Stories
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
Lindsay Sims has been a lifelong renter and knows the headaches involved with trying to reach a property management office for leasing information. She also knows that property managers are not using social media effectively to promote their properties.
So, in 2011 Sims founded Renter’s Boom, a resource for property managers to use sites such as Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn as leasing portals.
“We are a software and service company smashed together,” says Sims. “We offer three apps: refer a friend, a listings app, and a make an appointment to see an apartment app. It makes it easy because that’s where some users spend five to 10 hours of their day.”
Sims originally designed a maintenance app where renters could text the property managers. But after going through the Bizdom U program, she refocused her businesses. “I figured out what business was going to work,” she says. “The feedback was property managers wanted to know how to handle social media.”
With that feedback, Sims developed Renter’s Boom. “For the past six months we were really running as fast as we can, figuring out the silver bullet that works,” she says. Originally working out the Beta Space at MAGNET, Sims recently moved into new offices at E. 55th and Euclid.
Business is good. Sims has a solid client base and hopes to start hiring around the first of the year. “I want to make sure our revenue strategy is okay,” she explains. “But I’ll be looking for people to get our clients serviced -- sales and marketing people.” In the meantime, Sims is looking for a fall intern to help with the daily operations.
Source: Lindsay Sims
Writer: Karin Connelly
So, in 2011 Sims founded Renter’s Boom, a resource for property managers to use sites such as Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn as leasing portals.
“We are a software and service company smashed together,” says Sims. “We offer three apps: refer a friend, a listings app, and a make an appointment to see an apartment app. It makes it easy because that’s where some users spend five to 10 hours of their day.”
Sims originally designed a maintenance app where renters could text the property managers. But after going through the Bizdom U program, she refocused her businesses. “I figured out what business was going to work,” she says. “The feedback was property managers wanted to know how to handle social media.”
With that feedback, Sims developed Renter’s Boom. “For the past six months we were really running as fast as we can, figuring out the silver bullet that works,” she says. Originally working out the Beta Space at MAGNET, Sims recently moved into new offices at E. 55th and Euclid.
Business is good. Sims has a solid client base and hopes to start hiring around the first of the year. “I want to make sure our revenue strategy is okay,” she explains. “But I’ll be looking for people to get our clients serviced -- sales and marketing people.” In the meantime, Sims is looking for a fall intern to help with the daily operations.
Source: Lindsay Sims
Writer: Karin Connelly
When a tragedy happens anywhere in the world, Crisis Mappers are there to communicate what’s going on and what’s needed. Jen Ziemke, assistant professor of international relations at John Carroll University, cofounded Crisis Mappers along with Patrick Meier to organize a network of 4,000 mappers worldwide to assist in that communication.
The first International conference on Crisis Mappers was held at John Carroll in 2009 and the 100 attendees created the Crisis Mappers Network to gather and report critical information on catastrophes around the world. “Crisis Mappers really grew out of its own demand,” says Ziemke. “After the conference people wanted to stay in touch so we created a basic website. Now we’re a mix of every country in the world.”
The Crisis Mappers help get the word out and report on the situation in crises such as the 2010 earthquake in Haiti or the uprising in Libya. “We’re seeing a change in how technology enables people to get the story out in real time,” Ziemke explains. “There’s a lot of sharing on the network and Google groups.” There are 1,724 Google group members in 161 countries. More than 4,000 are on the Crisis Mappers network.
During the Libya crisis, the United States called upon Crisis Mappers to identify refugees and where they were headed, as well as report food and water requests. “We were able to visualize and make sense of it really fast,” Ziemke says.
Now Crisis Mappers is working with Tremont Electric to provide portable nPower communication devices, charged through the user’s kinetic energy, to people who are off the network.
“Crisis Mappers are often off the grid,” says Ziemke. “They typically have cell phones, but no power.” The two organizations are working through Indiegogo to raise money for the devices.
Crisis Mappers will have its fourth conference in October in Washington, D.C. “We’re using the power of people to feed information into the system and having volunteers make sense of it,” says Ziemke.
Source: Jen Ziemke
Writer: Karin Connelly
The first International conference on Crisis Mappers was held at John Carroll in 2009 and the 100 attendees created the Crisis Mappers Network to gather and report critical information on catastrophes around the world. “Crisis Mappers really grew out of its own demand,” says Ziemke. “After the conference people wanted to stay in touch so we created a basic website. Now we’re a mix of every country in the world.”
