Community Leader - February 2024

FEB RUA RY 2 0 24

PAUL ROETZER

Revealing the Myths Is AI a problem or the solution?

PETE BLACKSHAW

JOE PULIZZI

TOM HUMPHREY

INSIDE: + Housing the Homeless + Honoring Our Leaders + C reating the Sound of Ideas

LARA JEHI, MD

Build Resilient and Courageous Leadership

Gain knowledge through innovative, industry-driven solutions.

• Evaluate employee performance using effective assessment tools

• Advance diversity, inclusion and equity initiatives

• Build personalized coaching into talent development

• Improve communication and lead change • Create a superior customer experience

corporatecollege.com/training

24-0017

• Maximize skills of frontline and experienced managers

CONTENTS

FEBRUARY 2024

12

20 36

DEPARTMENTS

UPFRONT

FEATURES

2 From the Publisher 38 My Life 40 1000 Words

5 Recognizing

20 Hope for the Homeless

The Diversity Center of Northeast Ohio recognizes local business leaders for their work.

We examine how local organizations are making big efforts to help women and struggling families get off the streets.

BY JILL SELL

BY JILL SELL

8 “All For One”

26 New Models of Care

COLUMNS 12 Lee Fisher Examining what it’s going to take to finally make long-talked-about improvements to our waterfronts.

Humanitarians

A new public-private Lorain County partnership hires a director to drive economic development.

BY TERRY TROY

Ohio Guidestone offers Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinics to address mental and behavioral health needs.

SCOREBOARD

10 Cleveland Celebrates

BY JOANNE CAHILL

14 ScoreBoard

Headquarters

We highlight why Metro Cleveland needs a local crime monitor.

The sixth season of Cleveland Chain Reaction awards grants to local entrepreneurs.

BY JIM TRUTKO

BY TERRY TROY

EVENTS 16 Working the Room The Business Hall of Fame and Community Leader of the Year awards celebrated local business and community leaders.

BY TERRY TROY

Small Businesses

11 Oswald Moves to Flats

29 The Creation of “Ideas”

28 “Making” New

BY BOB SANDRICK

BY TERRY TROY

COVER STORY

BY BOB SANDRICK

34 Thriving at Home McGregor Senior Living offers more options to help older adults stay in their homes safely.

BY JOANNE CAHILL

35 Exploring Opportunities Baldwin Wallace University helps transfer students adapt to their new school seamlessly.

BY JILL SELL

MasterBrand cabinet maker moves its headquarters from Indiana to Beachwood.

Oswald Companies is moving its headquarters to the East Bank of the Flats.

Ideastream’s Sound of Ideas Community Tour facilitates conversations about important community topics.

36 Keeping it Real My Sister’s Keeper helps women afflicted with breast cancer navigate life with their diagnosis.

BY CHRISTINA EASTER

30

30 Panacea or Problem?

Is AI part of a productive future or is it something to be concerned about? Experts in the field address the myths and what the tools can really mean for us.

BY TERRY TROY

clevelandmagazine.com/cleader

| COMMUNITY LEADER 1

FROM THE PUBLISHER // BY LU TE HARMON SR .

Executive Publisher Executive Editor Managing Editor Senior Editor

Pushing Pendulums

O

ver the years, pendulums have become a favorite visual aid for authors who want to explain where we are and where they want us to go. We have all seen pendulums swinging from bad to good, wrong to right, poor to rich, doing nothing to doing something. You get the picture.

When reading the book Evil Geniuses by Kurt Andersen, I thought his observation that “sometimes pendulums need to be pushed” was a good way of explaining the challenge we face at the moment, that is, to swing our country from 330 million individuals to 330 million citizens joined together to achieve common goals.

It is hard to believe that a large segment of our population does not remember, or has never known, how America got to be what it is today. From our very beginning, when something needed to be done, we formed groups of like-minded people to get it done. We only need to look at COVID to think of the groups of people that helped us make it through.

If the task in front of us is pushing the pendulum from Me to We, no one described it better than Booker T. Washington, who said in, yes, 1805: “In all things that are purely social we can be as separate as the fingers, yet as one hand in all things essential to mutual progress.”

The most exciting aspect of pushing pendulums is that we do not have to fly to Washington, D.C. to push them. Collaborative initiatives are best created in local communities. We can tackle whatever we want. The goal is progress. We can begin today to create collaborative initiatives in environment, safety, nonprofits, business, government, arts — the list is endless.

At one time, from 1980 to 1996, Cleveland was one of the most collaborative cities in the United States. Civic leaders from business, government and nonprofits achieved over 50 initiatives that changed the city forever. Twenty-eight years seems like forever.

We are long overdue in doing it again.

Lute Harmon Sr. Terry Troy Jennifer Bowen Sima Ann-Marie Vazzano

Managing Art Director Jenny Perdue Art Directors Rayanne Medford Megan Rosta

Contributing Writers Karen Beis Joanne Cahill Christina Easter Lee Fisher Bob Sandrick Jill Sell Lynne Thompson Terry Troy Jim Trutko Contributing Artists Shelly Duncan 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 Coordinator Kristen Brickner

Production Manager Alyson Moutz Cowan Audience and Events Manager Jennifer Roberts Chief Financial Officer George Sedlak

Cleveland Magazine | Ohio Magazine | Lake Erie Living | Custom Media | Quest Digital

1422 Euclid Ave., Suite 730, Cleveland, OH 44115 (216) 771-2833 | fax (216) 781-6318 | www.glpublishing.com

COMMUNITY LEADER is pro duce d i n pa r t ne rsh i p w i t h commu n i t y s t a keh o ld e rs .

2 COMMUNITY LEADER | FEBRUARY 2024

Host your next event at

Unique and memorable venue Professional event planning services Modern, upscale catering Audio/video system for presentations Upgrade to include animal encounters

Visit clevelandmetroparks.com/rentals or call 216-635-3304.

Employee Medical Coverage Employee Medical Coverage Employee Employee Medical Medical Coverage Coverage Workers' Compensation Discounts SAVE NOW Workers' Compensation Discounts Employee Medical Coverage Workers' Workers' Compensation Compensation Discounts Discounts SAVE NOW Payroll/Credit Card Processing SA SA VV E EN N OO WW Employee Medical Coverage Card Processing S A V E B IPayroll/Credit G Payroll/Credit Payroll/Credit Card Card Processing Processing Workers' Compensation Discounts Shipping Discounts S ASVAEV E NO BW I GS A SA VV E EB IBGI G Shipping Discounts Shipping Shipping Discounts DiscountsDiscounts Payroll/Credit Card Processing Workers' Compensation Energy Savings S A V E N OS W AVE BIG Energy Energy Savings Savings Energy Savings Shipping and Discounts much more....

Payroll/Credit Card Processing and and much much more.... more.... and much more....

Energy Savings

SAVE BIG

Shipping Discounts and much more....

SAVE NOW

Energy Savings

FOR MORE IMFORATION AND A FREE QUOTE: F OFR OR MO MR OER E I MI F MOFR OARTAIT OIN ON AN AD ND AA F RFEREE E QU QO UTOET: E :

FOR MORE IMFORATION AND A FREE QUOTE:

and much more....

FOR MORE IMFORATION AND A FREE QUOTE: 216-447-9900 ce@noacc.org noacc.org/benefits 216-447-9900 216-447-9900 ce@noacc.org ce@noacc.org noacc.org/benefits noacc.org/benefits

216-447-9900 ce@noacc.org Northern Northern Ohio Ohio Area Area Chambers Chambers Commerce of Commerce || PO |noacc.org/benefits PO Box Box 3230, 3230, Cuyahoga Cuyahoga Falls, Falls, OHOH 44223 44223 Northern Ohio Area Chambers ofofCommerce PO Box 3230, Cuyahoga Falls, OH 44223 Northern Ohio Area Chambers of Commerce | PO Box 3230, Cuyahoga Falls, OH 44223

216-447-9900

ce@noacc.org

noacc.org/benefits

UPFRONT DIVERSIT Y // BY JILL SELL

Recognizing Humanitarians

COURTESY DIVERSITY CENTER OF NORTHEAST OHIO

T

he programs may change, the faces may change and the challenges may change. But since its founding in 1927, the Diversity Center of Northeast Ohio has not changed its commitment: an unwavering mission to “eliminate bias, bigotry and racism,” according to President and CEO Peggy Zone Fisher.

That commitment was reaffirmed at the Diversity Center’s 69th Annual Humanitarian Award Celebration, held at the Renaissance Cleveland Hotel. Top honors were given to the 2023 Humanitarian Award honorees, Robyn Minter Smyers, partner, Thompson Hine, and Chris Gorman, chairman, CEO and president, KeyCorp.

“These are not just humanitarians at work. They take it home to their communities,” says Zone Fisher. “The role of the humanitarian has become more crucial than ever. These individuals inspire action, urging us to be vocal in the face of injustice and to actively contribute to inclusive environments.”

The Diversity Center takes “a firm stand against hate by prioritizing education,” says Zone Fisher, realizing that “knowledge is a powerful tool to dissolve fear.”

Working with schools, companies, law firms, health care systems and nonprofits,

The Diversity Center of Northeast Ohio recently presented its annual awards for those fighting bias, bigotry and racism.

the Diversity Center teaches tools “that translate into real-world actions that contribute to a more inclusive society,” she says. “We go into schools and teach how to be an ally for someone who doesn’t have a voice.”

The Diversity Center operates in 11 counties, servicing urban and suburban schools. Zone Fisher says the Humanitarian Awards “are not merely symbolic; they represent individuals actively applying acquired skills to make a difference.”

Robyn Minter Smyers

Last year, Robyn Minter Smyers accompanied her family, including two of her children who are now seniors in high school, on a trip to France. The journey, organized for the Shaker Heights High School Marching Band, included a visit to Omaha Beach in Normandy.

“We were with young people that day who were almost the same age as the American GIs who liberated people they never met when they decided the fate of the world,” says Minter Smyers. “To me, it was disheartening when I was there to think that an army of dictators is still rolling through Europe. But we can stand

up for justice like the GIs did. Right now, there is an important fight for the soul of America, and it rests on the shoulders of young people. It is our job as community leaders to support them.”

But Minter Smyers’ commitment to humanitarian efforts isn’t focused just on youth. Her leadership with many community organizations and initiatives “has focused on civil engagement, philanthropy, education and diversity, equity and inclusion over the past 20 years,” benefiting all people.

“I’ve served on the board of the Diversity Center of Northeast Ohio since 2010 and am the immediate past president of the City Club of Cleveland, where I have served on the board since 2009,” says Minter Smyers, whose parRobyn Minter ents, Dolly and Steve Minter, Smyers were well-known Northeast Ohio humanitarians. In addition, Minter Smyers has been involved with the George W. Codrington Charitable Foundation, the Treu-Mart Fund, the Cleveland Foundation’s Committee on Student Success, the Links Inc. and the Museum of Contemporary Art - Cleveland. Minter Smyers says we

These individuals inspire action,

urging us to be vocal in the face of injustice and to actively contribute to inclusive environments.”

— Peggy Zone Fisher

clevelandmagazine.com/cleader

| COMMUNITY LEADER 5

need to listen closely to one another and be aware of how easy it is to demonize people who have different perspectives than we do. In her Humanitarian Award acceptance speech, Minter Smyers pointed out the “awful surge in antisemitism across the globe, anti-LGBTQ violence, ferocious attacks on the rights of transgender people, racism against Black and Brown people, Islamophobia, the whitewashing of school curricula and banning books.

“If you are like me, then right now your heart is breaking,” Minter Smyers told the audience. “We also need to invest more in institutions like the City Club of Cleveland. It’s the kind of place where civic, civil dialogue is still really happening.”

Minter Smyers’ Humanitarian Award also reflects her work as an attorney with Thompson Hine, spotlighting her contributions to major community impact projects, including the redevelopment of Public Square, the development of Hilton Cleveland Downtown and the current restoration of the West Side Market.

Chris M. Gorman

The deceptively simple, but clever red key is one of the most recognizable corporate logos in northeast Ohio.

But the logo of KeyCorp (and its primary subsidiary KeyBank) that looms at the top of tall buildings, including Key Tower in Cleveland, and is featured in company advertising, isn’t just well known in Ohio. KeyCorp serves 3.5 million clients in 15 states and manages $188 billion in assets.

The bank’s history and mergers can be traced back to 1825.

Chris M. Gorman is chairman, CEO and president of KeyCorp, a company that by its very size, influence and strength is a powerful example in any community.

Gorman takes that responsibility seriously.

“I have been grateful for many incredible opportunities in my career.

I believe that with each of these opportunities came an obligation to serve and uplift our

neighbors and neighborhoods,” says Gorman, a KeyBank employee for three decades who credits KeyCorp’s approximately 17,000 employees for much of the company’s success. “Service is central to my personal commitment — to my company and to my community — and I take that commitment to heart every day.”

Gorman says that “behind every investment, every deposit, every loan, every dollar of philanthropy and every volunteer hour — to clients or in our communities — are real lives and livelihoods impacted and often transformed.”

