Regional Economy
details detalis cleveland's rising stars
As part of the multi-part spread in Details magazine, the article "The Rust Belt Revival: What's Happening in Cleveland, Ohio" highlights "Pioneers have brought back made-in-the-Midwest fashion and opened an assortment of innovative bars and restaurants."
Included in the spread are features on:
Midwest Fashion Makes a Comeback
Starring Danielle DeBoe and Sean Bilovecky of Dredgers Union.
"The Dredgers Union is bringing back made-in-the-Midwest style."
The Architectural Upcyclers
Starring Chris Kious of A Piece of Cleveland.
"His team then transforms the southern yellow pine, maple, and oak into furniture and architectural elements. APOC sells its smaller creations -- wine racks, benches -- to heritage-hungry consumers and tackles commissions for clients like Starbucks and the Cleveland Institute of Art."
The Beer Evangelist
Starring Sam McNulty of Market Garden Brewery.
"His latest contribution to the now-thriving hood is Market Garden Brewery & Distillery, a bar-restaurant in a former slaughterhouse that lets you store perishables from the West Side Market while sipping one of 32 craft brews made on site (and soon small-batch whiskey, rum, and vodka, too)."
America's Next Great Chef
Starring Jonathon Sawyer of Greenhouse Tavern.
"Culinary wunderkinder often leave cities like Cleveland; they rarely come home. But after stints in New York City at the now-defunct Kitchen 22 and Parea, native son Jonathon Sawyer returned with dreams of owning his own place."
Read more here.
Included in the spread are features on:
Midwest Fashion Makes a Comeback
Starring Danielle DeBoe and Sean Bilovecky of Dredgers Union.
"The Dredgers Union is bringing back made-in-the-Midwest style."
The Architectural Upcyclers
Starring Chris Kious of A Piece of Cleveland.
"His team then transforms the southern yellow pine, maple, and oak into furniture and architectural elements. APOC sells its smaller creations -- wine racks, benches -- to heritage-hungry consumers and tackles commissions for clients like Starbucks and the Cleveland Institute of Art."
The Beer Evangelist
Starring Sam McNulty of Market Garden Brewery.
"His latest contribution to the now-thriving hood is Market Garden Brewery & Distillery, a bar-restaurant in a former slaughterhouse that lets you store perishables from the West Side Market while sipping one of 32 craft brews made on site (and soon small-batch whiskey, rum, and vodka, too)."
America's Next Great Chef
Starring Jonathon Sawyer of Greenhouse Tavern.
"Culinary wunderkinder often leave cities like Cleveland; they rarely come home. But after stints in New York City at the now-defunct Kitchen 22 and Parea, native son Jonathon Sawyer returned with dreams of owning his own place."
Read more here.
cle film fest shatters attendance records once again
It is staggering to believe, but this year's Cleveland International Film Festival -- the 36th annual -- once again broke the previous year's attendance figures.
The 11-day film festival, which wrapped up on Sunday, April 1, checked in a record total of 85,018 filmgoers. This is a 9-percent jump from the previous year and a whopping 143-percent increase from 2003.
What's more, the festival saw it's largest single-day attendance on Saturday, March 31, with 13,176 coming to see a film.
See you next year for another record-breaking festival?
The 11-day film festival, which wrapped up on Sunday, April 1, checked in a record total of 85,018 filmgoers. This is a 9-percent jump from the previous year and a whopping 143-percent increase from 2003.
What's more, the festival saw it's largest single-day attendance on Saturday, March 31, with 13,176 coming to see a film.
See you next year for another record-breaking festival?
With cranes in the sky and construction workers swarming everywhere, downtown Cleveland is witnessing an impressive construction boom. Yet beneath the clouds of dust, a not-so-subtle changing of the guard is also taking place, as baby boomers retire and young people step into leadership posts.
The generational handing off of the baton appeared to be in display last week at the annual "State of Downtown" address, an event that is sponsored by the Downtown Cleveland Alliance. The sold out crowd included a diverse, intergenerational group of business and nonprofit leaders.
To further enhance downtown Cleveland's vibrancy, civic and business leaders must engage young people from across different sectors to make it a better, more innovative place, said Lee Fisher, President of CEOs for Cities and a panelist at the City Club forum. "Cross-sector, cross-generational urban leaders are the greatest area of growth in cities, but we don't always walk the walk," he said. "It's not enough to have talent; we must also harness it and connect it."
