MEET THE ZOO’S NEW BABIES GRADUATING FROM COLLEGE NOW PROTECTING OUR PORT
of Power Giving
How companies, executives and private citizens are supporting important nonprofit initiatives
DEPARTMENTS
2 From the Publisher
45 My Life
48 1000 Words
COLUMN
18 Lee Fisher
Lee Fisher discusses how we should approach free speech versus hate speech.
SCOREBOARD
6 Inside the West Side Market’s New Plans
Why the new nonprofit status means new strategies.
BY JILL SELL
8 Universe of Learning
A Cleveland Museum of Natural History astronomer’s story at the center of the universe.
BY RHONDA CROWDER
10 Meet the Zoo Babies
Baby animals find a new home at the Cleveland Metroparks Zoo.
BY JILL SELL
12 A Legacy of Leadership
Lee Friedman talks about her years at College Now and what she’s looking for next.
14 Time for Transition
Marianne Crosley will step down from leading the Cleveland Leadership Center. BY TERRY TROY
16 40 Years of Cheer
Dick Clough’s tradition of giving to others celebrates 40 years. BY TERRY TROY
20 ScoreBoard
We look at the future of Cleveland’s employment.
BY JAMES TRUTKO
EVENTS
22 Working the Room
Get the recap from the Greater Cleveland Partnership’s annual meeting and Diversity Center of Northeast Ohio’s Annual Walk, Rock, Roll and Run.
BY TERRY TROY
FEATURES
36 How Nonprofits Organize
Nonprofits address the challenges they face.
BY TERRY TROY
38 A New Approach to Education
Baldwin Wallace now focuses on core competencies.
BY BOB SANDRICK
39 Can AI Help with HR?
Local nonprofits and senior living organizations are using a pilot program to best fill open jobs.
BY JOANNE CAHILL
40 Keeping Our Bridges and Port Safe
Learn how government agencies work together to protect our resources.
BY BOB SANDRICK
BY TERRY TROY, JILL SELL & JOANNE CAHILL
27 Benefactors Behind the Initiatives
How private citizens and corporate entities work together to support our nonprofit community. Featured on the cover and to the right: Penny Forster, Angela Vannucci, Kendra Philon, Bruno Biasiotta & Jessica Jung
42 Ideastream Refocuses
Inside a new focus on community events and partnerships.
BY TERRY TROY
42
43 Helping Struggling Students
The Cuyahoga County Public Library offers support programs.
BY BOB SANDRICK
44 Lawyers Giving Back
Read how volunteer lawyers help others and themselves.
BY JILL SELL
Image Matters
There was a time in the 1960s when Cleveland’s image was as low as a city could possibly go. We were known nationally as the Mistake on The Lake, a name that damaged us economically more than we will ever know. Back then, the managing director of a major law firm told the story that when recruiting law school graduates, candidates would say they would work for the firm anywhere but Cleveland.
Image matters.
At that time, I believed the most visible thing Cleveland could do to improve its image would be to build a spectacular lakefront. I don’t believe that anymore. For all the worldclass institutions we have built in health, education, business and arts, there is one institution that continues to damage our reputation on a daily basis. And that would be our airport.
On a recent trip out of Hopkins, I was treated by my seatmates, unsolicited, to an evaluation of our airport. Heading to Cleveland, I was told by one woman that she dreaded coming here because of the hassle it took to rent a car, especially in bad weather. Heading back, the guy next to me was more blunt: “Worst airport in America.”
Image matters.
Image may not be everything, but it is an important something. We cannot keep putting lipstick on a pig and expect to be thought of as a world-class city.
What we need to understand is that image is a major part of economic development. Companies and their employees are attracted to places that have the things they value. The list of Cleveland/Northeast Ohio’s assets is unbelievable. Why would we not, for business reasons alone, put together a collaborative effort to build a regional airport that represents the quality of the institutions and people that live and work here?
It would do wonders for our image.
Executive Publisher Lute Harmon Sr.
Executive Editor Terry Troy
Managing Editor Jennifer Bowen Sima
Senior Editor Ann-Marie Vazzano
Managing Art Director Jenny Perdue
Art Directors Tom Abate Megan Rosta
Stacy Mallardi-Stajcar
Contributing Writers Karen Beis
Joanne Cahill Rhonda Crowder
Lee Fisher
Bob Sandrick
Jill Sell
Lynne Thompson
Terry Troy Jim Trutko
Contributing Artists Jeani Brechbill Gabe Leidy
Associate Publisher Denise Polverine
Vice President, Advertising Paul Klein
Senior Account Sarah Desmond Executives Tiffany Myroniak
Account Executive Julie Bialowas
Operations Manager Corey Galloway
Traffic Manager Kristen Brickner
Production Manager Alyson Moutz Cowan
Audience and Events Manager Jennifer Roberts
Chief Financial Officer George Sedlak
Build Resilient and Courageous Leadership
Gain knowledge through innovative, industry-driven solutions.
• Evaluate employee performance using ef fective assessment tools
• Build personalized coaching into talent development
• Maximize skills of frontline and experienced managers
• Advance diversity, inclusion and equity initiatives
• Improve communication and lead change
• Create a superior customer experience
UPFRONT
LANDMARKS // BY JILL SELL
Mastering the Market
New strategies are being implemented as the historic West Side Market turns to nonprofit status.
Cabbages the size of bowling balls. Cherries that make the best pie. Black pepper pasta with goat cheese. The kinds of sausage about which Clevelanders used to sing songs.
The iconic West Side Market has roots going back to 1840 at the corner of West 25th Street and Lorain Avenue. It is Cleveland’s oldest standing market, and one of the few surviving larger markets of its kind in the region.
The Market is now well into a major transition. Earlier this year, the City of Cleveland signed over the day-to-day management of the Market to the nonprofit Cleveland Public Market Corporation (CPMC). The city still owns the land and its buildings.
balancing the bags of produce you bought. But the Master Plan is, of course, also much more elaborate than just chairs. Its initiatives are ambitious.
incrementally. But some projects were just too large and complicated, like replacing the refrigeration system in the basement of the building or updating the East Arcade to include air conditioning and coolers that would allow vendors to keep their products fresher and of highest quality. These system upgrades are ways that will help make it easier for the merchants to do business,” says Mudry. Proposed changes are also designed to make things more convenient: No more gates or traffic jams in the parking lot; making all areas ADA accessible; and a courtyard hallway with
For many government and community leaders, vendors and shoppers, it was time. The Market is running in the red and had too many vacant vendor booths and outdated facilities. It had a reputation of being a somewhat unfriendly consumer space.
“Some people come to the Market and just want to sit down and eat their bratwurst,” says Rosemary Mudry, the market’s first executive director, beginning her role in January. “But there is almost no seating here. People buy food and then have to stand over a trash can to eat it.”
The new Market Master Plan, with more places to sit, would help eliminate the need to juggle your Cambodian sticky rice in a banana leaf wrapper while
“It would be very premature to have a Master Plan completion date, but we knew going into this that it would be a five-year endeavor,” says Mudry. “It’s very complicated, with millions of proposed dollars in renovations and upgrades to HVAC, electrical and refrigeration, while at the same time ensuring the Market will be fully operational. But we are all in because we know the challenges are worth it.”
Proposed Changes
Mudry divides the Market’s proposed physical changes into two categories, the first being “changes that are long overdue.”
“It wasn’t that people didn’t recognize these things. Some things they tried to do
Rosemary Mudry, executive director of the West Side Market
View of the Market hall from the mezzanine
retractable glass walls that connects buildings, among other changes.
Ruby Thomas is manager of Ohio City Pasta’s West Side Market stand and a board member of the United West Side Market Tenants Association. Her stand was one of the first to be renovated with a new sink, new flooring and upgraded electrical. Ohio City Pasta also began offering prepared foods in May, including hot lasagna and pasta salads.
We also want to become part of a network of other markets around the country in advocating for the critical role markets play in the food system and the small business ecosystem.”
— Rosemary Mudry
“There are already Market improvements, including high dusting of the walls. Maybe the customers don’t notice, but we do,” says Thomas, whose father, Gary Thomas, founded the business in 1990. “The overall morale of the market has improved, and that affects customer satisfaction.”
Optimizing the Market’s square footage is also a critical component to the Master Plan. Creating a mezzanine rental space (with a great view of the Market below) from an underutilized area would not only be a smarter use of space but generate additional income, helping keep vendor rents down, according to Mudry.
“You might come to this space as an event guest, but even if the Market is closed, become curious and come back the next day to shop. This is about bringing new people to the Market, too,” she says.
The Draw
But Clevelanders who have visited the Market with its 70-some merchants know its draw is more than bricks and mortar, although its architecture is impressive.
“If you need to buy meat, you can just go to a grocery store. So why go to the Market? Here you talk to the owner of the stand, learn about cuts of meat. Also, a lot of people are attracted to the Market because they learn about different food cultures. The Market has served the area’s immigrant communities, but it hasn’t always necessarily served all the immigrant
communities in Cleveland,” says Mudry. “Mostly it has served European and Middle East folk. But we haven’t seen a lot of Hispanic/Latino stands here or a large number of African American folks who have stands here.”
Mudry is hoping that over time, the “whole diaspora, the full breadth of Cleveland’s food culture, is represented at the Market.”
She sees other cultural food centers in Cleveland, including Little Italy or the newest Hispanic ventures, as “complementing, not competing” with each other.
Once the Market’s new shared kitchen space in the basement and a Teaching Kitchen on the second floor are up and running, the Market will welcome incubator food businesses. Varied trial opportunities will help determine if new products or fledgling catering endeavors can be turned into businesses. Individuals can experience what it is like to be a business owner and be in affordable space that does not require a huge investment. Entrepreneurs can then choose to stay at the Market, return to a particular neighborhood or operate in some manner out of both.
“I moved into the Market in September 2022,” says Alaina Caruso, owner and curator of The Home Pantry, which offers soups, jams, sandwiches, salads and more. “That was super exciting to me. I was really grateful to move into the space while the West Side Market was just starting to go through
its transition. I wanted to be a part of that. I have been shopping at the Market my whole life. And as a chef for the past 15 years, it was always my first go-to spot to acquire ingredients.”
Caruso admits to being a bit concerned at first about being accepted by those she calls “generational vendors who have been there for 20, 40, 60 years. And there I was, a 30-year-old chick coming in,” she says. “I wanted to make sure that we were there not just for our customers, but for each other.”
For the most part Caruso found her fears ungrounded, as most vendors have been supportive of her and CPMC’s initiatives. She also credits the new nonprofit and its staff for being more visible and listening to vendors’ suggestions.
A Joint Effort
The City of Cleveland has committed $20 million to the Market’s plans, what Mudry calls about “a third of the funds required.” But it’s a sign, she believes, of the administration’s acknowledgment that the Market is important to the city and that a nonprofit is better able to manage it. Additional funding sources may include state and federal monies, including seeking new market tax credits and historic tax credits, as well as a significant capital campaign, foundation and corporate sources and philanthropy.
“We also want to become part of a network of other markets around the country in advocating for the critical role markets play in the food system and the small business ecosystem,” says Mudry.
Small but important improvements can be seen on an ongoing basis. Mudry invites shoppers to visit often and check them out. Better yet, “You can come every day and have a different lunch every day for a month,” she says. “I can have bratwurst one day, a salad one day, or just have a great pastry. That’s the beauty of this — the menu is endless.”
ACCOMPLISHMENTS // BY RHONDA CROWDER
The Stars in Her Eyes
Her spirit is bubbly and energetic — as attractive as a radiant sun shining over Northeast Ohio on an August afternoon. A young, Black female — wearing long locs with touches of a bronze hue on the tips — Monica Marshall is an astronomer at the Cleveland Museum of Natural History. These days, she’s finding herself at the center of the universe.
Marshall, 31, joined the Museum staff in 2023, almost a year before the recent, much anticipated total solar eclipse arrived.
“To have a voice in astronomy during the total eclipse, to see the total eclipse in my backyard, has been the highlight of my career,” says Marshall.
Despite always loving astronomy, she moved away from it a bit while attending college at Alaska Pacific University in Anchorage, where she earned a degree in environmental studies with a concentration in policy and a minor in consulting psychology. But how did this Euclid High School graduate develop such a love for astronomy in the first place?
In the 9th grade, Marshall took physics. She wanted to take astronomy then but had to wait until the 12th grade before the class would be available. In the meantime, she joined SAVE (Students Against Violating the Earth), a club that conducted beach clean-ups. Doing this work made her feel good and helped her see what was destroying the environment.
She always looked up at the sky, and her initial interest in astronomy was sparked from a concern that the sun could explode, a fear she developed around 5th grade when her parents enrolled her in a summer camp at NASA. Between that experience and watching the movie Armageddon, she became hooked on what’s in space. But her high school astronomy teacher at Euclid, Matthew Young, made it fun.