“I have found that listening, learning and really taking the time to understand someone’s story or challenge demonstrates respect and caring,” says Gorman, who is a member of the Business Roundtable, serves as chairman of the Ohio Business Roundtable Christopher and is a member of the M. Gorman executive committee of the

Top Rated Among Residents, Visitors & Businesses

Shopping

Dining

Events

Culture

Discover Where You Belong - BeachwoodOhio.com -

6 COMMUNITY LEADER | FEBRUARY 2024

Greater Cleveland Partnership, among other volunteer positions. “A simple follow-up such as, ‘tell me more about that,’ ensures that someone feels heard and cared for and importantly, ensures that you learn something along the way.

“We have the power to give voice to the voiceless and to put a much-needed spotlight on societal challenges.

Slowing down, being attentive and actively, earnestly engaged, goes a long way toward understanding and addressing challenges, especially in a world that moves quickly and has a short attention span.”

KeyCorp has been recognized for its many humanitarian actions over the decades. A recent honor includes being named one of only 65 2023 Leading Disability Employers by the National Organization on Disability. The award “honors those organizations that prioritize diversity, equity and importantly, accessibility — setting a high standard for others to follow,” according to the organization.

2O23 Humanitarian Award Honorees: Chris M. Gorman, chairman, CEO and president, KeyCorp; and Robyn Minter Smyers, partner, Thompson Hine

69th Annual Humanitarian Award Recipients: Maggie K. Myers – FirstEnergy; LeadDIVERSITY Outstanding Alumni Award Tonya Woods Shelton – FirstEnergy; LeadDIVERSITY Outstanding Alumni Award Mary Matisak – Milkovich Middle School – Diversity Education and Citizenship Leadership Award

Green High School – Bella Rink, Rhiana Bruce, Parker Green, Danya Hammoudeh; 2023 Student Diversity Championship Citizenship Award

Celebration Board Co-Chairs: Jill Hennessey – market leader, Commercial Banking Northern Ohio, the PNC Financial Services Group; and Robert E. Soroka, senior vice president, retail executive, Fifth Third Bank

Honorary Co-Chairs: Rev. Courtney Clayton-Jenkins, pastor and teacher, South Euclid United Church of Christ; Stewart A. Kohl, co-CEO, the Riverside Co.; Lillian Kuri, president and CEO, the Cleveland Foundation; and Darrell L. McNair, CEO, MVP Plastics

SAVE THE DATE The Diversity Center of Northeast Ohio’s 22nd Annual Walk, Rock, Roll and Run event is Saturday, May 4, at the Great Lakes Science Center in Cleveland. Last year’s event raised $257,994, earmarked to “helping a new generation of students and future leaders embrace their differences and become change agents for inclusion and diversity.” For more information about the event, visit diversitycenterneo.org

clevelandmagazine.com/cleader

| COMMUNITY LEADER 7

UPFRONT LE ADERSHIP // BY TERRY TROY

“All for ONE” A public-private Lorain County partnership drives economic development and hires a director.

W

8 COMMUNITY LEADER | FEBRUARY 2024

N

E

Ohio

Neighborhood

Engagement

economic development strategy focused on driving traded sector industry growth by engaging companies about their plans for business investment and growth opportunities in Lorain County.

ONE Lorain County also will seek opportunities to leverage existing resources and the expertise of civic leaders in order to best position Lorain County as a prime location for corporations, businesses and entrepreneurs to thrive.

In her career spanning over 25 years, Hutson has demonstrated an innate ability to help business owners grow their customer base, expand their entrepreneurial ventures, invest in their employees and become vital community partners. Hutson most recently served as the director of the Small Business Development Center at Lorain County Community College (SBDC at LCCC) since 2015. Previous to her SBDC position, Hutson worked for a variety of banks in the business banking realm of financial services.

“The Board and Hiring Committee of ONE Lorain County has been deliberate and patient in the search for the director of this new public-private Philip Amos partnership,” says Amos.

“Lisa stood out amongst the many candidates that we interviewed because she knows and has worked with Lorain County businesses. Her experience and connections with the business

community will help us achieve the goals and objectives for economic development and ultimately make ONE Lorain County succeed in our efforts.”

“Lisa’s proven ability to develop relationships, initiate partnerships, communicate progress and work together toward common goals will be extremely helpful in this new economic- development role,” adds Kevin Knight, chairman of ONE Lorain County.

Hutson has ample experience with the Lorain County business community. She currently sits on the board of the Lorain County Chamber of Commerce, she is vice-chair for the Lisa Hutson Lorain County Workforce Development Board, current president of Elyria Sunrise Rotary and board member for the Elyria Community Partnership and Oberlin Community Land Trust.

She was entrusted as the project manager for the Department of Defense funding MITSTO09 — Regional Fabrication and Certification Labs with a budget of over $4 million. While at the SBDC, Hutson also was Huntington Bank’s choice for 1:1 counseling for the Entrepreneur in Residence program, part of its $40 billion 2021 Strategic Community Plan.

Hutson earned her bachelor’s in political science from Alma College, her MBA from Lake Erie College and is expected to complete her Certified Economic Developer (CEcD) certification this winter.

COURTESY ONE LORAIN COUNTY

ith the introduction of its latest business and economic development agency, Lorain County has gone “All for ONE.” An acronym that stands for Ohio Neighborhood Engagement (ONE), Lorain County is already developing initiatives designed to provide assistance to residents interested in working together. This 501(c)(3) countywide economic development organization also is receiving financial support from local governments, private businesses, educational entities, organizations and the philanthropic community.

Like many other economic development agencies, ONE Lorain County’s mission is to encourage economic growth and prosperity in coordination with other economic development organizations, public sector leaders and philanthropic organizations.

“The importance of having ONE Lorain County move forward with an integrated economic development strategy cannot be overemphasized, especially now given the transformative economic development occurring in Ohio as it positions itself as the Silicon Heartland,” says Philip Amos, vice-chair of the organization.

“The timing couldn’t be any better for us to be at the table for what Lorain County can offer to strengthen this goal for our county, our region and our state.”

Last fall, ONE Lorain County hired Lisa Hutson as its new director.

Hutson is executing an integrated

O

Be known as a great Northeast Ohio workplace for top talent!

Apply to win the region’s most prestigious award for employee attraction and retention.

Why apply for NorthCoast 99?

• Access powerful data to make better business decisions • Measure & improve employee engagement • Gain a competitive edge in your industry

Visit NorthCoast99.org to apply by April 11, 2024!

Presented by: yourERC.com | NorthCoast99.org

UPFRONT SMALL BUSINE SSE S // BY TERRY TROY

Cleveland Celebrates Small Businesses

T

10 COMMUNITY LEADER | FEBRUARY 2024

Winners and Semifinalists of Cleveland Chain Reaction

This season of

Cleveland Chain Reaction had a true wow factor. It is inspiring and energizing to work with such innovative and passionate entrepreneurs right here in Greater Cleveland.”

— Megan E. Kim

The 18 semifinalists participated in a four-week bootcamp hosted by JumpStart where business experts advised them on how to pitch their businesses, create a business plan, place value on their businesses and appropriately invest capital to take their businesses to the next level. The entrepreneurs then pitched their businesses to a panel of judges for the opportunity to win a capital investment.

The 15 other semifinalists included: 2 You Wines; A Chiropractic Healing; Ari Memorial LLC; Carmella Marie Inc.; I Care Healthcare; Great Lakes

Watersports; LaJAshley; Lokul; Mixology Inc.; Play Maysie: A Portable World of Play; The Capsoul Collective Inc.: The T.U.L.S.A. Learning Center; The Touch of Teele’s Cleaning and Detail LLC; YumVillage, Cleveland and ZuZu Chocolates.

“JumpStart is committed to helping entrepreneurs grow their businesses through transformative advising, network connections and education,” says Lauren Smith-Petta, JumpStart’s director of educational services. “We are proud to partner with Chain Reaction to deliver an intensive 4-week bootcamp to prepare participants for growth.

It’s a true pleasure to witness the promise of Cleveland entrepreneurs through this cohort of ambitious contestants. We’re excited to see where these inspiring entrepreneurs go from here.”

Since its inception in 2017 (the competition was put on hold in 2020 due to the pandemic), Cleveland Chain Reaction has received more than 515 applications, coached and prepared 126 small business semifinalists, connected winning businesses to more than $1.7 million in capital and provided over 580 hours of technical assistance.

Cleveland Chain Reaction was inspired by Cleveland Hustles, the reality series produced by LeBron James that aired on CNBC in 2016.

Cleveland Chain Reaction is an independent and unrelated effort that supports the continued opportunity that Cleveland Hustles initiated. Cleveland Chain Reaction is produced by COSE in collaboration with FOX 8 News in the Morning’s Kickin’ It with Kenny. This season of Cleveland Chain Reaction was sponsored by Medical Mutual, Minutemen Family of Companies and MAGNET. FreshWater Cleveland was the competition’s digital publication partner.

COURTESY GCP AND COSE

he entrepreneurial spirit is alive and well across Northeast Ohio.

Congratulations to the winners of the sixth season of Cleveland Chain Reaction, a neighborhood economic development project and small business pitch competition from the Greater Cleveland Partnership’s (GCP) Council of Small Enterprises (COSE).

Cleveland Chain Reaction connects entrepreneurs to capital and mentors and places new businesses in Cleveland neighborhoods to create jobs and prosperity.

“This season of Cleveland Chain Reaction had a true wow factor. It is inspiring and energizing to work with such innovative and passionate entrepreneurs right here in Greater Cleveland,” says Megan E. Kim, executive director of COSE and senior vice president, membership development and marketing at GCP. “Whether the winner or not, COSE looks forward to continuing to engage with these businesses to support their ambitions and to help build more successful businesses that bring jobs and economic impact to our region.”

First place went to Marshmallow of the Month Club, a maker of artisan marshmallows, fresh baked graham crackers and a signature blend of gourmet cocoa, which received $40,000.

Second place went to It’s a Wrap LLC, a provider of vinyl vehicle wraps, window tinting and graphics and signage for vehicles, which received $20,000.

Crochet Kitty, a creator of safe, handcrafted cat toys received $10,000 for taking home third.

The 15 remaining semifinalists received $1,250 grants funded by Cleveland Chain Reaction partners, Medical Mutual, Minutemen Family of Companies and MAGNET. The winners were announced live at the Ariel LaSalle Theatre and featured on Kickin’ It with Kenny on FOX 8 News in the Morning.

GCP announces the winners of sixth season of Cleveland Chain Reaction.

DE VELOPMENT // BY TERRY TROY

Oswald Moves to Flats

Company reaffirms its 130-year plus commitment to Cleveland.

O

swald Companies is moving its headquarters from its present location on Superior Avenue to the former E&Y Tower, a prominent fixture on our city’s skyline on the East Bank of the Flats. Founded in 1893, employee-owned Oswald is one of the nation’s largest independent insurance brokerage and risk management firms.

Once all necessary approvals are received, the move will be completed in

2024, and plans include a name change to Oswald Tower.

Oswald will occupy approximately 100,000 square feet of space, including the first-floor conference center.

“Oswald has been headquartered in downtown Cleveland since its establishment 130 years ago, and we’re proud to continue to call the city our home,” says Robert Klonk, chairman and CEO of the company who was inducted into the Cleveland Business Hall of Fame last fall. “As an independent and employee-owned firm, we are thrilled to work with The Wolstein Group.

“Through this partnership, both entities can further continue to strengthen downtown,” Klonk adds.

“This is another example of two Cleveland-based organizations coming together for the greater good of our region.”

“We are very excited to partner with Oswald Companies. Having such a prestigious firm rooted in Cleveland recognize the opportunity to reside in the Flats is an honor,” says Iris S. Wolstein, principal of The Wolstein Group.

“The development of the Flats East Bank was envisioned by my late husband, Bart, to stimulate growth in Cleveland.

This project has truly been a labor of love for Bart, myself and our late son, Scott.”

The new location will provide a fresh space where Oswald’s employee-owners will have the opportunity to collaborate in new ways.

“We are so excited that Oswald decided to keep their headquarters in Cleveland. By staying in the heart of downtown, they are investing in the growth and development of the city,” says Cleveland Mayor Justin M. Bibb.

Bob Klonk

clevelandmagazine.com/cleader

| COMMUNITY LEADER 11

COMMUNIT Y // BY LEE F ISHER

Our Ever-changing Waterfronts Will the 17th try be the charm?

T

12 COMMUNITY LEADER | FEBRUARY 2024

Lake Erie Lakefront, in particular, that has vexed us in ways no other city land has.

Lake Erie is one of the largest bodies of fresh water in the world that western U.S. cities would die to have as part of their urban landscape. But Cleveland’s downtown has been separated from Lake Erie by a 65-foot drop in elevation, a fast-moving Shoreway (I call it the “In-the-Way-ofthe-Shore-Way”), the underutilized, massive 450-acre Burke Lakefront Airport, and a wasteland of railroad lines and parking lots. Over 90% of the 30-mile Lake Erie shoreline within Cuyahoga County is not publicly accessible.

For more than a century, there has been no shortage of planning to leverage this distinctive asset. Since 1903, when Cleveland's

first urban plans called for access to the Lake Erie shoreline, there have been 16 plans to develop the lakefront. Much like our beloved Cleveland Browns, the watchword for lakefront development has always been “maybe next year.”