Jeffrey Finkel, CEO of the International Economic Development Council, bemoaned the lack of corporate leadership in downtown Cleveland, yet said this is unsurprising given today's economy. He cited Eaton leaving downtown for the suburbs as one example. "You need to look at family-owned, growing companies for leadership," he said. "When they hire a Harvard MBA, you've lost."
Joe Marinucci, President of DCA, suggested the need to look beyond corporate leaders to young entrepreneurs. "Look at new businesses such as Nexus Cafe, Hodge's and Cleveland Pickle," he said. "These are homegrown entrepreneurs."
Source: Lee Fisher, Joe Marinucci, Jeffrey Finkel
Writer: Lee Chilcote
The generational handing off of the baton appeared to be in display last week at the annual "State of Downtown" address, an event that is sponsored by the Downtown Cleveland Alliance. The sold out crowd included a diverse, intergenerational group of business and nonprofit leaders.
To further enhance downtown Cleveland's vibrancy, civic and business leaders must engage young people from across different sectors to make it a better, more innovative place, said Lee Fisher, President of CEOs for Cities and a panelist at the City Club forum. "Cross-sector, cross-generational urban leaders are the greatest area of growth in cities, but we don't always walk the walk," he said. "It's not enough to have talent; we must also harness it and connect it."
Jeffrey Finkel, CEO of the International Economic Development Council, bemoaned the lack of corporate leadership in downtown Cleveland, yet said this is unsurprising given today's economy. He cited Eaton leaving downtown for the suburbs as one example. "You need to look at family-owned, growing companies for leadership," he said. "When they hire a Harvard MBA, you've lost."
Joe Marinucci, President of DCA, suggested the need to look beyond corporate leaders to young entrepreneurs. "Look at new businesses such as Nexus Cafe, Hodge's and Cleveland Pickle," he said. "These are homegrown entrepreneurs."
Source: Lee Fisher, Joe Marinucci, Jeffrey Finkel
Writer: Lee Chilcote
Every time a young person leaves Northeast Ohio for another part of the country, Greater Cleveland loses 120 percent of their salary in actual economic value, says Cuyahoga County Executive Ed FitzGerald.
That's why he recently created the Next Generation Council, a group that is intended to stem brain drain by giving young people a voice in helping the county attract and retain young talent in the region.
Recently, FitzGerald selected 15 council members from a diverse pool of 125 applicants between the ages of 20 and 35. The group began meeting last month and is working to develop a strategic plan.
“The Next Generation Council will provide an opportunity for my administration to get input from young professionals on how the county can develop the right conditions to engage the creative class,” said FitzGerald in a news release. “We are lucky to have such a diverse group to begin this important initiative.”
She adds, "My aim is to help identify or establish pathways to boost the engagement of young professionals in the public sector, ensuring our voices are consistently represented at the highest level."
Each member of the council serves two years. The group is part of a broader effort by FitzGerald to make Cuyahoga County "a more inclusive and competitive region."
Source: Cuyahoga County Executive Ed FitzGerald
Writer: Lee Chilcote
That's why he recently created the Next Generation Council, a group that is intended to stem brain drain by giving young people a voice in helping the county attract and retain young talent in the region.
Recently, FitzGerald selected 15 council members from a diverse pool of 125 applicants between the ages of 20 and 35. The group began meeting last month and is working to develop a strategic plan.
“The Next Generation Council will provide an opportunity for my administration to get input from young professionals on how the county can develop the right conditions to engage the creative class,” said FitzGerald in a news release. “We are lucky to have such a diverse group to begin this important initiative.”
"I joined the NGC because I admired Ed FitzGerald's willingness to take a very visible step to engage the region's emerging leaders," says council member Hermione Malone, who works at University Hospitals and lives in Detroit Shoreway. "I knew this would allow me to meet a new cadre of smart, creative, passionate, networked peers."
Each member of the council serves two years. The group is part of a broader effort by FitzGerald to make Cuyahoga County "a more inclusive and competitive region."
Source: Cuyahoga County Executive Ed FitzGerald
Writer: Lee Chilcote
Global Cleveland’s pilot program, the English and Pathways for Healthcare Professionals, graduated 19 students on Saturday, March 17. The five-month pilot program was designed to help immigrants with their English as well as find jobs that match the skills they developed in their home countries.
“Everyone was very thankful for the program, each for slightly different reasons” says Global Cleveland president Larry Miller. “They were very grateful for the experience -- it made Cleveland a very special place in their minds.”