“I was not surprised [Monica] went into science as a career,” says Young. “I was
delighted when I saw the influence my astronomy class had on her future. It must have been written in the stars for Monica to work in astronomy.”
When Marshall finally took Young’s astronomy class, she enjoyed his approach. He would tell stories about the stars. She found them intriguing and even uses the same method of educating others about the universe.
After graduation, Marshall wanted to study in the world’s most “pristine” place. That is why she went to Alaska. There, her interests shifted to the ground — Earth — and she began to think of herself as an environmentalist. She honed in on Earth and protecting this planet.
Monica Marshall is at the center of a learning universe.
The world is heavy. I use the sky to reset.”
“I wanted to make the connection between the ground and the sky,” Marshall says. “A lot of what we see on Earth and in space are patterns,” Marshall explains. “I understand the complexity of the universe is simple. My goal is to get people to understand what’s happening.”
Although she thought she wanted to wear heels and a blazer while influencing environmental law, she avoided it because she started to understand that, with adults, it’s hard to alter anything — let alone their thinking. Then, as she returned to Cleveland, the universe pulled her back toward astronomy.
In 2017, during the partial eclipse, she worked at Lake Erie Nature and Science Center. It excited her then to know she helped people see something phenomenal. She realized, at that point, she was realigning with her true passion, which is where she says she believes she thrives. For the latest eclipse, Marshall found herself in the
— Monica Marshall
right place — working for the Cleveland Museum of Natural History.
A typical day involves working in the planetarium with her team. As the planetarium is closed, they spend their time in the “Ask an Astronomer” booth, answering guests’ questions about space. However, on April 8, the three team members became rock stars, with Marshall being the headliner, the result of her extreme ability to articulate the language of astronomy.
She wants to be a spokesperson and ambassador for astronomy.
“Ultimately, I feel like my gift comes from communication. When I’m on a stage, I very much have a presence,” she says. “I really just want to get people to look into the sky. That is my biggest goal is to get people looking up all the time.”
Monica embodies the Museum’s mission to inspire through science and education.
Monica also has the unique ability to turn science concepts into a compelling story, reaching audiences of all ages, backgrounds and skill sets. We’re honored to have such an enthusiastic and gifted ambassador for the Museum.”
— Sonia Winner
make a safe and healthy environment for our future, joining the two worlds — the science of
space and the science of our home planet.
“Monica embodies the Museum’s mission to inspire through science
and education,” says Sonia Winner, Cleveland Museum of Natural History president and CEO. “Not only is she a wealth of knowledge, but Monica also has the unique ability to turn science concepts into a compelling story, reaching audiences of all ages, backgrounds and skill sets. We’re honored to have such an enthusiastic and gifted ambassador for the Museum.”
Marshall says she is grateful that Cleveland, her hometown, is providing her the opportunity to do what she’s wanted to do, what she loves to do. She doesn’t see herself leaving anytime soon, even though she never thought her career would develop and evolve the way it has here.
Very much a ‘science gal,’ she likes to sing when she looks at the sky. Marshall also enjoys birdwatching, playing guitar and bowling. She’s even learning to play the ukulele.
“The world is heavy. I use the sky to reset,” she says.
UPFRONT
ANIMAL KINGDOM //
BY JILL SELL
A Nursery Doing Nicely
Oh, baby! Cleveland Metroparks Zoo has a stork in its collection, but it actually doesn’t need it to deliver babies. Over the past year, the Zoo has been doing quite nicely as a nursery on its own, thank you.
In January, a female Western lowland gorilla named Jameela was born prematurely at the Fort Worth Zoo. But Jameela’s mother and other gorillas in the troop didn’t embrace caring for her. Zoo officials in Texas, plus the Gorilla Species Survival Plan, which manages the care for gorillas in accredited zoos, wanted a better solution.
Cleveland Metroparks Zoo is known for its research, care and management of gorillas and has previously fostered baby apes. The zoo is also home to a super gorilla mom named Fredrika (“Freddy”). That elder female couldn’t say no to 8-pound Jameela when the infant (honest, that’s what baby gorillas are called) arrived in Cleveland in April.
“It was quite an honor to receive Jameela, and it says a lot about Freddy, who had seven of her own kids,” says Elena Less, Cleveland Metroparks animal curator. “Jameela is doing great, and she will stay here for quite a while.” (Adult female Western lowland gorillas weigh 150 to 200 pounds and can live to be in their 50s if cared for by humans.)
Sergi and Mila are 9-month-old Amur tigers, an endangered species who were born at the zoo last November. The cubs were the second litter born to the zoo’s female Amur tiger, according to Animal Curator Travis Vineyard. Amur tigers,
whose native region is the far east side of Russia, are also endangered due primarily to illegal trading and habitat loss.
“Cubs only stay with their mothers two years or so,” says Vineyard. “We will place the male first. It’s like a computer dating game, only there is no swiping left or right. We will find them good genetic partners and good homes.”
Zoo visitors who were watching the bonteboks at about 2 p.m. on April 20 were witness to something most people will never see — the birth of a baby bontebok. Zoo staff members were close by, but this was an experienced mother and a normal, unaided birth is usually best. The male calf makes the fifth bontebok to call Cleveland home.
Bonteboks are beautiful, mid-sized, chocolate brown and white antelopes with lyre-shaped horns on both sexes. According to Vineyard, bonteboks suffered a drastic population decrease in their native South Africa due primarily to hunting in the early 20th century. A farmer saved the species by corralling the last remaining 17 animals.
“It’s like how bison in America were overhunted,” says Vineyard. “But in many ways, the bontebok is a good recovery story.”
You can’t miss a baby Francois langur. Although its parents are black and white, their babies are bright orange. That helps mom and dad keep a watchful eye on wandering offspring in the wild who
Fresh faces find a home at the Cleveland Metroparks Zoo.
Above: Jameela hitches a ride on Freddy. Below: Two Amur tiger cubs were born last November.
(like their parents) love to eat leaves. But it also makes them a target for predators, according to Less.
A male named Rupert (who sports a Mohawk hairdo) was born at the zoo on
When there is a baby, it’s an indication that things are going right and the animals are doing well.”
— Travis Vineyard
Jan. 4, becoming the fourth Francois langur in the RainForest building.
What is it about baby animals that melts most people’s hearts? Less believes it’s “those big baby eyes” and because watching the antics of toddlers — no matter what the species — is so entertaining.
“Also, when there is a baby, it’s an indication that things are going right and the animals are doing well,” adds
Vineyard. “And we all want to see things go well.”
Mum’s the word about other zoo animals that might be currently expecting. But Vineyard points to the macropods (a family of marsupials that include kangaroos and wallabies) who would often throw gender reveal parties if that were possible.
“We have red kangaroos, gray kangaroos — at any given time there is probably a joey growing in a pouch of one of them,” says Vineyard.
Whether you're a high school student gearing up for graduation, a parent navigating the college process with your child or an adult ready to reignite your academic aspirations, we've got the expertise you need.
Rupert is the fourth Francois langur in the RainForest Building.
UPFRONT
LEGACIES // BY
TERRY TROY
A Legacy of Leadership
When she steps down as CEO of College Now at the end of the year, Lee Friedman leaves behind a legacy of success that’s hard to match.
“When I joined College Now, my vision was to transform it from primarily a college advising and scholarship program into one that provided comprehensive college and career advising, financial and postsecondary completion support for students of all ages,” says Friedman. “We have realized that vision. The state of the organization is stable and strong. I am proud of the work our team has accomplished in the last 14 years.
“I continue to believe that one of the best ways to ensure our region thrives is by having an educated and prepared workforce,” she adds.
Friedman, who has led the organization since 2010, is credited with growing College Now Greater Cleveland from an organization with an annual budget of $4 million to a major nonprofit with an annual budget of more than $35 million today. It assists more than 33,000 individuals across six Northeastern counties every year. College Now Greater Cleveland’s staff has also grown from 40 to 175. It is considered the largest comprehensive postsecondary access organization in the country.
“So much has been accomplished during Lee’s 14 years of visionary leadership, which enriched the lives of thousands of students who otherwise may not have received a postsecondary education,” says Michael Cogan, chair of College Now’s board of directors and president, Ohio Northern Trust. “She has grown the organization’s staff and budget, expanded its mission and tirelessly advocated on behalf of students — many of whom are from marginalized communities and were the first in their families to attend college. She is leaving an indelible mark on the landscape of education in Northeast Ohio.”
“Lee Friedman has had a profound impact on the entire Cleveland community,” agrees Lillian Kuri, president and CEO of the Cleveland Foundation. “Her enduring legacy is evident in how she modeled and sustained a robust system of partners all focused and committed to supporting our young people through every step in their college journey.”
Among Friedman’s most notable accomplishments is her pivotal role — along with leaders at the City of Cleveland, Cuyahoga County, Cleveland Foundation, Gund Foundation, Cleveland Metropolitan School District (CMSD), United Way and other large corporate partners — in bringing Say Yes to Education to Cleveland, a measure that secured $100 million in postsecondary education scholarships for CMSD students.
Throughout her stellar career, Friedman has been dedicated to the education, mentorship and development of community leaders. Before joining College Now, Friedman served as the
Lee Friedman is moving on from College Now.
inaugural president and CEO of the Cleveland Leadership Center from 2005 to 2014. From 1996 to 2005, she was president and CEO for the Downtown Cleveland Partnership, the predecessor to Downtown Cleveland Inc. There she helped create a shared vision and land use plan among more than 100 property own ers for lower Euclid Avenue, which saw more than $1 billion in investments in the area. Prior to that, Friedman was execu tive director of Clean-Land Ohio, (now a part of LAND Studio), an award-winning organization responsible for creating and managing a citywide urban reforestation and environmental education program.
Early in her career, Friedman served in a number of positions including as assis tant director of personnel under former Cleveland Mayor George Voinovich. She also held a two-year appointment as a Presidential Fellow in President Jimmy Carter’s administration.
“It has been an incredible privilege to serve in all of these roles,” Friedman says, reflecting on her storied career. “They were each tough but fulfilling jobs. My approach has been to collaborate with the right partners and hire the right team, empower them and trust them.”
While Friedman is moving on from College Now, she is not riding off into the sunset. We’ll likely see her in a new position of leadership.
“I’m not sure what lies ahead, but I can’t imagine not being engaged civically,” says Friedman. “I’m not ready to retire. I see this as a transition toward something new. I’d like to continue contributing to Cleveland’s progress but also hopefully spend less time in meetings and have more time to enjoy life.”
Dr. Michele Scott Taylor has been named the next CEO of College Now Greater Cleveland and will assume her position at the start of 2025.
Lee Friedman
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UPFRONT
LEADERSHIP // BY TERRY TROY
Time for Transition
For Marianne Crosley, stepping down as president and CEO of the Cleveland Leadership Center (CLC) this month is a bittersweet moment.
“I have often said that I have the greatest job in Cleveland, but it is time,” says Crosley. “When you are in the civic realm, you have to be keenly aware of your shelf life, and we all have an expiration date. You have to know when to transition and let someone else take the leadership. This is my time.”
Earlier this year, the CLC Board of Directors announced that Rebecca “Becky” Ruppert McMahon will step into the role as the organization’s new CEO this month, following a rigorous executive search. McMahon leads the Cleveland Metropolitan Bar Association (CMBA). Crosley will remain with CLC as a senior advisor to ensure a smooth transition.
During her 14-year tenure, Crosley grew the CLC significantly, growing the organization to serve almost 2,000 leaders annually through its many offerings and the launch of its Endowment Fund. Through her leadership and guidance, CLC’s flagship programs including Leadership Cleveland, Cleveland Bridge Builders, Campus Cleveland and Look Up to Cleveland have seen expanded impact on our region.
“Marianne’s innovative leadership has reached across multiple generations to expand the impact of CLC and its alumni within the community,” says Bill Caster, CLC board chair and president of Gries Financial Partners. “Under her guidance, CLC has become known as a place where leaders are inspired to drive change and where civic entrepreneurs are welcomed to launch their ideas to improve the community. She has built numerous collaborative partnerships — and did so as a humble, unselfish leader determined to drive impact across Northeast Ohio.”
Marianne Crosley steps down from Cleveland Leadership Center post.
Crosley introduced a series of new programs, including OnBoard Cleveland, Advanced Leadership Institute and Legacy Leaders. In addition, she launched two annual events — the Spark: Grit to Great leadership conference and the Accelerate: Citizens Make Change civic pitch competition. Accelerate has become a region-wide event that fosters creative growth and supports emerging social entrepreneurs who have ideas to make a difference in Cleveland.
“We just celebrated our 10th anniversary of Accelerate,” says Crosley. “It’s incredibly rewarding to see people from all segments of the community, from children through seniors, from people who are pretty anonymous to people who are well known, to come in and pitch their ideas. And then to watch their ideas come to life and become reality — it’s one of my greatest contributions.”