The Crisis Mappers help get the word out and report on the situation in crises such as the 2010 earthquake in Haiti or the uprising in Libya. “We’re seeing a change in how technology enables people to get the story out in real time,” Ziemke explains. “There’s a lot of sharing on the network and Google groups.” There are 1,724 Google group members in 161 countries. More than 4,000 are on the Crisis Mappers network.
During the Libya crisis, the United States called upon Crisis Mappers to identify refugees and where they were headed, as well as report food and water requests. “We were able to visualize and make sense of it really fast,” Ziemke says.
Now Crisis Mappers is working with Tremont Electric to provide portable nPower communication devices, charged through the user’s kinetic energy, to people who are off the network.
“Crisis Mappers are often off the grid,” says Ziemke. “They typically have cell phones, but no power.” The two organizations are working through Indiegogo to raise money for the devices.
Crisis Mappers will have its fourth conference in October in Washington, D.C. “We’re using the power of people to feed information into the system and having volunteers make sense of it,” says Ziemke.
Source: Jen Ziemke
Writer: Karin Connelly
efuneral's digital approach to funeral home shopping gets praise
Alexis Madrigal, senior editor at The Atlantic, has been writing about "Rust Belt" startups as part of an ongoing series called "Startup Nation."
In a feature titled, "Bringing Innovation to the Funeral-Home Business (No, Really)," he writes about Cleveland-based eFuneral, which brings funeral home shopping into the digital age.
"The idea for the company did not originate in dreams of Instagram glory or joviality," he writes. "His cousin died, and when his family went to plan the funeral, they encountered some difficulty in selecting a funeral home. There were 12 places within two miles of where his cousin lived. How do you pick one?"
"For us, the big question wasn't, 'Where is there a funeral home?'" founder Mike Belsito was quoted. "It was, How are we supposed to know which of these is going to provide us good service? And what is it going to cost?'"
"We had more information on where to go to dinner, where we're spending 40 bucks, than we did for my cousin's funeral," he said.
Considering that funeral services are some of the highest ticket items someone pays for in their life after a house and a car, a modern tool for shopping seemed a great idea.
Read the rest of the news here.
In a feature titled, "Bringing Innovation to the Funeral-Home Business (No, Really)," he writes about Cleveland-based eFuneral, which brings funeral home shopping into the digital age.
"The idea for the company did not originate in dreams of Instagram glory or joviality," he writes. "His cousin died, and when his family went to plan the funeral, they encountered some difficulty in selecting a funeral home. There were 12 places within two miles of where his cousin lived. How do you pick one?"
"For us, the big question wasn't, 'Where is there a funeral home?'" founder Mike Belsito was quoted. "It was, How are we supposed to know which of these is going to provide us good service? And what is it going to cost?'"
"We had more information on where to go to dinner, where we're spending 40 bucks, than we did for my cousin's funeral," he said.
Considering that funeral services are some of the highest ticket items someone pays for in their life after a house and a car, a modern tool for shopping seemed a great idea.
Read the rest of the news here.
After Robert Knighton’s grandmother had a stroke, she could only use the right side of her body. It made keeping clean in the hospital difficult. Knight’s wife Nina, a nurse at the VA Medical Center, noticed the same problem with some of her patients.
“The bed-bound patient population can’t get up to wash their hands,” explains Nina. “If a nurse comes in and she’s contaminated and touches the bedrails, the patients have nothing to wash their hands.”
The problem gave Nina an idea. “After working at St. Vincent Charity Hospital and then the VA she noticed it more in conjunction with the spread of hospital-acquired infections,” says Robert. “One day she was driving and it just came to her that patients needed a personal convenient device.” So Robert and Nina formed RKN Corporation in 2010 and started to develop the Bedside Sani-Holder, a bedside hand sanitizer dispenser. “This is a smart dispenser that helps with compliance, reminds patients if they haven’t used it and tracks usage,” says Robert.
Working with agencies like MAGNET and NorTech, RKN is working on a prototype of the Bedside Sani-Holder. They expect to hit the market by the second quarter of 2013. The Sani-Holder is part of NorTech’s Speed to Market Accelerator.
“We’ve really been able to use Northeast Ohio to launch our product,” says Robert. “Cleveland is known for healthcare and technology. It kind of feels like we’re entering the market at the right time.”
Robert and Nina are targeting hospitals and nursing homes with the Bedside Sani-Holder. So far, interest has been high. “We have spoken with quite a few hospitals in Northeast Ohio and have received welcoming feedback and interest,” says Robert. “Humility of Mary’s purchasing department said they would be interested in trialing our product once we are ready to go to market.”