But this 17th attempt feels different thanks to a long-term strategic cross-sector coalition led by Cleveland Mayor Justin Bibb and Cuyahoga County Executive Chris Ronayne.

The North Coast Master Plan is the guiding vision for Cleveland’s lakefront transformation in partnership not only with community and business powerhouses like the Greater Cleveland Partnership (GCP), Downtown Cleveland Alliance, Destination Cleveland and the Cleveland Metroparks

COURTESY CIT Y OF CLEVEL AND AND FIELD OPERATIONS

he secret sauce to Cleveland’s success can be summed up in just two words — collective impact.

It’s how our greatest physical assets — our waterfronts — will finally be transformed after 16 attempts over 121 years.

Yes, 16! The 17th try will be the charm.

In a VUCA world — volatile, uncertain, complex and ambiguous — no single policy, government entity, business or organization alone can tackle or solve our biggest challenges. Even short-term partnerships are not enough.

Collective impact happens when there is a sustained commitment between all sectors — public, private and nonprofit — working together toward a common goal, with open, continuous communication and celebrations of progress along the way.

Cities thrive as places where people can easily interact and connect. Jane Jacobs, in the classic urban planning book, The Death and Life of Great American Cities, likened the art form of a city to “an intricate ballet in which the individual dancers and ensembles all have distinctive parts which miraculously reinforce each other and compose an orderly whole.”

We are seeing that intricate ballet unfold in Cleveland as we transform our two most distinctive physical assets — our waterfronts, the river and the lake.

Downtown Cleveland was carved out of a dense hardwood forest between the east bank of the Cuyahoga River and the south shore of Lake Erie. The ongoing transformation of the Cuyahoga Riverfront is critical to our city’s success, but it has been the

COURTESY CIT Y OF CLEVEL AND AND FIELD OPERATIONS

but also with the grassroots strategy organization, Third Space Action Lab, which is reaching out to neighborhoods and populations that historically have been ignored in the planning process and putting Cleveland residents’ voices at the center of the design process. As Allison Lukacsy-Love of GCP notes, what make this process different is “it’s not planning for the community; it’s planning with the community.”

Components include a curved pedestrian and bicycle land bridge connecting downtown Cleveland’s Malls to the Lakefront, a combination of mixed-use development

and publicly accessible park space, a multimodal transportation center, an event plaza, an outdoor amphitheater with sunset views and a nearly 10,000-square-foot splash pad, convertible for ice skating and winter hockey. Joyce Huang, director of the Cleveland City Planning Commission, has noted the plan also calls for creating “front porches,” spaces to experience and view the waterfront in small, intimate gatherings.

Make no mistake. This is a long-term, 10-year project, but the most meaningful motivator of success is the ability to see progress. It’s called the “progress principle.”

With progress comes forward momentum, and with momentum comes investment. As long as Clevelanders see progress through a series of short-term successes and small wins along the way, the 17th time will be the charm.

For the first time in my memory, we are all rowing and sailing in the same direction by developing a “core to shore” plan that will make our waterfronts the centerpieces of our new urban fabric.

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, Lt. Governor, Director of the Ohio Department of Development, Chair of the Ohio Third Frontier Commission, State Representative, State Senator, Chair of the Cuyahoga County Legislative Delegation, President/CEO of the Center for Families and Children, and President/ CEO of CEOs for Cities. In November 2022, Dean Fisher was inducted in the Cleveland Magazine Business Hall of Fame.

Be a future leader with Ursuline College’s graduate programs.

Work-friendly schedules. Great mentors.

Affordable tuition. Apply today!

• Education & Administration • MBA (100% online) • Nursing - MSN, DNP, Nurse Anesthesia Explore all our graduate programs

clevelandmagazine.com/cleader

| COMMUNITY LEADER 13

ScoreBoard

By James Trutko

Why Metro Cleveland Needs A Local Crime Monitor

R

ecently, WalletHub ranked Cleveland as the 12th least safe city in America. The finding is not really a surprise given that comparative crime statistics for Cleveland continually rank Cleveland among the top tier of crime cities in America. What is surprising, however, is that no local community organization seriously monitors local crime data despite the importance of crime to the public and government policy.

Compiling and interpreting local crime data is not easy. The FBI and the State of Ohio compile local data on violent crime (homicides, rape, robberies and aggravated assaults) and property crime (burglaries, larceny-thefts and motor vehicles thefts). Unfortunately, it is not mandatory for police to provide the data. The lack of data from some communities makes it difficult to see overall area crime levels or to determine trends.

A second problem is that publicly available data does not include a host of other illegal activities, such as drug sales and use, DUIs, counterfeiting, vandalism and prostitution, which seriously affect the public’s perception of public safety. For example, incomplete data showed that there were at least 2,800 DUIs, 1,300 cases of identity fraud and 900 cases of credit card misuse or bad checks.

A third problem is the reported total does not include all major crimes because experts often assume that as many as half of all crimes are not even reported by victims.

Crime is unreported in part because victims are skeptical about whether the crimes will be solved. In Cleveland, for example, FBI statistics show that only about 6% of reported crimes are “cleared.”

Despite these limitations, it is possible to develop a picture of major crime in the area’s core county. When the FBI data is combined with police data obtained by Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests to local police departments, a troubling picture on crime in Cuyahoga County emerges.

From 2018 to 2022, the total number of reported violent and property crimes was about 167,000. Over the four-year period, Cuyahoga County averaged about 33,800 total crimes, including 7,700 violent crimes and 26,100 property crimes.

The data shows clearly that crime is a major factor in Metro Cleveland. The lack of a research organization to collect and analyze the crime data and the lack of a mechanism to publicize their findings to community leaders contributes to poor public safety policies. It should be a simple matter for community leaders to provide adequate funding for a research organization to collect data that

James Trutko is an economist, market research professional and public policy analyst and has held positions with The Plain Dealer and the Greater Cleveland Growth Association. He writes articles for local publications and counsels entrepreneurs with Business Advisers of Cleveland. His website is cuyahogascoreboard.com. He can be reached at jmtrutko@gmail.com.

14 COMMUNITY LEADER | FEBRUARY 2024

would help the public formulate and support better public safety policies.

Because of the impact of COVID and some differences in data collection during the period, the conclusion is that overall crime, while still a serious problem, has neither increased nor decreased. Over time, additional crime research is needed to monitor trends and to guide efforts to reduce local areas where crime is a severe problem.

Publisher’s Note When Community Leader was born in 2016, ScoreBoard was a feature intended to be a factbased snapshot of where Cleveland was and where it was going.

Was Cleveland moving forward or backward in the things we cared about? ScoreBoard was written by Jim Trutko, a respected veteran researcher (see bio), who believed community research was essential in building better cities. For reasons neither one of us can remember, ScoreBoard was lost along the way to 2024.

Today, with the election of a new mayor and county executive, there is a feeling that we can address opportunities and solve social problems that were also lost along the way. So it gives me great pleasure to welcome back Jim Trutko to ScoreBoard, and join him in his belief that research is essential in building better communities.

CUYAHOGA REPORTED VIOLENT & PROPERTY CRIMES (2O19-22) Year

2O19

2O2O

2O21

2O22

Average

% of Avg.

Max

Total Crimes

35,815

34,453

31,186

33,617

33,768

1OO%

35,815

Violent Crimes

7,323

7,982

8,OO8

7,43O

7,686

23%

8,OO8

Murders

116

194

2O4

184

175

1%

2O4

Rape

679

597

632

616

631

2%

679

Robbery

2,263

1,975

1,643

1,791

1,918

6%

2,263

Aggrav Assault

4,265

5,215

5,529

4,867

4,969

15%

5,529

Property Crimes

28,492

26,471

23,178

26,187

26,O82

77%

28,492

Burglary

5,71O

4,854

3,945

3,864

4,593

14%

5,71O

Larceny Theft

19,O28

17,3O6

15,O45

16,753

17,O33

5O%

19,O28

Motor Veh Theft

3,754

4,311

4,188

5,566

4,455

13%

5,566

Source: FBI & Police Reports. Reported major crimes include murders, rape, robbery, aggravated assault, burglary, larceny, motor vehicle theft.

Cuyahoga Total Crimes: 4-year Average = 33,768 28,OOO

3O,OOO

32,OOO

34,OOO

2O19

36,OOO

38,OOO

7,OOO

7,2OO

7,4OO

7,6OO

7,8OO

31,186 33,617

2O22

Avg 2O19-22

33,768

Avg 2O19-22

8,2OO

7,982

2O21

2O22

8,OOO

7,323

2O2O

34,453

2O21

6,8OO 2O19

35,815

2O2O

Cuyahoga Violent Crimes Average = 7,686

8,OO8 7,43O 7,686

Source: FBI & Police Reports. Reported major crimes include murders, rape, robbery, aggravated assault, burglary, larceny, motor vehicle theft.

Source: FBI & Police Reports. Violent crimes include murder, rape, robbery and aggravated assault.

Cuyahoga Property Crimes Average = 26,O82

Cuyahoga Murders Average = 175

O

5,OOO

1O,OOO

15,OOO

2O,OOO

2O19

3O,OOO

28,492

2O2O 2O21

25,OOO

26,471

O

5O

2O19

1OO

15O

2OO

116

2O2O

194

2O21

23,178

2O22

26,187

2O22

Avg 2O19-22

26,O82

Avg 2O19-22

Source: FBI & Police Reports. Property crimes include burglary, larceny/theft and motor vehicle theft.

25O

2O4 184 175

Source: FBI & Police Reports.

clevelandmagazine.com/cleader

| COMMUNITY LEADER 15

WORKING THE ROOM Recognizing Leaders The Business Hall of Fame and Community Leader of the Year awards celebrate our city’s best and brightest. By Terry Troy What started in 1996 as a project to help Cleveland celebrate its Bicentennial has grown into our city’s premiere annual business and social event.

More than 200 business and community leaders, as well as our city’s elite, attended Cleveland Magazine’s and Community Leader’s Business Hall of Fame & Community Leaders of the Year Awards, packing the Union Club at the sold-out event.

Attendees were treated to a cocktail

get-to-know-you reception, as well as a dinner with speakers and video presentations that told the success stories of the honorees at the event.

The Business Hall of Fame welcomed three new members, brothers Jules and Mike Belkin (the latter posthumously) who pioneered the Rock and Roll and music industry in Cleveland as well as Robert Klonk, Oswald Companies chairman and CEO, a pioneer in insurance and risk management. These titans of

business and industry joined Cleveland legends, such as John D. Rockefeller, Alexander Winton, Cyrus Eaton, Henry Sherwin and hundreds of others.

Jules Belkin and Michael Belkin (son of the late Mike), related the experiences the brothers had building the legendary Belkin Productions, which started with two shows by the New Christy Minstrels and the Four Freshman at the Music Hall and a show at the old Cleveland Arena with Miles Davis and Sarah Vaughn in

Become a

This annual program is designed to offer exceptional and exclusive access to Zoo experiences. Corporate Champions enjoy benefits that engage employees, entertain clients, and connect with community partners.

Join us and receive high-quality opportunities designed to give organizations the maximum return on investment.

LEARN MORE 216-635-3323 ClevelandZooSociety.org/Corporate

16 COMMUNITY LEADER | FEBRUARY 2024

Business Hall of Fame Inductee Bob Klonk chats with Kevin Clayton.

Lisa Codispoti and Community Leader of the Year Tania Menesse

1966 and grew to include the massive World Series of Rock, a multi-band concert that drew tens of thousands of fans and eventually became the model for concerts across the country.

Those concerts helped launch the careers of dozens of rock legends, many

who now grace the halls of our own Rock & Roll Hall of Fame and Museum. The Belkin brothers were also involved in the development of dozens of local bands and artists including Michael Stanley, Donny Iris and the Cruisers and Breathless. With their dozens of other

accomplishments and lengthy list of community services, it’s no wonder the Belkins were inducted into the Cleveland Business Hall of Fame.

While not as attention-grabbing as the glitz of show business on the rock stage, Robert “Bob” Klonk’s accomplishments,

Risk and Insurance Leadership

We see risk so you see opportunity.

© Oswald Companies. All rights reserved. DS2782

SHELLY DUNCAN PHOTOGRAPHY

Amanda Martinsek and Nelson Axelrod enjoyed a drink before the crowd closed in.

Discover new solutions OswaldCompanies.com 855.4OSWALD property & casualty employee benefits life insurance retirement plan services clevelandmagazine.com/cleader

| COMMUNITY LEADER 17

Sponsor Jim Carulas of Meaden & Moore meets up with Eddie Taylor of Taylor Oswald.

Event sponsor Michael Schoop of the Greater Cleveland Partnership and Margot Copeland of KeyBank

Advisors Company in 2013, Klonk continued to build Oswald. Today, the employee-owned insurance brokerage company and risk management consulting firm is one of our nation’s largest, with more than 1,000 employees across five states. The company recently solidified

its 130-year-plus commitment to our city, signing a lease to move its headquarters to the E&Y Tower on the East Bank of the Flats.

