveland-area The law firm didn’t respond to increase in these companies, and a and nut-free chocolate, “I had to ■ You won’t read a more off-putting lawyer who handles foreclosures on requests for comment. Wells Fargo lot of them seem to be people who learn the business of food, safety, feature story in a major American behalf of mortgage servicers, told declined to comment. were personally affected by an how to do food prep correctly. It took newspaper than a Dec. 5 Washington The Journal, “In general, most of the The Journal also noted that Mr. allergy or intolerance and didn’t me a year to make sure we did every- Post piece about Cleveland’s very firms that practice this kind of law do Mehler recently wrote in an essay think there was enough out there thing right.” own presidential candidate, Dennis a very good job.” But in the “gold for a trade group that “it has been for themselves or their children,” Ms. Cherico, who still works as an Kucinich. rush” to get a piece of the growing commonplace in the mortgage- said Robert Pacenza, executive occupational therapist, says she The piece, titled “The Love Song of business, he says, some firms “have banking industry to commence director of the Food Allergy Initia- “had a strategy of slow growth, Dennis J. Kucinich,” focused largely cut corners.” foreclosure proceedings without” tive, a nonprofit organization that investing about $14,000 in mixing on the relationship between Rep. This month, a state judge in proper documentation. raises money to treat and cure food equipment and allowing sales to Kucinich and his wife, Elizabeth. Cincinnati dismissed a foreclosure allergies. rise gradually so that she and her Writer Libby Copeland told us — lawsuit brought by Wells Fargo Bank Free of dairy and The Times story noted that more husband, Steve, would not have over and over — that Mrs. Kucinich because the bank filed the suit nuts, but full of taste than 12 million Americans have to take out a loan,” The Times is “hot,” and she dwells quite a bit on before it had acquired the mort- food allergies. reported. “The company now has ■ a piece of jewelry the candidate gage, according to The Journal. In A Westlake company that makes Fish allergies are the most its own small plant in Westlake and wears every day: her tongue stud. dismissing the case, the judge sent a dairy- and nut-free chocolate got prevalent, with 6.9 million people does mainly Internet orders.” For instance, Ms. Copeland turned up this too-much-informa- tion moment between a TV inter- viewer and Rep. and Mrs. Kucinich: Television interviewer: “Can we see it (the tongue stud)?” Elizabeth: “No, you can’t. Sorry.” Dennis: “That’s my privilege.”

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LOS ANGELES TIMES SYNDICATE Dennis and Elizabeth Kucinich are shy only about one aspect of their well- BUSINESS CLASS PHONE documented love for each other: Mrs. Kucinich’s tongue stud. IS NOW AVAILABLE! (Our apologies if you were trying to eat while you read that.) When they sat down for the Post interview, Ms. Copeland noted, “They Communication is key, and Business Class Services makes it easy for you to stay connected. Enjoy are as close as can be without lap- sitting. Dennis is holding Elizabeth’s the convenience of Time Warner Cable Business Class Services for your high-speed data, and now, hand in both of his. Elizabeth’s other business phone needs. Pay one low monthly rate for all your business calls. hand is snaked around Dennis’s back. She says to him: ‘You start.’” t .VMUJMJOFCVTJOFTTQIPOFTFSWJDF There was a lot more stuff just like that in the long profile, which was t 3FMJBCMF DSZTUBMDMFBSSFDFQUJPO done in a tongue-in-cheek style that still didn’t make what Ms. Copeland t 6OMJNJUFEDBMMJOHUPUIF64 $BOBEB 1VFSUP3JDPBOE647JSHJO*TMBOET GPSPOF is writing any easier to swallow. low monthly rate. Fairness demands this, though: The profile was one of the five most t Features that business demands: Hunt groups, account codes and more. e-mailed Post stories the day it t Bundle your high-speed data and video services and save even more. appeared.