“Although we are sad to see Marianne leave, we are excited to welcome Becky to our organization,” says Caster of the recent transition. “Becky’s success as a dynamic leader running a large, highly respected organization, in addition to her track record and belief in the importance of forming a community of trust with staff and other stakeholders, position
her as the ideal candidate to advance CLC into the future.”
In addition to her decade of leadership at Ohio’s preeminent legal association and the CMBA Foundation, McMahon has held leadership positions in banking and higher education. Her civic involvement has included extensive board service for First Federal Lakewood, the Rainbow Babies and Children Foundation, Lake Ridge Academy and the Legal Aid Society of Cleveland.
During her tenure at CMBA, McMahon led the development and implementation of comprehensive strategic plans for both the association and its foundation, which elevated both organizations’ visibility and impact across Northeast Ohio and beyond. She was a member of CLC’s Cleveland Bridge Builders class of 2008 and Leadership Cleveland class of 2018.
“During my years at the Leadership Center, I had the opportunity to meet and work alongside so many inspiring community leaders and challenge them to drive positive change in Northeast Ohio,” says Crosley. “With events like the Accelerate civic pitch competition, I am proud to see the impact that we’ve had on our region’s development. I am grateful for the time I’ve spent with CLC and look forward to seeing the organization continue to grow under Becky’s leadership.”
Marianne’s innovative leadership has reached across multiple generations to expand the impact of CLC and its alumni within the community.”
— Bill Caster
Marianne Crosley
Rebecca Ruppert McMahon
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Touring for 40 Years
When you’re on tour for 40 years, you have a big impact on the community and society. We’re not talking about the Stones who played Cleveland Browns Stadium at the start of summer, or even Fred and Barney who still play from Bedrock on nostalgic television cartoon channels. We’re talking about a group of folks who have made a positive impact on disadvantaged kids, adults and families year after year.
While it may be a little hard to get in the Christmas spirit during the summer, it’s not too early to think about helping life-challenged kids, adults and families during the upcoming holidays.
Now celebrating its 40th year, Dick Clough & Friends “Tour of Good Cheer” is already starting to organize for the upcoming holiday season, when 100 or more volunteers will board Barons Bus, charter bus services in Lakewood on December 21, visiting eight facilities in different parts of Cleveland’s inner city to deliver Christmas to between 700 and 1,000 deserving kids, adults and families. Two of the buses transport volunteers while others are loaded with coats, over-sized toys and over 200 custom-packed cartons and tubs filled with 8,000 units of merchandise — “everything from soup to nuts,” says Dick Clough, the Tour’s founder.
Community Center, which is affiliated with the Greater Cleveland Hunger Network, serves kids, parents and families from the Clark Avenue neighborhood.
A holiday excursion has a positive impact on life-challenged residents.
Cleveland Police Department’s (CPD) Fourth District officers help deserving families from the Kinsman neighborhood. The Charity Medical Center, which is now closed, was an original tour stop. This year, the tour will visit two ministries affiliated with the Sisters of Charities Ministries located in the Central Avenue neighborhood, which offers restive care to
Dick Clough
homeless men and women.
Through the years, I suppose we have had a positive impact on a lot of people. Probably many more than saw the Rolling Stones earlier this summer.”
should,” says Clough. “But being a stop on the Tour of Good Cheer during the holidays also exposes a lot of people in our area to what these folks are doing to help support our community throughout the year.”
The Tour of Good Cheer is not limited to just one special day during the holidays. Clough and his merry band of helpers have also embraced opportunities to help in a large variety of ways to extend the season of giving. The Tour supports numerous charitable organizations with surplus merchandise and donates giant plush zoo animals to kids in hospitals battling serious health issues.
“There seems to be a lot of division in this country, but people in Cleveland do come together during the holidays to help people who are less fortunate,” says Clough. “The tour is designed with stops at organizations that support programs across the whole continuum of community care.”
At Our Lady of Mount Carmel School, kids, parents and families are drawn in from nearby urban parishes and West Side neighborhoods. The Redeemer
Front Steps, another stop on the tour, provides temporary housing for men, women and families who are homeless due to sudden circumstances. At Procop House, military veterans are in the mix of men recovering from addiction issues. Community Assessment and Treatment Services (CATS) is a reentry, locked down population of adult men and women in recovery, which rounds out the last two stops.
“Many people support these organizations throughout the year, and they
“Nothing goes to waste,” says Clough of the donations the Tour receives.
While he is reluctant to receive any accolades for his philanthropic efforts and eschews attention, the Tour’s founder supports Tour charities by serving on their boards of directors. He served for 10 years on the board for Joseph’s Home, CATS and is currently board chair of the Police Athletic League (PAL) and the Cleveland Police Foundation.
“Through the years, I suppose we have had a positive impact on a lot of people,” Clough quips. “Probably many more than saw the Rolling Stones earlier this summer.”
Volunteers gathered at a recent Dick Clough & Friends Tour of Good Cheer. Dick Clough is standing at left.
Innovation is in our DNA. That’s why we’re for quantum computers and libraries that fit in your pocket, for self-cleaning paints and a paint company that’s changing our skyline, for enabling EVs and transforming transportation, for landings on Mars and telescopes seeing past stars, for world-class healthcare and leading-edge museums, for watertech businesses and water in abundance, for $800 million PB&Js and blenders that last a lifetime, for croissant crust pizza and the kimchi-curious, for sustainability breakthroughs and tech’s next big thing, for award-winning fashion designers, and concept-to-product dream factories. We’re Cleveland. We’re for big ideas and bold ventures.
COMMUNITY // BY LEE FISHER
Free Speech or Hate Speech?
We must address the state of campus protests in our law schools, universities and everywhere else.
Protests erupted last spring and will likely erupt again this fall on college campuses throughout the nation about the ongoing war in the Middle East.
My perspective on these protests was shaped on a warm spring day 54 years ago when I was a freshman at Oberlin College. In fact, it was the day I decided to go to law school.
A few days earlier, President Richard Nixon had expanded the Vietnam War by invading Cambodia. Antiwar college protests erupted throughout the country.
About 1 p.m. on the afternoon of May 4, 1970, the news hit us in the gut as we huddled around TVs and radios. In just 13 seconds, the Ohio National Guard fired over 60 shots at student protesters at nearby Kent State University. Nine students were wounded, one of them paralyzed for life; and four students — Allison Krause, Jeff Miller, Sandra Scheuer and Bill Schroeder — were killed.
Bill Schroeder was a Reserve Officers Training Corps (ROTC) student. He was not protesting. He was watching the protest and was shot in the back. Sandy Scheuer was not protesting. She was an honor student walking to class. Allison Krause and Jeff Miller were peacefully protesting. I didn’t know them, but I’ve never forgotten their names.
Most of the Kent State students were protesting peacefully, and the unjustified, deadly response by the Ohio
National Guard is a stain on our national legacy of free speech, peaceful protest and civil disobedience.
During my college years, I engaged in peaceful protests against the Vietnam War, and I’m proud of my involvement. But, at the same time, I opposed attacks on ROTC facilities and other buildings. And when there was violence in the name of peace, I was sickened and angry. I remember thinking … they’re hurting our cause.
We must acknowledge that throughout history there have been those who have hijacked peaceful protests and co-opted and subverted just causes by engaging in harassment, lawlessness and/or hate speech.
Fast forward 54 years. This time the campus protests are not about a war in Southeast Asia — it’s about the war in the Middle East against the terrorist group Hamas and the resulting tragic loss of thousands of innocent Israeli and Palestinian lives.
Some have protested peacefully, and we must support and defend their right to do so. We must affirm our commitment
to protecting free speech — even speech that we may disagree with.
But liberty to think and say what you believe involves taking responsibility as well. Free speech is not a license to disrupt someone else’s free speech, threaten, harass, intimidate or injure others, or damage and deface campuses and buildings.
Even worse, much of what we’re seeing on some college campuses today is hate speech — and, in some cases, hate crimes. I’ve seen firsthand how hate can tear us apart. As an Ohio state Senator, I authored Ohio’s hate crime law, and years later, in an ironic twist of fate, I successfully defended the law’s constitutionality as Ohio Attorney General in the Ohio Supreme Court.
Antisemitism and Islamophobia — along with all forms of hate — have no place in our law schools, universities or anywhere else. Although all views can be expressed, expressions of hate and bigotry must be strongly and unequivocally condemned, and hate crimes must be prosecuted. We must protect the safety of all our students.
The remedy for ideas that we think are wrong is not to seek to silence them but to counter them with better ideas, evidence and arguments. We should embrace and advocate for diversity not only in race, culture, religion and sexual orientation, but also diversity of thought. When our students face disagreements, they should respond with respect for the humanity of those they disagree with. But today we’re seeing few attempts at finding common ground.
A critical part of the early anti-war movement was campus “teach-ins.” I participated in many of these sessions as an Oberlin College student. They were genuine, facilitated efforts to understand the complex historical context of the Vietnam War and to engage in vigorous but civil discussion and debate. We need to bring back campus teach-ins. They can open minds if there are clear, enforceable ground rules for respectful dialogue.
We must protect free speech, peaceful protest and civil disobedience. We must respect diversity of thought and perspective, engage in civil discourse and find common ground. We must condemn and fight hate, harassment, intimidation and violence with moral clarity and uphold the rule of law. Our leadership challenge — and the imperative — is defending and practicing all these values in the same breath, at the same time.
Those are not liberal or conservative values. They are the values of the nation upon which we were founded as we endeavor to be a more perfect union. Fidelity to the rule of law does not mean that the law is always just. It is not. We all have work to do in making it better. But when our nation has achieved anything of consequence, it has done so most often through civil debate, mutual respect and measured compromise. I tell our law students that in all our lives there are moments of truth — and now is our moment of truth.
Now, more than ever, we need lawyer-leaders to defend and promote these values.
I think that’s what Allison Krause, Jeff Miller, Sandra Scheuer and Bill Schroeder died for on May 4, 1970. Fifty-four years later, and for the rest of our lives, we must honor their legacy.
Lee Fisher is dean and Joseph C. Hostetler-BakerHostetler chair in law at Cleveland State University College of Law. He is the former Ohio attorney general, lieutenant governor, director of the Ohio Department of Development, chair of the Ohio Third Frontier Commission, chair of the Ohio Organized Crime Commission, president/CEO of the Center for Families and Children, president/ CEO of CEOs for Cities, state representative, state senator and chair of the Cuyahoga County state legislative delegation. In 2022, he was inducted in the Cleveland Magazine Business Hall of Fame for his decades of public and nonprofit sector leadership on local, regional and state economic growth and development.
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ScoreBoard
By James Trutko
Finding Growth
City leaders are working to strengthen Metro Cleveland’s employment future.
As Metro Cleveland’s civic leadership seeks strategies to strengthen economic development, it is easy to fall into the trap of over-emphasizing favored industries and trumpeting positive news. While it is constructive to mobilize the business community and the public with aspirational visions, the most successful plans take advantage of real economic strength that is well documented with data and existing trends that can be amplified with focused effort.
The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) publishes a range of data that can be analyzed to assess the overall momentum of the metropolitan economy and suggest growth industries.
Unfortunately, the local economic development organizations do not provide regular analysis of the data to the public. One example is BLS’s Current Employment Statistics (CES), which uses business surveys of employment, earnings and hours to provide industry-specific data.
The chart at right shows the growth of Metro Cleveland employment for a period from 2010 to 2023.
It’s not easy to select target industries. Economic development professionals typically look at many industry characteristics and consider philosophical objectives in developing their roster of target industries. The professionals
Metro Cleveland Annual Employment Change (CES)
Source: BLS, Current Employment Statistics (CES)
Source: BLS, CES
would do well to add backward-looking data analysis to their forward-looking projections. They should add more analysis of existing Current Employment Statistics data to identify strategic industries that have consistent, positive local employment growth over a reasonable
length of time. To assess an industry’s potential contribution to a sound, longterm strategy, one needs to know how important a sector and a specific industry are to the local economy.
Overall, employment has grown by only 9% since 2010, and the modest
growth includes a large number of part-time jobs. The sectoral data shows transportation and utilities, construction and wholesale trade have grown consistently for over a decade but are only moderate-size sectors. The leisure and hospitality and professional/business services sectors are large sectors, but growth has been inconsistent over the period.
Manufacturing, which many regard as fundamental to the local economy, has been below average in growth. Retail trade and other services have contracted, undoubtedly because of the many social and technological changes affecting consumers. The small information technology sector is unexpectedly at the bottom of the chart and may represent a statistical anomaly.
While sectoral analysis can provide useful context, it is not sufficient to underpin strategy development. A more detailed understanding of employment growth by specific industries is essential to allow one to assess how important an industry’s growth would be to the community’s future.