Students studied English medical terminology, learned about the structure of the U.S. healthcare system, went on a field trip to the Cleveland Clinic, obtained certification in Basic Life Support (BLS) and participated in a college fair and an interviewing and resume writing workshop.
“They walked away with the basic skills,” says Miller. The graduates are now working with a career counselor who will help them on job placement.
Miller was struck by the students’ determination. “I was really impressed with some of their stories,” he says. “These are people who were involved in medicine and to go to another country, it’s very difficult landing in a new culture and a new country.”
A second class is planned for later this year, as well as one in the Akron area. “We think it’s one of the first and best successes,” Miller says of the pilot program. “We look forward to another one.”
Source: Larry Miller
Writer: Karin Connelly
“Everyone was very thankful for the program, each for slightly different reasons” says Global Cleveland president Larry Miller. “They were very grateful for the experience -- it made Cleveland a very special place in their minds.”
Students studied English medical terminology, learned about the structure of the U.S. healthcare system, went on a field trip to the Cleveland Clinic, obtained certification in Basic Life Support (BLS) and participated in a college fair and an interviewing and resume writing workshop.
“They walked away with the basic skills,” says Miller. The graduates are now working with a career counselor who will help them on job placement.
Miller was struck by the students’ determination. “I was really impressed with some of their stories,” he says. “These are people who were involved in medicine and to go to another country, it’s very difficult landing in a new culture and a new country.”
A second class is planned for later this year, as well as one in the Akron area. “We think it’s one of the first and best successes,” Miller says of the pilot program. “We look forward to another one.”
Source: Larry Miller
Writer: Karin Connelly
When Cleveland Indians fans catch their first game at Progressive Field this season, they'll be able to check out not only the power hitters in the batting lineup, but also a giant, new wind turbine that harnesses wind power to fuel the ballpark's operations.
The recently constructed turbine, which is the latest in the team's efforts to green-up its ballpark operations, was designed by Cleveland State University engineering professor Majid Rashidi. It weighs 10 tons and generates 40,000 kilowatt hours per year, which is enough to power about 2.5 households. Progressive Field uses about 17 million kilowatt hours per year.
"As our fans know, it's very windy at the ballpark. We've always wanted to do a turbine, but the technology just wasn't there," says Brad Mohr, Assistant Director of Ballpark Operations. "I gave a talk to the Corporate Sustainability Network organized by CSU in 2008, and that's when I got connected to Dr. Rashidi."
Rashidi had designed a vented wind turbine design, which fits into a more compact space than a traditional turbine and pivots with the wind. "It works in cities where there's turbulent wind," explains Mohr. "Much like a rock in a river, it pushes the air molecules at a faster speed through the turbine and generates power."
Mohr, who says he is proud that this is an all-Cleveland project, is working on efforts to educate fans. The Indians will install an interpretive area in the ballpark where people can learn about the park's sustainability efforts, which include solar arrays, energy reduction initiatives, recycling and food composting.
"Without a doubt, teams are looking hard at sustainability," says Mohr. "Through the Green Sports Alliance, we're sharing what's next with each other. For the Indians to influence others in the industry, that makes us very proud."
Source: Brad Mohr
Writer: Lee Chilcote
The recently constructed turbine, which is the latest in the team's efforts to green-up its ballpark operations, was designed by Cleveland State University engineering professor Majid Rashidi. It weighs 10 tons and generates 40,000 kilowatt hours per year, which is enough to power about 2.5 households. Progressive Field uses about 17 million kilowatt hours per year.
"As our fans know, it's very windy at the ballpark. We've always wanted to do a turbine, but the technology just wasn't there," says Brad Mohr, Assistant Director of Ballpark Operations. "I gave a talk to the Corporate Sustainability Network organized by CSU in 2008, and that's when I got connected to Dr. Rashidi."
Rashidi had designed a vented wind turbine design, which fits into a more compact space than a traditional turbine and pivots with the wind. "It works in cities where there's turbulent wind," explains Mohr. "Much like a rock in a river, it pushes the air molecules at a faster speed through the turbine and generates power."
Mohr, who says he is proud that this is an all-Cleveland project, is working on efforts to educate fans. The Indians will install an interpretive area in the ballpark where people can learn about the park's sustainability efforts, which include solar arrays, energy reduction initiatives, recycling and food composting.
"Without a doubt, teams are looking hard at sustainability," says Mohr. "Through the Green Sports Alliance, we're sharing what's next with each other. For the Indians to influence others in the industry, that makes us very proud."