In foreclosure crisis, nothing’s run of the mill ■ Given Northeast Ohio’s status as the poster child for all things foreclo- sure, it wasn’t a surprise to find that the region played a key role in a Nov. 30 Wall Street Journal story about so-called “foreclosure mills.” Law firms handling thousands of foreclosure cases on behalf of mortgage lenders and servicers “are drawing criticism from judges, who say roughshod filing practices are 1-866-496-5379 trampling borrowers’ rights,” The www.twcbc.com/neohio Journal reported. Lawyers operating such firms “often are paid based on the volume of cases they complete,” according Business Class Phone does not include back-up power, and should there be a power outage, Business Class Phone, including the ability to access 911 services, will not be available. Additional charges apply for taxes, fees, Directory Assistance, Operator Services and calls to International locations (excluding Canada, Puerto Rico and U.S. Virgin to the newspaper. “Banks and mort- Islands). Offer valid for business customers in Business Class Phone serviceable areas. Products and services not available in all areas. Some restrictions may apply. Call for details. gage servicers often contract with ©2007 CableQuest — NEO-6045 such firms to handle foreclosures; CCLB 12-10-07 A 10 CCLB 12/6/2007 4:23 PM Page 1

10 CRAIN’S CLEVELAND BUSINESS WWW.CRAINSCLEVELAND.COM DECEMBER 10-16, 2007

PUBLISHER/EDITORIAL DIRECTOR: Brian D.Tucker ([email protected]) EDITOR: Mark Dodosh ([email protected]) MANAGING EDITOR: Scott Suttell ([email protected]) OPINION Good going ig companies that are based elsewhere aren’t falling over themselves to bring their headquarters to Northeast Ohio. It’s critical, then, to hold on to the corporate giants that Balready call our piece of the globe home, which is why the work that went into retaining Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co.’s headquarters in Akron was so important to the economic health of the region. Goodyear’s board last week gave a big thumbs up to a plan to create a new headquarters complex in Akron that would be the linchpin of a massive COMMENTARY redevelopment initiative centered around the tire- maker’s current HQ. Goodyear’s collaborator in the effort is Industrial Realty Group, whose founder, A bargain he didn’t bargain for Stuart Lichter, has a knack for taking large, single- tenant commercial and industrial properties and erhaps it’s a bit cynical, which is So you know there were a lot of new- No problem, the cook said; somehow putting them to multiple uses for new crops of more than difficult this happy comers to the neighborhood, and to the I knew he’d deliver. And I quickly made tenants. He did just that almost two decades ago time of the year, but I’m impressed, Rowley Inn (named after the street on another deduction as I glanced across with Akron’s old B.F. Goodrich factory, which is and even a bit shocked, when I which it’s located just south of Clark the bar to the little blackboard that Prun across a business that doesn’t exploit Avenue). Our family was hungry and advertised that day’s luncheon special, a now the successful Canal Place mixed-use complex. Local and state leaders understood they could not an unexpected volume of new customers. it would be several hours before our 6-oz. strip steak for six bucks. These folks take for granted that Goodyear would keep its head- You know what I’m talking about. It scheduled dinner; off I went in search of at the Rowley Inn weren’t about to gouge quarters in the town where it was birthed more than doesn’t matter if it’s disaster-recovery holiday cheeseburgers. these newcomers streaming into their a century ago. They only needed to look at Boeing suppliers rushing to hurricane- Now we all know what it’s like little corner of the world. ravaged areas or peddlers hawk- to be around hungry teenagers. The food came, and it was there in Co.’s shocking decision in 2000 to move its head- BRIAN ing their wares at a jammed event TUCKER Actually it was more about one time for us to actually sit down and enjoy quarters to Chicago from Seattle, where the iconic on Public Square. They’re out to particular almost-teenager. Son what were terrific burgers and more aircraft maker began its life 90 years before, to make a quick, and big, buck. Graham will be 13 in just a few french fries, cooked to perfection, than realize that in the intense competition for plum So imagine my astonishment weeks, but eats like his papa even Kelsey, my skinny daughter who corporate employers, every company is up for grabs. when I walked in and looked already but burns off his calories could live on fried food alone, could eat. In the case of Boeing, where 500 headquarters at the menu of the Rowley Inn, faster than he can ingest them. And the bill for all this food? Thirteen jobs were at stake, the state of Illinois agreed to a little corner bar across the Dad, on the other hand … well, dollars. provide the company with $41 million in tax