Regional Economy

reps from prior convention host cities offer tips on how best to leverage the big show
Tampa Bay successfully hosted the Republicans in 2012, and Denver hosted the Democrats four years before that. Fresh Water decided to reach out to representatives from each city to see if our fair city could glean some best practices on how to pull off a successful -- and inclusive -- convention.
how the arts inspire change in detroit
In Detroit, art isn’t just something to look at. The city’s rich artistic tradition has been an essential ingredient for cultivating community resilience, engagement and vitality.
split-liver transplants performed at clinic benefit two recipients instead of one
More than 16,000 people in the United States are on the waiting list for a liver transplant, yet 10,000 die before they get one. Cleveland Clinic transplant surgeon Koji Hashimoto has spent the last nine years researching the practice of splitting a donor liver between two recipients, thus reducing demand.

“There’s a big gap between supply and demand,” explains Hashimoto. “In many smaller recipients, the liver is too large. You can’t transplant a large liver into a small patient. So we can split the liver.”
 
Hashimoto performed split liver transplants in 25 patients in his study, which was published in the July American Journal of Transplantation. Some of Hashimoto’s patients received the left lobe of the liver, some received the right lobe. Two patients benefitted from one liver donated.
 
“The survival was the same as whole liver transplants,” says Hashimoto. “We’ve had an 80 percent survival rate after five years.”
 
Only a handful of hospitals are actively performing split liver transplants, with the Cleveland Clinic being one. “Many centers don’t do it because you have to have lots of people on the team and it’s very challenging,” Hashimoto explains. “With a split liver transplant you have two patients receiving livers at the same time. You have to divide the blood vessels too -- sometimes using microscopes in the transplant -- and one surgeon goes out to split the liver in the donor body.”
 
While the split liver allows surgeons to place an organ in smaller patients, such as children, larger patients benefit as well. “The liver is the only organ that can regenerate in the body,” says Hashimoto. “Eventually the liver will grow to the size to fit the patient.”
lakewood's lusso cosmetics are humane, fragrance-free and good looking
As a professional makeup artist, Lou McClung is well aware what goes into good (and bad) makeup. So he started making his own, ultimately opening up his own shop, Lusso Cosmetics, in Lakewood. “As a makeup artist, what I wanted to do was have my own products,” he says.
 
As one of the few independent cosmetics manufacturers in the country, McClung makes and sells his own lipstick, eye liner, lip gloss and powder. His products aren’t tested on animals and are fragrance-free. As much as possible, Lusso products are plant-based and made with beeswax.
 
McClung blends all of his own shades and he custom blends foundations and powders to match skin tones. He teaches his customers how to use his products with free consultations. “It’s really simple once I explain it,” he says. “No one ever took the time to show them. Most of my clients want to look natural and they’re surprised how little makeup they need – it’s about knowing where to put it. Having a quality product and finding what to do with the stuff is key.”
 
The satisfaction McClung gets comes in pleasing his clients. “I know when I’ve nailed it and have the right product or shade,” he says. “I love to see my clients enjoying it, and I know it enhances their lives.”
 
When McClung isn’t helping clients with their makeup needs, he’s restoring religious art. Four years ago he bought the entire closed St. Hedwig church parish and turned it into The Museum of Divine Statues -- a museum of religious artifacts. He’s purchased the artifacts from closed churches around Cleveland. He says the restoration process is pretty much the same as doing makeup, except he uses pigments and oil paints.

THe museum is open Sundays from noon to 4pm and private tours can be arranged for groups of 30 or more. McClung is hosting a fundraiser on Sept. 27 to keep the museum going.
 
McClung employs an assistant and lives in the priest’s house on the parish property.
 
travel industry news outlet digs into cleveland's tourism revival
In a TravelPulse feature titled “Cleveland's Tourism Renaissance Goes Way Beyond LeBron,” writer Ryan Rudnansky goes beyond the LeBron headlines to uncover causes behind the rise in the Cleveland travel and tourism bottom line.
 
“Cleveland has gotten a bad rap over the years, but the national perception of the Ohio city finally appears to be shifting, boosted by tourism numbers that speak for themselves,” he writes.
 
“Positively Cleveland -- the official tourism authority of Cleveland -- recently reported visitor expenditures of $7.4 billion for 2013, up 6.7 percent from 2011. That’s in addition to a 4 percent increase in both visitors (15.6 million to 16.2 million) and jobs (63,394) from 2012 to 2013.”
 
Key developments include a new convention center, hosting the National Senior Games and the Gay Games, and the upcoming Republican National Convention in 2016.
 
