Regional Economy
Six months after Cleveland hosted the Gay Games, and with a dramatic national shift toward greater acceptance, it’s more comfortable than ever before to be an LGBTQ person in Northeast Ohio. Yet obstacles remain -- especially for those who are less economically and socially connected.
Downtown Cleveland Alliance is looking for new members of its City Advocates Program, which is now entering its seventh year. Advocates work on civic-oriented projects and gain an insider’s perspective into downtown Cleveland as well as a chance to experience first-hand the forward momentum of Cleveland’s development.
“The City Advocates Program is considered to be a civic engagement program,” says Laura Wiegand, DCA director of development and community relations. “We want more downtown residents and employees to be involved in DCA.”
The advocacy program also provides networking opportunities with business and civic leaders. DCA offers a mentoring program with DCA board members to learn even more about the city. “It’s a chance to sit down for coffee and chat about anything they want.”
For the first time this year, DCA is releasing its list of projects advocates will work on. “City advocates always express intreest in projects closely related to DCA's mission,” says Wiegand. Applicants can list their top three project choices.
This year's advocates can get involved in organizing a plan to steward public art initiatives in DCA’s portfolio; strategizing and executing the year-round activation of the new downtown dog park at Settlers Landing; and researching and planning ways to encourage people to go to Public Square during the planned renovations.
DCA accepts about 15 advocates a year for two-year terms. Although advocates are limited to one term, DCA looks for other opportunities for people to get them involved in the city’s development after the term expires.
The deadline to apply for the DCA City Advocates Program is 5 p.m. Friday, February 6.
“The City Advocates Program is considered to be a civic engagement program,” says Laura Wiegand, DCA director of development and community relations. “We want more downtown residents and employees to be involved in DCA.”
The advocacy program also provides networking opportunities with business and civic leaders. DCA offers a mentoring program with DCA board members to learn even more about the city. “It’s a chance to sit down for coffee and chat about anything they want.”
For the first time this year, DCA is releasing its list of projects advocates will work on. “City advocates always express intreest in projects closely related to DCA's mission,” says Wiegand. Applicants can list their top three project choices.
This year's advocates can get involved in organizing a plan to steward public art initiatives in DCA’s portfolio; strategizing and executing the year-round activation of the new downtown dog park at Settlers Landing; and researching and planning ways to encourage people to go to Public Square during the planned renovations.
DCA accepts about 15 advocates a year for two-year terms. Although advocates are limited to one term, DCA looks for other opportunities for people to get them involved in the city’s development after the term expires.
The deadline to apply for the DCA City Advocates Program is 5 p.m. Friday, February 6.
For the first time since April 2014, Paul McAvinchey is bringing TechPint back to Cleveland for an evening of networking, entrepreneurship and showcases at the Beachland Ballroom. “It will make an impression,” McAvinchey says of TechPint, which will be held this Thursday, January 22nd from 4:30 to 10 pm. “There are a lot of new people in town now, a whole new batch.”
TechPint Winter Jam, described as a pop-up tech conference with pints of beer, will feature all the usual popular events. McAvinchey has secured the entire Beachland space, beginning with a Demo Pit in the bar area. “People kind of tinker with startup products while having a beer,” he explains. reMesh will showcase its app that allows an individual to have a conversation with a group.
Dollop, formerly Prezto, will showcase its gifting app through free beer. “We’re giving a beer to gift to someone else,” says McAvinchey. “Hopefully it will encourage networking, but it’s a way to distribute beer as well.” There is still room in the Demo Pit for tech startups who want to showcase their products. Companies should contact McAvinchey to secure a table.
FlashStarts will host its second annual Pitcher Night with a chance for five entrepreneurs to win $2,000 in a quick pitch on stage in the ballroom. FlashStarts will accept applications through the end of today, Monday, January 19th.
Speakers on Thursday are Laura Bennett, co-founder of Embrace Pet Insurance, and Yuval Brisker, co-founder of TOA Technologies, which was recently acquired by Oracle.
Doors for TechPint Winter Jam open at 4:30 pm. Pitcher Night begins at 5 pm, and Bennett and Brisker will speak at 6 pm. Beer and food will be served at least until 10 p.m. Admission is $20. While almost sold out, there are still tickets available.
TechPint Winter Jam, described as a pop-up tech conference with pints of beer, will feature all the usual popular events. McAvinchey has secured the entire Beachland space, beginning with a Demo Pit in the bar area. “People kind of tinker with startup products while having a beer,” he explains. reMesh will showcase its app that allows an individual to have a conversation with a group.