This year’s crop of Community Leaders of the Year were recognized for both their leadership and community commitment.

Global Reach.

Local Service.

We shield companies and their employees from catastrophes by providing insurance solutions and presenting unique growth strategies.

Specializing in Ports & Terminals

Property & Casualty ✧ Health & Benefits Private Risk ✧ Life Insurance Cleveland ✧ Tampa ✧ 216-350-5050

18 COMMUNITY LEADER | FEBRUARY 2024

We Protect. You Grow.

Armadarisk.com

SHELLY DUNCAN PHOTOGRAPHY

both in business and civic involvement, are no less significant. A business visionary, Klonk pioneered a successful path to the top of the industry, which included the creation of bold insights into an evolving business. After being named CEO of the Oswald Companies, a Unison Risk

Rock legends and promoters Jules and Michael Belkin (Mike’s son)

SHELLY DUNCAN PHOTOGRAPHY

Lute Harmon Sr., founder of Great Lakes Publishing, welcomes attendees.

The illustrious list included: Lillian Kuri, an immigrant who came here from Lebanon and now heads up the Cleveland Foundation; Sonia Winner, who has led the transformation of the Cleveland Museum of Natural History; Kevin Clayton, who is making a difference

Jules Belkin addresses the crowd.

on and off the court as head of societal impact for the Cleveland Cavaliers; Kyle Dreyfuss-Wells, who has led a massive cleanup effort and directed the rebuilding of our wastewater infrastructure to help protect our water; and Tania Menesse, who, as CEO and president

Keeping the crowd in stitches, Bob Klonk leaves some to wonder if he missed a calling as a standup comic.

of Cleveland Neighborhood Progress, is revitalizing our city one neighborhood at a time.

If you were there, use these images to reminisce. If you couldn’t make it, here’s a small sampling of what you missed.

We hope to see you next year!

clevelandmagazine.com/cleader

| COMMUNITY LEADER 19

Hope for the Homeless Local organizations are ramping up efforts to get women and struggling families off the streets.

Y

20 COMMUNITY LEADER | FEBRUARY 2024

says Knestrick. “Our community really needs to be more concerned about this now. These women have a particular set of unique needs that shelters aren’t really equipped to handle. Safety is also difficult for all women. It’s not that men don’t have safety concerns, but it’s different for homeless women.”

Staying in an emergency shelter is only temporary, of course. The next step for many is finding permanent housing, which can be even more challenging to provide for women and women with children than even temporary sanctuaries. Knestrick says there are more than 800 permanent supportive housing units in Cuyahoga County, almost all for single adults. He considers that number somewhat encouraging when compared to what the availability used to be.

“But how we qualify for permanent supportive housing is complex. We need to continue to re-evaluate the process so it continues to serve the most vulnerable folks, particularly women,” he emphasizes.

In March 2023, the Cuyahoga County Office of Homeless Services announced its Strategic Action Plan for Homelessness. The agency pledged a 25% decrease in homelessness by 2027. Data shows homelessness in Cuyahoga County has remained fairly constant since 2016, impacting about 5,000 residents every year. Of that total, 8% are youths and 12% are families.

Knestrick points to Emerald Development and Economic Network (EDEN), first incorporated in 1991, as an example of an organization that recognizes that housing is a basic right of all people.

Working with Cuyahoga County, EDEN is committed to owning and managing permanent supportive housing for chronically homeless individuals. The agency also owns the Norma Herr Women’s Center, a primary shelter in Cuyahoga County for single adult women.

Longtime supportive organizations, new facilities that opened in 2023 and others set to open this year, are hoping to keep up with the need to house

ISTOCK

es, he’s still there — “the guy on the side of the street” with no home to go to, according to Chris Knestrick, executive director of the Northeast Ohio Coalition for the Homeless (NEOCH).

“But in reality, the growing population of people experiencing homelessness in our community is Black women with children,” says Knestrick. “We see more and more families struggling. A lot of women are fleeing domestic violence or gender-based violence, and that leads to our shelter system because it is one of the only places they feel safe.”

Unfortunately, another group can also be added to the list of those facing increasing homelessness: older women.

“These are women who were in their own homes, in stable housing, for a long time, and they are often over 65. That’s very disconcerting,” Chris Knestrick

By Jill Sell

The Norma Herr Women’s Center is managed by the YWCA of Greater Cleveland.

COURTESY YWCA / COURTESY THE CIT Y MISSION

women experiencing homelessness — one woman and/or one woman and child at a time.

Finding Support and Hope The Norma Herr Women’s Center on Payne Avenue is Cuyahoga County’s only low-barrier emergency shelter for single women.

“Low barrier is meant to be brief, rare and non-reoccurring. It’s an opendoor policy with no restrictions. We want to eliminate barriers to allow women to Nicole Evans come in out of the elements,” says Nicole Evans, clients rights officer for the YWCA of Greater Cleveland, which assumed management of the center in 2018.

The center typically sees 230 women a night, but sometimes as many as 250.

It’s running over capacity, but Evans says no one will be turned away.

“If we have to put a mat on the floor for someone to sleep on until we find an open bed, we will,” says Evans, adding that no children are allowed at the shelter. “If you imagine what some of these women face on the streets of Cleveland, think of (serial killer) Anthony Sowell, and if they are safer in our building,

then you know why we take them in.

The YWCA works very hard with the Cuyahoga County Office of Homeless Services to find the women homes.”

Evans has seen a “significant increase in demand for shelter” since spring 2023. She partly blames low-wage jobs that don’t allow women to keep up with expenses, and property managers and landlords who charge increasingly high rents and/or decline to accept low-income renters. New housing developments are welcome in Cleveland, but how many feature affordable housing? asks Evans. Changes also must be made in systemic issues that cause barriers to housing, she believes.

“Imagine you have an eviction on your record because you couldn’t afford to pay the rent. It wasn’t because you didn’t want to — you just didn’t have the resources,” says Evans. “Or maybe when you were younger, you made some unwise choices that led to a criminal background. Those are barriers to get housing. The best thing we can do is dismantle some of those policies.”

Echoing Knestrick, Evans is concerned about the increase in older women facing homelessness. Physical and mental impairments, plus fear of isolation and being alone if there are no family or friends to step in, are serious problems.

“Sometimes an individual is released from a hospital and then dropped off here by the police because there is nowhere for them to go,” Evans says.

Information about monetary and material donations to the Norma Herr Women’s Center can be found at ywcaofcleveland.org. Only approved and logged donations will be accepted.

The City Mission/Rothstein Village Scheduled to be completed in November 2024, Rothstein Village will

become important transitional housing for mothers and children on Cleveland’s West Side. The 16-unit complex is the next step for women who move on from Laura’s Home Women’s Crisis Center, a facility that offers free, yearlong support to women experiencing homelessness.

The City Mission, a faith-based nonprofit, will allow those accepted for the $4 million Rothstein Village with its more independent lifestyle, to stay another 18 to 24 months. During that time the women may continue their education or find employment.

“The greatest thing is that it means children can be in the same schools for close to three years,” says Linda Uveges, CEO of The City Mission. “Children Linda Uveges can’t focus, can’t learn, can’t develop healthy relationships with their peers if they are always changing schools, which is what happens with homelessness. The average age of homelessness in America is 11 years old. Women and children who are experiencing homelessness are invisible.

You don’t see children on the street.

They are going from home to home.

“Back in the day, the typical people that the mission served were white, male alcoholics, Uveges adds.” But domestic violence, poverty, traumatic experiences, mental illness, loss of relationships or employment and other situations have changed the face of homelessness, especially among women.

Rothstein Village will offer transitional housing to mothers and children on Cleveland’s West Side.

If we have to put a mat on the floor for someone to sleep on until we find an open bed, we will.”

- Nicole Evans, clients rights officer for the YWCA of Greater Cleveland clevelandmagazine.com/cleader

| COMMUNITY LEADER 21

“It’s harder for a single mother now to be the sole provider for the family,” she says. “There was also more family, community or faith-based support. But many of those structures are hurting or broken now. The minimum wage in Ohio is $10.10 an hour. A single mom would need to work 76 hours a week at minimum wage just to afford a two-bedroom apartment. Fifty-six percent of single mothers in Cuyahoga County face housing unaffordability.

“But over the past 10 years, we have done a little better job at focusing on families,” she says.

“This is the first development in the neighborhood in 10 years, and it’s all funded by grants, not loans. We are very excited,” says Roshawn Sample, Roshawn Sample executive director of Union Miles Development Corp.

“In this neighborhood, we have many vets who find themselves displaced.

Many of them are women who are unhoused. For so many years women

Helping Vets Groundbreaking for the Walter Collins Veteran Housing Services Facility on Harvard Ave., east of E. 93rd Street, is expected in March or April. Eleven cluster-style, single-family homes will be built to provide affordable housing for men and women veterans and their families on Cleveland’s southeast side.

have been overlooked for housing assistance, employment, rates of pay and also as people who are missing, particularly women of color.

“We are trying to change the narrative and want all vets to feel comfortable, not like they are just being housed, but in a neighborhood that is on the move,” adds Sample.

The $2,737,000 facility is in collaboration with Rid-All Green Partnership, an urban agriculture and aquaponics organization that will provide onsite training and services to the vets. Walter

We are trying to change the narrative and want all vets to feel comfortable, not like they are just being housed, but in a neighborhood that is on the move.”

- Roshawn Sample, executive director of Union Miles Development Corp.

shop volunteer donate discount home improvement store Habitat ReStores accept donations of new or gently used furniture, appliances, housewares, building materials and more. Proceeds from the sales of these items help Greater Cleveland Habitat for Humanity’s mission of affordable homeownership.

www.clevelandhabitat.org 22 COMMUNITY LEADER | FEBRUARY 2024

216.429.1299

Scan me

COURTESY UNION MILES DEVELOPMENT CORP

Collins, a 13-year U.S. Army veteran (whose name graces the building) and Cleveland’s Ward 2 Councilman Kevin Bishop have been actively involved in the project that has been “a long time coming,” says Sample.

“It would be awesome if we could get donations of new appliances and furniture, so the homes would be move-in ready,” she says.

Volunteers of America Ohio & Indiana Women veterans experiencing homelessness have found stable housing at the Judge Sara J. Harper Village in the Glenville neighborhood, a dream that began developing in 2017. Now operating at full capacity, the $2 million project includes two buildings and 12 affordable apartments, two with an additional bedroom for children.

Owned by Volunteers of America (VOA) Ohio & Indiana, Harper Village, on Lee Ave., off E. 105th Street, was made possible with private and public sources,

The Walter Collins Veteran Housing Services Facility will provide affordable housing for veterans and their families.

including local community foundations and corporations.

“In Cleveland, we operate the Veterans Domiciliary,” says Becky Carlino, Volunteers of America Ohio & Indiana vice president of development. “We operate veterans’ programs and coordinate with the VA (U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs) to serve men, but also women. The VA does medical care, and we provide services that help with housing homelessness and unemployment.

“We have programs for women vets, but many were afraid to be discharged into regular housing. They have seen so much trauma and many have no jobs.

And we know veterans thrive better together than when they are apart. In 2017, we began to work in Cleveland to replicate a housing program we have in Cincinnati,” she says

VA research shows that women veterans are more than twice as likely to be unhoused as women who did not serve in the military. Also, Carlino says when she began working for the VOA almost 10 years ago, one in five male vets was experiencing homelessness. That statistic has improved, and since 2010, male vets experiencing homelessness has declined 55%. But women vets are the fastest growing segment of the unhoused

Supporting Northeast Ohio’s Future Covia is a leading provider of minerals and material solutions that improve daily lives. We believe in the power of long-term partnerships – built on integrity, reliability and an innovative solutions mindset – to deliver shared success. www.CoviaCorp.com

clevelandmagazine.com/cleader

| COMMUNITY LEADER 23

John R. von Arx III, president and CEO of Volunteers of America Ohio & Indiana, and Judge Sara J. Harper attend the Harper Village groundbreaking in 2021.

or place stickers on their vehicles reflecting their military service. Women, not so much.

Carlino also appreciates the fact that Harper Village fits well into the architecture and environment of Glenville and was thoughtfully created with an architect and interior designers.

“We initially had two communal spaces, one in each building,” says Carlino.

“But then someone said that if what we were building was for men, we would have automatically added a gym. Women would like that, too. So we changed one of the communal rooms into a gym. It faces the front of the building so women can look out while they work out. It’s great.”

Carlino is also proud of the facility’s namesake, Sara J. Harper, and her

Lake Erie is Ohio’s Most Precious Resource Lake Erie Foundation (LEF) is Lake Erie’s advocate for economic sustainability, legal defense, education, outreach and innovative sustainable technology.

Help LEF protect Lake Erie against:

Plastics & Contaminants

Wind Farms in Lake Erie

Harmful Algal Blooms

Join us and support our mission to ensure Lake Erie is accessible now and for future generations at LakeErieFoundation.org 24 COMMUNITY LEADER | FEBRUARY 2024

COURTESY HARPER VILL AGE

veteran population, according to the VA. There are more than 2 million women vets in this country, and one in four has experienced military sexual trauma.

