Canton inc magazine dec 2013 issue

CantonINC

CantonINC STARK COUNTY, OHIO

GOOD FOR BUSINESS

THE LOW-FARE ADVANTAGE

THE LOW-FARE ADVANTAGE

DECEMBER 2013

Now it’s Southwest Airlines that leads Akron-Canton as the airport continues history of delivering travel savings PLUS...

PAGE 21

LOGISTICS

ENERGY

EDUCATION

FUELING AMERICA & QUICK RESPONSE

A GLIMPSE OF THE FUTURE

BUILDING A BETTER WORKFORCE

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PAGE 29

PAGE 35

CantonINC Canton Inc. is an economic development publication produced through a collaboration of the Canton Regional Chamber of Commerce and The Repository.

CANTON REGIONAL CHAMBER OF COMMERCE Dennis P. Saunier President & CEO dennys@cantonchamber.org 330-456-7253 Steven J. Katz Senior vice president katzcrcc@cantonchamber.org 330-458-2062 Collyn Floyd Director of marketing and events collynf@cantonchamber.org 330-458-2071 Denise A. Burton Director of sales and membership deniseb@cantonchamber.org 330-458-2067 Kathy D. Irwin Director of accounting kathyd@cantonchamber.org 330-456-7253 David C. Kaminski Director of energy and public affairs davidk@cantonchamber.org 330-458-2059 Michael P. Gill Director of Canton Development Partnership mikeg@cantonchamber.org 330-458-2090 John R. Kiste Executive director of Canton/Stark County Convention & Visitors’ Bureau johnk@visitcantonstark.com 330-458-2080 Joanne K. Murray Director of Pro Football Hall of Fame Enshrinement Festival joannem@cantonchamber.org 330-458-2050 Eric Smer Director of ystark!

330-458-2302 erics@cantonchamber.org Fran Wells Director of Leadership Stark County franw@leadershipstarkcounty.org 330-458-2094

CONTENTS 8 10 11 17 18 21

24 29 35 47

CEO message Chamber’s 100th Local attractions Economics Site selections

Cover story

Logistics Energy Education Real estate

53 Health care 58 Workforce 60 Resources 66 Parting shot

CantonINC REPOSITORY/ GATEHOUSE OHIO MEDIA James A. Porter publisher jim.porter@cantonrep.com 330-580-8428 Jess Bennett executive manager jess.bennett@cantonrep.com 330-580-8474 David Manley presentation editor david.manley@cantonrep.com 330-580-8490 Therese D. Hayt executive editor teri.hayt@cantonrep.com 330-580-8310 Scott Brown managing editor scott.brown@cantonrep.com 330-580-8343 Dayna Yurkovich marketing manager dayna.yurkovich@cantonrep.com 330-580-8514 Patrick Mackie advertising manager patrick.mackie@cantonrep.com 330-580-8430 Julie Botos chief photographer julie.vennitti@cantonrep.com CONTRIBUTORS Stan Myers, Scott Heckel, Michael S. Balash, Bob Rossiter, Kevin Whitlock, Joan Renner

Executive Committee, Canton Regional Chamber of Commerce, Board of Directors Chairman of the board: Karen M. Brenneman, Hall, Kistler & Company LLP; Sr. vice chairman: Philip D. Fracassa, The Timken Co.; vice chairman: Brian Belden, The Belden Brick Company; vice chairman: John A. Murphy, Jr., Day Ketterer Ltd.; vice chairman: William C. Shivers, Huntington Bank; treasurer: D.William Allen, Pro Football Hall of Fame; immediate past chairman: Rick L. Haines, AultCare; president and CEO: Dennis P. Saunier, Canton Regional Chamber of Commerce; corporate secretary: Steven J. Katz, Canton Regional Chamber of Commerce

CantonINC is published by GateHouse Ohio Media. 500 Market Ave. S, Canton, OH 44702; 330-580-8300. CantonINC is protected by federal copyright law, which gives CantonINC exclusive rights to reproduce or authorize reproduction of its materials.

AD INDEX 02 03 04 04 05 06 07 09 12 13 14 14 16 18 19 19 22 22 23 23 24 26 28 30 31 31 33 34

Innis Maggiore Premier Bank & Trust Pro Football Hall of Fame Norman Eckinger, Inc. United Way of Greater Stark County Stark State College DeHoff Realtors Aultman Hospital The Employment Source Marathon Petroleum Co. DeHoff Realtors Integrity Technical Services, Inc The Repository Pro Football Hall of Fame Enshrinement Festival NAI Spring Selinsky FORCE Dominion East Ohio About magazine Canton Stark County Convention & Visitors’ Bureau Canton Palace Theatre The M. Conley Company Krugliak,Wilkins, Griffiths & Dougherty Co., LPA Stark Business Journal Canton Development Partnership CSE Federal Credit Union University Center at Kent State University at Stark Mercy Medical Center Leadership Stark County

37 Day Ketterer Ltd., Attorneys at Law 37 DNS Insurance 38 The Repository/Monster 41 Chesapeake Energy 43 Malone University 44 Propel Marketing 45 Huntington Bank 48 About magazine 49 Building Industry Association of Stark County 49 Aultman College of Nursing 50 Kent State University at Stark 51 Gervasi Vineyard 52 The Belden Brick Company 54 Stark County Safety Council 55 Putman Properties Inc. 56 People’s Services Inc. 57 ystark!

