Douglas J. Guth
Euclid Square Mall is hardly abandoned or dead, you just need to take a closer look to witness signs of life, maintains Cleveland artist Jef Scharf. Walk into the mall on a Sunday morning, in fact, and you may hear songs of worship reverberating through its halls.
The former large-scale retail center now has nearly 30 churches renting space for services, Bible studies and choir practice. Scharf, an artist-in-residence at SPACES Gallery, spent a year interviewing church-goers and congregational leaders for his documentary, simply titled "Euclid Square Mall Project."
The film was officially screened at SPACES on October 11, but is available in the gallery's video viewing room until the middle of November.
First-time documentarian Scharf is a designer, screen printer, installation artist and musician. His 30-minute movie is a fairly typical talking heads-style venture that concentrates on the people running the congregations rather than the worship services themselves. How the vacant retail space shifted its function from retail to a faith-based community is a subject of fascination for the artist.
"There are so many stories to tell," notes Scharf. "You'd walk into this public space and the sounds of singing would bleed into each other. It filled the mall with incredible warmth."
The project's genesis was borne from simple curiosity. On a Sunday afternoon in fall 2010, Scharf was shopping at a nearby retail outlet when he stepped into the mall. He was impressed enough by the space's renewed energy to film some of the activity going on that day on his cell phone.
"It just stuck with me," says Scharf. "I realized I wanted to explore [the mall] further in that format."
It's strange to walk into a retail complex scrubbed clean of bright signage and other signposts that exemplify the typical American mall, Scharf says. Today, the signboard that once carried familiar names like Gap and Banana Republic now are stamped with names of congregations.
The film project, in its way, is a story of survival, believes Scharf. "These are people keeping their dreams alive by preserving the vibrancy of a space," he says. The movie "is a documentation of transformation."
Source: Jef Scharf
Writer: Douglas J. Guth
The former large-scale retail center now has nearly 30 churches renting space for services, Bible studies and choir practice. Scharf, an artist-in-residence at SPACES Gallery, spent a year interviewing church-goers and congregational leaders for his documentary, simply titled "Euclid Square Mall Project."
The film was officially screened at SPACES on October 11, but is available in the gallery's video viewing room until the middle of November.
First-time documentarian Scharf is a designer, screen printer, installation artist and musician. His 30-minute movie is a fairly typical talking heads-style venture that concentrates on the people running the congregations rather than the worship services themselves. How the vacant retail space shifted its function from retail to a faith-based community is a subject of fascination for the artist.
"There are so many stories to tell," notes Scharf. "You'd walk into this public space and the sounds of singing would bleed into each other. It filled the mall with incredible warmth."
The project's genesis was borne from simple curiosity. On a Sunday afternoon in fall 2010, Scharf was shopping at a nearby retail outlet when he stepped into the mall. He was impressed enough by the space's renewed energy to film some of the activity going on that day on his cell phone.
"It just stuck with me," says Scharf. "I realized I wanted to explore [the mall] further in that format."
It's strange to walk into a retail complex scrubbed clean of bright signage and other signposts that exemplify the typical American mall, Scharf says. Today, the signboard that once carried familiar names like Gap and Banana Republic now are stamped with names of congregations.
The film project, in its way, is a story of survival, believes Scharf. "These are people keeping their dreams alive by preserving the vibrancy of a space," he says. The movie "is a documentation of transformation."
Source: Jef Scharf
Writer: Douglas J. Guth
Let's imagine that the Northeast Ohio healthcare innovation community is a football team. That would make business recruiter BioEnterprise the quarterback, "handing off" startup companies to Austen BioInnovation Institute in Akron, with an aim of scoring funding and resources a company needs to succeed.
Strained metaphors aside, BioEnterprise and Austen are two local groups working as a team to push a regional economic transition from staid manufacturing to the more vibrant realm of healthcare and innovation technology. What exactly do these groups do and how do they do it? How do they work together to achieve their goals? Key members from each organization share their connected strategies.
Providing a guiding hand
BioEnterprise is a Cleveland nonprofit tasked with growing healthcare companies and commercializing bioscience technologies. The early-stage firms BioEnterprise assists are seeking to produce medical devices and biotechnology, or developing drugs for commercial use.
The economic development group was founded in 2002 by the Cleveland Clinic, University Hospitals and Case Western Reserve University as a way to harness area strengths in medical devices and healthcare technology. The nonprofit's foray into a potentially lucrative "innovation economy" is built by guiding new companies, not funding them, says interim president Aram Nerpouni.
Read the rest here...
Strained metaphors aside, BioEnterprise and Austen are two local groups working as a team to push a regional economic transition from staid manufacturing to the more vibrant realm of healthcare and innovation technology. What exactly do these groups do and how do they do it? How do they work together to achieve their goals? Key members from each organization share their connected strategies.