breaks street from Cleveland’s famous that’s another sad story, what All I could do was shake my head. and various state grants over 20 years, while the “Christmas Story” house in the with Christmas cookie/fudge/ Most burger joints would charge me Tremont neighborhood. candy cane season bearing down twice for food that was half as good. city of Chicago offered another $19 million in My family and I were at the house, on us like “The Polar Express.” But I digress. Clearly, the folks at the Rowley Inn property tax relief over a similar period, according which was used for exterior shots for the Anyway, in I go to the Rowley Inn, a weren’t about to change anything they do to a May 14, 2000, story in Space and Tech Digest. By now-classic Christmas movie that was friendly spot filled with folks enjoying their simply because there were new dollars to comparison, the package of incentives put together filmed here in the early 1980s, for our Saturday of football on the TV and a beer be had from strangers. to keep nearly 3,000 Goodyear jobs in Akron seems first visit. We were part of a nonstop at the bar. I asked if I could get four cheese- To them I can only tip my hat and offer like a relative bargain. parade of trolleys carting folks to and burgers quickly (in case we missed the my best “Merry Christmas and happy Goodyear will save an estimated $30 million over from Public Square before the evening’s trolley that the aforementioned Tucker holidays” in the same spirit they seem to ■ 15 years because of the state’s OK of a reduction in holiday lighting ceremony. clan was in line for across the street). be displaying every day. the company’s commercial activities tax (CAT) obligation, and it will benefit from a $20 million low-cost state loan issued to the Summit County PERSONAL VIEW Port Authority to create parking decks as part of the redevelopment effort. That’s a pretty good trade-off for retaining an employer whose departure not only Cleveland media bracing for wave of change would have dealt a blow to the region’s job base, but By DEAN CUMMINGS Mr. Cummings is owner of DCVideography more attractive ones.” also would have sent a negative message about in Cleveland. Technological convergence allows one doing business in Northeast Ohio to companies that onvergence is coming! Conver- person to do the job of many. The strength might be considering our area for a plant or office. gence is coming! roof sharing resources to cut costs. of the local labor unions is one reason Instead, the regional business attraction and You can hear the rumbles in Twenty years ago, most television why convergence has not affected Cleve- retention group, Team NEO, can cite these sweet the distance of a sea change that markets in the United States had three land. However, “backpack journalists” Cis about to occur in Cleveland. The network affiliates making local news. are being introduced into the newsrooms words from Goodyear executive vice president Joe Gingo the next time it calls on a prospect. impact of technological innovations and Three stations fought for the ad revenue of the local television stations. “Backpack “I cannot say enough about the positive spirit of economic necessity will bring to Cleve- that existed in the marketplace. Today, journalist” is a polite name for “one- the same three stations have to compete cooperation between all the groups who helped land what is already hitting media outlets man band.” They shoot, edit and report throughout the world. with hundreds of competitors as well as their own stories. Technology makes the make this vision a reality,” Mr. Gingo said last week The wave of change is called “conver- find their niche in the Internet news equipment lighter, smaller, more user- when Goodyear announced its board’s decision. gence.” It is a term that describes the market. friendly and editing can be done cheaply And as Goodyear CEO Bob Keegan rightly blending of media into one source. The The pressures to adapt to the changes on laptop computers. observed, the new headquarters will make a state- technological view sees your television, impact news production directly. Bonnie The United Kingdom is developing its ment for the company itself that it’s “a place of bold newspaper, radio and Internet all being Anderson, formerly of CNN, wrote, own idea of “backpack journalism” as a leadership and innovation” focused on its future, distributed by one source. The business “Financial imperatives have resulted in way to get more stories to fill the need even as it retains ties to its past. Now that’s a view sees a business model of competing cutting professional corners, adding for more news that is required these days winning combination, for Akron and Goodyear. TV stations, newspapers, radio stations entertainment to news, and getting rid of with 24-hour rotating news deadlines and the Internet all working under one older correspondents in favor of younger, See VIEW Page 11 CCLB 12-10-07 A 11 CCLB 12/6/2007 4:21 PM Page 1