58 Canton Regional Chamber 59 AultCare 60 Canton Regional Chamber 61 Young Truck Sales Inc. 62 Norman Eckinger, Inc. 62 Canton Regional Chamber\ Utica Capital 63 Standard Plumbing & Heating 63 Stark County District Library 65 Wilkof Industrial Supply and Ron’s Workingman’s Store 65 Hammontree & Associates Ltd. 67 3-D Business Accelerator 68 Midwest Industrial Supply, Inc.

For information about how to advertise in this publication, please call Patrick Mackie, business development manager, at 330-580-8430 or email patrick.mackie@cantonrep.com.

CEO MESSAGE CantonINC

STARK COUNTY BUSINESSES ARE

THRIVING

n 2012, the Canton Regional Chamber of Commerce and The Repository and GateHouse Ohio Media launched a collaborative effort to showcase our region as a prime destination for business: Canton Inc. magazine.

We’re excited to begin 2014 with our third issue of Canton Inc., which includes a variety of stories covering logistics, energy, education, tourism, health care and more. At the heart of each feature are the ways our local businesses are making Canton/Stark County a thriving center for economic development.

Our cover story explores the economic impact of Southwest Airlines (SWA) on our region. We’re fortunate to have available seven nonstop SWA destinations from Akron-Canton Airport, making business travel to cities such as New York, Boston and Orlando, Fla., convenient and affordable. Southwest’s presence is unique for a community of our size and a testament to the outstanding work of our regional airport to preserve a low-fare carrier advantage. You’ll discover why we think it’s essential to support Southwest when you fly from CAK. Just to the north and south of the airport are two logistics businesses, FedEx Custom Critical and Kenan Advantage Group, respectively. In this issue, you’ll get better acquainted with what they do, and why we’re excited these innovative businesses call our region home.

We also take a look at the region’s latest oil and gas developments, including a recap of our first Utica Summit, an event that brought together more than 220 attendees to discuss the future of shale in Canton, the Utica Capital. The

Canton Regional Chamber of Commerce

I

8

event was a success, and plans are underway for a second summit in late 2014, as well as additional oil and gas events throughout the year.

In our three feature stories, you’ll hear from several of the area’s college presidents and deans, top local real estate developers, as well as get an update on the ever-changing local health care landscape.

We’re not all business, either. If you’ve ever heard that “there’s nothing to do around here,” we profile 10 local attractions that quickly put that claim to rest.

Finally, we’d be remiss if we didn’t mention that 2014 represents the 100th anniversary for the Canton Regional Chamber of Commerce. You can read more about the Chamber’s century of leadership and plans for the future on page 10.

We’re honored to produce a publication focused on businesses that are mak-

ing a difference and making Canton/Stark County a better place to work and live.

We hope you’ll read on and discover why our region is an exciting place for your company to do business.

Dennis P. Saunier President and CEO Canton Regional Chamber of Commerce

James A. Porter Publisher The Repository and GateHouse Ohio Media

CHAMBER 100 CantonINC

A CENTURY OF LEADERSHIP

BY DENNIS SAUNIER, PRESIDENT AND CEO

Canton Regional Chamber of Commerce

T

10

he Chamber celebrates an important milestone in 2014: our 100-year anniversary of advancing economic growth and community development in Canton/Stark County.

Since the Chamber’s inception in 1914, we have grown into a vibrant organization that serves 1,600 member businesses as well as countless residents and visitors. In addition, we act as a primary facilitator of economic growth by partnering with and influencing local businesses, community leaders and government officials to strengthen and promote our region’s many assets.

The various ways we serve our community, however, might surprise you. We are local champions for a wide range of projects: economic development, public policy, downtown development, education and workforce development, downtown events and festivals, and, of course, the annual Enshrinement Festival.

The Chamber, and our six departments — Canton Development Partnership, Canton/Stark County Convention & Visitors’ Bureau, Leadership Stark County, Pro Football Hall of Fame Enshrinement Festival, Stark County Safety Council, and ystark! — each play a unique and critical role in securing the future of the region.

From large-scale capital improvement projects to smallbusiness advocacy, from the massive two-week Enshrinement Festival to Arts District street concerts, our daily, monthly and yearly objectives are to make Canton/Stark County the best possible place to work, live and play.

With those aims in mind, the Chamber’s 100-year milestone has given our organization the perfect opportunity to pause and assess where we’ve been, where we’re going and

how we can better serve our members and the region in years to come.

We are in final stages of approval of a comprehensive, forward-looking strategic plan, which will serve as a guiding document for our organization. This five-year plan will help us begin the next century of Chamber leadership with a compelling vision, unified direction and measurable goals, and provide a roadmap to help advance our region’s economic growth and visibility.

Once approved, the strategic plan also will steer our organization through the combined challenges and opportunities that surely lie ahead. With the help of nine key stakeholder groups and a total of 181 participants, we already have completed Phase I of the plan in 2013, from which we established six key organizational goals as well as goals for the future.