Dollop, formerly Prezto, will showcase its gifting app through free beer. “We’re giving a beer to gift to someone else,” says McAvinchey. “Hopefully it will encourage networking, but it’s a way to distribute beer as well.” There is still room in the Demo Pit for tech startups who want to showcase their products. Companies should contact McAvinchey to secure a table.
FlashStarts will host its second annual Pitcher Night with a chance for five entrepreneurs to win $2,000 in a quick pitch on stage in the ballroom. FlashStarts will accept applications through the end of today, Monday, January 19th.
Speakers on Thursday are Laura Bennett, co-founder of Embrace Pet Insurance, and Yuval Brisker, co-founder of TOA Technologies, which was recently acquired by Oracle.
Doors for TechPint Winter Jam open at 4:30 pm. Pitcher Night begins at 5 pm, and Bennett and Brisker will speak at 6 pm. Beer and food will be served at least until 10 p.m. Admission is $20. While almost sold out, there are still tickets available.
Today's internships are about more than making coffee and copies. They connect employers with a pipeline of talent, help students obtain real-world skills and attract talent to Cleveland.
Bundle up, hold a beer in your mitten and it’s really not so bad. Brite Winter is dedicated to embracing the winter season with 60 bands and a strong focus on local music.
Beaumont School, a Catholic school for girls in Cleveland Heights, unveiled its new STEM addition with a ribbon cutting on Monday, January 5th, re-emphasizing its commitment to science, technology, engineering and math and education with the $9.5 million building. “Our science facilities were over 50 years old,” says Beaumont president Sister Gretchen Rodenfels. “I graduated in 1965 and we were using the same science equipment today.”
The movement to improve STEM education for girls has been growing, and Rodenfels says Beaumont has proven in recent years that girls do excel in science and math. “Really, in the United States, students are not as prepared in science, technology, engineering and math as other developed countries,” says Rodenfels. "Now we have eight science rooms, four prep rooms and all new equipment. Each room is dedicated to a different area of the curriculum.”
In fact, Rodenfels says a STEM education provides well-rounded preparation for any field the students choose. “If you are strong in STEM skills, that can be transferred to any career – deductive reasoning, collaboration, problem solving.”
For the past two years, Beaumont students have participated in the Alliance for Working Together's (AWT) annual RoboBot Competition. “The first year we had the only all-girls team and the guys were making wisecracks,” says Rodenfels. “The following year we came in third at nationals.”
Additionally, the new wing has administration and guidance offices, a clinic, a two-story student common area with outdoor patio and a new front entrance. Construction began on the 25,000 square-foot building in September 2013.
The movement to improve STEM education for girls has been growing, and Rodenfels says Beaumont has proven in recent years that girls do excel in science and math. “Really, in the United States, students are not as prepared in science, technology, engineering and math as other developed countries,” says Rodenfels. "Now we have eight science rooms, four prep rooms and all new equipment. Each room is dedicated to a different area of the curriculum.”
In fact, Rodenfels says a STEM education provides well-rounded preparation for any field the students choose. “If you are strong in STEM skills, that can be transferred to any career – deductive reasoning, collaboration, problem solving.”
For the past two years, Beaumont students have participated in the Alliance for Working Together's (AWT) annual RoboBot Competition. “The first year we had the only all-girls team and the guys were making wisecracks,” says Rodenfels. “The following year we came in third at nationals.”
Additionally, the new wing has administration and guidance offices, a clinic, a two-story student common area with outdoor patio and a new front entrance. Construction began on the 25,000 square-foot building in September 2013.
Cleveland's entrepreneurial scene is increasingly vibrant, with new small businesses and technology startups being launched at a fast clip. Here are six companies started in the last year that are poised for rapid growth.
The Cleveland Leadership Center, along with Bernie Moreno’s Collection Auto Group, are asking individuals to pitch their best ideas for civic improvement – no matter how wild an idea.
The civic pitch completion, Accelerate 2015: A New Model for Change is designed to solicit ideas that can be one-and-done projects or sustainable, ongoing efforts that make Northeast Ohio a better place.
“We came up with the idea 18 months ago, thinking about the opportunities in Cleveland for the business sector and entrepreneurs to pitch their ideas,” recalls Marianne Crosley, president and CEO of the CLC. “But there really isn’t a way for people with civic visions to pitch. What better way to impact and transform Cleveland than to open things up to the public to pitch their ideas and make a difference in the community?”