When their product hits the market, RKN will be hiring IT staff, customer service, sales reps and operations staff. Two people that have been helping with management tasks will also join RKN working in permanent project management and operations.
Sources: Robert and Nina Knighton
Writer: Karin Connelly
“The bed-bound patient population can’t get up to wash their hands,” explains Nina. “If a nurse comes in and she’s contaminated and touches the bedrails, the patients have nothing to wash their hands.”
The problem gave Nina an idea. “After working at St. Vincent Charity Hospital and then the VA she noticed it more in conjunction with the spread of hospital-acquired infections,” says Robert. “One day she was driving and it just came to her that patients needed a personal convenient device.” So Robert and Nina formed RKN Corporation in 2010 and started to develop the Bedside Sani-Holder, a bedside hand sanitizer dispenser. “This is a smart dispenser that helps with compliance, reminds patients if they haven’t used it and tracks usage,” says Robert.
Working with agencies like MAGNET and NorTech, RKN is working on a prototype of the Bedside Sani-Holder. They expect to hit the market by the second quarter of 2013. The Sani-Holder is part of NorTech’s Speed to Market Accelerator.
“We’ve really been able to use Northeast Ohio to launch our product,” says Robert. “Cleveland is known for healthcare and technology. It kind of feels like we’re entering the market at the right time.”
Robert and Nina are targeting hospitals and nursing homes with the Bedside Sani-Holder. So far, interest has been high. “We have spoken with quite a few hospitals in Northeast Ohio and have received welcoming feedback and interest,” says Robert. “Humility of Mary’s purchasing department said they would be interested in trialing our product once we are ready to go to market.”
When their product hits the market, RKN will be hiring IT staff, customer service, sales reps and operations staff. Two people that have been helping with management tasks will also join RKN working in permanent project management and operations.
Sources: Robert and Nina Knighton
Writer: Karin Connelly
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.
look! up in the sky! it's a bird, it's a plane, it's...
Comics Alliance, "where comic books and pop culture collide," writes about the permanent exhibit dedicated to Superman that will soon appear at Cleveland Hopkins International Airport.
"Look! Up in the sky! It's a bird, it's a plane, it's... Wait, it actually is a plane. Cleveland Hopkins International Airport will open a permanent exhibit dedicated to Superman next month, celebrating the work of local boys made good, Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster."
Set to debute next month, the exhibit will celebrate the work of Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster, two Glenville boys who dreamed up the comic. The exhibit, which was designed by Studio Graphique and will be located in the baggage claim area, features wall panels explaining the origins of the Superman character as well as a "larger-than-life" statue of the hero for visitors to photograph themselves with.
"We want the phrase, 'Meet me at Superman,' to become a common saying at the airport," explained Michael Olszewski, president of the Siegel and Shuster Society.
The exhibit will be unveiled at 5pm on October 11.
Read the rest of the news here.
"Look! Up in the sky! It's a bird, it's a plane, it's... Wait, it actually is a plane. Cleveland Hopkins International Airport will open a permanent exhibit dedicated to Superman next month, celebrating the work of local boys made good, Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster."
Set to debute next month, the exhibit will celebrate the work of Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster, two Glenville boys who dreamed up the comic. The exhibit, which was designed by Studio Graphique and will be located in the baggage claim area, features wall panels explaining the origins of the Superman character as well as a "larger-than-life" statue of the hero for visitors to photograph themselves with.
"We want the phrase, 'Meet me at Superman,' to become a common saying at the airport," explained Michael Olszewski, president of the Siegel and Shuster Society.
The exhibit will be unveiled at 5pm on October 11.
Read the rest of the news here.
When it comes to attracting talent from outside the city, Cleveland "has room for improvement," according to recruiters and other pros tasked with the job. But numerous developments currently taking place in the city are major steps in the right direction, say those same pros.
The Cleveland Metropolitan Housing Authority (CMHA) will soon break ground on an array of 4,200 solar panels -- one of the largest solar arrays in Cuyahoga County -- that will reduce energy consumption on its campus by as much as 80 percent.
"When Mayor Jackson said that he wanted to be leading a green city by a blue lake, CMHA took heed of that," says Donovan Duncan, Director of Real Estate and Development for CMHA. "This is one way of reducing our carbon footprint."
The solar panel project will be developed and administered by Carbon Vision, a renewable energy analysis and project development company based in Shaker Heights. Carbon Vision will lease the land from CMHA, and after a period of 15 years, CMHA will have an option to purchase the panels at a sizeable discount.
The project is being developed at CMHA's headquarters, a LEED-certfied building at E. 82nd Street and Kinsman Avenue. Carbon Vision is developing the project using a combination of federal energy tax credits and New Market Tax Credits.
