Crain's Cleveland Business by Crain's Cleveland Business

NOTABLE: These 19 general counsels are part of conservation and innovation. PAGE 10

CRAINSCLEVELAND.COM I AUGUST 16, 2021

FILLING A GAP

Danielle Quarles sits in the living room of her home with her two children, Darien Griffin Jr., 3, left, and Latrice Ward, 7, right. | GUS CHAN FOR CRAIN’S CLEVELAND BUSINESS

‘Believe Mortgage’ helps with small-dollar home loans BY MICHELLE JARBOE

Early this year, Danielle Quarles feared that she and her children would have to move. The Canadian investor who owned their five-bedroom home on Cleveland’s East Side planned to list the property for sale. But Quarles wasn’t displaced. Instead, with the help of a new mortgage product aimed at borrowers in need of relatively modest loans, she purchased the house from her landlord. See MORTGAGE on Page 22

Staffing shortages hold back restaurant rebound

— Mychael Montgomery, Great Lakes general manager

Survey: 90% of eateries in state grapple with issue BY JEREMY NOBILE

NEWSPAPER

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Running on about half as much staff as it would in normal times, Great Lakes Brewing Co. closes now on Mondays and Tuesdays due to a lack of workers to fill the shifts. During open hours, some dining areas, like its fan-favorite and recently renovated beer cellar, are closed off because of the shortage. Sometimes guests are asked to wait a little longer to be seated despite tables being empty. That’s because workers who are available must manage customer flow with a smaller team than usual. It’s an imperfect situation in what otherwise has been a busy season

GUS CHAN FOR CRAIN’S CLEVELAND BUSINESS

“THE BENCH IS NOT DEEP RIGHT NOW. SO IF YOUR BARBACKER CALLS OFF, YOU JUST DON’T REALLY HAVE ANYONE ELSE TO FALL BACK ON.”

THE

LAND SCAPE

since space-restricting COVID mandates expired in early June. “Whether front of house or back of house, staffing has been super challenging for us,” said Great Lakes CEO Mark King. “We have a lot of people working a lot of hours. We hope things continue to improve because we don’t want to burn people out.” For Great Lakes and myriad restaurants like it, this staffing shortage is hindering their ability to rebound from an economy-wracking pandemic. For the most part, patrons are there. But the help is not. See STAFFING on Page 21

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EDUCATION

How Ohio's colleges are supporting students' mental health BY AMY MORONA

The national conversation on mental health continues. The culture of support offered at colleges is shifting, too. “It's not just the counseling area anymore,” said Timeka Rashid, Baldwin Wallace University’s vice president for student affairs. The climate and resources surrounding mental health vary among campuses. Many, though, now offer things like workshops, group sessions and mindfulness experiences, in addition to counseling sessions with licensed professionals. During Rashid’s two decades working at colleges across Ohio, she noticed that institutions’ awareness of and reliance on data on this front have grown. For example, a college may assess itself and find there are only three counselors available for 6,500 residential students. That’s a disproportionate ratio. “The data assessment has changed the narrative,” she said. “It's forced us to tell a story. Stories that you can't ignore.” Another data point? A string of national surveys found college presidents repeatedly report students’ mental health as their top concern. More campuses are expanding mental health support and services as the COVID-19 pandemic continues. Higher ed job boards list openings for counselors, as well as “wellness directors” and “student wellness advocates.” The State University of New York recently announced plans to put $24 million toward staff and resources. Here in Ohio, public and private colleges got $13.5 million in total relief funding from the state specifically for those efforts. Schools have until the end of this upcoming academic year to spend it. Case Western Reserve University

Many universities, including Baldwin Wallace, as seen in these 2020 file photos, are increasing their mental health offerings for students. | BALDWIN WALLACE UNIVERSITY PHOTOS

ic," a university spokesman told Crain's. "There are no immediate plans to issue a new RFP." Fatemah Abed goes to school there. The new semester will mark the third that’s been impacted by the pandemic for the 19-year-old. She graduated high school in 2020. The fall brought a CSU semester that was mainly online. Year two begins as the Delta vari“IT’S REALLY IMPORTANT TO CAMPUSES, ant threatens to what was ESPECIALLY AS CLASSES RESUME IN THE upend going to be a reFALL, TO REALLY START TO LEARN ABOUT turn to a more traditional college AND STRATEGICALLY THINK ABOUT experience. “I feel like it's TRAUMA.” just all new to me,” — John Dunkle with JED she said. “I feel like a freshman and a delegated part of its funding toward sophomore.” It seemed like a lot of professors, the work of the campus’ multicultural specialist psychologist. The Uni- she said, assigned more work in an versity of Mount Union used some of attempt to compensate for not being its share to add more master's-level in-person. Email reminders would counseling interns and offered sci- occasionally float into her inbox from ence-based sound therapy experi- the university: Hey, take a break! Go ences. Youngstown State University outside! Get a snack! But there didn’t seem to be time upped staff, too. The investments are continuing. for any of that. She felt burnt out. “We would finish one homework Baldwin Wallace is beginning The JED Foundation (JED)’s Campus assignment, and it's time to study for Fundamentals program. It’s funded a quiz, [then] there's another quiz the by both institutional money and a next day,” she said. Students at Ohio State University scholarship from Morgan Stanley. CWRU will keep supporting an app reported a 31% increase in burnout called TimelyMD that provides from August 2020 to April 2021, around-the-clock virtual mental bringing the rate to 71% in the spring. Anxiety and depression also rose health support. Yet at Cleveland State University, a during that time frame, per a survey request for proposals to potentially released last month. Two-thirds of students who are no outsource the campus’ counseling center earlier this year received longer in college leave due to a menpushback from community mem- tal health issue, according to OSU’s bers, according to the student news chief wellness officer Bernadette Melnyk. Institutions across the counpublication The Cauldron. "We withdrew the RFP this spring try saw huge enrollment drops last so our team could focus all of its ef- fall. “We would not send divers into a forts on responding to the pandem-

deep ocean without an oxygen tank,” Melynk said in a release. “How can we send our students throughout life without giving them the resiliency, cognitive-behavioral skills and coping mechanisms that we know are protective against mental health disorders and chronic disease?” John Dunkle with JED calls this time a “Gordian knot” for higher education administrators. There’s the pandemic, its disproportionate impact on people of color, the country’s reckoning on race, mental health concerns. It’s all intertwined. “If you address one, you have to address all levels,” he said. “It's really important to campuses, especially as

classes resume in the fall, to really start to learn about and strategically think about trauma.” Cuyahoga Community College uses a trauma-informed approach, according to assistant dean of counseling Kate Vodicka. What’s happening in students’ lives outside of the classroom can impact what happens in it. Last year brought an increase of anxiety and depression. Her team noted something else when talking with students, too. “Grief is what the counselors keep reporting back to me,” she said. “They're like, ‘We have to do more on that idea of loss and people grieving

just their sense of normal.’ ” Yet students may have a hesitancy to seek help. It can be due to stigma or previous experiences with the system. Going to see a counselor may seem formal or scary, she said. The campus did recently add more parttime counselors, roles Vodicka said were hard to fill because the demand for mental health professionals is so high right now. Tri-C works to meet students where they are, including when they hosted group conversations after the murder of George Floyd last year. Vodicka said those opened the door for more dialogue on mental health and wellness. But she knows they’re still missing connecting with everyone who needs help. “The students that we are coming across, that are reaching out to us, being involved in these discussions, have really needed that support,” Vodicka said. The connections David Hughley III has made during his time at Youngstown State, including through YSU’s Black Student Union, are vital. A mentor assigned through a business college program gives him a boost, too. “Having a sort-of guardian angel in your corner really helps,” the 19-yearold said. Mental health comes up in talks with his friends, including discussing the importance of Olympian Simone Biles’ recent moves to prioritize her mental health. He has a few plans for prioritizing his own mental well-being this semester. The list includes naps and walks. “Just do something that really helps you, makes you feel better, and makes you feel like you can breathe,” Hughley said. Amy Morona: amy.morona@crain. com, (216) 771-5229, @AmyMorona

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TECHNOLOGY

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When the COVID-19 pandemic put in-person events on hold, companies like Cleveland-based Product Collective had to adapt quickly. Much of Product Collective’s work focuses on its annual conferences, one in Cleveland and one in Ireland. Not being able to host events would have been “devastating,” said co-founder Paul McAvinchey, noting that the company’s income is based on ticket sales. But rather than give up, Product Collective pivoted and, like much of the world, went virtual, first shifting its smaller workshops to an online model. “We realized that we were on to something,” McAvinchey said. By staying lean and adding more virtual products, the company thought it could make it through the pandemic. In the fall, it hosted a virtual version of its INDUSTRY conference, which McAvinchey said about 1,500 people attended. Rather than just keep the company afloat, the conference was profitable, McAvinchey said. Tickets for the virtual conference in the fall were far less expensive than those for the company’s in-person events, but overhead costs were also lower. Product Collective hosted another virtual conference in the spring, and it’s planning one for October. Overall, Product Collective has been able to continue growing, despite the challenges created by the pandemic. McAvinchey declined to share annual revenue, but said the company has been profitable since its second year. McAvinchey said the approach he, his wife Rebecca Feliciano, and co-founder Michael Belsito took to launching their conference was a little backward. “For a conference to happen, usually a media company will do years of work in building an audience and then monetize it by turning it into a conference, whereas, we had zero audience but a good idea for a conference,” he said. “We were on the back foot from the start and we were a little worried.” McAvinchey had came to the U.S. from Ireland about 12 years ago. After some time in Chicago, a job brought him to Cleveland, and he soon found himself seeking community. He started TechPint as a gathering place for the startup community, hosting small events. But he wanted to do something bigger. In 2014, McAvinchey and Feliciano held the Industry Digital Summit in Cleveland for technology and startup professionals across the industrial Midwest. It was a “big risk,” he said, but the event drew about 300 attendees. He considered the event a success, but McAvinchey realized there wasn’t a big business opportunity in catering an event to startups. Finances are often tight in the startup community, which means tickets can be a hard sell. And it can be tough to convince companies to sign on as sponsors, since attend-

Product Collective co-founders Mike Belsito and Paul McAvinchey speak at the INDUSTRY Global conference in Cleveland in October of 2019. | KYLE KRESGE/COURTESY

ees don’t have a lot of money to spare. But McAvinchey noticed that there were professionals in the product management or user experience space in attendance, too. Belsito, whom McAvinchey knew from his prior work in the startup and technology spaces, also thought there was an opportunity there. The two, along with Feliciano, launched INDUSTRY: The Product Conference the next year. They worked hard to develop content and spread the word on social media. And that first event drew about 200 attendees from around the world. From there, the event grew yearby-year, honing its focus and moving to larger venues. In 2019, the INDUSTRY Global conference drew almost 1,200 attendees to the Cleveland Public Auditorium, McAvinchey said. Today, McAvinchey and Belsito both serve as co-founders of Product Collective, and Feliciano is director of operations. The three are the sole employees of the company, though they work with contractors as well. And the company recently started working with Scott Schulman, who previously served as CEO of UBM Americas, as a strategic adviser. Schulman’s career in information businesses showed him the importance of product management, and he found that Product Collective was building a community for those professionals to learn from one another. As digital products and services continue to grow, product management serves as a “critical bridge” between customers, sales and development, he said. But it’s a role that’s grown over time without much standardized training. McAvinchey said today’s product managers aren’t just working with engineers to get a product from requirements to market. They’re serving as something of a “quarterback,” he said, working with marketing, engineering and the C-suite. And it’s a relatively new role in companies — one that people typically grow into from other areas, such as engineering or design — that has been growing as more and more companies add

software to their internal operations and to their customer-facing offerings. “The role is growing, and their influence is growing,” McAvinchey said. That means there’s a market for this kind of information. In addition to its conferences, Product Collective creates content for product management professionals like video interviews and a podcast and offers workshops and webinars. Essentially, it’s become a media company after all. And the company has grown internationally, adding a conference in Ireland in 2018. Product Collective actually held its INDUSTRY Europe event in March of 2020, right before pandemic shutdowns and mass gathering restrictions began. The Cleveland event for the year, typically held in the fall, was canceled, as were both events in 2021. But it has plans to return to in-person events in November with the New York Product Conference, which the Product Collective recently acquired for an undisclosed amount. The conference is a regional product management conference that’s been around for about four years, McAvinchey said. Product Collective sees opportunities to grow the conference, as ticket prices and the number of exhibitors were low. But the Product Collective doesn’t plan to move away from virtual events entirely. It now intends to host a virtual conference every year, and McAvinchey said the group is looking into hybrid possibilities for events as well. There’s going to be a lot of “experimentation” in the years to come, he said, but he thinks Product Collective is set up well for that as a lean company. Schulman thinks live events will be coming back, but that there’s going to be a continued place for virtual events like the ones hosted by Product Collective. “They found the right balance between making it challenging and interesting but really taking some difficult concepts and making it very understandable,” he said. Rachel Abbey McCafferty: (216) 771-5379, rmccafferty@crain.com

