Crain's Cleveland Business

NOTABLE ENTREPRENEURS: Business leaders who can help grow and sustain the area post-pandemic. PAGE 10

CRAINSCLEVELAND.COM I OCTOBER 25, 2021

Deal gives ports more breadth to issue bonds JobsOhio to put $50 million into reserves for regional funds to boost real estate, business

BY MICHELLE JARBOE

A new contract between JobsOhio and six port authorities promises to boost funding for real estate and business projects across the state.

The private, nonprofit economic-development corporation is putting $50 million into reserves for five regional bond funds, including programs sponsored by the Cleveland-Cuyahoga County Port Authority and the Development Finance Authority of Summit County.

That deal, the result of 18

months of discussions, will give the ports the collective wiggle room to issue hundreds of millions of dollars in additional bonds.

The investment-grade bond funds provide fixed-rate, longterm financing for business expansions and, increasingly, public infrastructure costs associated with private development.

In Northeast Ohio, for example, the Cleveland and Akron-area ports have issued bonds tied to corporate headquarters buildings, the Cleveland Cavaliers’ suburban See JOBSOHIO on Page 29

Products and problems The EY-Innovation Hub at Nottingham Spirk wants to do innovation differently

BY KIM PALMER All Pro Now driver Tim Kahoe uses straps to secure a load in the back of his Sprinter van. | MICHELLE JARBOE/CRAIN’S CLEVELAND BUSINESS

THE HOME STRETCH All Pro Now Delivery aims to be the Uber of last-mile logistics BY MICHELLE JARBOE It’s 8:30 a.m. on a Wednesday when Tim Kahoe hops into a Sprinter van outside a farm-like office complex in Westlake.

Over the next three hours, he dashes among warehouses in Strongsville, Brecksville and Solon, dropping off packed pallets to manufacturers. As Kahoe navigates winding roads and sips an energy drink, his phone pings, signaling another addition to his route.

By the end of that mid-October day, Kahoe and his fellow drivers at All Pro Now Delivery finished 109 jobs, transporting everything from payroll envelopes to automotive parts. It was a near-record run for a startup company trying to position itself as the Uber of last-mile logistics.

See LOGISTICS on Page 28 VOL. 42, NO. 39 l COPYRIGHT 2021 CRAIN COMMUNICATIONS INC. l ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

Q&A WITH CHRIS GESSNER Being independent ‘helps define the culture,’ says the new leader of Akron Children’s Hospital. PAGE 6

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For Ernst & Young, opening up an Innovation Hub as it did last week in Cleveland is not anything novel.

EY has been on the forefront of the global explosion of business accelerators, incubators and innovation centers as the need to fasttrack business growth and tech adoption has become more urgent.

And although the EY-Innovation Hub is one of more than a dozen such facilities the global tax and professional services giant has in North American alone, it’s the collaboration with Nottingham Spirk, the 50-year-old design, engineering and commercialization firm, that makes it unique, said EY’s Jerry Gootee.

See HUB on Page 28

“THE PANDEMIC HAS REALLY, IN THE PAST YEAR AND A HALF, CAUSED HUGE DEMAND FOR THIS TYPE OF BUSINESS.” — Matt Knittle, All Pro Now Delivery president and chief operating officer

THE

LAND SCAPE

Representatives from Ernst & Young and Nottingham Spirk cut the ribbon officially opening the joint Innovation Hub on Tuesday in Cleveland. | CONTRIBUTED

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MANUFACTURING

Growth plan is paying off for Olympic Steel

BY RACHEL ABBEY MCCAFFERTY

Olympic Steel Inc. saw its most profitable quarter ever in the second quarter of 2021.

The Bedford Heights-based metals service center saw net income for the quarter of $29.6 million. Adjusted EBITDA was $51.7 million, and sales were $556 million.

The metals industry has been seeing record-high prices, but Olympic Steel CEO Richard T. Marabito thinks there’s more to the story.

“Sure, the steel business is really strong, but we’re doing a lot of good blocking and tackling and disciplines inside the company, and then the strategy and the investments that we’re doing on top of that, I think we’re really starting to harness a Marabito lot of the power of Olympic Steel. And sticking to the strategy and disciplines is paying dividends,” Marabito said.

Marabito has been at Olympic Steel since 1994, taking on the CEO role at the start of 2019.

About 10 years ago, almost all — about 95% to 97% — of Olympic Steel’s business was in carbon flat, Marabito said. The company decided it wanted to focus on growth, adding more products like stainless and more processing services.

The company acquired Chicago Tube and Iron, entering the pipe and tube business in 2011. That also offered expansion into specialty metals, as the company had stainless and carbon in its portfolio.

Today, Olympic Steel has three segments: carbon flat, pipe and tube, and specialty metals, which is made of flat rolled aluminum and stainless steel. Carbon flat, the company’s original core business, makes up about 50% of its business now, Marabito said. While Olympic Steel has continued to invest in its carbon business, its other segments have grown comparatively.

And as the company began offering more processing services, it made sense to add an end product to its portfolio. In early 2019, Olympic Steel acquired McCullough Industries Inc., a maker of industrial hoppers. Later that year, it also acquired assets from a company called EZ-Dumper, which makes hydraulic dump inserts for pick-up trucks.

Most recently, Olympic Steel acquired the assets of Georgia-based Shaw Stainless & Alloy Inc. The acquisition in early October is the company’s fifth in four years, and it aligns almost perfectly with its growth strategy. Marabito said the company expands Olympic Steel’s stainless business, adds a lot of “high-end fabricating” to its offerings and brings another end product on board. Shaw makes bollards, which are used in streetscaping or roadway design.

“We love it. We think it’s going to be a great growth platform for us,” Marabito said. “We think we add a lot of synergies from the Olympic Steel base to be able to grow that business.”

Olympic Steel also recently sold its Detroit assets, opting to liquidate that business and investing the funds

Metals service center Olympic Steel Inc. has been investing in growth in recent years. | OLYMPIC STEEL INC. PHOTOS

back into areas like the Shaw acquisition. That acquisition, of which terms were not disclosed, only used a portion of the funds from the Detroit sale, but Marabito said he expects it will fill the “profitability hole” left by the divestiture.

Ultimately, Olympic Steel’s M&A strategy is focused on companies that can offer an “immediate accretive return” and where the value is well above the cost of capital, Mara-

bito said.

“What we’re investing in are, I believe, the needle-movers for us going forward, in terms of our return portfolio,” he said.

In addition to acquisitive growth, the company has also been working on organic growth. Olympic Steel has about 40 locations, and the goal is that all grow by adding new markets and customers and investing in new equipment. Marabito noted that

there’s a particular focus on adding automation solutions for reasons of safety and efficiency. And, as the labor market remains tight, he said he thinks adding more automation will allow the company to continue its growth.

Traditionally, Olympic Steel’s margins have been thin as it’s a buy-sell business, said Phil Gibbs, director and equity research analyst at KeyBanc Capital Markets Inc. But its investments in end-products in recent years could add higher returns.

Gibbs has been covering steel since 2006 and said he’s never seen a pricing cycle with the “pace and magnitude” of inflation as the current one. The price of hot rolled coil has been about $650 a ton on average the past 10 years, he said. Last summer, that dropped to about $450 a ton before increasing to about $1,900 a ton over the past 52 to 60 weeks. And that was a particularly long cycle of growth, as these cycles usually last about 15 to 20 weeks with far less change, Gibbs said.

All this means steel has been extremely strong. Gibbs said he thinks

that pricing cycle ended about four to eight weeks ago, having plateaued and begun to decrease as supply started to better meet demand. And he said he’s expecting prices to come down “sharply” once supply is available.

Gains on inventory have been strong for steel service centers like Olympic Steel, Gibbs said, but costs have been high, too. As prices go down, centers are expected to see profits decline, but to “wring out” more cash, he said.

Marabito isn’t concerned about the coming market. In the shortterm, Marabito said he believes there’s a lot of “pent-up demand” in the market. The supply chain won’t get fixed overnight, but as the challenges are alleviated over time, he thinks U.S. manufacturing will be strong.

“The dynamic out there that we see is that our customers have demand that they just can’t produce to because of all the supply chain disruptions,” Marabito said.

Rachel Abbey McCafferty: (216) 771-5379, rmccafferty@crain.com

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AKRON

East Canton’s Barbco has hopes pinned on infrastructure bill

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Barbco, an East Canton company that makes underground boring equipment, has been growing at a good clip since it was founded just over 30 years ago — and this year is shaping up to be the company’s best ever in terms of sales.

Now the company is hoping Congress can find a way to come together on an infrastructure package, which Barbco executives say would pump billions of dollars into projects around the country that would employ Barbco’s products and enable it to continue and possibly accelerate its growth.

The company, which was started in 1989 by Jim Barbera, has grown to about 80 employees, along with another 15 at its subsidiary, Trenchless Rental Solutions, here and in Colorado.

It makes things like boring machines, directional drills and augers, and in recent years it’s seen revenues increase, largely due to sales to the oil and gas industry.

“We’re projected to hit $20 million (in 2021), which would be our best year ever,” said Jim Barbera, the son of the company’s founder, a current owner and Barbco’s chief operating officer. Barbera said that after substantial growth in 2017 and 2018, sales fell to about $14 million before rebounding to more than $15 million last year.

But oil and gas is only one industry that uses the company’s equipment. Barbco’s technology, products and engineering are also used for such things as digging tunnels under roads or rivers, so that sewer pipes or other infrastructure can be installed, or for installing things like underground electric and natural gas distribution lines in already-developed environments.

All of those activities are expect-

ed to get substantial additional funding if Congress approves a $1 trillion infrastructure bill as promised — but the deal is far from done.

The bill, already passed by the Senate, has been caught in a crossfire. One on side are progressive House Democrats who say they won’t vote on the matter until the Senate also signs off on a larger bill that includes climate and social programs. Opposing them are moderate Democratic Sens. Joe Manchin and Kyrsten Sinema, who object to the scope and some elements of the House progressives’ larger plan and say they won’t approve it unless it shrinks from about $3.5 trillion to $2 trillion in proposed spending — and loses key components, such as those dealing with climate change.

But if Congress does move on the $1 trillion pure infrastructure plan — with or without the larger spending plan — it will be huge for Barbco, said Barbera.

He’s optimistic.

“Oh yeah, no doubt about it. It’s going to move the ball on infrastructure, and that’s going to produce sales,” Barbera said. “It’s going to have a huge effect on a lot of companies, whether it’s a contractor or a manufacturer like us.”

If Congress does act, the spending couldn’t come at a better time for Barbco. That’s because, Barbera notes, infrastructure work increasingly requires underground boring, simply because more of it is being installed around and beneath existing developments, roads and natural impediments.

The National Utility Contractors Association — which formed a Trenchless Contractors Department in 2019 to better highlight the industry’s latest capabilities — says 30% of utility infrastructure installations now rely on trench-

Barbco’s big boring machines are sometimes lowered into p

Barbco augers are used to drill underground for things like pipelines and infrastructure installation.

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Not to mention that, in the trenchless world, Barbco is a big deal. In March, Barbera’s father and company founder James S. Barbera was posthumously inducted in the North American Society for Trenchless Technology (NASTT) at the organization’s “No-Dig Show” in Florida.

Engineers say the proposed new spending would have a considerable impact for many.

“There’s about $550 billion (in new spending) in that bill, so there’s a lot of spending on top of base spending,” said Craig Hebebrand, president of the Cleveland Section of the American Society of Civil Engineers’ Ohio Council. “All components of the industry should benefit from that.”

Ohio, in particular, could use the money, since it has a large backlog of infrastructure projects, Hebebrand said, and infrastructure spending would benefit many companies and communi-

ties.

“I think it’s going to be distributed widely — that’s one of the benefits of investing in infrastructure: it gets distributed everywhere,” Hebebrand said. “I think just about everyone has a backlog of projects they want to move.”

In the meantime, Barbco isn’t waiting and is chasing other work — including along U.S. Route 30, which is being expanded into an expressway between Canton and State Route 44.

“They’re talking about running a lot of utilities down the median.

We’re telling them, ‘You need to go trenchless and underground,’ and we have some folks listening to us, including our county commissioners,” said Thomas Schmidt, Barbco’s vice president of business development.

Dan Shingler: dshingler@crain.com, (216) 771-5290, @DanShingler

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Q&A

‘Outstanding service requires outstanding people,’ new Akron Children’s Hospital CEO says The former president of a children’s hospital in western Pennsylvania, Chris Gessner is thrilled to once again be at the helm of a pediatric health care facility, and one he has long admired: Akron Children’s Hospital.

Gessner took over as president and CEO on Oct. 18, succeeding Grace Wakulchik, who retired after nearly 30 years with the hospital, the final two of which she spent serving as its leader.

Gessner joins Akron Children’s from UCHealth University of Colorado Hospital, where he has been president and CEO since 2019. Before that, he was president of the Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh, part of the UPMC Health System, in addition to other administrative roles.

In his time at Pittsburgh, he got to know William Considine, Wakulchik’s predecessor who led the hospital for nearly 40 years.

“I think the legacy that Bill started and Grace continued and took to the next level is just this culture of caring and is so apparent when you walk into the hospital,” Gessner said in a recent conversation with Crain’s Cleveland Business.

Being able to walk into that culture of pride, deep caring and teamwork “makes you feel like regardless of the strategies we employ, we will find a way, because our values and principles are so strong and ingrained here that we will adapt and respond, work together as a team and achieve our goals,” he said.

The conversation below has been edited for length and clarity.

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 Why do you want to lead Akron Children’s Hospital?

For me, I had spent a long time working at a children’s hospital. So first and foremost, I missed working a children’s hospital. My dad’s a pediatrician, so I guess it might be the family business or in my blood, but I always enjoyed that feeling of responsibility to the community. I think children’s hospitals are deeply connected to the community. And I felt this responsibility when I was working in the children’s hospital in western Pennsylvania, in Pittsburgh, for the parents of the community to really be able to provide the best possible care for their child. And then the fact that I had always been an admirer of Akron Children’s from a distance. I’ve always been impressed with their ability to be so ingrained in this community and so supported and really meet the needs and be very mission-driven.  Now that you’re here, what are some of the first steps that you want to take and what are your goals?

For the first 90 days or so, I really need to engage with lots of different people: my leadership team, the front line staff and physicians of the hospital, key community stakeholders, the board. I need to learn the communities that we serve in Northeast Ohio. In terms of long-term, I think there’s a real opportunity for us to be a leader in pediatric population health. And we have a huge network presence, strong primary care, behavioral health integrated, all the

different specialties, great partners, great community support. So that goal of improving health status, and not just being an episodic provider of care.

Helping people when they’re sick, but also then connecting with them throughout their entire health journey so that they stay healthy and achieve their maximum potential is something that I think we can really excel in long term.  You’ve mentioned access to behavioral health care is important to you; it’s something you worked in previously, especially when it comes to integration with clinical and primary care. How do you hope to expand that at the hospital?

I think they are like-minded here.

They’ve already seen the value of behavioral health professionals working side-by-side with medical professionals, and that’s true whether it’s in pediatrics or adult medicine.

You just see improved outcomes. (I) was really happy to see that Akron Children’s has tons of enthusiasm for this. So I really think what we’re going to be doing now is taking it to the next level, expanding our locations, developing different types of therapies in different locations, group therapies, partial hospitalization programs, and also really taking advantage of virtual health and telemedicine, and the convenience of that service, which lends itself very well to behavioral health.  How is Akron Children’s grappling with some of the pressures

in the health care workforce right now?

I think Akron Children’s has been very proactive in responding to the staffing shortage, which is an absolute reality, and I don’t think it’s going to change any time soon. In the last three months, I think we’ve had a high of about 560 vacancies, and we have about 6,600 employees.

We typically have maybe 300-325 vacancies. So to give you that context of what we’re dealing with in terms of an extra challenge, that’s it. And that’s really across the board: nurses, respiratory therapists, technicians, medical assistants in outpatient offices, it’s a spattering of different types of health care professionals.

We’re also looking at compensation reviews like all the other health care entities. You know the labor market is very fluid and dynamic, so we have to make sure we’re paying fairly.

We’ve invited certain retirees to come back to roles. We’ve temporarily reassigned some staff in non-direct clinical roles to patient care roles.

And then we’re looking a lot at our resiliency programs, because we know there’s been a lot of burnout and trauma for front line staff related to this pandemic. We’ve also embraced remote working where possible.  What are some of the biggest opportunities for Akron Children’s?

I think we’re all trying to figure out at Akron Children’s how we can expand our research program into child health. And that’s an expensive initiative, so we’re trying to figure out the right niche there and how to partner with the right academic partners to take that research program to the next level. Research helps advance knowledge for society in the future, but it’s also a huge attraction for top-quality clinicians. And providing outstanding service requires outstanding people. We’ve been very fortunate to have great physicians and clinicians here at Akron Children’s, but you always want to position yourself for the future, and that’s an area where we need to spend some time and think about how do we really ramp up and enhance our research programs.  Akron Children’s is one of the few remaining independent hospitals in Northeast Ohio. Is that independent status a priority for you and the board, and will it be going forward?

I would say it’s a huge priority. The board believes firmly — and I support this — that it is a difference maker for Akron Children’s. It helps define the culture, and it helps make sure that the hospital itself is incredibly responsive to the community needs in the pediatric area. I feel very confident that we can maintain that independent status. The primary care network that we have positions us well for the future of health care.

It’s very strategic. It creates this population of patients that’s ours to really care for, and it really helps us I think in that world of value-based health care.

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NONPROFITS

Nonprofits stretch to compete in tight labor market

BY LYDIA COUTRÉ

Corporations desperate to snag workers are offering sign-on bonuses and other incentives, while nonprofits are stretching their resources and getting creative to attract and keep workers in the tight labor market.

As they struggle to get candidates in the door and new employees on the job, unfilled roles can mean temporarily cutting back on services, including child care offerings.

This can create a “vicious cycle,” said Major Thomas Applin, divisional secretary for the Salvation Army of Greater Cleveland, which has had to temporarily cease its preschool and after-school programming for children until it can hire more staff. For now, this leaves working parents with one less option for child care, which can be a major barrier to employment.

In an ideal world, the child care offerings would serve as a benefit to help recruit employees to the Salvation Army, which currently has 54 unfilled positions out of 230, Applin said.

Entry-level folks are “surfing” the market to try to find what’s best for them, said Andrea Harris, chief administrative officer for Catholic Charities, Diocese of Cleveland. The organization recently evaluated its wages and found them to be competitive in the marketplaces, even against the “inflated salaries” other employers are offering to get them through the holidays, Harris said. She recently had one employee leave without sufficient notice to take a job with another organization to make Harris a couple of dollars more an hour. It has happened over and over again. Sometimes, they’ve come back.

“A lot of times, they are taking positions and determining that the people offering the positions can’t sustain the salaries that they’ve offered, and so we have had some people who Rice have left come back because they realize, you know, that’s not green grass, that’s AstroTurf,” said Harris, also the organization’s senior director of HR. And while nonprofits have finite funding, major corporations like Amazon have deep pockets, she said.

Trew “There’s no way to compete, so we have to wait for the frenzy to end,” Harris added.

Denise Rice-Ali, chief human resource officer for the YMCA of Greater Cleveland, said she’s seen a clear drop in the volume of applicants.

