Crain's Cleveland Business

VOL. 39, NO. 20

MAY 14 - 20, 2018

CLEVELAND BUSINESS

Summer in the city PAGES 11-16

Entire contents © 2018 by Crain Communications Inc.

Illustration by Martin Gee for Crain’s

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CRAIN’S CLEVELAND BUSINESS

Benesch is aiding UH’s legal partnership

By JEREMY NOBILE jnobile@crain.com @JeremyNobile

University Hospitals will mark its first true medical-legal partnership with the Legal Aid Society of Cleveland when it opens its Rainbow Center for Women & Children facility serving the Hough and Fairfax neighborhoods in July.

And it’s all thanks to a large donation by Cleveland law firm Benesch.

The MLP effectively marks a culmination of efforts by each institution.

For the hospital, which serves primary care needs for roughly 43,000 women and children, it’s a chance to better help lower-income Cleveland families and address what have become known as social determinants of health: the societal factors that impact a population’s health, such as access to proper housing and services for children with disabilities, among many other things.

To Cleveland’s nonprofit legal aid group — which was an early adopter of MLPs that number more than 300 across the country today — it’s a furthering of its shared mission to address those societal factors and serve the needy.

And for Benesch, which is providing $550,000 to fund a full-time legal aid attorney at the UH facility for five years ($110,000 annually), it’s not only an effort to support the community, but provide further pro-bono opportunities for its attorneys. The price tag covers the person’s salary

Katie Feldman, an attorney with the Legal Aid Society of Cleveland, is the leader of Legal Aid’s medical-legal partnership with MetroHealth, St. Vincent Charity Medical Center and now University Hospitals. (Contributed photo)

but also other related expenses, including training “We do want to make a shoutout to Benesch because they have been incredibly generous with this,” said Patti DePompei, president of UH Rainbow Babies & Children’s Hospital and MacDonald Women’s Hospital.

“This is really an extraordinary opportunity.”

UH launched an MLP of sorts with Case Western Reserve University School of Law last September. That

partnership, which was made through Case’s Law-Medicine Center’s innovative experiential education curriculum, offers training, education, advocacy and individual representation on non-medical legal issues. And MLPs themselves have become more prevalent in recent years.

That program is done with students, though. It’s gone well, DePompei said, and those students will still be involved. In no reflection of their work so far, though, “having the experience of practicing, full-time lawyers is such an added plus,” she said.

At least 200 referrals are expected to be made to legal aid annually.

“Our goal for the new UH Rainbow center is maximizing service and reach into the community,” DePompei said. “So we’re looking to grow all the programs we’re going to be offering there, whether primary care, eye care, dental care, behavioral health or legal services. The goal is to be an asset to the community and address the gaps that are out there.”

Those gaps she’s referring to tie back to social determinants of health and the ability for a lawyer to step up to address those.

Nurses and physicians will be trained through the program on events legal aid should know of that it follows long-term through a case-tracking system. Those cases touch on education law cases (such as providing bilingual aid and preventing or reducing expulsion); health benefits cases (like increasing or maintaining health benefits coverage for patients); immigration law

cases (such as securing safety for victims of domestic violence or human trafficking); and family law cases (like securing child support and establishing parental rights).

A common example in which a lawyer might get involved involves a child with asthma. A pulmonary physician might notice that a child’s asthma is tied to poor living conditions. They can report that to the legal aid representative, who then works with the family to pursue recourse and navigate options to help them — options a typical citizen might not even know were available.

That might mean using the law to pressure a landlord to bring a rental home up to code.

“The reality is that in so many settings, the lawyers really are the muscle,” said Colleen Cotter, executive director of the Legal Aid Society of Cleveland. “The law is kind of sitting out there. But without a lawyer, it’s passive. We can read it in the books and we know it is there, theoretically, but it doesn’t apply to anyone’s life unless there’s someone there to enforce it.”

A spokesperson for the National Center for Medical-Legal Partnership said Cleveland’s legal aid created one of the first 10 MLPs in the country when it launched one with MetroHealth about 15 years ago. The group also has an MLP with St. Vincent Charity Medical Center.

But the MLP with UH is worth highlighting because of the size of the donation from Benesch and the corresponding five-year commitment, which is unique. The hope,

Cotter said, is the program’s success will help motivate other donors to support the program as it develops after the initial funding dries up.

Benesch partner Kevin Margolis, who oversees the firm’s pro-bono work, called the partnership a “joyful event” that’s been in the works for a couple years. It hits a “bunch of core values” for the firm, he said: serving the community; supporting diversity and its women’s initiative (the legal aid staff happens to be 72% female, with 21% being people of color, while legal aid clients tend to be minorities); and expanding pro-bono opportunities.

“In addition to doing this MLP, we can try to hire and expand diversity of the workforce,” Margolis said. “We want to do both at the same time.

And this is a way to serve diversity in a different and unique way.”

“We’re really proud and excited by this,” he added. “It’s going to have an important and meaningful effect on the community.”

There’s also a sense that the big commitment by Benesch will draw further attention to the MLPs locally and lead to even more of them.

“We want to create a healthier community, and there’s a misnomer that simply clinical services will really maximize the impact,” DePompei said. “I think it’s incumbent on all of us to work together for a healthier community. Everyone is creating that together, which we recognize in the generosity of Benesch and other donors in other areas who have been supportive and recognize the need in the community.”

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Demand for used items strains nonprofits

By LYDIA COUTRÉ lcoutre@crain.com @LydiaCoutre

The list of potential new homes for the unwanted clothes in the back of your closet is long.

From online marketplaces to consignment stores to thrift stores to curbside recycling programs, there are plenty of organizations vying for that unused sweater.

As competition grows, nonprofits that rely on product donations to fill and support their thrift stores are feeling the pinch.

“Without those donations, and without our thrift stores, we couldn’t operate,” said Emily Turner, executive director of the Ohio Association of Goodwill Industries. “It’s our lifeblood.”

Although people are still donating to Goodwill, Turner said it appears the organization is losing market share.

The Salvation Army’s Adult Rehabilitation Center in Cleveland, too, is seeing a drop in donations and income from the eight stores it operates.

The center’s $7 million annual budget is entirely reliant upon the income from the stores, which is down 20% in the last year-and-a-half, said Major Van Wirth, administrator for business at the Salvation Army’s Adult Rehabilitation Center in Cleveland.

The center offers residential housing, support and therapy to help men struggling with addiction get back on their feet.

“One of the things that we really want to communicate with individuals is that when you do donate to us, you are literally making a difference in your community,” Wirth said.

“When an item comes into us, it’s directly impacting the life of a man who needs his life helped and changed.”

Goodwill Industries of Greater Cleveland and East Center Ohio have seen a 3.5% drop in donors so far this year, representing 6,100 individual donors, said Maureen Ater, vice president of marketing and fund development for the local Goodwill chapter, which provides employment, family strengthening and social service programs. (The organization tracks donors rather than the amount donated.) April was the worst month, down 12% compared with the like month last year. Considering spring is when the organization typically sees its largest amount of donations, “it hurts when we’re down,” Ater said.

“There’s definitely more competition for donations,” she said. “That can take on a lot of different forms. I think we’re seeing a lot more of those donation boxes. There’s other thrift stores. In the Cleveland area, our competition for donations is the curbside clothing recycling programs, which some municipalities have entered into contracts with.”

One such company with a strong presence in Northeast Ohio is Simple Recycling, a for-profit company that has partnered with more than 30 municipalities in the region to offer curbside clothing recycling.

Ater urges people to be informed donors — know where that donation is going and who or what it is supporting.

Turner, of the state association of Goodwill, said for years she donated to an organization that partnered with a charity and came to her neighborhood to collect donations. It wasn’t until later that she discovered the nonprofit charity was receiving only a small portion of the proceeds, and that most of the funds went to the for-profit entity collecting the donations.

This is a common practice that wor-

“When an item comes into us, it’s directly impacting the life of a man who needs his life helped and changed.”

Major Van Wirth, administrator for business at the Salvation Army’s Adult Rehabilitation Center in Cleveland

ries her, she said — both for the donors who may not understand the process and for the integrity of Goodwill. Turner is concerned that people may make assumptions that Goodwill and other nonprofit thrift stores are pocketing profit from donations, when, in fact, those funds are supporting the programming and services that Goodwills offer in their communities.

“We really are focused at Goodwill on communicating with our community,

with our donors, making sure that they know what our mission is and that all their donations stay local and will help our local programming,” Turner said.

At the Salvation Army, Wirth said officials are working to rebuild their donations. Across the eastern territory of Salvation Army, which includes several states, donations have fallen 40% to 50% in recent years, Wirth estimates.

Wirth attributes part of the drop to the ease of selling things online, such

as on Craigslist or through Facebook’s Marketplace.

“Everybody is looking in this day and age to get what they can for something,” Wirth said. “Everybody’s trying to make money for themselves, and there’s nothing wrong with that, obviously. Where that’s a positive thing on one hand, you know, on the other hand, it does take away from us.”

The Salvation Army is working to open a store in Willoughby sometime this summer.

“Without a question” the new store will help make up some of the lost income that the rehabilitation center has seen, Wirth said. They’ve been setting aside donations for several months in anticipation of this new store, and are hopeful the new location will encourage more people to donate items.

His long-range plan is to have 12 stores in the area supporting the Adult Rehabilitation Center, and in turn, supporting people like Derrick Warren, a recent graduate of the center.

After struggling with addiction for more than 30 years, Warren this month celebrated one year of sobriety. Whenever he sees a family member throwing away clothes, he’s quick to remind them that donating those could help turn around someone’s life.

Someone like him.

“It was somebody else’s donation that helped me get through here, with the food and the clothing and the staff, period,” Warren said. “Everything that they donate is helping other people. Not just people that might need clothes. But it’s helping people get their lives back.”

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Redevelopment planned for vacant Brooklyn site

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Andi Udris, Brooklyn director of economic development, said the city acquired the largest part of the property — the site of a former open-air market called Winter’s Market — so it can play a role in how the key parcel is redeveloped.

The city has launched a request for proposals for the purchase and redevelopment of the site. The city hopes to see it developed with office or retail use. There is no deadline for this proposal. Udris said the RFP will be available until the city sells the property.

However, Brooklyn will put its fingers on the buyer’s plans more than the typical seller.

Proposed buyers will have to file documents with preliminary designs and concepts for the site, as well as the typical proof of financial strength and information on the track record of principals and service providers included in the project.

The asking price for the land is $880,000. The city has about $900,000 into the property at this stage.

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it,” Udris said. “We’re out to get economic development.

“If Swagelok (the Solon manufacturer that just launched a headquarters site search) wants the site, you know the price wouldn’t be $880,000. The city would gain from the income tax on the jobs. But we doubt Swagelok will look at it,” he said, as East Side companies tend to stay on the East Side.

However, a graphics firm with numerous employees or another user with a substantial number of jobs

would be beneficial.

“We’re trying to replace the income tax we lost when American Greetings moved its headquarters from Brooklyn,” Udris said.

The site adjoins some industrial properties and a railroad, so it’s not viewed as a residential site, which would require rezoning. At the same time, the city is hoping for a use that will not harm the area, such as producing a lot of truck traffic.

The offering reflects continued efforts by the inner-ring suburb, primarily developed residentially in the post World War II era, to diversify its economic make-up beyond its industrial legacy.

The site has attributes to recommend it. The parcel is across the street from the well-known Memphis Kiddie Park and the Big Creek Reservation of Cleveland Metroparks. The eastern third of the site is zoned for retail, and the western third of the site is zoned for general business.

Dyann Davison, the broker for the Cleveland-based Davison & Co. brokerage, said, “It’s an accessible site near both Interstate 480 and I-71. It could have real possibilities for someone such as a tech firm that wants to be centrally located.”

However, the retail side of the offering might be easier to pose than satisfy. Brooklyn is home to most major retailers, from Sam’s Club and Walmart to several multitenant shopping centers, as well as fast food and fast-casual dining providers.

Developer team weighing another Tremont project

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Sustainable Community Associates, the trio of Oberlin-based real estate developers with a national reputation, has staked out another site for an urban project in Cleveland’s Tremont neighborhood.

This time, it’s a vacant parcel on the southwest corner of Scranton and Willey avenues that will require construction. The site is near the developer’s adaptive reuse projects in the previously overlooked Lincoln area of Tremont — Wagner Awning office and apartments, at 2658 Scranton, and the Fairmont Creamery residential and commercial project, 2306 W. 17th St. Josh Rosen, a partner in Sustainable Community, said the trio is working up plans for what to do with the site, including talking with area stakeholders.

His partners in Sustainable Community are Ben Ezinga and Naomi Sabel.

“It will take a decent number of units to make the site work,” Rosen said of the site. “We’re thinking of doing more apartments that we can keep under $1,500 a month to rent.

We’d like to do condominiums, but it would take a ton of condos to make it work. There’s a market for flats that we would like to explore.”

The opportunity so excited the partners at Sustainable Community that they delayed plans to build for-sale houses this year on a vacant parcel on the east side of Scranton that came with the Wagner Awning property.

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chased parcel) project first, then turn our attention to the Wagner site,” Rosen said. One reason Sustainable Community embraced the idea of houses or townhouses for the empty parcel by Wagner Awning was that no one was building townhouses in Tremont five years ago.

Now, multiple single-family home and townhouse projects by several developers and builders sprinkle the area once known as the city’s South Side.

“It’s not what I would have imagined five years ago,” Rosen said. “It’s exciting.”

Cory Riordan, executive director of Tremont West Development Corp., shares Rosen’s enthusiasm for the Scranton-Willey site.

“It’s a key site, but it’s very early,” Riordan said. The land is zoned for local retail with a height limit of 60 feet, which could accommodate as much as a five-story building.

The local development corporation is preparing to commission a master plan for undeveloped sites in the area that also would satisfy a request by the Lincoln Heights Block Club for a parking study because of increasing development interest in the area.

A similar plan was helpful in setting the table for townhouse and housing construction in the Duck Island area, Riordan said.

Cuyahoga County land records show Sustainable Community through Lincoln Partners LLC paid the prior owner, Scranton Place LLC, $640,000 for the Scranton-Willey site on Oct. 19, 2017. The parcel is just an acre — huge in the urban context — and once incorporated five parcel

numbers for different buildings and houses that once stood on it.

Sustainable Community also emphasizes environmentally friendly practices in its projects and hues to a philosophy of disrupting conventional wisdom. That paid off at the Scranton-Willey site because it was purchased with a loan, according to land records, from Cleveland Development Advisers, a corporate and foundation-backed funder of catalytic real estate and education projects the conventional lending market does not support.

Sustainable Community also is finishing up the $16 million conversion of a former industrial building into apartments called Mueller Lofts at 1587 E. 31st St. in Cleveland’s Asiatown neighborhood. The building was formerly the home of Mueller Electric Co. and is named for the inventor of the alligator clip used in electrical equipment.

The trio’s first project, which garnered coverage by The New York Times, open in 2010, just a few years after they graduated from Oberlin College.

Called East College Street, it is a $15 million mixed-use retail, office and residential building taking its name from its location, which reused a former brownfield site in the Lorain County town.

Correction J A May 7, Page 24 story about Akron’s Kenmore neighborhood contained incorrect information about the ownership of a planned coffee shop. The daytime shop planned for the Live Music Now venue would be owned by building owner Todd Ederer.

Benesch is proud to support the Medical-Legal Partnership between University Hospitals and Legal Aid. This partnership provides patients of University Hospitals Rainbow Center for Women & Children with civil legal guidance as they navigate issues related to their health care.

Together, University Hospitals, Legal Aid and Benesch are meeting families where they need both medical and civil legal assistance to remove barriers and change outcomes.

www.beneschlaw.com Ms. Danielle Gadomski Littleton, Esq. (left) will be providing legal support and Marie Clark, MD pictured above will be providing care via Legal Aid to the patients of University Hospitals Rainbow Center for Women & Children which is opening this summer in MidTown Cleveland.

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The neighborhood that radiates from the intersection of West 25th Street and Clark Avenue on Cleveland’s Near West Side is taking another step to fulfilling a plan to brand itself as “La Villa Hispana,” the Hispanic village.

That next step is a place to nurture Hispanic businesses.

“We want the neighborhood to reflect the community that’s here,” said Jenice Contreras, executive director of the Hispanic Business Center (HBC), a part of the Ohio small business development center network. In the past five years, it has assisted more than 100 business startups and helped raise $6 million in startup and growth capital.

To make El Mercado — The Market — happen, HBC is raising $12 million to redevelop a long-vacant factory building on West 25th. It will be a place where the largest concentration of Latino residents in the state and others in the region can buy fresh ethnic foods, Contreras said.

She said the plan is to open in about 12 months.

Contreras said the turnout for outdoor markets held in the summer months for the last several years encouraged her to consider a concept she has seen working in other areas.

The decision to put it in an old industrial building came about because the neighborhood lacks a grocery store, and even vacant retail storefronts. Clark is lined with fast food restaurants, dollar stores and other freestanding buildings. West 25th is largely industrial, including the former home of the H.J Weber Co., which will be home to El Mercado.

It will be a place where businesses created by Latino entrepreneurs will operate as many as 21 kiosks that sell fresh and prepared food, handcrafts and other products. Business owners will be offered training assistance from HBC and shared accounting and business services.

The 32,500-square-foot building also will include a commercial kitchen where market vendors and food truck operators can prepare their

A long-vacant West 25th Street factory will be El Mercado’s future home. (Jay Miller)

products, three street-facing retail spaces, a stage and a cultural arts center. Several neighborhood nonprofits, including HBC and the Metro West Community Development Office, the community development nonprofit that serves the neighborhood; Esperanza Inc., which works to improve educational opportunities for Hispanics; and the Hispanic Alliance, an Hispanic cultural organization, will take office space in the building.

HBC estimates the Latino market will employ about 30 people. The neighborhood organizations that will move in are expected to bring in 49 employees.

“Ethnic markets have proven to be effective in multiple markets around the country,” said Contreras, citing similar markets in Brooklyn, Los Angeles and Minneapolis. “Being an entrepreneur is a lonely place. Here, we’re creating opportunities and synergies to work collectively.”

Earlier this year, HBC sponsored the first El Mercado Business Pitch Competition to prime the pump for market tenants. After four weeks of training, 10 aspiring entrepreneurs competed for three small awards of startup capital. (The top prize was $1,500.) The three winners — a print and design shop, a florist and a food vendor — will take root for now in a shuttered bodega in the neighborhood until El Mercado is ready.

“I can’t open an empty market and I can’t wait until the building is ready to figure out where these entrepreneurs will be. I had to have a pipeline of entrepreneurs that are ready,” Contreras said. “So, the only way to

do that is to incubate them somewhere else in the neighborhood.”

HBC is being assisted in putting together the financing for El Mercado by the Metro West organization and the KeyBank Foundation. Last year, the Cleveland Foundation awarded HBC a $200,000 grant to assist with the development.

The financing plan got a boost earlier this year when the state capital budget allocated $100,000 in El Mercado. The city of Cleveland also is considering a $68,000 pre-development grant.

