CCLB 04-30-07 A 9 CCLB 4/25/2007 1:36 PM Page 1 CCLB 04-30-07 A 10 CCLB 4/26/2007 4:47 PM Page 1 10 CRAIN’S CLEVELAND BUSINESS WWW.CRAINSCLEVELAND.COM APRIL 30-MAY 6, 2007 PUBLISHER/EDITORIAL DIRECTOR: Brian D.Tucker ([email protected]) EDITOR: Mark Dodosh ([email protected]) MANAGING EDITOR: Scott Suttell ([email protected]) OPINION Sorry GM o, we don’t mean “Sorry, GM,” although we suppose General Motors Corp. is in need of condolences after losing the title of “world’s largest automaker” last week to NToyota Motor Co. We mean GM is a sorry company, and not just because Toyota sold more vehicles worldwide during this year’s first quarter than its Detroit rival, which had held the distinction of the auto industry’s big dog for 76 years. According to an e-mail message obtained by The COMMENTARY Associated Press, GM chairman and CEO Rick Wagoner vowed to company officials in the face of last week’s news that the automaker would “fight hard for every sale” going forward, “all the while An award with an honorable name staying focused on our long-term goals as a global, growing company.” But for way too long, GM has t hardly seems possible that it’s been engineer many of the projects that lifted nomic Issues at the Weatherhead School of tried to preserve its own future by jeopardizing the five years since Northeast Ohio lost this city out of its doldrums in the 1980s Management. There he continued to futures of its many suppliers with its outlandish one of its most brilliant points of light, and ’90s, namely the new stadiums and create programs and projects that helped demands year after year that they either freeze or the analyst-turned-civic leader who our two lakefront museums, all of which advance our region. Ishied from the spotlight while working injected new life into downtown. Richard, And while the life of this devoted reduce their prices if they want to do business with tirelessly to make things better for us all. who was the executive director of Cleve- father and husband was cut short by a the auto giant. Richard Shatten was at McKinsey & Co. land Tomorrow beginning in 1984, was brain tumor, the legacy of his work lives It isn’t that GM shouldn’t be concerned with sales, when he was assigned to a study of how to always in the wings, helping the deals to on, and will be remembered May 16, at both in this country and abroad. However, racking make Cleveland a better-functioning city. happen. the first-ever awards program aimed at up more sales doesn’t do much good if the company His work led to the now-famous All the while, his was the recognizing the value that our medium- is losing money on many of those sales because of a public-private partnership that BRIAN intellectual force behind the size companies make to Northeast Ohio. failure to bring its labor costs under control. engaged many of the area’s busi- TUCKER endeavors and his meticulous That night, at the University of Akron, We’ve chided GM on this point before, and we nesses and their executives in an follow-up was a key to their the Leading EDGE (Economic Develop- likely will do so again once contract talks get into gear effort to turn around a declining success. I recall fondly our ment through Growth and Entrepre- city and region. regular breakfast and lunch neurship) awards will be bestowed on this summer with the United Auto Workers union. His work helped create Cleve- meetings because of the rapid- some 200 companies for their contribu- The current contract expires in September, and land Tomorrow, an organization fire workings of his mind and tions to our regional economy. UAW president Ron Gettelfinger vowed during an of more than 40 chief executives the dry wit that was sprinkled in That night, I’ll be proud to take part in address to union officials in late March that he of the area’s largest companies. every conversation. Richard the presentation of the Shatten Civic wouldn’t knuckle under easily to company demands Richard was smart enough to was a brilliant thinker who also Distinction Award. There will be many for reductions in health care and pension benefits. design the organization so that just happened to be funny as words about Richard’s contributions, Indeed, he even held out the threat of a strike. the CEO, not some other company exec, hell. I never left those meetings without but somewhere I imagine he’ll be smil- “Our union does not want to strike, but when had to be at the table for the meetings. He three or four ideas about