“It was not about politics,” Positively Cleveland President and CEO David Gilbert is quoted in the piece. “It was about, 'We’re going to embrace these 50,000 people that are going to come to our town because they are choosing to come to our town, and it’s our job to make sure that they feel welcomed.'”
 
“You can argue that Cleveland was in a 40-year recession and, quite frankly, under a lot of pressure. It was the butt of a lot of jokes, starting in the 1960s with Johnny Carson. I think what has come of it is this combination of sophistication and grit. You have this city with great arts and culture, a great culinary scene, pro sports, tremendous parks and Lake Erie in the backdrop of this old manufacturing town. Without the world-class ego. We’re sort of proud of the fact that it’s not all shiny and brand new. It’s a polished-up version of a beautiful old city. And it has a real depth of character and depth of soul to it.”
 
Read the rest right here
gay games + aha! light up downtown landscape
Last weekend, downtown Cleveland literally was glowing. Thanks to the coinciding of a handful of marquee events like the Gay Games Opening Ceremonies and AHA! festival of lights and art, downtown was percolating with energy. Fresh Water photographer Bob Perkoski was there to record all the colorful action.
techpint's industry digital summit aims to become a regional tech conference
TechPint founder Paul McAvinchey always envisioned that his organization’s regular mini tech conferences could become something larger. When the last event drew more than 400 attendees to talk tech over a beer, McAvinchey knew it was time to go big.

On Friday, September 5, the first Industry Digital Summit will kick off at Hotcards. “The Industry Digital Summit is a national conference -- not just Cleveland-centric -- but a national conference with a focus on the Rust Belt,” McAvinchey says. “We want to show that there is a community in the region.”
 
The event brings some of the biggest names in technology to Cleveland: Ian Sigalow, co-founder and partner at GreycroftVC; Bob Moesta, president and CEO of the Re-Wired Group; and Stephanie Spear, founder and CEO of EcoWatch, to cite a few of the 15 speakers scheduled.
 
There will be a startup demo pitch, with 20 companies signed up, and workshops throughout the day. It’s all capped off with a pig roast and happy hour before the Hotcards space evolves into a “massive party that will go on until late,” says McAvinchey.
 
McAvinchey envisions the Industry Digital Summit as an event that could turn into something like South by Southwest or Big Omaha. “There’s nothing like that around here,” he says. “I think it’s important for the region and to have it in Cleveland is just super. We want to make Cleveland the center of digital innovation in the region.”
 
The conference costs $199, but Fresh Water readers can receive a $50 discount by using the code FRESHWATER upon registration before August 22.
who went where? a roundup of recently filled positions
Amy Martin was named principal of marketing for JumpStart Inc., where she will be responsible for managing all marketing and communication efforts for the nonprofit venture development organization. Previously, Martin was vice president of marketing for the Centers for Families and Children.
 
Hilary Sparks-Roberts has been appointed executive director of Social Venture Partners (SVP), the philanthropic venture fund that supports and strengthens local nonprofits. Hilary moves into the position after three years at SVP Cleveland, first as director of partner engagement, and then as deputy director.
 
Sparks-Roberts is a graduate of Kenyon College and CWRU Law School. She served as briefer to Governor Richard Celeste, and later as a mediator in the Cleveland Prosecutor’s Office, a Judicial Law Clerk to former Juvenile Court Judge Peter Sikora, and freelance writer and editor for arts and educational organizations. Prior to joining SVP Cleveland in 2011, Sparks-Roberts taught AP and honors English for 10 years at Lake Ridge Academy where she helped found and advise an extensive Mock Trial program.
 
SVP program assistant Caroline Linden was promoted to manager of programs and operations. Former executive director Linda Springer will remain a partner with SVP.

MidTown Cleveland announced that Jeff Epstein has been named the Health-Tech Corridor’s first director. As director, Epstein will be responsible for the development, coordination and implementation of the business and marketing strategy for the organization. He will work with public, nonprofit and private sector partners to spur new development, attract businesses, create new jobs and tax base, and develop economic stability for the area and the surrounding residential neighborhoods.  Previously, Epstein was vice president of development for the Coral Company.

Have a new hire to share? Email Karin with the details and we’ll spread the word!
cnn reports on cle heartlab and health-tech corridor
In a CNN Money feature titled “Cleveland: Booming in more ways than Lebron,” Tom Thriveni reports on the work being done at Cleveland Heartlab specifically and the Health-Tech Corridor in general.