Jeff Ramsey, Metro West executive director, said the financing package will rely heavily on tax credits, such as New Market Tax Credits and possibly historic tax credits, if the building can quality for the National Register of Historic Places.

“We tried to bring in soft money like tax credits so there is no hard debt,” said Ramsey. “So rents can cover operating costs.”

Contreras hopes El Mercado will advance the branding of the neighborhood as La Villa Hispana.

An Hispanic community has been building on the Near West Side for decades, and it’s centered around the intersection of West 25th and Clark.

The surrounding Clark-Fulton neighborhood had an Hispanic population of 5,329, according to the 2010 census, or 13.5% of the city’s Hispanic residents.

“La Villa has been in conversation for three decades, and for whatever reason it hasn’t worked out,” Contreras said. “Finally, we’re getting started. La Villa Hispana is what we hope the Clark-Fulton neighborhood will be rebranded as.”

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Cleveland marathon has staying power

By KEVIN KLEPS kkleps@crain.com @KevinKleps

As it embarks on its fifth decade, the Rite Aid Cleveland Marathon has a few signs of wear and tear, but one of the nation’s 50 oldest races remains “the baby” of Jack Staph and his family.

The 41st running of the event — which kicks off with a health and fitness expo on Friday, May 18, and concludes with the 10K, half marathon and marathon two days later — is expected to bring more than 50,000 people downtown.

The number of participants has “been plateauing” at about 15,000, said Staph, who was the chairman of the first marathon in 1977 and acquired the rights to the race from CVS in 2002. The current figure is down from an estimated 20,000 in 2012, but well above the 10,000 or fewer who were competing more than a decade ago.

The 2005 addition of a half marathon, which includes walking divisions, helped to spark a growth in female participants for an event that Staph said used to be comprised of 60% males. Now, females make up about 58% of the total participants, and account for 60% of the half-marathon field.

“It really took off. The half has become very popular for females,” said Jack Staph of an event that was the vision of his son, Ralph, the marathon’s race director.

Those trends mirror a 2017 Running USA survey, which said 57% of the finishers in U.S. races were women in 2016 — up from 48% in 2005. The study said the total number of finishers in U.S. races dropped 1% in 2016, after a 9% decline the year before.

What hasn’t changed for the Cleveland marathon is the stiff competition it faces from its regional counterparts — most notably Cincinnati and Pittsburgh. The two cities each held their marathons on May 6 and combined for more than 80,000 participants.

“This is a full-time business,” Jack Staph said. “Everything has to be managed, including expenses. You have to put a product out there, and that product has to be the best one, because you’re competing with everyone else.”

Females account for about 58% of the total participants in the Rite Aid Cleveland Marathon (Contributed photo)

That has meant the marathon’s staff of five — Jack, the event’s executive director, and four full-timers, including Ralph Staph — have had to get “extremely creative,” the elder Staph said.

“The most important thing is the experience for the runner. They’re our customers,” Staph said. “What they get in their goody bag, what’s their experience like, what roads are we going through, what is the finish line like, what’s the beer garden like afterward? All of those things matter.”

A 1-mile race is new this year, as are several sponsors, and the marathon in April announced a TV deal with WOIO and WUAB that will result in Channels 19 and 43 splitting the broadcast of the May 20 races.

In 2006, Staph told Crain’s that he had funneled his own money into the event during the first four years in which he owned the race.

“The goal is to hopefully make a profit that will be rolled into next year, and have profit left over that would be rolled into the following year,” he said then.

Staph said that eventually happened, with the event reaching a “high-water mark” in 2012.

“It’s now a little leaner. All the money goes back into the race,” said Staph, an attorney whose legal career, like his marathon, is in its fifth decade.

He said the marathon has an outside sales rep who sells sponsorships, but “we’ve been around long enough that people just call us.”

There are several dozen groups affiliated with the marathon, with Rite Aid,

American Greetings and University Hospitals among the largest sponsors.

This year, EnvisionRxOptions, a Rite Aid subsidiary, joined as the sponsor of the 5K and 8K races. GNC also was named the pace team sponsor, and WOW air became the marathon’s official airliner.

The additional revenues ease the rising expenses of a race that costs about $2 million to run, Staph said.

“We pay an enormous amount for security on the course, which is essential,” he added.

Jeff Galloway, a 1972 U.S. Olympi-

an, author and entrepreneur who created a marathon training program, has competed in a pair of Rite Aid Cleveland Marathons.

The Georgia resident said the event is “well-conducted and well-organized,” which obviously appeals to runners — as does the Cleveland marathon’s flat course.

“Each marathon takes on the personality of the area — the people that put the event on and other things that may be associated with it,” Galloway said. “But the bottom line is the Cleveland marathon has been a standard in

your region. It’s a very well-recognized regional event that is also bringing in people from other parts of the country for various reasons.”

The marathon last conducted an economic impact study in 2012, when it was announced that a record number of participants had generated $18.25 million for the Northeast Ohio economy.

Despite the decline in participation, Staph believes those numbers are still pretty accurate, citing robust business that the marathon brings to local hotels and restaurants during its three days of festivities.

The work in Year 41 is “crazy,” but remains gratifying, he said. The events are aided by the contributions of 1,500 to 1,800 volunteers.

“I love doing it,” Staph said. “It’s never boring. We’re dealing with wonderful people, and our staff is tremendous. They really are superstars.”

He’s also proud of the $3 million or more he said the marathon has helped to raise for charity in its history. And not much beats the feeling on race day, when all of the work is celebrated via a packed downtown and thousands of exhausted competitors.

“When they come through the finish line and you see all that emotion, you realize it really was worth it,” Staph said.

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CRAIN’S CLEVELAND BUSINESS

Opinion From the Editor

Time with dad was final gift

Editorial

Factory of foresight The Cleveland Browns have been really great at one thing since the team returned in 1999: losing.

So, when news broke that the Browns — in anticipation of the team’s lease expiring after the 2028 season — were in very early discussions with city leaders about a development project that could result in a major renovation of FirstEnergy Stadium or the construction of a new facility, the jokes barreled in like a Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker. Expected vitriol also poured in toward Dee and Jimmy Haslam: How could the owners of such a poorly performing franchise even broach the idea of fresh facilities?

Foresight, that’s how.

Given that we’re about a decade out from the lease expiration, now is as prudent time as any to consider where the Browns are playing. And we’re optimistic the Browns appear to be looking at this through the lens of lakefront development.

“I think it’s really important to find out what’s possible,” Dee Haslam told ESPN. “There could be a lot of great ideas that we might not be able to do because it’s not feasible for one reason or another. I don’t want to get the horse in front of the cart until we’re knowledgeable enough to know, because we’re not informed enough to know right now.

“But we do know that we have a desire to make a bigger impact on the future of Cleveland.”

The Browns’ current home was built in haste in anticipation of the team’s return — and it shows.

Does it even make sense to house a football stadium used only a few times a year on such a coveted piece of lakefront real estate? Could a stadium be used to leverage additional developments like retail or housing? If a new stadium happens, should it include a dome to stave off Cleveland’s blustery winters? Those are questions rightfully being explored.

The Browns organization was discouraged when word of those talks leaked to ESPN, given the discussions are in the most embryonic of stages. Frankly, though, we were encouraged.

When proposed renovations worth $140 million to Quicken Loans Arena were announced in late 2016, the word “proposed”

seemed like a mere technicality given that the funding mechanism — one reliant on public dollars — had been hashed out in private. Our refrain remains: Earnest public discourse shouldn’t only take place once a deal’s main pillars have been agreed upon by elected leaders.

Of course, whatever comes of the Browns project will likely dwarf The Q’s upgrades given the moves of other NFL franchises. And from a public financing perspective, The Q deal was far less ghastly than some other arena or stadium deals across the country.

As Crain’s assistant editor Kevin Kleps pointed out in his coverage, since 2014, the San Francisco 49ers, Minnesota Vikings and Atlanta Falcons have debuted new stadiums — all at a cost of $1.1 billion or more. The Los Angeles Rams and Chargers are expected to open play in 2020 in a $2.6 billion facility that is part of a complex that will feature a hotel, retail and office spaces, and a 6,000-seat entertainment venue.

That means public dollars will likely come into play in a big way with any future Browns project. The use of public dollars for professional sports facilities is a road well-traveled in this country, and trying to reverse course at this point is nearly impossible. Municipalities will keep giving as long as teams and their billionaire owners keep asking.

However, if the Haslams learned anything from the near-scuttling of the Cleveland Cavaliers’ plans for a $140 million facelift to their arena, it should be that there is a growing sensitivity toward the use of public dollars for the city’s sports facilities — especially in a region with pressing needs in areas such as safety, health, education and job readiness.

Let’s be clear: We aren’t opposed to the use of public dollars when it comes to our professional sports franchises. Their use, though, should certainly come after robust public debate.

The Browns, the region’s civic leaders and the public have the opportunity to collaborate on something special here — something that transcends what happens on Sundays.

Let’s just hope all voices are considered.

Publisher and Editor: Elizabeth McIntyre (emcintyre@crain.com)

CLEVELAND BUSINESS

CLEVELAND BUSINESS

Managing Editor:

Scott Suttell (ssuttell@crain.com)

Sections Editor:

Timothy Magaw (tmagaw@crain.com)

Contact Crain’s:

216-522-1383

I returned to the office last Monday after a two-week absence. I pretty much sleepwalked through the first few days.

Somehow, I edited. I answered emails and calls. I planned. I listened, talked and laughed. Despite this numbing, out-ofbody sensation, I’ve tried to embrace the routine.

Please bear with me. I’m adjusting to a new normal these days now that my dad is gone. He died on April 30, surrounded by me, my siblings and my mom, his wife of 59 years, whom he lovingly cared for the past three years as she plummeted into dementia’s depths.

I’ve written about my dad a few times these past few years. Two years ago this spring, I explained that I hoped to play another round of golf with him: “Golf has been absent from my life for a Elizabeth decade. Some day I hope to get back to it.

McIntyre Dad had to hang up his bag, and not by choice. At 81, his legs aren’t what they used to be. ... I hope some day soon we both have a chance for one last round together. I hope to add that memory to the memories of all of the quiet rounds we played, the conversations, the gentle instructions and the compliments — ‘Nice ball!’ ‘Good save!’ ‘Draino!’ ” That was him. Always encouraging. Always with the mindset that the most important shot in golf is “the next one.” And that morphed into his work attitude and his everyday mindset.

In his final months, he was still doling out the positives. “I love you.” … “You work so hard!” … “You’re special.”

I am so grateful to have spent his last days and weeks with him. He told me more in-depth about his painful childhood, how he fell head over heels for my mom, his Army service, and his work as a food broker in Northeast Ohio. We watched “Wheel of Fortune” and “Jeopardy!” every night, plus the Cavaliers, Indians and his favorite golfers when they were on. We’d sneak in handfuls of popcorn and Malley’s Carmallow eggs and jelly beans between nurses’ visits, and then feign surprise at his high blood sugar numbers.

I hold on to every one of those memories, and I have them because I was there. And I was there because my boss gets it, my co-workers get it and my company gets it.

My boss showed compassion, having walked this same journey — as so many have — with her loved ones. My staff rallied to make sure there were no gaps. I was able to use flexible time to work when I could (hospitals have free Wi-Fi and patients don’t sleep at night, so naps mean it’s time to work). That meant I was answering emails, making decisions and writing memos at odd hours.

And still I was right there when my father needed me.

Did I keep up on everything? I wish I could say yes, but that wouldn’t be true. The emotional toll this took had a slowing effect, beyond the time spent. But because my employer showed me such compassion, because I was able to spend that time, I am doubly motivated to excelling at work now, too, while making time in the evenings to be with mom, who is now in a local skilled nursing facility.

I think about employees who don’t have such options, and I worry for them and for their employers. A culture of caring breeds a culture of loyalty, which strengthens any business.

As a manager, I’ve longed stressed to my employees that “family comes first.” I’m grateful to work for a company that understands that.

My dad’s life was a testament to the Golden Rule, which essentially translates to “Treat others as you would like to be treated.” It’s how he did business. How he raised his six children, what he encouraged his grandchildren to do.

Keep it in the fairway, Dad. When my day comes, I’ll meet you on the first tee.

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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multi-unit apartment buildings General Motors’ plans to shut down second-shift operations at the Lordstown Assembly Plant is expected to have a negative ripple effect on the local economy. (Andrew Dolph/Bloomberg)

Let’s Talk.

NEO still grappling with GM’s Lordstown cutbacks

Dennis Boose

By RACHEL ABBEY McCAFFERTY rmccafferty@crain.com @ramccafferty

The news that General Motors was scaling back from two shifts at its plant in Lordstown to one has already had ripple effects in the region, and business leaders expect to see more.

Deb Janik, senior vice president for real estate and business development at the Greater Cleveland Partnership, said layoffs like the ones at GM’s Lordstown plant are like the epicenter of an earthquake.

“It’s felt throughout,” she said.

In mid-April, GM sent a WARN letter to the state of Ohio, informing officials of plans to stop second-shift production at the plant at 2300 Hallock-Young Road in Warren and permanently lay off more than 1,000 employees later this summer. It scaled back from three shifts at the start of 2017. The plant currently makes the Chevrolet Cruze and has a long history of producing compact cars, said Tom Mock, communications manager for the GM Lordstown Complex.

But the plants have to build to customer demand, and the Lordstown location is caught up in the challenges facing car and sedan sales in the industry at large, Mock said. Namely, customers have been more interested in larger vehicles in recent years.

At least one supplier — Lordstown Seating Systems, a Warren-based division of Magna International Inc. — has announced layoffs related to the GM decision. Lordstown Seating Systems will end its second shift, as well, and lay off about 80 employees, according to its own WARN letter.

And after direct suppliers to the plant contend with the effects of the GM layoffs, the impact “spirals down from there,” said Sarah Boyarko, senior vice president for economic development for the Youngstown-Warren Regional Chamber.

Susan Helper, an economics professor at Case Western Reserve University and former chief economist for the U.S. Department of Commerce, made a similar point. Helper noted that these types of layoffs have both direct effects on the workers being laid off and indirect effects on the

suppliers scrambling to make up the work they’re losing. And there’s also the impact on the larger economy.

“People who are employed spend money,” Helper said.

Boyarko said she believes the region will be able to support the individuals who lose their jobs at the Lordstown GM plant. Some people may take buyouts, while others may choose to move to another GM plant. And other individuals may look for similar work in the community. And that’s where the chamber and its economic development partners come in.

Boyarko said the Lordstown plant has seen employment fall over time for a variety of reasons, including customer demand, automation and

“People who are employed spend money.”

— Susan Helper, economics professor at Case Western Reserve University

competition. But the business expansion work the chamber and others have done in recent years to diversify the economy helps to soften the impact, Boyarko said.

Rick Rebadow, executive vice president for the Greater Akron Chamber, said the region has learned how to both diversify and specialize over time. For example, the Akron area has moved away from commodities and toward “problem-solving” in the form of process improvement or research and development, Rebadow said.

And Northeast Ohio is unique in that it has four metropolitan areas — Cleveland, Akron, Canton and Youngstown — within driving distance of one another, Rebadow said.

There is a referral network with the goal of keeping people not only employed, but employed locally.

The Youngstown-Warren chamber is working with those partners in Ohio and Pennsylvania to identify relevant employment opportunities.

Boyarko said those workers — and their future employers — may need to consider some retraining. But the big challenge is connecting the available workers with the open jobs.

The Youngstown-Warren Chamber has an initiative called JobsNow that in part helps to raise awareness of opportunities for employment in the region.

The initiative highlights member companies in Mahoning and Trumbull counties with job opportunities on its website and on a local TV station.

The economic development groups in Northeast Ohio have experience in mitigating the effects of these types of mass layoffs.

Take, for example, the Bank of America layoffs in 2013, when more than 1,000 jobs were lost in Beachwood. Those individuals were immediately affected, Janik said, but so were nearby service providers like drug stores, restaurants and suppliers to the bank. It had a “huge, huge impact,” she said.

The Greater Cleveland Partnership worked with Bank of America to coordinate an on-site event for impacted workers, where they were able to speak with representatives from more than 30 hiring companies.

Those types of efforts can be the difference between individuals moving to a new company in the area versus putting their home up for sale.

“That’s just a high reward,” Janik said.

Ultimately, it can be difficult for companies to diversify away from the automotive industry, Helper said, but there are things automotive companies could do to make these market shifts more bearable to their own plants and to suppliers. One would be designing more models to be made on the same equipment, so suppliers could more easily pick up work on one model if demand drops for another, she said.

U.S. Sens. Rob Portman and Sherrod Brown have both called for GM to look into retooling the Lordstown plant to make other kinds of vehicles there.

“This decision will be devastating to the families and communities of the workers whose lives will be impacted, and it is particularly galling after your company received massive tax benefits from the recent enactment of the corporate tax cut bill,” Brown said in a letter to GM. “I urge you to reverse this decision and instead invest your tax windfall in the facility and workers in Lordstown.”

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Focus

A Cleveland Museum of Art exhibition showcasing the evolution of Kusama’s Infinity Mirror Rooms is part of the most significant U.S. tour of the artist’s work in decades. (Contributed photos)

SUMMER IN THE CITY

To ‘Infinity,’ and beyond ‘Yayoi Kusama: Infinity Mirrors’ and FRONT International position NEO as a destination for modern art fans

By SCOTT SUTTELL

Here’s a look at what Northeast Ohioans (and lots of visitors to the region) will find when they visit “Infinity Mirrors” and FRONT, and what it takes to pull off.

ssuttell@crain.com @ssuttell

It’s a huge summer for contemporary art in Cleveland, on multiple fronts.

Within the span of a week in July, the Cleveland Museum of Art will open “Yayoi Kusama: Infinity Mirrors,” a celebration of the legendary Japanese artist’s 65-year career, and FRONT International: Cleveland Triennial for Contemporary Art will debut with artist commissions, performances, films and public programs in collaboration with museums, civic institutions and public spaces throughout the region.

“It does make for a very exciting summer,” said Reto Thuring, the curator of contemporary art for the Cleveland Museum of Art, who’s responsible for overseeing the Kusama exhibition and the museum’s participation in FRONT. Thuring just took a job as chair of contemporary art at the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, but he won’t start there until Sept. 10, in part, he said, because “I really wanted to stay to be part of the energy around” the two big Cleveland events.

Fred Bidwell, the philanthropist and art collector who created FRONT and serves as its executive director, said that as the event approaches its July 14 opening, it has become “substantially bigger than my original vision, which is great.” But that also means, two months before FRONT’s debut, that “there’s a huge list of things we still have to do,” including working with artists to complete certain projects, arranging for the shipping and installation of the work, securing final permits for outdoor installations, installing signage and wayfinding for visitors, and finalizing details for FRONT-related events. One major effort last week involved work on a massive, 250-300 page catalog to be published before FRONT launches that will serve as “a visual record of the exhibition.” (A second version will be published at the conclusion, to encompass events that took place during FRONT.) It all has Bidwell and FRONT staff in a bit of Google Docs hell; in a phone interview last week, he said his spreadsheet with details of events stretched 22 pages.