Source: Brad Mohr
Writer: Lee Chilcote
Fresh Water is giving away tickets to some of the events leading up to The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony. For your chance to win, simply "Like" Fresh Water on Facebook, and write a post on our wall stating which concert in this list you'd like to attend and why. We're going to cut off the contest on Wednesday morning in order to get tickets out in time. Fresh Water will pick winning entries based on wit, brevity, panache and other wholly nebulous standards.
Small business owners are often the very first to turn the lights on in the morning and the last to leave at night. So when an owner doesn't show up for work until midmorning, that's typically something his or her employees take notice of right away. They may gossip and joke that the boss is out playing hooky.
"They'll look around and wonder where the boss is," says Ginny Hridel, Product Manager of Health Insurance and Wellness Programs with the Council of Smaller Enterprises (COSE). "Taking an hour and a half a week is not something owners are used to."
Yet, dedicating such time to health and wellness is what's expected of participants in Wellness Tracks, a COSE program that's geared towards helping Cleveland's small business owners become healthier. Throughout the 12-week program, owners learn how to integrate nutrition and wellness into their lives. The result, says Hridel, impacts not only the owners' fitness levels but also their companies' bottom line.
"Think about the sustainability of small businesses," she says. "If the owner gets sick, there's a big impact on the business. If they're able to stay healthy, they can focus on the business and be more productive. There are so many wellness programs for big companies, but it's harder to achieve for small businesses."
To that end, COSE set up its program to make it easy and affordable for small business owners to participate. The program requires a manageable chunk of time and is free for anyone covered by COSE's Medical Mutual plan. Owners not covered by that plan can still attend Wellness Tracks for a small fee.
"There are so many individual success stories," says Hridel. "This is not just about pounds lost but about the business owner making a personal transformation."
In the past two years, Wellness Tracks has graduated more than 300 individuals. The next program kicks off April 19th and classes start the week of April 23rd.
Source: Ginny Hridel
Writer: Lee Chilcote
"They'll look around and wonder where the boss is," says Ginny Hridel, Product Manager of Health Insurance and Wellness Programs with the Council of Smaller Enterprises (COSE). "Taking an hour and a half a week is not something owners are used to."
Yet, dedicating such time to health and wellness is what's expected of participants in Wellness Tracks, a COSE program that's geared towards helping Cleveland's small business owners become healthier. Throughout the 12-week program, owners learn how to integrate nutrition and wellness into their lives. The result, says Hridel, impacts not only the owners' fitness levels but also their companies' bottom line.
"Think about the sustainability of small businesses," she says. "If the owner gets sick, there's a big impact on the business. If they're able to stay healthy, they can focus on the business and be more productive. There are so many wellness programs for big companies, but it's harder to achieve for small businesses."
To that end, COSE set up its program to make it easy and affordable for small business owners to participate. The program requires a manageable chunk of time and is free for anyone covered by COSE's Medical Mutual plan. Owners not covered by that plan can still attend Wellness Tracks for a small fee.
"There are so many individual success stories," says Hridel. "This is not just about pounds lost but about the business owner making a personal transformation."
In the past two years, Wellness Tracks has graduated more than 300 individuals. The next program kicks off April 19th and classes start the week of April 23rd.
Source: Ginny Hridel
Writer: Lee Chilcote
cleveland's warm-hearted cash mob concept goes viral
Clevelanders are becoming familiar with the cash mob experience, which encourages consumers to converge and spend at locally owned stores. But the warm-hearted initiative is spreading to other parts of the nation, reports Reuters.
"After the original Cash Mob in Cleveland, [Andrew] Samtoy's Facebook friends in other cities picked up on the idea and organized their own gatherings. Samtoy can rattle off a list of friends from Los Angeles to Boston who were the ‘early adapters' of the Cash Mob phenomenon," the article reports.
“Flash mobs have been blamed as a factor in looting during urban riots. But now a group of online activists is harnessing social media like Twitter and Facebook to get consumers to spend at locally owned stores in cities around the world in so-called Cash Mobs.”
The concept of a cash mob is simple, you are required to spend at least $20 at the chosen location (usually a small independently owned local establishment) and meet three people you have never met before, according to Samtoy, the concept’s founder.
“The 32-year-old dreamed up the Cash Mob idea last year after spending time in Britain during summer riots that unleashed looting in cities including London, Manchester and Birmingham.”
Read the full inspirational story here.