Consistent growth is also an important metric for good economic development strategies. A high-potential industry would have recovered well from the 2008-2010 recession from 2010 to 2019 and from the technological/social/financial/COVID disruptions from 2019 to 2023. An industry with poor potential would have had a lagging 2010-2019 rebound as well as weak post-COVID performance.
Source: BLS, CES
James M. Trutko is an economist, market research professional and public policy analyst. He has held positions with The Plain Dealer and Greater Cleveland Growth Association. He writes articles for local publications and counsels entrepreneurs with Business Advisers of Cleveland. He can be reached at jmtrutko@gmail.com. More data on individual industry performance is available at his website, cuyahogascoreboard.com.
Summary: Metro Cleveland Employment
WORKING THE ROOM WORKING THE ROOM
Strength in Numbers
GCP’s annual meeting is its largest yet. By Terry Troy
The Greater Cleveland Partnership (GCP) kicked off the warmer weather here in Northeast Ohio with its Annual Meeting, which drew more than 1,000 attendees. It was the GCP’s largest meeting so far.
Meeting under the theme of “unity” and with a focus on developing abundant talent and creating inclusive opportunity to drive Greater Cleveland’s growth, CEO Baiju Shah’s keynote address offered powerful facts about our population, college grads, downtown’s resurgence and more to let everyone know
that “Cleveland is on the rise.” He also talked about the importance of talent creation, attraction and retention.
“We have less than 4% unemployment so we need to attract more people, through in-migration and scaling the brain gain to attract even more college grads to start careers in the land,” he said.
Cleveland has been gaining college graduates since 2010, Shah said, with the region adding 74,000. Shah also praised the work of many groups that have been attracting immigrants, including international students, refugees and others, to the region.
Shah noted that the region must skill up its existing workforce and noted the potential of Ohio’s Tech Credential program.
“To date, more than 22,000 tech credentials have been issued across 800
From left: Moderator Dr. Michael Schoop, senior vice president of Talent, Greater Cleveland Partnership hosts Dr. Laura Bloomberg, president, Cleveland State University; James Cavoli, president, Swagelok; Dr. Airica Steed, president & CEO, Metrohealth, and Christopher Gorman, chairman and CEO, KeyCorp.
companies in the region,” Shah said. “That sounds like a lot … but we have nearly 2 million workers in the region.
“Sustainable manufacturing revolution is happening, and we have the opportunity to once again be a leading center for the world.”
In closing, Shah talked about an analysis by Cerity Partners that showed how a “Cleveland Index” of the region’s 33 publicly traded companies outperformed the S&P 500 since 2010 and especially since 2020,
returning significantly greater investment returns.
“We have a vision of a great region on a great lake, and a vision that is starting to come into view,” Shah said. “But we can’t get there alone; we can get there together. All In for the Land!”
Later this month, the GCP, Council of Smaller Enterprises (COSE) and JumpStart will welcome semifinalists of its Cleveland Chain Reaction program to compete for handsome five-figure capital investment prizes. Now in its seventh
season, the small business pitch competition is designed to connect entrepreneurs to capital and mentors and places new businesses in Cleveland neighborhoods to build prosperity.
“It has been such a thrill to work with these ambitious entrepreneurs over the last six seasons,” said Megan Kim, executive director of COSE. “They are not only invested in building their own success and their own businesses, but they are creating jobs and having a strong economic impact across our region.”
The GCP’s CEO Baiju Shah delivers the keynote address.
Last year’s winners of Chain Reaction pose with TV personality Kenny Crumpton (upfront under the check). GCP’s Executive Director Megan Kim stands on the left.
Celebrating Diversity
The 22nd Annual Walk, Rock, Roll and Run raised almost a quarter of a million dollars. By Terry Troy
By all measures, the Diversity Center of Northeast Ohio’s Annual Walk, Rock, Roll and Run event at the Great Lakes Science Center was a resounding success. The event raised more than $224,800 in what has become Northeast Ohio’s largest diversity celebration.
Folks gathered at the Great Lakes Science Center, Rock & Roll Hall of Fame and Museum and the USS Cod to celebrate diversity with a day of family fun and entertainment along with 1- and 3-mile walks and a 5k run.
Lisa Grdina, director of marketing, customer strategy and commercialization for Sherwin Williams, and Shannon
Jerse, general counsel and compliance officer for the Sisters of Charity Health System, served as board co-chairs.
Jennifer Collister, vice president of human resources for Medical Mutual of Ohio, was corporate chair for the
presenting sponsor, while Russ Mitchell, board director of the Diversity Center of Northeast Ohio and Channel 3 News anchor, served as grand marshal of the event.
Tony Battle, senior vice president of Lincoln Electric and a board director of the Diversity Center, represented Lincoln as the run sponsor, while Kirsten Ellenbogen, president and CEO of the Great Lakes Science Center, was a partner sponsor. Paul Farace, president of the USS Cod Submarine Memorial, represented his organization as a partner sponsor as did Greg Harris, president and CEO of the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame.
JENNIFER COLLISTER
RUSS MITCHELL
Above: The event featured teams in 1- and 3-mile walks.
Top Right: The Walk staff poses in front of the Great Lakes Science Center.
Bottom Right: Runners in the 5K organize in front of the Great Lakes Science Center and Rock & Roll Hall of Fame and Museum.
behind the initiatives
TPrivate and corporate citizens crucial to our nonprofit community
terry troy, jill sell and joanne cahill
hey represent the very best of our community, working behind the scenes and without fanfare to help those who are disadvantaged. They populate our corporate board rooms, government and other business and civic organizations, often working anonymously and many times after hours.
America is home to more than 1.3 million charitable nonprofit organizations, according to the National Council of Nonprofits. The Greater Cleveland area alone is home to more than 16,000 nonprofits that do the bulk of the healing, nurturing and feeding of the disadvantaged here in Northeast Ohio.
“I have been involved with the nonprofit sector since the early ’90s when I joined this firm,” says Brandon Miller, CEO of HW&Co. “That might seem like a long time, but it really isn’t when you consider that there are some local nonprofits that have been around for 130 years or more.
“Our company understands the mission of many of our nonprofits. We understand the needs they have for accounting and business advisory services.
“One of the biggest reasons we have such a large nonprofit sector here in Northeast Ohio is that we have a large health care industry, especially with the Clinic, UH and Metro. A lot of our nonprofits address the needs found in health care.”
Quite a few others address social needs like poverty, housing and hunger, Miller adds.
Yet today, these organizations are facing some very real challenges, especially when it comes to the continued delivery of the goods and services to the people and communities that rely on them.
Some issues are related to internal operations such as governance, staffing and financial accountability. Other nonprofits face challenges from issues like fundraising and operations. Most of the issues are caused by forces that are beyond their control.
Across the country as well as here in Northeast Ohio, there is an increased demand for nonprofit services against a backdrop of steadily declining revenues, increasing operations costs and a decline in personnel.
PENNY FORSTER, ANGELA VANNUCCI, KENDRA PHILON, BRUNO BIASIOTTA & JESSICA JUNG
Meaden & Moore offers more than just dollars to Summit Habitat.
Sometimes businesses contribute dollars to nonprofits. Other times they contribute sweat, blisters and sore muscles.
A successful partnership between the Akron office of Meaden & Moore, a full-service accounting and business consulting firm, and Habitat for Humanity of Summit County, began informally in 2008. Habitat was (and still is) a client of Meaden & Moore, using the firm’s audit services. Occasionally, the accounting firm sent summer interns to volunteer for Habitat, giving them an experience of team building and bonding while building houses for deserving homeowners.
In June of 2023, Habitat kicked off its Women Build project, using an allwoman crew, and Meaden & Moore upped its partnership commitment.
“There was team of us that did the framing of the house, and it was hard work and hot in the summer,” recalls Kendra Philon, Meaden & Moore vice president, Assurance Services Group and not-for-profit practice leader, who also participated in a build this
summer. “But it was nice to work side by side with the new homeowner and show what women can do when we roll up our sleeves. We want an equitable community, and volunteering gives you happiness knowing you are making a difference, one project at a time.”
“We want an equitable community, and volunteering gives you happiness knowing you are making a difference, one project at a time.”
— Kendra Philon
Rochelle Sibbio,
president and CEO of the national Habitat for Humanity Summit County affiliate, says “businesses are transitioning and are feeling a little bit more social responsibility to where they have brick and mortar locations.”
Her business partners also include more company employees who are now working remotely. It’s a chance, she says, to get them face to face again while doing something worthwhile for the community.
“Ours is a different and unique teambuilding opportunity. It puts people’s critical thinking skills together with their physical abilities,” says Sibbio. “I tell people on our building sites that they will be using muscles they don’t normally use and that they will be sore. When I see those people again, they tell me that I was right, but that they loved it so much they are signing up for another Build Day and will bring along coworkers, their family or church members.”
Philon sees partnerships between nonprofits and companies increasing because “nonprofits need businesses to advocate for them, especially when they are trying to get state and federal funding.” A 20-year employee of Meaden & Moore, she says partnerships can help show the real, complete work of a nonprofit.
Meaden & Moore (established in 1919 with additional offices in Cleveland, Columbus and Wooster, as well as eight other states, Canada and the UK) also supports Habitat financially. The firm itself benefits by following leads Habitat has provided, obtaining additional nonprofit clients and volunteering to help others.
“So many not-for-profits have lean budgets. To have accountants, lawyers and others who can help them at no cost or connect them to someone who can at a lower cost is a tremendous help to them,” says Philon, who also suggests that companies make sure that before committing to a nonprofit partnership or volunteer project that it is really something their employees want.
“I know it is a financial commitment, too, for companies to give employees time off to do volunteer work,” adds Philon. “But overall, it comes back tenfold through the happiness of employees and their loyalty to a company.”
jill sell
JEANI BRECHBILL
KENDRA PHILON
While it’s a company with a global reach, Covia loves advancing local grassroots causes through its employees and charitable arm: the Covia Foundation. It’s ingrained in the culture and today is just a part of the organization’s DNA.
“Covia is proud to call Cleveland home, and so am I,” says Bruno Biasiotta, president and CEO of Covia. “For many years, the company has given back, supporting nonprofits in our communities and the good work they do.
“In some cases, that means financial support, but whenever possible we also support our employees’ volunteer efforts. We believe we can make a difference every day — last year, Covia team members collectively volunteered over 12,500 hours.”
In 2023, the Foundation contributed over $1.1 million to local communities, and much of its charitable work is driven by employees.
According to Kristin Lewis, manager of community relations, the Foundation has a large footprint and a local focus. It is not unusual for an employee to raise funds for a favorite cause, and personally hand deliver it to the charity.
“Our team members might raise money for a food bank and then walk the check down to the charity and present it to them directly,” she explains.
The Foundation offers its employees a wide spectrum of giving options and incentives to engage them in the process, from 1:1 matching gifts up to $1000, to providing 24 hours of paid volunteer time annually.
Employees who volunteer in their communities can also earn grant funding. For example, a volunteer firefighter or little league coach could receive a $500 grant to the charity of their choice up to twice a year for every 40 hours of personal volunteer time, and an additional $100 for every 20 hours.
Lewis says another great asset of the Foundation is the ability to mobilize Covia employees through its Covia Cares Action Days. These volunteer days allow each facility to plan unique volunteer activities to give back to the community. The program has grown quickly since its inception, and in 2023 there were 34 action days.
global with a local
Covia helps team members support personal causes.
“We give money to our local plants and let them use it for what is important in their own communities,” says Lewis. “They take the lead on what is best for them.”
In Greater Cleveland, the Independence employees spent their Covia Cares Action Day last year working alongside LAND Studio,
beautifying Covia’s City Side Garden and Irishtown Bend in the Flats. Others helped at Cleveland Kids’ Book Bank, collecting and donating more than 200 books.
In addition, the Covia Foundation hosts two major golf fundraisers in the Greater Cleveland area every year. The annual Stars, Stripes & Links golf outing supports and engages injured combat veterans and the Bill Conway Founders Charity Golf Classic, has raised more than $2 million for the United Way since 2007.
“When people individually take an interest in making things better in the world around them, the cumulative benefit for a community can be amazing,” adds Biasiotta. “I’ve been active for many years with several organizations that are personally important to me, and I’m a big believer that getting involved leads to being invested. Ultimately, caring about a community is what makes it feel like home.”
joanne cahill
Local employees spent their Covia Cares Action Day working alongside LAND Studio on local beautification projects.
BRUNO
big league
Our Guardians do more than play ball.
We have all seen the oft-repeated Hollywood scene:
The baseball hero visits Billy who’s in the hospital with a terminal disease — the player promising him he’ll hit a homerun for him in the afternoon’s big game.
But for our own Cleveland Guardians, giving back to the community means a lot more than belting one onto the left field porch to win the game. (Although for some of us, it is the most important aspect of the organization’s giving back, even if it is just a souvenir for a lucky fan.)