‘Infinity Mirrors’

FRONT’s ‘A Color Removed’ exhibition was conceived as a response to the Tamir Rice shooting. (Contributed photo)

The Cleveland version of “Infinity Mirrors” runs July 7 to Sept.

30 in the Cleveland Museum of Art’s Kelvin and Eleanor Smith Foundation Exhibition Hall and Gallery. The show, focused on the evolution of Kusama’s Infinity Mirror Rooms, is billed as “the most significant North American tour of Kusama’s work in nearly two decades.” It began in February 2017 at the Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden in Washington, D.C., then traveled to the Seattle Art Museum, The Broad in Los Angeles and Art Gallery of Ontario before its final stop in Cleveland.

The exhibition is essentially a sensory journey through the mind of the artist. It will feature seven Infinity Mirror Rooms, including one called Where the Lights in My Heart Go, which is exclusive to the presentation in Cleveland.

Thuring, a huge Kusama fan, said the show represents “a unique opportunity to feature one of the greatest and most important artists of the last few decades.” The rooms represent “one of the most complex exhibitions we have ever installed at CMA,” he said, as the museum seeks to “find the right balance in presenting a fully immersive experience.”

It’s immersive, but also quick.

Visitors will spend about 30 seconds in each room, which is Kusama’s intent. As the museum notes on its web page for the exhibition, wait times for each room are estimated at 20 minutes, you may enter each room only once, and the full experience “will take up to two hours.” That’s because the viewing areas are relatively small, and only two to three people may enter each room at a time.

About 100,000 people are ticketed for the exhibition. Demand has been high — you know that if you visited the museum’s website to reserve member tickets or to buy tickets available to the public — and Thuring said, “We would be able to sell more tickets if we could, but we don’t want to compromise the experience.”

SEE ART, PAGE 34

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CRAIN’S CLEVELAND BUSINESS

SUMMER IN THE CITY

Festivals, stadium shows lead summer concert slate SUMMER CONCERT SCHEDULE AT A GLANCE

By TIMOTHY MAGAW tmagaw@crain.com @timmagaw

“Cleveland rocks” has become a bit of a trite refrain, but you’d be hard-pressed to argue with that sentiment after glancing at the city’s crowded summer concert calendar.

The slate includes major outdoor music festivals, a duo of pop mega-concerts with Taylor Swift and Jay Z/Beyoncé at FirstEnergy Stadium and a chorus of other shows scheduled at summer-friendly venues like Blossom Music Center in Cuyahoga Falls and Jacobs Pavilion at Nautica in the Flats. Any talk that Cleveland’s concert scene was waning — at least when it comes to big-ticket acts — should certainly be put to rest.

“People like going to concerts. People appreciate the live experience in Cleveland. They always have,” said Barry Gabel, Live Nation’s senior vice president for marketing and sales and a veteran of the local concert scene from his days with Belkin Productions.

“At end of the day, it really is about the band wanting to come into town.”

And come they are.

Blossom’s lineup, for starters, includes the heavy hitters like the Foo Fighters, Dave Matthews Band and Jimmy Buffett. Premium seats, it’s worth noting, are scarce at this point for those three shows — unless you’re willing to pay well above face value.

The InCuya Music Festival, scheduled to take place Aug. 25-26 on a

LAURELIVE www.laurelive.com June 9-10, Laurel School’s Butler Campus Artists: Foster the People, Brandi Carlile, Fitz & The Tantrums, Cold War Kids, X Ambassadors, among others.

TRI-C JAZZFEST www.tri-c.edu/jazzfest/ June 28-30, Playhouse Square Artists: Leslie Odom Jr., Dee Dee Bridgewater, Common, Joshua Redman, Terence Blanchard, among others.

TAYLOR SWIFT www.ticketmaster.com July 17, FirstEnergy Stadium

JAY Z/BEYONCÉ www.livenation.com July 25, FirstEnergy Stadium

FOO FIGHTERS www.livenation.com July 25, Blossom Music Center

INCUYA MUSIC FESTIVAL www.incuya.com Aug. 25-26, Cleveland Malls Artists: New Order, Avett Brothers, SZA, Awolnation, Cake, The Revivalists, among others.

vast piece of downtown green space overlooking Lake Erie, is perhaps the biggest development concerning Cleveland’s concert scene and has the potential to draw thousands from beyond the region or even state.

Talk of securing a downtown festival on par with those in cities like Boston or Seattle has simmered for years. Two local business execs, Aaron Cornell and Doug Hester, led the charge and ultimately brought Stephen McHale — one of the founders of Explorys — on to lead the project.

“This city really has a lot of energy and positive momentum,” McHale said. “We love being in Cleveland and want to take it to the next level.”

The trio formed the Cleveland Concert Co., or Triple C, which ultimately partnered with AEG — the nation’s second-largest concert promoter being Live Nation — to build the festival from the ground up. AEG, meanwhile, is making a big play in this market, having produced various shows at Quicken Loans Arena in recent years and last summer securing operating rights to the Agora in Cleveland’s Midtown neighborhood and since breathed new life into the legendary concert complex.

Some of AEG’s other festivals include juggernauts like Coachella and Seattle’s Bumbershoot. AEG also operates Columbus’ Rock on the Range festival — an event that Franklin County officials acknowledge has had a $140 million economic impact during its decade-plus run in Central Ohio.

The InCuya project is also being backed by the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, Destination Cleveland, the city of Cleveland and others.

All told, InCuya — headlined by New Order, The Avett Brothers, SZA and Awolnation — could accommodate up to 25,000 people each day on Cleveland’s malls.

“We obviously produce a lot of fes-

tivals around the country and world, but I like to think each one is unique in its own way and has its own personality,” AEG Presents senior vice president Joe Litvag told Crain’s in an interview. “They become these living, breathing things. I don’t think any two are alike. One of the incredible and unique things about InCuya is the location. Having this event in

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SUMMER IN THE CITY

Tri-C’s JazzFest features a mix of free outdoor shows and ticketed indoor shows in Playhouse Square. (Contributed photo)

d

8 6

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Thousands of fans flocked last summer to Laurel School’s Butler Campus for the two-day LaureLive festival. (Contributed photos)

the center of downtown, looking out over the lake. It’s going to be an incredible environment for a festival.�

Festival fever Festival lovers, of course, need not wait until August.

This year will mark the third year for LaureLive, a multi-day gathering that draws about 15,000-plus to Laurel School’s 140-acre Butler Campus in Russell and Chester townships.

This year’s festival, which will take place June 9-10, is headlined by Foster the People, Brandi Carlile, Fitz & The Tantrums, Cold War Kids and X Ambassadors. Ticket sales for 2018 already are about 40% higher than last year’s.

So, are LaureLive’s organizers peeved AEG is making a big festival play in this market with InCuya?

Quite the contrary, in fact. “As more things happen, it puts everybody on top of their game,� said Denny Young, president of Elevation Group, the local promoter organizing LaureLive. “If there’s no competition, there’s no pressure to go the extra mile. Now that others are in the mar-

Gary Clark Jr. performs for the LaureLive crowd in 2017.

ket and being quite aggressive, it’s forced all players to raise their game.�

He added, “With all the publicity with InCuya, people are talking about festivals and saying, ‘Oh man, there’s one coming in June.’ I really think they can benefit each other. If you’re a music fan, what a great way to book-end the summer.�

Young and his business partner, Steve Lindecke, had always considered bringing a large music festival to Cleveland, so when a few Laurel board members approached Elevation for some help programming the school’s concert pavilion, Young had an even bigger idea — one that ultimately birthed LaureLive. The festival, which has an educational component for Laurel’s students, sustained steady growth over the years — and still has room for larger crowds on the campus. And while it hasn’t been discussed at length, Young said one way it could grow even more is by adding a third day of music.

If anything, LaureLive has shown that the festival model is viable in Northeast Ohio. “To see that come from nothing to something as big as it is now, I personally find that to be very rewarding,� Young said. “Seeing kids who are 6, 7 or 8 years old having their first concert experience, that’s an incredible sight. Twenty years from, thousands of children in Greater Cleveland will remember LaureLive as their first concert.�

One of the biggest challenges with building a festival from scratch, of course, is securing talent. In LaureLive’s first year, Young said they had to talk bands into playing what they viewed as a school — rather than a breathtaking piece of real estate. In subsequent years, booking hasn’t been an issue as previous bands, agents and managers talked up Elevation and the festival.

As for InCuya, its partnership with AEG was critical in securing that top portion of the lineup, the team was able to flesh out the rest of the slate, which includes a number of local favorites, including Seafair, Tropidelic and The Modern Electric.

And while it was AEG that gave the festival credibility with the artists, it was its relationship with the Rock Hall that gave it credibility with the city of Cleveland and Destination Cleveland, the local visitors and tourism bureau, according to Sunny Nixon, a local attorney who chairs Triple C’s board and serves as the group’s artist liaison with AEG. “When you look at a band like New Order, they don’t tour that often. If they do, it’s a limited run in the United States and they might have skipped this market,� Nixon said. “This has the potential to bring artists that might have overlooked a smaller market like Cleveland.�

She added, “It’s hard to be all things to all people, but Cleveland is a very diverse community. We wanted to make sure our lineup was reflective of that.�

Speaking of diversity, festival fans looking for something outside of the rock and pop circuit have a gem in Cuyahoga Community College’s JazzFest, which takes place June 2830.

It too has grown considerably in recent years, and about five years ago made Playhouse Square its home base with a roster of ticketed events in the theaters and free shows on the plaza. Headliners in the theaters this year include Leslie Odom Jr., who earned a 2016 Tony Award for his role as Aaron Burr in the smash hit “Hamilton� musical; award-winning actor and musician Common; and legendary saxophonist Joshua Redman. “It touches my heart to see people outside dancing on that dance floor under the chandelier,� said Terri Pontremoli, director of the Tri-C JazzFest. “It really touches me. It’s so beautiful to see.�

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CRAIN’S CLEVELAND BUSINESS

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CLE’s not throwin’ away its shot with ‘Hamilton’ run

By JEREMY NOBILE jnobile@crain.com @JeremyNobile

Fans aren’t the only ones giddy for the highly anticipated debut of “Hamilton” in Cleveland this summer.

The verified cultural phenomenon on July 17 hits Playhouse Square, where it will run for a particularly long six-week stretch. And businesses in and around the city’s theater district are as eager for the play’s run as attendees flocking from across the state and beyond to see the country’s most popular musical.

“We are excited about ‘Hamilton’ because it’s just so unique. This is a once-in-a-lifetime thing,” said Brian Maloney, general manager of Crowne Plaza Cleveland.

Maloney, who has worked the Playhouse Square hotel for nearly a decade, said the play is special for how it’s drawing people from well outside Northeast Ohio.

A typical show at the theater is not an overnight affair. Maloney estimates that 95% of the time, theater-goers take in the show and maybe get dinner and drinks before driving home.

But the hotel is already fielding calls about stays during the show. “‘Hamilton’ isn’t going to a lot of towns,” Maloney said. “Cincinnati, Columbus, they have nice theater districts, and they might get ‘Phantom (of the Opera)’ or ‘Les Misérables.’ But this is the Super Bowl. Some have to say, wow, I can’t get to New York to see ‘Hamilton.’ But I sure can get to Cleveland, Ohio in the summer.”

“That’s the ‘Hamilton’ effect,” he said.

“Hamilton” is naturally a big deal for the theater itself. In terms of single ticket sales, Playhouse Square sold more than 60,000 tickets on April 13, where tickets went on sale at 9 a.m. and sold out in less than six hours (additional seats are expected to be made available closer to the show, according to Playhouse Square spokesperson Cindi Szymanski).

Season ticket renewal packages that included “Hamilton” were gobbled up so fast that other ticket packages including the show became difficult to acquire.

As far as season tickets, Playhouse Square has about 45,000 for the 20172018 season. Comparatively, there were 35,841 season ticket holders in the prior season, and 31,456 the season before that.

So the current season marks a year-over-year increase in season ticket holders of more than 25%.

“It’s unbelievable how popular and in what big demand it is,” Maloney said. “I’ve never seen a show in nine years here come off Broadway and run for six weeks. And they’re going to sell out every night.”

The hotel is planning to unveil some special packages in the coming weeks that will including tickets plus dinner and a room at the hotel (the prices are still being worked out).

On July 21 — the Saturday following the play’s first Cleveland show on July 17 — Playhouse Square will host

its annual Center Stage Benefit, a fundraiser for the theater’s sensory-friendly and subsidy programs.

The event is sometimes held in conjunction with a show, as was the case with “Wicked” and “Jersey Boys.”

As this year’s event aligns with “Hamilton,” many in the theater district have been talking about the fundraiser as the “opening night gala.” The black-tie party will close down Playhouse Square for attendees, who will get a chance to dine, drink and dance under the GE Chandelier.

The event is being managed by Driftwood Catering, an enterprise owned by Driftwood Restaurant Group, which also runs The RJF Presidents’ Club private dining room and concessions in Playhouse Square along with a series of other restaurants, including Bin 216.

Driftwood owner founder and CEO Scott Kuhn praised Playhouse Square for its steadily strong schedule of shows that provide him business opportunities.

But with the buzz that surrounds it, “Hamilton” is the most-prominent show yet landed by the theater — and it’s for an extended run at that.

“The quality of shows, the number of shows, whether Broadway, comedy or concerts, their scheduling has taken the district from being quite seasonal to one that’s steady yearround,” Kuhn said. “When you bring in ‘Hamilton’ for a long run, it just adds to all that.”

Some regions have reported that when “Hamilton” comes to town, business is strong, bars and restaurants fill up and tips increase.

Kuhn is expecting a similar dynamic.

“Having seen ‘Hamilton’ already, there’s an energy that goes along with that show and the anticipation that people have, in my opinion, is beyond warranted. And when you’re excited, you spend money,” Kuhn said. “I think for all the businesses, whether you’re a restaurant or a clothing company, people come downtown and they spend time in your district, and that ultimately leads to the register ringing up more

Joseph Morales, front, leads the national tour cast of “Hamilton” as Alexander Hamilton. The show is the most prominent yet at Playhouse Square. (Joan Marcus)

“It’s unbelievable how popular and in what big demand it is. I’ve never seen a show in nine years here come off Broadway and run for six weeks. And they’re going to sell out every night.”

— Brian Maloney, general manager of Crowne Plaza Cleveland

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Driftwood Restaurant Group’s Bin 216 in Playhouse Square offers small plates, wines and creative cocktails. (Contributed photo)

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Happy hours will take place on the plaza outside Zack Bruell’s seasonal Dynomite Burgers walk-up joint in Playhouse Square. (Contributed photo)

items. That’s never a bad thing.�

Cleveland chef and restaurateur Zack Bruell is equally optimistic about what “Hamilton� should mean for business. His restaurant group operates Cowell & Hubbard and the seasonal walk-up joint Dynomite Burgers where there will be outdoor happy hours on Star Plaza.

Bruell said while the restaurants are treating things similarly to any other show, “I know it’s going to be extremely busy,� particularly with the extended run. “And that means business will be consistent,� he said. “There’s no downtime. That’s what you want in the restaurant business. Up until the last two years, a lot of theaters would go dark in the summer. But now there are shows down there.�

Venues like Cowell & Hubbard are truly theater driven businesses, which can present a different business model, Bruell said. So having

shows with a big draw year-round supports those enterprises that don’t necessarily close just because a play isn’t scheduled.

The business “Hamilton� is expected to draw comes at a significant time for those venues as well considering it follows an unseasonably slow start to the warmer seasons. A rough winter that drew well into April translated to lower sales at many restaurants as that’s when customer traffic generally tends to pick up.

And Bruell recognizes that many patrons will be coming from outside Cleveland — and even outside Ohio — for the show. “Those people are probably staying somewhere in downtown Cleveland.

That means people will be showing up earlier. Hopefully, they will make it to the restaurants earlier and have a real dining experience instead of a rushed theater dining experience,� he said. “The goal for us is for people to make

an evening out of it and maybe they’ll go to Cowell after the show, too. In an ideal world, people would come enjoy their first two courses, get an app and an entrÊe, then when the show is over, come back for dessert.�

The draw Hamilton is expected to have should mean busier nights for bars, restaurants and hotels.

But beyond that, there’s a sense among businesspeople that the show will be another chance for Cleveland to show itself off.

It’s a sentiment that harkens back to the excitement that surrounded the Republican National Convention coming to Cleveland a couple summers ago as people here look to impress non-native Northeast Ohioans — even though the RNC wasn’t quite as much of a boon for businesses as expected outside of East Fourth Street, which served as the veritable ground zero for RNC happenings outside of Quicken Loans Arena. “Really though, how many times do we get this kind of opportunity? We had a crazy opportunity with the RNC. We had a crazy opportunity with LeBron (James) coming back,� Kuhn said. “Then you get things like ‘Hamilton.’ Let the good times roll, right? “I think every business is going to try and capitalize on ‘Hamilton’ being here, whether that’s themed food and cocktails that play into it or something else. Obviously, you have to run a good business and provide great hospitality. And that’s what we’re all gearing up to do.�

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SUMMER IN THE CITY

At the Table

It’s not summer without dining under the stars You could fill pages with places to lounge outdoors, dining and drinking, this time of year.

It’s almost an embarrassment of riches — espeJoe Crea cially in a town where restaurant patios once were a rarity. Back in the day it must have seemed foolhardy to bother investing in tables and chairs to an audience that couldn’t hope to have much more than a few weeks to savor the season of sunshine.

Well, phooey on that. Something clicked, and seemingly overnight Clevelanders decided they couldn’t get enough of al fresco fun.

Restaurant owners complied — and here we are. These days, it seems any available sidewalk, parking lot or walkway near a restaurant gets its own umbrella-topped tables and chairs.

Since I couldn’t hope to produce the encyclopedic listing the subject deserves, I set my sites on a dozen of my favorite spots in the Cleveland area.

Sure, you can argue that at least 50 more deserve a spot on this list. But i hope you’ll consider this a starting point.

Please note: Patio hours often vary from those indoors, and weather can be a factor (often meaning that no reservations are accepted) — so, call ahead to confirm.

Chef Zack Bruell brings his own kind of polish to fresh seafood, in his open-air eatery plunked on the shores of the Cuyahoga River. From raw bar favorites and lively interpretations of fish and seafood favorites to crowd-pleasing takes on chicken, beef and pork, there’s plenty to savor and share. Sit along the water on the main level, or climb up to the restaurant’s upper deck for an expansive view.

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Don’s Pomeroy House boasts a patio among a nearby grove of trees, serving as a hideaway of sorts in a bustling area. (Contributed photo)

BLUE CANYON KITCHEN & TAVERN

ALLEY CAT OYSTER BAR 1056 Old River Road (Flats East Bank), Cleveland; 216-574-9999, alleycatoysterbar.com

XYZ’s snug patio serves as a great launching point for exploring Cleveland’s dynamic Gordon Square Arts District. (Contributed photo)

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1145 West Steels Corners Road, Cuyahoga Falls; 216-231-1111 (ticket services), clevelandorchestra.com There are any number of places to picnic in Northeast Ohio, but none quite matches up to spreading your blanket and swirling a glass of wine in the company of the Cleveland Orchestra. Picnicking is an art form here, and were you to tiptoe your way across this expansive lawn you’d no doubt witness some of the region’s greatest cuisine being spooned out of Tupperware containers and ziplock bags. It’s probably my single favorite place to mingle on a summer evening — apart from on one of my neighbor’s patios.