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REAL ESTATE

Outdoor and rural lifestyle retailers set area expansions

RESIDENTIAL | COMMERCIAL | INDUSTRIAL

Specializing in Standing Seam Only

BY STAN BULLARD

A new Sierra store is bound for Westlake and, in an unexpected move for a suburb whose rural period was a century ago, a Tractor Supply Co. is planned for a location in North Olmsted. Sierra, the discount outdoor gear, clothes and activewear provider that is part of Framingham, Massachusetts-based TJX Cos., is listed as a proposed tenant for West Bay Plaza on plans on SITE Centers Inc.'s website. The store will occupy part of a $9 million expansion that the Beachwood-based shopping center operator is having built at West Bay, 30100 Detroit Road in Westlake. Sierra will occupy 18,000 square feet at the rebuilt southwest section of West Bay Plaza, according to the SITE Centers website. It also is identified as a new lease for SITE Centers signed in the second quarter of 2021 in a July 21 presentation the real estate investment trust issued when it announced its most recent financial statement. For its part, Sierra said in an email that it has not announced a new store in Westlake. When the store opens at an undisclosed date, it will be the second Sierra store in Ohio. One already is open in Columbus. Michelle Boczek, Westlake economic development manager, said in an interview that the suburb is happy to be landing another retailer. She noted it will join outdoor-focused stores Orvis and Eddie Bauer located on the other side of Detroit Road in Crocker Park. If the idea of Sierra setting up an outpost in Westlake sounds familiar, it is. SITE Centers announced Sierra would be one of several new retailers at the plaza it was installing in the first phase of rebuilding West Bay, which involved demolishing the former Kmart and Sears Grand stores and replacing them with a new multitenant shopping center. When the rebuilt plaza reopened in 2018, HomeSense, a TJX Cos. sister chain, went into the space origi-

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A $9 million project to raze an old section of West Bay Plaza in Westlake and replace it with new retail space will have outdoor gear and clothes retailer Sierra as one of its tenants. Sierra will be a new addition to Northeast Ohio store offerings. | STAN BULLARD/CRAIN’S CLEVELAND BUSINESS

nally earmarked for Sierra. The space Sierra will occupy is in an addition to the plaza that will replace a 1970s-era part of the center previously occupied by a Marc's store, and prior to that by a series of supermarkets. The other addition bound for the densely developed West Shore suburbs is typically found in rural areas, fitting a traditional focus serving the farm and ranch market. Brentwood, Tennessee-based Tractor Supply confirmed that it has leased the former Levin Furniture store space in McCormack Place, 23250 Lorain Road in North Olmsted. It plans to open a roughly 16,000-square-foot store this fall. That plaza is, appropriately enough, owned by a Boardman, Ohio, investor group named Big Sky Investments, according to land records. Asked how the self-proclaimed largest rural outdoor retailer settled on retail-heavy North Olmsted for a location, a Tractor Supply spokesperson said in an email that the company believes it will thrive there. "Tractor Supply serves those who share an appreciation for the out-

doors, gardening, farming, and are passionate about their pets and animals, making both suburban and rural communities a great location," the email said. In a Motley Fool transcript of Tractor Supply's July 19 conference call with investors and analysts, Hal Lawton, president and CEO, said the company's television and social media marketing "is broadening the aperture of consumers’ understanding of Tractor Supply" to grow sales. The supplier of everything from chicken coops to horse saddles, along with clothes and pet food, already has seven locations in Northeast Ohio. The others are in outlying suburbs, including Amherst, Columbia Station, Coventry Township (identified online as Akron), Macedonia, Medina, Wadsworth and Wellington, according to Tractor Supply's website. Nationally, there are about 50 Sierra stores and almost 2,000 Tractor Supply stores, according to the companies.

Hospitality Management LLC, an affiliate of HEI Hotels and Resorts, as the stalking horse suitor for the troubled property. That means HEI's offer will be the one to beat through a bidding process orchestrated by a court-appointed receiver tasked with maintaining the hotel's value during the foreclosure process and ultimately unloading it. A document filed Monday, Aug. 9, in Cuyahoga County Common Pleas Court does not explicitly state what HEI has offered to pay. But the filing mentions that the sale process will yield "a minimum recovery with a value in excess of $40 million."

ly August announced it would buy for about $8.8 billion. And the competition is from close to home. Meggitt on Wednesday, Aug. 11, disclosed that it received a "preliminary, non-binding offer" from Cleveland-based aircraft components maker TransDigm Group Inc that is valued at around $9.7 billion, more than 11% higher than the Parker offer. Meggitt's board earlier said it planned to recommend the Parker offer, which the maker of motion and control technologies made on Aug. 2. Meggitt said its board "is providing TransDigm with due diligence access equal to that which was provided to Parker." The Coventry, England-based company noted that Parker's offer "continues to represent an attractive proposition for Meggitt's shareholders and for its broader stakeholders."

Stan Bullard: sbullard@crain.com, (216) 771-5228, @CrainRltywriter

THE WEEK LEADERSHIP SHIFT: August A. Napoli, president and CEO of the United Way of Greater Cleveland, will retire from his role next summer after leading the organization since June 2016. The board will launch a search for Napoli's successor immediately, with a goal of having a new leader announced well before his departure for a smooth transition. Brian Richardson, executive vice president and chief administrative officer of Independence-based Covia Corp., has been tapped to lead the board's search committee for a new leader. THE ONE TO BEAT: A Connecticut-based hospitality company is pursuing the Westin Cleveland Downtown, a 484-room hotel that is working its way through foreclosure. Court records identify HEI

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COMPETITION HEATS UP: There's a new suitor for Meggitt plc, a United Kingdom aerospace and defense supplier that Mayfield Heightsbased Parker Hannifin Corp. in ear-

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AKRON

Truckers needed to put Akron hauler J. Rayl into overdrive BY JUDY STRINGER

The recent conversion of 11,600 square feet of underutilized warehousing space at the back half of J. Rayl Transport’s East Akron headquarters gave much of its on-site staff more legroom along with modernized offices and meeting spaces. But, more importantly, J. Rayl CEO Ryan Richards said, it opened the front half of the building — previously used as offices — for a “greatly expanded driver lounge” where drivers can “watch TV, rest and eat dinner or do their laundry and paperwork.” “It’s all about attracting and retaining the best drivers,” Richards said. “Before, we had a very limited amount of space for our drivers.” Richards’ responses to questions about business growth bespeak the importance of strengthening its commercial driver ranks. Last year, the CEO said, was the first year J. Rayl “went backwards” since he joined the company as senior vice president of operations in 2009. Prior to 2020, revenue had averaged 10% growth per year for a decade. While customers are getting back on track after pandemic lockdowns and eager to ship more product, a national truck driver shortage complicates J. Rayl’s own recovery. Trucking is a tough job, Richards said, and has a large portion of older workers. Many of them retired during the shutdown or shortly after. Others may have been afraid to return because of COVID exposure. Meanwhile, the pandemic disrupted Commercial Driver’s License (CDL) training, slowing an already tight pipeline of new drivers. Some states just reopened truck driving schools this year. “As a country, we produced 40% less CDL graduates in 2020,” Richards said, adding that J. Rayl’s driver count — currently around 350 — remains lower than pre-COVID. “So, if we don’t get back to where we were before the pandemic, that is why. But, it’s going to be close, and I’m shooting to hit that target and then get ourselves back on that positive trajectory in 2022.” J. Rayl got its start in 1987 as a modest tire shipping fleet operated by Tim Rayl and Jim St. John. Rayl passed the company to his son, Jeremy, in 2006, who later brought on Richards, a childhood friend. Under Jeremy’s leadership, the Akron hauler grew from about 100 employees to more than 400 and added staffed terminals in Indiana, Texas and Virginia. Richards said he and Jeremy, who died suddenly in 2017 at the age of 39, also collaborated on diversifying the client base, moving into markets such as food and beverage, home products and raw materials for manufacturing. “Some of our oldest customers are tire companies, but we’ve not really added any new ones,” he explained. “We try to keep it very split, so that if any one industry takes a hit, we’re not tied to that connection. If we had been all automotive last year, for example, when the plants shut down for COVID for two

J. Rayl Transport CEO Ryan Richards, center, hopes the newly renovated Jeremy M. Rayl Transportation and Logistics Center with improved driver amenities will help to grow its commerical driver ranks. Richards is seen here with J. Rayl co-founders Tim Rayl, left, and Jim St. John. | CONTRIBUTED

months, we would have been out of business.” Today, J. Rayl has roughly 450 employees. About 50 are office personnel and mechanics based at the Triplett Boulevard headquarters, and as many as 350 are drivers. The balance is divided among its other three terminals. Richards pegged the total investment for renovations to its Akron facility at $2.5 million. The Development Fund of the Western Reserve (DFWR) provided a $1.67 million loan to the project, and the Western Reserve Community Fund (WRCF) supplied an additional loan of $100,000.

For the latter, Bridenstine highlighted a partnership between J. Rayl and Stark State College in which the company supplies tractor and trailers and provides access to driver trainers and recruitment staff for Stark State CDL courses. “Not only is it focused on being a great company for the people who work there,” she said, “they really buy into being a part of the larger workforce development ecosystem for the good of the company and the good of the local community.” Looking ahead, Richards predicts growth in consumables and home goods shipments but said demand is strong across the board.

“WE TRY TO KEEP IT VERY SPLIT, SO THAT IF ANY ONE INDUSTRY TAKES A HIT, WE’RE NOT TIED TO THAT CONNECTION. IF WE HAD BEEN ALL AUTOMOTIVE LAST YEAR, FOR EXAMPLE, WHEN THE PLANTS SHUT DOWN FOR COVID FOR TWO MONTHS, WE WOULD HAVE BEEN OUT OF BUSINESS.” — Ryan Richards, J.Rayl CEO

Rachel Bridenstine — who oversees DFWR and WRCF, both of which are managed by the Development Finance Authority of Summit County — said J. Rayl’s East Akron location made it a good candidate for DFWR and WRCF financing, as both are focused on “revitalization in distressed neighborhoods.” “We also look at the community benefit in the projects that we finance,” she said. “And this one checked a lot of boxes from employing a significant amount of people who reside in low-income neighborhoods to workforce development efforts.”