“And if you’re not moving fast, I’ll tell you, you’ll lose the applicant pretty quickly,” she said. “It’s a different environment because we’re not getting as many, and I think people are being really, really selective in choosing where they work.”

Nonprofits across the country continue to struggle to fill roles, particularly human service organizations, where the burden has been “immense,” said Rick Cohen, chief communications officer and chief operating officer at the National Council of Nonprofits.

As other industries are increasing wages and paying sign-on bonuses, it’s hard for nonprofits to keep up, especially in human service areas where a lot of work is paid by fixed government contracts that often don’t cover the cost to deliver services, leaving little flexibility, Cohen said. Plus, fundraising revenue hasn’t returned to pre-pandemic levels.

“There’s no way to pass on the cost to customers the way that Amazon or Target or Walmart can,” he said.

“They can increase the price of a few products by 50 cents here or a dollar there. ... There just isn’t a way for nonprofits to do that.”

In many ways, “nonprofits are boxed in” with few ways to find additional revenue, Cohen said. Child care for Catholic Charities’ early learning programs, as well as residential assistance for its shelter, are the two most challenging staffing areas, Harris said. And she fears the former will get harder.

“We have a Head Start program, so it’s under a federal mandate for vaccination,” Harris said. “So we will have to see what that looks like when that mandate is firmed up and rolled out in its entirety, but we expect that that will have another heavy impact on staffing those services.”

The YMCA is trying to use child care to try to attract more applicants to fill some of its 86 open positions, a mix of those entry-level jobs and professional-level roles, which typically are easy to fill. This is more than double the 30 to 35 openings it usually operates between, and has created some pain points for the organization and its members, Rice-Ali said. In some cases, that’s meant closed pools. In others, waiting lists for child care.

While all employees get 50% off the Y’s child care services, they’ve now increased it to 100% for those working in the child care department.

In some of its most critical, customer-facing positions, the YMCA offered a $500 sign-on bonus over the summer to try to pull in more applicants, as well as a $500 bonus for employees who stayed through the season.

“They weren’t as large as others, but we did add that to our budget,” Rice-Ali said. “We had to. It was the only way that we could really attract” applicants.

In her four years with the organization, it had never offered anything like that. The YMCA is considering continuing sign-on bonuses with certain positions this fall. Also this fall, it is launching regular, on-site, open interviews where prospective applicants can drop in for conversations at any of its branches, which is another tactic that Rice-Ali said hasn’t been necessary in past years.

“We had to just think differently, and we had to ask questions,” she said. “We had to talk to people, and we had to say, ‘What do you need?

What are you looking for? What would help you to stay and to come?’ ” Goodwill Industries of Greater Cleveland and East Central Ohio is seeking candidates for roughly 90

other kind of basic needs that need to be met, and being able to meet those (is) really coming first to them before getting a job,” he said. “That’s where we as a service provider, as a workforce provider in our community, are working.”

Just before the pandemic, Goodwill launched the Good Partner Program for its employees, through which they could access wraparound “THERE’S NO WAY TO PASS ON THE COST services, such as aswith access TO CUSTOMERS THE WAY THAT AMAZON sistance to child care, transportation, housing, OR TARGET OR WALMART CAN.” coaching or other — Rick Cohen, chief communications officer and chief supportive services operating officer at the National Council of Nonprofits to address any barriers they may have community, as well as hires some of through a case manager who is intethe participants it works with. Trew grated into the staff.

“We’ve seen some success with said this intersection offers a unique vantage point to understand that the that, and people who are engaging challenges its programs help people are staying,” Trew said. “And so we overcome are some of the same bar- are hopeful that we can continue to riers Goodwill is seeing in the hiring grow that program, not just for us, but offer that as a resource to other process.

“We know that we have people employers in the community who we who are dealing with other barriers know are dealing with the same types and other issues like housing and of things that we are.” open positions — about double what it would typically have — ranging from retail jobs to CDL truck drivers to clinical counselors, said chief operating officer Mark Trew.

Not only is Goodwill an employer of 700 full- and part-time positions in the community, but it also is a workforce service provider that helps place people with employers in the

This summer, the Salvation Army’s board approved a substantial base wage increase from $9 an hour to $14 at its Harbor Light Complex, an inpatient, substance-abuse treatment program. Since then, the board has also approved a raise at its other locations across the city from a base wage of $9 to $13 an hour, which Applin said he hopes will make the organization a bit more competitive. Before the compensation adjustments, the organization was at 50% unfilled positions.

That amounts to a revised budget of almost $800,000 of additional employment costs.

“We’re having to make adjustments in compensation without knowing that we’re going to get the financial support of the community in order to cover it,” he said, noting the move comes ahead of the organization’s annual fundraising push. “But you’ve got to have those employees to get the job done and to provide the service for the community.”

Lydia Coutré: lcoutre@crain.com, (216) 771-5479, @LydiaCoutre

T H A N K YO U. THANK YOU TO KEYBANK AND THE ELISABETH SEVERANCE PRENTISS FOUNDATION FOR YOUR PROMINENT PARTNERSHIP AND SIGNIFICANT SUPPORT OF THE METROHEALTH TRANSFORMATION.

To learn more about how you can become a part of the MetroHealth Transformation, contact Kate Brown, Chief Development Officer, at 440-592-1401 or kbrown@metrohealth.org.

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PERSONAL VIEW

People with disabilities critical to economic recovery

RICH WILLIAMS FOR CRAIN’S CLEVELAND BUSINESS

BY KELLY A. PETTY

EDITORIAL

Game on?

B

ack in July 2018, after the U.S. Supreme Court that May opened the door to legalized sports betting nationwide, we noted in this space that Ohio hadn’t exactly rushed in to start the legalization process, and that given the stakes, “caution is not so bad.” Our final thought at the time: While gambling companies were clamoring to get the action going, “Ohio’s legislators owe their allegiance only to citizens, and their obligation when it comes to implementing sports betting — if they do so at all — is to do it right, not to do it first.”

They certainly took the “not to do it first” part to heart.

More than three years later, Ohio still is not past the starting line when it comes to sports betting. According to data from the American Gaming Association, as of Oct. 6, 28 states and the District of Columbia have live, legal sports betting, and four others have legalized it but are not yet operational. (It usually takes at least six months from the time legislatures approve legalization to secure the needed regulatory approvals to start sports betting in a state.) Ohio is one of two states — Massachusetts is the other — with active sports betting legislation that has not been passed. Four states bordering Ohio — Indiana, Michigan, Pennsylvania and West Virginia — already have live sports betting. Kentucky remains a holdout, with no active legislation at the moment, the gaming association reports.

Ohio does, though, appear to be making progress in finally getting into the game.

State Sen. Kirk Schuring, a Republican from Canton who chairs the Select Committee on Gaming, said in a recent radio interview that a conference committee has been set up to iron out differences between the House and Senate versions of the state’s sports betting bill, and that there could be floor votes in both chambers by the end of the month. Senate Bill 176 would award 40 Type A licenses — 20 for mobile and online betting, and 20 for in-person sports wagering. Type B licenses, determined based on county population size, would be brick-and-mortar buildings that could offer their own sportsbooks. Type C licenses would be kiosks.

“I think we are finally on a pathway to get sports betting into law,” Schuring said.

There are, here and everywhere, legitimate concerns about legalized sports betting. The practice, for instance, can have a disproportionately negative affect on minorities and people in lower-income communities, and therefore can worsen wealth inequality.

But gambling opportunities now are so pervasive that Ohio’s slow pace in setting up a sports betting system is depriving it of tax revenue that surrounding states are only happy to collect when Ohio residents cross state lines to bet on their favorite teams — or just the ones they feel confident will help them make some money.

The American Gaming Association’s Commercial Gaming Revenue Tracker showed that in August, the latest month for which figures were available, there was $217.3 million wagered in legalized sports betting nationwide, a 68% increase from August 2020. The increase in sports betting exceeded gains in overall gambling revenue, which was up 47.4% from a year earlier. (People are eager to do something with their money after all that time in pandemic lockdown.)

Bloomberg Opinion in August noted that gambling “is among the oldest and most universal human recreational activities, but commercial gambling for cash is only a few centuries old. The business, and government attitudes toward it, have undergone periodic seismic shifts. We’re in the midst of one today.”

Indeed we are. It doesn’t even seem odd anymore when, for instance, the Cleveland Cavaliers strike up a partnership with Fubo Gaming, a subsidiary of fuboTV Inc. that is preparing to launch a sportsbook later this year, even though sports betting still isn’t legal in Ohio. The partnership, announced Oct. 6, is the first for Fubo Gaming with an NBA team and is seen as a way for the company to get a jump on the inevitable competition that will be coming into the market soon. Ohio, with about 11.7 million residents, is a big prize.

Gov. Mike DeWine has called sports betting in the state “inevitable” and has indicated he would sign a bill legalizing the practice. It’s time for the legislature to get this done so the state can go about the business of offering sports gambling in 2022.

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

As October and National Disability Employment Awareness Month (NDEAM) come to a close, the Cuyahoga County Board of Developmental Disabilities (Cuyahoga DD) celebrates the many contributions people with disabilities make to workplaces and the economy.

This year’s NDEAM theme, “America’s Recovery: Powered by Inclusion,” high- Petty is lights the growing demand for workforc- superintendent es to reflect the communities they serve and CEO of — including people with disabilities — Cuyahoga and the role people with disabilities will County Board of play in America’s post-pandemic eco- Developmental nomic recovery.

Disabilities.

People with a disability are unemployed at a rate two to three times that of people without.

Indeed, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, in 2020, 17.9% of people with a disability were employed, compared to 61.8% of people without a disability. The data also show that the rate of employment among individuals with disabilities is significantly lower across age groups and educational attainment levels when compared to individuals without disabilities.

Cuyahoga DD believes that people with disabilities entering the workforce should find opportunities that are competitive and integrated — employment for which they are compensated similarly to people without disabilities with the same level of training and experience; work in an environment with people without disabilities; PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES and have the same opportunities for ad- ENTERING THE WORKFORCE vancement within SHOULD FIND the organization as other employees in OPPORTUNITIES THAT ARE similar positions COMPETITIVE AND without disabilities.

We are fortunate in INTEGRATED — Cuyahoga County to EMPLOYMENT FOR WHICH have many employers that support com- THEY ARE COMPENSATED petitive, integrated SIMILARLY TO PEOPLE employment.

Employers like the WITHOUT DISABILITIES Cleveland Browns, WITH THE SAME LEVEL OF Winking Lizard, Home Depot and TRAINING AND EXPERIENCE. Planet Fitness have worked with Cuyahoga DD and our partner, the Employment Collaborative of Cuyahoga County, to make their workforces more inclusive through hiring people with disabilities. Our county has made tremendous progress, but there is still more work to be done.

As Cuyahoga County and Northeast Ohio employers emerge from the pandemic and continue to invest in inclusive hiring practices, they should consider how those practices can include people with disabilities. Cuyahoga DD and the Employment Collaborative stand at the ready to help employers increase the diversity of their workplaces by connecting them to talented and qualified job seekers who are eager to work and make an impact for them. Together, we can ensure that our economic recovery is inclusive and that all members of our community — including those with disabilities — can actively participate.

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.

Sound off: Send a Personal View for the opinion page to emcintyre@crain.com. Please include a telephone number for verification purposes.

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Five ways Ohio companies can win the war for talent

BY SAM PRENTIS

As U.S. and Ohio economic growth continues, industries from transportation, dining, housing and manufacturing are adapting quickly to scale their operations back to pre-pandemic levels. But labor shortages driven by the pandemic are a fast-growing challenge for companies looking to meet rising customer demand. Today, there are approximately 4.6 million workers missing from the labor force due to employer shutdowns or cutbacks driven by COVID-19, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Ohio businesses currently have over 235,000 open job positions.

The good news is Ohio businesses can expect an increase in available workers by the end of this year, as those sidelined by COVID-19 begin to re-emerge. But labor shortages are expected to be a persistent challenge. Now is the time to plan for this new world of work, which includes hybrid schedules, wage growth, training and other critical priorities like workplace safety and diversity, equity & inclusion (DE&I).

Following are five steps companies can take to rebuild their workforces and maximize success:

1. Listen to the needs of your talent The pandemic has permanently shifted how we prefer to work and which benefits we find most important.

According to a Morning Consult survey, 39% of workers, and half (49%) of millennial and Gen Z employees, would consider quitting if their employers weren’t flexible about remote work. Likewise, workers are demanding more from their employers and the facilities they work in with respect to worker safety, health and well-being.

Employers should engage employees at all levels in return-to-work policies and decisions — so approaches are rooted in their preferences. Key areas to consider include more flexible working policies, enhanced benefits for working parents and caregivers, extended paid leave and safeguards to ensure work-life balance. Hold ongoing listening sessions, through surveys and 1:1 conversations to keep a pulse on employee concerns.

2. Prioritize skills assessments and trainings Bank of America Global Research estimates that approximately 700,000 workers left the labor force due to a skills mismatch. Combined with record disruption driven by the pandemic, reskilling and upskilling the workforce is paramount.

To start, employers should assess how an employee’s job may have changed during the pandemic. Then, invest in ongoing training for employees to boost learning and address expertise gaps. Perhaps it’s a new training in robotics for workers seeing disruption in their field, like manufacturing, or a rotational program that enables corporate employees to learn about other areas of the firm. Companies today have a critical opportunity to use the best of corporate America’s resources to equip

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workers with the skills, technologies and mindsets to succeed.

3. Keep pace with wage growth

Prentis is Ohio Market Executive for Bank of America.

A smaller pool of workers combined with strong labor demand is fueling wage growth, and the greatest wage lifts are being seen in roles that experienced the highest demand during the pandemic. Average annual salaries stood at $50,150 in April 2021, up from a low of $47,400 last year, according to Reve-

lio Labs.

In today’s war for talent, employers must ensure their wages are competitive and in line with a growing economy. Important steps include conducting regular industry benchmarking, reviewing benefits and salary growth plans, and performing company-wide audits to uncover and address pay inequities.

4. Support financial (and overall) wellness According to Bank of America’s latest Workplace Benefits Report, 62% of employers feel “extreme responsibility” for employees’ financial wellness, up from 13% in 2013. Still, only 49% of employees say they feel financially well today, down from 61% two years ago. This comes as COVID-19 produced significant new financial challenges for Americans to weather.

In a post-pandemic environment, employers must reimagine approaches to financial wellness. To start, ensure any program addresses common employee challenges that go beyond retirement, such as rebuilding savings, emergency funds and health care costs. Acknowledge that needs may differ based on gender and age, and think about wellness more holistically, recognizing the interconnected nature of financial, physical and mental wellness.

5. Champion diversity, equity & inclusion (DE&I) The pandemic and racial injustice movements have brought DE&I awareness to an all-time high. Employers agree that offering meaningful DE&I programs is critical to attract and retain talent. Studies have also shown that a more diverse workforce leads to better financial performance.

To attract a new generation of socially minded employees, employers need to “walk the talk” on DE&I with new and expanded initiatives, measurable goals and clear action.

As Ohio workplaces continue to think about reopening plans, and as the fight for talent continues, putting these proactive practices in place will go far in helping companies ensure they have a talented, diverse and productive workforce that can launch them to success.

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CRAIN’S 2021

ENTREPRENEURS MINDS WIDE OPEN

GETTY IMAGES/ISTOCK PHOTO

Cleveland’s startup community becomes more vibrant every year, as evidenced by the variety and ingenuity of the entrepreneurs in our list of 54.

There are tavern owners and surgeons, a founder of a soul food grill and a CEO of a boutique hotel group, a university professor and a president/founder of a company that makes bags to store and preserve cannabis. There is a founder of a business offering financial solutions for those with student debt, and a woman who started a recovery center that has been recognized by the White House.

This group reflects the developments in business thinking post-pandemic and represents the newer business approaches that could help grow and sustain the area.

Ideas are limited only by imagination and personal drive. One media group delivers marketing materials in graphic novels, comic books or animation. Add a business sense and real-time marketing, and the picture these 54 entrepreneurs paint of the local economy becomes vibrant and forward-thinking. No longer do new ideas that draw seed money and private equity investment reside only in Silicon Valley.

The boundaries are wide when the only limit is the mind of an individual.

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. Their business enterprises must be at least 2 years old and have at least five employees. Business enterprises cannot be franchises. Nominees must showcase professional achievements. They must be active in community and/or philanthropic activities, mentoring programs, and/or diversity and inclusion initiatives.

CHARBEL ABOU CHAAYA

JON ADAMS

CAL AL-DHUBAIB

MIKE APT

Chief digital officer Xngage

CEO Smart Hotels

CEO Pandata

President and CEO Apt Development Group

Along with partner Joe Albrecht, Charbel Abou Chaaya founded Xngage, a suburban Cleveland B2B digital services firm, in 2013. It boasts clients ranging from Design Within Reach to Plumber’s Supply Co. Abou Chaaya has “excelled in his career in the technology sector with his ability to straddle the line between client and customer,” according to the nomination, which adds that he has “the technical savvy and know-how to create technologies from scratch that are both attractive and effective.”

One example of what his firm can do is its transformation of Guest Supply’s B2B web presence to include personalized product data and enhanced checkout features for its clients.

Innovation is a priority for Abou Chaaya and Xngage, of course, but so is cultivating an entrepreneurial spirit in newcomers to the tech field.

Abou Chaaya was one of the earlier hiring partners of Cleveland’s Tech Elevator, according to the nomination, “seeing the perspective and diverse backgrounds of coding bootcamp graduates as a positive” at a time when that was far less common.

With that commitment, he has not only helped create jobs, but jobs for people who “would otherwise not have been hired in technology.”

— John Kappes

Jon Adams builds businesses and scales mountains with equal vigor.

A serial entrepreneur, he's launched a communications-gear company, a boutique hotel brand and a chain of buildyour-own taco joints.

He's also climbed Mount Kilimanjaro, cycled across the nation and competed in rowing and cross-country ski marathons.

Adams is the CEO of Smart Hotels, a Shaker Heights-based company that develops and runs environmentally friendly lodging properties on college campuses.

Smart Hotels has tackled projects including the Hotel at Oberlin, lauded as one of the nation's most sustainable hotels. Oberlin College owns that 70-room property, which opened in 2016.

A Harvard University graduate, Adams also holds a master's degree from the Stanford Graduate School of Business. He forayed into the startup world in the 1990s, when he formed Audiopark Technologies Inc. as a division of Actron Manufacturing Inc. In 2005, Adams sold the business to Ultra Electronics, an overseas defense contractor.

His most recent venture is Condado Tacos, a restaurant chain that debuted in 2016 and has grown to 27 locations and more than 2,000 employees. Adams and his partners sold a stake in the business to a private-equity firm last year but still have a sizable ownership position.

— Michelle Jarboe

Cal Al-Dhubaib is a data scientist and entrepreneur who has become a leading local expert on artificial intelligence.

In 2016 Al-Dhubaib founded Pandata, a Cleveland firm that provides AI solutions to corporations, nonprofits and other clients under the tagline “trusted and human-first AI.” Al-Dhubaib, a well-known speaker and advocate for AI, has found ample demand for his work. To date, Pandata has overseen more than 80 projects for big names such as Parker Hannifin, FirstEnergy, Penn State University and even the Cleveland Museum of Art. For the museum, Al-Dhubaib helped institute and measure the results of a new tool, an immersive app called ArtLens, which the museum says has increased visitor engagement and time spent in the museum.