Providing a guiding hand
BioEnterprise is a Cleveland nonprofit tasked with growing healthcare companies and commercializing bioscience technologies. The early-stage firms BioEnterprise assists are seeking to produce medical devices and biotechnology, or developing drugs for commercial use.
The economic development group was founded in 2002 by the Cleveland Clinic, University Hospitals and Case Western Reserve University as a way to harness area strengths in medical devices and healthcare technology. The nonprofit's foray into a potentially lucrative "innovation economy" is built by guiding new companies, not funding them, says interim president Aram Nerpouni.
Read the rest here...
Thanks to Northeast Ohio's collaborative medical startup community, one fueled by forward-looking economic organizations and angel investors, entrepreneurs with viable ideas are making waves. Here are five Cleveland and Akron healthcare companies poised to be the Next Big Thing.
Saint Luke's Foundation's stated mission is to move the needle in the area of healthcare, effectively impacting the root causes of what the organization deems as inequities in the quality of care received across all economic and social sectors.
The foundation has a long way to go to achieve its goals, but at least it knows it has a champion in former U.S. Surgeon General Dr. David Satcher, who spoke to foundation trustees and staff at The Free Medical Clinic of Greater Cleveland on October 4.
Eliminating care disparities in regards to health insurance, for example, would cut down African-American mortality rates in diabetes, heart disease and HIV/AIDS, Satcher said during his visit, part of the St. Luke's refined grantmaking philosophy that ties funding directly to three main priorities- health, community and family.
The talk "was a great opportunity for learning," says foundation president and CEO Denise San Antonio Zeman. "Dr. Satcher is putting these notions into the national limelight and giving them stature."
Satcher, who served as surgeon general from 1998 to 2001, is a graduate of Case Western Reserve University. During his tenure, he wrote "Healthy People 2010," a document written with two goals; to increase the quality of life for all Americans and reduce the inequities keeping all U.S. citizens from getting proper care.
Some progress in that department has been made in the years since Satcher stepped down, says Zeman. Still, as highlighted by the recent presidential and vice presidential debates, health care is still top mind for many Americans.
"There is more work that needs to be done," she says.
Source: Denise San Antonio Zeman
Writer: Douglas Guth
The foundation has a long way to go to achieve its goals, but at least it knows it has a champion in former U.S. Surgeon General Dr. David Satcher, who spoke to foundation trustees and staff at The Free Medical Clinic of Greater Cleveland on October 4.
Eliminating care disparities in regards to health insurance, for example, would cut down African-American mortality rates in diabetes, heart disease and HIV/AIDS, Satcher said during his visit, part of the St. Luke's refined grantmaking philosophy that ties funding directly to three main priorities- health, community and family.
The talk "was a great opportunity for learning," says foundation president and CEO Denise San Antonio Zeman. "Dr. Satcher is putting these notions into the national limelight and giving them stature."
Satcher, who served as surgeon general from 1998 to 2001, is a graduate of Case Western Reserve University. During his tenure, he wrote "Healthy People 2010," a document written with two goals; to increase the quality of life for all Americans and reduce the inequities keeping all U.S. citizens from getting proper care.
Some progress in that department has been made in the years since Satcher stepped down, says Zeman. Still, as highlighted by the recent presidential and vice presidential debates, health care is still top mind for many Americans.
"There is more work that needs to be done," she says.
Source: Denise San Antonio Zeman
Writer: Douglas Guth
Steadfast. Tenacious and uncompromising. Someone with an encyclopedic knowledge of the issues at hand.
Those are just a few of the plaudits Earth Day Coalition (EDC) executive director Scott Sanders has for his retiring compatriot, EDC co-executive director Chris Trepal, who will be honored on Friday, Nov. 9 during the organization's Instrumental Evening for the Earth.
Trepal co-founded the nonprofit environmental education/advocacy group with Sanders in 1990. As a devoted environmental advocate, she has played an integral role in the community projects EDC is best known for, Sanders says.
Among Trepal's career highlights:
* Helped establish the Cleveland Lakefront Nature Preserve opened to the public in February 2012. The former Dike 14 has 80-plus acres of "wild" activity, including 300 species of birds that live and migrate on site.
* Spearheaded EDC's NatureHood project, which has restored native plants to 32,500 square feet of neighborhood-maintained vacant land. An additional 16,500 square feet of empty lot on the West Side has been converted into a plant nursery.
* Worked on such clean air issues as Diesel Hot Spots, idle reduction, mercury-fish consumption and Cleveland's proposed waste-to-energy project.
Trepal has a drawer full of awards recognizing her accomplishments, including the Greater Cleveland Woman of Achievement Award from the YWCA of Cleveland. These honors are well-deserved, says Sanders.