“As we grow, we’re lucky enough to get asked every year from most of our customers, ‘Can you do more?’ ” he said. “It wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say I could increase my drivers by 30% tomorrow and have the work for them. “So, again, getting more involved with truck driving schools, increasing pay packages/benefit packages and improving driver amenities such as what we just added here is where we have been investing for several years, and we will continue to do that.” Contact Judy Stringer: clbfreelancer@crain.com

6 | CRAIN’S CLEVELAND BUSINESS | AUGUST 16, 2021

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EDITORIAL

By the numbers C

olumbus, up 14.3%. Cincinnati, up 4.2%. Buffalo, up 6.5%. Cleveland, down 6.1%. Population figures released by the U.S. Census Bureau tell a familiar story for Cleveland, where the number of residents dropped to 372,624 in 2020 from 396,815 in 2010. Akron was down, too, by 4.3%, to 190,469 residents, as were Canton, Dayton, Toledo and Youngstown. A lot of places across the industrial Midwest continue to lose population. But that's not inevitable, as the gains in Columbus (up to 905,748 residents from 787,033 a decade ago), Cincinnati (309,317 now from 296,943 in 2010) and Buffalo (278,349 people from 261,275 in 2010) show. Policy choices — on housing diversity, transit, welcoming immigrants and more — matter, as do approaches to spurring economic growth and encouraging smart, sustainable development. It's telling that as Cleveland lost 24,000 residents over the decade, and Cuyahoga County lost more than 15,000, surrounding counties including Medina (+10,000), Lorain (+11,000), Lake (+2,500) and Geauga (+2,000) showed gains. Those gains are good, by the way. This isn't, and shouldn't be, a zero-sum game. But we're still not doing enough to shore up and grow the center city and inner-ring suburbs of Cleveland, which remains the most important economic force in the region. Columbus, Ohio's largest city by a huge margin, benefits from being the home of state government and the state's largest university. But as The Columbus Dispatch noted, it also has been "bolstered by a combination of aggressive annexation policies decades ago that grew its geographic footprint and a diverse economy that has drawn people from other areas of the state, country, and in recent decades, a growing number of immigrants from across the globe." In Cincinnati, the city "has managed to break the cycle of declining population by diversifying its economy, which has helped retain jobs and population," USA Today reported. There again, it's diversification that matters. The transition from an economic model based largely on manufacturing to one that's a blend of manufacturing, technology and services isn't easy, and Cleveland's heavier reliance on tradi-

tional industry than its big Ohio rivals makes the task more difficult. But clearly, Columbus and Cincinnati are succeeding in a way the Cleveland is not. New data released last week by the Federal Reserve Bank of Cleveland underscore a missed opportunity for the city and this region with respect to job access, which disincentivizes people from living there. Nationally, the Cleveland Fed noted, "neighborhoods that have a higher job access rate — those jobs in a region that are within typical commuting distance — generally have higher employment rates. In Northeast Ohio, however, the opposite is true: Cleveland metro area neighborhoods with high rates of job access tend to have relatively low employment rates." Kyle Fee, a senior policy analyst in the bank’s Community Development Department, compared job access rates and employment in the Cleveland area with those of 96 other metro areas. He found that the job access disconnect in Cleveland operates along racial lines, predominantly affecting Black neighborhoods and reflecting a significant barrier to economic inclusion. Potential causes of the disconnect "stem from underrepresentation and mismatches between neighborhood workforces and surrounding employment opportunities," according to the study. There also is "a mismatch between the workforce’s educational attainment and the attainment found in the surrounding area’s employment opportunities." At the most basic level, Fee wrote, "the policy response ... is simply to ensure that the benefits of job access can be realized by those living in high job access neighborhoods. In order for the benefits of job access to be realized, solutions must be intentional and strategic regarding race and must focus on improving the alignment of a neighborhood’s workforce and surrounding employment." Cleveland's population decline has been steep — the city had 915,000 residents as recently as 1950 — and it has happened over a long period of time. But it can be reversed, with a focus on the basics of providing services that make the city livable, and on creating a more dynamic, diverse economy offering opportunities for all.

Executive Editor: Elizabeth McIntyre (emcintyre@crain.com) Managing Editor: Scott Suttell (ssuttell@crain.com) Contact Crain’s: 216-522-1383 Read Crain’s online: crainscleveland.com

Over 7 million small businesses like ours rely on the U.S. Postal Service to receive the packages they need to operate and to send products out to customers. American businesses saw e-commerce boom during the pandemic, and trend reports show that consumers still intend to keep a lot of their shopping online. At this critical juncture, small businesses Riordan is the nationwide need Congress to pass post- co-owner of al reform and to keep mail and packages Smoke Stack Hobby Shop in delivered together, six days a week. Pre-pandemic, the Smoke Stack Hob- Lancaster, Ohio. by Shop in Lancaster, Ohio, was a destination stop: a place to bring the family and peruse model trains and RC cars as well as needed accessories and parts. Our customers come from all over Ohio and even Pennsylvania and West Virginia. We had an online store, but it was extremely limited because we had steady foot traffic to our brick-and-mortar shop. When the COVID-19 pandemic crisis began, we had to change our strategy. Suddenly people of all ages were in lockdown, stuck at home. They were looking for something to do and, with more time on their hands, rediscovering old hobbies. To stay afloat, we completely reconfigured and committed to e-commerce. The only way our brick-and-mortar store can stay in the game is to also sell online. The only way to ship competitively is to use the Postal Service. By far the most affordable package carrier for small businesses is the Postal Service. Shipping directly to customers is already a huge cost for our business; our bottom line simply can’t afford to offer free shipping. Big-box stores might be attractive customers for private carriers like UPS, but our small store doesn’t send enough packages to get a good deal on a shipping contract. The Postal Service’s package prices help us to keep our hobby shop’s prices competitive. If shipping prices were to rise, we would have to either revisit our product prices or take a deeper hit on shipping THE ONLY WAY OUR costs. For a small business, the BRICK-AND-MORTAR Postal Service is a lifeline. STORE CAN STAY IN Our mail carrier brings our packages directly to us, and THE GAME IS TO ALSO we leave our packages for SELL ONLINE. customers with him. Sixday-a-week delivery is critical to bringing our customers’ products to them as quickly as possible. We know that the Postal Service will deliver to every address, even rural and remote areas where many of our customers live. Most of our customers don’t have a local hobby shop, and buying online from our store has helped bring our products directly to their doorstep. Private carriers like UPS simply don’t deliver to all addresses. We applaud Sen. Rob Portman for his postal legislation, which is a huge endorsement for small businesses in Ohio and around the country. The bill will help get the Postal Service back on a sustainable financial footing, thereby continuing its vital role in the everyday lives of Ohio residents. It would also codify into statute many pieces of the Postal Service that are already working, such as six-day-a-week delivery and keeping mail and packages delivered together. We take these services for granted, but it’s time to enshrine them into law. The Postal Service is what helped sustain our business and see our employees get through the pandemic; no other carrier was available each and every day. The Postal Service is key to our survival in this new era of e-commerce.

Write us: Crain’s welcomes responses from readers. Letters should be as brief as possible and may be edited. Send letters to Crain’s Cleveland Business, 700 West St. Clair Ave., Suite 310, Cleveland, OH 44113, or by emailing ClevEdit@crain.com. Please include your complete name and city from which you are writing, and a telephone number for fact-checking purposes.

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OPINION

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PERSONAL VIEWS

Infrastructure investment equals big returns BY LOURENCO GONCALVES

The United States has woefully under-invested in its infrastructure for decades. By now, it is no longer startling to read that America’s public infrastructure is near failing in many areas. That is a fact upon which there is near universal agreement. Despite that consensus, the question remains: What is the United States prepared to invest in, in order to build a 21st century infrastructure system? A long-term infrastructure development plan, with a significant down payment on it, is required to ensure the U.S. remains the dominant economic superpower of the world, and to provide a basis for the next generation of family-sustaining jobs and widely shared prosperity. The U.S. must make these investments to compete with China and other countries that aspire to continue growing their economic influence. In 2018, American investment in infrastructure was only 0.5% of our GDP. By comparison, China invested 5.6% of its annual GDP in infrastructure in the same year. Make no mistake, China is following the United States’ playbook in pursuit of its industrialization and ascent as an economic player on the global stage. It is not a novel concept; the Unites States invented that playbook and it has propelled our country to a position of economic and political strength. As Americans, we must collectively take pride that we are a country that manufactures things and takes on big challenges. If we resign ourselves to a false conclusion that the U.S. used to make things and that our future lies in developing apps and providing services while offshoring our manufacturing capabilities, we stand to forfeit our economic dominance. A game-changing investment in infrastructure would serve as a powerful signal that the U.S. recognizes and values its place as the dominant player in the global economy, and that America is prepared to invest to maintain that leadership position well into the future. Infrastructure investment will generate huge returns for the American economy and workers. As the chairman,

president and CEO of the largest flatrolled steel producer in North America, I know that the right investments in infrastructure — with an emphasis on American materials, manufacturing and workers — will create good-paying jobs that sustain families and communities. I am a vocal supporter of inclusive capitalism — the belief that true capitalism is meant not Goncalves is to create billionaires but rather to chairman, build and support a large, strong and president and resilient middle class. An investment CEO of Cleveland-Cliffs in infrastructure is an investment in good-paying union jobs, such as those Inc., North America’s largest provided by Cleveland-Cliffs. At Cleveland-Cliffs, we employ approxiproducer of mately 20,000 union workers and our flat-rolled steel. median worker earns a wage and benefit package of $103,000 per year, the highest average compensation in the domestic steel industry. Infrastructure spending should be viewed not as an expenditure, but as an investment that will pay dividends to workers, their families and to the American society for decades to come. As someone who believes deeply in America and its future promise, I have always been confident that the U.S. would overcome political division and make the right decision to invest in the future. The economic role and impact of infrastructure is universally acknowledged. The Bipartisan Framework is a good start to addressing our country’s needs in this area. By investing and rebuilding our infrastructure, we will reinvigorate our U.S. economy and create long-term value for all stakeholders — businesses, governments, communities and U.S. citizens. I urge our leaders in Washington, D.C. to quickly pass a wide-ranging infrastructure package, so we can do what Americans do best: Roll up our sleeves and get to work, for us now, for the next generation and for the next one.

Higher ed playing key role in cybercrime defense BY K. L. ALLEN

It’s no secret that precious few real secrets are truly secure these days. We’ve all received — and hopefully ignored — “phishing” attempts to steal our private data or to con us with phony, look-alike websites. The same thing, but much worse, is happening every day to government agencies and corporations large and small. Meanwhile, effective defenses against this growing crime wave are weakened by a low supply of skilled defenders. Our increasingly connected cyber world of online networks, cloud computing and social media has created a field day for hackers, thieves and state-sponsored pirates who profit by breaching America’s most secure computer systems. The COVID pandemic and its work-from-home needs have only increased the flow of online data that’s ripe for plunder and individual workers with limited computer-security skills from their corporate IT specialists. Today, more than ever, people — not hardware or systems — are the weakest link when it comes to online security. While this is hardly a new phenomenon, just recently the problem has increased many times over. Online criminals have become increasingly sophisticated in their daring attacks on public and private assets. The latest cybercrime to grab headlines implants ransomware, a malicious software that locks an organization’s computer files until the hackers are paid an expensive ransom. The growth of cybercrime and its increasing costs for victims have governments, the business community and individual citizens racing to keep up with the criminals. Stronger online defenses and better coordination between public and private security teams can go only so far in keeping information secure and cyber thieves at bay. What’s too often lacking in the ideal cybersecurity defense effort is talent — men and women with the college-level training and certified skills needed to keep computer systems safe and secure from intrusion. This is where higher education is playing a key role in

America’s cybersecurity defenses. By helping to fill an emerging skills gap with well-trained graduates, the nation’s colleges and universities are providing the talent and expertise needed to fight criminal intrusion. Information technology in all its forms has created a wide-open career path, not only for those just entering the job market, but also for older workers who Allen is by choice or necessity are seeking a chancellor of change of career in a new, well-paying WGU Ohio, the field. state affiliate of That’s why I’m especially pleased, online, nonprofit as chancellor of Western Governors Western University Ohio, to see the number of Governors students graduating each year from University. WGU’s bachelor’s, master’s and certification programs in a range of information technology, cybersecurity, cloud computing, software development, data analytics and information technology management specialties. While we are not, by any means, the only source of accredited, degree-caliber IT education in Ohio, I know that our affordable, online-only and competency-based approach to learning offers distinct advantages that appeal to many students. This is particularly true for adults, including those with existing jobs or family obligations that make attending a full-time, classroom-based college program impractical. The demand for workers with high-level computer skills has always been strong in today’s technology-driven world, even without the increasing demand for cybersecurity defenses. But the recent growth of ransomware attacks and other cybercrimes has driven that demand to new levels. Higher education is doing all it can to bridge any skills gap that could threaten to leave crucial positions unfilled and defenses less than ideal.