Pitches will be accepted in five categories: quality of life; economic development; educating for tomorrow; community change; and transformative arts and culture. “We’re open to anything, from how do you transform a street corner or empty lot to how do you impact youth,” says Crosley. "There’s nothing traditional about this event.”
The only parameters are the presenters must be individuals and the pitches must be civic-minded. No organized groups or businesses will be heard.
Panels of judges will select a winning pitch in each category, and those category winners will pitch to a larger audience. The audience will then vote on an overall winner. The the four finalists each receive $1,500 and the winning pitch receives $3,000. All winners will receive mentorship and an opportunity for community support.
ThomaMoreno is co-chairing the event along with Thomas E. Hopkins, CLC board chair and senior vice president of Sherwin-Williams, to celebrate Collection Auto Group’s 10th anniversary and as a way of saying thanks for their success and growth in Cleveland.
The deadline to apply is Monday, January 12. The competition will be held on Wednesday, February 25. Pitches begin at 4:30pm, followed by the audience judging and reception at 6pm at the Global Center for Health Innovation. Tickets are $35 for the general public, $25 for CLC Partners, and $20 for students.
The civic pitch completion, Accelerate 2015: A New Model for Change is designed to solicit ideas that can be one-and-done projects or sustainable, ongoing efforts that make Northeast Ohio a better place.
“We came up with the idea 18 months ago, thinking about the opportunities in Cleveland for the business sector and entrepreneurs to pitch their ideas,” recalls Marianne Crosley, president and CEO of the CLC. “But there really isn’t a way for people with civic visions to pitch. What better way to impact and transform Cleveland than to open things up to the public to pitch their ideas and make a difference in the community?”
Pitches will be accepted in five categories: quality of life; economic development; educating for tomorrow; community change; and transformative arts and culture. “We’re open to anything, from how do you transform a street corner or empty lot to how do you impact youth,” says Crosley. "There’s nothing traditional about this event.”
The only parameters are the presenters must be individuals and the pitches must be civic-minded. No organized groups or businesses will be heard.
Panels of judges will select a winning pitch in each category, and those category winners will pitch to a larger audience. The audience will then vote on an overall winner. The the four finalists each receive $1,500 and the winning pitch receives $3,000. All winners will receive mentorship and an opportunity for community support.
ThomaMoreno is co-chairing the event along with Thomas E. Hopkins, CLC board chair and senior vice president of Sherwin-Williams, to celebrate Collection Auto Group’s 10th anniversary and as a way of saying thanks for their success and growth in Cleveland.
The deadline to apply is Monday, January 12. The competition will be held on Wednesday, February 25. Pitches begin at 4:30pm, followed by the audience judging and reception at 6pm at the Global Center for Health Innovation. Tickets are $35 for the general public, $25 for CLC Partners, and $20 for students.
"Rust Belt-chic town for art and culture vultures, basketball fans, and stalwart foodies."
That's how Fodor's Travel describes Cleveland in its new list of top 25 travel destinations in 2015.
The article also praises "culinary kings like Michael Symon and Jonathon Sawyer, an orchestra rated one of the top five in the nation, and a major new wing at The Cleveland Museum of Art."
Read the full story here.
That's how Fodor's Travel describes Cleveland in its new list of top 25 travel destinations in 2015.
The article also praises "culinary kings like Michael Symon and Jonathon Sawyer, an orchestra rated one of the top five in the nation, and a major new wing at The Cleveland Museum of Art."
Read the full story here.
New research suggests that innovation districts, whose growth is fueled by anchor institutions, companies and startups working in close proximity to one another, may be growing faster than traditional downtowns.
Downtown's residential population has doubled over the last 15 years. Now a new report is serving as a guide for Cleveland's growth, with an emphasis on investments -- from mini-parks to signage to massive mixed-use developments -- aiming to better connect residents with downtown.
Downtown is booming with new development, but getting around can sometimes be a challenge. Now key investments are in the works that will make it a much more livable, inviting place.
The millennials and baby boomers driving a resurgence in downtown living are seeking an amenity-rich environment with retail options. Getting to that point won't be easy, but plans are already well underway.
Check out a local holiday market, let Lolly the Trolley be your designated driver or join a book binding workshop. Your weekend, planned.
Northeast Ohio has emerged from the recession with a much stronger economy, yet we must accelerate the pace of job creation. Here are five Cleveland companies leading the charge.