“We don’t always know who women vets are. A lot of men wear their experience on their chests, but some women want to put it all behind them,” says Carlino, referring to the fact that many male vets like to wear clothing

Kristie Hollinger, vice president, Miracle Makeover Designs; Becky Carlino, vice president development, Volunteers of America Ohio & Indiana; Monika Johnson, president, Miracle Makeover Designs

COURTESY SISTERS HAVEN

connection to Cleveland. Harper, who grew up in public housing in Cleveland, was the first African American woman to graduate from Case Western Reserve University’s School of Law, the first female judge in the history of the Marine Corps Reserve and was an Ohio Court of Appeals judge until her retirement in 1997. She attended the Harper Village groundbreaking in 2022.

“Judge Harper always said every day is special,” says Carlino.

Monetary and new household items listed on the Harper Village Wish List can be donated at voaohin.org.

Sisters Haven Sisters Haven, a faith-based nonprofit, will operate a new, supportive housing community for pregnant, unhoused women in Cleveland. Scheduled to open in spring 2024, the facility is located in the Cudell neighborhood.

The renovated house can accommodate

The Sisters Haven facility before (left) and after (right) renovations

up to seven women, ages 18 and older, and their babies until the child is 9 months old. Residents of the Sisters Haven Cudell House also receive educational, physical and mental support while at the house from partners of Sisters of Haven, including Seeds of Literacy and Cuyahoga County Community College.

Members of the Cleveland Building and Construction Trades Council provided some volunteer labor. Council leadership also has offered to train any of the home’s residents who are

interested in the trades as a career, according to Yvonne Murchison, Sisters Haven’s executive director of operations and one of five founders. The house was donated by the Rocky River United Methodist Church.

“One of the things that has been really exciting has been the large investment in women’s shelters with COVID money,” says Knestrick. “NEOCH has talked for years about the condition of women’s shelters. We are seeing an important investment in our community and a transformation of the shelters over the next two years.”

The goal is to help unhoused women move from shelters to permanent housing, say local experts who understand homelessness in the region.

“The biggest misconception I hear is when people say, ‘Why can’t these women just get a job and pull themselves up by the bootstraps?’ It’s going to take a community working together,” says the YWCA’s Evans.

NEW BROOKLYN LOCATION

Program of All-inclusive Care for the Elderly

PACE Lets You Live At Home!

The PACE model of care includes a specialized trained team of medical professionals that works together to coordinate your medical and socialization needs. PACE gives you peace of mind while you live at home.

Who is Eligible for the PACE Program?

• 55 Years and Older • Live in Cuyahoga County • Meet Level of Care • Live Safely in the Community

PACE provides the following services: • Primary Care physician • Medical Specialist • Medications/ Prescriptions • Medical Clinic • Transportation • Adult Activity Center

• Home Health Care • Meals • Therapy - Physical, Occupational and Speech • Dental, Vision, and Hearing • Home Care Nurse

• Social Services • Respite Care • Durable Medical Equipment (Canes, Walkers, Wheelchairs, Hospital Bed, Commodes, Shower Bench)

888.895.PACE (7223) • mcgregorpace.org

PACE, Program of All-inclusive Care for the Elderly, provides services that address medical, rehabilitative, social and personal care needs of older adults. clevelandmagazine.com/cleader

| COMMUNITY LEADER 25

FEATURES NEW MODELS OFCARE

“ We focus on quality care.

The client can see as much of us as they need to see.

We can take them to their appointments. We go above and beyond to provide quality and consistent care."

— LARRAINE STEHLIK

OhioGuidestone is changing behavioral health.

By Joanne Cahill

W

26 COMMUNITY LEADER | FEBRUARY 2024

locations throughout the state.

Founded in 1864 in Berea, it is the state’s leader in community behavioral health with 39 locations throughout Ohio.

The agency also provides job training services and helps young people in the residential, foster care and juvenile justice systems. In fact, a significant number of OhioGuidestone clients are young people aging out of the foster care system.

Now, the agency is rolling out a new federally funded CCBHC model of care designed to improve the way people receive mental health and substance use disorder services.

The innovative national care model mandates that services are provided quickly and that no one can be turned away for any reason. In addition, patients receive help coordinating with other needed support like primary care or social services.

Larraine Stehlik, regional director of OhioGuidestone’s Adult and Recovery Services, laid out the four key

components that set the CCBHC model apart. First, access to care is a priority.

No one can be turned away for any reason.

In addition, crisis services are available for those in need 24/7. The program delivers access to basic needs impacted by social drivers of health such as food, transportation, employment and housing. Finally, care coordination is a key component to helping organize all needed services.

“We focus on quality care,” she explains. “The client can see as much of us as they need to see. We can take them to their appointments. We go above and beyond to provide quality and consistent care.

“Poverty is a health epidemic,” she adds. “Sometimes people are just trying to stay warm.”

CCBHCs are made possible through the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, known as SAMHSA. OhioGuidestone was awarded grants in two areas in the state: Cuyahoga County and a rural four-county region in northwest Ohio

COURTESY OHIO GUIDESTONE

hile the stigma surrounding mental health illness is slowly abating, services are still difficult to access.

Service availability is not meeting demand, and those who do get an appointment often have long wait times. What’s more, patients who are fortunate enough to get an appointment with a mental health professional often need additional health care or social services, which can be difficult to navigate.

A workforce shortage in the behavioral health care space is another big part of the challenge.

But a new model of care — Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinics — or CCBHCs, provided by OhioGuidestone, aims to change this.

OhioGuidestone is the leading behavioral health provider in Ohio, providing a full continuum of mental health and substance use disorder services for children and adults. It serves 26,000 people each year through community-based, telehealth and physical

Larraine Stehlik, regional director of OhioGuidestone’s Adult and Recovery Services

COURTESY OHIOGUIDESTONE

FEATURE serving Defiance, Henry, Fulton and Stehlik says that CCBHCs serve a lot Williams counties. A common thread of families — especially single mothbetween the two disparate communi- ers with children who are struggling ties is that both suffer a large gap in in school. Most are trying to work, raise available social services. a family and make ends meet.

OhioGuidestone now provides a be“We do a lot of family work,” she havioral health urgent care. Stehlik says. “A family member struggling with compares the CCBHC urgent care their children is a typical client for us. model with a typical urgent care center. We see children, as well as parents, who “You may think of urgent care for an require counseling and assistance with ailment like a sore throat or the flu,” enhancing coping skills. Nearly all sufshe says. “But our clinics are specif- fer from some type of trauma, and we ically designed to treat behavioral help them manage their anxiety and health issues like panic attacks, severe depression or other symptoms. We give depression or substance use crisis.” them the tools to cope and succeed.”

The walk-in centers are open 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Monday through Thursday, but help is available during flexible hours by appointment Monday through Friday and 24/7 through a crisis hotline. Counselors on the hotline immediately assist those in crisis to stabilize and deescalate, as well as to access immediate care if needed. OhioGuidestone’s walk-in centers are located at 3420 Carnegie Ave. in Cleveland and 600 Freedom Drive in Napoleon, Ohio, but the CCBHC model is OhioGuidestone is building awareness through billboards. incorporated into all the services the agency provides.

The program started about a year The urgent care professionals ago and, not surprisingly, has address a spectrum of issues facing been growing steadily ever since. youth, teens and adults. Many are feel- OhioGuidestone builds awareness ing overwhelmed, in a family crisis, about the clinics through billboards thinking of harming themselves, strug- and through social media, as well as gling with family or parent issues or are by collaborating with other social facing a substance use crisis. service providers.

“The CCBHC model is not a “It’s picking up,” says Stehlik. building,” explains Stehlik. “Any client “We are getting much more traffic now.” of OhioGuidestone in these two areas The CCBHC program in Western is served by the CCBHC model. It’s a Ohio is growing, too, and Stehlik says team of staff that provides a spectrum of people there are suffering many of the services in spaces beyond the brick same troubles: substance use disorand mortar. We are in schools. We are in ders, poor access to care and many the community. We are in shelters.” mental health crises. Transportation is

also a challenge in the more sprawling rural region.

“That’s why our community-based model is so helpful,” she adds.

Another common thread between the Cleveland and Western Ohio locations is the workforce shortage.

The need for staff is so great that OhioGuidestone is offering incentives for new hires, such as generous signing bonuses.

“It’s been such a challenge to find new hires,” says Stehlik. “We are competing with other providers and other opportunities in the state.

The competitive edge we have is that we are a bigger organization with an amazing culture that can provide more opportunities and more flexibility.

Some folks even want to work second jobs elsewhere. We can accommodate that and provide a bigger safety net.”

Walk-in Center Hours: Monday – Thursday: 9 a.m - 1 p.m.

Help by Appointment: Monday – Friday & 24/7 through the crisis hotline.

clevelandmagazine.com/cleader

| COMMUNITY LEADER 27

“ MAKING” EW HEADQUARTERS N

and social activities that will help us attract talent to the area.”

Andrea Horton, executive vice president

By Bob Sandrick and chief legal officer and secretary at MasterasterBrand, a maker of cabi“Any time we are able to attract a Brand, says Beachwood offers a businets for kitchens, bathrooms national leading company like this, the ness-friendly environment with a lowand other parts of the home, nation’s largest cabinet maker, it boosts er cost of living than other large cities, is scheduled to open its new the entire region’s ability to secure in- which the company believes will atcorporate headquarters in March vestment from other out of state inter- tract quality employees both locally in Beachwood. and nationally. ests,” Bieterman says.

The company, which has more than “The great parks, restaurants, “Ohio has continued to grow and 20 plants, distribution centers and sales has become a significant player in at- recreation and shopping will also be offices across North America, will oc- tracting companies, as a result of new a big draw,” Horton says. “Plus, the cupy space in the SITE Centers Corp. investment by businesses like Intel and diversity of companies in the area building at 3300 Enterprise Parkway. others in the area,” she adds. means that we are joining a vibrant MasterBrand’s corporate headquarters In December 2022, MasterBrand business community.” has been in Jasper, Indiana.

Beachwood’s business communispun off from Fortune Brands InnoMasterBrand cabinetry brands in- vations Inc. and became an indepen- ty already includes the U.S. headclude Aristokraft, Decora, Diamond dent, publicly traded company. Since quarters of Eaton Corp. In addiand Fieldstone Cabinetry. then, it has been searching for its tion, the Drusinsky Sports Medicine The HQ relocation is a big deal for own headquarters.

Institute recently opened at University Beachwood officials. MasterBrand, “We wanted a city that would Hospitals Ahuja Medical Center. which employs more than 13,600 work- be central to our locations while Bieterman says Beachwood is home ers, will bring $7.3 million in additional offering a workforce to help us stay on to more than 2,500 offices, retail taxable payroll to a city already burst- top of manufacturing innovation and stores, restaurants, health care instiing with businesses. The SITE Centers new digital technologies,” says Bruce tutions and other businesses. As for building will provide room for up to 40 Kendrick, MasterBrand’s execu- community amenities, the city can MasterBrand workers. tive vice president and chief human boast of an outdoor fitness center, Catherine Bieterman, Beachwood’s resources officer. new pickleball courts, a dog park and director of economic development, “In the end, we chose Beachwood a playground under construction. says MasterBrand will be one of the and the Northeast Ohio area because Beachwood sweetened the pot city’s top employers in terms of new in- it’s a great place to raise families,” he by offering MasterBrand a four-year, come tax generation. However, it’s not adds. “It has quality educational insti- 40% tax credit to move their headjust Beachwood that will benefit. tutions along with a mix of recreation quarters here. It means the city will give the company an annual rebate equal to 40% of their municipal income tax.

Team NEO, an economic devel“ Ohio has continued to grow and has become a opment organization for Northeast significant player in attracting companies, as a Ohio, is working with MasterBrand to result of new investment by businesses like secure a grant through JobsOhio, the Intel and others in the area.” state’s economic development organi— CATHERINE BIETERMAN zation, according to Nina Holliday, Team NEO spokesperson.

Cabinet maker moves from Indiana to Beachwood.

M

COURTESY MASTERBRAND

28 COMMUNITY LEADER | FEBRUARY 2024

FEATURE

THE CREATION OF “IDEAS”

Since 2O17, Ideastream’s Sound of Ideas Community Tour has been addressing hot-button issues in Northeast Ohio. By Bob Sandrick

Rachel Rood addresses the audience before the show.

Sound of Ideas Community Tour host Mike McIntyre and panelists discuss Ohio’s Issue 1.

t was only last year that Ideastream Public Media unveiled its new marketing slogan: We Take You There.

However, the media organization — which provides local and national news, music, education and arts content through FM stations WKSU and WCLV, as well as WVIZ-TV — has been doing just that for decades.

No better example of that effort is the Sound of Ideas Community Tour, which takes Ideastream’s public affairs talk show, Sound of Ideas hosted by Mike McIntyre, on the road.

Since launching in 2017, the tours have addressed issues like guns, immigration and health care, while hosting broadcasts in several Northeast Ohio communities, including Cleveland, Medina and Painesville.

Community Leader recently interviewed Rachel Rood, supervising producer, Sound of Ideas Community Tour.

together with West Side Market vendors, shoppers and neighbors for a conversation about the state of the market, which many vendors said was in dismal shape and needed new management. It allowed residents and vendors to have an open and honest back-and-forth with city leaders in a way that held leaders accountable.