DECEMBER 10-16, 2007 WWW.CRAINSCLEVELAND.COM CRAIN’S CLEVELAND BUSINESS 11

THE BIG ISSUE

Are you glad Cleveland City Councilman is going to challenge the incumbent to represent Ohio’s 10th Congressional district?

CHRISTA EBERT RAY GRANT BARB CASKEY ROBERT DAVIS Cleveland North Royalton Cleveland East I don’t have an Of course. I like Joe. I like Cleveland opinion, but I I like (Mr. Dennis. I think He’s a politician, think I would vote Cimperman’s) (Mr. Cimperman) that’s what they for Kucinich. beliefs; he’s has been a good do. I think every- going to change councilman. one should have things. a formidable opponent and Dennis is no different, although I don’t think (Mr. Cimperman) will beat him.

➤➤ Watch more people weigh in by visiting the Multimedia section at www.CrainsCleveland.com

clear and clean coal. We need stronger occ.org/energypolicy or by calling LETTER standards, benchmarks and penalties 1-877-PICK-OCC (1-877-742-5622). to ensure that progress is made in Janine Migden-Ostrander these areas. Ohio Consumers’ Counsel Residential consumers can, and Columbus Pay heed to energy bill debate should, take action to make a differ- ence. They can contact their state WRITE TO US ■ Recent news has reported on future increases in overall genera- new power plants. Renewable ener- representative to let them know Send your letters to: Mark Dodosh, Ohio’s pending energy policy legis- tion costs — and the “market rate gy can help stabilize prices over the the importance of these consumer editor, Crain’s Cleveland Business, lation, Senate Bill 221. As Ohio’s option,” with the least cost option long term and some resources are protections and safeguards. More 700 W. St. Clair Ave., Suite 310, Consumers’ Counsel, the state’s selected. competitive with and less costly than information is available from the Cleveland, OH 44113-1230 residential utility consumer advo- Unless Senate Bill 221 incorpo- advanced technologies such as nu- Consumers’ Counsel at www.pick e-mail: [email protected] cate, we have recommended needed rates the flexibility to provide the changes that would provide protec- lowest-cost electricity to each utility’s tions and safeguards for the state’s customers, residents in some parts 4.5 million households. of Ohio will win while others will pay Under this proposed legislation, more than they should. consumers could potentially pay Second, all costs should be justified CLEVELAND FOUNDATION billions of dollars over the long run by a utility before rate increases are without the assurance that electric allowed. We need a process such utilities’ costs are justified in a full that any utility-proposed increase is hearing. The Consumers’ Counsel investigated through a process fair to recommends the following changes consumers. There should be audits be considered by the Ohio House of of these costs to verify that they are Representatives, which currently is accurate, reasonable and prudent. If you want to be remembered, considering Senate Bill 221. Utility customers who pay the bills TM First, the legislation should protect should be entitled to the same level do something memorable. consumers by ensuring that a side- of accountability as the utility share- by-side comparison is performed of holders. rates the utilities would be able to Finally, there should be more done The Cleveland Foundation and our donors have been finding memorable ways to charge under the hybrid quasi-regu- to enhance the use of energy-effi- better the lives of Greater Clevelanders for more than 90 years. lated “electric security plan” — which ciency technology and renewable would include the current rates plus energy. Energy-efficiency technology For example, we are committed to economic transformation that leads to more jobs the potential for very significant is far less expensive than constructing and makes Greater Cleveland competitive in a global economy. Along with many community partners, we are strongly supporting industries of promise in the region, like advanced energy and advanced health care. View: Media outlets must We invite you to join us. Let’s do something memorable, together. adapt for future survival