We expect to begin rolling out these goals, as well as the complete strategic plan, with our board’s approval, in early 2014. In the meantime, we want to thank all parties involved during the planning process: our board Chairman Karen Brenneman, board of directors, staff, Chamber members, volunteer leadership and other stakeholders in the community.

Also, I would like to offer a special thanks to our 11-member Steering Committee for its tireless work and dedication in helping us through the strategic planning process.

As we begin 2014, we want to celebrate a remarkable 100 years of Chamber leadership, but also look toward our organization’s future with a fresh perspective and renewed focus.

I can’t wait to share with you the exciting goals, collaborations and initiatives we have for Canton/Stark County and the surrounding region moving forward.

CantonINC ATTRACTIONS

elcome to Stark County Home to both national attractions and tucked-away treasures, Stark County abounds with options to suit every taste.

From the well-known Pro Football Hall of Fame to the thriving downtown arts district to the amazing parks and recreation — these pages hold just a sampling of all Stark County has to offer.

BY JOAN PORTER & JESS BENNETT

PRO FOOTBALL HALL OF FAME

CANTON ARTS DISTRICT The outdoor murals, painted trash cans and sculptures of recycled materials welcome visitors to Downtown Canton’s Arts District, an eclectic mix of studios, galleries, theaters and restaurants. From photography to paintings, ornaments to pottery and jewelry to wearables — if it’s art, you will find it here. Food, music and movie festivals are held in the arts district throughout the year. On the first Friday of each month, venture downtown to enjoy an evening of art, live music and street performers.Visit www.cantonartsdistrict.com for more information.

Canton Regional Chamber of Commerce

The Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton is an awaiting paradise for sports fans. Check out the busts and informational kiosks of the 280 NFL players who have been inducted into the HOF since it opened in 1963. From the Super Bowl gallery and treasured artifacts to the museum store and interactive game areas, it’s all football all the time at the Hall of Fame.The $27 million “Future 50” expansion and renovation project — the largest in the Hall’s history — was completed this summer, coinciding with the Hall of Fame’s 50th anniversary.Visit www.profootballhof.com for more information.

11

ATTRACTIONS CantonINC

OHIO’S GOLF CAPITAL With more than 20 golf courses scattered throughout the countryside, there is little wonder why Stark County is considered Ohio’s Golf Capital. Each course has its own atmosphere, depending on its location and design.That atmosphere can range from back-to-nature to private retreat and everything in between.

Rolling hills, tree-lined fairways, water hazards, sand traps — they’re all there. Stark County’s golf courses offer nine, 18, 27 and 36 holes. Some have clubhouses, pro shops, snack bars, swimming pools, picnic shelters and banquet facilities. Many offer sets of tees making them senior- and woman-friendly while still providing a challenge to the more advanced golfer.With such a variety of terrains, designs and levels of difficulty, there is a golf course in Stark County for every player. For a look at Stark County’s golf courses, go to www.visitcantonstark.com/golf.

GERVASI VINEYARD Nestled on 55 stunning acres are vineyards, a winery, bistro, outdoor patio, marketplace, event center and The Villas, a boutique inn designed with a luxurious Tuscan atmosphere in mind. Gervasi Vineyard is indeed an elegant escape for an overnight stay, a dinner, a wedding or any special event. A daytime visit might include a tour of the winery followed by a stop at the tasting bar to sample an assortment of wines, including wines made from Gervasi’s own varietal grapes, and then a mouthwatering selection of Italian dishes at the Bistro for dinner. Gervasi also is the place for art shows, festivals, a farmers’ market, live music, hands-on cooking classes and wine lessons. New this year is The Crush House — a café during the day and lounge at night.The Crush House provide guests with a view of the winery and barrel room. Casual, moderately priced food and its complementing wine are served in an industrial atmosphere.

For menus, a schedule of events and to make reservations, visit www.gervasivineyard.com.

A F F I L I A T E D PA R T N E R

CantonINC ATTRACTIONS

CANTON MUSEUM OF ART The Canton Museum of Art is one of Ohio's premier locations for an exceptional visual arts experience.The museum is recognized for powerful national touring exhibits, dynamic CMAoriginal exhibits, an unrivaled permanent collection of American watercolors and contemporary ceramics, and innovative education outreach programs, in-museum classes and workshops. In the fall of 2008 the museum organized “Clyde Singer's America,” a joint exhibition with the Butler Institute of Art in Youngstown, Ohio.This was followed in 2009 with the blockbuster exhibit “Kimono As Art:The Landscapes of Itchiku Kubota,” which drew more than 57,000 visitors. 2010 marked the 75th anniversary of the Canton Museum of Art.The current exhibit (through March 2) is “Illuminating the Word:The Saint John’s Bible.” In 1998, Saint John’s University and Benedictine Abbey commissioned renowned calligrapher Donald Jackson to produce a handwritten, hand-illuminated Bible. Explore vast pages from the first handwritten and illustrated Bible in more than 500 years.