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8960 Wilcox Drive (near Ohio 82 and I-480), Twinsburg; 330-486-2583; bluecanyonrestaurant.com After a long day of yard work and errands, you need a place to sit back and shake off a week’s worth of weariness. Gather good friends and grab

a table on Blue Canyon’s big deck, then sit back for an evening of conversation. Chef Brandt Evan’s Big Sky-style cuisine is bold and flavorful, with lots of beef, thick pork chops, hearty burgers and other stick-tothe-ribs bounty. It’s the perfect foil for craft brews or a couple of other adult beverages.

CHEZ FRANCOIS CHEZ RIVERFRONT CAFE 555 Main St., Vermilion; chezfrancois.com, 440-967-0630 I rarely use the word “revered,” but I’ll make an exception when speaking of Chez Francois. It’s as close to a culinary temple as Northeast Ohio possesses, and chef John D’Amico exacting standards extend to its patio. A permanent roof affords shade and shelter, accompanied by glass doors should the weather show its temper.

The dinner-only venue is considerably more casual in spirit (shorts, boating and golf attire are welcome, though no swim suits or tank tops are permitted), with a selection of lighter entrees along with the seasonal specials that make an evening at Chez a singular experience.

DON’S POMEROY HOUSE 13664 Pearl Road, Strongsville; donspomeroy.com, 440-572-1111 A place that feels like a hideaway in the heart of a bustling area makes a patio that much more special. Enclosed within a grove of trees and lit with little white lights, Don’s patio is a sweet oasis minutes away from SEE CREA, PAGE 31

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Profiles included in Northeast Ohioâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Notable Women in Law represent women nominated by companies and organizations within Northeast Ohio. To be considered, completion of an extensive survey, including a letter of endorsement, was required; additionally, firms were limited in the number of submissions permitted. Additional women were submitted for inclusion by an internal selection committee for purposes of a diverse and a more comprehensive list.

This advertising-supported section is produced by Crain Content Studio-Cleveland, the marketing storytelling arm of Crainâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Cleveland Business. The Crainâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Cleveland Business newsroom is not involved in creating Crain Content Studio-Cleveland content.

HEATHER LENNOX Partner-in-Charge, Cleveland office Jones Day

DEBORAH Z. READ Managing Partner Thompson Hine

PATRICIA A. SHLONSKY

Partner-in-Charge, Cleveland office Ulmer

ROBYN MINTER SMYERS Partner-in-Charge, Cleveland office Thompson Hine

S2 May 14, 2018

NOTABLE WOMEN IN LAW

SPONSORED CONTENT

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JENNIFER ADAMS

Partner, Health Care Practice Group Chair Ulmer One of Jennifer Adams’ biggest professional highlights over the past five years involved assisting a longtime client — one of the largest physician-owned emergency medicine practices in the U.S. — with the sale of a significant stake of their equity to a large private equity fund while still retaining the current CEO in that role. Finding creative legal solutions is one of Adams’ professional strengths, according to the nomination letter of Patricia A. Shlonsky, partner-in-charge of the Cleveland office. “She puts the focus squarely on her clients,” Shlonsky wrote, “relying on years of experience and an innate ability to understand the strategic goals of the individuals and businesses she serves.” In addition to managing Ulmer’s health care practice, Adams is co-chair of its women’s professional development committee, board member of Family Connection of Northeast Ohio and longtime volunteer to the Cleveland Metropolitan Bar Association’s 3Rs (Rights, Responsibilities, Realities) program.

ANN-MARIE AHERN

Principal McCarthy, Lebit, Crystal & Liffman Ann-Marie Ahern’s career is dedicated to representing people in employment disputes, with a primary focus on women subjected to unlawful discriminatory conduct or sexual harassment in the workplace. “Ann-Marie represents employees through every stage of the employment relationship, from employment and noncompete agreements to severance agreements, and if necessary, litigation,” said Robert T. Glickman, managing principal, according to the nomination. Ahern created the firm’s Women’s Professional Committee to advocate for and advance women’s issues, and to assist other female lawyers with building their practices. In 2015, she was the first female to be named a strategic partner and board member in the firm’s nearly 60-year history. Ahern also is an executive coach to female leaders who struggle in male-dominated cultures. She is at the forefront of the #MeToo movement, lecturing on the topic at the local and state levels.

JENNIFER DOWDELL ARMSTRONG

Member, Litigation, Women’s Council Co-Chair McDonald Hopkins As a member of McDonald Hopkins’ Litigation Department, Jennifer Dowdell Armstrong has handled a variety of business and commercial disputes, civil and criminal proceedings, and class actions in federal and state trial and appellate courts. “Jennifer’s clients appreciate her broad range of litigation experience — from internal investigations and white collar criminal defense to the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act and complex commercial litigation,” said James. J. Giszczak, chair of the Litigation Department, according to her nomination. As co-chair of the firm’s Women’s Council, Armstrong is cultivating female leadership within the firm and the community. She has created new initiatives and networking programs and promotes the experience and accomplishments of the firm’s female attorneys. Her community involvement includes serving as co-chair for the Ohio Chapter of the Women’s White Collar Criminal Defense Association; a board member of the Federal Bar Association, Northern District of Ohio Chapter; Great Lakes Theater Company, and a member of the Legal Aid Society of Cleveland’s Partners in Justice.

Kathryn Belfance is no stranger to firsts.

At the University of Akron School of Law, she was among the first female associate editors on the Law Review.

After graduation in 1977, she was one of the first women in Northeast Ohio to specialize in complex bankruptcy laws. In 1978, Belfance became the first female bankruptcy trustee to administer cases in the Northern District of Ohio.

Thirty years later, she joined Akron-based Roderick Linton — which then became Roderick Linton Belfance — and was the first woman to serve on the firm’s executive committee and its first female managing partner.

Today, a nationally recognized authority on bankruptcy and domestic relations law, Belfance makes a point to inspire a new generation.

“From her mentoring young lawyers and being an advocate for women attorneys, Kay gives back to her profession and community with wisdom, understanding and compassion,” Timothy J. Truby, a partner at Roderick Linton Belfance, wrote in the nomination.

JESSICA BERG

Co-Dean Case Western Reserve University School of Law Jessica Berg is the first female dean of Case Western Reserve University School of Law in its 125-year history. Under Berg’s tenure, the school improved its national rankings, graduate employment numbers, bar pass percentage and alumni relations. She is viewed as a national leader in legal education for her curricular innovations, including a First Year client experience, a three-semester skills curriculum in both litigation and transactions, and a Third Year capstone requirement. Her efforts brought positive national attention to the law school as a U.S. leader in experiential education. She also implemented financial and administrative restructuring measures and launched several successful revenue-producing programs. “Jessica Berg is an innovator, visionary and extraordinarily gifted problem solver,” says Michael P. Scharf, co-dean of the CWRU School of Law, according to the nomination. Berg holds a joint appointment in the School of Medicine and Law. She has more than 50 scholarly publications to her name.

PATRICIA ANN BLACKMON Judge Eighth District Court of Appeals

Patricia Ann Blackmon has served as an appellate judge for 27 years and is a threeterm incumbent at the Eighth District Court of Appeals, which is the largest and busiest appellate court in Ohio. She is the first of four generations in her family to attend college. She graduated magna cum laude from Tougaloo College in Mississippi, with a bachelor’s degree in African-American studies, political science and history.

“From her extremely humble roots in Jackson, Mississippi, she learned at her mother’s knee the value of education, hard work and perseverance,” said Judge Eileen A. Gallagher. “She has been our leader, our historian, our mentor and our friend.” Blackmon was to receive on May 13 an honorary doctorate from Cleveland-Marshall College of Law and will receive the Trailblazer Award from Cuyahoga Democratic Women’s Caucus this Saturday, May 19. She also teaches a course on understanding the court system to retirees at Baldwin Wallace University. “It is one of my proudest achievements,” said Blackmon of the course.

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HEIDI A. BOEHLEFELD Managing Partner Renner Otto

Heidi A. Boehlefeld began her career as a chemist for BP America and today puts those analytic skills to work at Renner Otto. Boehlefeld was named Renner Otto’s managing partner in 2016. Under her leadership, the intellectual property firm has set out to reinvent itself, examining every aspect of its business to identify opportunities for improvement. The resulting changes include a new partnership and management structure that helps the firm better compete in the challenging business law environment and an improved brand identity that involves an enhanced online presence and more modern physical facilities. “Her energy and dedication to our firm motivate us all to aim higher,” according to the nomination letter of Renner Otto Partner Luis A. Carrion. In addition to directing the 50-employee firm, Boehlefeld commits her time and expertise to Case Western Reserve University’s Patent Pro Bono Clinic, which provides free legal services to inventors in Northeast Ohio. She also is a member of the Cleveland Intellectual Property Law Association.

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CAROLYN M. CAPPEL Managing Partner Weston Hurd

Jack Kluznik, partner at Weston Hurd, refers to Carolyn Cappel as “Managing Mom of the Weston Hurd family law firm.” “Like many moms, Carolyn is the glue that holds the firm together and keeps it functioning effectively on a day-to-day basis,” he wrote in the nomination form. Cappel began her legal career with Weston Hurd in 1975 as a docket clerk while attending law school. She was elected a partner in 1984 and assumed the managing partner role in 2007. As Weston Hurd’s longest serving managing partner, Cappel directs more than 45 attorneys and 30 support staff in its Cleveland and Columbus offices. Her legal practice focuses on products liability, employment intentional tort law, construction litigation and personal injury. She is especially attentive to guiding and empowering young attorneys, crediting her own success to mentors at the firm during her early years.

YELENA BOXER

Partner, Litigation Practice Group Vice Chair Benesch Yelena Boxer is a partner in Benesch’s Litigation Practice Group, the firm’s largest practice group. She focuses on complex commercial litigation. Boxer is frequently lead counsel on critical matters for some of the firm’s biggest clients and was recognized by Benchmark Litigation as a State Litigation Star for 2017. As co-chair of the firm’s Women’s Initiative Committee, Boxer plays an active role in hiring, promoting and facilitating relationships among female professionals. She plans to partner with other women’s initiatives in the community to provide opportunities for women to grow professionally, personally and civically. “Yelena has a true passion for the development and advancement of our young talent at Benesch,” said Benesch Vice Chair Joe Castrodale, according to the nomination.

“She makes herself available to serve as a mentor to our associates, whether formally or informally. This is both valued by her peers and fosters an engaged and better-connected team.”

ERICA L. CALDERAS Partner Hahn Loeser Erica L. Calderas focuses her practice on complex commercial litigation and class action defense. Calderas is a member of the firm’s board of directors, serves on the diversity committee and is active in the firm’s Women’s Leadership Initiative.

According to the nomination, she is a champion and mentor for other attorneys. “She has served as an extraordinary role model and advocates for gender parity within our industry, while empowering and supporting women at Hahn Loeser,” said Partner-In-Charge Stanley R. Gorom III in the nomination. “She values input, has the mindset of an entrepreneur and leads with confidence, commitment and integrity.” She is on the board for the Andrews Osborne Academy, a member of the Arthritis Foundation, and active with the Cornell Club of Northeastern Ohio and Summer on the Cuyahoga, which recruits college students from prestigious universities for summer internships in Cleveland with the goal of attracting them to settle in Northeast Ohio. She is also involved in the American Bar Association’s Judicial Intern Opportunity Program.

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INAJO DAVIS CHAPPELL

Partner, Nonprofit Chair Ulmer While Inajo Davis Chappell certainly is not alone in her passion for community involvement, she is unique when it comes to the degree to CONTINUED ON NEXT PAGE

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which she has â&#x20AC;&#x153;woven her passion for volunteerism and community service into a sophisticated legal practice dedicated to serving more than 100 exempt organizations,â&#x20AC;? according to the nomination letter of Ulmer Managing Partner Scott P. Kadish. A partner at Ulmer, Chappell chairs the firmâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s nonprofit practice area, which represents a wide range of community-centered initiatives, from social service agencies and art and health organizations to foundations, community development corporations and educational and governmental institutions.

She also handles a variety of legal matters for for-profit businesses. Over the years, she also has served in leadership capacities on the boards of a long list of nonprofits, including her current roles as vice chair of the Cleveland Foundation board of directors and chair of the Cuyahoga County Board of Elections.

CASSANDRA COLLIER-WILLIAMS Judge Cuyahoga County Common Pleas Court

Cassandra Collier-Williams is one of four judges tasked with overseeing the commercial docket at the Cuyahoga County Common Pleas Court.

The docket was reinstated in January, after a two-year hiatus, which means commercial litigation cases can be reviewed and resolved more efficiently. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Some of these cases can be quite complicated,â&#x20AC;? Collier-Williams said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I have 15 cases on my docket, and more are coming in every day.â&#x20AC;? Collier-Williamsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; early career involved working as a mediator for the Cleveland Prosecutorâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Office and owning her own firm. She also was a judge on the Mental Health Developmental Disabilities Court docket of Common Pleas Court. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I worked with Judge Collier-Williams in the mental health court, and she is passionate, caring and concerned about the people in front of her,â&#x20AC;? said Cuyahoga County Common Pleas Court Judge Deena Calabrese. â&#x20AC;&#x153;She is well-traveled, so she brings a global perspective to a situation. She also is an amazing mother.â&#x20AC;? Collier-Williams has numerous professional involvements, including serving as a member of the local and state bar associations, and the Black Womenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Political Action Committee.

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MICHELE CONNELL

Managing Partner, Corporate Practice Partner Squire Patton Boggs When David Goodman announced he would step down as managing partner of Squire Patton Boggsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Cleveland office in 2015, Chairman and Global CEO Mark Ruehlmann had to make an important decision about who would oversee one of its most important markets. Michele Connell â&#x20AC;&#x153;was an easy choice,â&#x20AC;? according to Ruehlmannâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s nomination letter, adding that her â&#x20AC;&#x153;energy, commercial aptitude, team-first approach, focus on client service, civic engagement and global perspective made her a unique fit for the role.â&#x20AC;? Connell focuses her practice on international mergers and acquisitions, compliance and securities law matters and corporate governance practices. She has served as both a formal and informal mentor for dozens of associates and has been integral in inclusion and diversity initiatives. She has completed transactions in more than 20 countries and routinely leads teams of professionals across the globe. Even before law school, Connell excelled at global relations, earning a Meritorious Honor Award for her work with the U.S. State Department while serving as a foreign service officer at American embassies in Poland and Honduras.

CHRISTAL L. CONTINI

Member, Mergers and Acquisitions Practice Group Co-Chair McDonald Hopkins Christal L. Contini is a seasoned legal expert who has an active leadership role in many areas of McDonald Hopkins. As co-chair of the firmâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Mergers and Acquisitions Practice Group, Contini provides corporate counseling to business leaders and investors on corporate governance, commercial contracts, compliance and operations. Her practice also represents private equity funds, search funds, and buyers and sellers in various types of transactions. Contini participates in various firm leadership development initiatives, including a Women in Leadership program. As a mentor, she has an open-door policy with young attorneys, acting as a resource for day-to-day activities as well as providing trusted advice. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Christal has not only excelled in the legal profession, which led to her being named the co-chair of the firmâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Mergers and Acquisitions Practice Group, but she has taken time to ensure that young attorneys are given the proper guidance to succeed,â&#x20AC;? said James E. Stief, chair of the Business Law Department, according to the nomination. She is a member of the Dobama Theatreâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s board of directors.

COLLEEN M. COTTER

CONGRATULATIONS

ERICA L. CALDERAS! C O M M I T M E N T. I N T E G R I T Y. L E A D E R S H I P.

Executive Director Legal Aid Society of Cleveland Colleen Cotter oversees an organization that annually serves more than 7,000 individuals who need legal assistance to overcome a significant barrier from shelter, safety, health care or financial stability. â&#x20AC;&#x153;The fact that I have been given the opportunity to do this workâ&#x20AC;&#x201D; it is such a privilege,â&#x20AC;? Cotter said. The Legal Aid Society under Cotterâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s leadership has formed deep partnerships with local school districts, health care systems, bar associations, nonprofits and the regional judiciary. The Legal Aid Society is working to establish a right to counsel in Cleveland Housing Court, in collaboration with local nonprofits, the government and legal community leaders, to ensure tenantsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; rights are enforced. The organization â&#x20AC;&#x201D; composed mostly of women attorneys â&#x20AC;&#x201D; also is launching a campaign to help grow its partnership and service efforts. â&#x20AC;&#x153;What makes Colleen special is her extraordinary leadership of the organization that is filled with similarly dedicated advocates,â&#x20AC;? said Karen Giffen, partner and co-founder of Giffen & Kaminski. Cotter is a board of directors member of the Cleveland Metropolitan Bar Association and was a recipient of its 2017 Presidentâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Award.

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DIANA M. FEITL ERICA L. CALDERAS Partner and Member, Board of Directors, Complex and Commercial Litigation Practice

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Associate Roetzel

Joining Roetzelâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Cleveland office in 2015, Feitl is a newer member of the firmâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s public law practice, but she is hardly new to the field.

Before attending law school, Feitl studied the inner workings of government firsthand as legislative assistant for U.S. Rep. Betty CONTINUED ON NEXT PAGE

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Sutton in Washington, D.C., and as a staff member of a D.C-based government relations firm. At Roetzel, Feitl is a “rising star,” according to a nomination letter from Chairman Robert E. Blackham. He cites specifically Feitl’s success advocating for local governmental agencies at the federal level regarding legislative issues “that were vital to their continued operation” and assisting a local public entity in navigation of “what became incredibly complex and divisive labor and employment issues that could have had catastrophic consequences if not handled competently.” Outside the office, Feitl volunteers and lends her legal skills to the Legal Aid Society.

May 14, 2018 S5

M. COLETTE GIBBONS

Of Counsel, Business Restructuring McDonald Hopkins M. Colette Gibbons has an accomplished legal career of more than 40 years, earning recognition for her bankruptcy expertise. Gibbons recently joined McDonald Hopkins, previously serving as an office managing partner at Ice Miller LLP. “Colette’s legal acumen and practical approach to problems make her a strong and passionate advocate for her clients. Her leadership, drive and desire to mentor young lawyers demonstrate her commitment to the practice of law,” said Robert Stefancin, partner at Ice Miller LLP, according to the nomination. “And, with these gifts, it is her unending CONTINUED ON NEXT PAGE

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PATRICIA A. GAJDA Partner, Shareholder, Co-Chair, Corporate and Securities Practice Group Brouse McDowell

Patricia A. Gajda has held a variety of leadership positions within the firm, including co-chairing the Corporate and Securities Practice Group, in which she advises clients on all types of transactions to further their financial and strategic goals. In 2013, Gajda was elected the first woman to serve on Brouse McDowell’s Executive Committee.