The museum’s chief digital information officer, Jane Alexander, nominated Al-Dhubaib for this year’s Notables recognition.

“Known for his role in advocating for careers and educational pathways in Data Science, Cal is helping cultivate Northeast Ohio’s workforce of tomorrow by empowering others to thrive, beginning with his own data science team,” Alexander wrote. “From volunteering with regional workforce development initiatives to promoting career pathways in data science to underprivileged high school students, Cal believes that mentoring students from diverse backgrounds builds bridges across communities and creates future leaders.”

— Dan Shingler

Mike Apt is building a name for himself in the real estate business, amassing a stable of apartment properties and wading into development.

The Houston native formed Cleveland-based Apt Development Group in 2016 and has been chasing real estate deals in earnest since early 2020.

He made news in July, when he popped up in public records as the developer behind a planned apartment makeover of 1250 Riverbed St., a vacant and deteriorating building in the Flats.

Apt followed the pre-law track at Sam Houston State University and studied construction management and development at Arizona State University. He served in the U.S. Army Reserve and recently obtained a master of business administration degree from Case Western Reserve University.

"My mission moving forward is to go to underserved neighborhoods — neighborhoods like the one where I was born — and renovate the apartments," Apt wrote in an open letter online to his adoptive parents, who took in an infant born to a struggling teenage mother.

"I want children who aren't as lucky as I was as a kid to at least have a home where they can learn and grow and feel secure."

— Michelle Jarboe

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¬21 in 2021 We’ve increased our U.S. minimum hourly wage to $21 as a next step toward $25 by 2025.

Bank of America has raised our minimum rate of pay for all U.S. employees to $21/hour — the next step toward $25 by 2025.

Over the past four years, we have led the way by increasing our minimum hourly wage 40%.

Being a great place to work starts with investing in the people who serve our clients. Providing strong pay and competitive benefits to support our employees and their families helps us attract and retain strong talent.

Our actions demonstrate our continuing commitment to sustain job growth and economic stability for the thousands of individuals working in support of each other, our clients and the communities where we work and live.

We will continue our efforts to make a difference and serve as a catalyst for others to do the same.

What would you like the power to do?®

Jeneen Marziani President, Bank of America Cleveland

Learn more at bankofamerica.com/cleveland

Bank of America, N.A. Member FDIC. Equal Credit Opportunity Lender. © 2021 Bank of America Corporation. All rights reserved.

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2021 NOTABLE ENTREPRENEURS KRISTIE BECK

‘There is so much talent here’

CEO Proformex Kristie Beck feels her background in supply chain technology prepared her for her work as CEO of Proformex, an insurance tech software company that uses analytics and technology to help financial advisers protect their clients by understanding and making best use of their life insurance policies.

Supply chain is about operations, logistics and operating at scale, and Beck uses all of those at Proformex, which leverages software to its best advantages. Beck has worked in almost every area and size of startups and has overseen sales and marketing, operations and products.

A mother of two young daughters, Beck enjoys the outdoors with her family in warmer months and skiing in winter. She believes that strong company culture and values maximize the performance of every individual with the business, which in turn maximizes the business itself.

Her previous experience gave her a track record in scaling enterprise SaaS (software as a service) companies from venture to private equity growth cycles. Before she joined Proformex, Beck worked as vice president of product strategy and customer success operations at MacroPoint, a third-party visibility platform for logistics, and as vice president of product and operations at Elemica, a supply chain operating platform.

— Pat McManamon

Kristie Beck joined Proformex as chief operating officer in May 2018 and six months later was named chief executive officer. Based in downtown Cleveland, Proformex strives to improve the life insurance industry with data aggregation and analytics designed to help financial advisers and life insurance brokers monitor policies they’ve sold. The result benefits the consumer by ensuring the policy remains in effect and continues to meet the needs of the consumer over time, needs that might have changed since the policy was first purchased.

— Pat McManamon  What takeaways from your background in private and public companies can you share about scaling companies quickly and effectively?

The two most important things are first understanding and being very focused on the business objectives and the goals. Second is hiring incredible people who understand the goals and can execute them. It’s often cutting things back to what is very simple and giving people a couple of areas to focus on, then hiring good people to drive those objectives.  How do you cultivate a culture of peak performance for your team?

The culture is really the fabric of the people that you have and the values that you live to every day.

Building a culture is so much about curating the kind of people who exemplify that culture. Then it’s continuing to do that over and over until you’ve created an organization where the culture is embedded in the way everyone behaves. That’s when it becomes successful. People aren’t talking about it, they’re doing it.  You’ve said recruiting and mentoring women in tech is a priority. What does the landscape for women in tech look like today as compared with when you started?

There are a lot more women in technology, a lot more women software engineers. I personally know many other female software CEOs or executives, and the numbers are growing. Our chief technology officer at Proformex is a woman. This is the first company I’ve worked where either the CTO or the CEO was a woman — or women hold both roles. The best part of that is that in my career, she’s the best I’ve ever worked with. I always look for the ability to mentor women. Often a lot of women don’t put their hands up or don’t think they’re qualified or don’t have as much confidence in their skills. Sometimes they need somebody to say: You can do this.  What’s the state of the startup community in our region?

What I love about Cleveland is that there is so much talent here. COVID has provided people the ability to work remotely, and people are moving back to Cleveland and other lower-cost cities.

We have the talent, but we also need more funds helping to drive the startup activity. In terms of capital, there are a number of seed funds in the ecosystem and we have a good base of active angel investors. I think having more early stage Series A and Series B types of funds would be fantastic, either in Cleveland or more in the state of Ohio, as it’s a critical gap today.

UMC_4168-01_2021

Meet the team who can help your business thrive.

MICHAEL BEDER Owner Water Street Tavern Michael Beder is Kent’s entrepreneur in residence — and that’s not just a title he has with Kent State University, it’s pretty much his role in the city generally. And in 2021, he showed why, on multiple fronts.

Beder owns Kent’s well-known Water Street Tavern, which, like most bars and hospitality businesses, has had more than its share of challenges through the pandemic.

We’ll let Marilyn Sessions, public relations and marketing officer of Kent’s Hometown Bank, who nominated Beder, explain how he fared: “Beder's Water Street Tavern has not only weathered the COVID storm by not one employee losing one minute of work but he also juggled his other businesses ... and now Kent Sportswear at the same time,” she wrote.

While Beder’s been successful for his own businesses, and their employees, he’s also helped countless others — he’s been a KSU entrepreneur in residence for 20 years now and is also a member of the university’s Hospitality Management Advisory Board.

He’s also on the board of the Kent Chamber of Commerce and Main Street Kent.

If that’s not enough, Beder also raises money for numerous charities and nonprofits and even dabbles in show business.

He’s the manager of successful local comedian Mike Polk Jr. Why are we not surprised that Polk has amassed more than 50 million YouTube hits so far — a good entrepreneur like Beder knows both how to spot talent and nurture it, after all.

— Dan Shingler

Case Western Reserve University congratulates Notable Entrepreneur Honoree

Anant Madabhushi, PhD Tim Phillips

Kurt Kappa

Mitch Duale

Dell Duncan

Scott Gnau

Donnell Institute Professor of Biomedical Engineering Director, Center for Computational Imaging and Personalized Diagnostics

Rebekah Horsfall

Anthony Yannucci

Alix Kaufmann

Matt Lay

Tom Young

Kurt Lutz

Marty Rodriguez

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2021 NOTABLE ENTREPRENEURS SHANE BIGELOW

MICHAEL BOOST

BARBARA BRADFORD-WILLIAMS

ANITA BRADLEY

AN

CEO CHAMPtitles

President M&M Wintergreens

Founder JB’s Grill

President and CEO Northern Ohio Recovery Association

Prin Bric

Through Cleveland startup CHAMPtitles, Shane Bigelow intends to revolutionize the way vehicle titles are processed — and in a post-COVID-19 world, the use case for such an application is arguably all the more compelling.

Bigelow was working in wealth management with AB Bernstein when, in conjunction with business partner, fellow blockchain advocate and U.S. Senate hopeful Bernie Moreno, he foresaw an opportunity to apply blockchain technology to the vehicle titling system.

He left Bernstein in 2018 to help launch CHAMPtitles. The business is one of a couple of blockchain-minded startups under the umbrella of Moreno’s Ownum LLC. Bigelow is also CEO of Ownum’s Vital Chain, which places medical records on blockchain.

The intention with CHAMP is to digitize an otherwise complex process, making the transferring and recording of vehicle titles less paper-intensive and ultimately simpler. In three years, the business has raised $18.5 million in three funding rounds, according to Crunchbase, which includes an $8.5 million Series A round raised earlier this year.

Before the onset of blockchain technology, these processes were relegated to physical paper trails because of security concerns. In the wake of a global pandemic, the opportunity to remove in-person interfacing for the title process may put even more wind in the startup’s sails.

— Jeremy Nobile

Michael Boost started M&M Wintergreens after years of working in the horticulture industry and seeing a need in the market.

In 1990, Boost left his job and rented a space in the Cleveland Cold Storage building to house his wholesale Christmas and winter greenery distribution company, which sells seasonal holiday decorations and related products.

Boost grew his company, eventually moving out of the storage building and buying a location in Parma. Even as the company now ships products to 31 different states, he makes a point of hiring locally and boasts that nearly all of the products he sells are from trees grown and sustainably harvested within the United States.

When it comes to hiring for his seasonal staff, Boost offers work to employees in need of a leg up, with many of those workers returning season after season because they “feel more like a family” than co-workers.

“Michael believes in the city of Cleveland and that is why he has made it the home for M&M Wintergreens Inc. His community impact stems from one of action, direct action, as he believes in hiring local workers from all walks of life,” the nomination says.

Boost also shows his community support by giving to the Walk for Hunger to support the Hunger Network’s mission and to the local chapter of Meals on Wheels America.

— Kim Palmer

Early in the pandemic, as schools made the abrupt transition to remote learning, JB’s Grill started offering free hot lunches to kids.

The Cleveland soul food restaurant’s founder, Barbara Bradford-Williams, prides herself on the organization’s work in the community, and those efforts included a lunch and literacy program in which kids were provided a meal as they participated in remote learning and received tutoring JB’s Grill, located at 6624 Harvard Ave. in Cleveland, spends “at least 25 hours a week” providing community service and engagement, the nomination said. The company’s community service is funded by 10% of the proceeds from the takeout restaurant’s sales.

JB’s, in addition to its free meals and snacks, also has Zumba classes for kids three days a week. The restaurant is a Children’s Hunger Alliance after-school meal site, and it recently started offering senior meal plans.

When Bradford-Williams isn’t cooking or training her employees, she’s working with kids and parents, the nomination said.

The entrepreneur, according to the nomination, goes above and beyond “to make sure the kids in the neighborhood have enough food and snacks every day and all weekend.”

— Kevin Kleps

Anita Bradley’s path from addiction to recovery resulted in a visit to the White House in 2016, where she was recognized as a Champion for Change by the administration of former President Barack Obama.

Bradley started the Northern Ohio Recovery Association in her basement in 2002, writing grant applications until the group was funded in 2004. NORA now operates residential recovery houses for women and provides outpatient and aftercare support and treatment programs.

She has more than 60 employees, two recovery homes, a daycare center for the children of women in treatment, and an administrative home in the former Goodrich-Gannett building.

Peer support from those in recovery is a key part of NORA’s efforts. Bradley has developed a network of 200 volunteers who talk to women in treatment.

Bradley was recognized as a Hometown Hero by the Cleveland Cavaliers in 2016.

The jersey she received with her name on the back had special significance. She fed her addiction in the late 1980s by selling jerseys she had shoplifted from malls.

Bradley is now in her 31st year of recovery.

— Pat McManamon

A rapi

Reports can be filed electronically to the Ohio Business Gateway or mailed to the division

Not holding any unclaimed funds? We encourage all NONE reports to be filed through Ohio Business Gateway

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Fou Play and

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THERE ARE MORE THAN 31 MILLION ENTREPRENEURS IN THE U.S.

Here for you.

Here for life.

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14 | CRAIN’S CLEVELAND BUSINESS | OCTOBER 25, 2021

www.ncafinancial.com (440) 473-1115 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. 6095 Parkland Blvd., #210 Mayfield Hts., OH 44124 F: 440-473-0186

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ANDREW BRICKMAN Principal and founder Brickhaus Partners As the grueling housing collapse waned, Andrew Brickman's profile rose rapidly in 2009 with a series of break-the-mold contemporary designs for townhouses. He developed pricey projects at a rapid-fire pace in locations ranging from Cleveland's Edgewater and Little Italy neighborhoods to others in the western suburbs that boasted views of the Rocky River valley and the lakefront.

The project portfolio stands at more than $350 million in for-sale projects in the region. He is also undertaking projects in Columbus and Tulum, Mexico.

His is another case of visibility coming after years in the realty business. He started out as an office-leasing agent 35 years ago. Over time, he worked in land development and building renovations as he worked toward launching his own concern.

Brickhaus has an ethnically and racially diverse staff. He and staffers regularly travel to New York City for design and decorating inspiration. He has served as a board member of Big Brothers Big Sisters in Cleveland and supports an orphanage in India. Brickman lectures regularly at local universities and provides internships for students planning to pursue real estate careers.

An avid traveler, he also has interests in motion pictures and served as a producer of six films.

— Stan Bullard

DRIVEN FOR YOU, FUELED BY US

GREG CARLIN Founder/owner and CEO/owner Play: Adventure Parks (Play: CLE and Play: CBUS) and Old River Tap and Social Greg Carlin credits his daughter as co-founder of adventure park Play: CLE. Several years ago, Bridget was lamenting that an outdoor ropes course they had enjoyed couldn’t provide year-round fun indoors. The idea was hatched, and in late 2017, Play: CLE was born. The converted boat storage facility in Avon now houses an indoor zip line, ropes courses, climbing walls, ninja/obstacle courses, a full-service bar and restaurant, and more for all ages, just as Bridget, now chief play officer, and her dad envisioned it.

Play: CLE’s success prompted Carlin to begin planning for expansion, and in November 2020, Play: CBUS opened. At 53,000 square feet — double the size of the Avon location — Play: CBUS features a ropes course with more than 120 elements and all of the same fun and fitness activities found at Play: CLE. Carlin, according to his nomination, is “the wearer of many hats. ... He not only started a brand new, one-of-a-kind business from a pen and paper with his daughter, but he also runs and operates multiple businesses in the area with consistent care and impressive leadership.”

The Ohio University graduate is a passionate advocate for small businesses. While growing his own business, Carlin was a venture partner at JumpStart, where he advised small enterprises on how to grow and evolve their businesses.

— Elizabeth McIntyre

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26.4% OF BLACK AMERICANS IDENTIFY AS ENTREPRENEURS. ABBY CRAVOTTA Founder and CEO The ARRA Group The ARRA Group is projecting that its revenue will increase 122% this year.

The jump occurs as the boutique health care recruiting firm doubled the size of its Beachwood headquarters, following a recent move to the 37 Park East complex.

“Our vision is to be the preferred, trusted leader in health care recruiting by delivering top talent who will transform patient care across the United States,” Cravotta said, via the nomination.

Cravotta founded the ARRA Group in 2019, after managing a recruitment firm that grew from three to 20 employees and more than $4 million in revenue during her tenure.

She, the nomination said, “is strategic and deliberate, always planning five steps ahead” and “trying out the latest approaches, tools and training.”

Cravotta, according to the nomination, has “created a relaxed, fun office environment” that encourages work-life balance. The firm’s founder allows employees to take up to eight hours per month to volunteer for organizations, and ARRA works with local nonprofits to set up group outings.

As a manager, Cravotta, the nomination said, “will push you to be your best, but also provide you with all the tools and support to do so.”

— Kevin Kleps

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OCTOBER 25, 2021 | CRAIN’S CLEVELAND BUSINESS | 15

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2021 NOTABLE ENTREPRENEURS MICHAEL M. DAGIASIS

MARK D'AGOSTINO

RAY DALTON

DAVID DAVIS II

VIK

Chief vision officer and president Phalanx Logistics Solutions

Founder/president ConnectedHR

Executive chairman reLink Medical

President and founder FBA Flip, ConsiderCLE

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Mike Dagiasis founded Phalanx Logistics Solutions in 2005 with his cousin and business partner, Michael G. Dagiasis, building a unique logistics model based on growth and innovation.

Dagiases’ “Driven for You, Fueled by Us” initiative emphasizes continuous development and dedicated execution in the freight management industry, a model resulting in 11 new hires from April 2020 to April 2021. On the profits side, Phalanx increased from $10.5 million in revenue last year to an estimated over $25 million for 2021.

Phalanx was also recognized as a 2021 Best Workplace in Ohio by Ohio Business Magazine, an award emphasizing the Lakewood-based company’s best-in-class employee engagement.

According to the nomination, Phalanx provides staff an unrivaled compensation package covering health, dental and vision insurance. A 401(k) company match program, meanwhile, stands alongside robust professional development opportunities available to employees.

Dagiasis, a Lakewood native, has worked in the logistics industry since 1999. Under his leadership, Phalanx will continue to drive business growth in Northeast Ohio, the nomination said.

“Mike is passionate about being a part of something from the ground up,” said the nomination. “Operating by core values, and seeing how these values extend beyond the professional realm, is extremely meaningful to Mike.”

— Douglas J. Guth

Mark D'Agostino first noticed a gap in the human resources field while running a business products distribution company. He chose to handle all issues related to people on his own, and those HR struggles impacted that business’ growth.

The hurdles, though, weren’t for nothing.

They led him to create ConnectedHR, which is “designed to fill the void for small to medium-sized companies by delivering high-caliber, rightsized human resources support and strategy,” per D'Agostino’s nomination form.

After launching in a basement, the company now has a training center in Ohio City.

He had no direct experience in that industry. His game plan reportedly centered on developing a deep bench of expert HR consultants while he zeroed in on business alignment.

Seven years later, company officials report the company is thriving, calling it one of the fastest-growing human resources consulting companies in the region.

D’Agostino, a Cleveland State University graduate, is an active member of the Cleveland chapter of the Entrepreneurs’ Organization and has served on Greater Cleveland Partnership’s middle-market committee and the Greater Akron Chamber task force.

— Amy Morona

Ray Dalton can identify a complex problem, pinpoint an impactful, cost-effective solution and then build a team to solve the issue “better, faster and cheaper than anyone else,” according to the nomination.

Dalton specializes in creating and developing businesses from innovation to exit. And he’s done it again and again with companies he’s started and sold over more than three decades, including PartsSource, which was divested to Great Hill Partners in 2017, and OneSource Services and National MD, which were acquired by General Electric.

Dalton credits his time in the U.S. Air Force — and the structure, discipline and opportunities to grow — as a driving force in his life. He received military training as an X-ray technician before entering the civilian world working in a hospital, where he began to problem-solve.

“Ray doesn’t see these complex problems as difficult, so he is fearless in attacking them and focused on pushing through difficulties and barriers to achieve success,” per the nomination.

He founded and is currently executive chairman of reLink Medical, which repurposes and redeploys medical equipment from hospitals in the United States to the global marketplace.

He also established The Dalton Foundation in 1998 to invest 10% of company profits into the community.

— Lydia Coutré

At 21, David Davis II has founded a successful e-commerce company and launched a nonprofit that aims to make Cleveland a more inclusive place for startups.