HARTVILLE HARDWARE AND HARTVILLE MARKETPLACE & FLEA MARKET What began in 1939 as a livestock auction is the present-day group of family-owned and oriented companies, including the Hartville MarketPlace and Flea Market, Hartville Kitchen, Hartville Hardware, Hartville Collectibles, Hartville Kitchen Salad Dressing,Top Advantage ■ Valley of the DryBones, Donald Surfaces and Hartville Tool.The MarketPlace and Flea Market is open year-round, with 110 Jackson (artist) and Susie Leiper indoor shops and 1,000 seasonal outdoor flea market vendors. Hartville Hardware is the largest (scribe), from the “Illuminating the Word: independently owned home center in the nation, with nearly three times the items in stock as The Saint John’s Bible” exhibit at the the competition.This true home improvement center features hardware, tools, equipment Canton Museum of Art. rental, paint and wallpaper, kitchen and bath, lawn and garden, housewares, wearables, cleaning, lumber and trim, and more. For more information, visit www.hartvillemarketplace.com or www.hartvillehardware.com.

82

Years in Stark County Excited to be a participant in the Utica Shale Play

Fueling the American Spirit. www.marathonpetroleum.com

ATTRACTIONS CantonINC

■

Canton Food Tours creator Barbara Abbott leads a tour of downtown Canton.

CANTON FOOD TOURS With Canton Food Tours, local residents and visitors alike can explore the local food scene in the Hall of Fame City. Each tour is your ticket to a culinary adventure. Guests experience the best local dishes — with five to seven tastings — on walking and van-based tours led by a knowledgeable tour guide. Along the way, discover the history and culture of the city, with stops at various museums, galleries, and historical and architectural points of interest. A variety of tours are available year-round, with create-your-own options possible for groups of six or more.Visit www.cantonfoodtours.com for more information.

MASSILLON MUSEUM The Massillon Museum, celebrating 80 years of local art and history, has major collections of photography, costumes and textiles, china, glass and pottery, domestic appliances, and circus memorabilia. First accredited in 1972 by the American Association of Museums, the permanent collection contains more than 100,000 items.The museum’s collection and exhibition program reflect the varied interests of its broad constituency.The museum is charged with collecting the best in local and regional art and collecting and exhibiting local and regional historical artifacts. An estimated 95 percent of the cataloged permanent collection consists of gifts from the community.Therefore, there is a direct connection between the permanent collection and the social, economic and cultural history of the community.Visit www.massillonmuseum.org for more information.

CantonINC ATTRACTIONS

Cleveland 90

Brecksville Peninsula Akron

30

Stark County

80

76

Canton 30

71

Dover New Philadelphia 77

Columbus 70

Canton Regional Chamber of Commerce

NORTHEAST OHIO

RIVER

Akron Art Museum . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24 miles Akron Zoo . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25 miles Cleveland Browns’ FirstEnergy Stadium . . . . . . . . 61 miles Cuyahoga Valley National Park, Brecksville . . . . . . 41 miles Great Lakes Science Center, Cleveland . . . . . . . . 60 miles Hale Farm and Village, Peninsula . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34 miles PlayhouseSquare, Cleveland . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60 miles Progressive Field (home to Cleveland Indians) . . 60 miles Quicken Loans Arena (home to Cleveland Cavs) 60 miles Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, Cleveland . . . . . . . . . . 60 miles Stan Hywet Hall and Gardens, Akron . . . . . . . . . . 28 miles Trumpet in the Land, New Philadelphia . . . . . . . . 30 miles University Circle museums, Cleveland . . . . . . . . . 58 miles Warther Museum, Dover . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23 miles

90

LAKE ERIE

OHIO

NEARBY ATTRACTIONS IN NORTHEAST OHIO

15

CantonINC ECONOMICS

STARK COUNTY

ECONOMICS INCOME AND COST OF LIVING

MAJOR INDUSTRIES

MAJOR EMPLOYERS

Education, health care and social assistance:

Median household income:

24.5% 18.3% 11.6%

Affinity Medical Center Alliance Community Hospital Aultman Hospital Canton City Schools Diebold, Inc. Fishers Foods Freshmark Inc. GE Capital Mercy Medical Center Nationwide Insurance Nickles Bakery Republic Engineered Products Shearer's Foods Stark County government Stark State College The Timken Co.

Manufacturing:

Median home value:

$126,700

Retail trade:

Median rent:

Arts, entertainment, recreation, accommodations, food service:

$642/MO.

9.1%

Cost of living:

Professional, scientific, management:

14% LOWER

8.6%

than U.S. average Unemployment rate: (0.1% lower than national average)

MAJOR OCCUPATIONS

7.2%

HOUSEHOLDS Canton population Stark County population

Management, business, science and arts:

72,919 374,868

Median resident age

40.9

Age 17 and younger

23.1%

Age 18 to 24

8.7%

Age 25 to 44

23.7%

Age 45 to 64 Age 65 and older

EDUCATION High school graduate or higher:

88.5% 20.7% 6.8%

Bachelor’s degree:

Graduate or professional degree:

28.5% 16%

31% 25.3% 19.2% 16.7% Sales and office:

Service:

Production, transportation and material moving:

PARKS & TRAILS Stark County Park District includes:

7,000 80+ 31 acres of land,

miles of walking/bicycling trails and

miles of equestrian trails, in addition to the parks maintained by cities and townships

WEATHER Average January high:

33 19 degrees

WORKFORCE Total workforce: 191,456 Average commute: 21 minutes

Average January low:

degrees

SOURCES: U.S. Census Bureau, Ohio Department of Development, NOAA and the National Weather Service, Stark Parks, U.S. Department of Labor (Bureau of Labor Statistics).