stories and oth- ing that wry smile, ignoring the plaudits employers act as if collective bargaining is a one- knew that if the CEO was there and said his er features our newspaper should tackle. about him and pleased just to know that or her company would do something, In 1993, Richard left Cleveland Tomor- the efforts to rebuild and re-engineer our way street and not a two-way street, then we will do there was little chance it wouldn’t happen. row to head Case Western Reserve Univer- economy goes on in the spirit he did so what we have to do — make no mistake about it,” Cleveland Tomorrow did indeed help sity’s Center for the Study of Regional Eco- much to create. ■ Mr. Gettelfinger said. To which GM may need to say, “Go ahead. Make my day.” THE BIG ISSUE Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co. suffered through a three-month strike at the end of last year that How far will the Cavaliers go in the playoffs? decimated its fourth-quarter results. However, the contract that emerged from the wrenching process has made its labor costs more manageable and should yield appreciable benefits to the tiremaker’s bottom line for years to come. GM needs to shake up the status quo if it’s to regain solid financial footing. If No. 1 automaker status comes with that effort, so much the better. Go Cavs WILLIE SHAW JR. LESLIE SMITH LUIS PEREZ NAPOLEON BUNTON e hope the promising start of last week’s Cleveland Richmond Heights Cleveland Cleveland playoffs will translate into good things All the way. I think they can I think they probably will go all All the way. They’ll get I hope they go all the way. If ahead for the Cleveland Cavaliers. take it home this year. the way. I hope so, anyway. through the first and they make their foul shots, Owner Dan Gilbert has lived up to his They’re playing good ball second rounds and they have a chance. promiseW to put the money and people behind his right now. probably play the Pistons effort to make the city’s NBA franchise a champi- again. onship-caliber team. It isn’t an easy mountain to climb, but we wish the Cavs the best. ➤➤ Let us know what you think. Vote in our online poll at www.CrainsCleveland.com CCLB 04-30-07 A 11 CCLB 4/26/2007 2:41 PM Page 1 APRIL 30-MAY 6, 2007 WWW.CRAINSCLEVELAND.COM CRAIN’S CLEVELAND BUSINESS 11 build the agency’s account services group. Mr. Cutcher, now a managing partner along with Brokaw Polar opposites veteran Greg Thomas, said any agency must have accounts it Oddball reputation has ad industry talking about believes in, that let it do great work and that generate revenue. Brokaw, helps firm land high-profile accounts “We had some accounts that really weren’t serving our needs, and I mean By JOHN BOOTH kind of wakes you up,” Mr. Szeklyi that selfishly,” he said. “We knew we [email protected] said. “That could have all been had to transition the client roster.” flash, but in their case, it was not.” Last year, at a three-day ad industry When an ad agency sends out Mr. Szekelyi said Horton already gathering in New York that Mr. self-promotional material, you knows that hunting is a polarizing Cutcher described as “speed dating” expect chestnuts like “things are subject, but Brokaw encouraged the between agencies and prospects, different here” and “we’re good at company to embrace it in a print Brokaw met with 35 potential clients. innovating media.” But the use of campaign. One ad reads, “Some About half those meetings were “suckiness,” multiple poop refer- fathers apply sunscreen to their requested at the last minute by ences and “let’s go back to my place kids. Others, deer urine.” Another: people attracted by Brokaw’s offbeat and tongue wrestle?” “Sometimes the best way to clear blurb in the forum directory. (“Hope- That’s what Cleveland ad agency your head is to bring one back to MARC GOLUB fully, you’ll consider giving us an Brokaw sent out to 250 prospective mount on the wall.” Brokaw Advertising founder and chief executive Bill Brokaw said the agency has assignment,” the profile read in part. clients last fall. Since the campaign began, its “shown a substantial increase in profits” during the past three years. “No matter how ugly. We’ll take it.”) “It’s definitely a litmus test,” reception has spurred Horton to The agency’s quest for more agency founder and chief executive put the slogans, five in all, on the creation of the “Ray Jay Johnson” After all, there was a time not so long national and regional business gath- Bill Brokaw said.