He says his entrepreneurial roots track back to the age of 13, when he would buy and sell sneakers. In early 2019, he founded Shadowbox Media Co., now FBA Flip, which buys, grows and sells Amazon FBA (Fulfillment

by Amazon) stores.

FBA Flip manages about $3 million in digital assets, and the company tallied almost seven figures in revenue in 2020 — just its second year in business.

Davis’ nonprofit, ConsiderCLE, estimates that it could have an economic impact of more than $5 million by 2022. The lofty estimate is based on a national outreach program that takes an “organic bootstrap approach,” according to the nomination.

As a young African American, Davis, the nomination said, “knows every nuance of how difficult it may be for a certain demographic to gain access to the necessary resources to flourish.”

ConsiderCLE, according to the nomination, believes that through technology, the region can generate “a much more progressive, inclusive and economically thriving ecosystem.”

— Kevin Kleps

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16 | CRAIN’S CLEVELAND BUSINESS | OCTOBER 25, 2021

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VIKASH GOEL

RANDY GOLENBERG

JACK GROVER

KEITH A. HARRIS

Founder and CTO Centerline Biomedical

President and owner Spark Your Brand

Co-founder and CEO Grove Bags

President and CEO FutureGen Comics

At age 5, Vikash Goel could be found programming computers, his engineering mind already evident. At age 8, he built robots from disassembled toys. By his teen years, he was creating complex multimedia software programs.

Today, Goel is chief technology officer of Centerline Biomedical Inc., the Cleveland Clinic spinoff company he founded to commercialize his invention, Intra-Operative Positioning System, a novel surgical guidance and navigation system developed at the Lerner Research Institute that has received FDA clearance. The company is launching its commercial use around the world.

His technology and leadership have impacted the economy in Northeast Ohio — Centerline has raised a total of $30 million and grown to 34 employees — as well as health care outcomes. The technology saves lives for health care providers and patients by reducing exposure to dangerous fluoroscopic radiation, according to the nomination.

Goel has a “uniquely seamless” communication style, according to the nomination.

“He effortlessly shifts gears from talking with a surgeon at the Army Institute of Surgical Research to the CEO of a multi-national health tech company. Surgeons are surprised to learn he is an engineer, not a medical doctor by trade.”

— Lydia Coutré

Randy Golenberg founded Spark Your Brand after Gibson-Homans Co., the family business that specialized in home improvement products he had been part of for 14 years, was sold.

Unsure what to do, Golenberg found himself peppered with calls from those he had met asking whether he could help with merchandising, packaging and branding. That eventually led him to start Spark Your Brand, an agency focused on digital, merchandising and retail/distribution sales strategies as well as creative branding.

One emphasis of Spark Your Brand is helping businesses that sell through retail and distribution-wholesale channels. Among the businesses are those in plumbing, electrical, building materials, housewares and hardware, as well as companies that have product on the shelf for retail and wholesale.

Spark Your Brand calls itself “weird,” meaning atypical. “We want people that think like the customer,” Golenberg said on “The Brand Licensing Podcast” in July 2020. “We want to say yes before no. We want people that are interested in not the most interesting things, that ask lots of questions. And then, just be friendly.”

Golenberg regularly walks through major retailers to see how products are branded and presented. He exercises daily, and when the pandemic hit, he committed to starting every day with a four-mile run.

— Pat McManamon

Jack Grover is making a splash in the cannabis-packaging industry with Grove Bags — and at a time when the U.S. marijuana industry in particular could be poised for a boom with federal legalization of the plant seeming like only a matter of time.

Grover and his business partner, Jiazhou Yang, founded Grove Bags in 2017 in a WeWork space in Chicago.

Prior to that, the self-described “packaging and material science nerd” was working at GrubHub, a Chicago startup. But it wasn’t long before Grover and his team relocated the business to Cleveland. He planted a flag at MAGNET before opening a larger production facility.

Grove’s core clientele is in the marijuana industry, where his company’s packaging materials protect cannabis products through their lifecycle from harvest to consumer.

In 2020, TerpLoc, the company’s proprietary film, became the first cannabis technology to earn a Packaging Innovation Award from Dow. Today, Grove Bags ship both nationally and internationally, with a customer base blossoming in Europe, Africa and Asia, according to the company.

The company has 20 employees but may soon be poised to expand to take advantage of an adult-use marijuana market that seems inevitable.

— Jeremy Nobile

For Keith A. Harris, retirement was his kryptonite.

So, after a lengthy run with his previous company, Kero International, Harris launched Twinsburg-based FutureGen Comics — a company inspired by his lifelong love of the literary artform.

FutureGen is a graphic design and comic book development and publishing company, according to the nomination. That’s a far cry from Kero International, a supply chain and inventory management company that worked with nuclear power facilities.

“I absolutely love comics, but I want to see if I can build a business with this,” Harris told the Akron Beacon Journal last spring. “Every night when I’m up late with this I have no sense I’m going to work. ... This is so much fun. It’s the most fun anybody’s paid me to have.”

Every good superhero has a handful of superpowers. For Harris, creativity is one.

Community service is another.

According to the nomination, he’s helped raise funds for the Muscular Dystrophy Association, served on the Twinsburg Township zoning board and served on the board of directors for the Twinsburg Historical Society.

He also mentors and works with entrepreneurially minded students from Kent State and Walsh universities.

Harris is a native of East Cleveland and a graduate of West Virginia State University.

— Timothy Magaw

THANK YOU

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Let your goals be your guide Ruggiero Wealth Management UBS Financial Services Inc. 600 Superior Avenue East 27th Floor Cleveland, OH 44114 216-736-8317

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As a firm providing wealth management services to clients, UBS Financial Services Inc. offers investment advisory services in its capacity as an SEC-registered investment adviser and brokerage services in its capacity as an SEC-registered broker-dealer. Investment advisory services and brokerage services are separate and distinct, differ in material ways and are governed by different laws and separate arrangements. It is important that clients understand the ways in which we conduct business, that they carefully read the agreements and disclosures that we provide to them about the products or services we offer. For more information, please review the PDF document at ubs.com/relationshipsummary. © UBS 2020. All rights reserved. UBS Financial Services Inc. is a subsidiary of UBS AG. Member FINRA/SIPC. CJ-UBS-2031105874 Exp.: 10/31/2021

2021 NOTABLE ENTREPRENEURS MICHAEL HOOPINGARNER

ANTHONY HUGHES

JAM

President Seneca Label

Co-founder and CEO Tech Elevator

Own Arch

While many employers have had trouble keeping their existing staff through the pandemic, North Royalton’s Seneca Label has kept right on hiring.

That’s thanks to the atmosphere created at the company by Michael Hoopingarner, the company reports.

Hoopingarner did it by keeping open and honest lines of communication in place, listening to employees’ concerns and reacting with improvements. Seneca added a workout facility, installed new air-conditioning at its plant, did a full roof replacement and added an outdoor dining and meeting area so employees and visitors could remain safe.

As a result, Seneca thrived through the pandemic, along with its workers.

That’s good for not just Seneca and its people, but for the larger community. That’s because not only did Seneca keep operating, it also maintained its tradition of selecting one charity each month for a donation — with employees usually coming up with a new charity to support each month.

That’s in addition to the work Hoopingarner does on his own. When he’s not working to keep his employees happy or connecting with other local causes, he spends some of his remaining personal time working on prison outreach programs, volunteering for the therapeutic horsemanship program at Strongsville’s Camp Cheerful, or supporting veterans through the USO. — Dan Shingler

Since Tech Elevator in Cleveland was founded by Anthony Hughes and David Wintrich in July 2015, more than 2,000 students have graduated from the program’s coding boot camps. The program has a 95% graduation rate and a 90% job placement rate.

And in 2020, the organization launched the Represent Tech Scholarship for historically underrepresented groups, aiming to create “greater accessibility to careers in tech,” the nomination said.

Hughes helped found Tech Elevator after his time as president at the Software Craftsmanship Guild.

But it was before that, during his time at JumpStart, that he “saw firsthand the desperate shortages of tech talent we faced in Cleveland and more broadly throughout the country,” the nomination said. At JumpStart, he founded the Burton D. Morgan Mentoring Program in partnership with MIT, connecting what the nomination called “budding technology entrepreneurs” with mentors.

“At the core of Anthony’s leadership style is compassion; he cares about people and community,” the nomination read. “Tech Elevator is at its core a people-business: our product is great people, molded by great people, connected to opportunity.

He is passionate about what he does and the people he impacts.”

— Rachel Abbey McCafferty

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IN THE UNITED STATES, 55% OF THE ADULT POPULATION HAS STARTED AT LEAST ONE BUSINESS IN THEIR LIFETIME, WITH 26% SAYING THEY HAVE STARTED TWO OR MORE BUSINESSES. JENNIFER HUNTER

SAMUEL JOHNSON

Founder and CEO emVitals Inc.

Co-founder and managing partner Climb2Glory LLC

A trained cognitive behavioral therapist and published author/researcher, Jennifer Hunter leveraged two decades of expertise in employer wellness programming to launch Rocky River-based emVitals Inc. in 2019. In her current venture, Hunter champions a proactive emotional health model, working with Northeast Ohio employers and behavioral care providers to make it easier for employees and their family members struggling with anxiety, depression and other mental health symptoms to get help.

Previously, Hunter was director of wellness at the Cleveland Clinic, where she was the lead clinician and author of Stress Free Now, a mindfulness-based program that measurably increased the resilience of over 20,000 employees across a wide variety of industries.

Additionally, she developed the Clinic’s global Employee Assistance Program, used by more than 80 Northeast Ohio employers.

Nominator Lynn-Ann Gries of Gries Consulting called Hunter “an established thought leader in the health and well-being industry with a 25-year career focused on bridging the gap between physical and mental health.”

With a master’s degree in social work from Cleveland State University, Hunter also serves on the North Coast Health Foundation board of directors, which supports a network of community health centers dedicated to providing high-quality health care regardless of ability to pay.

— Judy Stringer

Climb2Glory’s three founders served a combined 75 years in the U.S. Army.

Co-founder Samuel Johnson has three decades of Army experience, which has served Climb2Glory well in its efforts to help organizations land government contracts and funding. The Cleveland company — founded

by Johnson, Ted Reich and Pat Mangin in 2018 — also assists organizations with business growth strategies.

Climb2Glory, according to its website, is a “team-focused consulting partner” that helps companies with best practices, strategy development and implementation. The firm tallied $3 million in sales in its first three years and has launched subsidiary LLCs that focus on surgical instrument repair (Renovo Surgical), personal protective equipment (C2G Armor) and electric vehicles (Honus Group).

According to the nomination, Climb2Glory’s long-term goal “is to create work opportunities for Northeast Ohio veterans, women, minorities and those in economically depressed areas.”

The company’s employees, the nomination said, are “highly encouraged” to give back to the community. Johnson, for his part, is a volunteer coach, player and board member for the Pittsburgh Warriors, a nonprofit hockey team that is sponsored by the Pittsburgh Penguins and is dedicated to working with honorably discharged service members.

— Kevin Kleps

ABOUT 40% OF AMERICANS KNEW AT LEAST ONE PERSON WHO CLOSED A BUSINESS DUE TO COVID-19, ALTHOUGH 21% KNEW SOMEONE WHO BEGAN A BUSINESS. 18 | CRAIN’S CLEVELAND BUSINESS | OCTOBER 25, 2021

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JAMES JUSTICE Owner Architectural Justice James Justice turned a passion for design into a full-service remodeling business.

Thirty-five years ago, he founded Architectural Justice, a Medina-based business that has grown to employ dozens of people.

Housed in a renovated barn, the firm's design showroom features artisan shops for stone, cabinetry and metalwork. The company has one of the region's largest stockpiles of stone slabs, for the creation of custom countertops.

Four years ago, Justice and his wife, Darlene, opened Architectural Justice Gallery & Cafe in Strongsville. This month, the couple announced that the restaurant and event space will close in early November. The retail operations are moving to Medina, where Architectural Justice continues to expand.

"We feel the need for producing products locally and in the United States will be an ongoing trend," the couple wrote in an announcement about the changes, "and (we) want to be a part of that."

Those products include the Fittings Metal Collection, handcrafted metal accents such as shelving units, decorative end caps, ornamental legs and brackets. Architectural Justice rolled out the collection in 2018 and launched national online sales early this year.

The company has won accolades from the National Kitchen and Bath Association, the National Association of the Remodeling Industry, and Houzz, a website focused on architecture, interior design and home improvement.

— Michelle Jarboe

Congratulations Notable Entrepreneurs We congratulate Andrew Brickman of Brickhaus Partners and salute all the honorees this year. Your entrepreneurship and relentless drive are an inspiration to us all. Ulmer is proud to serve as exclusive counsel of Brickhaus Partners’ 700 Lake project. ®

Our business begins with you.

®

MARNIE KATZ Executive clinical director Epicenter ABA Therapy

CLEVELAND

Applied behavior analysis is a therapy based on the science of learning and behavior, benefiting language and communication skills while decreasing problematic behaviors.

Marnie Katz recognized the need for this treatment upon founding Epicenter ABA Therapy in 2018. With four board-certified behavior analysts on staff, Epicenter provides regionwide services to children diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD).

Trained in California, Katz utilizes an ABA treatment based on her young patients’ individual needs, with the long-term goal of placing them among their neurotypical peers. Through the program, each child receives about 2040 hours of weekly one-on-one therapy.

“In an effort to ensure these children do not spend years and years in therapy, Epicenter, under Marnie’s direction, is committed to providing services to those families who believe in this model,” the nomination said.

Epicenter has expanded to over 20 full-time employees since its inception, according to the nomination. Cleveland-born Katz works with children diagnosed with ASD as well as a variety of neurological disorders including ADHD. “Marnie’s dedication and work supporting the autism community in Northeast Ohio has only just begun,” the nomination said.

— Douglas J. Guth

CINCINNATI

CHICAGO

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ULMER.COM

LET’S GET SOCIAL LET’S GET SOCIAL LET’S

DAVID KENNEDY Founder/CTO and founder/CEO Binary Defense and TrustedSec David Kennedy has made his career in cybersecurity.

And as the founder and CTO of Binary Defense and the founder and CEO of TrustedSec, Kennedy wants “to make the world a safer place, free from cyberattacks,” the nomination said.

Kennedy’s career started in the United States Marine Corps, where he specialized in cyber warfare and forensics analysis activities. Before founding his own companies, he worked as the chief security officer for Diebold Inc. He’s also written books, started a conference and created open-source tools, such as “The Social-Engineer Toolkit” and the PenTesters Framework.

Now he leads TrustedSec, a Strongsville-based information security consulting company that plans to move to Fairlawn, and Binary Defense, a managed security services provider and software developer in Stow.

“He started both these companies with the belief in the betterment of the cybersecurity industry and promoting the advancement of the industry through quality services,” the nomination said.

The nomination noted that Kennedy has chosen to keep these companies in Northeast Ohio, creating more than 100 jobs. He’s also supported his alma mater, Bedford High School, with a donation to support its esports program. The school created a center named after him.

— Rachel Abbey McCafferty

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We are proud to be part of the Brickhaus team and look forward to your continued success!

OCTOBER 25, 2021 | CRAIN’S CLEVELAND BUSINESS | 19

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2021 NOTABLE ENTREPRENEURS CHARLES KITTLE

THOMAS LAWRENCE

BRIDGETTE LEWIS

BRETT LINDSEY

Owner Website Solutions

Principal and owner GPI Design

Co-founder and chief operating officer Thrive Behavioral Health Center

CEO, Everstream Founder, Snip Internet

Website Solutions owner Charles Kittle’s vision was “the key to making our company survive COVID-19,” according to his nomination form. It’s a vision that took the Iraq War veteran from being a union laborer in 2016 to leading the Westlake-based tech concern a few years later. And it’s founded on a belief in teamwork.

“We are a technology company,” Kittle said in an email, “but all of our team members worked in house. From sales to the owner, we all worked under one roof,” adding that they “did not and still do not outsource any of our work.”

That made the transition to remote work a challenge. Kittle and his employees contacted their 350 or so clients within a month after the pandemic struck. “All of our websites are custom coded … so we can really zero in on what our clients want to be found for on the internet.”

In fact, he said, “All of it has worked so well that we still have our office in Westlake, but only three of us are there every day.”

He may be at work every day, but he is also a marathon runner who somehow found the time write the children’s book “Louie the Leprechaun.”

— John Kappes

GPI Design is a Cleveland engineer-build firm that creates iconic features, from translucent surfaces to structural framing to complex lighting systems. At the helm is Thomas Lawrence, whose expertise in expressive signature work has brought GPI’s concepts to clients in 40 states and 10 countries.

For two decades, Lawrence has focused his efforts on the design and engineering of backlit feature walls, ceilings, bars, reception desks and additional aesthetic delights. Among the company’s award-winning projects is the Franklin Square lobby renovation in Washington, D.C., and illuminated art along the Scotiabank Bridge in Toronto. While the last 18 months have been challenging, GPI has engaged in design and completion of 10 fullscale projects.

The firm has been showered with awards for its recent work, according to the nomination. These honors include:  The BUILD 2021 Home Builder award for best lighting engineering and build firm.  The LIT lighting design award for best health care lighting of 2020.  The BLT Build Design Award.

“Tom has a keen eye for detail and an uncanny ability to lead and advise both the creative and the operational side of GPI Design,” the nomination said.

— Douglas J. Guth

Bridgette Lewis has worked as a paramedic in the inner city, provided medical and behavioral health education through a home health agency and performed life-saving measures on countless overdose victims as an emergency room nurse.

She saw the disconnect between patients and medical professionals who don’t share their experiences. Lewis envisioned a company that would empower clients and, with the help of peers, show them that longterm recovery is possible.

“What sets Bridgette apart as a leader, colleague and advocate is her tenacity and hard work,” the nomination states. “There were people who told Bridgette what she was setting out to do couldn’t be done, but she worked incredibly hard to see her vision become a reality.”

Thrive offers targeted programming to inneed populations in communities, including those suffering with substance use disorder and mental health disorders and survivors of human trafficking. It grew from a six-person company to one that employs more than 150 and today provides services to 66 counties in Ohio.

Lewis’s thought leadership and entrepreneurial spirit helped Thrive adapt during the pandemic to continue providing services to those with substance use and mental health disorders, both of which saw unprecedented increases in the past year, according to the nomination.

— Lydia Coutré

Brett Lindsey leads Everstream as CEO and Snip Internet as its founder.

He grew Everstream from a Cleveland-only fiber network in 2015 to a 10-state footprint in 2021 with an aggressive, strategic expansion effort throughout the Midwest and Mid-Atlantic. The company expects to reach 400 employees by the end of 2021, a tenfold increase since its founding, according to nominator Sarah Mugford.

“Throughout it all,” wrote Mugford, Everstream’s chief marketing officer, “Lindsey has fiercely protected Everstream’s corporate culture, where ‘Do what you say you will do’ is one of five core values. The company has been honored with 18 annual top workplace awards in the past five years as a result.”

In 2016, Lindsey founded Snip Internet to provide fiber internet service to multifamily properties in Cleveland. Since then, Snip has grown to provide connectivity to more than 5,000 customers throughout the Midwest.

Prior to Everstream and Snip, Lindsey was chief operating officer of OneCommunity, where he oversaw the $100 million expansion of the network that became Everstream.