"After the original Cash Mob in Cleveland, [Andrew] Samtoy's Facebook friends in other cities picked up on the idea and organized their own gatherings. Samtoy can rattle off a list of friends from Los Angeles to Boston who were the ‘early adapters' of the Cash Mob phenomenon," the article reports.
“Flash mobs have been blamed as a factor in looting during urban riots. But now a group of online activists is harnessing social media like Twitter and Facebook to get consumers to spend at locally owned stores in cities around the world in so-called Cash Mobs.”
The concept of a cash mob is simple, you are required to spend at least $20 at the chosen location (usually a small independently owned local establishment) and meet three people you have never met before, according to Samtoy, the concept’s founder.
“The 32-year-old dreamed up the Cash Mob idea last year after spending time in Britain during summer riots that unleashed looting in cities including London, Manchester and Birmingham.”
Read the full inspirational story here.
It was exciting enough for Ruk and Leela, Butanese refugees who settled in Cleveland a few years ago without knowing a soul, to press their garage opener and watch the door magically lift open. So imagine their surprise and joy when they found a shiny new tricycle also waiting inside for their toddler son.
Thanks to the Cuyahoga Land Bank's Discover Home program, a new partnership with the International Services Center, this immigrant couple will soon become proud homeowners. The Land Bank partnered with the ISC to renovate a three bedroom home on Hopkins Ave. in Lakewood and sign a lease-purchase agreement with this young family.
"We're helping to repopulate the city with immigrants, and they're contributing to the neighborhood, just as my relatives did when they came here from Greece," says Gus Frangos, President of the Land Bank. "We have such a surplus of vacant properties that we need to collaborate with everyone that we can."
The yellow, cottage-like house feels like "some kind" of home, adds Ruk Rai. He now works at ParkOhio and his wife works at Mold Masters. The couple spent 18 years in a refugee camp after they were forced from their country following a violent revolution because of their Nepali ancestry. They eventually won the immigrant "lottery" and became one of 40,000-75,000 refugees who are allowed into the U.S. each year. They resettled in Cleveland because of the ISC.
"The program came out of a need," says Karen Wishner, Executive Director of the ISC. "It was a way to solve two problems -- vacant properties and people in need of housing."
The house, which was previously bank owned, was renovated using a $20,000 grant from Fannie Mae. An additional $20,000 was invested by the ISC, and donations and sweat equity from the new owners covered the rest. The Land Bank and ISC hope to renovate 5-7 more dwellings like this by the end of the year.
The Land Bank is also pioneering additional partnerships, including efforts to work with veterans' groups and disability organizations. "The nonprofits bring the capacity and possibly the funding, and we have the properties," says Frangos.
Source: Gus Frangos, Rook, Karen Wishner
Writer: Lee Chilcote
Thanks to the Cuyahoga Land Bank's Discover Home program, a new partnership with the International Services Center, this immigrant couple will soon become proud homeowners. The Land Bank partnered with the ISC to renovate a three bedroom home on Hopkins Ave. in Lakewood and sign a lease-purchase agreement with this young family.
"We're helping to repopulate the city with immigrants, and they're contributing to the neighborhood, just as my relatives did when they came here from Greece," says Gus Frangos, President of the Land Bank. "We have such a surplus of vacant properties that we need to collaborate with everyone that we can."
The yellow, cottage-like house feels like "some kind" of home, adds Ruk Rai. He now works at ParkOhio and his wife works at Mold Masters. The couple spent 18 years in a refugee camp after they were forced from their country following a violent revolution because of their Nepali ancestry. They eventually won the immigrant "lottery" and became one of 40,000-75,000 refugees who are allowed into the U.S. each year. They resettled in Cleveland because of the ISC.
"The program came out of a need," says Karen Wishner, Executive Director of the ISC. "It was a way to solve two problems -- vacant properties and people in need of housing."
The house, which was previously bank owned, was renovated using a $20,000 grant from Fannie Mae. An additional $20,000 was invested by the ISC, and donations and sweat equity from the new owners covered the rest. The Land Bank and ISC hope to renovate 5-7 more dwellings like this by the end of the year.
The Land Bank is also pioneering additional partnerships, including efforts to work with veterans' groups and disability organizations. "The nonprofits bring the capacity and possibly the funding, and we have the properties," says Frangos.
Source: Gus Frangos, Rook, Karen Wishner
Writer: Lee Chilcote
Last week, NorTech announced nine area companies as winners of its annual innovation awards. The winners represent a variety of industries, including advanced energy, advanced materials, biosciences, flexible electronics, and instrumentation, controls and electronics.