continued from PAGE 10 introduction of the telephone in the and increased web demands. BBC days of the telegraph. The delivery Nottingham took their staff of 52 of information became simple. It reporters, photographers and editors wasn’t about the hardware as much and re-trained them, resulting in 52 as about the user. individual production units they call Some should fear what is Personal Digital Production. approaching because it will make In the United States, in similar their jobs redundant or expose those circumstances, the staff of 52 could be who are one-dimensional. It will be cut down and then trained. Emphasis a challenge for journalists to evolve will be placed on on-air talent being into a new breed. Older and experi- trained, while photographers and enced workers will be vulnerable to editors will be minimized. Consider extinction. that in a recent pilot study inside a In the new journalism model, local Cleveland news organization, youth will be prevalent, and with an overwhelming number of reporters, that comes a variety of issues left for photographers and editors inter- theorists and academics. For media viewed believed the reason for the managers, the future is one of adap- introduction of “backpack journal- tation for survival. The evolution ists” is cost cutting. of television is a continual process, AnalizaDx, a local high-tech startup company with a patent for screening early-stage cancers, Technically, the wave about to hit and a new creature is morphing to was helped by JumpStart, a local venture development firm supported by the foundation. Cleveland is no different than the replace the old. ■

216.861.3810 Subscribe to www.clevelandfoundation.org Crain’s Cleveland Business Call Toll Free 1-888-909-9111 CCLB 12-10-07 A 12 CCLB 12/6/2007 1:55 PM Page 1