Canton Regional Chamber of Commerce

$44,941

17

BUSINESS CantonINC

INDUSTRIAL LAND AND BUSINESS PARKS AKCAN INDUSTRIAL PARK Location: North Canton, Ohio Acres available: 15 Highway access: I-77 Zoning: Light industrial Rail access: No Development contact: Dan DeHoff, DeHoff Realty, 330-499-8153

ALLIANCE COMMERCE PARK Location: Alliance, Ohio Acres available: 75 Highway access: U.S. Route 62 Zoning: Light/heavy industrial Rail access: Yes Development contact: Jim Stout, Coastal Pet Products, 330-821-2218

CANTON CENTURY PARK Location: Canton, Ohio Acres available: 65 Highway access: I-77 Zoning: Heavy C=commercial Rail access: No Development contact: Bryce Custer, 330-966-8800

EASTRIDGE COMMERCE PARK Location: Canton, Ohio Acres available: 88 Highway access: U.S. Route 62 Zoning: Light industrial Rail access: No Development contact: Bob DeHoff, DeHoff Development, 330-499-8153

ELM RIDGE INDUSTRIAL PARK Location: Canal Fulton, Ohio Acres available: 25 Highway access: State Route 21 and I-77 Zoning: Light industrial Rail access: No Development contact: Ken Schalmo or Fred E. Etheridge, Schalmo Properties Inc., 330-854-4591

FORD PROPERTY Location: Canton, Ohio Acres available: 75 Highway access: U.S. Route 30

Zoning: Heavy industrial Rail access: Yes Development contact: Rafael Rodriguez, 330-438-4129

HARTVILLE INDUSTRIAL PARK Location: Hartville, Ohio Acres available: 20 Highway access: State Routes 43 and 619 Zoning: Light industrial Rail access: Some potential Development contact: Mayor's office, village of Hartville, 330-877-9222

MASSILLON REPUBLIC Location: Massillon, Ohio Acres available: 350 Highway access: State Route 21 and U.S. Route 30 Zoning: Heavy Industrial Rail access: Yes Development contact: Massillon Development Foundation, 330-833-3148

MILLER I Location: Massillon, Ohio Acres available: 125 Highway access: State Route 21 and U.S. Route 30 Zoning: Heavy industrial Rail access: Yes Development contact: Bob Sanderson, Massillon Development Foundation and Miller Family Trust, 330-833-3148

MILLS BUSINESS PARK Location: Canton, Ohio Acres available: 100 Highway access: I-77 Zoning: Light industrial Rail access: No Development contact: Dan DeHoff, Canton Commerce LLC, 330-499-8153

NAVARRE PROSPECT PARK Location: Navarre, Ohio Acres available: 300 Highway access: U.S. Route 30 Zoning: Light industrial Rail access: Yes Development contact: Perry Township, 330-833-2141

NOVA EAST Location: Massillon, Ohio Acres available: 35 Highway access: U.S. Route 30 Zoning: Light industrial Rail access: No Development contact: Dan Spring, 330-966-8800

PORT JACKSON Location: North Canton, Ohio Acres available: 14 Highway access: I-77 Zoning: Light industrial Rail access: No Development contact: Lisa Gould, AkronCanton Airport, 330-668-4000 Looking for more information, or for details about industrial buildings and service sector properties? Contact Steven J. Katz, senior vice president, Canton Regional Chamber of Commerce at 330-458-2062.

Selinsky Force offers unsurpassed customer service and wide-ranging capabilities in industrial construction, plant maintenance, refractory, rigging and hauling, equipment rental and pulverizer services.

With our diverse portfolio we can service all of your Industrial, Construction and Oil & Gas needs.

4244 Mt. Pleasant St. NW, Suite 100, North Canton, OH 44720 for more information call - 330-477-4527

www.selinskyforce.com

CantonINC LOGISTICS

THE LOW-FARE ADVANTAGE

BY DAVID KAMINSKI

o you conduct business by airplane? Do you fly to see customers, attend meetings, interview new suppliers? If you do, and if you operate out of Canton or Akron, Stark County or Summit, you have shared in an enormous business dividend.

Akron-Canton Airport has provided business and leisure travelers with a billion-dollar advantage since 1996. What happened 17 years ago in 1996? Akron-Canton, or CAK as it is known in the airline industry, attracted low-fare carriers that flew for less and put competitive pressure on other airlines at CAK and elsewhere in the region.

Names such as Valujet, AirTran and Frontier led the low-fare movement at CAK. Now the low-fare carrier of most prominence is Southwest, having acquired AirTran in 2011.

Airport leaders stress this point: To keep the low-fare carrier advantage, air passengers need to support Southwest, which flies out of both AkronCanton and its larger competitor, Cleveland Hopkins International Airport.

The billion-dollar savings is a conclusion drawn from a study by Ailevon Air Service Consulting.

It analyzed the impact of low-fare carriers for the Akron-Canton Airport. It took a look at CAK

D

At AkronCanton Airport low-fare carriers like Southwest have saved area travelers $1 billion fares prior to the years when low-fare carriers began to have an impact on the market, and then it studied the effects of low-fare carriers for the 15 years between 1977 and 2011.