"Chris is masterful in terms of her knowledge and approach," says the EDC director. "She's one of the hardest working people I've ever known."
Trepal's executive director position retires with her. Earlier this year, EDC named Elaine Barnes as its development and program director. The organization will also be hiring additional advocacy staff to make up for the experience lost with Trepal's leave-taking.
"Our vision has crystallized in the last year," says Sanders. "We want to strengthen our neighborhood focus as well as continue collaborations with groups like the Metroparks."
Regardless, Trepal's leadership will be missed, notes Sanders. "I learned a lot from her over the years," he says.
Source: Scott Sanders
Writer Douglas Guth
Those are just a few of the plaudits Earth Day Coalition (EDC) executive director Scott Sanders has for his retiring compatriot, EDC co-executive director Chris Trepal, who will be honored on Friday, Nov. 9 during the organization's Instrumental Evening for the Earth.
Trepal co-founded the nonprofit environmental education/advocacy group with Sanders in 1990. As a devoted environmental advocate, she has played an integral role in the community projects EDC is best known for, Sanders says.
Among Trepal's career highlights:
* Helped establish the Cleveland Lakefront Nature Preserve opened to the public in February 2012. The former Dike 14 has 80-plus acres of "wild" activity, including 300 species of birds that live and migrate on site.
* Spearheaded EDC's NatureHood project, which has restored native plants to 32,500 square feet of neighborhood-maintained vacant land. An additional 16,500 square feet of empty lot on the West Side has been converted into a plant nursery.
* Worked on such clean air issues as Diesel Hot Spots, idle reduction, mercury-fish consumption and Cleveland's proposed waste-to-energy project.
Trepal has a drawer full of awards recognizing her accomplishments, including the Greater Cleveland Woman of Achievement Award from the YWCA of Cleveland. These honors are well-deserved, says Sanders.
"Chris is masterful in terms of her knowledge and approach," says the EDC director. "She's one of the hardest working people I've ever known."
Trepal's executive director position retires with her. Earlier this year, EDC named Elaine Barnes as its development and program director. The organization will also be hiring additional advocacy staff to make up for the experience lost with Trepal's leave-taking.
"Our vision has crystallized in the last year," says Sanders. "We want to strengthen our neighborhood focus as well as continue collaborations with groups like the Metroparks."
Regardless, Trepal's leadership will be missed, notes Sanders. "I learned a lot from her over the years," he says.
Source: Scott Sanders
Writer Douglas Guth
The Cleveland Foodbank has a message for Cuyahoga County children as they head into another school year: "You will never go hungry."
The nonprofit food distributor is fulfilling this promise through its annual "Backpack for Kids" program. Throughout the academic year, the Foodbank will partner with 30 schools and afterschool programs to provide children with nutritious meals, says Karen Pozna, the organization's director of communications.
"There are too many kids in Cleveland who don't know where their next meal is coming from," says Pozna.
The program works like this: At the end of each week, backpacks filled with healthy food are discreetly handed out to school children to take home over the weekend. The packages are made up of a variety of items -- cereal, tuna, peanut butter, beef stew, canned vegetables and fruit, soup, pasta, and a kid-friendly treat like peanut butter crackers or yogurt snacks. Each child receives enough food for six full meals.
Food banks across the U.S. are involved with the initiative, notes Pozna. On average, the Cleveland chapter's Backpack for Kids program provides about 3,000 backpacks each week.
Good eating habits are a critical facet of academic success, Pozna says. The backpack program began after teachers noticed their students were coming into school on Mondays feeling sick from lack of proper meals over the weekend.
Statistics further reflect the need for the program, says the Foodbank spokesperson. About 28 percent of Cuyahoga County children under the age of 18 lived in poverty last year, says Pozna. In addition, one third of recipients at local hunger centers are children.
Back-to-school season can be a particularly difficult time for low income families trying to put three square meals on the table each day. "Kids are getting lunch and breakfast at school, but they don't always get proper nutrition at home," Pozna says.
Source: Karen Pozna
Writer: Douglas Guth
The nonprofit food distributor is fulfilling this promise through its annual "Backpack for Kids" program. Throughout the academic year, the Foodbank will partner with 30 schools and afterschool programs to provide children with nutritious meals, says Karen Pozna, the organization's director of communications.
"There are too many kids in Cleveland who don't know where their next meal is coming from," says Pozna.
The program works like this: At the end of each week, backpacks filled with healthy food are discreetly handed out to school children to take home over the weekend. The packages are made up of a variety of items -- cereal, tuna, peanut butter, beef stew, canned vegetables and fruit, soup, pasta, and a kid-friendly treat like peanut butter crackers or yogurt snacks. Each child receives enough food for six full meals.