"We selected Carbon Vision because they've been a leader in this industry and had the most successful track record of those responding to our RFP," says Duncan.
Carbon Vision also will hire local residents to work on the project, which will generate high-quality jobs and is expected to take about six weeks to build.
CMHA has undertaken a wide variety of sustainability projects in recent years, including adding solar panels to other development projects, building rooftop gardens and green roofs, and building homes to energy-efficient standards.
Source: Donovan Duncan
Writer: Lee Chilcote
"When Mayor Jackson said that he wanted to be leading a green city by a blue lake, CMHA took heed of that," says Donovan Duncan, Director of Real Estate and Development for CMHA. "This is one way of reducing our carbon footprint."
The solar panel project will be developed and administered by Carbon Vision, a renewable energy analysis and project development company based in Shaker Heights. Carbon Vision will lease the land from CMHA, and after a period of 15 years, CMHA will have an option to purchase the panels at a sizeable discount.
The project is being developed at CMHA's headquarters, a LEED-certfied building at E. 82nd Street and Kinsman Avenue. Carbon Vision is developing the project using a combination of federal energy tax credits and New Market Tax Credits.
"We selected Carbon Vision because they've been a leader in this industry and had the most successful track record of those responding to our RFP," says Duncan.
Carbon Vision also will hire local residents to work on the project, which will generate high-quality jobs and is expected to take about six weeks to build.
CMHA has undertaken a wide variety of sustainability projects in recent years, including adding solar panels to other development projects, building rooftop gardens and green roofs, and building homes to energy-efficient standards.
Source: Donovan Duncan
Writer: Lee Chilcote
'nerd-friendly' shaker launchhouse featured in the altantic
Alexis Madrigal, senior editor at The Atlantic, has been writing about "Rust Belt" startups as part of an ongoing series called "Startup Nation."
In a feature titled, "A Space to Be an Entrepreneur and Not Feel Like You Have Leprosy Here in Cleveland," he writes about Shaker LaunchHouse, where an abandoned car dealership has been transformed into a "lively space for Cleveland's nerds and entrepreneurs alike."
"Run by native Clevelander Dar Caldwell, LaunchHouse takes a bunch of the weird and geeky things going on in the Bay and compresses them into one glorious space filled with entrepreneurs, developers, designers, and (I use this word lovingly) nerds," Madrigal writes.
Writing about some of the more eccentric "tenants," he notes, "I'm not sure I could explain to an economic development officer or even some venture capitalists why these guys are so important in the formation of new companies, why you need them drinking beer with the entrepreneurs, or why their love for the sheer thingness of things is so exhilarating. But I'll put it like this: these guys are the wizards, even if they aren't the kings or the knights. They're the soul of a tech scene, even if they may never sign a term sheet, trademark a name, or raise seed capital. And where they are, there is magic."
Read the rest of the news here.
In a feature titled, "A Space to Be an Entrepreneur and Not Feel Like You Have Leprosy Here in Cleveland," he writes about Shaker LaunchHouse, where an abandoned car dealership has been transformed into a "lively space for Cleveland's nerds and entrepreneurs alike."
"Run by native Clevelander Dar Caldwell, LaunchHouse takes a bunch of the weird and geeky things going on in the Bay and compresses them into one glorious space filled with entrepreneurs, developers, designers, and (I use this word lovingly) nerds," Madrigal writes.
Writing about some of the more eccentric "tenants," he notes, "I'm not sure I could explain to an economic development officer or even some venture capitalists why these guys are so important in the formation of new companies, why you need them drinking beer with the entrepreneurs, or why their love for the sheer thingness of things is so exhilarating. But I'll put it like this: these guys are the wizards, even if they aren't the kings or the knights. They're the soul of a tech scene, even if they may never sign a term sheet, trademark a name, or raise seed capital. And where they are, there is magic."
Read the rest of the news here.
Chamberlain College of Nursing has announced plans to open a new campus in the MidTown Tech Center amidst Cleveland's Health-Tech Corridor this January. The new school will offer an accelerated, three-year Bachelor of Nursing degree program.
"Chamberlain is sensitive to the nursing shortage and the need to create nurses at the bachelors level to provide care where there's high levels of need," says Adele Webb, President of the new Cleveland campus. "We're a three year program, so within three years, we can contribute nurses to market."
According to the Health Policy Institute of Ohio, there is likely to be a deficit of 32,000 nurses statewide by 2020. According to the American Association of Colleges of Nursing, Ohio turned away more than 2,300 nurses last year.