Giving back is important to the Guardians organization from a community standpoint as the home team. But it’s also important to everyone in the organization — not just those who wear a CLE across their chest.
“As you might guess, we have a lot of relationships and partnerships with nonprofits and other community causes,” says Penny Forster, director of Community Impact for the Cleveland Guardians. “But I think the biggest one for us, and one of my favorites
personally, is our relationship with the Cleveland Metropolitan School District (CMSD).
“For a very long time, at least since the Dolans bought the team, we have been very supportive of all the baseball and softball programming within the district. We give to the Senate League, which includes high schools within the City of Cleveland, and allow them to use Progressive Field for their championship.”
And through its participation in Major League Baseball’s RBI Program (an acronym that stands for Reviving Baseball in Inner Cities), the Guardians are supporting disadvantaged kids that often need resources.
“The program has really evolved from when it was started two decades ago,” says Forster. “Today it is really about offering kids access, such as supporting travel to tournaments — which today can be very expensive.
“A lot of the tournaments where these kids compete often have college scouts attending who might not be able to see these young players any other way. We are taking advantage of any opportunity we have to help with their experience, so hopefully they grow to love the sport and want to continue to play baseball and softball and continue to play well into college.
“We like to say this and have so year after year, but there is not a baseball or softball game being played within the City of Cleveland that we have not supported by providing access, resources, equipment or simply the opportunity to see the game played.”
In addition to programs offered through CMSD, the Guardians have been major supporters of Boys & Girls Club of Northeast Ohio over the years.
“We support over 400 organizations, whether it’s through direct donations, sponsorships, donations in kind or tickets,” adds Forster. “Whenever they come to us, we always try to provide what they need.”
The Guardians also have an ongoing volunteer program where employees go
Logan Allen, David Fry, Hunter Gaddis and Nick Sandlin and friends visit the Cleveland chapter of the nationwide organization First Tee.
PENNY FORSTER
out in the community, at least once a month, offering their time to nonprofits and charitable causes.
“And through our relationship with the school district, we, and by that I mean many people in our front office including myself, are actively involved with College Now serving as mentors. We also go into classrooms once a month, meeting with eighth grade students to help them make the choice of where to attend high school through our True2U volunteer mentoring program.
“Many times a high school choice can be made by location, what is easiest for your family. But there are other choices as well, such as deciding to attend a school that offers a career path as opposed to one that is more college preparatory. We provide another voice that is different from their family or their teachers, offering them guidance on what they might want to do as they get older.”
Being a Major League franchise, it’s also very important for the Guardians to set a good example for the general public and their fans.
“Being a Major League franchise, it’s very important for the Guardians to set a good example for the general public and their fans.”
— Penny Forster
“When our fans see us get involved even in smaller programs and charitable activities, and it inspires them to do more, that is a huge win for all of us,” says Forster.
Of course, nothing is more inspiring than seeing a major league star get out into the community.
and fans
eighth graders enjoyed a meet-and-greet by the Guardians dugout, food vouchers and an honorary “play ball” feature at the beginning of the game.
Guardians second baseman Andrés Giménez kicked off a second season of his program Art with Andrés, by visiting Buhrer Dual Language Academy in Cleveland. Joined again this year by local art instructor Augusto Bordelois, the students and Andrés
interacted with the children and staff, took photos and signed autographs.
Honorary Perky Pantry Engineer
Josh Naylor paid what has become a monthly visit to the Cleveland Ronald McDonald House to pack lunches with his fellow volunteers. The lunches were then delivered to families at the Cleveland Clinic. Naylor played catch with some of the kids staying at the House and practiced with Mary Jane
spent the class drawing a lion, taking pictures and signing autographs, all while speaking their native language of Spanish.
Soltysiak, a Ronald McDonald House volunteer, who threw out the first pitch at Progressive Field the next night.
“It’s no secret that our players have become incredibly attached to Cleveland over the last few years,” says Forster. “We’re really starting to see how much Cleveland means to them and what causes they are truly passionate about. I think we’ll see plenty more stories like his in the months ahead.”
Earlier this season, Xzavion Curry, Steven Kwan and Triston McKenzie, three of the Guardians True2U mentors, invited their students to Progressive Field. For many of the students, it was their first time attending a Major League Baseball game. During their visit, the terry troy
Logan Allen, David Fry, Hunter Gaddis and Nick Sandlin visited the Cleveland chapter of the nationwide organization, First Tee. It’s an organization that seamlessly integrates the game of golf with life skills curriculum by creating learning experiences that build inner strength, self-confidence and resilience for kids to carry into everything they do. While there, the group toured the newly renovated facility,
Josh Naylor
of Mary Jane Soltysiak, the Ronald McDonald volunteer who threw out the first pitch at Progressive Field.
Andrés Giménez with his Art with Andrés students.
building a better
FEaton’s partnership with Habitat helps break the vicious cycle of poverty.
or Angela Vannucci, director of corporate development and planning at Eaton, it all comes down to breaking poverty’s vicious grasp on our region.
“At Eaton, we look to improve the quality of life for the people we serve, our customers and our employees, as well as the communities that serve as our homes,” she says. “It’s also very important to make sure we support issues that are important to our employees.”
That’s the reason Eaton is so supportive of its employees’ efforts, which include volunteering and donations through the company’s various community engagement campaigns.
With a worldwide reach, Eaton serves many communities around the world, creating vibrant places to live and work. That’s just one of the reasons Eaton has been on 3BL Media’s “100 Best Corporate Citizens” list for the last 15 years.
Globally, Eaton’s employees have volunteered more than 30,800 hours a year. The company has opened its coffers, too, doling out some $10 million on
an annual basis, supporting major initiatives such as: arts, culture, community and economic development, education, the environment, health and human service programs and more.
But this year, Eaton focused on one organization in an effort to help local communities combat what has become a vicious cycle of poverty.
“We made a substantial contribution to Habitat for Humanity’s international organization,” says Vannucci of the company’s $500,000 donation. “It allows us to partner more closely with our local chapter of the Greater Cleveland Habitat for Humanity, which is one of the reasons I am so excited about it.”
And she should be. After all, Vannucci joined the board of the Greater Cleveland Habitat in January of this year.
“I am really passionate about the issue of poverty in Cleveland,” says Vannucci. “Thirty percent of people living in Cleveland live at or beneath the poverty level and an even higher percentage are children. Forty-six percent of children in Cleveland live at or below the poverty level.
“Affordable housing is very important to breaking the cycle of poverty. If you can’t afford a home, there are wider issues that seem to percolate through over the course of time. A lack of affordable housing creates economic inequality and racial inequality — it creates a lot of issues that just seem to snowball over time.
“Being on the board of our local Habitat has been an exciting way to see how we are impacting and improving lives in our communities by making housing more affordable.”
This year, Greater Cleveland Habitat for Humanity has dramatically increased its efforts.
“Over the next couple of years, our local Habitat for Humanity chapter is going to help 400 households in Cuyahoga and Lorain counties through a program we are calling the 400 Home Initiative,” says Vannucci.
With a timeline that runs from 2023 to 2027, the $33 million initiative aims to build 100 new homes, rehabilitate 50 existing homes and repair or enhance 250 additional homes in Cuyahoga and Lorain counties. The initiative’s mission is to generate housing stability and wealth creation for our area’s underserved populations. It is being done in partnership with the Cuyahoga Land Bank.
Over the course of the next three years, Greater Cleveland Habitat will be working in Wards 2 (Mount Pleasant), 4 (Buckeye Woodhill), 8 (Collinwood), 11 (West Boulevard) and 15 (Detroit-Shoreway) to build, rehabilitate and repair homes. New homes will be sold at an appraised value with a 0% interest mortgage.
While Vannucci is directly involved in Greater Cleveland Habitat’s initiatives and operations, she is quick to credit the company as well as Eaton’s many local employees who donate both time and money to the organization’s cause.
“I am always impressed with the number of employees from Eaton who are involved with builds or spend their days off volunteering for Habitat,” says Vannucci. “I feel very supported by Eaton, and Eaton has encouraged me to volunteer my time and expertise on the local board.”
terry troy
ANGELA VANNUCCI
If you look at charitable events anywhere in the Greater Cleveland area, you’ve probably seen the name of the Oswald Companies. Presenting sponsor, partner or simply company volunteers in t-shirts manning a booth, this is one company that supports myriad nonprofits through special events as well as on a daily basis.
Earlier this summer, the company served as Presenting Sponsor for the Hospice of Western Reserve’s 14th Annual Walk to Remember, helping the organization meet its goal of raising more than $350,000 from over 1,062 donations and 1,162 folks who made the trek through Cleveland Metroparks Zoo. But that’s really just the tip of the iceberg.
“We are very engaged and involved in the community,” says Jessica Jung, president of Oswald Companies. “Cleveland has been our hometown for more than 130 years. And one of our core values is to give back to the community. That’s why we are involved with so many larger as well as smaller nonprofits throughout the community — it’s just who we are.”
Does Jung have a favorite nonprofit initiative that Oswald supports?
“That’s kind of like asking a parent to pick their favorite child,” says Jung. “I suppose they are all my favorite, but in different ways. The best way for me to answer that is to talk about what we do.”
As an employee-owned company, Oswald’s employee/owners are very immersed in Greater Cleveland’s nonprofit community.
“We serve or are involved with more than 70 nonprofit boards that are local,” says Jung. “And we have hundreds and hundreds of service hours across all of these organizations. Our employee/ owners get a personal day of caring as well as a company day of caring, when they can donate their time to an organization they want to support.
“That means something different to every one of our employee/owners,” offers Jung. “So I guess my favorite thing is that everyone gets to choose their favorite cause, something that they are passionate about, and we support that with time and money.”
So how much time do Oswald’s employee/owners volunteer each year?
choosing to
Oswald Companies supports employee/owners’ passions.
“I really don’t know, because we have never aggregated it,” says Jung. “But it has to be several hundreds of hours.
“Cleveland has been our hometown for more than 130 years. And one of our core values is to give back to the community. That’s why we are involved with so many larger as well as smaller nonprofits throughout the community — it’s just who we are.”
— Jessica Jung
“We have 425 employees that spend at least two days a year giving back to their community or supporting charitable causes in some way,” adds Jung.
“On top of that, they often volunteer their own hours. Then you have to add in all the hours donated by sitting on nonprofit boards. It’s probably in the thousands of hours, now that I think about it.”
While volunteering is an important core value, Jung is cognizant of the money Oswald donates to charitable causes as well.
“Money is always very meaningful,” she says. “We feel that giving back is such a strong core value of ours that it is equally important. Our employee/ owners are very good, and many are attracted to our company because of it.
“Giving back to the community and charitable causes also serves as a means of attracting talent as well. People often feel that they want to be a part of something that is meaningful to them.
“We live here. We work here. We play here. Maintaining a thriving community is critical to all of us. We want our employee/owners to feel that as well.”
terry troy
JESSICA JUNG
through a
ROSIE
Smuckers has to be good, especially when it comes to our furry friends.
What’s not to love when a cute dog looks up at you with big round eyes?
You pick it up and take it home. But sometimes it’s hard to photograph those wiggly puppies or more mature dogs that might not trust you.
Not all dogs are photogenic. They can appear fearful or mean, especially if they are photographed quickly or at a shelter behind a chain link fence.
“There is a need for professional photography at shelters. We have learned that higher quality images translate to higher adoption rates,” says Kara Buckler, senior director, Creative and Design, for The J.M. Smucker Company.
“With that in mind, one of our volunteer teams on an outing to the Wayne County Humane Society came back and formulated the Loving Lens Project. It’s been
great. We send our photographers to the Humane Society and to the Wayne County Dog Shelter.”
Once the pups and cats are photographed by the Smucker creative photography team, the images are posted on shelters’ websites and elsewhere.
Since this spring, the two-year-old program has helped place approximately 317 dogs and cats.
“We have the capacity to care for up to 86 cats and 48 dogs. On average we have 120 animals in our care at once. We are a 501 (c)(3) and
“Smuckers has always been wonderful to us. The photographs make a difference in getting these animals homes and giving our staff time to do other necessary things.”
— John Carhart
are donation-oriented,” says Wayne County Humane Society Shelter Director John Carhart, who has 10 dogs of his own. “Smucker’s has always been wonderful to us. The photographs make a difference in getting these animals homes and giving our staff time to do other necessary things.”
Smuckers recently expanded the Loving Lens Project to include nonemployee photographers, both professional and amateur, to ensure as many animals as possible are photographed. And not all volunteers in the project need a camera. To successfully photograph that tailwagging beagle or calico cat, someone needs to help the animals become calm and comfortable.
“There has been broad interest in this program across the entire company. We have so many employees who are passionate about pets. And, also, because part of our portfolio is pet food and pet treats, this program fits right in,” says Buckler, adding that employees have the opportunity to volunteer during the workday.