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added to the responsibilities these in-house attorneys accepted. While charting new methods and rules to work and return to the office, they maintained their focus on contracts, finances, intellectual property and the myriad other duties they normally perform. It’s important to recognize they are not only of the community, they are about it as well. Their volunteer efforts include work for the Greater Cleveland Food Bank, the Legal Aid Society of Greater Cleveland, the Near West Family Network, the Diversity Center of Northeast Ohio and more. GETTY IMAGES/ISTOCK PHOTO

These 19 general counsels work in health care, public transportation and the arts. They are about growth and education, and are part of conservation and innovation. In 2020, they had to learn and adjust to pandemic-mandated changes in the way their workplaces operated. In 2021, they were part of the planning to bring things back to “normal.” And it was all done without a manual or action plan. The attention to detail and meticulous work amid ever-changing situations provided significant challenges. Navigating this unexpected storm only

METHODOLOGY: The honorees did not pay to be included. Their profiles were drawn from the nomination materials submitted. This list is not comprehensive. It includes only individuals for whom nominations were submitted and accepted after a review by editors. To qualify for the list, nominees must be based in Northeast Ohio and working as a full-time, in-house general counsel and as a member of the top management team. They must have demonstrated a leadership role in their organization, be active in professional groups and/or assumed a leadership position outside their organization.

ANN ABER

HARLIN ADELMAN

SHERYL KING BENFORD

APRIL MILLER BOISE

Senior vice president, general counsel and secretary JOANN

Chief legal officer University Hospitals Health System

Chief legal officer Greater Cleveland Regional Transit Authority

Executive vice president and chief legal officer Eaton

Harlin Adelman, who started his career at the Benesch law firm, established his passion for truly trying to understand his clients and their needs while working pro bono for the Cleveland Legal Aid Society. In 1998, he joined University Hospitals, where he has served as chief legal officer since 2019. Adelman has been instrumental in initiatives to grow the health system, expand access to health care and facilitate UH’s teaching and research enterprise, according to the nomination. “Harlin, however, believes his greatest accomplishment is recruiting and maintaining the team of excellent lawyers, senior project specialists, paralegals and support staff that comprise the Legal Affairs Department,” the nomination states. Adelman takes a genuine interest in the lives of the members of his teams and sets the tone for how they treat each other, stressing respect, integrity, service and ultimately helping to create a positive culture, according to the nomination. A member of the Leadership Cleveland Class of 2019, Adelman is also a member of various law and bar associations and serves on the boards of the Diversity Center of Northeast Ohio, the Cleveland Council on World Affairs and the Legal Aid Society of Cleveland. — Lydia Coutré

Sheryl King Benford may not physically connect wheels to their axles, yet she is still one of the linchpins holding together the Greater Cleveland Regional Transit Authority (RTA) and its network of buses, trains and stations that helps Clevelanders get around. King Benford has served the organization for more than 21 years. As its chief attorney, she oversees 38 employees (including nine attorneys) and virtually all facets of the RTA, from acquiring real estate and executing contracts to ensuring the general safety of employees and passengers. She’s arguably the best known of any of her attorney counterparts in Northeast Ohio, in fact, even if citizens don’t realize it. A former teacher and principal, hers is the literal voice of the RTA that sounds off in a calm, matriarchal tone warning pedestrians of oncoming traffic as buses twist and turn through city streets. She jokes about being a talking bus. But the feature is an award-winning safety measure that may still catch on in other transit systems. King Benford keeps the RTA on track. And her impact on Clevelanders has earned her a slew of accolades through the decades, including being named a Cleveland-Marshall College of Law Hall of Fame "Living Legend" in 2017. — Jeremy Nobile

In her role as general counsel and senior vice president, Ann Aber played an integral role in taking JOANN, a 75-year-old business, back to the public market earlier this year after a decade operating as a private company. Aber joined the Hudson-based chain of 855 stores across 49 states, known to most simply as Jo-Ann, in April 2019 and, since the initial public offering in 2021, leads the legal, corporate governance, and classification and compliance group. It was Aber’s dedication, attention to detail and ability to manage many work streams simultaneously that enabled the company to make the laborious and complex IPO transition a successful one, according to her nomination. Outside of her primary work responsibilities, Aber is actively involved with the company's diversity, equity and inclusion efforts, and works closely with the LGBT Center of Greater Cleveland, Akron Urban League and the Diversity Center of Northeast Ohio. She also serves on the board of directors of the Greater Cleveland Food Bank. Before she joined JOANN, Aber was vice president and general counsel at More Than Gourmet, a specialty food manufacturer. Prior to that, she was counsel at Eaton Corp. and an associate in the private equity practice at Jones Day. — Kim Palmer

April Miller Boise's legal career has taken her from Wall Street to Thompson Hine LLP (as managing partner) and to industrial companies, most recently power management giant Eaton. Miller Boise returned to Cleveland in early 2020 when she joined Eaton as an executive vice president and chief legal officer. She came to Eaton after working as chief legal officer for Meritor Inc., an automotive supplier based in Michigan. In addition to Thompson Hine, where she worked from 1999 to 2011, Miller Boise has held executive leadership roles at Avintiv and Veyance Technologies. She has "a deep understanding of conducting business across borders and building effective teams despite language and cultural differences," according to a bio from DirectWomen.org. Miller Boise's career has given her "extensive experience structuring, leading and negotiating strategic investments including mergers and acquisitions, and joint ventures around the globe ... and addressing international challenges." Miller Boise has a law degree from the University of Chicago Law School and a bachelor's degree in business administration from the University of Michigan. She is on the boards of industrial company Trane Technologies and the Federal Home Loan Bank in Cincinnati. Miller Boise serves as a trustee of the Cleveland Clinic and on the boards of the George W. Codrington Charitable Foundation, the City Club of Cleveland and the Assembly for the Arts. — Scott Suttell

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CAROLYN BRAKEY General counsel Brakey Energy When it comes to legal matters surrounding complicated energy contracts and regulation, you’d be hard-pressed to find someone in Northeast Ohio who knows it better than Carolyn Brakey. Large industrial users of power and others, including journalists, rely on her advice about riders attached to electric rates, litigation involving local power companies, matters before the Public Utilities Commission of Ohio and a host of other matters. She’s been providing that advice to Brakey Energy and its clients for nine years, alongside her husband, CEO Matt Brakey. “Carolyn has represented Brakey Energy clients in cases disputing broker commissions, utility service contracts, and generation-supply agreements,” Matt Brakey said in supporting her nomination. “Most recently, a class action lawsuit that Carolyn originated against FirstEnergy Solutions settled for $12 million, with many large commercial and industrial Northeast Ohio businesses receiving checks for tens of thousands of dollars." Carolyn, who lives in Russell Township with her husband and two children, earned her law degree from Case Western Reserve University. “Carolyn has been no stranger to being a strong, accomplished professional in what have historically been male-dominated fields,” Matt Brakey said. — Dan Shingler

We congratulate

Peter M. Poulos (LAW ‘90) a 2021 Notable General Counsel for his legal work, community engagement and campus leadership during COVID-19.

LEAH BROWNLEE President, general counsel and corporate secretary Lazurite A lot has changed at Lazurite since Leah Brownlee joined the medical device company formerly known as Indago in October 2020, and she’s played a critical role in those advancements. Eugene Malinskiy, founder and CEO of the Cleveland-based startup, said in her nomination that Brownlee “has enabled the company to move faster on its path toward FDA 510(k) submission for ArthroFree,” a fully wireless, minimally invasive modular camera system for the operating room, featuring the patented Meridiem light engine. She also played a major part in closing a $10 million convertible note round of financing, which the company announced in June. In handling operations, intellectual property, hiring, governance and other duties, Brownlee “demonstrates the versatility needed to be a jack of all legal — and management — trades,” according to the nomination. Prior to Lazurite, Brownlee served in the corporate practice and life sciences industry groups at Squire Patton Boggs. She earlier was executive vice president, compliance and operations, at Cleveland BioLabs Inc. The Case Western Reserve University School of Law graduate currently is chair of the board of directors of building automation software company Switch Automation. She also volunteers for various gBeta accelerators across the country. — Elizabeth McIntyre

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TARA CHARNES General counsel Hall of Fame Resort & Entertainment Co. Tara Charnes was hired by the Hall of Fame Resort & Entertainment Co. last August. At the time, the company that owns the massive Hall of Fame Village project in Canton had recently gone public, and Charnes’ to-do list, even as a new employee, was overflowing. Charnes, according to the nomination, has “diligently worked to ensure that the company’s’ compliance filings were in order,” in addition to working “tirelessly” on agreements with sponsors, retail tenants and commercial partners. The $900 million project on the grounds of the Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton is in its second phase. HOFV’s huge scope means Charnes must work within a tight construction timeline. The company’s general counsel deals with local and regional governments, along with school and port authority officials. Charnes has almost 20 years of experience in the legal industry and “is widely respected across the corporate landscape,” the nomination said. Prior to joining the Hall of Fame Resort & Entertainment Co., she was a vice president of litigation for Big Lots. She’s also a former director of North American legal, securities and corporate governance for The Scotts Miracle-Gro Co. — Kevin Kleps

5 t 681 iole SW ome V s Awe

Congratulations! Sherwin-Williams is proud to celebrate Mary Garceau for being recognized in Crain’s Cleveland Business Magazine as a notable General Counsel honoree.

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2021 NOTABLE GENERAL COUNSELS

Senior vice president, general counsel Park Place Technologies Since joining Park Place Technologies in 2017, Betsy Dellinger has managed 15 acquisitions, adding $150 million in revenue to the company. As the company grew and expanded into 150 countries, her department also grew. Dellinger was an adviser to the Simplimatic Engineering Holdings board and a member of senior management, where she helped grow the company to $22 million in revenue in 2016 from $12 million in 2012. Her work included three acquisitions. She also led the structuring, negotiating and documenting of working capital, term loan and bridge funding, and spearheaded its strategic planning. In 2018, Dellinger received a National Women in Law Award from Corporate Counsel and InsideCounsel for her commitment to advancing efforts that empower women in the legal industry. Her service to the community has included board membership and volunteering at a variety of organizations. She is a member of the board of directors of Julie Billiart Schools and serves on the advancement and marketing committee. In addition, she is an adjunct instructor at Baldwin Wallace University. Dellinger earned her law degree from Case Western Reserve University. — Leslie D. Green

BRENDAN GALLAGHER Executive vice president and general counsel Gravitas Ventures When he joined Cleveland’s Gravitas Ventures 10 years ago, Brendan Gallagher traded commercial litigation for a piece of the silver screen. As the firm’s executive vice president and general counsel, he has “evaluated thousands of films, negotiated hundreds of licensing agreements (and) been an unflappable voice of reason in an industry full of colorful characters that would make John Grisham jealous,” according to the nomination. And that top-of-the bill accomplishment is reflected in the company’s bottom line. “Under Brendan’s oversight of the Legal, Operations and Acquisitions department, Gravitas’ annual revenue has grown by approximately 500% to over $50 million in 2020,” the nomination said. A graduate of Boston College and Cleveland-Marshall College of Law at Cleveland State University, Gallagher makes time to contribute to the community outside the office. As his friend Jim Maday put it, “I’ve seen first hand his direct positive impact on Clevelanders in need.” Gravitas has expanded from four to 23 employees in Cleveland, the nomination said, handing Gallagher much of the credit. Citing his “cool demeanor, fairness in his dealings and tireless work ethic,” the nomination noted that even with no entertainment law experience prior to joining Gravitas, “Brendan has nevertheless steered the company through a decade of growth in an ever-changing media landscape.” — John Kappes

This well-earned recognition reflects Harlin’s commitment to integrity, his service in his community, and his excellence in the demanding and multifaceted role of Chief Legal Officer. At UH, Harlin has handled complex matters with great skill and judgment. His commitment to excellence extends beyond the walls of our health system, as Harlin serves on the boards of significant community and charitable organizations throughout Northeast Ohio. We are proud to have Harlin as a leader!