Chamberlain's new Cleveland campus -- its 12th in the nation and second in Ohio -- offers several innovative features. The school's SIMCARE Lab gives students a chance to work on mannequins that simulate real-world situations such as labor, birth and when a patient stops breathing. The school also will include a Center for Academic Success to help students get the resources they need to stay in school.
The rising demand for nurses due to health care reform, an underserved market in Cleveland and the opportunity to be a part of Cleveland's medical community were all factors driving Chamberlain's decision to locate in the city, Webb says.
"As the City of Cleveland is trying to develop the Health-Tech Corridor around major institutions, this was an opportunity for us to be a part of it," Webb says.
The new Chamberlain School of Nursing facility will be located at 6700 Euclid Avenue.
Source: Adele Webb
Writer: Lee Chilcote
"Chamberlain is sensitive to the nursing shortage and the need to create nurses at the bachelors level to provide care where there's high levels of need," says Adele Webb, President of the new Cleveland campus. "We're a three year program, so within three years, we can contribute nurses to market."
According to the Health Policy Institute of Ohio, there is likely to be a deficit of 32,000 nurses statewide by 2020. According to the American Association of Colleges of Nursing, Ohio turned away more than 2,300 nurses last year.
Chamberlain's new Cleveland campus -- its 12th in the nation and second in Ohio -- offers several innovative features. The school's SIMCARE Lab gives students a chance to work on mannequins that simulate real-world situations such as labor, birth and when a patient stops breathing. The school also will include a Center for Academic Success to help students get the resources they need to stay in school.
The rising demand for nurses due to health care reform, an underserved market in Cleveland and the opportunity to be a part of Cleveland's medical community were all factors driving Chamberlain's decision to locate in the city, Webb says.
"As the City of Cleveland is trying to develop the Health-Tech Corridor around major institutions, this was an opportunity for us to be a part of it," Webb says.
The new Chamberlain School of Nursing facility will be located at 6700 Euclid Avenue.
Source: Adele Webb
Writer: Lee Chilcote
the atlantic visits sparkbase as part of 'startup nation' series
Alexis Madrigal, senior editor at The Atlantic, has been writing about "Rust Belt" startups as part of an ongoing series called "Startup Nation."
In a feature titled, "A Framed First Dollar for the Internet Age," he writes about SparkBase, a Cleveland-based loyalty, gift, and reward card processor.
"SparkBase is a nice success story," he writes. "They've been hiring like crazy in Cleveland, particularly in the last year and a half and are up to 50 people working out of their new offices. They're one of several middleware vendors in the retail space that are emerging to collect and analyze retail data."
The title, by the way, is a reference to SparkBase's conference table, which instead of displaying the company's first dollar earned features the mother boards from their first servers.
Read the rest of the story here.
In a feature titled, "A Framed First Dollar for the Internet Age," he writes about SparkBase, a Cleveland-based loyalty, gift, and reward card processor.
"SparkBase is a nice success story," he writes. "They've been hiring like crazy in Cleveland, particularly in the last year and a half and are up to 50 people working out of their new offices. They're one of several middleware vendors in the retail space that are emerging to collect and analyze retail data."
The title, by the way, is a reference to SparkBase's conference table, which instead of displaying the company's first dollar earned features the mother boards from their first servers.
Read the rest of the story here.
cle botanical garden first in state to be certified by sustainable sites
Cleveland Botanical Garden earned certification from the Sustainable Sites Initiative (SITES) this week, making it the first organization in Ohio and one of just 11 nationwide to receive the designation. Of the eight organizations to receive SITES certification this week, the Garden was the only one to achieve a three-star rating.
SITES is a partnership of the American Society of Landscape Architects, the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center of The University of Texas at Austin and the United States Botanic Garden.
Sustainable features added as part of the Garden’s two-year effort to achieve certification include a low-maintenance lawn along East Boulevard, a rain garden that captures runoff, native plants and a green roof that reduces energy costs and slows stormwater runoff. Other behind-the-scenes efforts include composting leftover food from the Garden Café and training all new employees in green practices.
“The Garden is committed to promoting green living to our guests and the Greater Cleveland community at large, and the best way to do that is by example,” says Garden Executive Director Natalie Ronayne. “We hope people will come to the Garden, see what we do here to preserve the environment and then take home some ideas of what they can do.”
Read the rest of the green news here.
SITES is a partnership of the American Society of Landscape Architects, the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center of The University of Texas at Austin and the United States Botanic Garden.