Smuckers was founded in 1897 by one man selling apple butter and is now led by his family’s fifth generation. The company, with 9,000 employees, has a portfolio of more than 40 brands — think jam, jellies, peanut butter, sweet baked snacks, coffee and more — and is found in more than 80% of U.S. homes.
Buckler, a 20-plus year Smucker’s employee, says, “Folks involved in the project find it very fulfilling to step outside the day-to-day and know they are making an impact.” Human resources departments understand that recruitment and retainment is more successful if employees can develop or in engage personal interests outside the company with the encouragement of employers.
“We have so many dogs and our staff is quite small,” says Katelyn Lehman, director and dog warden, Wayne County Dog Shelter. “We appreciate the Loving Lens Project where they come in and photograph about eight dogs once a month. We try to start with the dogs that have been here the longest. We want people to see them looking their best.”
jill sell
COURTESY SMUCKERS / JOHN CARHART
Sally Zlotnick Sears says she and her husband, Larry Sears, are “not part of the old money of early industrial Cleveland” that created and historically supported many of University Circle’s greatest cultural institutions, including the Cleveland Museum of Natural History (CMNH).
“Larry and I are second generation Americans. But we still feel a connection to the people who came before us and who currently support our institutions, because we all do it for the same reason — to make Cleveland a great city,” says Sears, the first female CMNH board chair in more than 100 years.
According to Sonia Winner, CMNH president and CEO, the Searses (members of the museum since the 1980s) have made several significant monetary gifts to the museum, totaling more than $12 million. In recognition of the couple’s support, the Larry Sears and Sally Zlotnick Sears Dynamic Earth Wing, part of CMNH’s $150 million transformation, is set to open in December.
Larry Sears can list electrical engineer, inventor and professor among his list of professions. Sally Sears earned a master’s degree in library science and has devoted her life to leading the kinds of boards and committees that make a huge difference to the area’s cultural institutions, including the nonprofit CMNH.
of culture
Massive support for one of our most cherished institutions.
bringing much joy to the entire family.
The couple’s daughter, Natalie Sears, is now a CMNH copy editor, currently helping to translate highly scientific language into more visitor-friendly signage.
Winner is grateful for annual gifts to the museum. But she also says endowment dollars and significant gifts, such as those by the Sears family, are incredibly important to ensure the future of nonprofits. The funds make investments possible and help “provide cushions when something like COVID happens.
practical seating, and offered ideas to enhance the feeling of being welcomed at the entrance.
She is eager to see CMNH begin its new chapters.
The museum “is a place to appreciate our place in nature,” while it conducts important scientific research, and is “a champion of literacy and education,” says Sally Sears, citing causes that are important to the couple. But it was also at the museum where her young children were able to see dinosaur bones up close and gaze at the stars above their heads,
“If I had the opportunity to give at a large level, I’d be looking at the organization’s financial picture. I’d want to make sure it has a strong record of investing in the right resources,” advises Winner. “The museum has had 45 years of balanced budgets. It’s really important that donors support not only nonprofits that are mission-based and align with their interests, but which use your money wisely.”
Sally Sears has also had a hands-on approach with the museum’s physical transformation. She made suggestions to create more comfortable, safe and
In the meantime, Sears never misses an opportunity to view the museum’s stunning mineral collection nor its Jeptha Homer Wade II Gem Collection, now on display in the museum’s Visitor Hall. And then there is the Larry Sears and Sally Zlotnik Sears Garden, at the corner of Martin Luther King Jr. Drive and East Boulevard, showcasing the legendary Cleveland artist and designer Viktor Schreckengost’s Mammoth and Mastodon sculptures.
“Whenever we had discussions about the future of the museum, Larry always reminded me that it was the building itself holding us back. It was dark and we weren’t really showing people what we were doing inside,” says Winner. “That’s not the case anymore, largely in part because of Sally and Larry.”
jill sell
CMNH board chair, Sally Zlotnick Sears, alongside her husband, Larry Sears
SONIA WINNER
FEATURES FEATURES
BUILDING BOARDS
Nonprofits face a unique set of challenges in creating an organization. By Terry Troy
When it comes to creating, funding and maintaining a nonprofit organization, it’s every bit as challenging as running a major “for profit” company — perhaps even more so. While its base
mission is usually altruistic, a nonprofit must run like a business if it is going to survive. Having a healthy board with multiple business talents is essential.
“We always try to look at it like a business,” says John Krizansky, CPA,
“People like to see what percentage of their dollars are going to the nonprofit’s actual mission, and not to the administration of the business or fundraising.” — JOHN KRIZANSKY
director of business development at HW&Co, who serves as an auditor, consultant and business advisor for both nonprofits and privately-held companies. “A nonprofit doesn’t mean no profit. We always try to look at it in a business sense. A board is ultimately responsible for the budget and approving the budget. We approve it and then we challenge management, going through it line by line. We have to run it like a business because if we don’t, it is not going to survive.”
This ultimately impacts the altruistic mission of the nonprofit.
Krizansky has interacted with many nonprofit boards and served on others.
In addition to serving on HW&Co.’s board of directors and management committee, Krizansky is also the former board chair for Centers for Dialysis Care and Centers for Dialysis Care Foundation and is still on the board of directors as well as the finance committee chair and executive committee member for both organizations.
Most executives working in the nonprofit space agree that boards have to address many different challenges and issues, often on a daily basis.
Most nonprofits, of any appreciable size will be subjected to audits, says Krizansky. Board members must obviously be aware of their fiduciary responsibilities.
counsel for Centers of Dialysis Care, is an expert at identifying and mitigating risks, at least from a legal perspective.
“In my mind, there are essentially two different kinds of risk,” he says. “On the personal side, board members have a potential risk that comes from serving on the board. Then you have an organizational risk that comes as a part of your fiduciary duties to make sure your organization is properly addressing specific issues.”
“So it’s incredibly important for nonprofit board members to understand their roles and responsibilities,” says Elizabeth Voudouris, president and CEO of Business Volunteers Unlimited (BVU), an organization that has provided consulting, training and executive coaching services to thousands of nonprofits and businesses in Northeast Ohio. “But they also need to surround themselves with the right people who are sitting around the board table with them.”
Krizansky concurs.
“Maintaining solvency and day-today operations is the responsibility of the CEO, but the CEO reports to the board,” says Krizansky. “By default, at the end of the day, everybody is reporting to the board. Serving on the board means holding people accountable and asking the right questions.
“Having the right board mix is key — not everyone has to be a financial whiz. Hopefully, the board will create committees, some might have finance or audit committees, investment committees and other people to ask financial questions. But then you also need people on the board to be a part of strategic planning committees or operations.”
You might also need people involved in succession planning, and not just of the CEO and management, but key operational executive positions within the organization such as marketing or HR as well.
While a nonprofit board needs to be diverse in a business sense, it does have a focus on finance.
“The finance committee works with the auditors to really understand what the risks are and then works with management to make sure there is a good control structure in place with the proper checks and balances,” says Krizansky. “If there are any issues with an audit or financial statements, it could significantly impact an ability to finance, operate or do proper fundraising.”
This all includes the proper filing of Form 990, which is the tax form the IRS uses for nonprofit organizations.
“There is box on the form that indicates that the board has had a chance to review the tax return and that they approved it,” says Krizansky.
So a board must understand nonprofit expenses, which are detailed in the statement of functional expenses on the Form 990 and are broken down by three different expense categories; the nonprofit’s mission or charity, administration or operations and then expenses related to fundraising. Today, more than ever, potential donors and other benefactors like to see how their funds will be distributed through a nonprofit.
“People like to see what percentage of their dollars are going to the nonprofit’s actual mission, and not to the administration of the business or fundraising,” says Krizansky. “As a board, you really want to scrutinize those percentages, so you at least have about 80% going to mission programming, as opposed to 20% for administration and fundraising. If you don’t have those numbers, you may have a hard time getting donors, because a lot of people don’t want their donations going to administrative functions or salaries.”
As you might suspect, serving on a nonprofit’s board exposes both the individual executive as well as the organization to risks, many of which are easily mitigated. But they should be noted.
Tom Ubbing, a veteran attorney who now serves as vice president and general
Board members may have to sign off on the proper disposal of assets or the distribution of assets and keep track of those expenditures for tax purposes. This means understanding IRS rules for tax-exempt 501(c)(3) organizations, which includes not violating private inurement rules. These forbid the diversion of a nonprofit’s money or assets to private individuals or insiders instead of distributing or using them for the charitable purposes for which they were intended.
“So just serving on a nonprofit board does expose that member to some potential legal risks due to the legal responsibilities of board members,” says Ubbing.
So, how do you minimize and mitigate those risks?
“In my opinion, as a starting point, no one should ever go on a nonprofit board unless they first perform due diligence on the organization itself,” says Ubbing. “Talk to people including, if possible, former board members of the organization. Conduct internet searches to see if they have had issues in the past.
“The other thing I would advise someone is to never go on a board unless the nonprofit has agreed to indemnify board members in the event the board members are named in a lawsuit. But this is pretty standard practice. You should also confirm that the organization has directors and officers liability insurance in place, at appropriate limits.
“These are the kinds of things you need to look at and make sure they are in place prior to joining a board.”
Later this month, HW&Co is hosting a free webinar that more completely covers this topic. For more information go to hwco.cpa or call 216-831-1200.
ELIZABETH VOUDOURIS
“ADVANTAGE” GAINING AN
Baldwin Wallace’s new approach to education focuses on core competencies. By Bob Sandrick
Baldwin Wallace University is introducing an innovative — even revolutionary — approach to education this fall that school leaders believe will better prepare students for the job market. It’s called the Advantage and consists of eight “competencies,” or broad soft skills, that employers are looking for in college graduates. The competencies, including effective communication and critical analysis, will be integrated into existing courses and majors, especially for freshmen and sophomores.
“There is no curriculum in the United States like this,” says Indira Gesink, professor of history and director of core curriculum at Baldwin Wallace.
It was Gesink who, after two years of research, designed the Advantage and won approval for the curriculum from Baldwin Wallace leadership and faculty. In fact, she was hired specifically to find a new way to teach students.
“I surveyed 270 schools nationally and I didn’t find anything similar,” Gesink says.
The Advantage, which also includes a ninth elective competency, will still expose students to the traditional liberal arts education model, in which firstand second-year students are exposed
to a variety of subjects like science, art, history and math, but it will also imbed these career competencies into these courses. The idea is to give students a broad perspective of the world before choosing a major or career path.
“We value that model, but the market doesn’t,” Gesink says. “So, we’re trying to find a way out of the traditional thinking about what students should take when they come to college.”
The existing courses and majors will remain for the most part, but the competencies — a term Gesink found employers use to describe qualities they value in job candidates — will be imbedded into them. Here are the eight competencies identified by Gesink:
Effective communication. Instead of just the traditional freshman writing class, writing and oral communication will be embedded in all majors. A history major,
for example, may learn to write within that profession. Psychology majors may study interpersonal communication, since they would become social workers, counselors and psychologists.
Critical analysis. No matter what they’re studying, students may learn to read deeply and detect biases in written material. They may interpret complicated subject matter, apply logic to determine if arguments are sound and develop their own arguments.
Quantitative reasoning. Students may acquire basic math skills appropriate to their majors. For example, in history they may learn how to understand graphs containing historical information and generate graphs themselves.
Civic literacy. It’s important for students to grasp how democracy developed in the United States and other counties, as well as how to function in a diverse society. This is especially important as the country heads into the fall election.
Multicultural literacy. Courses will focus on the perspectives of various demographic subgroups, like Blacks and Native Americans. Students may learn to appreciate different genres of music, or they might study a language.
Scientific literacy or reasoning. Students may learn how to design an experiment or test a hypothesis. They’ll determine whether arguments they are hearing in society are based on scientific evidence.
Wellness. Good employers want workers who know how to care for themselves and ask for help if needed. The wellness competency will show students how to maintain healthy minds and a proper relationship to work, and to recognize signs of unhealthiness.
Creative arts. Students might take a performing arts course, learn how to design and market a product or simply tell a story to achieve this competency.
“We’re trying to find a way out of the traditional thinking about what students should take when they come to college.”
— INDIRA GESINK
RETHINKING HR
Four local nonprofit senior living organizations have joined forces to pilot a new artificial intelligence (AI) software program to help them more successfully identify and retain new hires. McGregor Senior Living, along with Eliza Jennings, Judson Services and Jennings, are collaborating with Baltimore, MD, based software company, Arena Analytics, to better predict where a job candidate is most likely to thrive.
The new software enables the four nonprofits to maximize and share their pool of potential hires. For example, the program may predict that someone who applied for a position at McGregor may, in fact, be a more likely fit for a position with one of the other three collaborating organizations — perhaps a job opening the candidate was not even aware of.
Ann Conn, president and CEO of McGregor, compares the process to
candidates meeting in a virtual “central lobby.” When they apply for a role, they are also provided other opportunities within a “senior living hallway” that are good matches for them. Candidates could potentially be hired at a different organization within the collaborative.