Outside of his day-to-day roles, Lindsey sits on the board of directors for the Downtown Cleveland Alliance and is the lead benefactor of The Lindsey Family Play Space at Edgewater Park. The nearly 1-acre playground is designed to serve children of all ages and abilities.

— Judy Stringer

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20 | CRAIN’S CLEVELAND BUSINESS | OCTOBER 25, 2021

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TOM LIX Founder and CEO Cleveland Whiskey Amid the COVID-19 pandemic, Tom Lix, founder and CEO of Cleveland Whiskey, pivoted his craft distillery to production of hand sanitizer — and he gave away every last drop to front-line health care workers, police and fire departments, and nursing homes.

This came at the expense of whiskey production for the 12-year-old manufacturer, which nonetheless logged its fourth straight year of double-digit growth and third year of profitability.

But Lix isn’t just doing good for the community.

His distillery is special in its own right, utilizing a unique, tech-driven process to make varieties of Cleveland Whiskey.

Their offerings include bourbons finished on woods not commonly used in barrels, like black cherry — a type that won a rare double gold medal at the prestigious San Francisco World Spirits Competition.

Lix’s whiskeys are made with a pressure-aging process he engineered himself whereby distillates are forced through chunks of wood. This replicates the otherwise static barrel-aging process that imbues the drink with its flavor and color profiles in a fraction of the time.

Purists may argue this isn’t traditional whiskey. But the validation of 117 medals from international spirits competitions suggests he’s doing something right.

Nowadays, Lix is focused on construction of a new facility under development in the Flats that will be 10 times larger than his flagship facility in Cleveland’s MAGNET space. Future plans for that space include a bar and barbecue restaurant.

— Jeremy Nobile

Andrew Brickman

Honoree Crain’s Cleveland Business Notable Entrepreneur Awards Program

Our gratitude is te e r c n o C written in stone.

Full-Service Concrete Contractor.

Specialized Concrete Experience.

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Donnell Institute professor and director Case Western Reserve University’s Center for Computational Imaging and Personalized Diagnostics Anant Madabhushi stays busy.

Just in 2020, for example, his group received 15 patents, secured more than 15 funding awards, and published over 20 peer-reviewed research papers.

Nominator Katherine Gullett, executive director of Case Western Reserve University’s Center for Computational Imaging and Personalized Diagnostics, called Madabhushi a leader in the field of artificial intelligence and medical imaging, adding that he “thrives” in the Cleveland medical ecosystem.

“Using responsibly developed AI tools that employ population-specific risk prediction models, we can recognize important biological variations, then develop and optimize tools that benefit all patients,” Madabhushi wrote in a “Personal View” piece for Crain’s earlier this year. “It's a small, but critical, step toward rectifying health disparity.”

Madabhushi is the founder of two companies and has earned numerous accolades, including being a fellow of the National Academy of Inventors.

“He is a man who never stops, never slows down, always pushes to accomplish more in a day,” Gullett wrote.

— Amy Morona

EUGENE MALINSKIY Co-founder and CEO Lazurite Holdings LLC Eugene Malinskiy was born in Ukraine and has lived in Denmark, but it's in Cleveland where he's looking to make his biggest splash in the tech world, as head of medical device startup Lazurite Holdings.

The company — previously known as Indago — has raised more than $18 million as it seeks to create "the operating room of the future." Key to that: the ArthroFree platform, a wireless, minimally invasive modular camera system featuring the Meridiem light engine. The company is getting ready to submit ArthroFree to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for approval as a Class II medical device. Lazurite is working on other products to help surgeons in the operating room.

Malinskiy has been an entrepreneur for 15 years. His first company was Dragon Intelinet, a network/IT consulting business he established before college, and after exiting that venture he launched DragonID, a biomedical engineering consulting firm.

He earned a master's degree in biomedical engineering from Cleveland State University and a chemistry degree from John Carroll University, where, from 2005 to 2008, he worked as an Emergency Medical Technician for the school's Emergency Medical Services.

Malinskiy also is part of Venture for America, where he helps train future entrepreneurs.

— Scott Suttell

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2021 NOTABLE ENTREPRENEURS SIMONE MCNITT

ALI

President and owner Talent Inclusion Partner

Own Crea

The year 2020 was like no other, and as the president and owner of Talent Inclusion Partner, a human resources consulting agency for small businesses and entrepreneurs, Simone McNitt found herself tasked with finding workers to help a local manufacturer produce essential face masks during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Using her more than 25 years of experience and extensive human resources background, which has helped her to create and maintain a considerable talent pipeline, McNitt helped 18 workers, 50 years and older, find employment in the middle of the pandemic.

McNitt, as a Society of Human Resource Management certified professional and a certified Women Business Enterprise, Minority Business Enterprise and Small Business Enterprise owner, mentors experienced professionals, providing guidance and tools to hone in on an individual’s experience and marketable skills.

McNitt has dedicated her practice to fostering age-inclusive workplaces and was recently invited to host a Cleveland Foundation Common Ground conversation about ageism and the benefits of a multigenerational workforce.

Outside of her work, she also serves as the director of the Encore Engagement Enterprise program at Fairhill Partners; as a member of the Council on Older Persons, an advisory committee of the Center for Community Solutions; and on the Racial Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Advisory Committee for Art Therapy Studio Greater Cleveland.

— Kim Palmer

It espe

ONE-THIRD OF AMERICAN ENTREPRENEURS LAUNCH THEIR BUSINESSES WITH FAMILY. CHELSEA MONTY-BROMER CEO and founder RooSense

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CRAINSCLEVELAND.COM I MAY 10, 2021

UH, ValueHealth aim to deliver value with new surgery centers

VOSS SITE GETTING NEW LIFE

MICHELLE JARBOE

CRAIN’S CLEVELAND BUSINESS

BY LYDIA COUTRÉ

In its new venture with ValueHealth, University Hospitals aims to offer bundled-payment models for certain procedures at a series of new ambulatory surgery centers in Northeast Ohio that the two are developing as part of UH’s value-based strategy.

So far, the two have announced centers in Lorain County and Medina, with plans for more in the region. The outpatient facilities will offer total joint replacement care and may expand to include other complementary multi-specialty surgical care such as ENT and pain management. In collaboration with ValueHealth — a Leawood, Kan.-based health care services company that operates Ambulatory Centers of Excellence — UH is working to provide many such procedures in a bundled model, offering a predictable price for payors and employers.

Apartments, offices and retail slated for Ohio City spot

BY MICHELLE JARBOE

Ave.

St.

Chatha

m Ave.

Pandemic has added to ‘daunting issues’ female lawyers face It didn’t take a global health crisis to point out what has been known for generations: The legal industry is collectively failing women.

Nonetheless, the pandemic has shone a brighter light on issues impacting working women, who, according to Pew Research Center, lost jobs at a greater rate than their male counterparts during this economic shock.

See GELI on Page 28

NEWSPAPER

™

As for female lawyers, the COVID-19 outbreak created fresh disruptions that are thought to be adversely affecting not just worklife balance, but the ability for women to grow in their professions.

Circumstances vary, but according to the American Bar Association, women across the industry are coping with “daunting issues” ranging from increased stress to loss of income and feelings of isolation.

These issues are attributed in some part to gendered expectations and inadequate recognition of parenting needs.

VOL. 42, NO. 18 l COPYRIGHT 2021 CRAIN COMMUNICATIONS INC. l ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

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See VALUEHEALTH on Page 7

GELI hopes to address gaps in legal industry

BY JEREMY NOBILE

Lorain

25th

See VOSS on Page 27

Former Voss properties Additional MRN holdings RTA development site

W.

Visit www.crainscleveland.com today or find us in the app store.

includes parking lots that could become construction sites.

The purchase adds to MRN’s already sizable footprint near West 25th Street and Lorain Avenue, in a fast-changing pocket of the city’s near West Side.

Brothers Ari and Jori Maron now own most of two blocks on the west side of West 25th, just south of Lorain. They control surface lots spanning hundreds of spaces on both sides of West 25th and West 26th streets.

Red Line Greenway

A former manufacturing complex in Cleveland’s Ohio City neighborhood, only steps from the West Side Market, is being reimagined as apartments, offices and retail space.

That revival plan for the vacant Voss Industries buildings along West 25th Street is the first phase of a much larger potential project dreamed up by homegrown developer MRN Ltd. In late March, an MRN affiliate paid $7.5 million for the 4.2-acre Voss property, which

“We know the cost of health care is continuing to go up and the challenges that come with reimbursement and hospital funding,” said Don Bisbee Dr. James Voos, chair of orthopedics for UH. “So our hospital leadership looked toward the future to see what’s the best way to continue to provide that incredibly high quality of care that we’re used to delivering in an academic health care system with the very high efficiency setting of ambulatory surgery centers.”

Beyond the ongoing growth driven by potential promise of lower-cost care, the ambulatory surgery center model has also gained traction in the past year during the pandemic. The postponement of

5/7/2021 1:28:30 PM

Chelsea Monty-Bromer is an educator-turned-entrepreneur. With a Ph.D. in chemical and biomolecular engineering from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Monty-Bromer was a faculty member at the University of Akron in 2010, where she was a lead investigator on a team developing a fabric-based temperature sensor for prosthetic sockets.

After an ultramarathoner suggested the technology could help athletes better monitor their hydration status, Monty-Bromer founded Akron-based RooSense in 2017 to commercialize a wearable sweat sensor, naming the company “in honor of Zippy, one of the only female mascots in the U.S., and who happens to be a kangaroo,” according to nominator Jeanine Black, chief marketing officer at Bounce Innovation Hub. Monty-Bromer left the university in 2020, the nomination said, to pursue her passion as a full-time entrepreneur. She also continues as an educator, as an associate professor at Cleveland State University in the chemical and biomedical engineering department. Meanwhile, RooSense has been selected as a finalist for the Sports Fitness Industry Association Startup Challenge and for the Female Entrepreneurship Summit Pitch Competition; finished in second place in the Hudson Pitch Night Competition; and was awarded an investment of $10,000 from the Northeast Ohio Student Venture Fund. The startup also recently received a National Science Foundation grant to provide $256,000 in funding to build and test a beta-prototype.

— Judy Stringer

STEVEN MUSZYNSKI Founder and CEO Splash Financial Steven Muszynski said “enough” as he watched friends struggle with student loan debt. In 2013, he had started Splash Financial as a college-savings business. Four years later, he transformed it into an online platform to help refinance student loans.

Splash Financial gives those struggling with student loan debt the ability to compare competitive offers on refinancing (usually at lower interest rates) or personal loans from banks or credit unions. Splash also offers options on medical school loans and in-school loans. The nomination said Muszynski has “a unique, selfless end goal for his company.”

When the pandemic hit in early 2020, Muszynski worked with lending partners to reduce interest rates on student loan refinancing.

Splash was included in the top 250 private fintech companies in the world by CB Insights. It recently closed a $44 million Series B funding round and has tripled the size of its team since March of 2020.

Muszynski began his career in financial management at General Electric.

He graduated magna cum laude from the Honors College at Ohio State’s Fisher College of Business. He is a board member of the Values-In-Action Foundation, which emphasizes programs that promote values-based decisions.

— Pat McManamon

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STEVE POTASH

JEFFREY PRITT

Owner Creative Indulgence Party Designs

Founder, CEO and chief creative officer TWIST Creative

Founder and CEO OverDrive

Co-founder and creative director Pritt Entertainment Group

It’s not easy being an entrepreneur, and that’s especially the case for one working in the events industry during a global pandemic. Alisha Norris, though, appears to be thriving and helping lift others along the way.

Three years ago, after a successful career in the hospitality industry, she launched Creative Indulgence Party Designs, which combined her love of decorating, customer service and celebrating life’s milestones, according to the nomination.

In 2020, she expanded her company’s offerings and opened Events On Ridge, a small-scale events space in Parma. Norris has hosted a number of events, professional development conferences and vendor showcases.

Since becoming an entrepreneur, Norris has made it a mission to uplift, educate and support other aspiring entrepreneurs, according to the nomination. She’s offered her space to vendors without brick-and-mortar facilities to showcase their products and services. She’s also hosted workshops for others that focus on scaling their businesses.

Norris even co-hosts a podcast — “Westside W.R.A.P. (Working Relationships And Positivity)” — that offers business insights and a platform for entrepreneurs to speak about their businesses.

Norris is a native of Cleveland and earned her bachelor’s degree from Capital University in Columbus.

— Timothy Magaw

As the founder and leader of Cleveland-based brand agency TWIST Creative, Michael Ozan has worked to make a difference for his clients and for the region’s small businesses.

For example, in 2020 and 2021, TWIST led the Brand X initiative to help local small businesses answer common questions, bringing together its partners to offer advice. And Ozan led and wrote the “My Pandemic Pivot” workbook to help small businesses do just that.

“With an entrepreneurial fist, a full-throttle drive and a fearless beating heart, Mike is not just a writer, not just a brand strategist, not just a business problem solver, but an unstoppable rebel force in Cleveland — a creative force to be reckoned with,” the nomination reads.

In the two decades since TWIST was formed, Ozan has grown the agency from two employees to more than 15 and worked with a wide variety of brands, from nonprofits to companies to educational institutions.

In particular, the nomination said Ozan is “passionate about brand building for neighborhoods and working with nonprofits to innovate new communication platforms that use the principles of advertising to educate and invite participation in actions which disrupt the cycle of poverty.”

— Rachel Abbey McCafferty

It’s not an exaggeration to say the world is smarter, more entertained and connected because of Steve Potash.

After all, the company he founded, OverDrive, has blossomed from a Northeast Ohio startup into the world’s largest supplier of eBooks, audiobooks, magazine and streaming media, serving more than 70,000 schools and libraries in 85 countries. Today, OverDrive’s world headquarters is located in Garfield Heights.

Under Potash’s leadership, OverDrive has experienced consistent earnings and revenue growth, according to the nomination. As CEO, he oversaw three major investments and last year oversaw the acquisition of the company by KKR, a large-scale private equity firm.

Potash is truly a pioneer in the digital content and distribution industry. According to the nomination, Potash was among the first to develop useful applications for digital books in the 1980s.

Prior to launching OverDrive, Potash served as special counsel to the Ohio Attorney Agency, as an acting municipal court judge and authored technology columns for the American Bar Association, the nomination stated.

Potash and his wife, Loree, are active in several local philanthropic efforts. In particular, The Steve & Loree Potash Family Foundation funds literacy programs throughout the nation with believeinreading.org.

— Timothy Magaw

When he was in high school in 2008, Jeffrey Pritt started an entertainment group with his brother Ryan.

Pritt Entertainment Group (PEG) now tells the stories of professional sports teams, Fortune 500 companies and community organizations in Akron — including the United Way of Summit & Medina, Summit Metro ArtsNow and Akron Children’s Hospital.

PEG began its work with sports teams, then applied the principles of sports to businesses and community groups. A key tenet: Sports brings an instant and strong reaction. With creativity and vision, that same reaction can be drawn from viewers about any entity, business or workplace.

In June of 2021, PEG was awarded an Emmy by the National Academy of Arts & Sciences Central Great Lakes Chapter for its video promoting the Akronite app. PEG advised “following the blimp” to encourage Akron residents to support local businesses and restaurants by using the app.

Pritt also founded Pritt Properties, which bought and renovated the Carlton Building in downtown Akron. That effort transformed the historic building into a modern office/retail space that helped save the oldest building in Akron’s South Main Historic District.

— Pat McManamon

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2021 NOTABLE ENTREPRENEURS JOREN RAPINI President emBold Technology-minded Joren Rapini has never met a computer or other piece of technology he didn’t like, a predilection he’s taken into the entrepreneurial realm with emBold.

Headquartered at the Bounce Innovation Hub in Akron, emBold offers its premium web design services to a wide selection of industries — e-commerce, manufacturing, entertainment, government, health care and more.

According to the nomination, Rapini’s technical capabilities and honest rapport have resulted in rapid business growth. Two locations and eight development staffers helped Rapini expand the hosting and maintenance side of the business. The firm also invested in new technology and processes, growing almost 20% year-over-year since 2020.

Alongside emBold, Rapini built Handshaked, a modern business networking tool being bootstrapped, thanks in part to the company’s internal capabilities. Rapini also formed the Summit Collective, a group of creative entities that offer business and nonprofits a range of services including mobile application design and marketing strategy.

“Working multiple jobs at an early age — and being instilled with a genuine approach to human relationships — naturally led Joren into a few leadership positions prior to starting his own businesses,” said the nomination.

When not in front of a computer, Rapini enjoys board games, fitness, yoga, snowboarding, music, biology, physics and just about anything that involves engineering.

— Douglas J. Guth

KEN SABLE Owner Sable Group

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Brett, Congratulations on being recognized among Crain’s Cleveland Business 2021 Notable Entrepreneurs!

Thank you for your unwavering support and remarkable leadership.

We couldn’t “Do What You Say You Will Do” without you.

Love you, bye!

Team Everstream

24 | CRAIN’S CLEVELAND BUSINESS | OCTOBER 25, 2021

You will not see the employees of the Sable Group, an accounting firm owned

by Ken Sable, burning the midnight oil during tax season.

Sable is dedicated to providing a healthy work-life balance for his staff, offering employees a flexible work schedule that includes no extra-long hours or weekend work days, as is the norm with other accounting firms during tax season.

The company philosophy is quality over quantity, and Sable provides “a concierge experience” by maintaining a low client-to-accountant ratio — about half of the 300:1 ratio most traditional accounting firm have.

“Clients are best served when they aren't a number, but rather a valued friend who gets the attention and expertise they deserve,” the firm’s website says.

Sable, a tax attorney himself, has translated that philosophy into success, tripling his company’s revenue and expanding both the staff and client numbers within the first three years of acquiring the firm, which also provides full estate planning and corporate law services.

When he is not growing his business, Sable acts as a mentor for local startups, contributes articles to the Cleveland Jewish News and J-Style Magazine, and is a supporter of MedWorks, a 100% free medical, dental, vision and women's health clinic.

— Kim Palmer

59% OF ENTREPRENEURS WOULD WORK PAST THE AGE OF 65 BECAUSE THEY WANT TO, NOT OUT OF NECESSITY. DON SCIPIONE President and CEO Roll-A-Rack With a doctorate in physics and a stint as a machinist on his resume, Don Scipione yokes vision with hands-on expertise and has served as a teacher and mentor.

Scipione heads a company commercializing a technology for solar panels, an idea he credits to Rob Martens, president of BT Solar, a co-tenant in the Midtown Cleveland headquarters of Acme Express, Scipione's technology development concern that does business as Roll-A-Rack.

For example, at Roll-A-Rack, which forms racks on-site to install solar panels, he garnered research funding under the U.S. Small Business Innovation Research, worked with MAGNET and other local nonprofits to refine it, and linked up with Mazzella Cos. of Cleveland to make it. Other products are connected to business use of the internet, including software for physician scheduling, truck routing and even teaching arithmetic.

Scipione is civically engaged on a grand scale. He has served as chairman of the MidTown Cleveland local development corporation, was involved in Cuyahoga County's charter reform movement, and has or has had board roles at several local opera companies.

He also judges the Intel/Regeneron International Science Fair and the Northeast Ohio Science and Engineering Fair. He won the latter in 1960.