Food banks across the U.S. are involved with the initiative, notes Pozna. On average, the Cleveland chapter's Backpack for Kids program provides about 3,000 backpacks each week.
Good eating habits are a critical facet of academic success, Pozna says. The backpack program began after teachers noticed their students were coming into school on Mondays feeling sick from lack of proper meals over the weekend.
Statistics further reflect the need for the program, says the Foodbank spokesperson. About 28 percent of Cuyahoga County children under the age of 18 lived in poverty last year, says Pozna. In addition, one third of recipients at local hunger centers are children.
Back-to-school season can be a particularly difficult time for low income families trying to put three square meals on the table each day. "Kids are getting lunch and breakfast at school, but they don't always get proper nutrition at home," Pozna says.
Source: Karen Pozna
Writer: Douglas Guth
If children and the arts are two of a community's most precious commodities, then the Cleveland Foundation has got Northeast Ohio covered.
As part of an overall grantmaking surge totaling $21.6 million in grants to local nonprofit organizations, the foundation has authorized monies to separate programs focusing on youth development and arts and culture.
Boys and Girls Clubs of Cleveland received $250,000 to expand its reach, says foundation executive vice president Bob Eckardt. The grant will support after-school and summer activities at various club locations. It will also fund a development campaign seeking to raise money for general programming.
"We recognize that Cleveland's youth need more than just schools," says Eckardt. "There's a need for high-quality out-of-school programming."
On the cultural side of the slate, Cleveland Foundation continued its support of two capital campaigns in the arts - Gordon Square Arts District and the Power of Three: Allen Theatre Project. Each program was granted $250,000, bringing the foundation’s support for both campaigns to the $1 million level.
The Gordon Square district on Cleveland's West Side acts as an economic catalyst for the surrounding community, says Eckardt. The foundation's funding will solely be used for renovation of the Cleveland Public Theatre.
The Power of Three: The Allen Theatre Project, meanwhile, is a partnership among Cleveland State University, PlayhouseSquare and Cleveland Play House to build Allen Theatre into a multivenue performing arts and education complex.
Supporting the two arts programs was an easy call for the foundation. "Arts and culture is one of our strengths," Eckardt says, pointing to the thriving arts' enclaves in University Circle, downtown Cleveland and elsewhere. "It's part of our brand as a community and plays into or economic development strategy as a region."
SOURCE: Bob Eckardt
WRITER: Douglas J. Guth
As part of an overall grantmaking surge totaling $21.6 million in grants to local nonprofit organizations, the foundation has authorized monies to separate programs focusing on youth development and arts and culture.
Boys and Girls Clubs of Cleveland received $250,000 to expand its reach, says foundation executive vice president Bob Eckardt. The grant will support after-school and summer activities at various club locations. It will also fund a development campaign seeking to raise money for general programming.
"We recognize that Cleveland's youth need more than just schools," says Eckardt. "There's a need for high-quality out-of-school programming."
On the cultural side of the slate, Cleveland Foundation continued its support of two capital campaigns in the arts - Gordon Square Arts District and the Power of Three: Allen Theatre Project. Each program was granted $250,000, bringing the foundation’s support for both campaigns to the $1 million level.
The Gordon Square district on Cleveland's West Side acts as an economic catalyst for the surrounding community, says Eckardt. The foundation's funding will solely be used for renovation of the Cleveland Public Theatre.
The Power of Three: The Allen Theatre Project, meanwhile, is a partnership among Cleveland State University, PlayhouseSquare and Cleveland Play House to build Allen Theatre into a multivenue performing arts and education complex.
Supporting the two arts programs was an easy call for the foundation. "Arts and culture is one of our strengths," Eckardt says, pointing to the thriving arts' enclaves in University Circle, downtown Cleveland and elsewhere. "It's part of our brand as a community and plays into or economic development strategy as a region."
SOURCE: Bob Eckardt
WRITER: Douglas J. Guth
saint luke's latest grants reflect organization's new grant-giving approach
Last year, Saint Luke's Foundation took a good long look at its infrastructure as well as its impact on the region. The result was a refined grantmaking philosophy that ties funding directly to three overarching priorities: health, community and family.
Saint Luke's most recent round of grants reflects its new approach, says president and CEO Denise San Antonio Zeman. The foundation recently awarded a total of $1,385,332 to 13 organizations that advance its trio of strategic priorities
"Our mission-based spending policy allows us to give more than in past years," says Zeman. The new grantmaking strategy also "enables us to go deeper with community partners in ways that address the complex, changing needs of Greater Cleveland’s vulnerable populations."
The grant given to Pew Charitable Trusts in particular mirrors what Saint Luke's is trying to accomplish, says the foundation president. The $301,543 awarded to Pew over the next two-plus years will support Saint Luke's participation in the national Health Impact Project, an initiative to support the growth of local Health Impact Assessments (HIAs) that assess the influence of policies, plans and projects on the well-being of diverse populations.