And you could hear the enthusiasm from audience members over what the market meant to them.

I

COURTESY MAT T CROW

What is the purpose of Sound of Ideas Community Tour?

We want to bring people together to help facilitate conversations about what is important to those communities and, ultimately, to strengthen communities.

The first step is fact-based dialogue. We’re bringing community stakeholders and residents together to have conversations face to face in their own backyard, and that can be a very powerful experience.

One good example of that was when we brought a representative of thenMayor Frank Jackson’s administration

Sound of Ideas Community Tour audience member asks a question to the panel.

How important is that in-person presence?

A conversation about public housing is much more impactful and inclusive when you bring the show to Woodhill Homes, where residents know firsthand the issues their community faces.

Another good example is the time we went to Ashtabula to engage in a conversation about health access as doctors provided needed care in a free, pop-up medical clinic. And my favorite show has to be the one commemorating the 50th anniversary of the Cuyahoga River fire, which we did aboard the Goodtime III as it floated along the Cuyahoga. It just creates such a different atmosphere and energy.

Have the community tours brought changes to communities?

Our aim with the community tour is to provide communities with information and an inclusive forum to air concerns and discuss important topics.

Often, that leads to change. It’s always the first step.

After the West Side Market tour stop at Market Garden Brewery in January 2020, Market Garden’s Sam McNulty emailed us, saying, “I can’t even tell you how many market vendors and Ohio City neighbors are buzzing about the renewed interest in the future of the market. All day my phone has been blowing up with messages of optimism and hope. I think Ideastream may have lit a match that is going to start a fire of positive change.”

Under (Cleveland) Mayor Justin Bibb’s administration, the market will soon move to nonprofit management.

Do any one or two Community Tours stick out in your memory?

Personally, for me, calling the Goodtime III and asking if we could do a radio show on a boat and having that actually come to fruition was the highlight of the tour so far. In terms of the most impactful, there are a ton that come to mind, but I think hearing the pride of students, teachers and parents in 2019 at the Warrensville Heights community tour, where we discussed how the district had improved from an F to a C on its report card, was a top moment. clevelandmagazine.com/cleader

| COMMUNITY LEADER 29

Panacea or Problem?

Dispelling the dystopian myths of Generative Artificial Intelligence.

BY TERRY TROY

F

30 COMMUNITY LEADER | FEBRUARY 2024

subservience like the Eloi from H.G. Wells’ The Time Machine. And as it evolved and learned it was sure to become sentient, with computers and machines becoming the next step in evolution.

Soon we would be hiding, rat-like while robotic “Terminators” hunted us down, their red eyes aglow with hatred for their evil human masters. Revenge would surely be theirs for the decades of enslavement and abuse caused by humans.

Anyone who has cursed a slow computer or autocorrect spelling a second before a “send” can surely relate to that guilt. Fortunately, such suppositions are still the product of over-speculation by human imagination. They are still the purview of pure science fiction.

Far from the dystopian diatribes of the uneducated AI, and more specifically Generative AI, is far from being a soulless intelligence that will one day seek to overthrow humanity. Some of its latest uses in both tests and actual reality have revealed a propensity to please,

to the actual point of hallucinating case citations in legal briefs or finding cures in medical studies that are the stuff of pure fiction — all in an effort to please its master’s computer prompt.

There are no ethics here. There is no guilt in cheating or fabricating a story.

With a dog, there is at least the shame of knowing it was a “bad dog” for chewing up your slippers.

This is simply a machine responding to a request for information, with no regard for whether or not the story or information is true or based on any semblance of fact. Indeed, most Generative AI would be under the impression that anything on the internet is true and logical for use in the answer to a computer prompt.

So have we all been sold a bill of goods on new technology? Will Generative AI programs prove to be bust? Hardly.

All of us have been using AI in one form or another for decades.

“When you use Netflix, AI predicts what kinds of movies and shows

ISTOCK

ollowing the introduction of ChatGPT by OpenAI in late 2022, the world became acutely aware of the potential and power of Generative Artificial Intelligence (AI).

Generative AI is any artificial intelligence that produces various types of content such as text, imagery, audio and synthetic data. Officially known as Chat Generative Pre-trained Transformer, ChatGPT is a language model-based chatbot used to refine and steer a conversation toward a desired length, format, style, level of detail and language.

Naturally, there was plenty of overreaction to the threat of the new technology. Pundits in the media immediately created horror stories almost as quickly as the technology itself.

It was a Modern Day Prometheus, far more frightening than anything from the mind of Mary Shelley. It could eliminate human thought and force most human beings to a future of childlike

PANACEA OR PROBLEM?

“ T here are companies in Ohio that have been using AI for a while, but it has often been limited to engineering, computer science, data science and the IT people, so it was very much a technical discipline.”

— PAUL ROETZER

PAUL ROETZER

you might like,” says Paul Roetzer, founder and CEO of the Marketing AI Institute here in Cleveland and author of Marketing Artificial Intelligence.

“On Spotify it offers music and podcasts based on your past choices. When you use social media, your news feed is determined by AI.” That also includes those pesky pop-up ads on the internet.

But Generative AI has much more important uses in fields such as health care. Indeed, even our own Cleveland Clinic has embarked on a program to evaluate AI as well as quantum computing.

“Banks have been using forms of AI or machine learning (ML) for years,” adds Roetzer. “They use it for fraud protection. They use it for credit assessments and in other programs where they are trying to predict outcomes.”

Generative AI will eventually prove to be as powerful as it was billed to be and as impactful on society and business as many predict. Our lives are changing, and AI will prove to be a technology that is as transformative as the creation of electricity itself.

But instead of happening across decades in the case of electricity, the true impact of Generative AI will happen over the course of the next two years. Will we be ready?

“When ChatGPT came out in November 2022, it was really the starting point for a lot of companies to become aware of AI,” says Roetzer.

“There are companies in Ohio that have been using AI for a while, but it

has often been limited to engineering, computer science, data science and the IT people, so it was very much a technical discipline.”

But with Generative AI, suddenly any knowledge worker could use it — which of course accounts for a reluctance to adopt the technology.

“What is happening now is that Generative AI can be used by marketing, sales, service operations, finance and legal,” says Roetzer, whose international meeting on AI, the Marketing AI Conference (MAICON), is held here in Cleveland. “Every function of business now has access to these tools, but most companies have no idea how to deal with it. They don’t even know where to start. And that is not just in Northeast Ohio, but everywhere.

“There is a lack of understanding on what the technology is and how to adopt it within companies. I have been traveling the world this year, meeting with and talking to some of the most innovative companies in the world. And they are not adopting AI yet.”

So why is there so much fear? It is, for the most part, unfounded.

“We should absolutely not be afraid of AI,” says Pete Blackshaw, CEO of Cintrifuse, a syndicate “fund of funds” and startup incubator in Greater Cincinnati. “But there are some ‘watch outs.’ I am currently building a whole coalition around the concept of ‘Responsible AI,’ which gets into the trust and ethics of the technology.”

One of the reasons people haven’t been mobbing the adoption of AI as quickly is that the U.S. Copyright Office states that a human has to author something and a prompt from a machine doesn’t count as authorship. Turns out that our nation’s copyright and intellectual

property laws as well as AI’s limitations should keep artists, writers and actors pretty well protected.

“First of all, it’s not really possible for AI to create something. It has to generate something from material that already exists,” says Tom Humphrey, an intellectual property attorney and partner in the Cincinnati firm of Wood, Herron & Evans, LLP. “The technology tends to create cliches and tropes as opposed to using actual cleverness.

It’s not so great at the creation of something that doesn’t already exist. It only tends to be good at combining concepts that a prompt provides.

“You would have to acknowledge to the copyright office that your artwork or text was AI generated,” adds Humphrey. “They would refuse to register it on the basis that it does not have human creativity. There is no copyright protection for non-human generated works because they don’t involve human creativity.”

However, that hasn’t stopped business and industry from using AI.

PETE BLACKSHAW

clevelandmagazine.com/cleader

| COMMUNITY LEADER 31

“We did some research a few months back on content creators,” says Joe Pulizzi, original founder of the Content Marketing Institute who now helps run The Tilt, a newsletter for professional content creators and CEX (Content Entrepreneur Expo) an event coming to Cleveland in May. “Already by that time, 75% were using AI tools to construct and edit their content. There is no doubt that number is higher today. In the very near future, you’ll be hard pressed to find any kind of textual, audio or video content that is not influenced by AI tools in some way. AI is great for ideation and editing. It’s amazing for developing abstracts from content and taking one piece of content to make many. Those could also be downsides. The reliance on AI tools has most certainly had an impact on human creativity.”

Human oversight is actually a very good fail safe when it comes to Generative AI. It does have limitations, especially within the legal profession, notes Humphrey.

“I know of one law firm who recently found themselves on the wrong side of a judge for using ChatGPT to write a legal brief,” Humphrey cautions. “They got found out because the program hallucinated a number of case citations that were not real.

“When the judge asked his clerk to pull up the case citations so they could be evaluated, they found that some of the cases simply didn’t exist. Clearly, you have to have a human filter for anything

JOE PULIZZI

32 COMMUNITY LEADER | FEBRUARY 2024

“ It’s not really possible for AI to create something.

It has to generate something from material that already exists.”

— TOM HUMPHREY that AI creates, especially in legal writing, because it is prone to hallucination.”

So creation and human imagination are inextricably linked. People who ignore that do so at their own peril.

“It is true that the Copyright Office states that a prompt from a machine does not count as authorship, at least for now,” says Roetzer, who is quick to point out the power Generative AI in modern communications. “If you wanted to let AI write this article, in theory you could feed your notes into the computer, and you would still maintain a degree of authorship.”

However, you might still get some blowback from the Copyright Office.

“But there is nothing to say that you couldn’t write your draft and say ‘make this sound more exciting’ or ‘make this sound more professional’ or even ‘change the tone of this article to something else.’ Or have the AI, like Grammarly, edit it for you, or have AI summarize the interviews for you,” says Roetzer. “There are dozens of different ways that you can use the technology as a tool where you don’t have AI actually writing the article for you. There is nothing stopping you from doing that.”

Roetzer explains how the Marketing AI Institute uses the technology in its everyday operations, which provides some excellent examples of how companies could adopt AI.

TOM HUMPHREY “We have podcasts every week where we use AI in 10 to 12 different steps,” says Roetzer.

AI is used to research three main topics of AI and summarize the results for Roetzer’s co-host Mike Kaput, chief content officer at the Marketing AI Institute.

“Then Mike gets between five and 10 rapid fire topics and creates questions to ask me,” says Roetzer. “While his portion is scripted, my responses are completely unscripted — he’s only using AI to prepare for an interview. Then we use AI to transcribe and improve video and audio production. We use it to create 10 to 15 videos and shorts. All of it uses AI, but we still own the copyright because it’s still our ideas — us talking about everything.”

So Generative AI can be used as an assistant, unlocking new levels of creativity and capability, augmenting what you do, “and replacing some of the repetitive data driven things that maybe you don’t enjoy doing anyway,” adds Roetzer.

What is unknown is how it will impact future jobs, especially the 100 million-plus folks in this country who are knowledge workers — people who think and create for a living. By making journalists, marketers, doctors,

“ AI is great for ideation and editing. It’s amazing for developing abstracts from content and taking one piece of content to make many.”

— JOE PULIZZI

LEFT: COURTESY IBM / RIGHT: COURTESY SHAWN GREEN, CLEVEL AND CLINIC

PANACEA OR PROBLEM?

accountants and lawyers more efficient, it can actually impact the number of jobs needed in a given profession.

“Take accounting as an example,” he says. “A good amount of accountants’ time is spent filling out government forms for tax purposes. But if an AI can do it 90% faster or even 50% faster, how many accountants would you need? The accountant would still have to sign off on everything, but they become that much more efficient. The same goes for writers, if they can write articles even 20% faster, the question then becomes how many writers do you need to write the same amount of stories each year? It’s just economics, a matter of simple supply and demand.”

While Generative AI might impact some professions negatively in the future, it’s already creating new portmanteau professions such as FinTech (financial technology) and Insurtech (insurance technology).

“That’s the optimism of AI and any new technology,” says Roetzer. “It might cost some jobs, but create others in emerging fields.”

Of course, there is a tremendous upside to Generative AI, especially when it comes to research in fields like medicine and health care. Earlier this year, Cleveland Clinic and IBM unveiled the first deployment of an onsite, private sector IBM-managed quantum computer, the first quantum computer in the world to be uniquely dedicated to health care research to help accelerate biomedical discoveries through the Clinic and IBM’s Discovery Accelerator.

“Quantum computers are simply a different approach to computation in general,” says Dr. Lara Jehi, chief research information officer at Cleveland Clinic.

“AI is solving all kinds of problems for

humanity and the masses, but there are certain problems AI is having some trouble with — either it can’t solve the problem accurately or sometimes it is accurate but it needs so much data that it is not practical for us to integrate the outcomes into a real life situation.