12 CRAIN’S CLEVELAND BUSINESS WWW.CRAINSCLEVELAND.COM DECEMBER 10-16, 2007

ID: 34-1799580 Broadview Heights Garden Valley Neighborhood House Date filed: Oct. 12, 2007 ID: 34-1423204 TAX LIENS 7100 Kinsman Road, Cleveland Type: Employer’s withholding Date filed: Oct. 5, 2007 The Internal Revenue Service filed tax ID: 34-0714789 Alescis Place Inc. Amount: $31,170 Type: Employer’s withholding liens against the following businesses Date filed: Oct. 26, 2007 33475 Station St., Solon Amount: $17,202 in the Cuyahoga County Recorder’s Fox Auto Inc. Type: Employer’s withholding ID: 34-1691234 Office. The IRS files a tax lien to 28256 Lorain Road, North Olmsted AKJ Inc. Amount: $10,951 Date filed: Oct. 22, 2007 protect the interests of the federal ID: 34-1846029 3628 Valley Road, Cleveland Type: Employer’s withholding EOE Payroll Services Inc. government. The lien is a public Date filed: Oct. 22, 2007 ID: 34-1451974 Amount: $36,376 23792 Lorain Road, North Olmsted Type: Employer’s withholding, Date filed: Oct. 9, 2007 notice to creditors that the ID: 20-3926584 unemployment Type: Employer’s withholding government has a claim against a Nia Childcare Enterprise Inc. Date filed: Oct. 12, 2007 Amount: $28,579 Amount: $16,851 company’s property. Liens reported 10370 St. Clair Ave., Cleveland Type: Employer’s withholding here are $5,000 and higher. Dates ID: 16-1749820 New Harvard Restaurant Inc. Angelic Transportation Co. Amount: $10,717 listed are the dates the documents Date filed: Oct. 26, 2007 4053 E. 72nd St., Cleveland 2490 Lee Road, Suite 222, were filed in the Recorder’s Office. Damage Inc. Automotive Type: Employer’s withholding ID: 34-1922399 Cleveland Heights Collision Center Corp. Amount: $35,749 Date filed: Oct. 5, 2007 ID: 34-1857579 15708 Brookpark Road, Cleveland LIENS FILED Type: Employer’s withholding, Date filed: Oct. 9, 2007 Custom Transmission Inc. ID: 22-3877916 unemployment Type: Employer’s withholding, Genley Transfer Inc. 15403 Chatfield Ave., Cleveland Date filed: Oct. 22, 2007 Amount: $22,953 unemployment 11212 Avon Ave., Cleveland ID: 34-1626630 Type: Failure to file complete return ID: 34-1682841 Amount: $16,859 Date filed: Oct. 5, 2007 Hilltoppers Girls Athletic Assoc. Amount: $9,980 Date filed: Oct. 26, 2007 Type: Employer’s withholding 7500 Hub Parkway, Valley View Hal-Mark Associates Inc. Type: Employer’s withholding, Rossi & Sons Inc. Amount: $34,955 ID: 34-1556849 24500 Center Ridge Road, Suite 195, unemployment, failure to file 4317 W. 130th St., Cleveland Date filed: Oct. 9, 2007 Westlake complete return McNulty Roofing Co. ID: 14-1944872 Type: Employer’s withholding, ID: 34-1770173 Amount: $39,311 832 Ford Road, Highland Heights Date filed: Oct. 1, 2007 withheld federal Date filed: Oct. 5, 2007 Type: Employer’s withholding, Amount: $22,930 Type: Employer’s withholding unemployment Amount: $15,447 Hom-Med Inc. Amount: $9,629 1908 S. Taylor Road, Cleveland Heights Management Security Inc. Global Granite & Marble ID: 34-1582374 540 E. 105th St., Suite 100, 3315 Grovewood Ave., Parma Date filed: Oct. 26, 2007 Cleveland ID: 34-1942508 Type: Employer’s withholding ID: 34-1111265 Good Books for Good Health Date filed: Oct. 22, 2007 Amount: $22,824 Date filed: Oct. 1, 2007 Type: Employer’s withholding, from Cleveland Clinic Press Type: Employer’s withholding failure to file complete return Dance Studios of Cleveland Inc. Amount: $14,658 Cleveland Clinic Press is a consumer health 5673 Ridge Road, Cleveland Amount: $8,664 Sentinel Consumer Products Inc. book publisher whose mission is to improve ID: 34-0667567 6229 Pearl Inc. P.O. Box 14518, Cleveland Date filed: Oct. 26, 2007 6229 Pearl Road, Parma Heights health literacy and dispel myths and ID: 34-1140498 Type: Employer’s withholding ID: 30-0235558 misinformation about medicine, health care, Date filed: Oct. 22, 2007 Amount: $21,981 Date filed: Oct. 1, 2007 and treatment. The Press offers authoritative Type: Employer’s withholding Type: Employer’s withholding medical books and guides written by Paradise Flowers Inc. Amount: $13,911 5341 Pearl Road, Cleveland Amount: $8,246 Cleveland Clinic doctors and other nationally Phillips-Crawford Carpet Co. ID: 34-1349946 Remount Designs Inc. recognized health experts. Our books are for 23533 Mercantile Road, Beachwood Date filed: Oct. 5, 2007 21645B Center Ridge Road, Rocky River patients, families, parents of children with ID: 34-1267963 Type: Employer’s withholding ID: 34-1492762 medical issues, and children themselves. Date filed: Oct. 1, 2007 Amount: $18,689 Date filed: Oct. 9, 2007 Type: Employer’s withholding You have health questions. Cleveland Clinic Press th Type: Employer’s withholding 1701 E. 12 LLC Amount: $13,809 books have the answers. 1701 E. 12th St., Cleveland Amount: $8,024 Tobo Tool & Stamping Corp. ID: 02-0749825 Audio Outlaws Inc. 19422 Nottingham Road, Cleveland Date filed: Oct. 1, 2007 14100 Brookpark Road, Brook Park Cleveland Clinic Press ID: 34-1282597 Type: Employer’s withholding ID: 33-1005964 Date filed: Oct. 1, 2007 To order these and other great health books on Amount: $17,802 Date filed: Oct. 22, 2007 arthritis, heart disease, stroke, sleep, cancer, and more, go to: Type: Employer’s withholding, Type: Employer’s withholding Bachelor Button Inc. unemployment Amount: $8,008 www.ClevelandClinicPress.org 8055 Broadview Road, Amount: $11,011 R K Mortgage Inc. 3046 Brecksville Road, Suite C, Richfield ID: 34-1933387 Date filed: Oct. 22, 2007 Type: Employer’s withholding, unem- ployment, failure to file complete return Amount: $7,940 Peking Gourmet Inc. 13955 Cedar Road, South Euclid ID: 75-3073947 Date filed: Oct. 12, 2007 Together, we’re Type: Employer’s withholding Amount: $7,770 the team to beat. 4 Season Services Inc. 9217 Abbey Road, North Royalton ID: 30-0207752 More and more, companies on the move Date filed: Oct. 9, 2007 in Cleveland and Northeastern Ohio Type: Employer’s withholding are choosing RSM McGladrey. Amount: $7,651