Meanwhile, Saint Luke's is continuing to refine its grant-giving approach. The next grant cycle is in December, and Zeman expects the foundation to roll out further policy fine-tunings within the next 30 days.
Saint Luke's has been funding solutions to community health concerns since 1997. The foundation's strategy has changed, but its core beliefs remain constant. "The organizations [we award grants] can be our partners in advancing our mission and theirs simultaneously," says Zeman.
SOURCE: Denise San Antonio Zeman
WRITER: Douglas J. Guth
Saint Luke's most recent round of grants reflects its new approach, says president and CEO Denise San Antonio Zeman. The foundation recently awarded a total of $1,385,332 to 13 organizations that advance its trio of strategic priorities
"Our mission-based spending policy allows us to give more than in past years," says Zeman. The new grantmaking strategy also "enables us to go deeper with community partners in ways that address the complex, changing needs of Greater Cleveland’s vulnerable populations."
The grant given to Pew Charitable Trusts in particular mirrors what Saint Luke's is trying to accomplish, says the foundation president. The $301,543 awarded to Pew over the next two-plus years will support Saint Luke's participation in the national Health Impact Project, an initiative to support the growth of local Health Impact Assessments (HIAs) that assess the influence of policies, plans and projects on the well-being of diverse populations.
Meanwhile, Saint Luke's is continuing to refine its grant-giving approach. The next grant cycle is in December, and Zeman expects the foundation to roll out further policy fine-tunings within the next 30 days.
Saint Luke's has been funding solutions to community health concerns since 1997. The foundation's strategy has changed, but its core beliefs remain constant. "The organizations [we award grants] can be our partners in advancing our mission and theirs simultaneously," says Zeman.
SOURCE: Denise San Antonio Zeman
WRITER: Douglas J. Guth
It might seem obvious, but making a movie costs lots of money. Grips, props, camera, lighting equipment and special effects all add up. For a small film, just ensuring that the entire crew's gas money is covered can make up a large chunk of the budget. Applying to film festivals so people actually see your movie is yet another expense.
Cleveland Heights filmmaker Tiffany Laufer knows the cost well, and she's looking to get a crowdfunding boost to help her latest project make it to the big screen. Honor Society is a short film about the societal pressures teenagers face and how the friendships they form are often the glue that keeps them together. Laufer already has filmed a trailer starring the two local high school-aged actresses who will appear in the production.
For funding, she is using Kapipal, an international fundraising platform. Laufer's goal is to raise $4,500 by October 16. As of this writing, she has raised nearly $400 for a "nuts and bolts" budget that will top out at about $8,500.
"[Crowdfunding] is a new endeavor for me and I'm excited to try this approach," says Laufer.
The process is as daunting as it is exciting, the filmmaker adds. Laufer has been pushing the project via Facebook, Twitter, her personal website, and the movie's online fundraising home. Laufer plans on submitting Honor Society to more than 30 film festivals. Her previous film, The Acorn Penny, screened at over 16 festivals across the country.
Even a dollar would offer something in terms of psychological support, Laufer maintains. "You have to hustle and take nothing personally," she says of the crowdfunding experiment. "It's been an interesting learning experience."
Honor Society is getting made whether or not Laufer reaches her fundraising target. She credits her high school friends for getting her through some stormy formative years that included her parents' divorce.
Today's teenagers face a society that requires them to be practically perfect, an expectation that's both unrealistic and unfair, she says. Through crowdfunding, Laufer hopes to tell their story.
"We need to be there for our teenagers on all levels," she says. "I've come so far [in the filmmaking process] I have to continue."
SOURCE: Tiffany Laufer
WRITER: Douglas J. Guth
Cleveland Heights filmmaker Tiffany Laufer knows the cost well, and she's looking to get a crowdfunding boost to help her latest project make it to the big screen. Honor Society is a short film about the societal pressures teenagers face and how the friendships they form are often the glue that keeps them together. Laufer already has filmed a trailer starring the two local high school-aged actresses who will appear in the production.
For funding, she is using Kapipal, an international fundraising platform. Laufer's goal is to raise $4,500 by October 16. As of this writing, she has raised nearly $400 for a "nuts and bolts" budget that will top out at about $8,500.
"[Crowdfunding] is a new endeavor for me and I'm excited to try this approach," says Laufer.
The process is as daunting as it is exciting, the filmmaker adds. Laufer has been pushing the project via Facebook, Twitter, her personal website, and the movie's online fundraising home. Laufer plans on submitting Honor Society to more than 30 film festivals. Her previous film, The Acorn Penny, screened at over 16 festivals across the country.
