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Attevo’s problems are mounting Former employees have complained to Labor Department that tech consultant mishandled retirement contributions By CHUCK SODER csoder@crain.com
Former Attevo employees have sent complaints to the U.S. Department of Labor stating that money deducted from their paychecks for their retirement accounts never
ended up in those accounts, according to Matt Wienke, who led the Cleveland technology consulting company’s data analysis practice until April 2011, and four other ex-employees who did not want their names printed. The Department of Labor con-
firmed that it had “received complaints from members of the public about possible mishandling of 401(k) contributions” at Attevo, according to a statement from Scott Allen, who is the department’s director of public relations for the Midwest. Mr. Allen said he could not con-
firm or deny whether the department is investigating the situation. The complaints to the Labor Department are the latest in a string of problems at Attevo. The company employed about 100 people, including about 20 contractors, in May 2011, but since then many employees have left, including several in management. Mr. Wienke listed 10 mid- and upperlevel managers, including himself,
INSIDE In the palm of his hand Leon Polott, right, and his Sterionics Inc. are working to commercialize a pen-shaped device they believe will transform the way health care providers treat wounds. The product is being tested at Akron General and Kent State. PAGE 3
See ATTEVO Page 23
Nonprofits could be uniting for HANGE city’s sake
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Three groups are in talks to form alliance that would save money and improve efficiency By JAY MILLER jmiller@crain.com
and patients aren’t likely to notice much of a change. However, hospitals are investing heavily to ensure the conversion goes smoothly, because any stumbles in the transition could affect their billing cycles and could jeopardize their alreadysensitive revenue streams.
Just as businesses and even communities are looking for ways to collaborate and be more efficient, three nonprofit organizations that play key roles in economic development in the city of Cleveland are moving toward consolidating their efforts. Cleveland Neighborhood Development Coalition, LiveCleveland and Neighborhood Progress Inc. are in talks to bring their organizations and their missions under a single umbrella organization that would work to fund, promote and revitalize commercial and residential development in Cleveland’s neighborhoods. The groups have not yet committed to an alliance, though. Consolidation is partly a realization that it’s time to sharpen the focus of the nonprofit groups that are working to build the central city. But it is also a recognition that money is tight — and getting tighter — and that the groups need to be more efficient.
See CHANGE Page 26
See NONPROFITS Page 8
Hospitals are spending millions to meet diagnostic coding requirement set by the government; transition must be complete by October 2014 By TIMOTHY MAGAW tmagaw@crain.com
F
orget the Jackson 5 song. For Northeast Ohio’s hospitals, ABC is not as easy as 123.
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Local hospitals are in the midst of mul-
timillion-dollar initiatives to train thousands of their employees and upgrade their information technology infrastructure to cope with ICD-10, an arduous new diagnosis coding requirement — one that injects more alpha characters into what was a mostly numeric code. Sure, it all sounds like alphabet soup,
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LEGAL AFFAIRS Law firms shorten their names in an effort to be more memorable ■ Pages 13-21 PLUS: ADVISER ■ THE SWITCH FROM PUBLIC TO PRIVATE ■ & MORE
Entire contents © 2013 by Crain Communications Inc. Vol. 34, No. 5