“[Jake] Orville is the CEO of five-year-old Cleveland Heartlab, which has licensed several innovations from researchers at nearby -- and world-renowned -- Cleveland Clinic. The partnership was initiated by the clinic as part of its mission to turn its inventions into commercially viable medical products, generating profits for both parties. To date, besides Heartlab, 66 neighboring companies have spun out from Cleveland Clinic ideas since 2000. All told, the clinic has 525 patents and 450 licensing agreements,” Thriveni writes.

“The 1,600-acre Health-Tech Corridor acts as Cleveland's biomedical nerve center, housing three major health-care institutions besides the Cleveland Clinic, four higher education institutions, more than 130 biomedical and other technology companies and eight incubators that lease space and provide consulting and other business development services. This is where the Cleveland Clinic and other partner organizations, such as incubator BioEnterprise, interact with researchers, clinical caregivers, academics and business executives. State-funded groups like Team NEO (for North East Ohio) were launched to help attract new business to the region. Since Cleveland Heartlab opened in the Health-Tech Corridor's first building, eight additional buildings have opened for tenants. A ninth will open soon.”
 
Read the rest here.
while sports are fun, gay games will leave a positive legacy long after closing ceremony
As the 2014 Gay Games play out with eclectic events all over town, it becomes clear how they will leave a lasting positive effect on the host city of Cleveland. Uniting beneath a banner of inclusion, collaboration and unity, participants and sponsors establish a spirit that will endure long after the lights have dimmed and the last athlete has left the track.
who's hiring in cle: city year, cleveland transformation alliance, cmsd...
Welcome to the latest edition of Who’s Hiring in Cleveland?
 
There are plenty of good jobs to be had here in Cleveland. This is the latest installment in regular series of posts in which we feature companies that are hiring, what those employers are looking for, and how to apply.
 
City Year Cleveland, an education-focused nonprofit organization that partners with public schools and teachers to help keep students in school and on track to succeed, is hiring a donor relations manager. This position grows resources by developing strategies to increase annual revenue from individual investors. To apply, include cover letter, resume and references.
 
The Cleveland Transformation Alliance, a nonprofit organization with the mission of ensuring every child in Cleveland attends an excellent school and that every neighborhood has quality options, has two open positions: school choice advocate and school choice project manager. For details on these positions, click here. Send applications to Matt Orehek, project manager.
 
The Cleveland Metropolitan School District (CMSD) is transforming urban education. CMSD has teaching, administration, and other opportunities available. See the full list of openings and apply here
 
Have hiring news you’d like to share? Email Karin at Fresh Water Cleveland and send us this information or career links!
magnet and nasa invite startups to present 'tech-based products' at prototech
The Incubator at MAGNET and NASA Glenn Research Center are looking for product-focused startup companies to join its pitch competition on September 18 at Ariel International Center. Unlike other pitch competitions in the region, ProtoTech focuses on those companies with an actual product to market.
 
“There are a number of pitch competitions, but most of them are IT focused,” says Dave Crain, MAGNET’s director of entrepreneurial services. “What we’re trying to do is highlight product-focused startups in the region.”
 
What is a technology based product exactly? “At the end of the day, when a customer buys your product and you put it in a box and you ship it to them, that’s a product,” says Crain.
 
Six companies will be selected as finalists and receive promotion and fundraising tools. The teams will then pitch their products to a panel of judges and a live audience. The teams will be rated on their products’ feasibility, investability and the quality of their pitches. The audience also gets a vote.
 
Each team gets to keep any money raised for their products through the event, and the top three teams will receive matching funds.
 
Crain says they are hoping to receive 20 to 30 submissions for ProtoTech. The competition is open to anyone who meets the entry guidelines listed on the submission form. The deadline for submission is mid-August.
 
In addition to the pitch competition there will be an Investors Hall Exhibition, where 15 to 20 more established startups will have tables among an invited group of investors.
“These are later-stage startups who have entered the market,” explains Crain. “We’ve already chosen two companies to exhibit. We’ll continue to choose companies until the tables are filled. To be considered for the Investors Hall, submit an exhibitor request form.  
cleveland museum of art enjoys most visitors in years
 On the heels of its multiyear, $320 million renovation and expansion project, the Cleveland Museum of Art is already reaping big gains. Nearly 600,000 visitors came to the museum between July 1, 2013, and June 30, 2014, which was the highest in over a decade and represented a 19% increase over the previous fiscal year.

Museum membership, meanwhile, increased 18% to 23,094, with more than 3,300 new introductory-level members.More than $46 million was raised to support museum operations and programs.

“We are gratified by the continued growth in attendance and membership support, which clearly reflects the excitement being generated by our outstanding new facilities and programming,” said Fred Bidwell, the museum’s interim director.