— Stan Bullard

ANNE SKOCH

MARK SOBERAY

ANDREW SOMICH

BLAKE SQUIRES

RACHEL TORCHIA

Owner and CEO Anne Cate

Owner Rock & Roll City Studios

President and CEO Somich & Associates CPAs

Founder and managing partner GeneratorWorks

President and owner Gateway Title Agency

Products from accessories brand and manufacturer Anne Cate depict more than 120 city skylines from all across the globe. But the company's roots are firmly planted in Northeast Ohio.

That’s thanks to owner and CEO Anne Skoch. She’s grown the business from a dorm room — Skoch is a Kent State University graduate — to a manufacturing center in Cleveland. The company employs five people who create goods like makeup cases and wallets by hand. Each earns a living wage.

Clients include Hulu, KeyBank, the Art Institute of Chicago, Wayfair, the Getty Museum and Uncommon Goods, per Skoch’s nomination form.

Skoch reportedly donates a portion of sales to the Greater Cleveland Food Bank. She’s a mentor with College Now Greater Cleveland and a graduate of Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Business program.

“Places impact people — places we visit, places we leave, and places we come home to,” reads a section of the company’s outreach materials. “To our customers, our products are more than just a purse or a pillow; they tell a story, a story that is unique to each person.”

— Amy Morona

Rock & Roll City Studios’ big expansion is hitting really close to home.

The music rehearsal facility is adding about 120 new rooms, plus a state-ofthe-art showcase area for band performances, at a new building that will be located next to its Walworth Avenue headquarters in Cleveland.

Rock & Roll City was founded by Mark Soberay in 1995. Soberay hopes the expansion will be completed in early 2022. The project is expected to provide a significant boost to a company that currently has 100 studios, all of which are occupied, and a waiting list of more than 40 bands and musicians.

“It is impossible to look at the Cleveland music scene without tracing all roads back to Mark Soberay,” the nomination said.

Soberay had his right leg amputated after a bus driver fell asleep at the wheel, causing a 2013 crash that injured 43 passengers. Still, he didn’t let the major injuries he sustained “get in the way of his dream,” the nomination said.

The entrepreneur, according to the nomination, uses a sports analogy to describe his studios, saying that “just as aspiring athletes need fields to practice, local musicians need rehearsal rooms to refine their craft.”

Soon, they’ll have a lot more available.

— Kevin Kleps

Andrew Somich achieves his goals by helping others meet theirs.

That’s why he founded Somich & Associates, a full-service CPA firm focused on working with family-owned businesses. According to the nomination, Somich’s firm has quickly become a trusted partner in the community.

His team has grown from just one to 11 advisers over the last two years.

A strategic thinker, Somich quickly pivoted to help businesses weather the COVID-19 crisis. According to the nomination, that included more than 245 local businesses through the Payroll Protection and Small Business Administration Disaster Loans programs.

“While most firms were closing or reducing hours, he was able to lead his team to work remotely and provide value to his clients and many other local businesses,” the nomination stated. “He was able to pivot his business model and stayed true to his devotion to his clients.”

Meanwhile, Somich was selected by the American Institute of CPAs for its Leadership Academy and was the only professional from Ohio selected to participate in the prestigious program.

Other community service includes serving as chair for the Ohio Society of CPA Young Leadership Board and on the boards for Big Brothers Big Sisters of Northeast Ohio and the West Creek Conservancy.

— Timothy Magaw

Blake Squires has spun his own startup experience into consulting gold for fellow entrepreneurs. The Ohio State University graduate is co-founder of a number of successful exits, including Everstream Inc., which sold to Concurrent Computer Corp.; Adcoda Inc., which became Findaway; Movable, which was acquired by DHS Group; and DoctorsOrders, which was bought by Cardinal Health.

Today Squires balances his time coaching senior-level product executives on how to effectively develop and operate startup ventures while simultaneously doing so himself, focusing on hardware/software/IoT plays through Cleveland-based Hatch LLC and health care tech through GeneratorWorks in Akron.

His coaching of Austin’s Smarter Sorting, a scalable data platform, resulted in more than $30 million raised this past year, and he recently led GeneratorWorks’ portfolio company, QueueDX, to a successful sale. Squires also orchestrated the deployment of GeneratorWorks’ portfolio products at Cleveland Clinic, Piedmont Healthcare and the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center.

“Blake has the unique ability to connect the dots where others see no dots,” Walter | Haverfield marketing coordinator Christina Ryan said in the nomination. “He is a problem solver at his core and is someone who is passionate about the work he does as well as the vision he helps others see.”

— Judy Stringer

Shortly after opening her business in 1993, Rachel Torchia knew she needed a niche for Gateway Title Agency not only to survive, but to thrive. Looking at the trend of more people selling their own homes, she decided that instead of relying on referrals from real estate agents and lenders, she would begin marketing directly to consumers. By 1997, she was positioning Brecksville-based Gateway Title as the "For Sale By Owner Company."

Torchia, according to her nomination, "began her business with a classic grassroots movement — she went 'door-to-door' to open houses to find what consumers really wanted."

From those conversations, she was able to craft a direct marketing effort focused on educating clients with a personal touch through phone calls, emails and in-person consultations.

Gateway Title also offers a free kit and workshops to help navigate real estate closings. "She believes that consumers can be their own advocates if given the proper tools," the nomination said.

She has won numerous local and national business awards, including her selection as a national finalist for the Entrepreneurial Excellence Award from Working Woman magazine.

Torchia is active in her church and community, having served on the Brecksville Chamber of Commerce board from 2012 to 2019, including as chamber president in 2012.

— Elizabeth McIntyre

MARC URSICK

ROB WHITTALL

LAQUATA WILLIAMS

MICHAEL WOJTANOWSKI

Founder and CEO Clearsulting

Managing partner Dyke Yaxley

Owner and CEO White Glove Cleaning Solutions

Medical director, owner and founder Ohio Clinic for Aesthetic and Plastic Surgery

Marc Ursick heads a management consulting practice that has grown to more than 120 associates in the United States, the United Kingdom and Ireland from just three in 2015.

He launched the consultancy with the idea of providing corporate consulting services with a people-first philosophy to mix joy with providing top-quality client service while eschewing the internal politics and hierarchy typical of large consulting firms. He left the fast track at EY after eight years to go his own way.

The tactic must work, for Clearsulting has gathered staffers with similar high-powered backgrounds to its business providing services to improve financial systems and the effectiveness of corporations in multiple industries. Its revenue is in the millions. The firm's most recent addition was a cybersecurity practice in response to client requests for such services. The company has earned notice in consulting trade publications and ranked 467th on Inc. Magazine’s 2020 list of 5,000 fastest-growing companies.

Ursick has a graduate degree from the University of Notre Dame and an undergraduate degree from Walsh University. In the past he has served on the board of directors at Lake Catholic High School and on the junior board of the Achievement Centers for Children.

— Stan Bullard

When Rob Whittall opened Dyke Yaxley, a trans-Atlantic accounting and advising firm, in 2011, he saw Cleveland as good a place as any to set up shop.

He could have chosen New York or Los Angeles — larger cities typically viewed by U.K. companies as the U.S. epicenters of business, according to the nomination. But this firm was about so much more than big-city glam. Whittall’s goal was to create a different kind of accountancy firm focused on delivering superior client service and getting work done, according to the nomination.

“His transatlantic presence and knowledge combined with his interactions with business owners and service providers has opened opportunities to advocate for Northeast Ohio as an ideal region to run a business due to its growth, similarity to UK family values, and being a true reflection of the U.S. market,” the nomination stated.

Today, Dyke Yaxley boasts a staff of 14 here. And over the last 10 years, the firm has experienced 25% annual revenue growth — something largely made possible through referrals from satisfied clients.

Whittall is an active member of the American Institute of CPAs, the Ohio Society of CPAs and the Institute of Chartered Accountants in both England and Wales. He is a past president and long-time member of the British American Chamber of Commerce (Ohio).

— Timothy Magaw

As a student at the University of Akron, LaQuata Williams took an introduction to entrepreneurship course that not only sparked a dream of business ownership, but catalyzed an idea that led to her current calling.

Williams’ already successful residential and commercial cleaning company — White Glove Cleaning Solutions — evolved during the pandemic to include post-construction and COVID disinfection services. Increased business allowed Williams to add staff, while also illuminating a keen entrepreneurial mind able to pivot during a crisis, according to the nomination.

Operating from Akron’s Bounce Innovation Hub, Williams has provided cleaning expertise to construction firms with projects at Akron’s Children’s Hospital, Chick-fil-A and the city of Akron. Last year, White Glove was selected as a featured company for Bounce’s annual Startup Showcase. The honors continued into 2021, when the Greater Akron Chamber highlighted White Glove for Black History Month.

“As a true entrepreneur, Williams is now in the process of manufacturing and preparing to distribute her own cleaning solutions,” the nomination said.

Williams is also involved in Akron’s nonprofit community, including as founder of Barrier Breakers Inc., which delivers re-entry assistance to formerly incarcerated women.

— Douglas J. Guth

Dr. Michael Wojtanowski is the founder and medical director of the Ohio Clinic for Aesthetic and Plastic Surgery in Westlake.

The center’s home is an office building near Crocker Park, which allows it to offer privacy and a supportive setting to those considering changing their appearance via surgical or non-surgical means.

Wojtanowski may be recognized from his many local media appearances. His focus as an expert in the profession: safety and the serious nature of plastic surgery.

He has lobbied against “Botox parties” and making plastic surgery a commodity.

He stresses that plastic surgery is a serious decision and serious procedure.

According to the nomination, Wojtanowski fought cancer in 2009, which forced him to close his business for a year.

Ten years later, he performed a facelift and necklift live on WKYC Channel 3 while answering questions from the public.

Originally from Salisbury, Maryland, Wojtanowski did his residency at University Hospitals. He spent 30 years as chief of plastic surgery at Fairview Hospital.

Wojtanowski has been an ambassador and is an active member of the Human Rights Campaign and is a passionate supporter of Equality Ohio.

— Pat McManamon OCTOBER 25, 2021 | CRAIN’S CLEVELAND BUSINESS | 25

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MARIJUANA BUSINESS DIRECTORY

This directory includes marijuana businesses licensed by the state of Ohio and operating in Northeast Ohio. It includes data from the state, company websites, company surveys and other sources. Employment figures include employees who work under other licenses at the same location. Entities with provisional licenses are not yet providing services related to the license at the listed address. Level 1 cultivators are permitted to grow marijuana in a cultivation area up to 25,000 square feet, and level 2 cultivators have a limit of 3,000 square feet.

 CULTIVATOR, LEVEL 1 – OPERATIONAL AT-CPC of Ohio LLC (dba: Klutch Cannabis) 1055 Home Ave., Akron 44310 klutchcannabis.com Location employees: 100 HQ: Akron Brands made/sold: Klutch Cannabis, Klutch Select, Klutch Mind and Body, Josh D, Kiva Confections Top local exec: Adam Thomarios, CEO Buckeye Relief LLC 33525 Curtis Blvd., Eastlake 44095 440-530-2880/buckeyerelief.com Location employees: 120 HQ: Eastlake Brands made/sold: Buckeye Relief, Wana, Willie’s Reserve, Keef, Airo, Old Pal Top local exec: Andrew K. Rayburn, CEO Greenleaf Gardens LLC 15335 Madison Road, Middlefield 44062 Location employees: 80 Parent: Acreage Holdings; HQ: New York Brands made/sold: Superflux and Botanist Top local exec: Kate Nelson, general manager, Ohio OPC Cultivation LLC (dba: Firelands Scientific) 2344 University Drive E., Huron 44839 419-616-5115/firelandsscientific.com Location employees: 133 HQ: Huron Brands made/sold: Firelands Scientific Top local exec: Jeff McCourt, CEO Riviera Creek Holdings LLC 1275 Crescent St., Youngstown 44502 rivieracreek.com Location employees: 35 HQ: Youngstown Brands made/sold: Riviera Creek, Stambaugh, Wildcat, Jack Rabbit, Blue Steel Top local exec: Daniel Kessler, CEO Standard Wellness Co. LLC 105 Commerce Drive, Gibsonburg 43431 216-650-6398/standardwellness.com Location employees: 72 Parent: Standard Wellness Holdings LLC; HQ: Cleveland Brands made/sold: The Standard, The Solid, The Forest, PAX, Manna Molecular, Organa Brands Top local exec: Jared Maloof, CEO

 CULTIVATOR, LEVEL 1 - PROVISIONAL Parma Wellness Center LLC 17 Corporate Drive, Parma 44130 ayrwellness.com Parent: Ayr Wellness; HQ: Miami Terradiol Ohio LLC 3800 Harmont Ave. N.E., Canton 44705 Top local exec: John M. Vavalo, CEO

 CULTIVATOR, LEVEL 2 - OPERATIONAL Ascension Biomedical LLC 200 Artino St., Oberlin 44074 440-596-6004/ascensionbiomedical.com Location employees: 20 HQ: Oberlin Brands made/sold: Ascension Top local exec: Fadi G. Boumitri, CEO Farkas Farms LLC (dba: Bullseye Gardens) 19021 Vermont St., Grafton 44044 HQ: Grafton Brands made/sold: Bullseye Gardens Top local exec: Ronald A. Farkas, majority owner Fire Rock Ltd. (dba: Woodward Fine Cannabis) 1076 Home Ave., Akron 44310 234-738-3750/woodwardfc.com Location employees: 10 HQ: Akron

Brands made/sold: Woodward Fine Cannabis Top local exec: Pete Pantelides, CEO

Top local exec: Kate Nelson, general manager, Ohio

FN Group Holdings LLC (dba: Wellspring Fields) 4000 Lake Rockwell Road, Ravenna Township 44266 330-839-8338/wellspringfields.com HQ: Ravenna Township Brands made/sold: Wellspring Fields, Dr. Feel Better Top local exec: Tom Hobson, CEO

Greenleaf Apothecaries LLC (dba: The Botanist) 3840 Greentree Ave. S.W., Canton 44706 330-623-7430/shopbotanistohio.com Location employees: 25 Parent: Acreage Holdings; HQ: New York Brands made/sold: Variety from operators statewide Top local exec: Kate Nelson, general manager, Ohio

Galenas LLC 1956 S. Main St., Akron 44301 330-208-9423/galenas.com HQ: Akron Top local exec: Geoffrey D. Korff, CEO Mother Grows Best LLC (dba: Verano) 1851 Steinway Blvd. S.E., Canton 44707 312-265-0730/verano.com Location employees: 200 Parent: Verano Holdings LLC; HQ: Chicago Brands made/sold: Verano, Encore, Avexia Top local exec: John Olihan, general manager

 CULTIVATOR, LEVEL 2 – PROVISIONAL Cielo Jardin LLC 21700 St. Clair Ave., Euclid 44117 HQ: Euclid Top local exec: Reginald Friesen, CEO

 DISPENSARY – OPERATIONAL 127 OH LLC (dba: Bloom Medicinals) 737 E. North St., Akron 44305 567-213-5101/bloomohio.com Location employees: 25 Parent: Bloom Medicinals LLC; HQ: Boca Raton, Fla. Brands made/sold: Bloom Medicinals Top local exec: Jasmine Carter, manager 127 OH LLC (dba: Bloom Medicinals) 382 Blackbrook Road, Painesville 44077 440-299-1019/bloomohio.com Location employees: 20 Parent: Bloom Medicinals LLC; HQ: Boca Raton, Fla. Brands made/sold: Bloom Medicinals Top local exec: Jasmine Carter, manager Cannamed Therapeutics LLC (dba: Terrasana) 10500 Antenucci Blvd., Garfield Heights 44125 440-336-4195/terrasanacannabisco.com Location employees: 20 HQ: Columbus Brands made/sold: Buckeye Relief, Firelands Scientific, Grow Ohio, Beneleaves, Farkas Farms, Fire Rock, Wellspring Fields, Cokoh, Certified Cultivators Top local exec: William Kedia, chief medical officer The Forest Sandusky LLC 1651 Tiffin Ave., Sandusky 44870 419-405-6863/theforestohio.com Location employees: 12 Parent: Standard Wellness Holdings LLC; HQ: Cleveland Brands made/sold: The Standard, The Solid, The Forest, PAX, Manna Molecular, Organa Brands Top local exec: Jared Maloof, CEO Green Leaf Medical of Ohio II LLC (dba: gLeaf) 2932 Youngstown Road S.E., Warren 44484 330-469-9499/gleaf.com/ohio Location employees: 31 Parent: Columbia Care Inc.; HQ: New York Top local exec: Natalie Dean, general manager Greenleaf Apothecaries LLC (dba: The Botanist) 3865 Lakeside Ave. E., Cleveland 44114 216-930-6550/shopbotanistohio.com Location employees: 20 Parent: Acreage Holdings; HQ: New York Brands made/sold: Variety from operators statewide

Greenleaf Apothecaries LLC (dba: The Botanist) 46 S. Summit St., Akron 44308 330-368-2144/shopbotanistohio.com Location employees: 20 Parent: Acreage Holdings; HQ: New York Brands made/sold: Variety from operators statewide Top local exec: Kate Nelson, general manager, Ohio Greenleaf Apothecaries LLC (dba: The Botanist) 30133 Euclid Ave., Wickliffe 44092 440-671-0420/shopbotanistohio.com Location employees: 25 Parent: Acreage Holdings; HQ: New York Brands made/sold: Variety from operators statewide Top local exec: Kate Nelson, general manager, Ohio GTI Ohio LLC (dba: Rise) 18609 Detroit Ave., Lakewood 44107 216-273-0062/oh.risecannabis.com Parent: Green Thumb Industries; HQ: Chicago, IL Brands made/sold: Rythm, incredibles, Dr. Solomon’s Top local exec: Tim Hawkins, commercial general manager, Pennsylvania and Ohio GTI Ohio LLC (dba: Rise) 11818 Madison Ave., Lakewood 44107 216-273-0088/oh.risecannabis.com Parent: Green Thumb Industries; HQ: Chicago Brands made/sold: Rythm, incredibles, Dr. Solomon’s Top local exec: Tim Hawkins, commercial general manager, Pennsylvania and Ohio GTI Ohio LLC (dba: Rise) 1920 Cooper Foster Park Road W., Lorain 44053 440-363-0237/oh.risecannabis.com Parent: Green Thumb Industries; HQ: Chicago Brands made/sold: Rythm, incredibles, Dr. Solomon’s Top local exec: Tim Hawkins, commercial general manager, Pennsylvania and Ohio GTI Ohio LLC (dba: Rise) 1222 Prospect Ave. E., Cleveland 44115 216-243-0165/oh.risecannabis.com Parent: Green Thumb Industries; HQ: Chicago Brands made/sold: Rythm, incredibles, Dr. Solomon’s Top local exec: Tim Hawkins, commercial general manager, Pennsylvania and Ohio KDJOH LLC (dba: Herbology) 1220 Buchholzer Blvd., Cuyahoga Falls 44221 330-899-4933/myherbology.com HQ: Cuyahoga Falls (receives management services from Curaleaf, which has an option to acquire the company) Mother Know’s Best LLC (dba: Zen Leaf Canton) 1851 Steinway Blvd. S.E., Canton 44707 234-901-5900/zenleafdispensaries.com/ dispensary/zen-leaf-canton Location employees: 200 Parent: Verano Holdings LLC; HQ: Chicago Brands made/sold: Verano, Encore, Avexia, MÜV Top local exec: Anthony Dindia, executive vice president - retail