As ’s fifth-largest accounting firm, we’re known David R. Beckman DDS Inc. 6363 York Road, Suite 201, for our professionals who are experts in their fields. Parma Heights But we also take an Ohio perspective, and are committed ID: 34-1731756 to providing each and every one of our clients with tailored Date filed: Oct. 5, 2007 solutions that fit. So whatever your business — finance, Type: Employer’s withholding healthcare, not-for-profit, real estate, manufacturing Amount: $7,586 and distribution — we’re here to grow with you. Raguz Landscaping Inc. To learn more, contact Michelle Swindells at 216-522-1052 26381 Aaron Drive, Euclid or [email protected] ID: 34-1823990 www.rsmmcgladrey.com Date filed: Oct. 26, 2007 Type: Employer’s withholding, unemployment Amount: $7,417 Harvard Marathon Inc. rd RSM McGladrey is a professional services firm providing accounting, tax and business consulting services. McGladrey & Pullen LLP 4025 E. 93 St., Cleveland (a partner owned CPA firm) delivers audit and attest services. RSM McGladrey and McGladrey and Pullen have an alternative practice ID: 34-1921827 structure. Through separate and independent legal entities, they can work together to serve clients' business needs. Together, the companies rank as the fifth largest U.S. provider of accounting, tax and business consulting services (source: Accounting Today). ACCOUNTING • TAX • BUSINESS CONSULTING Date filed: Oct. 5, 2007 Type: Employer’s withholding Amount: $7,088 CCLB 12-10-07 A 13 CCLB 12/6/2007 8:40 AM Page 1

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14 CRAIN’S CLEVELAND BUSINESS WWW.CRAINSCLEVELAND.COM DECEMBER 10-16, 2007

SS&G WEALTH MANAGEMENT LLC: SEELEY, SAVIDGE, EBERT & GOING PLACES Emily Cooper to executive assistant. GOURASH LPA: Jessica Handlos SZARKA FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT: to associate. JOB CHANGES FINANCE Kelley Keane to marketing director. SINGERMAN, MILLS, DESBERG & KAUNTZ LPA: Thomas L. Hausman ARCHITECTURE NATIONAL CITY CORP.: Dale Roskom to executive vice president HEALTH CARE to of counsel. CBLH DESIGN: Jae D. Cho to and chief risk officer. UNIVERSITY HOSPITALS CASE TUCKER ELLIS & WEST LLP: Irene project manager; L. Reed Carpenter MEDICAL CENTER AND CASE MacDougall to counsel. Cordaro Barnes Keane Jr. to construction manager; David FINANCIAL SERVICES WESTERN RESERVE UNIVERSITY: E. Bobkovich to CAD/IT manager. THE BRENNAN GROUP: Donald R. Dr. Anthony J. Furlan to chairman, MANUFACTURING Department of Neurology. EDUCATION Barnes to sales manager, Highland RPM INTERNATIONAL INC.: Hills office. John R. Kramer to vice president, CASE WESTERN RESERVE CLEAR PERSPECTIVE GROUP LLC: LEGAL corporate development. UNIVERSITY: Ly’Nette Cordaro to Katherine M. Khoury to shareholder BUCKINGHAM, DOOLITTLE & associate vice president and deputy SWAGELOK CO.: Deb Jones to services specialist; Steven D. Hawke BURROUGHS LLP: Kara D. chief information officer, Office of director, distributed products. to investor relations analyst. Beverly to associate. Information Technology Services. MARKETING KPMG LLP: Adam Wieder to partner. DAVIS & YOUNG LPA: James P. Furlan Beverly Handlos ENGINEERING PRUDENTIAL: Bernie Pawlikowsky Salamone to partner. BREEHL, TRAYNOR & ZEHE: TEC INC. ENGINEERING & DESIGN: to senior vice president, Chagrin Falls. GALLAGHER SHARP: Jeffrey D. Matthew Blazer to vice president, C. Anthony Bledsoe to senior electrical REA & ASSOCIATES: Dan Bialek to Stupp to associate. director of brand creative. designer; Stephen Bohn to electrical staff accountant; Maura Snyder to MILLISOR & NOBIL LPA: Christopher LIGGETT STASHOWER: Samantha engineer. director of first impressions. G. Kuhn to associate. Stone to interface designer; Jennifer