She instituted the firm’s formal mentoring program and has served as a mentor under the State of Ohio Lawyer to Lawyer mentoring program. “As a result of realizing the benefit this has played in her career, Pat has worked hard to mentor firm associates, and, in particular, to help develop female associates with advice and work opportunities and the type of mentoring that she received as a young lawyer,” said Partner-In-Charge Christopher J. Carney, according to the nomination. Serving on the board of Susan G. Komen Northeast Ohio, Gajda helped bring the first Race for the Cure to Cleveland 25 years ago. She serves on the board of Bar Examiners for the State of Ohio. She is former president of Ohio Women’s Bar Foundation.

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Rachel Yaffe

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compassion for people who have nowhere else to turn that makes her one of the most extraordinary women with whom I have ever practiced law.”

Gibbons’ accomplishments include being named a Fellow of the American College of Bankruptcy. She serves on the boards of Seeds of Literacy and the Foundation of the American College of Bankruptcy. She previously served as board president of the West Side Catholic Center and as a board member of the Cleveland Metropolitan Bar Association and the Cleveland Metropolitan Bar Foundation.

FRANCES FLORIANO GOINS

Partner, Financial Services & Securities Litigation Co-Chair, Cybersecurity & Privacy Co-Chair Ulmer It’s not often that a music major becomes a lawyer who tackles some of the most technical areas of practice. But, Frances Goins is not your typical music major. Goins, who holds undergraduate and master’s degrees from Cleveland Institute of Music, joined Ulmer in 2003 and became co-chair of its Financial Services and Securities Litigation Group, where she directs the firm’s handling of complex business disputes. In 2008, Goins also became co-chair of the firm’s Cybersecurity & Privacy Group. Among her many industry affiliations, she is a founding member of the Ohio Women’s Bar Association. Goins’ influence reaches beyond Ulmer, according to Partner Michael N. Ungar, who notes in a nomination letter that it is “no surprise that Fran was tapped by the Department of Homeland Security” to speak about cybersecurity for a recent webinar. Goins also combines her legal acumen and love of music to support arts causes like Art Song Festival.

LITIGATION

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JILL FRIEDMAN HELFMAN

Co-Partner-In-Charge, Domestic Relations Practice Group Chair Taft Fairness, diligence and integrity are hallmarks of Jill Friedman Helfman’s practice.

A fellow of the prestigious American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers, Helfman specializes in family and divorce law, particularly in high-net worth cases. She counsels business owners, professional athletes, physicians, lawyers and other prominent professionals through complex and sometimes contentious divorces.

“Emotions often run high in this practice area, and clients often struggle with financial and emotional challenges,” Taft Partner Carl A. Murway said in the nomination. “Jill’s conduct is not only consistent with the highest standards of our profession, but her effectiveness as an advocate is outstanding.”

Earlier this year, Helfman was selected as co-partner-in-charge of the Cleveland office after a firm-wide leadership vetting process. In this role, she oversees 54 multi-disciplinary attorneys and 40 staff members. She is actively involved in many philanthropic and charitable endeavors, including serving as chair of the University Hospitals Partnership For Families Leadership Board.

MAURA L. HUGHES

Partner, Litigation Group Co-Chair, Antitrust and Trade Regulation Counseling and Litigation Group Chair Calfee, Halter & Griswold Maura L. Hughes balances multiple roles at Calfee, Halter & Griswold LLP, as well as nonprofit commitments. Among her leadership roles, Hughes also serves as general counsel and ethics partner. She is on the firm’s Practice Planning & Growth Committee, which is responsible for developing and vetting growth strategies and other innovations and initiatives at the firm. “Maura leads with intelligence, confidence, fairness and a quiet nature,” says Calfee Managing Partner Brent D. Ballard, in the nomination. “Her leadership style engenders the widespread respect of her peers.” Hughes has taught as an adjunct faculty member at Case Western Reserve University School of Law. While her practice focuses on complex business and antitrust issues, she also takes on meaningful leadership roles at nonprofit groups. She serves on the boards of the Art Therapy Studio and The Music Settlement.

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ESTATE/PROBATE

Women’s Leadership Council Reminger Co., LPA is committed to a firm culture focused on the recruitment, development, promotion, and retention of women attorneys.

JAIME U. KOLLIGIAN

Shareholder Kastner Westman & Wilkins LLC Jaime U. Kolligian has spent her entire legal career at Kastner Westman & Wilkins and is involved in all aspects of the firm’s employment law practice, including employment litigation and traditional labor. Kolligian sets a high standard of excellence in professionalism, preparedness, responsiveness and community service for her colleagues, and values the opportunities to mentor associates and paralegals. She is one of three attorneys at the firm with the Ohio State Bar Association’s Certified Specialist distinction. “From the very outset, Jaime brought to the practice of law a dynamic combination of a keen mind, a passion for employment law, and an emotional intelligence that allows her to connect with and serve clients extremely well,” said K|W|W President James P. Wilkins. Last year, Kolligian and her husband, Scott, were awarded the Volunteer of the Year Award by the Akron Area YMCA. The couple is dedicated to supporting local entrepreneurs and serving nonprofits. Each year, they organize a fundraising cornhole tournament to benefit children with special needs.

AMANDA M. LEFFLER

CELEBRATING

YEARS OF EXCELLENCE

101 W. Prospect Avenue, Suite 1400 Cleveland, OH 44115 216.687.1311 www.Reminger.com AKRON CINCINNATI CLEVELAND COLUMBUS SANDUSKY TOLEDO YOUNGSTOWN INDIANAPOLIS FT. WAYNE NW INDIANA EVANSVILLE FT. MITCHELL LEXINGTON LOUISVILLE

Partner, Co-Chair, Insurance Recovery Practice Group Brouse McDowell Amanda M. Leffler supervises Brouse McDowell’s insurance recovery work, which historically has comprised about 20% to 25% of the firm’s revenue. Leffler served as a member CONTINUED ON NEXT PAGE

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of the Akron Bar Association Board of Trustees and developed its Leadership Academy program.

She is one of only 24 attorneys to serve on the Board of Governors for the Ohio State Bar Association.

At the national level, Leffler cochairs an Insurance Coverage Litigation subcommittee. She is an active member of the Tort, Trial and Insurance Practice Section of the American Bar. “Intelligent, thoughtful, committed and engaged, Amanda is precisely who you want to serve with on a board, work with as a colleague, or refer a valued client to for specialized guidance,” said OSBA Board of Governors President Randall Comer, in the nomination. Leffler is active in her community. Involvements include serving as chair of the board of directors for United Disability Services and as a board member for Akron Children’s Museum.

JULIA A. LOVE

AMANDA MARTINSEK

Julia Ann Love focuses her work in the firm’s Employee Benefits & Executive Compensation Practice. In addition to serving clients in the public, private and nonprofit sectors, she was vital in developing the firm’s growing pension de-risking practice. “She is a remarkable person of the utmost integrity, character and accomplishment, and a highly respected leader in the legal profession, in the community and at Thompson Hine,” said Robyn Minter Smyers, Cleveland Office partner-in-charge, in the nomination. In 2016, Love was one of only 13 employee benefits lawyers nationwide inducted as a fellow of the American College of Employee Benefits Counsel. Love serves as program chair on the national board of Worldwide Employee Benefits Network. She also serves on the boards of the Center for Community Solutions and Saint Joseph Academy. She previously served as the Cleveland Office chair of Spotlight on Women, the firm’s women’s program.

Business litigator Amanda Martinsek doesn’t shy away from new opportunities, particularly those that offer the chance to increase diversity and inclusion in the legal community. In 2007, Martinsek left an equity partnership at a large law firm to open the Cleveland office of a Toledo practice on the cusp of becoming the largest majority women-owned law firm in the country.

In 2010, she became the founding president of Thacker Martinsek, another majority women-owned firm. She has been an active member of the National Association of Minority and Women Owned Law Firms.

Martinsek recently joined Ulmer and immediately jumped aboard Ulmer’s UB Will — Women in Law & Leadership. Active in the Ohio Women’s Bar Association, she also is a current board member of the Federal Bar Association where, according to the nomination of Ulmer Partner Michael N. Ungar, “she extends her passion for mentoring others and often speaks on career development for female attorneys.”

Partner Thompson Hine

MARY FORBES LOVETT Partner, Real Estate Group Chair Ulmer

KELLY LIPINSKI

Partner McGlinchey Stafford Kelly Lipinski is making her mark in Northeast Ohio and beyond.

Lipinski is a member (partner) at McGlinchey Stafford’s Cleveland office, where she mentors junior associates and is active in several of the firm’s committees, including its Women’s Initiative Network.

She is a leader in the firm’s Consumer Financial Services Compliance Practice, supervising its work with banks and other institutions across the country that operate under high-stakes compliance scenarios. Recently, Lipinski was one of five attorneys — the youngest and only woman — appointed as outside counsel to the Law Committee of the American Financial Services Association. She is a frequent speaker on financial services matters, particularly student lending. Lipinski “is well-respected within our firm and by a national client base that trusts her as a legal voice for their industries,” according to a nomination letter written by McGlinchey Stafford Managing Member Rodolfo Aguilar Jr.

May 14, 2018 S7

Mary Forbes Lovett has a front seat to Cleveland’s rebirth, representing organizations involved in the redevelopment of some of the city’s most iconic buildings. Specializing in the development and financing of urban properties, Lovett represented the developers of the Halle Building, Terminal Tower, the East Ohio Gas Building and the Leader Building, just to name a few. Her expertise has been especially helpful to nonprofit organizations embarking on large capital projects, including Ronald McDonald House of Cleveland, Lutheran Metropolitan Ministry, Care Alliance and Capitol Theatre. In 2017, Lovett was a key player in a national coalition of professionals that kept federal historic tax credits from being eliminated as part of tax reform legislation. According to Patricia A. Shlonsky, partner-in-charge of Ulmer’s Cleveland office, Lovett’s “passion is for urban development projects where she can utilize all available public and private financing tools to make the deals happen and to make a difference in the city and its neighborhoods.”

Partner Ulmer

ALLISON MCMEECHAN

Shareholder, Chair of Elder Law and Special Needs Practice Group, Chair of Probate Administration, Trust Administration and Guardianships Practice Group Reminger Co. Although she joined Reminger Co. only three years ago, Allison McMeechan has “made a considerable impact” on the organization, according to Managing Partner Stephen E. Walters’ nomination letter. McMeechan came to the firm in 2015 and has spearheaded the growth of its Elder Law and Special Needs practice. In 2017, Reminger named her chair of that practice area as well as chair of its Probate Administration, Trust Administration and Guardianships Practice Group and a shareholder (partner). Away from the office, McMeechan gives her time to several community organizations, but is most proud of her work with Milestones Autism Resources, a Warrensville Heights-based nonprofit that coaches families and educators on how to interact with autistic individuals. “As an attorney whose field of law necessitates empathy and compassion, Allison possesses innate qualities that truly align with her chosen area of expertise,” Walters wrote.

RITA MAIMBOURG

Partner, Trial Department Chair Tucker Ellis Rita Maimbourg is a warrior for clients, “called upon to go to court and defend their most sticky of situations,” according to Tucker Ellis Managing Partner Joe Morford’s nomination letter.

For more than 35 years, Maimbourg has represented hospital systems and physicians in professional liability actions in Northeast Ohio. In the last five years, she has managed hundreds of cases on behalf of a medical device manufacturer. Maimbourg oversees 159 trial lawyers and 53 paralegals in seven offices across four practice groups. A consummate mentor, Maimbourg initiated the WOW client service award, which she gives to lawyers or staff members who greatly exceed expectations. She guided the transition of leadership in two of the Trial Department practice groups and also helped integrate a new director of professional development. She also created the “learn by doing” format of the Tucker Ellis Litigation Institute, which teaches deposition and trial skills to the firm’s associates.

Carolyn CAPPEL Managing Partner

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M. ELIZABETH MONIHAN

MEGAN L. MEHALKO

Partner Schneider Smeltz Spieth Bell

Partner, Corporate & Securities Practice Group Chair Benesch Megan L. Mehalko chairs Benesch’s Corporate & Securities Practice Group, serving as the only female member of the firm’s Executive Committee. “Megan Mehalko is an excellent female leader and role model in the firm,” said Mike Marhofer, chair of the Private Equity Group, according to the nomination. “Megan has attained a level of respect that others should strive for in their own careers.” She is actively involved in the firm’s Public Company Practice, Private Equity Group and Professional Development Committee. She also founded and leads the Polymer Industry Group and founded the Finance Committee, where she serves as a member. During the past two years, Benesch experienced strategic growth, with nearly 20 new attorneys joining the Corporate & Securities Practice Group.

Managing Partner Gregg A. Eisenberg praised Mehalko for being a strong leader of the group. “She continually fosters group camaraderie through hosting team-bonding activities and retreats for all corporate and securities attorneys in all offices,” said Eisenberg, according to the nomination. Mehalko is involved with College Now Greater Cleveland and Seeds of Literacy.

AMANDA M. MILLER

Partner, Diversity & Inclusion Committee Co-Chair, 3iP Group Lead — Patent Prosecution Benesch Amanda M. Miller serves in a variety of leadership roles at Benesch, including Patent Prosecution Group lead for the Innovations, Information Technology & Intellectual Property (3iP) Practice Group, and serving as co-chair of the Diversity & Inclusion Committee. Miller was instrumental in revamping the firm’s diversity program, improving recruitment and retention numbers nationally through a diversity and inclusion strategic plan. Managing Partner Gregg A. Eisenberg says hiring and retaining a diverse workforce is critical to Benesch, and Miller plays an important role in supporting the firm’s commitment to its core value of being a valued and model member of the community.

“She worked to develop and implement a program that incorporates incentives and accountability, which are necessary components that help make the program as successful as it is today,” said Eisenberg, according to the nomination. Miller is an alumna of the Leadership Council on Legal Diversity Fellows program. She mentors new fellows, undertakes regional community service projects and participates in the program’s diversity outreach efforts to universities and law schools.

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The growing volume of genetic material banked for future fertility treatments has fueled mounting legal questions, not the least of which is regarding inheritance rights of children born through assistive reproductive technologies (ART). Schneider Smeltz Spieth Bell Partner Elizabeth Monihan — who specializes in wealth transfer planning — is a pioneer in helping individuals and families maneuver the legal landscape around ART. Serving on the Estate Planning, Trust and Probate Law Section Council of the Ohio State Bar Association since 2006, Monihan was recently part of a committee that researched the rights of ART children and drafted legislation that was passed in Ohio in 2016. Since that time, she has made numerous presentations and has written two detailed articles on the new law. She also was the first woman to serve as president of the Estate Planning Council of Cleveland. In the nomination form, SSSB colleague and Partner Kim Stein said Monihan is as personable as she is professional. “She has built close and longstanding personal relationships with her clients, which is invaluable in our practice area,” she said.

JEANNE M. MULLIN

Medical Malpractice Co-Chair Reminger Co. Reminger Co. Managing Partner Stephen E. Walters said “determination” and “grit” are qualities that have propelled Jeanne M. Mullin forward in her legal career. “She has always operated at a level that is remarkable by any standard,” according to his nomination letter. As co-chair of the firm’s Medical Malpractice Defense Practice, Mullin helps set the course for nearly 60 attorneys. As a trial lawyer, the board of directors member actively defends area professionals, including appeals at both the state and federal levels, and was instrumental in forming the firm’s Women’s Leadership Council. Recently, her legal acumen caught the eye of a Fortune 500 company that named her its National Coordinating Counsel.

Mullin is a mother of five, including twins and a child with Down syndrome. She also shares her time and talents outside of the office as board member of GiGi’s Playhouse Cleveland, an achievement center for individuals with Down syndrome.

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May 14, 2018 S9

CHRISTINA PEER

Partner, Education Practice Group Chair Walter | Haverfield

JOHANNA FABRIZIO PARKER Partner, Vice Chair, Labor & Employment Practice Group Benesch

Johanna Fabrizio Parker is one of three women in the core practice areas at Benesch, serving as vice chair of one of its core practice groups: Labor & Employment. â&#x20AC;&#x153;With Johanna, we are one of very few firms in our market with the capability to handle comprehensive labor and employment issues,â&#x20AC;? said Partner W. Eric Baisden, according to the nomination.

Managing Partner Gregg A. Eisenberg says since Parker joined the firm, Beneschâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s services to clients have expanded. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Johannaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s practice involves a deep representation and counseling of management clients in a wide range of complex employment matters,â&#x20AC;?

Eisenberg said, according to the nomination. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Our Labor & Employment Practice Group grew strategically in 2017. She is a female role model at the firm and currently mentors associates at the firm through providing guidance in goal setting and achievement.â&#x20AC;?

Among her professional involvements, she is a member of the exclusive Judge John M. Manos Inn of Court, which aims to improve the professionalism and ethics within the Cleveland bench and bar.

A growing number of school administrators who need help decoding special education regulations or guidance on student discipline or social media issues seek the counsel of Christina Peer. For the past five years, Peer has led Walter | Haverfieldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s education law practice, which today represents nearly 15% of school districts in Ohio. In his nomination letter, Managing Partner Ralph E. Cascarilla credits Peerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s â&#x20AC;&#x153;strong management skillsâ&#x20AC;? and â&#x20AC;&#x153;exceptional legal talentsâ&#x20AC;? for expanding the firmâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s educational client base, which he calls a â&#x20AC;&#x153;striking achievement given the highly competitive nature of the legal profession.â&#x20AC;? In addition to counseling her own clients and managing a team of 10 attorneys, Peer shares her time and expertise as a frequent presenter for educational associations, such as the Ohio School Boards Association. She also conducts professional development seminars for the Educational Service Center of Cuyahoga County and provides legal updates for school districts at their request and at no charge.

Leading the way.

Congratulations to all of the NEO Notable Women in Law and to the high performing, talented women everywhere who continue to do extraordinary things and shape the world: Thank you.

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NOTABLE WOMEN IN LAW

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A former on-air reporter for a local news station, personal injury attorney Susan Petersen has what her business partner and husband Todd Petersen calls “a near obsession for getting to the truth.” Petersen founded Susan E. Petersen, Esq., Inc. in 2005. In 2010, her husband joined the firm, which then became Petersen & Petersen. She remains president of the four-attorney firm and involved in all aspects of daily operations, from case selection to finances to personnel in addition to a full caseload. As lead trial counsel, Petersen has recovered more than $35 million for clients in the last three years alone. One of the qualities that sets Petersen apart, according to McCarthy, Lebit, Crystal & Liffman Co. Principal Christian Patno’s nomination letter, is her “view of the law as just.” “She is appalled by injustice,” he wrote. “Her number one priority is being a good officer of the court and seeing that justice is served.”

RENEE TRAMBLE RICHARD Vice President and General Counsel Cuyahoga Community College

As vice president and general counsel for Cuyahoga Community College, Renee Tramble Richard provides legal counsel and advice to every department. She is a supporter of Tri-C student scholarships and shares her knowledge as an adjunct faculty member. “Because of her interaction with students, she is able to inform the leaders of the college of the student experience,” said Megan O’Bryan, Tri-C vice president of development and president of the Cuyahoga Community College Foundation, according to the nomination. “She uplifts and supports other employees of Cuyahoga Community College through mentorship.” Richard coaches her staff to excel in their careers, as evidenced by a high percentage of promotions earned by her employees. She also assists with professional development for individuals outside of her department. Richard is a member of the boards of AES Management (dba Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen) and Lee Road Baptist Church, and serves on the executive committee of the NAACP, Cleveland Branch.