NMG OH 1 LLC (dba: Body and Mind formerly The Clubhouse Dispensary) 709 Sugar Lane, Elyria 44035 bodyandmind.com Parent: Body and Mind Inc.; HQ: Vancouver, British Columbia OPC Retail LLC (dba: Firelands Scientific) 2344 University Drive E., Huron 44839 419-616-5115/firelandsscientific.com Location employees: 133 HQ: Huron Brands made/sold: Firelands Scientific, Ancient Roots, Buckeye Relief, Butterfly Effect, Standard Wellness, BeneLeaves, Certified and Kiva Confections Top local exec: Jeff McCourt, CEO Quest Wellness Ohio II LLC (dba: Leaf Relief) 4323 Market St., Boardman 44512 330-333-3925/facebook.com/leafreliefohio Location employees: 25 HQ: Youngstown Brands made/sold: Various brands Top local exec: Herbert L. Washington, CEO, owner; Terrell Washington, chief operating officer

 DISPENSARY – PROVISIONAL Buckeye Relief LLC (dba: Amplify) 1782 Coventry Road, Cleveland Heights 44118 440-530-2880/amplifydispensary.com Location employees: 10 HQ: Eastlake, Ohio Brands made/sold: Amplify Top local exec: Andrew K. Rayburn, CEO

 PROCESSOR – OPERATIONAL AT-CPC of Ohio LLC (dba: Klutch Cannabis) 1055 Home Ave., Akron 44310 klutchcannabis.com Location employees: 100 HQ: Akron Brands made/sold: Klutch Cannabis, Klutch Select, Klutch Mind and Body, Josh D, Kiva Confections Top local exec: Adam Thomarios, CEO Ayr Wellness Inc. 844 E. Tallmadge Ave., Akron 44310 ayrwellness.com HQ: Miami Buckeye Relief LLC 33525 Curtis Blvd., Eastlake 44095 440-530-2880/buckeyerelief.com Location employees: 120 HQ: Eastlake Brands made/sold: Buckeye Relief, Willie’s Reserve, Keef, Airo, Wana Top local exec: Andrew K. Rayburn, CEO FN Group Holdings LLC (dba: Wellspring Fields) 4000 Lake Rockwell Road, Ravenna Township 44266 330-839-8338/wellspringfields.com HQ: Ravenna Township Brands made/sold: Wellspring Fields, Dr. Feel Better Top local exec: Tom Hobson, CEO Greenleaf Therapeutics 15335 Madison Road, Middlefield 44062 Location employees: 80 Parent: Acreage Holdings; HQ: New York Brands made/sold: Superflux, Botanist Top local exec: Kate Nelson, general manager, Ohio MC2P LLC (dba: Lighthouse Sciences) 34099 Melinz Parkway Unit F, Eastlake 44095 440-478-1128/lighthousesci.com Location employees: 10 HQ: Eastlake Brands made/sold: Lighthouse Sciences, Bunji Bros.

Top local exec: Alex Sandorf, lab director

Mother Grows Best LLC (dba: Verano) 1851 Steinway Blvd. S.E., Canton 44707 312-265-0730/verano.com Location employees: 200 Parent: Verano Holdings LLC; HQ: Chicago Brands made/sold: Verano, Encore, Avexia Top local exec: John Olihan, general manager NMG OH P1 LLC (dba: Body and Mind) 719 Sugar Lane, Elyria 44035 bodyandmind.com Parent: Body and Mind Inc.; HQ: Vancouver, British Columbia North Coast Therapeutics LLC 8231 Murray Ridge Road, Elyria 44035 440-322-9121/ncthera.com Location employees: 8 HQ: Elyria Brands made/sold: Old School, Evergreen, Aerlume Top local exec: Mark Luvison, general manager OPC Processing (dba: Firelands Scientific) 2344 University Drive E., Huron 44839 419-616-5115/firelandsscientific.com Location employees: 133 HQ: Huron Brands made/sold: Firelands Scientific Top local exec: Jeff McCourt, CEO Riviera Creek Holdings II 1275 Crescent St., Youngstown 44502 rivieracreek.com Location employees: 35 Parent: Riviera Creek Holdings LLC; HQ: Youngstown Brands made/sold: Riviera Creek Solventless Top local exec: Daniel Kessler, CEO Standard Farms Ohio LLC 14646 NEO Parkway, Garfield Heights 44128 603-933-2825/tiltholdings.com Location employees: 7 Parent: Tilt Holdings Inc.; HQ: Phoenix, Ariz.

Brands made/sold: Standard Farms Top local exec: Foster Boone, general manager Standard Wellness Co. LLC 105 Commerce Drive, Gibsonburg 43431 216-650-6398/standardwellness.com Location employees: 72 Parent: Standard Wellness Holdings LLC; HQ: Cleveland Brands made/sold: The Standard, The Solid, The Forest, PAX, Manna Molecular, Organa Brands Top local exec: Jared Maloof, CEO

 PROCESSOR – PROVISIONAL Cielo Processing LLC

21700 St. Clair Ave., Euclid 44117 HQ: Euclid Top local exec: Reginald Friesen, CEO Ohio Green Systems LLC Transportation Boulevard (parcel 543-09003), Garfield Heights 44125 Quest Wellness Ohio III LLC (dba: Leaf Relief) 741 South Ave., Youngstown 44502 330-333-3925/leafreliefohio.com HQ: Youngstown Brands made/sold: Leaf Relief Top local exec: Herbert L. Washington, CEO, owner; Terrell Washington, chief operating officer Strive Wellness of Ohio LLC 18681 Vermont St., Grafton 44044 strivewellnessofohio.com HQ: Grafton Top local exec: Ronald A. Farkas, majority owner

 TESTING LAB – OPERATIONAL North Coast Testing Laboratories 10100 Wellman Road, Streetsboro 44241 330-387-3377 HQ: Streetsboro Top local exec: David A. Moorhead, president

26 | CRAIN’S CLEVELAND BUSINESS | OCTOBER 25, 2021

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DATA SCOOP

Out-of-state companies buy way into Ohio’s weed industry

BY JEREMY NOBILE

There are more than two dozen marijuana companies operating in Northeast Ohio, according to Crain’s new Marijuana Business Directory.

But of the 52 state licenses they represent, nearly one-third are controlled by out-of-state companies at just a few years past the launch of the Ohio Medical Marijuana Control Program.

Former Ohio Gov. John Kasich signed House Bill 523, which established the OMMCP, in summer 2016.

Business licenses for marijuana cultivators, processors and dispensaries started to be allocated a couple years later.

Legal sales of marijuana eventually commenced in January 2019. The industry has been blooming slowly ever since.

Ohio regulators made a point of having local ownership of marijuana companies in the early days, but this was never expected to last.

License holders are required to be in operation for just one year before they can apply to transfer their li-

censes — which are in high-demand and equally expensive and cumbersome to secure — to another entity.

Data for the Marijuana Business Directory shows acquisitions by outof-state owners have been playing out in recent years with several entities just in Northeast Ohio alone where 30% of licensed businesses are operated by non-Ohio parent companies.

These acquisitions speak to the efforts of multi-state operators (MSOs) to secure a piece of Ohio’s burgeoning marijuana market.

Take for example Acreage Holdings, an MSO with U.S. headquarters in New York.

The company in early October announced the acquisition by its subsidiary High Street Capital of vertically integrated Ohio marijuana outfit Greenleaf Gardens. The deal includes a processing (Greenleaf Therapeutics) and Level I cultivation facility in Middlefield with space for future expansion. It also got five dispensaries (Greenleaf Apothecaries) operated under the brand name The Botanist,

a name that belongs to and has been licensed by Acreage. Four of those retail stores are in Northeast Ohio.

Acreage has said the Greenleaf dispensaries account for 20% of the state’s current retail market.

Other local marijuana companies, according to Crain’s research, are controlled by parent organization in states like Illinois, New York, Florida, Arizona and Canada.

As the industry matures, its likely industry consolidation will continue with MSOs doing much of the snapping up.

As for other deals that have played it already, there is Florida-based Ayr Wellness, which bought both Ohio Medical Solutions Inc. and Parma Wellness Center in March 2021.

In September, Canadian company Body and Mind Inc. completed its acquisition of NMG Ohio, which has licenses for a dispensary as well as a processing facility in Elyria.

The goal for many of these companies is to get involved in markets now where they can get ahead of the seemingly inevitable onset of adult-

use, recreational marijuana programs. Many companies strive to be vertically integrated, which means controlling cultivation, manufacturing and dispensary operations.

Regulators also are preparing to award another 73 new dispensary licenses after grossly underestimating patient demand.

There are currently three separate efforts in Ohio alone looking to establish an adult-use market. Those include separate legalization bills from Democratic and Republican lawmakers as well as a citizen-led effort through what is known as an “enacted statute.”

Disappointment with OMMCP Crain’s also asked companies in the directory what they think of the OMMCP, and 12 of the 26 parent companies in the directory weighed in. Eight chose some variation of “effective.” while four classified it as “ineffective.”

In terms of issues license holders

have with the program, 92% cited the “use of daily units and how they are calculated” (which refers to the allocation system for how much marijuana medical patients can purchase in a given period). This peculiar calculation system has been confusing for patients in particular.

Meanwhile, another 83% of respondents cited issues with “dealing with two separate regulatory agencies” (which are the Ohio Department of Commerce and Ohio Board of Pharmacy) and “restrictions on advertising/social media.”

As Crain’s recently reported, a draft bill is being worked on that would address some of the most-frequently cited issues license holders have with the OMMCP. A key feature of that bill is eliminating the Board of Pharmacy as a regulator. Tweaks to advertising rules, which summarily govern marijuana company’s social media interactions, are being considered as part of that legislation as well.

Jeremy Nobile: jnobile@crain.com, (216) 771-5362, @JeremyNobile

MANUFACTURING

R.D. Abbott opens Barberton facility for Novation subsidiary

BY ANDREW SCHUNK /RUBBER NEWS

R.D. Abbott Co., based in Cerritos, California, now has an additive manufacturing and warehousing facility in Northeast Ohio for its Novation Solutions LLC subsidiary, a supplier of modifiers, additives and colorants for liquid silicone and high-consistency rubber.

R.D. Abbott bought the existing facility, which opened Oct. 8. Investment costs for the 127,000-square-foot, 40-person operation were not divulged.

“Barberton had the real estate available, and we knew we needed to expand,” Jerry McCall, vice president of sales and marketing at R.D. Abbott, told Rubber News, a sister publication of Crain’s Cleveland Business, at the ACS Rubber Division’s International Elastomer Conference in Pittsburgh. “We have a warehouse in the East (for silicone additives) but we wanted to own our own facility in Ohio.”

R.D. Abbott purchased McCall Novation Solutions in 2017, and the Barberton facility is a function of the full-service distributor for the rubber industry seeking to be closer to its customers, McCall said.

About 67,000 square feet is for customer service and research labs, and the remaining space is for warehousing. The facility, McCall said, brings a versatile presence for R.D. Abbott, as the company looks to maintain design and development, formulation and material testing, among other services, under one roof.

“This is especially true as it relates to getting into the education of the industry with technical webinars on processing and applications, and how to use proper performance additives for whatever type of applications that is needed or being sought by the custom-

er,” McCall said.

R.D. Abbott, which began as a pure distributor of raw material products, has been involved with the material development and engineering of silicone for many years now, along with distributing other goods related to the industry.

Its vendors include Dow, Arlanxeo, Parker Lord, Lanxess, Cancarb, Alpha Technologies and 3M products, among others.

Both high-consistency rubber (HCR) and liquid silicon rubber (LSR) are burgeoning fields, and R.D. Abbott is looking to increase its footprint in these markets, McCall said, especially since self-lubricating LSR is the material of choice for electrical sealing in automotive applications.

With constant changes in the industry, the performance requirements of this material can be challenging and the related material formulations more complex.

“Bonding comes into everything—it’s a real door-opener,” McCall said.

“We really wanted to expand our reach with an LSR processing center. LSR can be a long road from concept to finished part, between the press guys, tooling guys and application fabricators.

“That is what this facility is: a hub for all of it—bringing them all together with a focus on education.”

With the LSR center, R.D. Abbott will look to provide technology to help fabricators make their final products.

No molding or fabrication will take place there—only proving out raw materials.

“We will then sell this LSR and HCR, helping to bridge the gap within supplier part portfolios, using dispersions and modifiers,” McCall said. “This facility brings things together ... and offers a custom approach to those who desire a custom approach. With the LSR center, we are providing technolo-

R.D. Abbott’s mantra of “Applied Curiosity” is apt for the Barberton location, as it will focus on continuing education in the industry. | CONTRIBUTED

gy to help the fabricator make that final product.”

McCall said NovationSi — as the Barberton location is known — represents a continuation of the same markets R.D. Abbott already serves, from automotive to aerospace and construction—”everything and anything that has rubber in it,” McCall said.

“Our markets are broad and we have an applied curiosity here,” he said.

“This is what gets us out of bed in the morning — tinkering, helping people to overcome challenges in their products.”

McCall added that the branding, once the modified raw material hits the market, will be as an R.D. Abbott product.

NovationSi products include NovaSperse standard color and additive dispersions for LSR and HCR; NovaSperse health care color and additive (including antimicrobials) dispersions for LSR and HCR; NovaSperse RTV silicone color and additive dispersions; and third-stream additives (for radiopacity, bleed fluid and hardness modifiers, among others).

A premium on education

R.D. Abbott already sponsors and teaches industry material develop-

ment and processing classes on the West Coast, many to the Los Angeles Rubber Group.

“We want to do something similar with LSR on this coast, training young people in the industry on a press or a mold. We want people to look at us as a trainer, with all of the education going toward a finished product,” McCall said.

McCall compared the NovationSi subsidiary to a stop at a local big box hardware store.

With its specialty color dispersions and modifiers for performance elastomers — like the addition of anti-friction, conductivity or static dissipation characteristics — Novation “is like a stop at Home Depot,” McCall said.

“You select a paint swatch, and we match it,” he said.

And placing a premium on education and technology at the Barberton location (and others) should help the industry at-large, which has experienced hiring and retention challenges since before the pandemic began.

“When people think of rubber, they think of tires and door mats — that it is a black and dirty business with the use of carbon black — and that’s just not the case anymore,” McCall said.

“Think of all the engineered elasto-

mers and silicone use on an aircraft — the seals that keep you from being sucked out.

“We understand the rubber industry is aging, and our long-term goal is to bring awareness to the industry.

Rubber has all the things that we covet and appreciate in day-to-day life. We want to expose young people to how important rubber is in everyday life.”

McCall, a former chair of the ACS Rubber Division, added that R.D. Abbott is having some hiring difficulties in the manufacturing space, but “not on a large scale.”

“R.D. Abbott does not have much turnover. Folks who come to work for us tend to remain here for long periods of time,” he said. “Our product in many ways is our people, the culture, the family atmosphere here, all individuals shooting for a common goal, buying into the mission, vision and values.

“We owe the rubber industry and we know we need to give back. We are passionate about education, one of our core principles — but make no mistake, we owe the rubber industry.”

R.D. Abbott was founded in 1948 by Robert David Abbott after he retired from C.P. Hall. Abbott was a former Los Angeles Rubber Group chairman.

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LOGISTICS

From Page 1

“The pandemic has really, in the past year and a half, caused huge demand for this type of business,” said Matt Knittle, the company’s president, co-owner and chief operating officer. “There are components in manufacturing that people just can’t afford to wait for.”

All Pro Now isn’t the typical budding enterprise.

Formed in June 2020, the company is an offshoot of All Pro Freight Systems Inc., a formidable trucking and warehouse operation based in Westlake. The businesses have overlapping ownership, with All Pro Freight founder Chris Haas as the majority shareholder, and common offices.

Where All Pro Freight hauls loads in tractor trailers and straight trucks, though, its small sidekick relies on a fleet of sleek Sprinter vans. While the parent company caters to corporate clients, All Pro Now is trying to reach beyond businesses — to shoppers who need help transporting furniture, large televisions and other unwieldy purchases home from stores.

Knittle ramped up the business side of the operation in October 2020, with the rollout of an app that lets customers place and track orders online. All Pro Now started making overtures to consumers in the spring.

So far, business-to-business demand is besting their expectations.

Residential users are proving much harder to reach.

“Building that awareness just takes time,” said Knittle, 49, who has worked in logistics for major package carriers, retailers and manufacturers of health care equipment.

Courier businesses are nothing new, of course. Northeast Ohio is home to established delivery services including Bonnie Speed Logistics, Mercury Messenger & Freight and Top Dawg Delivery and Logistics.

But All Pro Now is trying to stand out by piggybacking on a wellknown brand and touting its tech-

HUB

From Page 1

“What is new is to have an innovation hub and connect it to a real company, one that’s making real products, creating intellectual property with game-changing ideas. Nobody’s doing it in the world right now,” said Gootee, EY’s Global Advanced Manufacturing Sector leader.

The facility is the culmination of a $4 million renovation of Nottingham Spirk’s 60,000 square foot historic headquarters located near University Circle and Case Western Reserve University. The buildout included a $1.5 million research and development grant from the state’s private nonprofit economic development organization, JobsOhio.

Clients in Cleveland, as in EY’s other innovation hubs and labs, have access to the firm’s wavespace methodology, which leverages a global network of experts to help work through the development of new business models and products, or to help drive technological transformation. Each EY wavespace specializes in one or more capability, such as the Internet of Things, artificial intelligence, blockchain, cloud technology

A forklift operator at Komar Screw Corp. in Brecksville pulls a loaded pallet out of an All Pro Now Sprinter van. | MICHELLE JARBOE/CRAIN’S CLEVELAND BUSINESS

nology.

The company worked with Appscrip, a developer based in India, to come up with a simple interface. The All Pro Now app allows customers to enter their pickup location, view nearby vans and box trucks and get a delivery quote based on distance and travel time.

After placing an order, a customer can trace the delivery to their loading dock or door.

Delivery pricing starts at $35. The typical residential customer pays $45 to $60, Knittle said.

The cost of business deliveries is all over the place.

Kahoe has picked up a load on one side of a suburban warehouse, only to drop it off at the other end of the building. He’s been dispatched as far as North Carolina — an anomaly for All Pro Now, which

makes most of its runs in Ohio, with forays into Michigan and Pennsylvania.

“That’s probably been my favorite part about this job,” Kahoe said of encountering new corporate customers. “I never realized how much industry actually exists around us.

You just don’t know unless you actually see it.”

Some of those clients, like the Cleveland Browns, had existing relationships with All Pro Freight.

Brad Melland, the football team’s director of equipment operations, used All Pro Now last season to transport jerseys and laundry.

“The timing of it was kind of impeccable with COVID,” Melland said, since the team’s in-house seamstress suddenly had to work from home and the organization was trying to reduce its interactions

or cybersecurity.

Gootee said that what makes Cleveland’s manufacturing innovation hub different than others is that after clients work out a product idea or come up with a process fix, instead of waiting until they get back to their facilities to try out the idea, “they can go downstairs” to the production space in Nottingham Spirk — the company that created the Spinbrush and the Twist & Pour paint can, among other innovations — and prototype the idea.