GETTY IMAGES/ISTOCK PHOTO

ELIZABETH (BETSY) DELLINGER

Harlin Adelman, JD Chief Legal Officer University Hospitals Health System

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MARY GARCEAU Senior vice president, general counsel, secretary Sherwin-Williams Co.

CONGRATULATIONS Ann Aber SVP, General Counsel & Secretary

After leading her company’s legal team through the acquisition and then integration of Valspar, Sherwin-Williams promoted Mary Garceau to her current role. She also manages the 150 members of the regulatory affairs and environmental, health and safety department. Garceau has since restructured her team to emphasize a business focus, collaboration and speedy but effective legal support; established attorney and paralegal development tracks; improved culture through celebration of milestones; and developed a government affairs department. In addition, “Mary has led all of her teams through the challenges of the pandemic, supporting Sherwin-Williams’ businesses and playing an integral role in continuing to provide critical products for health care and manufacturing facilities, food and beverage packaging and other infrastructure and medical needs while implementing safety protocols designed to protect employees, customers and their families,” her nomination said. Garceau is also on the board of the Sherwin-Williams Foundation, which stepped up its strategic giving efforts in 2020 by supporting nonprofits and underserved communities dealing with severe effects from the pandemic. The company also manufactured hand sanitizer and personal protective equipment for distribution to health care workers and first responders in the region. She earned her law degree from Vanderbilt University. — Leslie D. Green

JONATHAN LEIKEN Senior vice president, chief legal officer and secretary Diebold Nixdorf Jonathan Leiken’s commitment to his work as senior vice president, chief legal officer and secretary at Diebold Nixdorf is matched in every way by his commitment to the Northeast Ohio community at large, say those who nominated Leiken. At Diebold Nixdorf, this former partner at Jones Day oversees the legal and compliance teams, information security, risk management and the company’s enterprise, social and corporate governance (ESG). In part because of his efforts, Newsweek recognized Diebold Nixdorf as one of America’s Most Responsible companies in 2021 for its commitment to the environment as well as to social matters and governance. Leiken organized and led the company’s first global Earth Day event, and he negotiated and finalized Diebold Nixdorf’s issuing of $1.1 billion of secured notes. In the community, Leiken — who is married to Erika and has three kids — is a past president of the Cleveland Metropolitan Bar Association and on the board of the Legal Aid Society of Cleveland. He is a devoted follower of Cleveland sports teams and a passionate supporter of the arts — he is producing a staged reading of Thornton Wilder’s "Our Town" to benefit the Legal Aid Society of Cleveland. His 17-year-old son, Jaren, is also in the show and helping to organize it as a producer. “Jon,” wrote one nominator, “is at the forefront of truly making a difference.” — Pat McManamon

JOANN is proud to congratulate Ann on being recognized as an honoree in Crain's Notable General Counsels!

NOMINATIONS OPEN CrainsCleveland.com/Nominate

NOMINATION DEADLINE:

SEPT. 23

NOAM MAGENCE Principal, executive vice president, general counsel The NRP Group “Noam can quickly assess multiple, complex issues on a transaction and prioritize what issues are most important and critical, balancing both business and legal considerations,” according to his nomination. In his first six months with the NRP Group, Noam Magence negotiated and closed on a partner buyout, which included corporate recapitalization and growth capital equity investments with a real estate and private equity firms in New York. Since joining the company five years ago, he has grown NRP’s legal group from a department of one into a team of seven lawyers and two paralegals. Magence, who was promoted to principal and executive vice president in 2020, also joined the company’s investment committee. The group is responsible for the detailed evaluation, due diligence and prioritization of deals before advancing them to the NRP executive committee. At the same time, Magence also works toward making a positive impact on the community. He serves on NRP’s charity committee and is co-chair of the environmental social and governance committee. He is also a member of the board of trustees for the Greater Cleveland Habitat for Humanity and is president-elect of the Mandel Jewish Day School board. Magence earned his law degree from the University of Pennsylvania. — Leslie D. Green AUGUST 16, 2021 | CRAIN’S CLEVELAND BUSINESS | 13

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2021 NOTABLE GENERAL COUNSELS ROBERT OWEN

ALFRED PERRY JR.

General counsel, assistant secretary Western Reserve Land Conservancy

Senior vice president, general counsel, secretary Westfield Bank Thirty-five years ago, Alfred Perry Jr. joined Westfield Insurance as a system programmer and operator and shortly afterward became assistant general counsel of Westfield Group/Westfield Insurance. Perry was named assistant general counsel of Westfield Bank in 2012 and was promoted to senior vice president, general counsel and information security officer and secretary in 2018. “Alfred is not only dedicated to his career but has worked his way up with Westfield Bank and shown leadership and talent while in the midst of his career movement,” said his nomination. Perry has made a significant impact at the company, including managing strategic and daily processes regarding contract negotiation and compliance, and reviewing and negotiating commercial real estate leases in 22 states. Moreover, he led 11 teams as they merged with two banks with assets totaling $870 million. He coordinated compliance to merge in 150 days — 100 days fewer than what’s typical — and ensured flawless integration and implementation, according to the nomination. The company now boasts more than $1.5 billion in assets. Perry earned his law degree from the University of Akron and his undergraduate degree from Thomas Edison State University in New Jersey. — Leslie D. Green

GETTY IMAGES/ISTOCK PHOTO

Bob Owen joined Western Reserve Land Conservancy’s legal staff in 2006 and was promoted to general counsel in 2011. He has handled more than 300 real estate transactions — from individual conservation easement donations to multimillion-dollar acquisitions involving public and private sector entities. That work often includes marrying federal and state grant dollars with private philanthropic funding. He also is a member of the land conservancy’s senior management team. Prior to his work with the conservancy, Owen was an associate at Taft Stettinius & Hollister, where he handled real estate and municipal law. He also served one Ohio community as assistant law director and prosecutor for six years. In addition, Owen is on the members' committee of the Terrafirma Risk Retention Group. Terrafirma, created by the Land Trust Alliance, is owned and operated by land trust members and defends the protection of conserved lands. Owen also served on the Land Trust Alliance's Conservation Defense Advisory Council from 2014 to 2018. He was president of the Coalition of Ohio Land Trusts from 2012 to 2014 and a member of its executive committee from 2007 to 2014. The Northeast Ohio native earned his law degree from Cleveland State University's Cleveland-Marshall College of Law and his undergraduate degree in business administration from Hiram College. — Leslie D. Green

Even the smallest choice has the power to significantly

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Securities offered through Royal Alliance Associates, Inc. (RAA), Member FINRA/SIPC. RAA is separately owned and other entities and/or marketing names, products or services referenced here are independent of RAA. RAA does not provide tax or legal advice. Investment advisory services offered through NCA Financial Planners. F: 440-473-0186

14 | CRAIN’S CLEVELAND BUSINESS | AUGUST 16, 2021

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Congratulations! Benesch congratulates all of the Crain’s Cleveland Notable General Counsel. We take particular pride in congratulating our clients and friends. Ann Aber JOANN

Noam Magence NRP Group

Harlin Adelman University Hospitals

Alfred Perry Jr. Westfield Bank

April Miller Boise Eaton

Peter Poulos Case Western Reserve University

Elizabeth Dellinger Park Place Technologies

Sarah Ryzner Stark Enterprises

Mary Garceau Sherwin Williams

Brent Shelley De Nora Tech & De Nora Water Technologies

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2021 NOTABLE GENERAL COUNSELS

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PETER POULOS General counsel, secretary of the corporation, chief risk management officer Case Western Reserve University Peter Poulos served as Case Western Reserve University's chief litigation officer, chief risk management officer and deputy general counsel before becoming general counsel in 2019. He handles legal matters related to intellectual property, student affairs, potential actions against the university and negotiations, including those involving University Hospitals and MetroHealth Medical Center. “Peter Poulos is an adept lawyer who skillfully analyzes, processes and explains complicated information, develops creative solutions, achieves consensus among diverse constituencies, listens attentively and consistently acknowledges and praises the good work of others,” said the nomination. In 2020, former university president Barbara Snyder selected Poulos to lead the operations and policy groups that determined how and where the school’s student population would safely return following pandemic-related shutdowns. His work included developing and implementing health and safety policies. In addition to being a mentor, Poulos volunteers and encourages men at the St. Herman House shelter and supports the Salvation Army’s Zelma George Emergency Shelter. He is former president of the Sts. Constantine and Helen Greek Orthodox Church parish council and the Cleveland Chapter of the American Hellenic Educational Progressive Association. His roots at Case are deep; he earned his law degree there. — Leslie D. Green

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16 | CRAIN’S CLEVELAND BUSINESS | AUGUST 16, 2021

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RENEE TRAMBLE RICHARD Vice president, legal services and risk management; general counsel Cuyahoga Community College As vice president, legal services and risk management, and general counsel for Cuyahoga Community College, Renee Tramble Richard oversees everything from board of trustee resolutions to real estate matters to contract reviews for the institution. Richard joined the college in 2012 from Roetzel & Andress LPA, where she served as a partner. Her career had previously taken her to firms such as what’s now known as Squire Patton Boggs and Calfee, Halter & Griswold LLP. While practicing law, she focused on public law and finance, working closely with such institutions as municipal governments, nonprofit organizations and housing authorities. She is also active outside of the college, serving on the boards of various organizations such as the Care Alliance Health Center and the YWCA of Greater Cleveland. Richard was named a YWCA Woman of Professional Excellence in 2021. The program called her a “problem solver” and highlighted her commitment to the community. “Renee deeply understands the importance of her responsibilities as a role model and leader, as she works to continue to create opportunities for those around her,” the program said. — Rachel Abbey McCafferty

SARAH RYZNER

BRENT SHELLEY

General counsel Stark Enterprises

Americas general counsel De Nora Tech LLC and De Nora Water Technologies LLC

As general counsel at Stark Enterprises, Sarah Ryzner plays a significant role at the Cleveland company behind high-profile real estate projects from The Beacon apartments in Cleveland to suburban shopping centers throughout the region and, increasingly, beyond it. Ryzner works on legal issues ranging from launching new projects to acquisitions. She also oversees legal aspects of the company's properties and manages its legal and human resources departments. In 2020, that meant developing guidelines for coping with the COVID-19 pandemic. Ryzner worked through the ranks at Stark after joining its in-house legal team six years ago. Before joining the local real estate concern, she not only launched her legal career as an associate at the Roetzel & Andress law firm but also worked for the Western Reserve Land Conservancy and SureSite Consulting Group, a provider of land development services for telecommunications companies. In addition to a law degree from the Cleveland-Marshall College of Law at Cleveland State University, Ryzner earned a master's degree in urban planning and a B.A. in urban studies at CSU. The mother of three is also active in the community with Near West Family Network, which works to satisfy community needs. — Stan Bullard

As general counsel for North and South American operations of De Nora, an electrochemical manufacturing and water technologies company, Brent Shelley has numerous responsibilities. He is responsible for merger and acquisition strategies, contract negotiation and management, litigation management, compliance matters and corporate governance across multiple De Nora industries. He also led the company’s Global COVID-19 Response Task Force, working with human resources and environmental, health and safety departments to develop effective protocols while navigating through the pandemic. “Brent is highly intelligent and pragmatic,” according to the nomination. “He is a great legal counsel and business partner to the management at De Nora.” Moreover, Shelley dedicates himself to the community. In 2009, he began volunteering at the Cleveland Chapter of Minds Matter, which provides academic support to high school students with low-income backgrounds, helping them attend and succeed in both college and their careers. He served in a variety of executive roles, including that of chapter president from 2015 to 2018. He currently serves on the board. Shelley earned his law degree from Vanderbilt University. — Leslie D. Green

