From the Publisher

It’s the Initiatives, Stupid!

While created by political strategist James Carville, it was President Bill Clinton who made famous the statement, “It’s the economy, stupid.” At the time, he wanted to get the attention of his fellow Americans about an important issue, and he succeeded.

While I may not be Bill Clinton, nor would I ever call Clevelanders stupid, I wish I could find a way to have us all understand that the way to create growth and prosperity for our community and ourselves is by setting goals for initiatives and achieving them.

Initiatives are the most powerful tool we have in creating progress. They force us to set aside the things that divide us and concentrate on the things that unite us in building a better life.

Initiatives force us to leave the ground we walk each day and step onto new ground — a common ground. Ground that is made of common knowledge, common purpose and common action.

With new mayors come new initiatives. This issue’s cover story by editor Terry Troy looks at Mayor Justin Bibb’s top initiatives, as well as those of other community leaders.

Once upon a time, Cleveland had a clear understanding of where it was and where it wanted to go. It is hard to believe that this 20-year period of unbelievable growth ended 36 years ago.

Now would be a good time to begin again — to establish the initiatives that make us a better place to live and work, and follow the progress of those initiatives until they are achieved.

It was the management guru Peter Drucker who compared successful businesses and civic organizations to orchestras. They could play beautiful music because they played from the same score.

Wouldn’t it be nice to look back on 2022 as the year we began to play from the same score in achieving the goals for initiatives that made Greater Cleveland greater?

Executive Publisher Lute Harmon Sr. Executive Editor Terry Troy Managing Editor Jennifer Bowen Sima Senior Editor Rachel Hagenbaugh

Managing Art Director Rayanne Medford Associate Art Director Ashley Moreman Assistant Art Director Abigail Archer

Contributing Writers Joanne Cahill Rhonda Crowder Christina Easter Linda Feagler Lee Fisher Theresa Neuhoff Pat Perry Bob Sandrick Jill Sell Lynne Thompson

Contributing Artists David Schwartz

Senior Account

Executives Sarah Desmond Tiffany Myroniak

Account Executives Julie Bialowas

Advertising

Coordinator Corey Galloway

Associate Production Manager

Alyson Moutz Cowan

Advertising Design

Intern Colin Dunn

Operations Manager Jennifer Roberts

Chief Financial Officer George Sedlak

COMMUNITY LEADER is produced in partnership with community stakeholders.

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