“This year’s winners were selected by the judges’ panel based on their creativity, feasibility, collaboration, and triple bottom line impact,” says Rebecca O. Bagley, president and CEO of NorTech. “The winners represent a diverse range of technologies, from advanced energy to bioscience, which are being developed and commercialized right here in Northeast Ohio.”
Award winners were recognized at an evening ceremony at LaCentre Conference and Banquet Facility in Westlake, Ohio. Stephen Spoonamore, CEO of ABSMaterials, an advanced materials startup in Wooster, was the keynote speaker for the evening.
The winners are BrainMaster Technologies, Inc. for its brain imaging and biofeedback system; eQED for its 250-watt HIKARI solar microinverter; GrafTech International Holdings,for the world’s thinnest graphite heat spreaders; LineStream Technologies for advanced controls software; MesoCoat, Inc. for CermaClad; NASA Glenn Research Center with collaborative partners Ohio Aerospace Institute and Sest Inc. for large tapered crystal (LTC); Polyflow for waste-to-energy conversion technology; Powdermet, Inc. for McomP (Micro/Nanocomposite); and Tesla NanoCoatings Ltd. for Teslan carbon nanocoating.
“NorTech Innovation Award winners receive well-deserved, positive exposure for their innovations, their companies, and the talented teams that have worked tirelessly to move these technologies from vision to reality,” says Bagley. “Our hope is that award winners can leverage this recognition to pave the way for new opportunities for their organizations to continue to grow and excel in Northeast Ohio.”
Source: Rebecca O. Bagley
Writer: Karin Connelly
“This year’s winners were selected by the judges’ panel based on their creativity, feasibility, collaboration, and triple bottom line impact,” says Rebecca O. Bagley, president and CEO of NorTech. “The winners represent a diverse range of technologies, from advanced energy to bioscience, which are being developed and commercialized right here in Northeast Ohio.”
Award winners were recognized at an evening ceremony at LaCentre Conference and Banquet Facility in Westlake, Ohio. Stephen Spoonamore, CEO of ABSMaterials, an advanced materials startup in Wooster, was the keynote speaker for the evening.
The winners are BrainMaster Technologies, Inc. for its brain imaging and biofeedback system; eQED for its 250-watt HIKARI solar microinverter; GrafTech International Holdings,for the world’s thinnest graphite heat spreaders; LineStream Technologies for advanced controls software; MesoCoat, Inc. for CermaClad; NASA Glenn Research Center with collaborative partners Ohio Aerospace Institute and Sest Inc. for large tapered crystal (LTC); Polyflow for waste-to-energy conversion technology; Powdermet, Inc. for McomP (Micro/Nanocomposite); and Tesla NanoCoatings Ltd. for Teslan carbon nanocoating.
“NorTech Innovation Award winners receive well-deserved, positive exposure for their innovations, their companies, and the talented teams that have worked tirelessly to move these technologies from vision to reality,” says Bagley. “Our hope is that award winners can leverage this recognition to pave the way for new opportunities for their organizations to continue to grow and excel in Northeast Ohio.”
Source: Rebecca O. Bagley
Writer: Karin Connelly
Arthur Heuer spends a lot of his time studying how to make stainless steel harder and improve its resistance to corrosion. His research is possible thanks to the equipment at the Swagelok Center for Surface Analysis of Materials (SCSAM) on the CWRU campus.
The center has 20 electron microscopes and other instruments for microstructural characterization of materials and surface and near-surface chemical analysis. Basically, SCSAM is home to a lot of expensive equipment that allows industrial and academic users to conduct surface analysis, structural analysis and optic microscopy.
Industrial companies come from around the world to use the $20 million worth of equipment at SCSAM. “We don’t know of any place that has the diversity of instruments and staff that we have,” says Heuer, who is the center’s director. “I modestly claim it’s the best such facility on the planet.”
In a typical year, SCSAM sees 300 users who pay a service contract to use the equipment. Many industrial clients come on a weekly basis. “Our industrial clients like us because we are one-stop shopping,” says Heuer. Academic users pay a lesser rate to use the facility.
The fees cover the operational costs. The service fees are far less than investing in the equipment, even for companies that come to SCSAM on a regular basis. “We break even,” says Heuer. “The university doesn’t need to subsidize us.” Seven full time engineers maintain the equipment and train users.