Even a dollar would offer something in terms of psychological support, Laufer maintains. "You have to hustle and take nothing personally," she says of the crowdfunding experiment. "It's been an interesting learning experience."
Honor Society is getting made whether or not Laufer reaches her fundraising target. She credits her high school friends for getting her through some stormy formative years that included her parents' divorce.
Today's teenagers face a society that requires them to be practically perfect, an expectation that's both unrealistic and unfair, she says. Through crowdfunding, Laufer hopes to tell their story.
"We need to be there for our teenagers on all levels," she says. "I've come so far [in the filmmaking process] I have to continue."
SOURCE: Tiffany Laufer
WRITER: Douglas J. Guth
Mobile workforce management software company TOA Technologies has spent most of its existence dealing with the "nuts and bolts of American industry," says Jeff Wartgow, vice president of channels and alliances. It's the company's tech, for example, that ensures the cable technician is getting a proper signal so he can complete his work.
Thanks to its recent partnership with Racktime Sales & Marketing Services, a Netherlands-headquartered field marketing services provider, TOA now gets a taste of the "sexy" side of the tech industry, Wartgow says. Racktime will be using TOA's new ETAworkforce and ETAdirect Professional software to optimize its mobile business operations, which include cool stuff like DVD displays and Playstation demo booths.
"Racktime is a fun, young company," says Wartgow. "It's great to see that side of the culture coming into the market."
"Field marketing" represents the distribution or sampling of promotions in the public space. TOA software will assist Racktime in automating assignments, optimizing schedules and providing its customers with real-time visibility and collaboration capabilities.
Field marketing "is a completely new frontier for us," Wartgow says. "We had to find a progressive prospect like Racktime willing to take a risk on us."
Creating a product far afield from its core is exciting, says the TOA vice president. "Our mission is to keep expanding and taking on these challenges," adds Wartgow. "It's energizing to [work in] this part of the market."
SOURCE: Jeff Wartgow
WRITER: Douglas J. Guth
Thanks to its recent partnership with Racktime Sales & Marketing Services, a Netherlands-headquartered field marketing services provider, TOA now gets a taste of the "sexy" side of the tech industry, Wartgow says. Racktime will be using TOA's new ETAworkforce and ETAdirect Professional software to optimize its mobile business operations, which include cool stuff like DVD displays and Playstation demo booths.
"Racktime is a fun, young company," says Wartgow. "It's great to see that side of the culture coming into the market."
"Field marketing" represents the distribution or sampling of promotions in the public space. TOA software will assist Racktime in automating assignments, optimizing schedules and providing its customers with real-time visibility and collaboration capabilities.
Field marketing "is a completely new frontier for us," Wartgow says. "We had to find a progressive prospect like Racktime willing to take a risk on us."
Creating a product far afield from its core is exciting, says the TOA vice president. "Our mission is to keep expanding and taking on these challenges," adds Wartgow. "It's energizing to [work in] this part of the market."
SOURCE: Jeff Wartgow
WRITER: Douglas J. Guth
If someone loses a leg or arm due to war or accident, a recent endowment from Parker Hannifin Corporation to Cleveland State University is aiming to place the school among the top national options for replicating that lost limb.
Parker Hannifin, a manufacturer of motion technologies, has pledged $1.5 million to CSU for a professorship and the overall study of human motion and control. The money will be spent on a new laboratory in human motion. The lab will include treadmills, motion sensors and three-dimensional imaging equipment, all targeted at developing improved methods to duplicate healthy limbs in prosthetics and orthotics, says Joe Mosbrook, CSU's director of communications.
Working in the laboratory will be biomechanics researcher Dr. Antonie van den Bogert, named the Parker Hannifin Endowed Chair in Human Motion and Control. Van den Bogert began his tenure this fall in the Department of Mechanical Engineering at CSU’s Fenn College of Engineering.
The researcher is known for the development of computer simulation methods studying the effects of neuromuscular control and mechanical devices on human movement. Much of his prior work concentrated on the mechanics of sports performance and injuries. "He's a leader in this field," says Mosbrook. "We are very grateful to have someone of his caliber at the university."
Long term, the Parker Hannifin endowment could make CSU an epicenter for critical prosthetics and orthotics technology and research. The company "has been a great partner and benefactor to us for a long time," Mosbrook says. "This [endowment] is an important step forward for the university and the entire region."
SOURCE: Joe Mosbrook
WRITER: Douglas J. Guth
Parker Hannifin, a manufacturer of motion technologies, has pledged $1.5 million to CSU for a professorship and the overall study of human motion and control. The money will be spent on a new laboratory in human motion. The lab will include treadmills, motion sensors and three-dimensional imaging equipment, all targeted at developing improved methods to duplicate healthy limbs in prosthetics and orthotics, says Joe Mosbrook, CSU's director of communications.