SONALI BUSTAMANTE WILSON General counsel and board secretary Cleveland State University Sonali Bustamante Wilson understands higher education’s big picture. “Being in administration, I get the 1,000-foot view of education, so I can see how all the small operations affect the university on a broader level,” Cleveland State University’s general counsel and board secretary said in 2014. That view is evolving at colleges nationwide, including at Cleveland State. Officials' plans to embark on an ambitious “CSU 2.0” plan came after the university saw a 2% drop in full-time enrollment last fall. If the past is any indication, Wilson will play a role. Her work was called “absolutely critical” during previous periods of CSU’s growth. Her ties to the university are deep. She began her career there as a lecturer at the Cleveland-Marshall College of Law in 1996 and was named general counsel in 2004. Her second stint as secretary to the board of trustees kicked off last year. The Georgetown University Law Center graduate is a longtime member of the National Association of College and University Attorneys. She is also involved with several local organizations, including serving as the current chair of the United Way of Greater Cleveland’s public policy committee. — Amy Morona

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2021 NOTABLE GENERAL COUNSELS Q&A

'It requires everyone to buy in' JONATHAN LEIKEN has worked his way through two of Cleveland’s bumpier paths. As general counsel for Diebold Nixdorf, one of his first duties was to work the company toward and through dismissal of a purported securities class action in U.S. District Court, which he completed in April 2021. As a diehard Clevelander and Cleveland sports fan, he has navigated the ups-and-downs of his teams; Leiken savors the photo of three generations — him, his father and son Jaren — celebrating the Cleveland Cavaliers' 2016 championship. — Pat McManamon  CRAIN'S: How did you view your mission when you set out to work on the ethics and compliance program, and in gaining the SEC dismissal? LEIKEN: When I came aboard, I had represented the company for a number of years as outside counsel through two large Department of Justice and SEC investigations. My charge coming aboard was to help the company build and run a world-class global ethics and compliance program. We are very proud to run a company that cares about doing business the right way, ethically and according to the rules, and we were able to complete DOJ monitorship on time and under budget because of that.  Can you verbalize the size of that challenge? It requires everyone to buy in, from the board of directors to senior management to all the employees and stakeholders around the world. It

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means doing extra work to make sure that things are done the right way, and instituting structures and policies and protocols to bring it all together.  Why do things like inclusiveness and environmental stewardship matter? I would say companies more and more are judged for what kind of corporate citizen they are. How the company participates in the civic dialogue and how it provides a diverse and inclusive environment for its employees. All of those are table stakes for a company being a participant in the global economy.  Can you describe your leadership approach? I took a class in 2018 at Harvard Business School taught by a guy named Bill George, who was a CEO himself of a leading global business. The theme was finding your true north as a leader. The centerpiece of a person’s true north

is how they can serve. What can you do to empower people around you to help people to shine, bring about results that make others look good, and benefit the broader company and community?  How do the arts fit in your work and life? I was a member of the Shaker Heights Theater Arts Department, and many of my peers went on to be actors, directors, work on Broadway. I’ve been very fortunate to find creative outlets through my civic work. I play the keys and sing in a band called Rule 11 and the Sanctions, an all-lawyer band that performs at charity benefits. I’ve put on shows or musical evenings to benefit organizations like Legal Aid and the Rape Crisis Center. Producing the reading of "Our Town" is an ambitious project. We’ve had some Zoom rehearsals, and we’re all looking forward to having folks visit Grover’s Corners, New Hampshire, with us.

2021 Honoree Notable General Counsels

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18 | CRAIN’S CLEVELAND BUSINESS | AUGUST 16, 2021

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PLANNING FOR 2022 WHAT TO EXPECT

As financial and retirement planners frequently point out, it is never too early to begin planning for the future. With more than half of 2021 already in the rearview mirror, investors and advisers are looking ahead to how the next year may impact financial planning. Here are some key costs to be aware of as 2022 nears:

SLIGHT DROP IN ACA COSTS Consumers of the Affordable Care Act will see a small price drop in 2022. The maximum amount ACA participants will pay out of pocket for their health care will decrease by $400, according to new guidelines set by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. The most that consumers with an individual plan will shell out is $8,700, with the limit established at $17,400 for more than one person. The new rules also simplify the ACA registration process in between open enrollment periods.

PLAN FOR AN INCREASE IN SOCIAL SECURITY BENEFITS Social Security beneficiaries may see a bump in their benefits in 2022 due to rising inflation. According to estimates calculated by the Senior Citizens League, Social Security beneficiaries could get a 5% cost-of-living adjustment, which would be the highest in 13 years. Other economists estimate the range between 4.5% to 6.1%. This would be a significant adjustment compared with January 2021, which was a 1.3% increase, or approximately $20 a month for individuals. A 5% increase would add about $77 to the average monthly benefit.

COMPILED BY KATHY AMES CARR, CRAIN’S CONTENT STUDIO-CLEVELAND

ENSURE THE LEGACY OF YOUR FAMILY BUSINESS Own a small business? Family businesses that want to ensure their legacy endures for future generations should take the proper steps to plan for 2022 and beyond — this includes digitization, diversification, upskilling and family success plans, according to a 2021 Family Business Survey conducted by PwC.

LOOKING AHEAD TO RETIREMENT If you plan to retire in 2022, you’ll need to determine when you’ll apply for Social Security. Other items on the to-do list include exploring Medicare options, reviewing what to do with the money in your employer’s 401(k) plan (think rolling the money into an IRA with more flexibility when you take withdrawals) and reviewing your overall financial plan for retirement with trusted advisers.

HSA CONTRIBUTION LIMITS EDGING UP The health savings account contribution limits for 2022 are increasing by $50 for individual coverage and $200 for family coverage. The annual inflationadjusted limit on HSA contributions will be $3,650 for self-only and $7,300 for family coverage, which is about a 1.4% increase over 2021.

MAX OUT THAT ROTH Take advantage of maximizing your investment in a ROTH IRA, if you have not already done so. Contributions to a ROTH IRA grow tax-free, and all future withdrawals are tax-free. This year, the total contribution allowed is $6,000 (or $7,000 for individuals ages 50 and older). Investors have until April 15, 2022, to max out their 2021 ROTH investment.

SOURCES: AARP, IRS, KIPLINGER, PWC, SOCIETY FOR HUMAN RESOURCE MANAGEMENT

Four essential retirement tips to consider for the coming year MARY A. DURRA Vice President and Senior Financial Advisor NCA Financial Planners mdurra@ncafinancial.com 440-473-1115, ext. 211 Mary Durra is a Certified Financial Planner and Vice President and Senior Financial Advisor for NCA Financial Planners. Durra graduated magna cum laude from Kent State University with a bachelor’s degree in business administration with a concentration in marketing. She started with NCA in 1990 and has since become a seasoned veteran in the financial services industry. There is an abundance of things you need to do prior to retiring. A great place to start is to organize a checklist to ensure you address all your questions, concerns and issues. Here are four points to make sure you include on your list. HEALTH INSURANCE If you have employer-sponsored health insurance, you need to find out if it will carry over into retirement years. Some employers offer health insurance benefits for their retired employees, and some even extend the offer to spouses as well. Find out what coverage options for

which you are eligible and be ready to choose the one that best fits your situation. If employer-sponsored retiree health insurance is not an option, then you will need to shop for a Medicare supplement plan. Whether you have employer coverage or not, you will most likely need to enroll in Medicare at some point -- either immediately upon retirement, or, at age 65 if you retire at a younger age. RETIREMENT PLAN OPTIONS Investigate your retirement plan options. If you have a pension, find out the different monthly payout choices, and if a lump sum payout also is available. Determine whether

you should do any pension enhancement planning, such as choosing the single life option, and purchasing permanent life insurance to cover your spouse. If pension enhancement makes sense in your case, you need to begin the process well in advance of retirement to ensure that you have the coverage in place before signing any pension documents. If you are under age 59 ½, be aware of how to avoid an early withdrawal penalty. Know what options you will have for your 401(k), 403(b), or other retirement plan. Find out the process for rolling it over into an IRA, and when you will be able to do it — typically it is within a few weeks after your final paycheck. PRACTICE RETIREMENT SPENDING Live like you already are retired for at least 12 months before you actually do retire. Extra income should go straight into a savings account to build a cushion for any shortcomings in your plans for spending needs. Estimating spending needs is usually the most difficult task for pre-retirees many people answer this by delineating the sources of income they will have or listing the expenses that they won’t have any more.

What you actually need to do is take it a step further and understand everything you will need to spend money on when you’re retired — not only regular things like taxes and utilities, but also periodic things like vacations and house or car repairs. It is crucial to incorporate non-regular expenses into your planning. DELEGATE THE WORRY Make sure you have the right advisors to help with all your planning. You’ll want to consult with an insurance agent who specializes in Medicare supplements, and a financial advisor who understands pension enhancement planning and retirement income maximization techniques. Let them help guide you into retirement as stress-free as possible. Securities offered through Royal Alliance Associates, Inc. (RAA), Member FINRA/ SIPC. RAA is separately owned and other entities and/or marketing names, products or services referenced here are independent of RAA. RAA does not provide tax or legal advice. Investment advisory services offered through NCA Financial Planners.

This advertising-supported section/feature is produced by Crain’s Content Studio-Cleveland, the marketing storytelling arm of Crain’s Cleveland Business. The Crain’s Cleveland Business newsroom is not involved in creating Crain’s Content Studio content.

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CRAIN'S LIST | LAW FIRMS Ranked by number of local attorneys

FIRM

LOCAL ATTORNEYS/ PARTNERS

LOCAL PARTNERS FEMALE/ MINORITY

JONES DAY, Cleveland 216-586-3939/jonesday.com

175 68

BAKERHOSTETLER, Cleveland 216-621-0200/bakerlaw.com

LOCAL STAFF

FIRMWIDE ATTORNEYS

PRACTICE AREAS

TOP LOCAL EXECUTIVE

17 2

607

2,500

Full range of litigation and corporate practice areas

Heather Lennox, Cleveland partnerin-charge

157 79

20 3

361

995

Six core practice groups: business, digital assets and data management, IP, labor and employment, litigation, tax

Matthew Tenerowicz, Cleveland office managing partner

BENESCH, Cleveland 216-363-4500/beneschlaw.com

147 82

16 2

285

288

Corporate and securities, litigation, real estate, IP, health care, labor and employment

Gregg Eisenberg, managing partner

TUCKER ELLIS LLP, Cleveland 216-592-5000/tuckerellis.com

133 71

12 5

260

214

All types of litigation, transactional and intellectual property matters

Joe Morford, firm managing partner

THOMPSON HINE LLP, Cleveland 216-566-5500/thompsonhine.com

126 72

14 3

304

372

Litigation, corporate, real estate, construction, product liability, finance, environmental, cybersecurity, immigration, bankruptcy/restructuring, benefits, IP

Deborah Read, managing partner; Kip Bollin, Cleveland office partnerin-charge

CALFEE, HALTER & GRISWOLD LLP, Cleveland 216-622-8200/calfee.com

125 63

12 3

200

153

Corporate, M&A, securities, litigation, IP, government relations, labor, benefits, commercial, real estate, tax, estate planning

Brent Ballard, managing partner; Arthur Hall III, firm administrative partner; Cleveland partner-in-charge

SQUIRE PATTON BOGGS, Cleveland 216-479-8500/squirepb.com

100 42

10 2

211

1,500

Full suite of corporate, disputes, regulatory and public policy services

Frederick Nance, global managing partner; Michele Connell, managing partner, Cleveland

ULMER & BERNE LLP, Cleveland 216-583-7000/ulmer.com

88 43

14 3

176

173

Litigation, financial services, product liability, business law, real estate, IP, benefits/ERISA, immigration, health care, employment

Patricia Shlonsky, partner-in-charge, Cleveland office

MCDONALD HOPKINS LLC, Cleveland 216-348-5400/mcdonaldhopkins.com

84 47

9 1

158

156

Corporate, litigation, IP, restructuring, estate planning, real estate, M&A, health, banking, benefits

Shawn Riley, president

RANK

1 2 3 4 5

8 9 10 11

WALTER | HAVERFIELD, Cleveland 216-781-1212/walterhav.com

79 47

9 0

162

Business services, education, IP, labor/employment, hospitality and liquor control, litigation, public law, real estate, tax and wealth management

Ralph Cascarilla, managing partner

ROETZEL & ANDRESS LPA, Cleveland 216-623-0150/ralaw.com

76 53

15 2

167

164

Banking/finance, employment, energy/environmental, estates, health care, transportation, franchise, government, education, real estate, construction, IP