“People want these collaborative spaces,” said Michael Goldberg, associate professor of design and innovation at the Weatherhead School of Management at Case Western Reserve University. “These business accelerators are an acknowledgment by corporate America that it is very difficult to innovate from within.”

Opening an accelerator is a strategic decision that allows big corporations to stay relevant and competitive in a rapidly changing economy, he said, adding, “These experiments in innovation are now an ‘and,’ not an ‘or,’ to how business needs to operate.”

Manufacturers, in particular, are grappling with the joint mission of taking advantage of emerging mar-

kets while transitioning to the next generation of advanced manufacturing.

The Cleveland hub’s capabilities were designed to accelerate product ideation and commercialization, along with technical adoption to improve processes efficiencies.

“Tell me what is your biggest issue, the one you can’t solve. Let’s see if we can tackle that issue with some new digital technology and bring something new to the table,” Gootee said.

Another distinction unique to the Nottingham Spirk hub, Gootee said, is partnerships with companies such as Microsoft, Nokia, PTC and SAP that provide its digital technology platforms. Massive LED touch screens cover the walls of one room of the facility where clients and visitors are introduced to “digital twin” technology using these software platforms to collect data. The screens are filled with a virtual representation, or “twin,” of the physical product.

The displays receive real-time information from sensors located throughout the device; everything from the mechanical performance, temperature, energy usage and even weather conditions are captured, displayed and processed. Each machine’s specific data is aggregated

with outside vendors.

For HMS Industries, a Westlake-based bearings supplier, All Pro Now filled a gap when a longtime local courier service shut down. Before signing on with Knittle, HMS also used its own small van for deliveries or overpaid for space on trucks that port modest loads for multiple customers, said Neal Saluja, the company’s senior business operations manager.

“Last-mile service is a service that is tough to come by — and one that we need to utilize a lot,” Saluja said.

By the end of this year, Knittle plans to expand All Pro Now’s footprint to Florida, where All Pro Freight has a presence in the Orlando area. In 2022, he hopes to reach into Georgia and North and South Carolina.

That growth depends on hiring more company drivers and independent contractors, at an entry-level rate of $15 an hour.

Knittle also is trying to make inroads with retailers, in hopes of forming a pipeline to residential customers. A few chain furniture stores in the region quietly are passing out All Pro Now’s information to shoppers, but consumers account for only 2% of the business.

That’s frustrating to Knittle, who believes there is an unmet need for swift transport of purchases that won’t fit in a typical car or SUV, particularly at a time when supply-chain snarls and labor shortages are causing delivery delays.

“Our messaging has been difficult,” he said, citing early calls from consumers in search of moving companies. “We have one person per vehicle, so we can’t do complicated unloading.”

Anne Schuerger learned about All Pro Now in August, when she was buying outdoor furniture for a condominium in New York. The 100-mile trek from Northeast Ohio was beyond the store’s delivery area, so the retailer gave her Knittle’s business card.

After playing with the app, she was sold. Her furniture arrived right on schedule.

“If I were to purchase something where delivery wasn’t practical or possible, I would definitely use those guys again,” said Schuerger, who lives in Sheffield Lake.

Customer Ken Markovich stumbled upon the service last year, when he saw All Pro Now vehicles parked outside the company’s headquarters. He was on his way to rent a truck to move items out of a storage unit.

Instead, he stopped and picked up the phone.

“I’ve probably used them 20 times, if not more,” said Markovich, who lives in Avon Lake. “I simply do not even think about renting a truck or getting friends or other people to help move stuff. I just use my app. ... Within 30 minutes or less, they’re at my location.”

Michelle Jarboe: michelle.jarboe@ crain.com, (216) 771-5437, @mjarboe

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Attendees at the ribbon cutting for the EY-Innovation Hub at Nottingham Spirk listen to a presentation on

and reported back to a central hub where inventory and supply chain information is added, along with AI learning and even predictive models all demonstrating the value of digitization.

“You walk into the space and all

sorts of digital applications come to life,” Gootee said. “You can experiment with the combination of hardware and software, which is where most products are going.”

The predictive modeling applications keep production lines up and

28 | CRAIN’S CLEVELAND BUSINESS | OCTOBER 25, 2021

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practice facility and urban waterfront projects, including the Foundry rowing and sailing complex in the Flats.

To maintain broad appeal to investors — and A-minus status with ratings agency S&P Global Ratings — the bond funds must keep a certain level of cash on hand. The JobsOhio deal thickens that cushion, making up to $10 million in additional reserves available to each program.

JobsOhio isn’t actually spending any money. Instead, the organization is providing credit enhancement — another layer of backup that will enable the ports to make more loans. If bond-fund deals go bad, the ports would have to tap their own reserves before turning to JobsOhio.

“The risk of our having to make a cash outlay is extremely low. … We feel pretty good, and pretty safe,” said Brian Faust, JobsOhio’s chief financial officer.

The other participating ports are the Toledo-Lucas County Port Authority, the Columbus-Franklin County Finance Authority, the Port of Greater Cincinnati Development Authority and the Dayton-Montgomery County Port Authority. The Cincinnati and Dayton-area ports share a bond fund, while the rest of the agencies sponsor standalone programs.

Faust described the arrangement as a creative way to make use of JobsOhio’s balance sheet.

“Our CEO and our leadership is interested in ‘What else can we do besides just writing checks to leverage our capabilities for the state?’” he said.

The port of Cleveland’s board signed off on the deal in early September, during a meeting at the agency’s office downtown. But the ink on the contract was not dry until late last week.

The first such investment-grade bond fund in Ohio dates to the late 1980s, said Michael DiPerna, a Columbus-area financial adviser who worked with each of the ports to establish their programs.

The Cleveland port launched its fund in 1997 and has issued upward of $204 million worth of bonds for

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running by monitoring not only how the machines are performing, but estimating how they will perform in the future. The applications also forecast breakage and inventory outages to help keep production seamless.

In the same room, visitors can use

CRAIN’S CLEVELAND BUSINESS

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Rowers carry a boat out of the Foundry complex and down to the water on the east bank of the Cuyahoga River. The rowing facility is one of the projects financed through the Cleveland-Cuyahoga County Port Authority’s bond fund. | MICHELLE JARBOE/CRAIN’S CLEVELAND BUSINESS

more than 40 projects. The average transaction size is close to $4.9 million.

Since its inception roughly two decades ago, the Akron-area bond fund has issued about $143 million in debt for projects scattered across the state.

The typical deal requires $2.5 million

The bulked-up reserves won’t alter the way the Cleveland port evaluates deals, said Rhonda Winslow, the agency’s finance director. But the partnership with JobsOhio reduces the odds that the port will approach its capacity limit and have to pass on financing compelling projects.

“OUR CEO AND OUR LEADERSHIP IS INTERESTED IN ‘WHAT ELSE CAN WE DO BESIDES JUST WRITING CHECKS TO LEVERAGE OUR CAPABILITIES FOR THE STATE?’” — Brian Faust, JobsOhio’s chief financial officer

to $4.5 million in debt, said Chris Burnham, the Summit County agency’s president.

“I think JobsOhio looks at us as good regional partners,” he said.

“And having the additional reserve, the additional capacity, should enable us to do more in our home counties — but maybe more in counties we haven’t worked in yet.”

“I think it does wonderful things for the program and the future of the program,” she said.

The agreement with JobsOhio requires the ports to keep their investment-grade ratings, maintain reserves equal to at least 20% of outstanding bonds and cap individual deals at $11 million.

The contract carries a five-year

the virtual- and augmented-reality glasses to see how technicians might receive virtual assistance whenever they need to service broken machines. It’s another bit of information that is flagged in the digital twin interface.

The data accessed also is analyzed using sustainability metrics, from the materials and processes used in production to distribution, with the goal of reducing the overall carbon footprint.

“There’s actually software tools we have that will tell us how much greenhouse gases are created by the flow of material in the building of the product and suggests substitute materials,” Gootee said. “That’s a real life example of how you can use data, software and tools for purposes of improving.”

Tatiana Stettler, an assistant professor in the Marketing and Entrepreneurship Department at Kent State University, said there is an urgency for the manufacturing industry to be more competitive by lowering cost and adding value.

“We see a drive by these industries to think about, not only the financial component but also the environmental and the social components of their business, to compete in the market

with global products,” Stettler said.

Improving productivity and driving down prices coupled with higher environmental, social and governance standards could drive higher growth in Northeast Ohio’s manufacturing sector growth, she said.

As EY plans to bring, on average, two clients a month from all over the world into to the new hub and therefore into Cleveland, the interaction could prove to have beneficial residual effects.

Even if the region’s smaller and midsize manufacturers do not directly participate in the services the hub provides, Stettler said, there is an expertise transferred that happens with these innovation hub ecosystems — something she refers to as a “knowledge spillover.”

“That knowledge spillover can transfer through the product development, through reverse engineering, or through the observation of the latest developments,” Stettler said.

“Other local organizations also benefit not only from the business-to-business knowledge transfer but also employee-to-employee contact between organizations.”

Kim Palmer: kpalmer@crain.com, (216) 771-5384, @kimfouroffive

term, with options for five-year renewals, according to documents presented to the port of Cleveland’s board. If JobsOhio decides not to extend the relationship, the reserves still will stay in place for the life of any of bonds issued during the partnership.

The extra layer of reserves could give each fund the ability to issue $40 million to $60 million in additional bonds. The actual amount is a moving target, determined by the blend of deals in a particular fund, each port’s in-house reserves and other factors.

“Our reserve, we think, probably leverages something like up to another $300 million of lending capacity among the ports,” Faust said.

“And then that $300 million in lending capacity will be deployed on projects over time. … It will ebb and flow as we go.”

DiPerna, who advises all six ports, said JobsOhio’s participation

will augment programs at a time when there’s ample demand from developers trying to finance public infrastructure, such as parking garages and roads. He credited the ports for work they’ve been doing for decades and JobsOhio executives for taking an interest.

“They were very, very gracious in listening to us and then actually participating. It’s hard to get people to make these kinds of decisions, and it’s big money,” said DiPerna, the president of DiPerna Advisors.

He predicted that the ports’ increased bonding capacity will spur considerable economic growth.

“Our project sometimes is 80% of the financing. Sometimes it’s 10% of the financing. It will have a huge multiplier effect in creating jobs and investment,” he said, “and it just depends on the type of project.”

Michelle Jarboe: michelle.jarboe@ crain.com, (216) 771-5437, @mjarboe

Advertising Section

CLASSIFIEDS To place your listing in Crain’s Cleveland Classifieds, contact Ainsley Burgess at 313-446-0455 or email ainsley.burgess@crain.com

CLASSIFIED SERVICES ENVIRONMENTAL CONSULTING

BUSINESS OPPORTUNITY Sheet Metal Fabrication Company For Sale Sales $3.4M mike@empirebusinesses.com www.empirebusinesses.com 440-461-2202 OCTOBER 25, 2021 | CRAIN’S CLEVELAND BUSINESS | 29

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THE WEEK SQUARED AWAY?: The first half of Cleveland’s $511 million windfall from the American Rescue Plan Act is being earmarked for everything from demolishing dilapidated houses to upgrading police cars. That stimulus cash also could save a city landmark from the auction block.

Mayor Frank Jackson’s administration plans to allocate up to $12 million, including $10 million in federal money, to freeing Shaker Square from the brink of foreclosure. A reference to the proposal popped up late Wednesday, Oct. 20, in the first detailed accounting of the city’s plans for the coronavirus-related aid. New Village Corp., a subsidiary of nonprofit Cleveland Neighborhood Progress, is racing to consummate a deal with the Square’s current owner, an investor group led by Coral Co. CEO Peter Rubin. If Cleveland City Council members sign off, the relief money will flow through New Village to Coral, which will use the cash to pay off troubled debt and end a foreclosure fight. Then Rubin and his partners will turn over the real estate to New Village, which will act as a steward for the Square, tackling an estimated $4 million worth of improvements and developing a longterm ownership strategy for the 10.3acre property.

LEADERSHIP TRANSITION: Rick Chiricosta, chairman, president and CEO of Medical Mutual of Ohio, will retire from his role at the end of 2022 after leading the company for more than a decade. “This company, and the amazing people who work here, are so important to Ohio’s communities. I’m forever grateful for the time I have spent here and the impact it has had on my life,” Chiricosta said. Chiricosta was appointed president and CEO of Medical Mutual in January 2009, shortly after the death of his predecessor Kent Clapp in a plane crash. Medical Mutual said its board will launch a search for Chiricosta’s successor, with the help of executive search firm Spencer Stuart, with the goal of ensuring a “seamless

TA’s new design plan, which features renovated restrooms, upgraded showers and driver lounges, and repaved parking lots, among other refreshes. Centers also are getting new lighting fixtures, flooring and paint.

A rendering shows the planned rooftop deck at the Apollo, the apartment makeover of the vacant Left Bank Building in the Flats. | RDL ARCHITECTS

leadership transition.”

to the renovations in early August.

BANK ON IT: A developer has acquired the Left Bank Building in the Flats, with the goal of reviving the property as an apartment complex.

An affiliate of Apt Development Group LLC took control of the vacant building, at 1250 Riverbed St., on Monday, Oct. 18. Public records don’t show what the Cleveland-based company paid for the real estate, which hit the market last year at an asking price of $3.25 million. Mike Apt, the eponymous company’s president and CEO, confirmed by phone the deal is done.

But he wouldn’t divulge the cost. Apt plans to redevelop the building as the Apollo, a 70-unit apartment project filled with small units, ranging from 417 to 673 square feet. The Cleveland City Planning Commission gave a preliminary thumbs-up

READY TO LAUNCH: Cleveland Foundation and the Rocket Community Fund announced a joint commitment of $1.35 million to launch a program with Cleveland Neighborhood Progress that aims to tackle Cleveland’s digital divide and address housing instability. “Neighbor to Neighbor” is the flagship program of Rocket Community Fund, the philanthropic arm of Rocket Cos. and its affiliated companies that aims to support inclusive, thriving and resilient communities by investing in housing, employment and public life. Through a door-to-door canvassing effort, the program aims to deepen connections between local community development corporations (CDCs) and residents. The program will launch with five CDCs — Bellaire-Puritas Development

PEOPLE ON THE MOVE

Corporation, Famicos Foundation, Greater Collinwood Development Corporation, Midtown Cleveland Inc. and Slavic Village Development — and expand to 11 in 2022.

IN WITH THE NEW: Westlake-based TravelCenters of America is rolling out a nearly $200 million site upgrade plan. The company on Wednesday, Oct. 20, unveiled its new travel center design concept at the grand re-opening of a TA in Seymour, Indiana. TravelCenters said the Seymour site upgrade “is among the first of more than 100 travel center refresh projects expected to be completed during the next 18 months.” The site upgrades are part of a transformation plan that TravelCenters adopted in 2020. Most of the 100 sites being upgraded are among TravelCenters’ older properties. The Seymour center showcases

PICKING UP THE PACE: Cleveland medical device company SPR Therapeutics Inc. announced it raised $37 million to accelerate the development of its neurostimulation platform for pain management, the SPRINT Peripheral Nerve Stimulation (PNS) System. The company said the Series D growth equity financing was led by Revelation Partners, with additional investment from River Cities Capital and Mutual Capital Partners. The investment will bolster what SPR Therapeutics characterized as “the rapidly growing commercial uptake” of the PNS System. It also will “fund additional clinical research” and will “advance next generation technology,” SPR Therapeutics said. In the past year, SPR Therapeutics said in the release, the pace of PNS System use “has more than doubled, having now treated over 6,500 patients.”

A CLOSE LOOK: Britain ordered a review of the planned 6.3 billion-pound ($8.7 billion) takeover of aerospace and defense company Meggitt Plc by Mayfield Heightsbased Parker Hannifin Corp., citing national security concerns. Kwasi Kwarteng, the U.K. business secretary, issued a public interest intervention notice and instructed the Competition and Markets Authority to prepare a report on the proposed transaction by midnight on March 18, 2022, according to a statement issued Monday, Oct. 18. Meggitt shareholders backed the deal in September. Parker Hannifin said following Kwarteng’s intervention that it looks forward to engaging with the government “and bringing the review of the transaction to a satisfactory conclusion.” It said it continues to expect that the deal will close in the third quarter of 2022.

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

ACCOUNTING

EDUCATION

INSURANCE

INVESTMENT FIRM

LAW

Apple Growth Partners

Padua Franciscan High School

BBG Inc.

Citymark Capital

Gallagher Sharp LLP

Josh Jonaitis, CPA, returns to Apple Growth Partners as a tax manager. Josh began his career with AGP as an intern and associate. With eight years of experience in accounting, Josh focuses on small to mediumsized businesses, including various aspects of financial reporting, accounting management, federal and state regulatory compliance, tax preparation, review and planning, and project management. He holds a Bachelor of Science in Accounting from The University of Akron.

David Stec was named the first lay president of Padua Franciscan High School. During his 25 years at Padua, he served as Principal, Director of Campus Ministry and Theology teacher. He is responsible for the creation of the MedTrack® and MyTrack® programs, along with the emerging technologies of virtual reality. Under his leadership, Padua’s annual day of giving raised a record-breaking $456,818. Stec holds degrees from Borromeo Seminary, John Carroll University and Ursuline College.

BBG Inc. is excited to announce that Mallory Maher has joined the team as a Client Development Representative. In this role, she will help grow BBG to new heights by assisting in the marketing operations and creating meaningful connections with clients. She recently received both her bachelor’s degree in exercise science and MBA from John Carroll University. Before joining BBG, Mallory worked as a teacher/ coach at Hathaway Brown School and as an intern at Walt Disney World in Orlando, FL.

Citymark Capital welcomes Gillian Fent-Baker as Real Estate Financial Analyst. Prior to joining Citymark Capital in 2021, Ms. Fent-Baker worked in investment banking at KeyBanc Capital Markets. Gillian’s responsibilities include evaluating new investments and assisting in the underwriting process. For more information, please visit www.citymarkcapital. com.

Gallagher Sharp is pleased to announce the addition of Associate Matthew A. Smartnick. As a member of the firm’s Transportation and General Litigation Practice Groups, Matt devotes a significant portion of his practice to defending motor vehicle carriers in all aspects of litigation. His experience also includes municipal liability, products liability, and creditor’s rights. Matt received his law degree from the University of Akron School of Law and is admitted in both Ohio and Michigan.

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e t a r b e Cel

THE 2021 FORTY UNDER 40 CLASS! These young professionals are scaling businesses to new heights, making decisions that put their organizations on the map and producing a seemingly infinite stream of impactful work all over Northeast Ohio.

Crain’s Cleveland Business congratulates this year’s 40 under 40 class!

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Executive editor Elizabeth McIntyre (216) 771-5358 or emcintyre@crain.com Group publisher Jim Kirk (312) 397-5503 or jkirk@crain.com Associate publisher Amy Ann Stoessel (216) 771-5155 or astoessel@crain.com Managing editor Scott Suttell (216) 771-5227 or ssuttell@crain.com Assistant managing editor John Kappes (216) 771-5359 or john.kappes@crain.com Web editor Damon Sims (216) 771-5279 or dpsims@crain.com Assistant editor Rachel Abbey McCafferty (216) 771-5379 or rmccafferty@crain.com Art director Kayla Byler (614) 312-7635 or kayla.byler@crain.com Senior data editor Chuck Soder (216) 771-5374 or csoder@crain.com Cartoonist Rich Williams REPORTERS

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