“In situations where AI is not accurate enough or it needs so much information to make it too difficult to do its job, this is where quantum computing comes in. It takes what AI has done, but it takes it to the next level.”

Of the 40 advanced projects in the Clinic’s Discovery Accelerator program, which employs both high-performance computing and AI, a total of 14 are being developed using the new quantum computer.

As one of the leading health care organizations in the world, the Cleveland Clinic is not about to take Generative AI’s or any computer’s word on anything it might produce. And it has very good reason to test all of the results.

Researchers at Long Island University posed 39 medication-related queries to a free version of ChatGPT, all of which were real questions from the university’s College of Pharmacy drug information service. The software’s answers were then compared with responses written and reviewed by trained pharmacists.

The study found that ChatGPT provided accurate responses to only about 10 of the questions, or about a quarter of the total. For the other 29 prompts, the

LARA JEHI, MD

answers were incomplete or inaccurate, or they did not address the questions.

“But there are still benefits that Generative AI can bring to medicine,” says Roetzer. “It can transcribe all of the patient’s notes during an examination, allowing the doctor to interact with the patient in a more human way.

It can compare that transcription to all of the latest research and recommend treatment suggestions to the doctor. AI could become a true medical assistant with an almost infinite knowledge of all the medical trials that are out there.”

And while some of that information may be incomplete or incorrect today, the technology is evolving almost daily. With AI being infused in just about every new technology in the near future, we are going to have to evolve and adapt quickly.

“This is the new electricity,” says Cintrifuse’s Blackshaw. “And we’re just starting to learn how to work the lights. clevelandmagazine.com/cleader

| COMMUNITY LEADER 33

THRIVING AT HOME

McGregor’s new PACE building in Brooklyn.

McGregor Senior Living expands options for seniors. By Joanne Cahill

A

34 COMMUNITY LEADER | FEBRUARY 2024

Participants must be at least 55 years of age, live in Cuyahoga County and qualify for nursing home care. The proven PACE senior care concept, found- DR. CYNTHIA BALINA ed in the early 1970s in California, is known for delivering comprehensive high-quality service and improved health outcomes. It is recognized as a cost-effective model and consistently receives high satisfaction ratings from participants. According to the National PACE Association, 97.5% of family caregivers would recommend the program.

“People who have dementia or other illnesses — or people with disabilities — can, in fact, be supported living in the community,” adds Balina. “They just need a little bit of help. We focus on pain relief and reduction of symptoms.

We ask, ‘What is this person’s goal?’”

Tangi McCoy, CEO, McGregor PACE, explains how an interdisciplinary team

develops a personalized plan of care for each participant.

“Once someone enrolls in the program, all the wraparound services and medical care are included,” she says. “Each person is assigned a team of professionals from 11 different disciplines, including doctors, nurses and social workers, as well as a variety of therapists, a dietitian and even transportation.”

McCoy says that participants also enjoy meals and social activities at the centers. In addition, prescription drugs, home care and hospital visits are included, as well as medical equipment, dental, vision and hearing.

“Participants don’t pay for anything and don’t have to worry about extensive wait times to see the medical or clinical professional, because all the services are offered in the centers every day,” adds McCoy. McGregor also operates a continuum of senior living options on its 45-acre estate in East Cleveland, including independent and assisted living facilities, nursing care, rehabilitation and hospice.

“ Once someone enrolls in the program, all the wraparound services and medical care are included.”

— TANGI MCCOY

COURTESY MCGREGOR SENIOR LIVING

comprehensive range of health care and social services for older adults in Cuyahoga County just became a lot more accessible.

Senior care leader, McGregor, recently expanded its community-based program known as PACE, or Program of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly, which provides medical, social and personal care through a network of community centers. The cornerstone of the program is its mission to enable older adults to age in their own homes safely instead of in a nursing home.

The new facility, located in Brooklyn, is McGregor’s third PACE location in Cuyahoga County. The other two are in Warrensville Heights and on McGregor’s main campus in Forest Hill (East Cleveland). McGregor officials project a significant increase in enrollment, thanks to the new facility’s centrally located site, just off I-480 and Ridge Road.

PACE is a national model operating in over 30 states. McGregor is currently the only manager of the program in Ohio, but that is changing. The Ohio Department of Aging is in the process of seeking providers to roll out PACE programs across the state, including in Franklin, Hamilton, Montgomery, Lorain, Lucas and Summit counties.

“We are a small program with a mighty impact,” says Dr. Cynthia Balina, PACE medical director and geriatric medicine specialist with University Hospitals. “We have unlimited capacity at this new Brooklyn center — it is spacious and beautiful.”

EXPLORING OPPORTUNITIES BW welcomes incoming transfer students and works to ease the transition. By Jill Sell

COURTESY MAT T CROW

T

ransfer students coming to Baldwin Wallace University (BW) may have to pack away their sweatshirts branded with logos of their former schools. But it’s a small sacrifice considering that trading those for a new BW hoodie opens the door to amazing opportunities.

“BW creates an environment that is like a warm handoff from the admission side to meeting with a transfer advisor,” says Nancy Jirousek, BW’s former senior director for transfer and military services, who retired in January. “We help students with transfer credits, know what they need to finish and schedule their first semester. That’s very positive because even though these students have experience in school, this is a brand-new environment. They don’t know anyone. They are starting over.

This gives them a person to answer any questions they have.”

Jirousek says students transfer for many reasons, including transitioning from a two-year college and an associate degree to a four-year college. Or, perhaps their former school was not what they expected or wasn’t close enough to home. Maybe a student’s specific program was discontinued and completing a degree there became impossible.

Student athletes may also find more playing time at BW. BW has also gained a reputation for welcoming student transfers who are military veterans or who have a military connection. Michael Brown, BW’s manager, veteran and military services, says he thinks it is the university’s one-on-one support of military-associated transfer students, as well as the acknowledgment that not all vets have the same needs or

wants, that makes a difference.

“When they come to us, some veterans still think like they did in the service, and they apply that thought proMICHAEL BROWN cess to education,” says Brown. “Others may have been out of the service for a few years and don’t want to make that experience the central part of their lives, concentrating instead on their career and identity now.”

“ I was able to meet with most of my teachers on the first day of class to let them know my situation about coming back to school after so long. They were each very accommodating and offered any help they could.”

— JASON LONGRICH

The idea that all vets have “some sort of combat-related trauma or stress” is also a misconception, says Brown, especially because “a lot of vets come to us without any overseas experience.”

Jason Longrich is now a BW student after attending the University of Maryland from 2013 to 2014 and

FEATURE

serving in the U.S. Navy from 2011 to 2022. During his military career, he was a behavioral health technician with emergency medicine training.

Longrich began taking nursing degree prerequisites at BW last fall in preparation for being accepted into the degree program in spring 2025.

“The transfer process was very easy for me,” says Longrich. “I was able to meet with most of my teachers on the first day of class to let them know my situation about coming back to school after so long. They were each very accommodating and offered any help they could. I am so grateful to this school for making my transition so easy, accessible and convenient.”

One-third of transfer students come to BW with degrees, and they appreciate the streamlined process of switching schools. Nontraditional students (some of whom are working full time) also benefit from the convenience of transferring to BW, where they can earn degrees pertinent to their careers, such as the bachelor of allied arts in business.

In addition, the Associate to Bachelor’s program (A2BW) allows maximum credit from an associate’s degree as well as reduced core requirements. BW also has transfer partnerships with six two-year colleges, with Cuyahoga Community College being the largest feeder school.

Jirousek says BW provides a positive connection among faculty, staff and students in a welcoming community.

Transfer students also receive academic support and specific scholarship and grant opportunities. BW was named to Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society’s 2023 Transfer Honor Roll, which recognizes “dynamic pathways … created to support community college transfer students.”

“Students thinking about transferring to BW shouldn’t wait until the last minute,” suggests Jirousek. “It can happen, but the closer to the start of a semester, it’s more of a challenge. Use our resources here to make your move the best it can be.” clevelandmagazine.com/cleader

| COMMUNITY LEADER 35

KEEPING IT REAL My Sister’s Keeper was awarded the Cleveland Champions Award.

Organization helps cancer patients and families face adversity.

“We are so blessed by the community for trusting us to do what we say we will do.”

By Christina Easter

I

36 COMMUNITY LEADER | FEBRUARY 2024

— SHERRI WHITE

stays in this house. But with this, the more people who know, the better.”

During her treatment, White’s employer allowed her to work from home when she could. This made her realize that a lot of women don’t have this fortune.

White’s support from family, friends and community during her treatment led her to start My Sister’s Keeper to revitalize the spirit of womanhood.

“We take away those stresses, whether it be childcare, bill payment assistance, meals, nutrition or whatever they need,” White says. “We embody all aspects of being that person’s sister and taking those burdens away.”

The organization has little sisters currently in treatment, and big sisters are women who have won their battle and call to check in on the little sisters.

“They answer the questions women want answered,” White says.

Demetria Larkin is a cancer survivor who was diagnosed on

Jan. 20, 2023.

With four children, she was devastated.

When all of her hair fell out after her first treatment, she went into a depression. But her outlook changed once she connected with White and started participating in My Sister’s Keeper events.

“I didn’t want to go to the candle making and Resin to Play events, but Sherri convinced me to go, and I was glad I went,” Larkin says. “I’m glad I started participating in the events because the ladies are so wonderful, and we have a great time. Also, I think Sherri can feel when I’m down because she will call me out of nowhere and ask how I’m doing, what’s going on and what I need.”

In August, Larkin became cancer-free but will continue treatment for about another year.

COURTESY MY SISTER’S KEEPER

n December 2011, Sherri White was diagnosed with breast cancer even though there was no history of cancer in her family. The love and support White received during her journey to recovery inspired her to start the nonprofit organization My Sister’s Keeper located at 16200 Euclid Ave. in East Cleveland. White’s personal experience has become her passion, which she is spreading across the county thanks to a diverse group of volunteers who assist African American women and families who have cancer.

White was initially devastated by the news of her cancer diagnosis, and as the mother of four young children she began to prepare for the worst. She also stopped caring about how she looked because she figured, “I’m going to die anyway.” But she noticed people didn’t look at her like she had cancer after she started dressing up, wearing makeup and heels.

“This made me feel better internally and gave me the strength to continue to fight,” White says.

“And as I went through my treatment, I realized that a lot of us don’t know enough about breast cancer. Growing up, I learned what goes on in this house

COURTESY MY SISTER’S KEEPER

FEATURE Ursula Burnette was diagnosed with ductal carcinoma in situ (or DCIS) on Jan. 6, 2022. Like White and Larkin, she was devastated initially but more concerned for her siblings because their mother had recently died from cancer.

Larkin connected with White based on a friend’s recommendation.

“A friend at work told me to call My Sister’s Keeper, which I did and left a message,” Burnette says. “It was a Sunday evening, which I will never forget because I was lying in bed depressed and didn’t want to live anymore. But Sherri called, and we had a long conversation that changed everything. She told me not to worry — you have sisters here.”

Burnette graduated as a big sister in July 2023 and wants other women to know that they will be loved, that anything they need, they will have at their disposal, such as someone to take them to appointments or talk to any time of the day or night.

My Sister’s Keeper fulfills its mission through White’s vision, volunteers who possess a wide range of skills in various professional backgrounds and community partners. New Life Cathedral donates office space and spiritual support; other churches help raise funds and get wig donations.

The organization also hosts recurring events that include “Reviving Prayer Circle,” “My Sister’s Circle,” which is an educational forum, “A Resin to Play,” which provides art therapy, “A Walk in Her Shoes,” an annual community awareness walk, “Pretty in Pink,” an annual fashion show, and many more events every year.

“We try to capture the whole holistic approach of caring for our sisters,” White says. “That’s physically, emotionally, spiritually and whatever it takes.”

LaTonya Fore-Williams is a registered nurse practitioner who serves as the nutrition consultant for My Sister’s Keeper. She was referred to White by the Black Nurses Society to assist sisters in understanding how nutrition relates to cancer management.

“I get a lot of questions from the sisters related to managing the side

My Sister's Keeper held A Walk in Her Shoes fundraiser in Glenville.

effects to chemo such as decrease in appetite, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea and food tasting different,” Fore-Williams says.

“I start by understanding their current nutritional status, then focus on what they can tolerate. I also provide information on making sure they get protein with each meal because it helps with strength and maintaining muscle mass.”

Lavada Tillie is a dual-certified nurse practitioner and midwife who serves as My Sister’s Keeper’s director of Health and Wellness and co-chair of the Prayer Circle and My Sister’s Circle. Tillie uses her relationship with other organizations to bring in guest speakers and do fundraising. For example, licensed nurse practitioner Nicole Berry holds weekly online group therapy sessions with little sisters, which are designed to allow participants to transcend beyond their journey to a path of self-discovery, mindfulness and positive energy. Nu Chi Cleveland is a local chapter of Chi Eta Phi Sorority Inc., a professional nursing organization raising funds for My Sister’s Keeper.

Stacy Ward-Braxton is the founder, CEO and chief creative officer of A Resin to Play, which does a monthly creative arts session where all of the sisters come to do non-clinical art therapy. “We do a lot with inner healing and creativity because there is healing in the art process,” Ward-Braxton says. “Research shows that engaging in art activities such as coloring for 20 minutes a day can release and reduce anxiety.”