Robert Blackham, chairman, shareholder; Douglas Spiker, partner-in-charge, Cleveland

BROUSE MCDOWELL LPA, Akron 330-535-5711/brouse.com

74 46

17 1

124

Business restructuring/bankruptcy, corporate, cybersecurity, environmental, estates, health care, insurance recovery, labor/employment, litigation, real estate, construction, tax

Daniel Glessner, managing partner

WHERE BIG LAW MEETS THE MIDDLE MARKET Learn more at mcdonaldhopkins.com

HAHN LOESER & PARKS LLP, Cleveland 216-621-0150/hahnlaw.com

71 40

6 3

148

130

Commercial litigation, business, IP, estate planning, labor and employment, construction, creditors' rights, reorganization, bankruptcy

Stanley Gorom III, managing partner, CEO; Craig Owen White, partner-in-charge, Cleveland

FRANTZ WARD LLP, Cleveland 216-515-1660/frantzward.com

68 46

8 1

107

Bankruptcy/creditors' rights, construction, corporate, education, estate planning, health care, insurance, labor/employment, litigation, real estate, tax, family law

Christopher Keim, managing partner

15 16

REMINGER CO. LPA, Cleveland 216-687-1311/reminger.com

63 52

11 4

183

153

Medical malpractice, workers' compensation, estate planning, D&O and employment practices, professional liability, oil, natural gas, utilities

Stephen Walters, president, managing partner

BUCKINGHAM, DOOLITTLE & BURROUGHS LLC, Cleveland 216-621-5300/bdblaw.com

62 41

4 2

109

Business, litigation, employment and labor, real estate and construction, health and medicine, trusts and estates

Steven Dimengo, managing partner

TAFT STETTINIUS & HOLLISTER LLP, Cleveland 216-241-2838/taftlaw.com

61 37

9 4

106

632

Venture capital, real estate, M&A, litigation, employment, workers' compensation, IP, domestic relations, tax, public law

Jill Helfman, co-partner-in-charge, Cleveland; Adrian Thompson, copartner-in-charge, Cleveland; chief diversity officer

BRENNAN, MANNA & DIAMOND, Akron 330-253-5060/bmdllc.com

55 34

6 2

130

Health care, litigation, business, labor and employment, real estate, M&A, tax, estate planning

Matthew Heinle, president; Jack Diamond, CEO; Anthony Manna, chairman

VORYS, SATER, SEYMOUR AND PEASE LLP, Cleveland 216-479-6100/vorys.com

51 23

4 3

347

Corporate, litigation, bankruptcy/restructuring, health care, real estate, financing, IP, labor/employment, financial institutions

Anthony O'Malley, managing partner, Cleveland; J. Bret Treier, managing partner, Akron

KRUGLIAK, WILKINS, GRIFFITHS & DOUGHERTY CO. LPA, Canton 330-497-0700/kwgd.com

50 41

7 1

100

Corporate/business, commercial litigation, labor/employment, workers' compensation, oil and gas, real estate, health care, environmental

John Tucker, president, chairman

21 21

KJK, Cleveland 216-696-8700/kjk.com

42 23

5 1

Corporate, litigation, employment, real estate, finance, private equity, ecommerce, IP, incentives, startups, estates, domestic relations

Jon Pinney, managing partner

MEYERS, ROMAN, FRIEDBERG AND LEWIS, Woodmere 216-831-0042/meyersroman.com

42 26

7 1

Corporate, finance, employment, real estate, tax, litigation, construction, family law, estate planning, blockchain, cybersecurity, workers' compensation

Seth Briskin, managing partner

GALLAGHER SHARP LLP, Cleveland 216-241-5310/gallaghersharp.com

41 25

4 0

Litigation, insurance, legal malpractice, professional liability, railroad, trucking, aviation, maritime, product/employer liability, mass/toxic torts, appellate

Monica Sansalone, managing partner

24 25

WESTON HURD LLP, Cleveland 216-241-6602/westonhurd.com

36 28

4 1

Business advice, litigation, insurance, estate/probate, construction, employment, white collar crime, professional liability, real estate

Daniel Richards, managing partner

MCCARTHY, LEBIT, CRYSTAL & LIFFMAN CO. LPA, Cleveland 216-696-1422/mccarthylebit.com

34 22

4 0

Transactional, estate planning, tax, litigation, domestic relations, banking, property, personal injury, employment, alternative dispute resolution

Robert Glickman, managing principal

Research by Chuck Soder (csoder@crain.com) | Data as of June 30, 2021. Firms with equal numbers of Northeast Ohio attorneys are ranked by worldwide attorneys. Information is from the companies.

Get 77 firms, +300 executives and more contact info in Excel. Become a Data Member: CrainsCleveland.com/data 20 | CRAIN’S CLEVELAND BUSINESS | AUGUST 16, 2021

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DATA SCOOP

Northeast Ohio law firms vary in remote work policies BY JEREMY NOBILE

Many of Northeast Ohio’s legal services providers are embracing remote work as the world continues to cope with a global pandemic, according to a survey for Crain’s 2021 Law Firms list. It’s a change catching on in many sectors that may very well stick in a industry that tends to be rooted in tradition and the status quo. But not everyone is on board with work-from-home arrangements as standard protocol just yet. According to survey responses from 53 of the 77 firms on the full digital list, nearly 38% said they will allow lawyers to work remote to some extent — be that one or a few days a week — while 42% said their staff are back in the office full time or soon will be. About 12% said they’re still deciding. The remainder say their employees have never stopped working at the office and there are no plans to divert from that. Particularly at larger outfits, there is likely some tension between what firm managers want as they manage their staff and the use of expensive downtown real estate — which may feature opulent corner offices falling out of style for the more budget-conscious — and what their attorneys desire. According to a national survey conducted earlier this year by the American Bar Association, just 23% of lawyers indicated that they’d prefer being in the office four to five days a week. The other 77% say they prefer making some amount of consistent remote work standard, whether that means going into the office only on rare occasions, a couple of days or generally having flexible schedules week to week. A second question in the Crain's survey asked firms if they plan to reduce the size of their offices. Five out of 52 respondents, nearly 10%, said they will or have done so already. Twelve, or 23%, said they're discussing it. But the other 67% said they have no plans to change their use of space. Cleveland firm Weston Hurd, No. 24 on the list, became an example of that trend last summer when it announced it would move to AECOM Centre from Erieview Tower, cutting the size of its office from two

floors to one. On the other hand, McCarthy Lebit Crystal & Liffman Co. LPA, No. 25 on the list, set its move to 111 Superior Ave. in downtown Cleveland — the former Eaton Center building at Superior Avenue and East 12th Street that once housed Eaton Corp. executives — this spring. There, it will take up a bit more space than it previously occupied between its combined square footage at the Midland Building and some additional rooms at the Terminal Tower, which it used for mediation and arbitration. In the Crain’s survey, firms interested in seeing their attorneys in the office more often than not cite a need for active collaboration and in-person mentoring opportunities. Many list concerns with how firm culture could suffer the longer people are physically disconnected. It's a balancing act, to be sure. Firms embracing remote work to some extent tend to say they acknowledge that productivity can be achieved all the same. These respondents permit remote work in acknowledgment of the flexibility it provides attorneys dealing with childcare and changing school hours. Several cite virtual work opportunities as a tool for recruiting and retaining people in a competitive market for talent. As the Delta variant becomes more widespread, firms continue to grapple with vaccination protocols. According to a recent report by The American Lawyer, the majority of Am Law 200 firms are either publicly silent about vaccine policies or say they are “still evaluating” them. Rebecca Ruppert McMahon, CEO of the Cleveland Metropolitan Bar Association, said she sees at many firms a “real divide” on being vaccinated or not between lawyers in an organization and administrative staff. Most firms are saying vaccines are not mandatory, but strongly recommended. There are attorneys and support staff alike drawing lines in the sand saying they won’t get vaccinated or return to the office permanently. Whether or not all or most of a firm’s employees are vaccinated, or required to be, is yet another factor shaping opinions on a return to the office. Jeremy Nobile: jnobile@crain.com, (216) 771-5362, @JeremyNobile

Law firms’ remote work policies 7.55%

worked in the office through the pandemic

43.40%

are back or will soon be back full time

11.32%

are still deciding

1.89%

can work remotely full time

37.74%

will allow some remote work

30.19%

can work remotely a few days a week SOURCE: CRAIN’S SURVEY OF 53 OF THE MARKET’S LARGEST FIRMS

5.66%

can work remotely one day a week

Mike Alemagno, executive chef at Great Lakes Brewing Co., blows out the flame as he cooks down bourbon for a bourbon and maple glaze before lunch service on Wednesday. | GUS CHAN FOR CRAIN’S CLEVELAND BUSINESS

STAFFING

From Page 1

Great Lakes general manager Mychael Montgomery has been coming in on his two days off to host open interviews as he scrambles to fill positions. Great Lakes is in need of workers on the brewery side as well, and the HR team is tied up with filling posts there. Montgomery is grinding to pick up slack where he can at the restaurant. And that goes beyond hiring, where Great Lakes has been trying to entice applicants with $15 hourly wages and $600 sign-on bonuses. An industry vet with 20 years of restaurant management experience, Montgomery has few qualms about stepping up wherever he’s needed. But being short-staffed means he’s spending more time than he should be at the host stand, behind the bar and cleaning tables. “There is a lot of managing going on from working a position, which isn’t optimal,” Montgomery said. “But if I have to come in and be a host, or barback or bus tables for a shift, it is also just what we have to do. The bench is not deep right now. So if your barbacker calls off, you just don’t really have anyone else to fall back on.”

Trimming unemployment benefits hasn't helped According to the latest Ohio Restaurant Association survey, 90% of restaurants across the state are grappling with staffing issues. Association CEO John Barker said it’s an especially frustrating situation for a pandemic-pummeled industry that’s been angling for a rebound through the summer. The challenge is getting enough people to capitalize on the business that’s out there while juggling rising food costs and further pandemic uncertainty with the rise of the Delta variant. The association is among trade groups that lobbied for Gov. Mike DeWine to end Federal Pandemic Unemployment Compensation — which was providing people an extra $300 per week — earlier than necessary. That additional cash was cut off in late June. Doing so erased as much as $1 billion in spending money Ohioans would’ve had in their pockets otherwise, according to progressive think tank Policy Matters Ohio. The group

has called the move a mistake in terms of supporting the state's economy. Hannah Halbert, executive director of Policy Matters Ohio, notes that a motivation among proponents wantC Ring AIN C LFPUC E V E Learly A N DinB Ohio U S I Nwas E S Sthe| to’ Shalt “cruel” idea that it would push individuals back into the workforce. For restaurants, that doesn't seem to be happening. Data show that as of July, Ohio has nearly 95% of the total jobs it did in February 2020. However, the accommodation and food services industry has 14% fewer jobs today than it did then. Policy Matters reports that jobs in the sector are recovering more slowly in Ohio than in the nation overall, where employment is down nearly 12% from its pre-COVID levels. “That’s why I say of this idea that you cut people off and starve them then they suddenly show up to your job, that just doesn’t hold water,” Halbert said. “There is no easy fix to what we are seeing in labor markets right

now.” To be sure, the service industry is a demanding field. Many former workers in that sector have taken jobs that offer better pay, benefits and flexibilities. This is naturally driving up wagSes E Pand T E Mimproving B E R 3 - 9 ,perks 2 018at restaurants | PA G E 21 jockeying for people. But it’s not been enough.