Working in the laboratory will be biomechanics researcher Dr. Antonie van den Bogert, named the Parker Hannifin Endowed Chair in Human Motion and Control. Van den Bogert began his tenure this fall in the Department of Mechanical Engineering at CSU’s Fenn College of Engineering.
The researcher is known for the development of computer simulation methods studying the effects of neuromuscular control and mechanical devices on human movement. Much of his prior work concentrated on the mechanics of sports performance and injuries. "He's a leader in this field," says Mosbrook. "We are very grateful to have someone of his caliber at the university."
Long term, the Parker Hannifin endowment could make CSU an epicenter for critical prosthetics and orthotics technology and research. The company "has been a great partner and benefactor to us for a long time," Mosbrook says. "This [endowment] is an important step forward for the university and the entire region."
SOURCE: Joe Mosbrook
WRITER: Douglas J. Guth
A parent can cover their child's eyes when there is violence on television, but who will do that for a child when they're exposed to real-life trauma? That is the question United Way is answering with its 2-1-1 community access line, a 24-hour help number that's part of Cuyahoga County’s Defending Childhood initiative.
United States Attorney General Eric Holder and Cuyahoga County Executive Edward FitzGerald hosted a news conference September 28 at Martin Luther King Jr. High School to announce a $2 million Justice Department grant that will aid Defending Childhood programs including the community access line.
The phone line is manned by United Way staff members. These trained staffers determine if Defending Childhood services can help a child who has witnessed violence or experienced trauma. Diagnosing and treating children who have lived through violence can be a significant step in helping them avoid trouble later in life, says Stephen Wertheim, president/CEO of United Way.
"The trauma a kid goes through can impact their function in society," Wertheim says. "We're trying to get to these problems at the root."
While at the high school event, Holder participated in a round-table discussion with students and teachers. He later met with a group of law enforcement officers and social workers that were also on hand.
The impact of violence on children has reached "national crisis" proportions, Holder told the audience during the Sept. 28 conference. Assessing and screening the young people victimized by violence must take precedence over merely prosecuting those perpetrating the trauma.
Studies have shown how post-traumatic stress can negatively effect children, says FitzGerald.
"If a child witnesses horrific acts of violence, they're more likely to be involved in the justice system themselves," says the county executive. Through a preventative measure like the 2-1-1 help line, "the idea is to increase public safety rather than just incarcerating everyone."
SOURCE: Stephen Wertheim, Ed FitzGerald
WRITER: Douglas J. Guth
United States Attorney General Eric Holder and Cuyahoga County Executive Edward FitzGerald hosted a news conference September 28 at Martin Luther King Jr. High School to announce a $2 million Justice Department grant that will aid Defending Childhood programs including the community access line.
The phone line is manned by United Way staff members. These trained staffers determine if Defending Childhood services can help a child who has witnessed violence or experienced trauma. Diagnosing and treating children who have lived through violence can be a significant step in helping them avoid trouble later in life, says Stephen Wertheim, president/CEO of United Way.
"The trauma a kid goes through can impact their function in society," Wertheim says. "We're trying to get to these problems at the root."
While at the high school event, Holder participated in a round-table discussion with students and teachers. He later met with a group of law enforcement officers and social workers that were also on hand.
The impact of violence on children has reached "national crisis" proportions, Holder told the audience during the Sept. 28 conference. Assessing and screening the young people victimized by violence must take precedence over merely prosecuting those perpetrating the trauma.
Studies have shown how post-traumatic stress can negatively effect children, says FitzGerald.
"If a child witnesses horrific acts of violence, they're more likely to be involved in the justice system themselves," says the county executive. Through a preventative measure like the 2-1-1 help line, "the idea is to increase public safety rather than just incarcerating everyone."
SOURCE: Stephen Wertheim, Ed FitzGerald
WRITER: Douglas J. Guth
TWIST Creative had been adverse the word "agency" for many years, as the term represented something the Cleveland-based branding firm was not. That all changed eight months ago when TWIST shifted its strategy to target bigger clients, spurring a period of growth that has led to a flurry of new hires as well as new customers.
That's four new hires and about 20 new clients to be exact, says Michael Ozan, TWIST's president and chief creative officer, who in 2000 founded the firm with wife Connie. Add promotions and an overall company realignment to that list and TWIST has had a very busy 2012.
"We looked at our market position and decided to turn in the direction of being an agency," says Ozan. "We needed more people [on hand] to make that change."
In September, TWIST hired a new director of media relations, an art director and two designers. The agency also named marketing director Josh Taylor as its new director of strategy and development, while lead senior designer Chris Oldham is now director of design operations.
To its burgeoning client portfolio TWIST added 20 new brands, including big-name consumer product companies Hoover Vacuum and Hinkley Lighting; aerospace industry manufacturer Voss Industries; and multi-market restaurateur Paladar.