Sustainable features added as part of the Garden’s two-year effort to achieve certification include a low-maintenance lawn along East Boulevard, a rain garden that captures runoff, native plants and a green roof that reduces energy costs and slows stormwater runoff. Other behind-the-scenes efforts include composting leftover food from the Garden Café and training all new employees in green practices.
“The Garden is committed to promoting green living to our guests and the Greater Cleveland community at large, and the best way to do that is by example,” says Garden Executive Director Natalie Ronayne. “We hope people will come to the Garden, see what we do here to preserve the environment and then take home some ideas of what they can do.”
Read the rest of the green news here.
greater cle firms nabbed $1B in vc cash in 5 years
According to a report released by the Venture Capital Advisory Task Force based on data provided by investors and collected by tech-based development organizations BioEnterprise and JumpStart, Greater Cleveland companies attracted $961 million from venture capitalists and angel investors from 2007 to 2011.
That figure represents a 26-percent increase in dollars when compared to the previous five years.
“There is a dramatic change in the activity, the number of investable companies and the quality of the companies in the pipeline in Northeast Ohio from 10 years ago,” says Bill Trainor, co-founder and Managing Director of Mutual Capital Partners Funds I & II.
The bulk of the money went to companies in the fields of biopharmaceuticals, medical devices, healthcare service, IT, and software.
“We’re only beginning to see the results of the public, private and philanthropic initiatives begun almost 10 years ago to accelerate the successes of startups in the state,” says Doug Weintraub, JumpStart’s chair and an active investor in the region. “Given that Northeast Ohio started ramping up activity to assist and support the creation and growth of tech companies in 2005 and 2006 -- and that the National Venture Capital Association estimates the average time from initial investment to a company’s exit is about nine years -- we can expect even more success stories in the coming years.”
Read the rest of the news here.
That figure represents a 26-percent increase in dollars when compared to the previous five years.
“There is a dramatic change in the activity, the number of investable companies and the quality of the companies in the pipeline in Northeast Ohio from 10 years ago,” says Bill Trainor, co-founder and Managing Director of Mutual Capital Partners Funds I & II.
The bulk of the money went to companies in the fields of biopharmaceuticals, medical devices, healthcare service, IT, and software.
“We’re only beginning to see the results of the public, private and philanthropic initiatives begun almost 10 years ago to accelerate the successes of startups in the state,” says Doug Weintraub, JumpStart’s chair and an active investor in the region. “Given that Northeast Ohio started ramping up activity to assist and support the creation and growth of tech companies in 2005 and 2006 -- and that the National Venture Capital Association estimates the average time from initial investment to a company’s exit is about nine years -- we can expect even more success stories in the coming years.”
Read the rest of the news here.
Andy Halko has entrepreneurship in his genes. The characteristics that make an entrepreneur succeed -- vision, hard work, and a touch of daredevil -- prompted Halko in 2002 to create Insivia, a strategic marketing and sales agency focused on business-to-business.
“In high school and all through college I worked for a company doing website development and software solutions,” recalls Halko. After graduating from John Carroll University, Halko stayed with the company for a while before deciding to go into business for himself.
“My dad was an entrepreneur. I had nothing to lose and I thought, I can do this," he says. "It’s kind of in my blood and I’m not afraid of work.”
Insivia focuses on four areas: Generating leads through SEO and direct mail; converting those leads; closing sales through presentations, proposals and online sales; and retaining customers. “We consider ourselves a full gamut firm, from leads to retaining customers,” Halko says. “We really try to come up with new ideas for things to improve our clients’ business. We use technology to close sales and design to impress customers.”
An additional component of Halko’s vision is customer service. “The other piece is good work,” he says. “Our stratagem is don’t settle for good enough. We take ideas, plans and strategy to reach our clients business goals. We’re really looking at the end goal and our focus being proud of every single piece.”
The philosophy has worked: 10 years later, Insivia has 15 employees in “the coolest” space on the West Bank of the Flats. The company is looking to hire people in account management, customer relations and software development.
“We’re always looking for talented people,” Halko says. “People who can produce good work and come up with good ideas.”
Source: Andy Halko
Writer: Karin Connelly
“In high school and all through college I worked for a company doing website development and software solutions,” recalls Halko. After graduating from John Carroll University, Halko stayed with the company for a while before deciding to go into business for himself.
“My dad was an entrepreneur. I had nothing to lose and I thought, I can do this," he says. "It’s kind of in my blood and I’m not afraid of work.”