“This helps get the candidate to the right fit at the right organization,” says Conn. “One common barrier we frequently find is transportation, and there could be a job closer to where the candidate lives that they did not know about.”
Conn explains that in today’s hiring, there is no sorting function to consider candidates for different positions or to recommend them for a job they did not apply for. This new AI software is designed to look beyond traditional metrics to find the best fit. Candidates take a unique assessment that is not based on traditional skills like education and work experience. Rather, it evaluates what the candidate enjoys doing. Skills can be learned. But identifying key characteristics is a better determinant of matching with the right job.
“We still do the interviews, still make the job offers and still conduct the training. What improves is who is coming in for interviews.”
— ANN CONN
It starts with a three- to five-minute survey. Questions
Local nonprofits and senior living organizations pilot a new AI program.
By Joanne Cahill
might assess how many phone calls a person makes outside of work each day or if they consider themselves a “morning person.” It also evaluates how they feel about challenging situations or customer service environments.
Conn reports that the early results are promising.
“Through the first 90 days, we are seeing very positive outcomes and an increase in retention of more than 50%,” she says. “If we are successful, the number of new people we will need to hire will go down and retention will go up.”
While the new technology is an effective screening tool, Conn and her staff still make the final hiring decisions.
“We still do the interviews, still make the job offers and still conduct the training,” she says. “What improves is who is coming in for interviews.”
The program is funded through $100,000 in grants from the Deaconess Foundation, Cuyahoga County Workforce Funders Group and the McGregor Foundation. The four collaborating nonprofits contribute to the cost, as well.
Conn hopes to see a significant shift in McGregor’s human resources dollars.
“Instead of spending resources on turnover, we can use them to support education and employee development,” she says.
BRIDGING THE GAP
Government resources keep our bridges safe and our port open.
By Bob Sandrick
The Cuyahoga River shipping channel, which includes about 20 bridges over more than 6.5 miles of waterway from Lake Erie inland, is well maintained and safe to travel, according to various government agencies charged with inspection and upkeep of the channel.
The channel, through which about 13 million tons of cargo pass each year, is dredged annually, meaning that sediment accumulating at the river bottom is removed so that the waterway stays deep enough for ships to travel.
Meanwhile, the Irishtown Bend project, which involves stabilizing a riverbank that has been in danger of collapsing into
the channel on the near West Side, has begun. The project, scheduled for completion in 2027, includes a 23-acre park.
As for the bridges, some are rated in fair condition and at least one in poor condition. However, Port of Cleveland officials say that the kind of catastrophe that occurred in Baltimore — where a ship slammed into a support pier of the Francis Scott Key Bridge, causing the bridge to fall and resulting in the death of six people — is unlikely to happen here. That’s because, unlike the Baltimore bridge, the lift, swing and fixed bridges over the Cuyahoga are supported from the riverbanks and have no support structures in the waterway.
“The ships that transit the shipping channel here are substantially smaller with less mass than the ship that hit the Key bridge. All these factors mean much lower, but not zero, risk of an incident that would compromise a bridge over a Cleveland commercial waterway.”
— WILLIAM FRIEDMAN
William Friedman, president and CEO of the Port of Cleveland, says skilled and experienced ship masters pilot vessels in the Cuyahoga and know the river intimately.
“They also keep vessel speeds low — much lower than the speed of the ship that hit the Key bridge, as appropriate in a much more confined navigation channel,” Friedman says.
“(Also), the ships that transit the shipping channel here are substantially smaller with less mass than the ship that hit the Key bridge,” Friedman adds. “All these factors mean much lower, but not zero, risk of an incident that would compromise a bridge over a Cleveland commercial waterway.”
Friedman said the most significant risk to the shipping channel was a landslide into the river at Irishtown bend, which the port is now addressing.
Bridge Ratings
The 2021 Report Card for Ohio’s Infrastructure, published by the Ohio Section of the American Society of Civil Engineers, gave the state’s bridges an overall C+ grade, although it didn’t report on individual bridges. According to the report
card, a C means that a bridge system is in fair to good condition but shows signs of deterioration and requires attention.
“Some elements exhibit significant deficiencies in conditions and functionality, with increasing vulnerability to risk,” the report cards says of bridge systems with a C grade.
The National Bridge Inventory database, kept by the Federal Highway Administration, rates bridges based on state inspections. It shows that at least a few bridges in the Cuyahoga River shipping channel are in good condition. These are the West 3rd Street lift bridge, owned by the city of Cleveland; the George V. Voinovich bridges, owned by the Ohio Department of Transportation, which take Interstate 90 traffic over the river; and the Columbus Road bridge, owned by Cuyahoga County.
Other bridges in the shipping channel are listed in fair condition. These include the Main Avenue and Carter Road bridges, owned by Cleveland, and the Detroit-Superior and Troy Lee James Highway or Interstate 490 bridges, owned by ODOT.
The Hope Memorial Bridge, which joins Carnegie and Lorain avenues and contains the locally famous Guardians of Traffic sculptures, is in poor condition, according to the National Bridge Inventory. ODOT owns the bridge.
Brent Kovacs, ODOT spokesman, says the state rates the Hope Memorial Bridge a 4 on a scale of 1-10. He says the rating compares how the bridge was built to its current condition and does not indicate how much traffic or weight it can handle.
“That number should not be concerning,” Kovacs says. “It just tells us we need to schedule a project to increase the rating. It does not say we need to reduce the legal load on the bridge, which is the number of vehicles or heavy semitrucks that travel the bridge.”
Kovacs says ODOT is scheduling a Hope Memorial improvement project for 2027, although the scope of work has not yet been determined. ODOT also plans to repair the deck, structural steel and drainage system of the stateowned Troy Lee James or 490 bridge in spring 2025. Kovacs says ODOT inspects bridges regularly.
“If ODOT believes that a bridge is unsafe, it will close it in a second,” Kovacs says.
The city of Cleveland, with help from ODOT, was planning to start demolition of the Eagle Avenue lift bridge this summer. The bridge, which hasn’t been used for nearly 20 years, was deemed unsafe and too costly to repair. The deck was left permanently in the up position so that river traffic can pass.
Checks & Balances
Federal agencies are also involved in monitoring and maintaining the Cuyahoga because the river is considered a federal navigation channel. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers handles the river dredging, and the U.S. Coast Guard issues permits for construction, demolition, maintenance and rehabilitation of all bridges.
“We also ensure that the provisions of the Environmental Protection Agency are met and maintained and develop and implement all of the operating regulations for movable bridges,” says Blair Stanifer, commander of the Ninth Coast Guard District in Cleveland.
Having several agencies at various levels of government monitoring the river is advantageous in some respects. However, with no overarching authority overseeing the channel, it can be hard to track down information or determine who’s in charge of bridge maintenance.
For example, none of the agencies contacted — including the Port of Cleveland, ODOT and the Cuyahoga County Department of Public Works — were able to provide the precise number of bridges in the shipping channel, perhaps because no one entity owns them all.
Kovacs says that although ODOT owns many bridges in the channel, Cleveland, due to home rule, performs routine maintenance on them. ODOT is responsible only for “major maintenance.”
Conversely, the city of Cleveland owns the Center Street swing bridge, but it was ODOT last year that replaced the bridge’s steel beams and repaired the swing mechanisms. ODOT’s involvement was required because the city was awarded state and federal funds for the project.
Thomas Sotak, chief deputy of engineering with the Cuyahoga County Department of Public Works, says the county owns just one bridge — the Columbus Road lift bridge — in the shipping channel. However, the county is only responsible for the bridge parts that don’t move. The city of Cleveland is responsible for the moving parts.
Future Prospects
The shipping channel has the attention of elected officials, who are lobbying for improvements and enthusiastic about its future.
The office of U.S. Rep. Shontel Brown, D-11, says $3 million in federal money is funding a study of the harbor to determine and address its cargo handling, economic development and environmental needs, along with its regional planning goals.
Also, Congress appropriated $11 million toward the rehabilitation of two of the port’s main docks.
U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown’s office adds that the Water Resources Development Act of 2020 provided funds to help maintain Great Lakes harbors and shipping channels, including the Cuyahoga.
Meanwhile, Ohio Sen. Nickie J. Antonio, whose District 23 includes the shipping channel, credits the port for expanding its vision of the shipping channel to include recreation and entertainment. For instance, the port has increased the number of cruise ships stopping in Cleveland.
Dave Gutheil, chief commercial officer of the Port of Cleveland, says cruise ships started docking in Cleveland in 2017. That year there were nine, and the number reached 48 in 2023. After a dip to 24 cruise ship stops this year, due to one cruise line shutting down, the number is expected to rebound to 50 in 2025.
“The shipping channel is such an alive portion of our city,” Antonio says. “You’re eating at a restaurant in the Flats. Here comes a working ship. The river has so many different values.”
NICKIE J. ANTONIO
REFOCUSING ITS STRATEGY
A new Ideastream position manages community events and partnerships. By Terry Troy
Sari Jackson was recently named to the new position of community events and partnerships manager. In doing so, Ideastream Public Media has clearly indicated its intention to increase its focus on local partnerships and audiences through direct community engagement. It’s different from the lifeline that Ideastream provided during the pandemic.
“We heard from our members and listeners that they really missed engaging with us in person,” says Jackson, who assumed her new role in May. “There is a big push for us to get out there and demonstrate our connections with the community.
“We have many long-standing programs and hosts who have a strong connection with the community,” adds Jackson. “Since our recent merger with WKSU, we are also establishing that connection in the Akron/Kent area as well.”
Key elements of Ideastream’s new community engagement strategy include organization of community events and the further establishment of partnerships with local organizations. It includes the creation of shared experiences with local communities that raise awareness while building relationships and fostering trust.
In recent months, Ideastream has greatly expanded its community engagement events and programming, especially in arts and music, through partnerships with the Tri-C JazzFest, celebrating the 40th anniversary of the Cleveland Jazz Orchestra and the
launch this past spring of the only fulltime jazz channel serving Northeast Ohio: JazzNEO.
The 45th Annual JazzFest at Playhouse Square in June featured the legendary Charles Lloyd, Cuban pianist Harold Lopez-Nussa, Cecile McLorin Salvant and Ledisi. Don’t despair if you missed it; the Cleveland Jazz Orchestra has rolled out its “Pops” series in addition to its season series at the Maltz Performing Arts Center. The Cleveland Jazz Orchestra is kicking off its season on Saturday, Sept. 21, celebrating the 50th Anniversary of when Frank Sinatra opened the Richfield Coliseum.
“In addition to our partnerships, we also have a really exciting summer planned, including a partnership with PorchROKR,” says Jackson. You can see us at PorchROKR in August.
PorchROKR, which takes place in the Highland Square Neighborhood in Akron on Saturday, Aug. 17, is a one-ofa-kind outdoor music experience that showcases some of the best musical talent from Northeast Ohio, performing on neighborhood porches.
As for news and information, Ideastream’s current flagship program, the Sound of Ideas, highlights local issues through its Sound of Ideas
Community Tour. Recent topics include the Northeast Ohio jazz scene, the solar eclipse and more importantly how wealth and power have shaped our communities in Northeast Ohio Ideastream also has a long-standing partnership with the City Club of Cleveland and airs weekly City Club Forums Fridays on WVIZ.
“Our Community Tour events allow us to engage with local communities and solicit feedback,” says Jackson. “This is part of our commitment to engaged journalism.”
Jackson has been with Ideastream for two years, serving previously as communications manager in the Individual Giving department. A native of Solon, she has been in the nonprofit sector in Northeast Ohio since 2018. She received her master’s in public affairs at Indiana University, and prior to joining Ideastream she served as corporate relations manager at the Greater Cleveland Food Bank.
“Prior to COVID, Ideastream was actively engaged with community partners and events, and through the request of our members and audience we felt it was important to return to those types of activities,” she says.
Digital and social media engagement will be important to marketing the new strategy, says Jackson, who has had ample experience in developing communications for social media platforms.
“As part of our commitment to cultivate new audiences, we are always trying to expand our reach to different people in different ways. We also want to collaborate with our partners across all platforms to create a greater presence and better serve the people of Northeast Ohio. Our strategy also includes listening to more audience feedback and creating more volunteer opportunities.”
“We heard from our members and listeners that they really missed engaging with us in person. There is a big push for us to get out there and demonstrate our connections with the community.”
— SARI JACKSON
TRACY STROBEL
HELPING STRUGGLING STUDENTS
The Cuyahoga County Public Library provides a plethora of support programs for the community. By
As a new school year approaches, parents might worry about how their children will perform in the classroom, especially if they’re struggling academically or coming from disadvantaged environments.
Families might not realize that Cuyahoga County Public Library is ready to provide extra support that pupils need at any grade level and can also assist adults in career growth and transitions.