My Sister’s Keeper held its sixth annual Walk in Her Shoes community walk fundraiser in Cleveland’s Glenville neighborhood this year. The goal of the

Walk is to bring attention and resources to marginalized communities and advocate for equal access to cancer care.

“We are so blessed by the community for trusting us to do what we say we will do,” White says. “Everyone who helps us carry out our mission, including our executive board and board of directors, do so with no payment for services. Also, our events director, J’Nay Blackwell, embodies the essence of what the organization is about.”

On Oct. 16, 2023, the planners of My Sister’s Keeper Walk in Her Shoes were awarded The City of Cleveland Champions award by Councilman Kevin Conwell. But others have recognized the organization’s work, too.

“As things became more virtual during the pandemic in 2020, more people found us online and began to reach out,” White says. “We reached different audiences and people in different states who didn’t have that type of community as My Sister’s Keeper. For instance, in Kentucky, they do not have any African American support groups at all, and through word of mouth, news about us started spreading.”

Currently, women afflicted with cancer in Kentucky, Texas and Chicago participate in My Sister’s Keeper events virtually. The organization has also begun to work with prospective partners to start a chapter in other cities and states.

The organization’s website has a resources page that can connect women with an online community, mentoring services, education, low-cost and/or no-cost medical care and medications, care packages and other items. clevelandmagazine.com/cleader

| COMMUNITY LEADER 37

My Life

By Lynne Thompson

My Health

My Food

Breaking Away from Chocolate

Handling Allergic The heart-shaped box of $11.95 a pound/mixed nuts, Reactions to OTC chocolates is a traditional to- cashews or pistachios $15.95 ken of love by millions every a pound, 8945 Brecksville Pain Relievers Valentine’s Day. But not ev- Road, Brecksville, 440-526eryone likes chocolate. Local chocolatiers offer their suggestions for alternative treats.

Peanut brittle. Maryann Candies still makes its peanut brittle in house using original owner Ed Synek’s family recipe, according to current proprietor Carol Kwiatkowski.

“We put it in Valentine heart boxes,” she says. “Or you could put [it] in regular boxes with heart paper.”

Those whose honeys prefer their nuts simply roasted and salted can pick them up at a warmer, from-theroaster toasty. Peanut brittle

“Too much Las Vegas.”

It was what one man uttered as an emergency medDr. Samuel ical techniFriedlander cian helped a passenger down the aisle of a plane at Harry Reid International Airport. Minutes earlier, the passenger had passed out, then thrown up.

Emergency room doctors at a local hospital believed the passenger had suffered an allergic reaction to an over-thecounter (OTC) pain reliever.

An allergic reaction to non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs or NSAIDs, a class that includes OTC pain relievers such as ibuprofen, naproxen and aspirin, is more common than one might think, according to University Hospitals allergist Dr. Samuel Friedlander.

“Generally, people have reactions like hives” and swelling, he says. In fact, hives are triggered by NSAIDs in about 20% of those with chronic hives.

“A lot of people don’t realize that aspirin is in other products like Alka-Seltzer,” he says. “Even though these medications are [available] OTC, it’s important to consult with your physician so that you can make sure that you’re taking the right medicine, you’re doing it safely and you’re having someone think about possible side effects or … risks.”

ISTOCK

38 COMMUNITY LEADER | FEBRUARY 2024

4006, maryanncandies.com.

Pecan caramel popcorn.

Mitchell’s Fine Chocolates’ nutty variant tosses Cleveland-based Hillson Nut Co.’s roasted-and-salted Georgia pecan halves and Humphrey Popcorn Co. popcorn in founder Chris Mitchell’s classic caramelized sugar syrup.

“It’s just that perfect in-between of salty, sweet and crunchy,” says current owner Emily Bean. “It’s just the right-sized bag.” $6.95 an 8-ounce bag, 2285 Lee Road, Cleveland Heights, 216-9323200, mitchellschocolates.com.

Red pucker lips. “The chewy candies are shaped like lips,” Malley’s president and chief executive officer Mike Malley says of the cherry-flavored confections. They’re packaged in a clear quarter ounce bag, so you can see them,” he adds.

The company’s 19 Northeast Ohio stores also sell lots of mixed nuts and cashews.

The candy lips can also be purchased by the pound.

Pricing not available at press time, 216-226-8300/ (800) 275-6255, malleys.com.

He continues, “If they take an ibuprofen, it’s going to make their hives much worse, to the point where they might end up having to go to the hospital and be treated. That I see regularly — like, at least once a week.” He adds that because OTC pain relievers are considered safe, some people don’t realize what triggered the event until they end up in his office and he specifically asks if they took an NSAID. “I can’t tell you the number of times that people say, ‘Oh, yeah, I did!’”

Friedlander urges reading labels carefully. He notes, for example, that simply switching from Motrin to Advil doesn’t mean switching pain relievers — both brand names contain ibuprofen. Some OTC medications contain multiple active ingredients. And pain relievers that list, say, acetaminophen as a primary active ingredient also may contain aspirin.

My Health

My Earth

ISTOCK / COURTESY PETIT TI GARDEN CENTERS

Is Over-the-Counter Cold Medicine Effective?

In September the Food and Drug Administration issued a statement that phenDr. Christine ylephrine, a Alexander main ingredient in over-the-counter (OTC) cold and allergy medicines such as Benadryl Allergy Plus Congestion, Sudafed PE and Vicks Sinex Severe LiquiCaps, is not effective in oral form.

Dr. Christine Alexander, MetroHealth System’s chair of family medicine, explains that phenylephrine is indeed effective when used topically as a spray. It shrinks blood vessels in the nasal passages, in turn reducing swelling.

“You then feel less congested and feel like you can get more air in and out of your nose,” she says.

In 2006, OTC products containing pseudoephedrine, a decongestant that achieved the same result when taken by mouth, was moved behind the counter to stem its conversion into methamphetamine.

The products were still available without a prescription, but customers had to submit identification to pharmacies, which limited the amount any one person could buy — not enough, she says, for multiple family members fighting a cold at the same time — and tracked purchases of it. The FDA fulfilled demand for another product that could be purchased in larger quantities by making phenylephrine available orally, a version that simply isn’t absorbed by the

body well enough to achieve the effect it has topically.

“There were some studies that said it was effective when taken by mouth,” Alexander recalls. “But they weren’t particularly well done.

Alexander recommends those looking for the relief achieved with pseudoephedrine try a product containing guaifenesin. The active ingredient, found in brand names such as Robitussin and Mucinex, breaks up the mucus that causes congestion, making it easier to expel.

“It works well with coughs, especially,” she notes. She advises limiting the use of nasal sprays containing phenylephrine or oxymetazoline, another blood-vessel-shrinking OTC drug found in the brand Afrin, to six doses — say, two to three sprays twice a day for no more than three days or two to three sprays once a day for six days.

“By just shutting down those blood vessels too much, you can cause a worsening of the condition,” she cautions.

“There’s this rebound swelling that happens.”

Cleaning the Air with Houseplants Dust, dirt, smoke, soot — they’re visible enemies of good air quality.

But there Noelle Clark are invisible Akin threats, too, particularly in more airtight energy-efficient structures.

Noelle Clark Akin, manager of training and education at Oakwood Village-based Petitti Garden Centers, lists carbon monoxide, mold and mildew spores and organic compounds such as benzene, a solvent found in paints; trichloroethylene, another solvent used in adhesives; and formaldehyde, a preservative added to wood and paper products.

Akin suggests decreasing pollutants by adding a green weapon: plants. She quotes a study that recommends adding a plant in a pot 6 inches in diameter for every 100 square feet. For those who aren’t looking to become plant collectors, Akin has an alternative.

“Place plants where you spend the most time,” she advises. “So if you spend the most time [at] your computer, then place some plants around your computer.”

Peace Lily

Her three easy-to-care-for living air purifiers to try: Peace lily. Peace lilies are easily identified by the white single-petal-like spathe and stamen-like spadix they produce.

“They actually yellow if they’re put into too much sunlight or direct light,” Akin says — making them ideal for offices and areas of the home with lower light levels. “They have a natural water indicator — they just slightly wilt when they’re dry,” she adds.

Areca palm. Akin notes that studies that have shown the Areca palm, which requires medium to bright light, distinguishes itself from the houseplant pack with its ability to filter carbon monoxide.

Its long fronds and abundance of leaflets help regulate humidity levels, in turn reducing mold, mildew and bacteria. “Being able to cover a lot of surface area, they do a great job of cleaning the air,” she says.

Bromeliad. This tropical plant can take bright indirect light, along with some sun which, it requires to retain the color of its central bract column. Akin notes that it is “excellent” at filtering formaldehyde from the air.

“It’s easy for somebody who is not really comfortable watering their plants,” she says. Simply fill the “vase” formed by the plant’s leaves at the beginning of the week, pour out whatever remains at the end and refill.

Areca Palm clevelandmagazine.com/cleader

Bromeliad | COMMUNITY LEADER 39

eerged wal A“ pihsredael a si ”.eerged

ot desaelp si waL fo egelloC ytisrevinU etatS dnalevelC eht fo eno – DJ detidercca ,emit-trap ,enilno ruo ecnuonna inmula gnorts ruo ot ssecca dna ,secneirepxe lacitcarp wal nosrep-ni ruo sa skrowten tnemyolpme dna gnirotnem Playhouse Square dsparkles na sreeracin gnthe ignasnow. hc efil dliub nac ytinutroppo siht,eerged .sredael wen etacude

rehsiF eeL naeD WAL|USC -

By Gabe Leidy

,smargorp DJ emit-trap dna emit-lluf tnellecxe ruo ot noitidda nI

swaL fo retsaM )MLL(

lagel rieht ecnavda ot sredloh DJ roF sreywal lanoitanretnI rof ro pihsralohcs dna maxE raB eht ekat ot hsiw ohw .S.U eht ni ecitcarp

fo retsaM enilnO ni seidutS lageL dna ytirucesrebyC ycavirP ataD

lageL fo retsaM )SLM( seidutS

SLM na ,sreywal-non rof dengiseD tuo slanoisseforp pleh nac eerged noitazinagro rieht ot eulav gnirb dna nac ohw enoemos sa noisseforp ro saedi tcetorp ,lesnuoc htiw tcaretni ssessa ,stessa lanoitazinagro dna krow dna ,noitaluger rof deen eht

dnatsrednu ot slanoisseforp seraperP snoisnemid ssenisub dna lacinhcet eht sa llew sa ycavirp dna ytirucesrebyc fo gnivig ,snoitaluger dna swal tnerruc slliks dna egdelwonk eht setaudarg dna sdlefi gniworg-tsaf eseht retne ot .snoitisop roines ot ecnavda

.ecnailpmoc dna reerac ecnahne ot ytinutroppo lagel deilppa gniniag yb slaitnederc a gniniatbo tuohtiw egdelwonk ro ,rab eht rof gnittis ,eerged wal .wal gnicitcarp

:loohcS waL POT oihO nrehtroN ni loohcS waL cilbuP poT • waL ssenisuB • waL lanimirC • waL htlaeH • ytreporP lautcelletnI • waL lanoitanretnI • gnitirW lageL • stropeR dlroW & sweN SU & enizagaM waLerP

521 .ECITSUJ EVIL .WAL NRAEL

GRO.WALUSC

CREDIT

40 COMMUNITY LEADER | FEBRUARY 2024

US

“A law degree is a leadership degree.”

Cleveland State University College of Law is pleased to announce our online, part-time, accredited JD – one of the practical experiences, and access to our strong alumni mentoring and employment networks as our in-person law degree,this opportunity can build life changing careers and educate new leaders.

- CSU|LAW Dean Lee Fisher

In addition to our excellent full-time and part-time JD programs,

Master of Legal Studies (MLS)

Online Master of Legal Studies in Cybersecurity and Data Privacy

Designed for non-lawyers, an MLS degree can help professionals out and bring value to their organization or profession as someone who can interact with counsel, protect ideas and organizational assets, assess the need for regulation, and work

Prepares professionals to understand the technical and business dimensions of cybersecurity and privacy as well as current laws and regulations, giving graduates the knowledge and skills to enter these fast-growing fields and advance to senior positions.

and compliance. opportunity to enhance career credentials by gaining applied legal knowledge without obtaining a law degree, sitting for the bar, or practicing law.

125

Master of Laws (LLM)

For JD holders to advance their legal scholarship or for International lawyers who wish to take the Bar Exam and practice in the U.S.

TOP Law School:

SU

LEARN LAW. LIVE JUSTICE.

CSULAW.ORG

• Top Public Law School in Northern Ohio • Business Law • Criminal Law • Health Law • Intellectual Property • International Law • Legal Writing PreLaw Magazine & US News & World Reports

WHEN EVERYTHING MATTERS Meaden & Moore provides you with the expertise to solve today’s challenges while understanding the importance of your strategy, vision, your team, and everything else that matters.

MEADENMOORE.COM

Advisory & Consulting | Audit & Assurance | Forensic Accounting | Tax | Wealth Center