Read all about the good news here.
new cycling fest to attract 1000s to shores of lake erie
When the Greater Cleveland Sports Commission began looking at creating a new event a few years ago, cycling soon rose to the top of the list. Leaders knew that a premiere cycling event in Northeast Ohio would prove popular well beyond Cleveland, attracting visitors from other cities. Then they refined the idea into a weekend of races, offering multiple rides from which to choose, coupled with a lifestyle festival at Edgewater Park. They had a winner.

The result is NEOCycle, "an urban cycling festival consisting of competitive races and unique rides, connected by live entertainment and an interactive, action-filled festival at Edgewater Park on the shores of Lake Erie," according to the website. The event takes place September 26th-28th, and organizers say it could attract 1,000 people from other cities and generate $250,000 in economic impact.

NEOCycle will feature five rides: Night Ride, which will leave from Edgewater Park and offer views of the sunset and downtown skyline; Forest City Fundo, an untimed, mass ride with lengths ranging from 10 to 62 miles and benefitting Bike Cleveland; Cyclocross, a race through Edgewater Park with natural and manmade obstacles; Criterium, a lapped race through University Circle and surrounding neighborhoods; and a velodrome race in Slavic Village.

Whether you're a competitive cyclist or not, the unique new event holds many charms. The Fundo and Night Rides are geared to both casual and serious riders. Spectators will enjoy heading over to Edgewater Park to watch the races, drink beer, hang out by the beach and listen to music.

Speaking of music, organizers recently announced that Cloud Nothings and Jessica Lea Mayfield would headline the event. Other bands include Ohio Sky, Captain Kidd, Cities & Coast, Ottawa, Muamin Collective & Neil Chastain Trio, Silent Lions, Village Bicycle, JP & the Chatfield Boys and the Luckey Ones.

"The idea is, 'How do you take 1 plus 1 plus 1 and equal a whole lot more than three?'" says David Gilbert, President of the Greater Cleveland Sports Commission. "How do you take grassroots events and put them in one large festival? You’re going to get an experience here that you're just not going to get at any other event."
lebron in the bag, cleveland now seeking mvp entrepreneurs
An item in the Huffington Post titled “They've Got LeBron, But Now Cleveland Seeks MVP Entrepreneurs,” writer Daryl Rowland outlines the hard work being done at Shaker LaunchHouse to attract other types of talent to the region.
 
"Where Los Angeles can be said to be about beauty and fame, or New York about ambition or talent, Northeast Ohio has a long history of manufacturing and celebrating the excellence and hard work required to make or do things well," Rowland writes.
 
Shaker LaunchHouse hopes to build upon the strong and growing biomedical products and business services technology industry by growing a hub for technology hardware.
 
“While many parts of the country are trying to attract tech startups, LaunchHouse, a business accelerator in Shaker Heights… is among the first to focus its efforts on tech hardware and interface technology.”
 
"With its rich history in manufacturing, Cleveland has become the perfect place for the intersection of technology and hardware," Todd Goldstein, CEO and managing partner at LaunchHouse is quoted in the piece. "We're encouraging the undiscovered MVPs of manufacturing to be like LeBron and set up shop in Northeast Ohio -- where we know how to build and distribute manufactured goods."
 
LaunchHouse has a track record for launching successful startups, with investment in 51 companies that have raised more than $15.5 million in follow-on funding and created more than 70 jobs in Northeast Ohio.
 
Read the rest right here.
 
who went where? a roundup of recently filled positions
Jennifer Schwartz Wright has been named department chair of the art therapy undergraduate program at Ursuline College, her alma mater. A board certified art therapist and educator, Schwartz Wright previously worked in various positions at the Art Therapy Studio, most recently as executive director.

For the past 10 years Schwartz Wright has taught as an adjunct in Ursuline’s graduate art therapy and counseling program, where she was asked to develop core courses for an undergraduate art therapy major.
“It’s been so fulfilling to be able to teach these classes that I imagined,” says Schwartz Wright. “It’s most gratifying to help prepare future practitioners for their work helping people face the greatest of life challenges through art making. The sad truth is that our world indeed needs many more art therapists.”

Anna Beyerle has joined Beaumont School as the public relations and marketing manager. Previously, Beyerle was senior communications specialist with the Downtown Cleveland Alliance.

John Kandare has joined Zounds Hearing of Greater Cleveland as an audiologist. Kandare will be responsible for providing free hearing evaluations, custom fitting hearing aids, and providing client education, follow-up and service at various Zounds locations. “I'm really excited to add John to our already top-notch team,” says Zounds owner Glenn Harbold.