Insivia focuses on four areas: Generating leads through SEO and direct mail; converting those leads; closing sales through presentations, proposals and online sales; and retaining customers. “We consider ourselves a full gamut firm, from leads to retaining customers,” Halko says. “We really try to come up with new ideas for things to improve our clients’ business. We use technology to close sales and design to impress customers.”
An additional component of Halko’s vision is customer service. “The other piece is good work,” he says. “Our stratagem is don’t settle for good enough. We take ideas, plans and strategy to reach our clients business goals. We’re really looking at the end goal and our focus being proud of every single piece.”
The philosophy has worked: 10 years later, Insivia has 15 employees in “the coolest” space on the West Bank of the Flats. The company is looking to hire people in account management, customer relations and software development.
“We’re always looking for talented people,” Halko says. “People who can produce good work and come up with good ideas.”
Source: Andy Halko
Writer: Karin Connelly
The Blackstone LaunchPad program opened its doors on the Baldwin-Wallace College and Lorain County Community College campuses on Sept. 6 and 7 and will open at Kent State University later this month and CWRU in January.
The Burton D. Morgan Foundation in Hudson and the Blackstone Charitable Foundation announced last November that they had committed $3.2 million to open LaunchPad locations in Northeast Ohio to train area student entrepreneurs.
The LaunchPad is a venture coach program developed at the University of Miami, Florida in 2008. The program provides participants with advice and mentorship to take business ideas to fruition. Students are matched up with venture coaches to guide them through the development process.
“The real goal here is around education,” says Deborah D. Hoover, president and CEO of the Burton D. Morgan Foundation. “We’re providing a strong education, it’s experiential. Our key approach to the program is about networking – obviously in Northeast Ohio and venture coaches, but also in the larger community and through the national network of LaunchPad locations.”
Hoover reports that the potential is there for 150 new sustainable companies in the next five years, which could generate as many as 3,000 jobs.
Amy Stursberg, executive director of the Blackstone Charitable Foundation, says Northeast Ohio is an idea fit for LaunchPad. “We try to choose locations where we feel there is a robust entrepreneurial ecosystem and culture,” she says. “We’re leveraging those assets to jumpstart the region where it already exists.”
Kent State, which had a soft launch of LaunchPad this summer, already has 70 to 80 students involved in the program.
Sources: Deborah H. Hoover, Amy Stursberg
Writer: Karin Connelly
The Burton D. Morgan Foundation in Hudson and the Blackstone Charitable Foundation announced last November that they had committed $3.2 million to open LaunchPad locations in Northeast Ohio to train area student entrepreneurs.
The LaunchPad is a venture coach program developed at the University of Miami, Florida in 2008. The program provides participants with advice and mentorship to take business ideas to fruition. Students are matched up with venture coaches to guide them through the development process.
“The real goal here is around education,” says Deborah D. Hoover, president and CEO of the Burton D. Morgan Foundation. “We’re providing a strong education, it’s experiential. Our key approach to the program is about networking – obviously in Northeast Ohio and venture coaches, but also in the larger community and through the national network of LaunchPad locations.”
Hoover reports that the potential is there for 150 new sustainable companies in the next five years, which could generate as many as 3,000 jobs.
Amy Stursberg, executive director of the Blackstone Charitable Foundation, says Northeast Ohio is an idea fit for LaunchPad. “We try to choose locations where we feel there is a robust entrepreneurial ecosystem and culture,” she says. “We’re leveraging those assets to jumpstart the region where it already exists.”
Kent State, which had a soft launch of LaunchPad this summer, already has 70 to 80 students involved in the program.
Sources: Deborah H. Hoover, Amy Stursberg
Writer: Karin Connelly
The Cleveland Museum of Art recently opened its signature new atrium, a breathtaking public space whose traditional and contemporary elements bridge the museum's past and future. It soon will become one of the city's central gathering places, as well as a spot that brands the city to visitors, akin to Grand Central Station in New York.
The museum will host a community celebration on Sunday, October 28th to celebrate the completion of the atrium and the opening of the beautiful new museum store. Provenance Restaurant and Cafe, which will be managed by Doug Katz, chef-owner of Fire Food and Drink, will provide fresh, local fare. Other highlights of the event include music and dance, free tours and a giant photograph of everyone.
“The Ames Family Atrium will serve as a central hub for the museum, offering visitors a chance to relax and reflect on their experiences in the galleries,” said David Franklin, Director of CMA, in a release. “This dynamic space will offer opportunities for temporary art installations, performances and special events.”
The atrium, designed by New York architect Rafael Vinoly as a centerpiece to the museum's expansion, is nearly as large as a football field and has an elegant, curved glass ceiling that bathes the space in light on even the cloudiest of days. One half of the giant room is contemporary, with wood, glass and steel elements, while the other half reveals the restored 1916 building's classical north facade.