Too many cooks? Not in these kitchens At the Flat Iron Café one mile away from Great Lakes, business is booming. The historic Irish bar and restaurant — a popular spot for watching Cleveland Indians games — is still open seven days a week. However, co-owner David Steele says maintaining that is “becoming very difficult.” He’s up to 26 employees but needs a couple more and simply can’t get them. He’d stay open later if he had the staff. See STAFFING on Page 22

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MORTGAGE

From Page 1

“It shows people that I beat the odds,” said the 24-year-old, who began working as a nursing assistant at the Cleveland Clinic a few years ago and now is pursuing a degree in business administration. "I was a teenage mom. I dropped out of college. I was on government assistance." Quarles was one of the first recipients of a Believe Mortgage from CHN Housing Capital, the lending arm of CHN Housing Partners. The Cleveland-based nonprofit has been expanding its toolbox — with home-purchase loans, home-repair loans and other offerings — in a quest to make homeownership broadly accessible and sustainable. CHN Housing Capital can originate mortgages of $20,000 to $250,000, but the program’s sweet spot is loans of $70,000 or less — so-called small-dollar debt that can be tough to find. Since early April, when the product debuted, CHN Housing Capital has received more than 500 inquiries from potential homebuyers. Thirteen clients have closed on purchases or are near closing. And 35 applicants have prequalified for a loan but still are looking for houses. The 30-year, fixed-rate mortgages are available in Cuyahoga and Lorain counties. Buyers must have a credit score of at least 570 and put down at least 3% of the purchase price, though low-income borrowers can tap down-payment assistance programs to come up with those funds. CHN Housing Capital does not require borrowers to pay for private mortgage insurance, which can add to the cost of a conventional home loan for buyers without much cash on hand. “Part of what we want to do with this product is to have people believe that ownership is attainable,” said Kevin Nowak, CHN’s executive director. Before working with a loan officer at CHN, Quarles wasn’t sure that homeownership was in reach — even at a purchase price of $57,000. Despite saving toward a down payment and working to boost her credit score, she had been turned down for a first-time buyer loan insured by the Federal Housing Administration. Through CHN, Quarles learned that she was eligible for Greater Circle Living, a privately funded incentive program for employees of certain University Circle-area nonprofit institutions. As a homebuyer in Glenville, near the Cleveland Clinic’s main campus, she received a $30,000 interest-free loan. If she stays in the house for five years

STAFFING

From Page 21

Steele is personally picking up shifts in the kitchen and at the bar to make ends meet. In some instances, he has spent time training staff, only for them to abruptly leave for other jobs that pay well and aren’t in hospitality. Some left for Amazon. All of Steele’s cooks are making $15 or more an hour. Dishwashers — who historically have been paid close to minimum wage — are being paid in the range of $12 to $13 an hour. “I thought increasing the pay would help out a lot, but it really hasn’t,” Steele said. “It’s pretty brutal out there.” Many people, he said, simply don’t want to work in the hospitality industry anymore. Many of those who were good at it have taken jobs in other fields since the pandemic brought mass lay-

Top: Latrice Ward, 7, plays with her brother, Darien Griffin Jr., 3, and the family dog, Max, on Thursday. Above: Danielle Quarles fixes her daughter, Latrice’s, hair, while Darien watches. | GUS CHAN PHOTOS FOR CRAIN’S CLEVELAND BUSINESS

and works for a participating employer until mid-2026, she won’t have to repay any of that money. Separately, Quarles took out a $26,790 Believe Mortgage from CHN. At closing, she paid only $285, she said. Her monthly mortgage payment, including taxes and insurance, is $292 — for a house where she paid $750 a month as a tenant. “I have the opportunity to live comfortably,” said Quarles, who recently put in laminate flooring on the first floor of the house and took her children, 7-year-old Latrice and 3-yearold Darien Jr., on a trip to Florida. “I

don’t have to live paycheck to paycheck, and I’m able to do more activities with my kids now. It’s like a burden was taken off of me.” Housing researchers argue that small-dollar loans are an essential tool for stabilizing neighborhoods and building wealth in Northeast Ohio and other places where there still are plenty of cheap homes — but considerable financial and educational barriers to ownership. As renters like Quarles become buyers, they’ll not only save money. They’ll also help to combat the cycle of distress in communities where ag-

ing houses often change hands every few years, passing from one far-flung investor to the next under a series of property managers. In June, 66-year-old Shirley Jones used a Believe Mortgage to buy a four-bedroom house that she and her family had been renting in Cleveland’s Mount Pleasant neighborhood. She paid $61,900 for the bungalow, previously owned by a Texas-based limited liability company. Jones and her son, Donte, and daughter-in-law, Taiesha, had been paying $850 a month in rent. They owe $460 a month on the mortgage. But

offs in the service industry and forced them to rethink their careers. Steele is happy to see patrons coming back. He has a core customer base and is seeing more guests thanks to development in the Flats and the nearby bike trails, which are channeling traffic toward his area. But he and his business partner have run the Flat Iron for almost 14 years, and Steele says they feel an itch to focus on larger aspects of the enterprise that they just can’t scratch right now. “Business is great. But I just need to step away from the fryer and the dishwasher and focus on improving the business and capitalizing on the opportunities in front of us,” Steele said. “It’s just been really difficult trying to do that.” Johnny’s Downtown and its accompanying dive, Johnny’s Little Bar, are busy as well. But both need help, par-

ticularly in the kitchen, said general manager Dave Flowers. The restaurants are operating with shortened hours and closing earlier in the night than they’d like to. With the Cleveland Browns season around the corner, Flowers said there is some anxiety about whether they’ll have the people to staff additional shifts, including mornings for Sunday football games. “We are trying to combat the staffing issue,” Flowers said. “But we are doing it on bare bones.”

especially with business under full employment levels. Torres’ business has been closing early on certain days because of staffing woes, which means leaving money on the table. Addressing the staffing situation means changing the perception of what it means to work in restaurants, she said. That will require not just telling people they can have a good career in the field, but showing that’s possible. This means being more flexible with schedules than has traditionally been the case and providing better benefits. Others may want to embrace profit-sharing (which Torres says she does) to allow staff to participate in the upside of the business after especially busy days. “At the core of this issue is a monumental shift in the way people think about their work-life balance. They

'We need to make the industry more attractive' Laurie Torres, owner of Cleveland’s Mallorca and soon-to-be president of Cleveland Independents, a coalition of locally owned restaurants, said the hospitality industry will take the longest to recover of any business sector,

they’ve decided to continue paying $850, putting the extra $390 each month toward principal. “It’s better to pay yourself instead of someone else,” declared Taiesha Jones, a 39-year-old home health care worker. Industry experts point to loan-officer compensation and banking regulations as hurdles for small-dollar borrowers, who also face appraisal challenges and competition from investors paying cash in low-cost neighborhoods. “Loan origination costs are largely fixed and recovered either through the sale of the loan or through the financing spread and payment for service,” researchers from the Urban Institute, a think tank based in Washington, D.C., wrote in a 2018 report. “Smaller loans generate lower sales prices, spreads, and servicing income, making them less economically attractive to lenders.” Since 2010, CHN Housing Partners has been making small loans, typically $10,000 to $15,000, to participants in the nonprofit’s longstanding lease-purchase program, which offers low-income families the chance to rent newly built homes and, after 15 years, to become owners. The Believe Mortgage expands on that work, going far beyond the roughly 2,200 houses that CHN has developed. CHN Housing Capital takes on the costs of originating the loans, using philanthropic money to offset its expenses. The lender will sell the mortgages to banks willing to hold the debt — generating cash to make additional loans. Huntington Bank is the only buyer so far, but CHN is in talks with other investors. “We’re hoping to build this to 100plus loans a year,” Nowak said. Borrowers must complete a firsttime homebuyer class before closing. They also have access to other CHN programs and services, including home-repair loans of up to $8,000. “It seems to me that this is a really important program, particularly when you add in the buyer support, financial literacy and other things,” said Frank Ford, a housing-policy researcher who has studied small-dollar lending in Cuyahoga County. But, Ford said, “I’m not sure that one nonprofit organization will have the capacity to meet the size of the need that exists in the East Side of Cleveland and the east inner suburbs. ... I’m not prepared to let mainstream lenders off the hook with their own obligations to meet credit needs." Michelle Jarboe: michelle.jarboe@ crain.com, (216) 771-5437, @mjarboe went through COVID, realized it was nice to have dinner more often with the family and not work every Saturday. And they start to think, why am I doing this? What is the reward system?,” she said. “It used to be the money. But that doesn’t work as well if someone can make $20 an hour folding sweaters at Marshalls.” It’s going to be a hard shift to make, she said, noting there’s a “level of ego that goes with owning your own business.” “You will feel that you worked hard for it and it's yours and you should get to keep the lion’s share of money,” Torres said. “But you have to start thinking about the people who work for you as equal to you in the sense of their value at the restaurant. We need to make the industry more attractive.” Jeremy Nobile: jnobile@crain.com, (216) 771-5362, @JeremyNobile

22 | CRAIN’S CLEVELAND BUSINESS | AUGUST 16, 2021

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PEOPLE ON THE MOVE

Advertising Section To place your listing, visit www.crainscleveland.com/people-on-the-move or, for more information, contact Debora Stein at 917.226.5470 / dstein@crain.com crainscleveland.com

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We are pleased to announce that Ryan Dalpiaz has been promoted to Assurance Senior Manager. He has approximately ten years of experience in public accounting providing professional services and business advice to a diversified base of clientele. Ryan specializes in the business and professional services and technology industries and is aligned with the audit practice in Ohio. Clients include private equity backed and privately held companies.

We are pleased to announce that Julie Peters has been promoted to Senior Director in RSM’s Technical Accounting Consulting (TAC) practice. Julie provides technical accounting services to a broad client base since joining our TAC practice in 2018, specializing in helping clients navigate complex new accounting standards. Julie also leads our real estate team within our TAC practice. Julie was previously part of RSM’s audit practice since 2008, after starting her career at a Big Four firm.

Marcel Glenn joins Falls & Co. as a Digital Producer. Previously, he owned a freelance design company, Celmation Design, LLC, where he developed innovative visual concepts and designs. Marcel has a breadth of experience in video editing, photo manipulation, and logo and web banner design. He has worked with brands such as Wendy’s, Wells Fargo, The Limited, Alliance Data and McGraw-Hill Education. Marcel has a bachelor’s degree in graphic arts from The Ohio State University. www.FallsandCo.com

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K. Kelly Hancock, DNP, RN, NE-BC, FAAN, Chief Caregiver Officer for Cleveland Clinic health system, has been named Board President of the Hancock Cleveland American Heart Association (AHA). Nick C. Liberatore, Vice President, Controller of the Fluid Connectors Group of Parker Hannifin Corporation, has been named Board Chair of the Association. Both will work to accomplish the revenue and health goals of the Cleveland Liberatore AHA, with Hancock also serving as medical spokesperson for the Association. The AHA is the nation’s oldest and largest voluntary organization dedicated to fighting cardiovascular diseases, with health equity at its core.

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Robin Suttell re-joins Falls & Co. as an Account Manager on the Communications team. After 11 years with the agency previously, Robin spent the last three years in the corporate world as a content marketer for Onix, concentrating on cloud infrastructure collaboration solutions and change management communications. As a stellar writer, communicator and media relations professional, we’re thrilled to have her back. Robin earned her bachelor’s degree from Kent State University. www.FallsandCo.com

Kerry Woloszynek joins Falls & Co. as a Senior Account Manager, Advertising. With more than 13 years of marketing experience, Kerry has helped drive regional marketing efforts, fan engagement and development, partnership activations, and strategic campaigns and creative executions for the Cleveland Cavaliers. Prior to that, Kerry was a marketing and promotions manager at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Kerry earned her bachelor’s degree from Baldwin Wallace University. www.FallsandCo.com

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RSM US LLP We are pleased to announce that Tony Gerhart has been promoted to Assurance Senior Manager. He has approximately ten years of experience in public accounting, serving a wide range of closely held and private equity-owned companies primarily in the manufacturing, distribution and professional services industries and employee benefit plans.

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Dress for Success Cleveland Melony Butler has been named Chief Executive Officer of Dress for Success Cleveland (DFSC). Melony joined DFSC in 2000 as Office Manager and became the Executive Director in 2011. Melony’s leadership and commitment is unmatched and has been instrumental in developing community and corporate partnerships throughout Northeast Ohio. As a result, Dress for Success Cleveland now offers a full continuum of services to meet the critical needs of a diverse demographic of women.

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