Marquettes Robinson is a civil litigator who has prosecuted and defended complex cases. She has litigated in both federal and state courts at the trial and appellate levels and has extensive arbitration and mediation experience. In 2016, she became a partner at her firm. She also was selected by U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown to serve on the Judicial Selection Commission. “To identify the best possible candidates for Ohio’s federal bench, Sen. (Rob) Portman and I convene some of the best and brightest minds from around the state to aid us in the selection process for federal judicial vacancies.

Marquettes brings a unique perspective and a wide range of experience to the selection process. I’m grateful for her service to Ohio,” Brown said. Robinson mentors younger attorneys at her firm and through the Norman S. Minor Bar Association’s Citywide Mentoring Program. “Over the years, I’ve helped women refine their résumés, consider career paths, start new businesses, navigate inter-office politics and harassment, and discussed work-life balance.

Most importantly, I’ve made numerous friends who have mentored me, in turn,” she said.

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May 14, 2018 S11

SUSAN C. RODGERS

CHRISTINE SANTONI

Partner, Employment and Labor Practice Group Chair, General Counsel Buckingham Susan C. Rodgers is a role model to lawyers and support staff alike, while also helping the most vulnerable in society through her nonprofit work. She advises and educates clients regarding a variety of employment and labor issues, including age discrimination and disability. She also performs investigations for corporations and higher education institutions, including allegations of sexual harassment and sexual misconduct. Rodgers’ gift lies in her ability to see beyond the law and into the realities of the workplace.

She helps her clients make decisions to run a positive, effective and productive work environment. She also serves as a sounding board, trusted resource and mentor for attorneys, staff and clients. “Susan is not only well regarded as an attorney in the legal community, but also has been instrumental in the success of our firm,” wrote John P. Slagter, Buckingham managing partner, in the nomination. Rodgers also serves as vice president of the Stark County District Library Board of Trustees and a trustee for GentleBrook Inc.

MARY MARGARET ROWLANDS

Judge Summit County Court of Common Pleas Summit County Court of Common Pleas Judge Mary Margaret Rowlands is a leader in the courthouse and an advocate for many of the individuals appearing before her. Rowlands was first elected to the bench in 2008 and named presiding judge in the general, domestic relations, juvenile and probate divisions of the court in 2013. In addition to her assigned docket of approximately 400 civil and criminal cases, the judge supervises participants who have recently been released from prison in her Re-Entry Court Program.

“She understands not only the issues but the people in every case before her,” according to a nomination letter from Gorman, Malarcik, Pierce Managing Partner Donald J. Malarcik. Recently, the International Association of Women Judges selected Rowlands as a delegate to the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women, an appointment for which she is especially proud as a champion of gender equality and social justice.

Shareholder Reminger Co.

Christine Santoni has advanced from law clerk to associate and now shareholder during her 25 years of service with Reminger Co. And for good reason, according to the nomination letter of Managing Partner Stephen E. Walters. “Christine is reliable, whip-smart and respected, both within and outside the firm,” Walters noted. “She does her job and does it well.” Indeed, during her time at Reminger, Santoni has emerged as a formidable litigator, having tried more than 50 jury trials — many as first chair — including professional liability, medical malpractice and employment law cases. She also has been active in the community, tutoring and counseling innercity high school students in Cleveland, co-chairing a judicial selection committee of the Ohio Women’s Bar Association and, most recently, assisting the strategic planning efforts of the YWCA to help the organization meet its mission to eliminate racism and empower women.

We know your career is a journey, not a destination.

Benesch is proud to recognize our Notable Women in Law YELENA BOXER AMANDA M. MILLER JOHANNA FABRIZIO PARKER MEGAN L. MEHALKO

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S12 May 14, 2018

JENNIFER A. SAVAGE

PATRICIA A. SHLONSKY

Cleveland Partner-in-Charge, Tax Group Chair, Employee Benefits Chair Ulmer

Partner Schneider Smeltz Spieth Bell

A 20-year veteran of the trusts and estates field, Schneider Smeltz Spieth Bell Partner Jennifer Savage counsels high-net worth families, utilizing an innate ability to plan and think across multiple generations. Savage joined the firm in 2016. According to the nomination letter from SSSB Managing Partner James D. Vail, she has been instrumental in enhancing processes and procedures within the firm and serves as a mentor to associates, including acting as team leader to the group of lawyers who work with her multi-generational clients. “In addition to providing excellent services to her clients, this approach enables her to supervise and coach younger lawyers as they develop their knowledge in sophisticated estate planning techniques,” he said in the nomination form.

Outside of the office, Savage has served in leadership positions at the Cleveland Metropolitan Bar Association and the Estate Planning Council of Cleveland, and she currently coordinates an informal monthly discussion group of 50-plus estate planning professionals.

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Celebrating Our Women Partners Congratulations for being selected as Crain’s Notable Women in Law Class of 2018

Patricia A. Shlonsky is the first woman to serve as partner-in-charge in Ulmer’s century-plus history. She also is the first woman to serve on the firm’s management committee and is one of seven people responsible for managing all aspects of the firm’s operations in all five Ulmer offices. She sets the vision for Ulmer’s 80-attorney Cleveland office. She chairs two practice groups and is a nationally recognized expert in employee benefits law. Shlonsky is a leader and mentor both inside and outside the firm, noted Managing Partner Scott P. Kadish in his nomination letter. “She has cleared a path and set an example for other women in law,” he wrote. Outside of the office, Shlonsky, an avid reader, is likely buried in a book, blogging about books or championing public libraries as board president of the Cuyahoga County Public Library.

JENIFERE SINGLETON

Administrative Partner Meyers, Roman, Friedberg & Lewis Jenifere Singleton has worked for only one law firm, and Meyers, Roman, Friedberg & Lewis Managing Partner Seth Briskin intends to keep it that way.

“Jen’s enthusiastic personality, take-charge attitude and attention to detail not only makes her a great lawyer, it makes her a natural leader,” Briskin said in his nomination letter. Aspiring to be an attorney since childhood, Singleton began her law career in 2003 with the firm’s family law department, a practice area she continues today. In 2016, she became the youngest member of firm management in its history when Meyers, Roman, Friedberg & Lewis named Singleton administrative partner — tasked with overseeing the day-to-day workings of the firm — and concurrently appointed her to its three-person management committee. Singleton also serves the community in various ways, including as a board member of the nonprofit Domestic Violence & Child Advocacy Center.

KIMBERLY E. STEIN

Partner Schneider Smeltz Spieth Bell Kimberly Stein became Schneider Smeltz Spieth Bell’s newest partner in January. Stein joined the firm in 2008 fresh out of law school. While still an associate, she stepped up to a position of management by taking on responsibility for training, maintenance and operation of Schneider Smeltz’s tax program. The assignment earned Stein “deep gratitude from all partners,” Schneider Smeltz colleague and partner Lisa Monihan said in Stein’s nomination, “particularly because our firm has such a significant tax practice, this was a major contribution of time and dedication.” An avid writer and researcher, Stein is frequently called upon inside the firm to offer practical tax advice and counsel for clients’ complex estates and trusts. Outside the firm, she is active in the Estate Planning Council of Cleveland, the Cleveland Metropolitan Bar Association and the Tax Club of Cleveland. She is a recognized author on federal and state tax topics.

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Co-Chair, Healthcare Practice Group McDonald Hopkins As co-chair of McDonald Hopkins’ National Healthcare Practice Group, Elizabeth Sullivan has worked to reinforce the existing engagement among practice group members, implement initiatives to increase awareness of the group’s expertise, and support professional development, according to the nomination. She manages a practice focused on clinical laboratories and pathology practices and provides counsel to health care providers on regulatory, licensing, compliance, reimbursement, contractual and corporate matters. She served as associate counsel for the Cleveland Clinic Foundation, providing regulatory advice and transactional guidance to various service lines. “As the in-house counsel at the Cleveland Clinic Foundation and here at McDonald Hopkins, Elizabeth has shown her wide array of health care expertise while counseling health care entities, particularly in the pathology sector,” says James E. Stief, chair of the Business Law Department, according to the nomination. “Elizabeth is a perfect example of a notable woman in law who has honed her health care specialty in a way that is appreciated by the firm and her clients.”

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STEPHANIE DUTCHESS TRUDEAU Partner Ulmer

A board certified specialist in labor and employment law, Stephanie Dutchess Trudeau is undoubtedly a valuable partner at Ulmer. The highly experienced trial lawyer has a winning record in jury trials and arbitrations. Yet, Rebecca McMahon, executive director of the Cleveland Metropolitan Bar Association and Bar Foundation, said Trudeau’s reach extends well beyond her own firm. “Stephanie is, unquestionably, a tremendous asset to Cleveland’s legal community,” McMahon said in the nomination. In June, Trudeau will become president of the bar foundation — the fundraising arm of the Cleveland Bar — overseeing its mission to support a variety of programs in the Cleveland Metropolitan and East Cleveland schools. The appointment builds on years of leadership and service at the foundation, including as chair of its largest annual fundraiser, “Rock the Foundation.” Trudeau was appointed to serve through 2020 as a member of the Ohio State Bar Association Labor & Employment Specialty Board.

NANCY VALENTINE Principal Miller Canfield

For Detroit-based Miller Canfield, expanding the law firm’s commercial real estate team meant luring Northeast Ohio attorney Nancy Valentine. And, that meant establishing a local presence. “We opened the Cleveland office in order to strategically grow and to acquire top talent, and specifically to attract Nancy,” according to the nomination letter of CEO Michael McGee. A nationally recognized attorney with extensive transactional experience, Valentine has been involved in some of the region’s biggest deals. Most recently, she represented the Lake County YMCA in a development project with the city of Willoughby and Willoughby schools, counseled a corporate client in purchasing a strategic target from complicated Chapter 11 proceedings and played a key role in keeping Medical Mutual in downtown Cleveland by assisting in the company’s purchase of the historic Rose Building. She is the immediate past chair and the former chair of the International Women’s Insolvency & Restructuring Confederation.

MARGARET W. WONG

Founder, Managing Partner Margaret W. Wong & Associates Since Margaret Wong founded her firm in 1977, she and her staff have helped scores of immigrants and companies address complex immigration issues. Wong has won “precedent-setting cases that are extremely important for the foreign-born community,” she says. “I’ve represented thousands and hundreds of thousands of foreign-born, and their children and grandchildren, rich and poor, become extremely successful in the U.S., beyond our wildest dreams. Through them, I continue my dream and journey.” Her Cleveland-based full-service immigration firm has offices in metropolitan cities throughout the U.S., including New York, Los Angeles and Atlanta, with more than 200 years combined experience between the firm’s staff. “She has tirelessly worked on behalf of our clients to help them obtain visas, asylum, green cards, citizenship and U.S. citizenship,” said Partner Scott Bratton. The award-winning lawyer and Case Western Reserve University adjunct professor is author of “The Immigrant’s Way.” She has numerous professional affiliations, including serving as a lifelong member of the U.S. Sixth Circuit Court.

May 14, 2018 S13

ELIZABETH G. YEARGIN

Partner, Corporate and Securities, Business Restructuring, Bankruptcy, and Commercial Law and Real Estate Practice Groups Brouse McDowell Elizabeth “Libby” Yeargin advises clients through their ongoing legal issues and counsels them in achieving their career and financial goals through buying and selling companies and developing succession plans for their businesses. She serves in a variety of leadership roles in the firm, including the pension plan administration and opinion letter review committees. She also runs the corporate group’s associate training program. She is a mentor to first-year attorneys through the Ohio Supreme Court’s Lawyer to Lawyer Mentoring program, as well as the Akron Bar Association, where she served in multiple leadership roles. She is active in Commercial Real Estate Women Akron. Yeargin also became the firm’s first parttime shareholder as a way to more effectively balance the challenges of practicing law and raising a family. “Not many attorneys measure up to Libby in terms of character, professionalism, creativity and thoughtfulness,” said Partner Louise M. Mazur, in the nomination. “Libby is invaluable to Brouse McDowell because she creates effective solutions to a wide variety of legal issues that impact our clients.”

PA G E 3 0

|

M AY 14 - 2 0 , 2 018 |

CRAINâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S CLEVELAND BUSINESS

THE LIST

Largest Privately Held Companies Ranked by 2017 Revenue

REVENUE (MILLIONS) (1) THIS YEAR COMPANY

2017

2016

LOCAL % CHANGE STAFF (2)

YEAR FOUNDED TYPE OF BUSINESS

TOP EXECUTIVE

1

Medical Mutual of Ohio, Cleveland (216) 687-7000 / www.medmutual.com

$3,137.0

$3,000.0

5%

1,933

1934

Health insurance company

Rick A. Chiricosta, president, CEO, chairman

2

Swagelok Co., Solon (440) 248-4600 / www.swagelok.com

$2,000.0

$2,000.0

0%

4,535

1947

Provider of fluid system products, assemblies, services and training

Arthur F. Anton, chairman, CEO

3

Jones Day, Cleveland (216) 586-3939 / www.jonesday.com

$1,959.4 (3)

$1,977.0 (3)

-1%

635

1893

Law firm

Heather Lennox, Cleveland partner-in-charge

4

Westfield Insurance, Westfield Center (330) 887-0101 / www.westfieldinsurance.com

$1,857.2

$1,809.5

3%

1,782

1848

Insurance, banking and financial services provider

Edward Largent, president, CEO, board chair

5

Ganley Auto Group, Brecksville (440) 584-8202 / www.ganleyauto.com

$1,620.8

$1,473.6

10%

1,785

1968

Auto dealer

Kenneth G. Ganley, president, CEO

6

Directional Aviation, Richmond Heights (216) 261-3000 / www.directionalaviation.com

$1,378.0

$1,236.0

11%

825

2003

Private aviation firm: Fractional, JetCard, charter management, maintenance services and leasing

Kenneth C. Ricci Michael A. Rossi, principals

7

The Carter Lumber Co., Kent (330) 673-6100 / www.carterlumber.com

$1,365.0

$1,241.8

10%

584

1932

Building materials retailer

Neil Sackett, chairman, CEO

8

Associated Materials Inc., Cuyahoga Falls (330) 929-1811 / associatedmaterials.com

$1,285.0

$1,250.0

3%

775

1947

Manufacturer of exterior residential building products

Brian Strauss, president, CEO

9

Shearer's Foods LLC, Massillon (330) 834-4030 / www.shearers.com

$1,230.9

$1,178.4

4%

1,274

1974

Manufacturer of snack foods

Bill Nictakis, chairman, CEO

10

Bendix Commercial Vehicle Systems LLC, Elyria (440) 329-9000 / www.bendix.com

$1,066.0

$886.0

20%

600

1930

Developer of active-vehicle safety technologies, air brake charging and control systems, and components

Berend Bracht, president, CEO; Joseph J. McAleese, chairman; Carlos Hungria, COO

11

Squire Patton Boggs, Cleveland (216) 479-8500 / www.squirepb.com

$1,000.0

$983.0

2%

303

1890

Law firm

Frederick R. Nance, global managing partner Michele L. Connell, managing partner, Cleveland

12

The Davey Tree Expert Co., Kent (330) 673-9511 / www.davey.com

$915.0

$845.7

8%

738

1880

Tree services, grounds maintenance and consulting services firm

Patrick M. Covey, president, CEO

13

Ohio CAT, Broadview Heights (440) 526-6200 / www.ohiocat.com

$816.0

$719.0

13%

565

1945

Caterpillar engine and equipment distributor serving Ohio, Northern Kentucky and Southeastern Indiana

Kenneth E. Taylor, president

14

BDI Worldwide, Cleveland (216) 642-9100 / www.bdiworldwide.com

$729.6

$662.0

10%

195

1935

Global distributor of industrial products and supply chain services

Carl G. James, chairman, CEO

15

Discount Drug Mart Inc., Medina (330) 725-2340 / www.discount-drugmart.com

$700.0

$684.0

2%

2,293

1968

Regional drug store chain

Don Boodjeh, CEO

16

Baker & Hostetler LLP, Cleveland (216) 621-0200 / www.bakerlaw.com

$663.8

$642.5

3%

376

1916

Law firm

Hewitt B. Shaw, Cleveland office managing partner; R. Steven Kestner, firmwide chairman

17

The Garland Co., Cleveland (800) 641-7500 / www.garlandco.com

$587.0

$479.2

23%

121

1895

Manufacturer of roofing, flooring, coatings, sealants and maintenance systems for commercial buildings

David M. Sokol, president

18

Hyland, Westlake (440) 788-4988 / www.hyland.com

$550.0

$430.0

28%

1,775

1991

Developer of OnBase enterprise information management software

Bill Priemer, president, CEO

19

The Anderson-DuBose Co., Lordstown (440) 248-8800 / www.anderson-dubose.com

$543.8

$518.2

5%

206

1991

Distributor of food, paper and beverage products

Warren E. Anderson, chairman, CEO

20

Majestic Steel USA Inc., Pepper Pike (800) 321-5590 / www.majesticsteel.com

$475.0

$415.0

14%

298

1979

National distributor of prime flat rolled steel

Todd M. Leebow, CEO

21

Fred W. Albrecht Grocery Co., Akron (330) 733-2263 / www.acmestores.com

$450.0

$450.0

0%

1,494

1891

Retail grocery and pharmacy stores

Jim Trout, president

22

Cleveland Browns, Berea (440) 891-5000 / www.clevelandbrowns.com

$365.0 (4)

$347.0 (4)

5%

NA

1946

Professional football team

Jimmy Haslam Dee Haslam, owners

DiGeronimo Companies, Independence (216) 446-3500 / www.digeronimocompanies.com

$356.7

$322.4

11%

618

1956

Family of construction service and development companies

Victor DiGeronimo Jr., CEO; Anthony DiGeronimo, president, Precision Environmental, Precision ProCut

24

Millwood Inc., Vienna (330) 393-4400 / www.millwoodinc.com

$325.0

$325.0

0%

140

1993

Provider of pallets, packaging systems and unit load technology

Lionel W. Trebilcock, Steve Miller, co-presidents; Ron Ringness, executive vice president

25

Famous Enterprises Inc., Akron (330) 762-9621 / www.famous-supply.com

$316.0

$301.0

5%

310

1933

Distributor of HVAC, plumbing, PVF, industrial, building products

Marc Blaushild, president, CEO

26

Cleveland Indians Baseball Co., Cleveland (216) 420-4487 / www.indians.com

$284.0 (4)

$271.0 (4)

5%

NA

1901

Professional baseball team

Lawrence J. Dolan, owner Paul J. Dolan, chairman, CEO

27

Cleveland Cavaliers, Cleveland (216) 420-2000 / www.cavs.com

$280.0 (4)

$233.0 (4)

20%

330

1970

Professional basketball team; manager of Quicken Loans Arena

Dan Gilbert, chairman, majority owner

28

Automated Packaging Systems Inc., Streetsboro (330) 342-2000 / www.autobag.com

$275.0

$250.0

10%

713

1962

Manufacturer of packaging machinery and pre-formed custom plastic bags

Hershey Lerner, chairman; Bernie Lerner, CEO; Cliff Brehm, president, CMO

29

The Millcraft Paper Co., Cleveland (216) 441-5500 / www.millcraft.com

$251.3

$265.4

-5%

69

1920

Distributor of commercial printing papers, forms, envelopes, packaging and graphic design products

Travis M. Mlakar, president

30

Donley's Inc., Cleveland (216) 524-6800 / www.donleyinc.com

$250.0

$269.0

-7%

223

1941

Construction manager, design builder and concrete contractor

Malcolm M. Donley, president, CEO

31

MRI Software LLC, Solon (800) 321-8770 / www.mrisoftware.com

$206.2 (5)

$134.1

54% (5)

419

1971

Real estate software company

Patrick Ghilani, CEO

32

Thompson Hine LLP, Cleveland (216) 566-5500 / www.thompsonhine.com

$205.9

$198.0

4%

295

1911

Law firm

Deborah Read, managing partner; Robyn Minter Smyers, Cleveland office partner-in-charge

33

Motorcars Cleveland, Cleveland Heights (216) 932-2400 / www.motorcarscleveland.com

$190.0

$183.0

4%

276

1972

Auto dealer

Chuck Gile, president

34

Shook Construction Co., Brecksville (440) 838-5400 / shookconstruction.com

$178.9

$166.4

8%

67

1926

Construction manager, general contractor, design-builder

Chris Halapy, executive vice president

35

Cornwell Quality Tools Co., Wadsworth (330) 336-3506 / www.cornwelltools.com

$161.0

$141.0

14%

200

1919

Franchise wholesale distributor and manufacturer serving the mobile automotive tool market

Robert Studenic, president, CEO

23

RESEARCHED BY CHUCK SODER (CSODER@CRAIN.COM)

Want the full Excel version of this list â&#x20AC;&#x201D; and every Crain's list? Become a Data Member: CrainsCleveland.com/data The full digital list includes 50 companies and names of additional executives. Information is supplied by the companies unless footnoted. Send feedback to Chuck Soder: csoder@crain.com.