The atrium also has a charcoal-colored stone floor and indoor gardens that introduce color and life. It is not only a centerpiece of the museum's new design, but also the central point to which visitors continually return. A second floor balcony that offers great views of the atrium escorts visitors between the galleries.
The skylighted ceiling, which rises from 55 to 66 feet in height, mirrors the sense that one's consciousness and view of the world expands as one enters the galleries.
The opening of the atrium caps a decade of planning and seven years of construction. The entire project is expected to be completed next year.
Source: Cleveland Museum of Art
Writer: Lee Chilcote
The museum will host a community celebration on Sunday, October 28th to celebrate the completion of the atrium and the opening of the beautiful new museum store. Provenance Restaurant and Cafe, which will be managed by Doug Katz, chef-owner of Fire Food and Drink, will provide fresh, local fare. Other highlights of the event include music and dance, free tours and a giant photograph of everyone.
“The Ames Family Atrium will serve as a central hub for the museum, offering visitors a chance to relax and reflect on their experiences in the galleries,” said David Franklin, Director of CMA, in a release. “This dynamic space will offer opportunities for temporary art installations, performances and special events.”
The atrium, designed by New York architect Rafael Vinoly as a centerpiece to the museum's expansion, is nearly as large as a football field and has an elegant, curved glass ceiling that bathes the space in light on even the cloudiest of days. One half of the giant room is contemporary, with wood, glass and steel elements, while the other half reveals the restored 1916 building's classical north facade.
The atrium also has a charcoal-colored stone floor and indoor gardens that introduce color and life. It is not only a centerpiece of the museum's new design, but also the central point to which visitors continually return. A second floor balcony that offers great views of the atrium escorts visitors between the galleries.
The skylighted ceiling, which rises from 55 to 66 feet in height, mirrors the sense that one's consciousness and view of the world expands as one enters the galleries.
The opening of the atrium caps a decade of planning and seven years of construction. The entire project is expected to be completed next year.
Source: Cleveland Museum of Art
Writer: Lee Chilcote
Giancarlo Calicchia, the Italian-born sculptor and artist who has been a fixture in the Cleveland art scene for decades, is opening a new gallery and offices in a historic, restored building at 4600 Carnegie Avenue in the Midtown neighborhood.
Calicchia still owns a large building at 6550 Carnegie Avenue, where his studio is currently located. However, he may be selling it to Fred Geis, who is developing space for high tech and biomedical companies along the Health-Tech Corridor.
The building at 4600 Carnegie will soon become home to Artisan Direct, a company that represents over 1,000 artists from around the world. Artisan Direct helps artists to market, show and sell their original work to a diverse audience. Previously, the company was headquartered in Rochester, New York.
"One of my dreams has been to establish Cleveland as an international center for the arts," says Calicchia, who adds that Cleveland's artistic community and central location make it a natural fit for Artisan Direct's headquarters. "Cleveland is already a mix of ethnicities, so we just have to revitalize what's already here."
Artisan Direct helps artists to gain access to valuable new markets. "We give artists exposure to shows and galleries they might not otherwise experience, and we also publish our own magazine and marketing materials," says Calicchia.
The new Artisan Direct gallery will officially open for business on October 26th.
Calicchia still owns a large building at 6550 Carnegie Avenue, where his studio is currently located. However, he may be selling it to Fred Geis, who is developing space for high tech and biomedical companies along the Health-Tech Corridor.
The building at 4600 Carnegie will soon become home to Artisan Direct, a company that represents over 1,000 artists from around the world. Artisan Direct helps artists to market, show and sell their original work to a diverse audience. Previously, the company was headquartered in Rochester, New York.
"One of my dreams has been to establish Cleveland as an international center for the arts," says Calicchia, who adds that Cleveland's artistic community and central location make it a natural fit for Artisan Direct's headquarters. "Cleveland is already a mix of ethnicities, so we just have to revitalize what's already here."
Artisan Direct helps artists to gain access to valuable new markets. "We give artists exposure to shows and galleries they might not otherwise experience, and we also publish our own magazine and marketing materials," says Calicchia.
The new Artisan Direct gallery will officially open for business on October 26th.
Neighborhoods that experience revitalization often do so at the expense of their distinctiveness. As an area becomes more appealing, vacant spaces fill up, and higher rents crowd out all but the deepest pockets. Ohio City business owners, developers, and community development groups are fighting that with an unprecedented level of cooperation.