MacDougall Kramer Sack Parsh-Schrader to graphic designer; Kristy Kalnitzky to account executive; Sara Huebner to account coordinator. REAL ESTATE CONTINENTAL RETAIL DEVELOP- MENT: Mark E. Salman to vice president of leasing. REALTY CORPORATION OF AMERICA MORTGAGE SERVICES: Alphonso Jordan to senior loan officer. RETAIL ZAGARA’S MARKETPLACE: Jeff Osborne to vice president, marketing; Dan Gradijan to vice president, opera- tions; Mark Samsa to store manager, Richmond Heights; Jerry Thompson to co-manager, Richmond Heights; Brenda Wright to front-end manager, Richmond Heights; Carl DiVita to store manager, Cleveland Heights; Christine Corwin to assistant manager, Cleveland Heights; Val Platko to co-manager, Cleveland Heights. SERVICE SS&G HEALTHCARE SERVICES LLC: It’s not always wise to follow Samantha Laslo to billing specialist. US TANK ALLIANCE INC.: Kathy conventional wisdom. Pasternak to Midwest regional vice president; David Pasternak to quality control manager. Flexible answers from a leading business bank. TELECOMMUNICATIONS A risk well-taken. A quiet satisfaction. A bank that understands. There’s INDEPENDENCE COMMUNICATIONS INC.: Michael Harrah and Ron Faber more to a successful business than numbers. At Comerica, the to account executives. intangibles—courage, intelligence, and hard work—all play a major part in our decision-making process. Our policy is to stay flexible—to never BOARDS take an off-the-shelf approach. That comes from nearly 150 years of CLEVELAND FOODBANK INC.: William H. Coquillette (Jones Day) to business banking expertise. And from a team of bankers with experience. president; Alice A. Ake, Nancy Professionals who understand the importance of lasting relationships. Bennett, Rosemarie Feighan So whether you need help with lines of credit, business deposit capture, DeJohn, James L. Francis and Anthony C. Rego to vice presidents; business succession planning, or company buyouts, call Comerica today. Donna M. Sciarappa to secretary; James M. Pazderak to treasurer. Tim Griffin FEDERAL BAR ASSOC., NORTHERN DISTRICT OF OHIO: Kip T. Bollin to Commercial Banking secretary. 216-514-6211 AWARDS HEALTH ETHICS TRUST: Louis S. Galich (SummaCare Inc.) received a 2007 Healthcare Best Compliance Practice Award. FORUM FOR VOLUNTEER ADMINIS- TRATORS: Andrea Sack (Parma Community General Hospital) received Member FDIC. Equal Opportunity Lender. the Volunteer Administrator of the Year Award. comerica.com Send information for Going Places to [email protected].