Tracy Strobel, executive officer of the county library system, says educational support programs fit the library’s mission of helping people read, learn, create and connect.
“We’re responding to the needs of the residents of our communities,” Strobel says. “Providing books and quiet spaces for reading and contemplation is still extremely important, but we can do and be so much more.”
Here are a few examples of free library programs that even regular library patrons may not know are available to them:
Student Success Centers. These centers are in 12 of the library system’s 27 branches. If children are struggling
Bob Sandrick
with specific homework assignments or classwork in general, they can visit a success center after school. Tutors study with kids in groups. Many of the tutors are college students working toward education degrees.
Strobel says success centers received nearly 10,000 child visits during the 2022-2023 school year. When the library surveyed parents and asked if the tutoring improved their children’s understanding of homework assignments, 96% said yes.
Kindergarten Club. Not all families can afford high-quality preschools, where children are first exposed to learning and reading. Those who miss out fall behind academically by the time they start kindergarten.
Kindergarten Club, which children and their families attend before and during the first six months of kindergarten, fills the preschool learning gap. The club teaches early literacy skills to kids. Meanwhile, parents learn how to deal with their children’s separation anxiety, pack nutritious lunches for their kids and prepare them for standardized testing.
In the past school year, of the 147 families who participated in Kindergarten Club, 99% of the children scored on-track in kindergarten readiness, Strobel says.
1-2-3 Read. Teachers in local school districts identify pupils who are behind in their reading skills and in danger of failing their third grade state reading test. These children are sent to 1-2-3 Read after school. Volunteer tutors provide reading support. Strobel says more than 2,000 children in grades one through three took part in 1-2-3 Read in the 2022-2023 school year. About 98% made progress toward grade-level reading.
Aspire Greater Cleveland. This is a division of the library system that provides classes that help adults who never finished high school prepare for their high school equivalency exams. The program even sends instructors to prisoners in the Cuyahoga County jail.
Rise Up. Adults in career transitions receive training and certification in sales and customer service. When they graduate the program, they are guaranteed job interviews with Rise Up-connected companies. In the last fiscal year, 30 English for speakers of other languages (ESOL) students completed the Rise Up program.
In addition, the library system offers technology classes and houses innovation centers where patrons can learn to use equipment like 3D printers, laser engravers and embroidery machines. The library also teaches ESOL and citizenship classes, which prepare them to complete the steps required to become U.S. citizens.
“It’s quite rewarding when participants of both our ESOL and citizenship classes participate in the naturalization ceremony and become citizens of the United States,” Strobel says. “It’s a huge achievement, and there’s quite a lot of work involved. We’re really happy to be part of that.”
LAWYERS GIVING BACK
Volunteers level the justice system’s playing field. By Jill Sell
Sometimes all it takes is 20 minutes, “the reading of a document, a phone call and a stroke of a keyboard to change someone’s life,” according to Charles (“Chaz”) F. Billington III, a partner with the Vorys Cleveland office and a strong advocate of the Legal Aid Society of Cleveland’s Volunteer Lawyers Program (VLP).
gain leadership experience, gain client experience, learn communication skills and learn about teamwork. You can get all that in a pro bono case where maybe you wouldn’t be able to in a million-dollar case,” says Billington, who is particularly proud of the Vorys onsite partnership with UH Rainbow Babies and Children’s Ahuja Center for Women and Children. The work includes helping clients with housing, custody issues and more.
That “on-the-job” training also helps create attorneys with stronger skills, benefiting the entire firm.
Gilbride adds that working directly with the leadership of legal firms and corporations in recruiting volunteer attorneys and staff is imperative.
“To some people who need our help, it may appear magical or like a superpower for an attorney to say, ‘Here’s what we are going to do and I’m going to make this all go away.’ But because that is a such a powerful thing, it is incumbent of us as lawyers to give back,” says Billington, adding that Legal Aid’s pro bono attorneys help “level the playing field for everyone to have access to the justice system.”
In 2023, slightly more than 500 attorneys from across Greater Cleveland were VLP participants, helping clients with civil-legal concerns, according to VLP and Intake Managing Attorney Lauren Gilbride. The program formally began in 2006.
“We turn away about half of the people who come to us, not because there isn’t good legal merit to their cases, but because we just don’t have enough resources and
volunteer attorneys. But we are still meeting a critical need for many people who are underserved, under-represented and without any legal information or advice,” says Gilbride, adding that the time commitment for pro bono lawyers can be very flexible.
VLP is not just crucial for the well-being of the client, but for law firms and individual attorneys. Billington believes “law, like every profession, has changed, and we are becoming more community minded and more philanthropic.”
Vorys has met those challenges, Billington believes, by giving attorneys more opportunities to show those directives through pro bono work and VLP. That action also can be a good recruiting asset for firms looking for more members.
VLP provides several ways for attorneys to make a difference. Volunteers can participate in Brief Advice Clinics that provide general advice to those attending the neighborhood clinics. There are options to volunteer over the phone, virtually via Zoom or in person. Accepting a case for legal representation is also possible, as is becoming an in-house volunteer working with staff attorneys.
“For lawyers who are less seasoned, this is an opportunity to get into court,
“Once we get that support from the larger organization, the easier it is for people inside those organizations to do volunteer work,” says Gilbride, adding that in many cases, pro bono volunteers can earn continuing education credits and/or attend free training sessions.
Joe Rodgers, senior vice president, Ethics and Compliance, for Eaton, says his firm’s pro bono attorneys “have the sponsorship of the highest levels of leadership of the company.”
Eaton “strongly believes in giving back to the communities in which we work,” and “putting its support in two buckets — charitable contributions and volunteering time.”
“We had a tremendous showing at the last Brief Advice Clinic and served over 30 individuals and families. We are planning another one in the fall,” says Rodgers. “Anytime you walk out of there, you feel better than when you walked in. You know that you have addressed a problem in some way that someone may have been waiting to get help for.
“In many ways, Legal Aid is giving people their lives back.”
“For
lawyers who are less seasoned, this is an opportunity to get into court, gain leadership experience, gain client experience, learn communication skills and learn about teamwork.”
— LAUREN GILBRIDE
CHAZ BILLINGTON
LAUREN GILBRIDE
Volunteers gain valuable experience and learn more about teamwork
My Life
By Lynne Thompson
My Food
Taking it to the Streets
You don’t have to be a foodie to know that Mexican street corn is definitely a thing. Elote, sold like hotdogs out of south-of-the-border street-vendor carts, has migrated onto restaurant menus and into festivals. One local grocery store chain even sells it in the form of a kit.
Omar Espinosa, co-owner and manager of Cilantro Taqueria’s Chesterland location, has been eating street corn ever since he was a child growing up in southern California. Rather than mixing a single creamy, spicy sauce to slather on ears of sweet corn, he offers the ingredients a la carte to facilitate customization of each order. He suggests setting up a station with the following to heat up a barbecue.
Sweet corn. The ears can be boiled, steamed or grilled. Espinosa impales each on a stick. “It makes it a lot easier to carry,” he says.
Mayonnaise. Whatever’s in the refrigerator will do. “If people don’t eat mayonnaise, then we use butter” to spread on the corn so the fixings stick, Espinosa says.
Grated cotija. Espinosa describes the aged cow’s-milk cheese as “Mexican-style parmesan.” In fact, he suggests
sprinkling parmesan to taste if cotija isn’t available.
Spices. Espinosa uses Tajin Clasico, a brand-name blend of mild chili peppers, lime and sea salt that doesn’t burn the mouth. (We found a 9-ounce bottle for $4.98 at Walmart.) He suggests sprinkling a ½ tablespoon on the ear of corn, then adding more if desired. “We like to roast hot peppers, blend them up really good, and then throw that on top — that’s for the people that like it really, really spicy,” he adds.
Fresh lime juice. Espinosa squeezes the juice of at least one lime half on his. “Then you’re ready to roll.”
My Home
Cooler Weather Yard Prep
Prepping
the yard for winter is the last thing most homeowners want to think about during the precious last days of summer. But experts say fall (six weeks before the first sign of hard frost) is the best time to enhance cold-weather curb appeal. The warm soil temperatures and mild weather create an ideal environment for tree, shrub and grass root growth.
“There’s a lot of sun during the day,” explains Tony Nasrallah of Ground Works Land Design in Westlake. “And it cools at night, so there’s less watering.”
Nasrallah offers a few of the plants that contribute to
a landscape worth admiring on the coldest days.
Evergreens. Nasrallah describes pines and firs in a range of greens and blues that designers use as “a base plant palette” to create layers of color and texture that maintain their subtle beauty throughout the year. His goto is one of the evergreen hollies, shrubs that carry their fruit throughout the winter.
Ornamental grasses. Nasrallah notes that some clients don’t cut back their ornamental grasses. They enjoy the sight and rustling sound of tall, wispy blades blowing in the wind. “Around the holidays, I’ve seen people tie little ribbons or bows around them,” he says.
Deciduous trees with interesting barks. Nasrallah lists paper-bark maples and some birches as examples worthy of focal-point status after the leaves drop. Some, like the dawn redwood, up the ante with their branching patterns.
Lighting. “Landscaping lighting looks great all year long,” Nasrallah declares. He describes the beauty of uplit evergreens flocked in snow, the drama of a bare dawn redwood silhouetted on an exterior home wall, the wow factor of outdoor fireplaces and kitchens illuminated by undercap lights, of sidewalks lined with pathway counterparts. “It’s soft and elegant,” he says of the effect.
Tony Nasrallah
My Health
Reducing Political Stress
Dr. Patrick Runnels
Politics is a topic that’s best avoided at social events. But the damage it inflicts in the digital age goes beyond heated discussions that ruin cocktail parties.
Dr. Patrick Runnels, a psychiatrist who serves as chief medical officer for population health at University Hospitals, observes that frequent exposure to content that elicits negative emotions — including the political news and commentary
proliferating news and social-media sites — contributes to an increase in feelings of anxiety and depression.
“We now live in a world in which a lot of people have a lot more negative opinions about where the world is going, which sure as heck seems to correlate a whole lot with the amount of time
we spend and the frequency we spend absorbing negative news,” he says.
The easiest way to reduce the stress engendered by that content is to reduce the frequency and time spent reading, watching and/or listening to it. He suggests limiting the activity to 30 to 60 minutes once or twice a week.
“Things do not change that rapidly,” he reassures. “You’re not getting any benefit from more frequent exposure.”
More difficult to avoid is the stress from interacting with people who insist on expressing their political views, particularly in language, jokes, memes, etc. ranging from less-than-diplomatic to downright offensive. Runnels recommends not judging the source solely on a single verbal
comment, e-mail or social-media post and responding.
“All it does is retrench the idea that our differences are greater than our similarities,” he says. “The key to stopping that is not to think about the logic of the argument, which is what everyone wants to do. The right thing to do is to pull out entirely from what the logic is, step back and see the person as a human.”
If you want to maintain the relationship with that person, do not try to change his or her mind. Runnels advises trying some version of, “I hear that you’re kind of upset about things. I’m interested to hear, though, about those things that are positive. I’m curious to know what ways we can talk even though we disagree [on this].”
My Earth
Ridding of Things Responsibly
Sell it? Donate it? Throw it away?
They’re the options people ponder when they upgrade their home audio systems — or when they’re helping friends and relatives downsize. None of them is ideal.
The stereo components lugged from college dorms to first apartments to new homes can be a time-consuming hassle to unload, even when they’re free, in a digital world. And tossing them with the trash is difficult for the eco-conscious, particularly if they still function.
Bernard (Bernie) Naworski finds homes for many of them
at Play It
Again Sam, his audio consignment shop and repair facility at 14311 Madison Ave. in Lakewood. His customers range from young adults moving out of their parents’ homes to doctors, lawyers and other high-networth individuals.
“When you get back to the ’70s, that’s what everybody wants,” he says.
Naworski notes that the resurgence of vinyl has created a demand for turntables, along with receivers and speakers — one he attributes to listeners’ discovering or rediscovering vinyl’s superior sound quality.
“A needle in a groove gives you the good, the bad and the ugly,” he says. He compares digital formats to a dot-matrix printer’s output. “Every gap between the dots is lost information.”
Naworski also takes cassette decks and 8-track-tape players to sell to those who still have playable media. Although he doesn’t sell video equipment, he makes exceptions for DVD players that play CDs and VCR players. The latter are picked up by people looking to play or convert VHS content — particularly home movies — to a digital format.
Naworski’s pricing depends on an item’s quality
and condition. One thing he won’t sell or repair is a stereo console, that casement piece of the ’50s and ’60s housing radios and turntables.
“The only value to it was the woodwork,” he says. “They put the cheapest junk inside. … Make it into an aquarium, a bar, a bookshelf. Or put it on your tree lawn.”
For more information, go to playitagainsam.com or call 216-228-7330.
By Gabe Leidy
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