Here is what it found: In 1995, Northeast Ohio average fares were at least 20 percent higher than the national average.

CONTINUED ON PAGE 22

Canton Regional Chamber of Commerce

COVER STORY

21

It’s ABOUT living your BEST LIFE right here in STARK COUNTY

About Living your best life

Stark County

aboutstark.com 330.580.8352

However, low-fare carrier service at CAK saved Northeast Ohio air travelers $958 million between 1997 and 2011. It is not a stretch to assume that the total has reached $1 billion in the two years that followed.

The survey also showed that Northeast Ohio air passengers pay 47 percent higher fares from Cleveland.

Finally, low-fare service from CAK has generated an additional $480 million to $765 million for the Northeast Ohio economy when considering marginal propensity to consume — in other words, money that air travelers spend beyond the price of their tickets.

Travelers need to keep Southwest strong at CAK, say airport officials.

That means shopping Southwest for fares when making travel plans.

However, low-fare carrier Southwest does online booking only at its website, www.southwest.com, not at reservations portals such as Expedia.

“This is a pivotal moment for CAK,” said Rick McQueen, president and CEO. “Our customers have loved our low fares for more than 15 years.

We can keep providing low fares to Canton travelers for decades to come, if they choose to book trips to key markets like New York, Boston and Atlanta at Southwest.com.”

“Southwest Airlines is the key to our future as a low-fare airport,” according to Kristie VanAuken, senior vice president “and they don't display their low fares any place except Southwest.com — not Expedia, not CheapTickets, not Kayak — only Southwest.com.”

McQueen concluded: “Every community in the United States wants Southwest at their airport. We are incredibly lucky that Southwest kept CAK on the network after their acquisition of AirTran. Now we have to show Southwest the same level of support that we gave to AirTran. If we do, then the sky is the limit for low fares in Canton.”

Looking for a unique, historic venue for your next business meeting, team building or other corporate event?

From a meeting for 15 to a meeting for 1500, the Canton Palace Theatre has you covered!

Offering: a built-in 55ft projection screen HD LCD Projector WiFi and all the atmosphere you could ever want!

For more information call 330-454-8172.

605 Market Ave., Canton, Ohio 44702 cantonpalacetheatre.org info @cantonpalacetheatre.org

LOGISTICS CantonINC

LOGISTICS

FUELING AMERICA

BY DAVID KAMINSKI anton and Stark County provide an excellent business transportation center, and the community’s assets extend well beyond the Akron-Canton Airport. In the field of logistics, they extend across the continent.

Just south of the airport is the corporate headquarters of the Kenan Advantage Group.

Most local residents see Kenan Advantage

C ■

This Kenan Advantage Group driver approaches the skyline of Chicago.

Group tank trucks delivering gasoline to area service stations. That is just a small part of the KAG story.

With a fleet of 6,252 trucks and 9,750 trailers, and with a workforce of more than 9,000 people, Stark County-based Kenan Advantage Group is North America’s largest bulk transporter and logistics provider to petroleum, specialty products and merchant gas industries.

www.mconley.com

Over

100

years Janitorial Supplies & Equipment Packaging Materials & Equipment Food Service Packaging & Supplies Equipment Rentals & Service

The M. Conley Company 1312 Fourth St. Se Canton, Oh 44707 800.686.6001 [phone] 330.588.2572 [fax]

CantonINC LOGISTICS

■

Inside the Stark County operations center of Kenan Advantage Group.The Stark County-based organization has service reach throughout the continental United States, Canada and Mexico.

KAG Canada — The newly acquired RTL-Westcan conducts business out of 16 strategically located truck terminals in Alberta, Saskatchewan, British Columbia and the Northwest Territories.

■ KAG Logistics — The group offers services such as contract fuel management along with inventory management, demand forecasting and shipment management. It combines cutting-edge supply chain solutions with a stateof-the-art logistics planning and control center.

“It’s amazing to think about how we started this business with a handful of drivers, mechanics and dispatchers right here in Canton, Ohio,” Nash said. “Our goal was to build a culture of always taking care of employees and customers first to ensure we were the very best in every aspect of our business. It’s all about genuinely caring for people and treating them with dignity and respect in order to build strong relationships.”

Kenan Advantage Group enjoys the admiration of the wider business community. “Kenan Advantage Group epitomizes business vision, development and entrepreneurship,” said Dennis P. Saunier, president and CEO of the Canton Regional Chamber of Commerce.

“Entrepreneurship is not displayed simply by growing a business but also by being active in the community. Dennis Nash, CFO Carl Young and President Bruce Blaise demonstrate this leadership to their more than 500 local employees at their corporate office and the North Canton Transfer terminal. Primarily a young, well-educated and highly mobile workforce, they are happy to call Kenan Advantage and Canton, Ohio, their home,” Saunier said.

■

Canton Regional Chamber of Commerce

It operates in 42 states with the ability to deliver to all 48 contiguous states, as well as in Canada and Mexico.