Denise Griggs has been named vice president of the Burton D. Morgan Foundation. Griggs joined the foundation in 2007 as chief financial officer and was elected secretary and assistant treasurer in 2010. Griggs is a certified public accountant and has assisted a wide variety of nonprofit organizations with financial-statement audits, tax compliance work, consulting engagements including internal-control implementation, board governance, and benefit plans.

Have a new hire to share? Email Karin with the details and we’ll spread the word!
new marketing agency offering free assistance to the right startups
After a career in marketing and public relations -- largely in the non-profit sector --Tom Sarago decided to hang out his own shingle and launch Spruce, a full-service marketing and PR company in Lakewood. But the non-profit mentality stuck with Sarago, so he’s offering up his services for free to the right Cleveland company -- a startup or an established company going through transition.
 
“It’s in my roots to always give back,” explains Sarago. “I know I have enough experience to help these businesses.” After pondering the best business advice he ever got from the COSE Best Business Advice Campaign, he came up with “never neglect a volunteer opportunity assisting an intriguing business.”
 
Sarago’s offer isn’t solely about helping new businesses; it’s about expanding his circle and getting the Spruce name out there. “I want to engage as many people as possible,” he says. “The business will come. This is about meeting new people and hearing new stories of companies doing great things in cleveland."

Companies are invited to contact Sarango and explain him why they should receive free help with marketing, PR, branding or strategic planning needs. Sarago is only looking for the most passionate business owners.
 
Sarago has recruited the talents of commercial photography studio Kalman & Pabst to also get in on the offer. The winning company leader will also receive a professional photo shoot.

The deadline to contact Sarago and tell him why you need his services is August 15. 
who's hiring in cle: urbancode, dwellworks, y.o.u.
Welcome to the latest edition of Who’s Hiring in Cleveland?
 
There are plenty of good jobs to be found here in Cleveland. This is the latest installment in regular series of posts in which we feature companies that are hiring, what those employers are looking for, and how to apply.
 
IBM UrbanCode, a DevOps software product line, needs a software developer to work on its market-leading DevOps product line. Work on coding new features, bug fixes, integrations with other software development lifecycle tools, and help develop new products. Define, test, research and review code. For more information and to apply, click here.
 
Dwellworks, a support service provider for the relocation industry, has six open positions in a variety of disciplines, including a manager of property management to oversee the day-to-day services of portfolio properties. This job requires frequent interaction with homeowners and tenants. To apply for this position, click here. To see all of Dwellworks’ job openings, click here.
 
Youth Opportunities Unlimited (Y.O.U), a nonprofit youth workforce development organization, is hiring a development and marketing administrator who will assist in all aspects of Y.O.U.'s development process; assist and manage all aspects of Y.O.U.'s marketing efforts; and coordinate organizational events. Send resume and cover letter here.
 
The Cleveland Metropolitan School District (CMSD) is transforming urban education. CMSD has teaching, administration, and other opportunities available. See the full list of openings and apply here
 
Have hiring news you’d like to share? Email Karin at Fresh Water Cleveland and send us this information or career links!
long before lebron's return, cleveland on the upswing
In an Los Angeles Times article titled “Cleveland has been on the rebound even before LeBron James news,” writer Alana Semuels details our town’s renaissance, explaining that the city has been hard at work getting back on the map long before the recent media attention as a result of LeBron, Manziel, and the GOP convention.
 
“The GOP and LeBron are going to grease the skids on a process that's already started," Richey Piiparinen, a senior research associate at the Center for Population Dynamics at Cleveland State University, is quoted in the piece. "People are realizing it's not your grandpa's Rust Belt anymore."
 
Semuels writes, “Changes are already evident in the city, where new construction is booming. Hammers and drills sound at all hours on the Flats East Bank, a onetime hip area that fell into disarray a decade ago and is experiencing a renaissance. Downtown, a new convention center just opened, and developers are rushing to build hotels and luxury condos to keep up with demand. Ohio's first casino opened downtown in 2012. And restaurateurs are following in the steps of Cleveland native and James Beard Award winner Michael Symon, opening bistros where you can get entrees such as frog legs and rabbit pie with Parmesan and prosciutto crust.”
 
Semuels goes on to explain how the changes occurring in Cleveland are attracting young people that had previously fled to larger, trendier cities.
 
“But as those cities became more crowded with transplants, costs began rising and many people were priced out. Now, he said, there's a push-back against the Brooklynization of these big cities, and people are moving home. And not just to Cleveland -- to Pittsburgh, St. Louis and Buffalo, N.Y., as well.”
 
Read the rest of the article here.