Source: Arthur Heuer
Writer: Karin Connelly
The center has 20 electron microscopes and other instruments for microstructural characterization of materials and surface and near-surface chemical analysis. Basically, SCSAM is home to a lot of expensive equipment that allows industrial and academic users to conduct surface analysis, structural analysis and optic microscopy.
Industrial companies come from around the world to use the $20 million worth of equipment at SCSAM. “We don’t know of any place that has the diversity of instruments and staff that we have,” says Heuer, who is the center’s director. “I modestly claim it’s the best such facility on the planet.”
In a typical year, SCSAM sees 300 users who pay a service contract to use the equipment. Many industrial clients come on a weekly basis. “Our industrial clients like us because we are one-stop shopping,” says Heuer. Academic users pay a lesser rate to use the facility.
The fees cover the operational costs. The service fees are far less than investing in the equipment, even for companies that come to SCSAM on a regular basis. “We break even,” says Heuer. “The university doesn’t need to subsidize us.” Seven full time engineers maintain the equipment and train users.
Source: Arthur Heuer
Writer: Karin Connelly
In this installment of Fresh Water Video, local entrepreneurs discuss the benefits of doing business in Northeast Ohio. In the video are Doug Hardman of SparkBase, Brian Deagan of Knotice, and Dan McCafferty of Revere Data.
East, west, north and south: The culinary choices bestowed upon Cleveland foodies are dizzying, to say the least. But everybody has his or her favorite -- that one dish that inflates them with joy while feeding the heart, body and soul. Fresh Water contributor Erin O'Brien caught up with a crop of Cleveland movers and shakers and asked each of them to dish up the skinny on their top local nosh in their own home-cooked words.
A recent visit to PlayhouseSquare for "dinner and a show" confirmed that the neighborhood is on a roll. The combination of unseasonably warm weather, a hot new restaurant opening, and a world-class whodunit resulted in a string of sold-out shows filled with well-fed theatergoers.
free press touts upcoming iron chef 'clash of the michigan titans'
Cleveland’s own Michael Symon continues to receive out of town press, this time in a piece from Sylvia Rector of the Detroit Free Press.
As the newspaper’s scribe for the "Dining Out" column, Rector reports that an upcoming episode of the Food Network’s Iron Chef America will be a "battle between two almost-Detroit chefs -- Takashi Yagihashi of the renowned, now-closed Tribute in Farmington Hills, and Michael Symon, the Clevelander who owns Roast at the Westin Book Cadillac Detroit.”
The episode airs April 1.
The battle will pit two James Beard Award-winning chefs with notably different cooking styles in a contest focusing on a common “secret ingredient.”
Later in the story Rector notes Symon is “often credited with igniting his hometown's restaurant renaissance in the mid-'90s -- and if he didn't ignite it, he certainly threw gasoline on the sparks.”
"At the end of the day, I cook a very Midwestern style. It's who I am," Symon told the Free Press as he prepared to open Roast, which was the Detroit Free Press 2009 Restaurant of the Year.
As Clevelanders it is difficult to imagine a food scene without Symon playing a major role. While his celebrity has certainly exploded in recent years, it is certainly well deserved.
Read the full Detroit Free Press story here.
As the newspaper’s scribe for the "Dining Out" column, Rector reports that an upcoming episode of the Food Network’s Iron Chef America will be a "battle between two almost-Detroit chefs -- Takashi Yagihashi of the renowned, now-closed Tribute in Farmington Hills, and Michael Symon, the Clevelander who owns Roast at the Westin Book Cadillac Detroit.”
The episode airs April 1.
The battle will pit two James Beard Award-winning chefs with notably different cooking styles in a contest focusing on a common “secret ingredient.”
Later in the story Rector notes Symon is “often credited with igniting his hometown's restaurant renaissance in the mid-'90s -- and if he didn't ignite it, he certainly threw gasoline on the sparks.”
"At the end of the day, I cook a very Midwestern style. It's who I am," Symon told the Free Press as he prepared to open Roast, which was the Detroit Free Press 2009 Restaurant of the Year.
As Clevelanders it is difficult to imagine a food scene without Symon playing a major role. While his celebrity has certainly exploded in recent years, it is certainly well deserved.
Read the full Detroit Free Press story here.
ohio wine gets major shout-out in huffpo's travel blog
Ohio wine producers, most notably those in the Northern part of the state, got a huge shout-out in Huffington Post's national travel blog, "CarsTravelFood."