This was an exciting year, but one also full of difficult changes, says design director Connie Ozan. Although the former boutique is now a full-service brand agency, the challenge for TWIST looking ahead is to continue to grow its position within the market.
"There's been lots of energy over the last eight months," she says. "It will take awhile for the new team to gel, but 2013 is going to be a great year."
SOURCE: Michael Ozan, Connie Ozan
WRITER: Douglas J. Guth
That's four new hires and about 20 new clients to be exact, says Michael Ozan, TWIST's president and chief creative officer, who in 2000 founded the firm with wife Connie. Add promotions and an overall company realignment to that list and TWIST has had a very busy 2012.
"We looked at our market position and decided to turn in the direction of being an agency," says Ozan. "We needed more people [on hand] to make that change."
In September, TWIST hired a new director of media relations, an art director and two designers. The agency also named marketing director Josh Taylor as its new director of strategy and development, while lead senior designer Chris Oldham is now director of design operations.
To its burgeoning client portfolio TWIST added 20 new brands, including big-name consumer product companies Hoover Vacuum and Hinkley Lighting; aerospace industry manufacturer Voss Industries; and multi-market restaurateur Paladar.
This was an exciting year, but one also full of difficult changes, says design director Connie Ozan. Although the former boutique is now a full-service brand agency, the challenge for TWIST looking ahead is to continue to grow its position within the market.
"There's been lots of energy over the last eight months," she says. "It will take awhile for the new team to gel, but 2013 is going to be a great year."
SOURCE: Michael Ozan, Connie Ozan
WRITER: Douglas J. Guth
If the future belongs to those cities that can frame their opportunities and challenges, act in ways that demonstrate measurable progress, and connect and engage with the smartest people and the smartest ideas, than City Vitals 2.0 can act as a road map for urban leaders.
How do you export an entire region? That's the question Northeast Ohio's promoters are pondering as the investment in local tourism is projected to reach into the billions of dollars over the next few years. Harnessing the economic power of the tourism industry means telling the world loud and proud, "Northeast Ohio is the place to be."
Bringing the 18-county Cleveland Plus region to the disposable income-flush masses should not be a hard sell these days, says Lexi Hotchkiss, director of communications with Positively Cleveland, the region's tourism and economic development group.
Cuyahoga County alone is undergoing a $2 billion tourism investment revival over the next five years, a confluence of high-profile projects including a new casino, a medical mart and convention center, and the dramatic renovation of Cleveland's illustrious art museum.
"Two-billion is not chump change," says Hotchkiss. "It's a big deal that can have a domino effect [on the area]."
Tourism is bigger business locally than many people realize, adds Hotchkiss. The industry is Cuyahoga County's fourth-largest employer. In 2011, 30 million people visited the Cleveland Plus region, sustaining 163,000 jobs with $13 billion in economic impact. During that same time frame, 14 million visitors decended upon Cleveland, supporting 61,000 jobs.
(Continue reading...)
Bringing the 18-county Cleveland Plus region to the disposable income-flush masses should not be a hard sell these days, says Lexi Hotchkiss, director of communications with Positively Cleveland, the region's tourism and economic development group.
Cuyahoga County alone is undergoing a $2 billion tourism investment revival over the next five years, a confluence of high-profile projects including a new casino, a medical mart and convention center, and the dramatic renovation of Cleveland's illustrious art museum.
"Two-billion is not chump change," says Hotchkiss. "It's a big deal that can have a domino effect [on the area]."
Tourism is bigger business locally than many people realize, adds Hotchkiss. The industry is Cuyahoga County's fourth-largest employer. In 2011, 30 million people visited the Cleveland Plus region, sustaining 163,000 jobs with $13 billion in economic impact. During that same time frame, 14 million visitors decended upon Cleveland, supporting 61,000 jobs.
(Continue reading...)
A healthcare industry vet and resident of Cleveland since 1982, Jim Bennett was hired in April by developer MMPI Inc. to oversee the $465 million medical mart and convention center. The complex is expected to draw 200,000 visitors annually, add thousands of new jobs, and generate about $50-$75 million in economic impact per year.
Thanks to game-changing, large-scale architectural efforts largely absent during the recession, Cleveland steadily is catching up to other similarly sized cities in terms of design. Long known as a "brick city," Cleveland's recent and forthcoming high-profile projects are adding progressive new materials to the mix.
It took 305 straw bales harvested from a nearby farm to build one couple's fairly tale home. The three-bedroom, 1,800-square-foot "Asian Craftsman-style" house in Cleveland Heights is the only one like it in Greater Cleveland. Unlike the straw house in The Three Little Pigs, this is one built to withstand rain, wind, snow and the Big Bad Wolf.