(1) Companies are permitted to submit rounded revenue figures. (2) full-time equivalent as of April 1, 2018 (3) gross revenue from The American Lawyer's Am Law 100 (4) Revenue numbers for all pro sports teams are from Forbes; they exclude stadium/arena revenue used for debt payments. (5) MRI attributed a portion of this increase to acquisitions. The company acquired seven companies during 2017.

CRAIN’S CLEVELAND BUSINESS

CREA

Pier W in Lakewood offers unparalleled views of Lake Erie. Being cantilevered off a cliff, of course, makes those breathtaking views possible.

(Contributed photo)

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 16

Strongsville’s retail corridors. Don’s “pub and patio” menu offers a generous mix of snacks, salads, burgers and a variety of bigger plate offerings — enough to quell whatever hunger you bring to the table.

FLYING CRANES CAFE 13006 Larchmere Blvd., Cleveland; 216-795-1033, flyingcranescafe.com There’s something wonderfully quirky about this delicate garden nestled in Cleveland’s Larchmere neighborhood. The menu is in sync with its setting: chef-owner Kayoko Irie-Frye and her husband, Bill Frye, conjure a Japanese-influenced menu that’s both savory and seductive. Things unfold at their own pace here, so allow yourself time to sit back and enjoy the meal while taking in the space and the experience.

JOHNNY’S BAR 3164 Fulton Road, Cleveland; 216-281-0055, johnnysonfulton.com For all of the pleasures this comfortable throwback eatery affords, it may be Johnny’s backyard patio that’s the most fun place to sit — in the heart of an old near West Side neighborhood. Under a canopy of leafy trees

PIER W 12700 Lake Ave. (Winton Place), Lakewood; 216-228-2250, pierw.com Is there a Cleveland-area restaurant that offers a more spectacular view of Lake Erie, and serving food commensurate with the occasion? Since 1965, Pier W, cantilevered on a cliff at the base of Winton Place, has been a singular sensation — and beginning Saturday of Memorial Day weekend, patio seating returns to the operation.

It’s set along a walkway adjacent to the restaurant’s ground-level entrance and offers a selection of Chef Regan Reik’s masterful treatment of seafood and other delicious fare.

SARITA

and umbrella’d tables, guests linger and feast on some of the best beef, veal and lamb dishes and Northern Italian food Cleveland has to offer.

LOCKKEEPER’S 8001 Rockside Road, Valley View; 216-524-9404, lockkeepers.com If you can land a table on the nar-

row patio just off the dining rooms at Lockkeeper’s, you’ll preside over a lovely view of the adjacent canal — lovely in spring and even prettier when fall unfolds its brightest shades of orange and gold. The food here is almost always excellent, robust yet deftly crafted. You’ll feel as though you’ve discovered your own hideaway to feed all your senses.

14523 Madison Ave., Lakewood; 216-226-5200, sarita-restaurant.com It’s easy to lose sight that you’re in the heart of an urban neighborhood, seated on this gem of a patio. Chef Anthony Romano’s fresh, hearty fare is the perfect foil to the setting. Arrive early and take advantage of some of the happy hour specials (5 to 9 p.m.

Sunday through Thursday; 5 to 7 p.m.

Friday and Saturday). It’s one of my favorite getaways in Lakewood.

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If you’re a sucker for old New England charm, this warren of cozy dining rooms begs exploration. Once you’ve passed through, you’ll discover one of Northeast Ohio’s most delightful gardens, set on a stretch of rolling hillside. Laced with floral plantings, it’s simply a lovely place to sit and savor Sunday brunch, daily specials and a lineup of well-prepared contemporary dishes, walleye sandwiches and burgers to traditional favorites like pot roast, pot pies and roast turkey dinners.

XYZ TAVERN 6149 Detroit Ave., (Gordon Square) Cleveland; 216-706-1104, xyzthetavern.com Casting memory to favorite spots from over the years, I recalled XYZ, a snug little spot in the Gordon Square Arts District. The food is good, freshly prepared and generously portioned (with the added bonus of some good barbecue, and particularly good drinks — but that may have been the drink talking). Brunch here is a fun experience, and after you’ve had enough layback time, XYZ is a great launching point for exploring this dynamic corner of Cleveland.

Joe Crea has been covering the Cleveland dining scene for more than 20 years. Email him at cbfreelancer@ crain.com (Put “At the Table” in the subject line.)

14001 Main Market Road, Burton (Troy Township); 440-834-0190, thedriftwoodgroup.com

ANALYSIS

Shearer’s, Hyland, Garland ascend list

By CHUCK SODER

Consistent growth

csoder@crain.com @ChuckSoder

34

companies have submitted data for our Privately Held Companies list since 2012.

When setting out to identify the fastest-growing firm on Crain’s Privately Held Companies List, conventional wisdom would have suggested it be Hyland Software.

After all, the Westlake-based software developer is often held up as one of Northeast Ohio’s most successful companies. And it is definitely one of the fastest-growing firms on the list, but it’s not the fastest-growing firm — at least not when you look at revenue growth from 2012 through 2017.

Of the 50 companies on the full digital list, 34 have submitted revenue figures going back to 2012. Of that group, Hyland posted the second-highest growth percentage: The company’s sales hit $550 million in 2017, up 132% since 2012.

So which firm grew the most?

Shearer’s Foods of Massillon reported a 147% increase over that six-year period, hitting $1.23 billion in revenue in 2017 — good enough for No. 9 on the list.

And that percentage would’ve been way higher if we had calculated growth since 2009 — just before the snack food maker bought Snack Alliance. (The time frame does include Shearer’s $430 million purchase of Lance Private Brands in 2014 and a few others deals.)

Shearer’s submitted a more modest 4% revenue increase in 2017 (they also reported that they have a new CEO — see the Akron section in this edition for more on that topic).

Both Shearer’s and Hyland have increased revenue every year since at least 2012. So did 12 other companies on the full digital list.

Among them is The Garland Co.,

14 3

of them have grown revenue every single year since then.

PRESENTING SPONSORS

of the 14 have increased revenue by more than 100% since 2012: Shearer’s Foods: up 147% Hyland Software: up 132% The Garland Co.: up 120%

another firm that has more than doubled its revenue since 2012. The Cleveland-based building envelope products maker generated $587 million in revenue in 2017, putting it at No. 17 on the list — one spot above Hyland. Both companies posted revenue growth exceeding 20% in 2017.

But the company that reported the largest percentage increase this year was MRI Software of Solon. The real estate software firm generated $206 million in revenue last year, up from $134 million in 2016 — a whopping 54% increase. The company (No. 31 on the list) attributed a portion of that growth to acquisitions. It acquired seven companies during 2017.

The biggest companies by revenue, however, aren’t always the biggest employers.

Though Garland and Hyland are next to each other on the list, Garland reported having 121 full-time equivalent employees in Northeast Ohio as of April 1, while Hyland reported 1,775 (both companies have employees elsewhere as well).

Solon-based Swagelok, No. 2 on the list, was easily the largest employer on the list with 4,535 local employees.

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AKRON

Copley Circle seeing small business revival

By BETH THOMAS HERTZ clbfreelancer@crain.com

Nearly two years after a Better Block event designed to help people imagine all that the Copley Circle business district could become, interest in the area, particularly from small business owners, is on the rise.

A pizza shop that has been vacant for more than a decade is being transformed into a coffee shop scheduled to open in July.

Space just north of the circle that housed both a candy store and ice cream/gift shop now holds a store specializing in fair trade items and another that sells rehabbed furniture.

A local art teacher has launched a crafty store nearby, and a new Dollar General was built a few doors up from an older version.

And the manager of the seasonal Copley Creekside Farmers Market reports that her visitor counts more than doubled last year.

Copley Township Administrator Janice Marshall attributes much of this activity to the Better Block event held in the fall of 2016. Better Blocks are designed to open temporary businesses and install features, such as bike lanes, to help people see all that an area could become with proper development.

“That event gave us an opportunity to visualize what the circle could be and started a conversation about what residents want from the township,” Marshall said. “It showed us that we could have revitalization without losing all of our charm and selling out to big-box stores.”

After the Better Block, the township conducted a survey that found development of the circle was a priority for residents. In response, the township created a Community Improvement Corporation (CIC) to head up strategic initiatives to attract

Brothers John, left, and Tom Gamauf hope to soon sell the hardware store that has been on the north side of Copley Circle since 1948.

Rustewelle and Barker on Copley Circle sells upcycled home furnishings and accessories. (Shane Wynn for Crain’s)

and keep businesses, Marshall said.

The CIC can apply for grants, give loans, and buy and sell property in a more streamlined way than the township can.

The CIC is still in its early stages and, therefore, not directly responsible for the current influx in new business, she said, but its existence helps communicate a welcoming attitude that she believes is helpful.

“Businesses are catching on to the township’s enthusiasm in encouraging entrepreneurs. They are finding that now is a good time to move into Copley and catch some of that excitement,” she said.

vision for community transformation.

“Copley has been stagnant a long time, and I’d like to put some life back into it,” he said.

LittleBear hopes to launch a coffee roasting enterprise in the former Copley post office adjacent to the shop in the next year or so. He anticipates ultimately employing about 50 people between the two businesses, he said.

Other businesses that have opened near the circle in the past year include Market Path, a fair trade store that was in Akron’s Highland Square before moving to 1265 S. Cleveland-Massillon Road in August. The shop is operated as a nonprofit outreach by First Grace United Church of Christ in Akron to help artisans locally and around the world earn a fair rate for their work. It offers jewelry, purses, chocolates, decorative items, clothing and more.

“We are still learning what will sell best to the customers at this location, but we are very happy here so far,” church member and store employee

The new businesses The coffee shop, Copley Coffee & Games, at 1442 S. Cleveland-Massillon Road, is very much a work in progress. Business owner Jason LittleBear is undertaking major renovations — new plumbing and wiring, new interior walls, new kitchen equipment, updated bathrooms and more — in the building that formerly

housed Buon Appetito Pizzeria.

“The to-do list just keeps growing,” LittleBear said.

His motivation for all this work is less financial than emotional. He and his wife, Jennifer, also operate Jacobs Heritage Farm in Copley, but health issues now limit the physical work he can do, so he wanted to take on a new venture.

A coffee shop was a natural choice as he has long wanted to create a place for the community, and especially youngsters, to gather.

“I want to wake up the circle, but I also want our kids to not shoot each other,” said LittleBear, who has a son who attends Copley High School.

“Kids today are so desensitized with headphones and video games. They don’t engage and look you in the eye.”

“We have to give them someplace they want to be,” he added.

LittleBear is leasing the building from local businessman Mike Plevris.

Plevris, who has purchased a number of commercial properties in Copley recently, said he shares LittleBear’s

Chris Rice said. “It’s been a great move.”

Adjacent to Market Path is Rustewelle and Barker, which sells upcycled home furnishings and accessories. Owner Denise Dale, looking for more space, moved to the location in August after more than two years in Richfield. She said the move has been great for business — she is selling furniture as fast as she can paint it.

The Sassy Sunflower joined the circle in September, in the Walterville complex at 1351 S. Cleveland-Massillon Road. Dubbed a “glam boutique” by owner and art teacher Jodi Crossley, it sells rustic items like furniture and jewelry as well as “project pieces,” such as old ladders, records and shutters that people can repurpose into a masterpiece of their own. She also offers youth art classes and has Copley-themed items.

“I wanted to be in a small town, and I felt like Copley Circle was really growing. I wanted to be part of that growth,” she said.

SEE CIRCLE, PAGE 33

Razorleaf rides fast growth of product data tools

By JUDY STRINGER clbfreelancer@crain.com

For most of the past 30 years or so, enterprise resource planning (ERP) platforms have gotten all the love.

Companies have spent billions on software and systems to align core business processes.

Significantly less attention — and investment — has been focused on product life-cycle management (PLM) tools, which bring product data into the fold. The disparity is a reflection of lack of education, not effectiveness, according to Razorleaf Corp. CEO Eric Doubell.

“An ERP system certainly helps you manage cost and contain cost,” Doubell said. “A PLM system does that as well, but also can help you get products to market more quickly, so it can help increase the top line, not just reduce the bottom line.”

In fact, the financial impact of a PLM platform “is probably five times what an ERP system can have,” estimated Doubell, whose Stow-based company helps manufacturers implement PLM technologies. “Yet we have struggled to get maybe 10% of the budget that an ERP system gets because of education.”

That is changing. A growing demand for PLM systems means specialized service providers like Razorleaf are feasting on a bigger slice of the IT budget pie. DouDoubell bell said his 42-person company has averaged 25% annual growth for the past several years and is on track for double-digit growth again this year after bringing in more than $7 million in 2017.

Last month, the company opened a European division, Razorleaf Europe Ltd., based out of Northampton, U.K. Company officials say an office in Germany is being considered for later in the year, along with other locations in Europe going forward. It also recently launched a government services division to leverage longtime Navy contracts in the development of CH-53 helicopters into other military and domestic projects.

“Our industry is in a rapid growth mode,” Doubell said, adding that Razorleaf spent some time restructuring about a year ago in anticipation of the surge in demand and will be able to accommodate the growing

workload with only modest staff additions during at least the next 18 months. Razorleaf operates as a virtual company, said marketing vice president Juliann Grant, with roughly a dozen of its employees based in Northeast Ohio and the rest spread across 19 states and its newly minted European office.

The European presence is expected to help Razorleaf reps go after bigger companies, which are more likely to have overseas locations.

“It allows us to be a more valuable vendor in that space to those people because we can do things on both sides of the Atlantic with our own people,” Doubell said.

Doubell — a former software developer, engineer and consultant — founded Razorleaf in 2000 after identifying a need for better management of product information among manufacturers. There are dozens, sometimes hundreds and thousands, of parts in everything from eyeglasses and bicycles, to automobiles and airplanes, he said. A change in even one of those pieces — the tiny screws in the arm of eyeglasses, for instance, or the hinges that affix an aircraft’s rudder — can impact product performance or disrupt production in other products where that piece is used.

At the most basic level, PLM systems help companies inventory and track each and every part that goes into a final product, so they can engineer products more efficiently.

It does, of course, get more complicated, and the reason why is the same reason why there is a mounting wave of interest in PLM platforms, said Peter Schroer, CEO of Aras Corp., a PLM vendor: “Products have changed.”

Gone are the days of simple mechanical products.

“A dishwasher used to be some bolts and washers, a tub and a small electric motor,” Schroer said. “Now you’ve got electronics and software, and your dishwasher is connected to the internet. It may be trying to sell you more soap. You may have people remote monitoring and coming out to fix a problem before you even know it’s broken. That’s a really complicated product to design.”

Doubell said one of the biggest engineering trends is the creation of “digital twins” to real-life products, which allow companies to simulate how new models of glasses, bikes, cars and planes will perform before they are manufactured or to identify factors that trigger maintenance. To create a digital twin, however, “you have

to know everything that has gone into the product from the day when the design first occurred until its most recent maintenance or software update or whatever is going on,” he said.

As an independent service provider, Razorleaf is “product agnostic,” Grant said. The company works with vendors such as French software play Dassault Systemes and Autodesk Inc., which operates out of California, in addition to Massachusetts-based Aras.

“The vendors we partner with know us very well,” she said, “and typically turn to us when they are starting a new project or have acquired a new product and they need to get clients trained quickly.”

Aras has been working with Razorleaf for about a decade, Schroer said, and in an increasingly competitive landscape — which now includes ERP service providers jumping into the PLM space — the Stow company has carved out a niche for its technical expertise.

“If you are going to advise engineers on how to build better products in better ways, you better understand what manufacturing and product design really is,” he said.

“Razorleaf’s team is known to have that domain expertise.”

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AKRON

New Shearer’s CEO plots a steady course

By DAN SHINGLER dshingler@crain.com @DanShingler

The new CEO of Shearer’s Foods LLC might have the longest commute of any executive in Northeast Ohio, but he says that’s fine by him and that he’s focused on growing sales, not thinking about moving his family or the company.

Bill Nictakis took over as the new head of the big Massillon-based snack food company in mid-February, replacing former CEO C.J. Fraleigh, who stepped down in September without explanation.

But Nictakis hasn’t moved from his residence in Phoenix. He’s content working long days during the week and sleeping at the Hampton Inn near his new office, then flying home to his family each weekend, he said.

“I take the red eye in on Sunday night and I get here by 11 or so. I leave on Friday and go home, wind up and do it again. I’ve got a lot of endurance; I’m an endurance runner,” said Nictakis, who at 58 is still an active marathon runner.

Nictakis brings to Shearer’s more than 30 years of experience in manufacturing — with most of his career spent in food-manufacturing industries. He’s also a CPA and has been a board member at Shearer’s since

CIRCLE

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 32

As happy as Copley officials are about the influx of new business, they are quick to note that many longtime businesses in the circle provide the backbone onto which these new businesses can grow, including Copley Circle Antiques, Copley Feed & Supply Co. and Shisler’s Cheese House. This list also includes Gam-

2012. So, there’s likely little about Shearer’s or its industry that is unfamiliar to the new CEO. S h e a re r ’s, which employs about 3,300 people, actively has Nictakis been acquiring other snack companies in recent years, but Nictakis gave a fairly stickto-the-knitting description of his goals. For at least the time being, he said, he’ll focus on expanding sales and product offerings, including private label products that Shearer’s makes for grocery chains and other retailers who sell them under their own brand names.