Titled "Explore America: One of Ohio's Best Kept Secrets Is Wine," the feature goes into depth about Ohio's rich wine-making history while offering modern-day tips on where to go.
"Ohio wineries might be one of the state's best kept secrets, something worth exploring when visiting the Buckeye State. What's for sure is that the wineries are definitely popular destinations and a worthwhile road trip for those who live here."
Some stats: There are now about 150 wineries in the Buckeye State, and 60 percent of those grow their own fruit. At least eight new wineries will open in the state in 2012.
"Ohio wine country is a welcome glimmer of hope in this tough economic climate."
"There is no recession in wine country; our wineries are exploding," says Donniella Winchell, executive director of Ohio Wine Producers Association. "There is a winery within 45 minutes of every resident of the state of Ohio."
The wine industry in Ohio provides about 4,000 jobs, and these vintners attract about 2 million visitors a year. Winchell says 65 percent of Ohio wines are grown in the northeast part of the state in the Grand River Valley, which is 22 miles long and four miles wide. There are about 20 wineries in this region.
Drink up the rest of the travelog here.
Titled "Explore America: One of Ohio's Best Kept Secrets Is Wine," the feature goes into depth about Ohio's rich wine-making history while offering modern-day tips on where to go.
"Ohio wineries might be one of the state's best kept secrets, something worth exploring when visiting the Buckeye State. What's for sure is that the wineries are definitely popular destinations and a worthwhile road trip for those who live here."
Some stats: There are now about 150 wineries in the Buckeye State, and 60 percent of those grow their own fruit. At least eight new wineries will open in the state in 2012.
"Ohio wine country is a welcome glimmer of hope in this tough economic climate."
"There is no recession in wine country; our wineries are exploding," says Donniella Winchell, executive director of Ohio Wine Producers Association. "There is a winery within 45 minutes of every resident of the state of Ohio."
The wine industry in Ohio provides about 4,000 jobs, and these vintners attract about 2 million visitors a year. Winchell says 65 percent of Ohio wines are grown in the northeast part of the state in the Grand River Valley, which is 22 miles long and four miles wide. There are about 20 wineries in this region.
Drink up the rest of the travelog here.
port of cle earns award for increase in international cargo
Thanks to a 10-percent increase in international cargo during the 2011 navigation season, the Cleveland-Cuyahoga County Port Authority nabbed the prestigious Robert J. Lewis Pacesetter Award from the Saint Lawrence Seaway Development Corporation (SLSDC). It is the Port's 10th Pacesetter Award.
A large jump in cargo, mostly attributed to the handling of windmill components originating in Germany and destined for Euclid, is to thank for the increase.
"The sustained strong economic performance by the port serves to highlight marine transportation’s importance for the city, the region, and the country," said SLSDC Administrator Terry Johnson. "Through its ongoing infrastructure improvements and forward looking strategic plan, the port is well positioned for further growth in 2012 and beyond."
"The Port of Cleveland is clearly one of Ohio’s economic engines and we are fortunate that Will Friedman is leading the organization," said Joe Roman, President of Greater Cleveland Partnership.
Read the rest of the shipping news here.
A large jump in cargo, mostly attributed to the handling of windmill components originating in Germany and destined for Euclid, is to thank for the increase.
"The sustained strong economic performance by the port serves to highlight marine transportation’s importance for the city, the region, and the country," said SLSDC Administrator Terry Johnson. "Through its ongoing infrastructure improvements and forward looking strategic plan, the port is well positioned for further growth in 2012 and beyond."
"The Port of Cleveland is clearly one of Ohio’s economic engines and we are fortunate that Will Friedman is leading the organization," said Joe Roman, President of Greater Cleveland Partnership.
Read the rest of the shipping news here.
Like most of the country, Northeast Ohio was slammed hard by the tidal wave of the most recent recession. But thanks to an increasingly diversified economic strategy -- one that saw a transition from traditional manufacturing (steel, tires) to modern forms of manufacturing (healthcare equipment, polymers) -- the region is emerging from those damaging waters stronger than it has in the past, say area advocates.
The Cleveland Plus Marketing Alliance is celebrating its fifth birthday promoting Northeast Ohio as a vigorous regional entity. Like any proud parent, Cleveland Plus executive director Rick Batyko is eager to show off the campaign's accomplishments over its first five years of life. Fresh Water writer Douglas J. Guth spoke with Batyko about the campaign's successful past as well as the Wadsworth native's hopes for the region's future.