And it continues the strategic growth that began in 1991 when the company was formed through North Canton Transfer and Advantage Tank Lines. KAG in midNovember 2013 announced the acquisition of RTLWestcan Group, a leading hauler of bulk commodities in western and northern Canada, serving more than 500 customers across its operating region.

“The acquisition of RTL-Westcan further positions KAG as the elite North American bulk transportation services and logistics provider. The expansion into Canada extends our footprint to better serve a broader customer base while capitalizing on a highly attractive marketplace,” said Dennis Nash, CEO of Kenan Advantage Group.

Kenan Advantage Group has five operating groups to include a logistics platform that provides logistics services for other business units.

The operating groups are: ■ Fuels Delivery — This group handles not only “lastmile” delivery to gasoline stations, but also asphalt, butane, chemicals, crude oil, ethanol and propane, to name a few.

■ Merchant Gas — KAG has the largest for-hire cryogenic fleet in the country for products such as the transportation of LNG (liquid natural gas). The company also delivers nitrogen, oxygen, argon, helium, liquid ethylene and numerous other gases.

■ Specialty Products — Specialty products loads include liquid and dry bulk chemicals, and food products such as sweeteners, juices, molasses and alcoholic beverages.

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CantonINC LOGISTICS

LOGISTICS

QUICK RESPONSE et’s say you had a high-value pharmaceutical that you had to ship across the country under security and strict temperature control.

Or, let’s say you managed a sporting goods chain and needed a foolproof and unending supply of Super Bowl Champion shirts and caps on the day after the NFL’s championship game.

Or, you had a factory and its workers who were idled because a part broke and needed to be replaced.

Who you gonna call?

How about FedEx Custom Critical in Green, Ohio?

Northeast Ohio is a great place for solving business

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logistics problems, and trucking in Northeast Ohio is the reason a business that serves all of North America is located in Green. FedEx Custom Critical traces its roots to the 1940s and an Akron pickup-and-delivery company called Roberts Cartage. By the 1980s, Roberts Cartage became the first carrier to focus solely on customized, exclusiveuse, nonstop surface shipping. It renamed itself Roberts Express.

And this business concept succeeded to the point that in 1998 Federal Express acquired Roberts Express’ parent company, Caliber System. Roberts Express became FedEx Custom Critical two years later.

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Canton Regional Chamber of Commerce

BY DAVID KAMINSKI

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LOGISTICS CantonINC

In a large office building on Boettler Road in Green, President and CEO Virginia C. Albanese and about 650 colleagues work mostly on phones and computers. You won’t see a truck terminal, bins full of crates, forklifts whirring back and forth. That’s not how it works.

The drivers for FedEx Custom Critical are owner-operators who are located all over the country. There are 1,380 trucks in service to FedEx Custom Critical. The drivers, frequently a husband-wife driving team, are connected by satellite communication with the home office. Because they are virtually everywhere, they are frequently close to customers all over the country who call Green, Ohio, because they believe that security and temperature control are more important than other transportation factors.

According to Ryan Henary, manager of marketing and communications for FedEx Custom Critical, pharmaceuticals shipping has become a large part of the company’s business. When a drug is under development, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration requires strict control of the product. If it is shipped, it has to be maintained in a specific temperature range, commonly 2 to 8 degrees Centigrade. FedEx Custom Critical ensures this by constantly monitoring the inside temperature of its temperature-controlled trucks.

“We can provide documentation on what happened to the shipment every step of the way,” Henary said, including a record of the exact temperature of the truck throughout transit.

FedEx Custom Critical can even put a monitor inside a shipment that alerts the office in Green if a light-source hits

the monitor — in other words, if the shipment was opened sooner than it was supposed to be opened.

Then there are the jobs that mean less than life and death to the customer. FedEx Custom Critical has had the job of distributing Super Bowl Champion shirts and caps to the sporting goods stores in the championship city.

As soon as the game is over, the manufacturer swings into production. The finished shirts and caps are flown by FedEx to the championship city, where a fleet of FedEx Custom Critical trucks are waiting to take delivery to the stores in time for their opening, then return for more products coming from more airplane flights. On and on until the rush is over and the need is met.

Don’t seek this job unless you are willing to deliver T-shirts at 4 a.m.

FedEx Custom Critical also can provide service by air, either on FedEx jets or private jets it charters to serve customer needs. For smaller shipments that require extra security, FedEx can supply a courier to accompany the air shipment.

But the heart of the business is “exclusive use of the truck” shipping, meaning that a specific customer’s cargo and its secure delivery is the only reason the truck is on the road.

Henary, the marketing and communications manager, who has been with FedEx Custom Critical for 14 years, wishes his colleagues took more time to tell the stories behind their work.

“They’re saving people’s jobs. They’re helping save people’s lives,” he says with admiration. “That’s what they do every day.”

CantonINC ENERGY

A GLIMPSE OF THE

FUTURE ■ Turning valves to symbolize the start of operations at the Harrison Hub gas fractionating plant in Scio, Ohio, on Oct. 28, 2013, were (from left) Mike Stice, chief executive officer of Access Midstream; Frank Tsuru, chief executive officer of M3 Midstream; Ohio Gov. John Kasich; and David Mustine, managing director of energy, polymers and chemicals at JobsOhio.