In 2014, Shearer’s acquired the private brands business of North Carolina-based Snyder’s-Lance Inc. for $430 million. Shearer’s picked up a large plant in Burlington, Iowa, and another in Ontario, Canada, with the deal. It followed that up in 2015 with its acquisition of Nebraska-based ConAgra Foods’ Medallion Foods unit.

That leaves Shearer’s with plants across the U.S. and Canada, and that’s all that it needs for the time being, Nictakis said, as he rattled off 11 plants in Ohio, Oregon, Arizona, Texas, Tennessee, Minnesota, Iowa and Ontario.

“We don’t need to add to that right

now. We’re going to focus on improving what we have … We intend to grow, but it’s not just about tonnage.

It’s about profitable tonnage,” he said.

That will mean, in addition to looking for ways to improve its manufacturing operations, Shearer’s will focus on one of the fastest-growing portions of its business — the private label work. It’s a part of the business that consumers don’t really see: Who makes what for whom is a guarded secret in the industry. But whenever you see a product branded by a grocer, it’s a good bet that a name-brand company like Shearer’s made it.

“Private label is doing better than branded,” Nictakis said.

That also explains some of the emphasis he said he’ll put on cost controls. With private label products, both the manufacturer and the retailer whose name is on the product have to make a profit, after all.

“When you’re in private label, cost matters,” Nictakis said.

That won’t mean reducing jobs, though, he said, something that’s often a concern when a new CEO comes in citing cost control as a central theme. Nictakis said his employees are not the source of what he sees as extraneous costs.

“We have to improve our manufacturing processes, and you’re going to see us consolidate packaging suppliers, seasoning suppliers and things

Similarly, at Hickory Harvest Foods like that,” he said.

Sales are growing at Shearer’s. The in Coventry Township, where they company does not disclose its net in- also make a wide variety of snacks, come, but according to data Shearer’s vice president Mike Swiatkowski said submitted for the Crain’s Privately private label sales are one of the fastHeld Companies list on Page 30, sales est-growing parts of the business. Prireached $1.23 billion in 2017, up 4.5% vate label business already accounts from 2016. That’s less than the huge for more sales than Hickory Harvest’s 30% annual gains that the company own brands, he said.

“We expect our private label sales was posting in previous years, when acquisitions fueled more new sales, to go up as well … a lot of the growth but about in line with Frito-Lay’s re- in the industry is in private label,” Swiatkowski said, crediting it for a ported sales gain of 5% in 2017.

Other participants in Northeast good chunk of his company’s “douOhio’s snack food industry say Nic- ble-digit” sales growth last year.

But it should probably not surprise takis’ strategy of expanding Shearer’s private label business is a good one anyone that Nictakis knows his busithat takes advantage of industry ness, even if he is a relatively new CEO at Shearer’s. The first 18 years of trends.

“We’re seeing the snack food busi- his 33-year career were spent at Friness continue to grow, and more and to-Lay, and he has since held a nummore companies want their own pri- ber of executive positions at other vate labels, so that’s a good area,” said food companies, as well as with other Martin Kanan, CEO of King Nut in So- manufacturers.

As a longtime Shearer’s board lon.

Kanan said his business, which member, Nictakis said he knew the employs about 400 people, has con- company and knew he’d love to run it.

“I had been on the board for a tinued to grow at 10% per year for about the past 20 years. New prod- number of years and welcomed the ucts and new private label relation- chance when they asked me to take a more active role. I think they called ships are a big reason why, he said.

Private label accounts for about me at 3 p.m. and I called my wife, and CRAIN'S CLEVELAND BUSINESS μ MAY 14, 2018 μ PAGE 33 the same amount of King Nuts’ busi- I think by 5 I told them, ‘I’ll start ness as its own brands, which include Monday,’ ” he said.

Since then, however, he’s been able Peterson’s Gourmet Nuts and Snacks.

“I think our private label has the to buy his airline tickets a bit more in most potential, but they’re both advance and is no doubt chalking up a lot of frequent-flyer miles. growing,” Kanan said.

auf’s Hardware, a store that has sat on 2 acres on the north side of the circle since 1948 but now is for sale.

The store, once the area’s go-to for hardware, struggled to compete when big-box hardware stores arrived, so it morphed into offering unique items purchased at auctions or other sources, said John Gamauf, 71, and his brother Tom, 68. The duo have been involved in the business their entire lives and have run it since their father, Adam Gamauf, died in 2013.

They know their land is worth more than the building, and they are eager to sell. But the offers over the years have been low or asked the brothers to hold the paper on the loan.

“At our age, why would we want to do that?” John Gamauf asked.

The brothers are waiting for the right opportunity to come along, and in the meantime are working to deplete their massive inventory. A hand-lettered sign out front invites passers-by to partake in a 50% off sale.

Marshall and Matthew Springer, Copley’s director of community and economic development, said they would like to see development at the Gamauf’s site or others that bring businesses that enhance the smalltown culture while bringing modern amenities. For example, Springer said, the new Dollar General agreed to put in a nicer facade and signage than it typically does and build a sidewalk after a township request.

“As additional properties are rede-

REAL ESTATE

Phone: (216) 771-5276 Contact: Kate Rozek E-mail: CLBClassified@crain.com OFFICE SPACE

veloped in the future, that sidewalk will help people navigate between them,” he said.

Officials acknowledge that adding better street lights, more parking and navigable sidewalks are keys to attracting business. However, as a township, they do not have funds readily available for such amenities.

“We are working to create public and private partnerships to help us improve all of those aspects of the circle in the future,” Marshall said.

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CRAIN’S CLEVELAND BUSINESS

ART

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 11

Thuring said guests familiar with Kusama’s work and those who are new to the artist will find it “very beautiful, and very impactful visually.”

As he prepares to leave the Cleveland museum after six years, Thuring said the Kusama exhibition and FRONT are illustrative of “some very significant and important steps forward (for the museum) with regard to presenting contemporary art ... and presenting various aspects of it in exciting ways.”

FRONT International Bidwell is a former advertising executive with a longstanding interest in art — he has served on the boards of the Akron Art Museum and Cleveland Museum of Art (where he also was interim director in 2013) and on the Visiting Committee of the Allen Memorial Art Museum in Oberlin.

He founded Transformer Station, a contemporary art venue in Cleveland, and sees FRONT as a logical next step for art in Northeast Ohio.

In the Daniel Burnham “make no small plans” category of thinking, Bidwell said his hope for FRONT is to build “the important contemporary art event in North America.”

That requires a group effort, and FRONT has amassed a big group. Its presenting partners are the Akron Art Museum, the Allen museum, Case Western Reserve University, the Cleveland Institute of Art, the Cleveland Museum of Art, the Museum of Contemporary Art Cleveland, SPACES gallery and Transformer Station, all of which will display new work from artists from around the region and around the world.

But viewing work in a museum or institution is only part of the FRONT experience.

For instance, a public space exhibit called “Canvas City” will serve as a tribute to one of Cleveland’s most influential artists, Julian Stanczak, by recreating a mural Stanczak made in 1973 for the Cleveland Area Arts Council’s City Canvas program.

FRONT, along with partners including PNC Bank and the Cleveland Foundation, helped launch what’s now called the PNC Glenville Arts Campus, which since last fall has hosted presentations and conversations with artists, scholars, neighbors and educators.

Both are examples of what Bidwell said was an effort to “engage community members in discussion” about art and the state of Northeast Ohio.

(The formal theme of FRONT is “an American city.”)

“It’s going to be hard not to bump

into something related to FRONT,” he said.

One FRONT exhibition that engages directly with contemporary issues is “A Color Removed,” conceived by Michael Rakowitz as a response to the shooting of Tamir Rice by Cleveland police. The project, organized by SPACES, is a citywide participatory project that involved a letter-writing campaign and seeks to remove the color orange — symbolic of the safety cap on a toy gun — from the city.

Christina Vassallo, executive director at SPACES, said collection bins will be installed around the city, and the items will be displayed in a gallery. She said that in addition to the installation itself, SPACES will be a place for “fearless dialogue” about issues raised by “A Color Removed.”

Cleveland is a focal point for FRONT, but the project has a strong regional component, underscored by the involvement of the Akron Art Museum and the Allen Memorial Art Museum. Bidwell called them both “extremely important venues for the exhibition” to help make art and programming available to as wide a swath of the regional population as possible.

Ellen Rudolph, chief curator at the Akron Art Museum, said the work of 15 artists from around the world will be on display in the museum as part of FRONT. Collectively, she said, it’s a

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“hugely ambitious undertaking” that will include a large-scale neon sign in the museum’s lobby, video installations and, from artist Ad Minoliti, a room that will look something like a group of clouds accented by fluorescent light tubes.

The museum has worked in partnership with other institutions before, Rudolph said, but the magnitude of FRONT “is something that’s really exciting.”

Similarly, Andria Derstine, director of the Allen museum, said she sees FRONT as a project that “raises the profile of arts organizations across the region” and gives art lovers a chance to see new work by major artists. For instance, the Allen will display work by artist Barbara Bloom, who has conceived an exhibition specifically for the museum’s Ellen Johnson Gallery, designed by Robert Venturi in the 1970s. In it, viewers will experience paintings, prints, drawings and photographs from a wide range of periods.

Andrea Gyorody, the Allen museum’s assistant curator of modern and contemporary art, said she recently attended a professional convention in Montreal and talked with numerous colleagues who were planning trips to Northeast Ohio to see what FRONT has to offer.

“There’s a lot of curiosity to see what it is,” she said.

To place your listing or for more information, please call Debora Stein at (212) 210-0274 or email dstein@crain.com

Ryan Shumaker President

Wojcik Builders, Inc. Ryan Shumaker has been named President of Wojcik Builders. Shumaker will transition into the role WBI owner Nick Childs has held since purchasing the company on 2008. Childs will now serve as CEO for the Oakwood Village company that specializes in high-quality, innovative commercial construction management & contracting services. Shumaker, a University of Toledo graduate, brings more than a decade of construction management experience to the position. He has served as the senior project manager at WBI since joining the company in 2015.

MBA

WEATHERHEAD SCHOOL OF MANAGEMENT

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CONSTRUCTION

MOCA Cleveland will display the work of artists Johnny Coleman, Cyprien Gaillard, Line Ke, Josh Kline, Walter Price, Eugene Von Bruenchenhein and Martine Syms. Megan Lykins Reich, deputy director at MOCA Cleveland, said it’s “an incredibly strong” lineup of artists that should “engage people in rich and meaningful ways.” Like the other institutions, MOCA will have a variety of programming around the art, Reich said, which makes for a busy couple months getting everything in order.

Ultimately, though, she said, “I hope what people will come away with is a sense of what can be accomplished through collaboration of the arts institutions in Cleveland.”

Bidwell said the original fundraising goal for FRONT was $4.2 million.

When it surpassed that, the goal was raised to $5 million, but FRONT isn’t there yet, with the number now at around $4.5 million. He said he’s confident FRONT will get to the $5 million target, with ongoing fundraising efforts and a major fundraiser set for July 13 — the day before kickoff.

“Initially, I was prepared for people to laugh me out of their office (when approached about contributing to FRONT), but that was never the reaction I had,” Bidwell said. “Donors have been extremely generous.”

ARCHITECTURE

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ARCHITECTURE

ARCHITECTURE

James Quandt, RA

Telicious Robinson

Project Architect

Project Designer

Construction Administrator

ThenDesign Architecture (TDA)

ThenDesign Architecture (TDA)

ThenDesign Architecture (TDA)

ThenDesign Architecture is proud to welcome Jim Quandt to the firm as a Project Architect. A Registered Architect with over 30 years of experience in architecture and construction management serving the education, civil, and religious markets. Jim earned his Bachelor’s Degree from the University of Cincinnati. In his spare time, Jim enjoys traveling, the outdoors and is a lifelong Cleveland Indians fan.

Telicious recently joined ThenDesign Architecture as a Project Designer.

With a Master’s degree from Boston Architectural College, she brings over 7 years of experience in the residential, commercial, higher education, and healthcare markets. She is an active member of the NOMA organization and is currently studying for the architectural registration exam. Outside the office, Telicious enjoys spending time with her 3-year-old twins, traveling, and is an avid Cleveland Cavaliers fan.

KNOW SOMEONE ON THE MOVE?

Lyle Satterlee

With over thirty years of experience in architecture and construction management, Lyle Satterlee joined ThenDesign Architecture as a Construction Administrator. Lyle brings an extensive background on a variety of building types including industrial, corporate, education, sports, recreation, performing arts and residential. Lyle enjoys camping with family and his dog Baxter, and travels to visit all the Frank Lloyd Wright homes that are open for public tours.

LAW

For more information or questions regarding advertising in this section, please call Debora Stein at (212) 210-0274 or email: dstein@crain.com

LAW

Richard M. Bain

Gina Bevack-Ciani

Partner

Partner

Meyers, Roman, Friedberg & Lewis

Meyers, Roman, Friedberg & Lewis

With almost 40 years of legal and public service experience, Partner Richard M. Bain joins Meyers Roman Business & Corporate and Civil & Commercial Litigation practice groups.

Bain’s litigation experience includes business, commercial, construction, real estate and employment disputes. He is also Mayor of Pepper Pike (since 2012) and a tireless advocate for community service projects. Briskin stated that “Richard brings a wealth of experience, relationships and unique skills to our firm.”

Partner Gina Bevack-Ciani has joined the firm as the Chair of the Estate Planning Group. Bevack-Ciani brings a strong background in all aspects of estate planning from simple wills and trusts to sophisticated plans. Managing Partner Seth Briskin commented “I couldn’t be more excited to have Gina join MRFL to lead our Estate Planning group. Her personality, skill set and commitment to client service have made her a highly valued member of our team.”

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CRAIN’S CLEVELAND BUSINESS

Source Lunch

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John Stewart

Senior vice president and chief investment officer, Farmers Trust Co. John Stewart joined Farmers Trust Co. as its chief investment officer about five years ago after having previously run his own investment firm, Tippecanoe Capital Management, in Canfield. Having originally cut his teeth at Morgan Stanley in Cincinnati before moving to Northeast Ohio and starting his own business, Stewart has dabbled in firms large, small and in between. ¶ With that experience in mind, Crain’s sat down with Stewart to get his take on the state of the equity markets today, some insight on the market’s increased volatility and what the potential for growth looks like through 2018 and beyond as a confluence of factors shape those projections today. — Jeremy Nobile

Five things What’s something people don’t know about you?

I DJ for fun, but not commercially. I love electronic music and love to spin vinyl.

Any musical talents of your own?

I play piano and violin.

If you could have lunch with any musical artist dead or alive, who would it be?

Mozart

Beer or whiskey?

Bourbon, specifically Booker’s Kentucky Straight Bourbon

Best way to unwind after a stressful day?

Playing with the kids, exploring the woods with my son.

Lunch spot 56 Kitchen 33587 Aurora Road, Solon

The meal Roast turkey and avocado sandwich with roasted tomatoes and citrus roasted garlic aioli, plus fries and a side salad. Fish tacos with shredded cabbage, pico de gallo and aguachile sauce with side salad.

The vibe The menu is diverse and there is a fine dining feel at reasonable prices.

Lots of wood features give a slightly rustic feel to the otherwise modest and simple space.

The bill $29.11, plus tip

For starters, how would you generally describe the state of the markets today?

We’re seeing a sort of collision of high-asset prices with rising interest rates now and a stronger economy, stronger earnings. Now, what people tend to — I think — not necessarily understand about the way stock prices work is they’re always looking forward, using interest rates and future growth projections to discount what present earnings are worth. That’s how you could have an environment like we have now where we’re expecting first-quarter earnings for the S&P 500 to be up 20% plus, and yet the market is essentially flat year-to-date.

That does seem kind of peculiar.

And it’s two-fold. On one hand, the market already anticipated that growth would be there. On the other, the market is starting to discount the fact that those earnings are going to need to be put up against higher interest rates. So there’s more competition for capital. As interest rates move higher, people are less willing to take risks in equities in the stock market. They’re more comfortable earning 3% or 3.5% in a more stable, conservative, fixed-income environment.

That push and pull there is behind some of that first-quarter market volatility?

Yes. And we’re also starting to see, particularly globally, a slowing in the rate of growth. We’re still seeing global expansion. But the rate of change is slowing. If we’re going along at 3%, and now you’re growing at 2.5%, that’s still growth, but the market looks at it as somewhat of a negative.

So it’s growth, but sluggish growth at that, that the market is reacting to, among a variety of other things.

Right. So we’re starting to think for the next two, maybe three quarters there could be a little bit of a lull in growth in terms of the acceleration.

But then we think there could be a re-acceleration into 2019 because right now, what you’re getting is business more willing to reinvest in capital expenditures, more willing to go do an acquisition or a build a new plant or buy new equipment. On the front end, that takes cash out of the business. In the long term, if those investments pay off, they’ll ultimately drive growth. If we get the capital investment cycle we’re expecting through 2018, it’s not necessarily going to help 2018 growth, but to

the extent those investments pay off, it could help 2019 and 2020 growth start to re-accelerate.

How much do these often-unpredictable happenings at the federal government play into today’s market volatility?

I think it absolutely adds to the volatility. But to some extent, I think we’d be getting this anyway. At the end of the day, these geopolitical back-andforths aren’t necessarily going to be that material. It amplifies volatility in the short term. I just don’t think it’s going to have any long-term impact. If we do get into a more serious, pronounced trade war, it could have some lasting effects. We just don’t necessarily think that’s going to morph into anything more serious.

Is the volatility we’re seeing today abnormal to any extent?

I would say that what we’re experiencing in 2018 is actually more normal because what we saw in 2017 was very much unique. Up until February of this year, we had gone the longest period of time in, I think, market history without a 5% decline in the S&P 500. That was unprecedented. It was a unique period of extremely low volatility for an extended period of time. I don’t want to call it healthy, but we’re at a far more normal level of volatility today.

Maybe it just feels a bit more volatile today because things had been so quiet for so long.

Absolutely. It feels like that because it’s been so long since we’ve seen anything like it. Really, though, we have a period very similar to what’s been going on a few months now in early 2016, which was a period of volatility almost identical to this one. The volatility today is nothing people should be getting all bent out of shape over.

What are your expectations on a bear market or a recession? Some seem to think we're overdue for one.

We’ve had about twice as many earnings recessions as real recessions over the last 50 or 60 years, but we’ve never had a real recession without an earnings recession. Right now, S&P 500 earnings are growing at about 20%. We could see a bit of a growth slowdown. But it’s almost inconceivable — absent some sort of massive unknown shock that could happen to the economy — that we would be in any kind of position to experience a recession over the next 18 to 24 months.

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Volume 39, Number 20 Crain’s Cleveland Business (ISSN 0197-2375) is published weekly at 700 West St. Clair Ave., Suite 310, Cleveland, OH 441131230. Copyright © 2018 by Crain Communications Inc. Periodicals postage paid at Cleveland, Ohio, and at additional mailing offices. Price per copy: $2.00.

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