BY DAVID KAMINSKI he Utica Capital — Canton and surrounding Stark County — learned something new about the Utica Shale on Oct. 23. It learned in great detail that the Utica and other shales could provide the raw material for a manufacturing transformation in the United States. It also learned that the march toward natural gas-powered commercial transportation is picking up pace.

These were important insights for a community that has been busy supporting an active upstream drilling industry

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and aggressive midstream infrastructure buildout. These insights told the Canton business community of the greater purpose and benefit of the Utica.

What occurred Oct. 23 in Canton was the first Utica Summit, produced in a partnership between the Canton Regional Chamber of Commerce and The Repository. It attracted speakers from the chemicals, manufacturing and transportation industries, speakers hailing from Philadelphia and Washington, D.C, from New York and Peoria, Ill., and points in between.

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Canton Regional Chamber of Commerce

Utica Shale Summit highlights possibilities for oil and gas operations in NE Ohio

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“The coming boom is going to be a lot bigger than just drilling shale gas — bigger in terms of jobs, taxes, opportunity.”

TOM GELLRICH, TOPLINE ANALYTICS

Those speakers, each with an insight into how Utica energy could be used to strengthen the U.S. economy, shared their insights with an audience of 225 at Canton Memorial Civic Center.

UTICA SUMMIT HIGHLIGHTS

The Utica and Marcellus Shale regions of the Northeast United States are not only rich with methane that heats our homes, generates electricity and powers factories, but the shales are so rich in natural gas LITTLE liquids that this deserves to be called the “Butane Belt.” So said Kevin J. Little, a vice president with J.P. Morgan Asset Management in New York, which was the presenting sponsor of Utica Summit. Moreover, Ohio’s role as a methane exporter to other states will mean that the city of Boston, which paid more than $34 per million BTU of natural gas in January 2013, compared with just more than $3 in Chicago, soon will have an easier time of keeping warm and powering industry.

Ethane, one of the natural gas liquids in the Utica, which can be converted into ethylene, a building block of the chemicals and plastics industry, is now four times as expensive in China as it is in the United States. This could create a wave of growth in the chemicals and plastics industry in the United States, said Tom Gellrich, founder of TopLine Analytics of Philadelphia and a student of the ethane market. “We can make it cheaper in the U.S.

“The tougher and more demanding environment — and there are not tougher environments than oil and gas exploration — is where we perform best and most certainly where we want to be” THOMAS MOLINE, THE TIMKEN CO.

“We don’t have the problems, the risk of doing business with a Chinese supplier — time zone problems, communications problems, long lead times. There is a reason they call it a slow boat from China. … The coming boom is going to be a lot bigger than just drilling shale gas — bigger in terms of jobs, taxes, opportunity,” Gellrich said.

The natural gas liquids in a shale play such as the Utica, are “the basis of the organic chemistry we use to do our work,” said Peter Molinaro, senior adviser for North American government affairs at Dow Chemical Co. His company uses 850 thousand barrels of oil-equivalent hydrocarbon energy per day, more than the continent of Australia uses in a day. And he urged the audience to think of the Utica gases as more than fuel. “If this were a bakery, it would be the flour.” Molinaro endorsed Gellrich’s vision of a U.S. manufacturing renaissance based on shale gas.

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The assembly of blue trucks at this Utica Shale well pad are pumper trucks working together to stimulate the well through hydraulic fracturing.

Canton Regional Chamber of Commerce

ENERGY CantonINC

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As for existing manufacturing, Thomas Moline, vice president for steel manufacturing at the Timken Co., based in Canton, explained that the production of steel for demanding applications in oil and gas exploration has long been a sweet spot for the company. In fact, Timken decided to build the Faircrest steel plant in the early 1980s, at a time when nobody was investing in new U.S. steel mills, largely because of the opportunity to build tool-grade steel for oil and gas drillers. And oil and gas tool steel is a significant reason why Timken is right now investing a quarter of a billion dollars in improvements to Faircrest. “The tougher and more demanding environment — and there are not tougher environments than oil and gas exploration — is where we perform best and most certainly where we want to be,” said Moline.

Jim Umpleby, group president for energy and power systems at Caterpillar, pointed out that the United States has surpassed Russia as the world leader in production of oil and gas. He called this “a golden age of gas.” Umpleby was the luncheon

keynote speaker at Utica Summit.

He reviewed the numerous power systems Caterpillar produces to run on natural gas. One new project is Caterpillar’s refitting of four 1,000-foot Great Lakes freight ships with dual-fuel (gas and diesel) engines. These ships will UMPLEBY transport goods such as iron ore for steel making.

On the transportation side of the summit, Roe East, general manager of on-highway natural gas business for Cummins, a leader in manufacture of natural gas engines for commercial trucks, explained the economics of natural gas engines versus diesel. It starts with the difference in price: about $4 per gallon compared with $2.40 per gallon equivalent for compressed natural gas. A natural gas truck tractor can cost $50,000 more than an equivalent diesel tractor. But based on 15,000 gallons of fuel per year, “there’s less than a threeyear payback.”

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Trucks move gas through Scio, Ohio.

ENERGY CantonINC

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Ryan Young (right), leasing manager at Young Truck Sales in Canton, explains the design of the truck dealer’s new service facility, engineered from the ground up as a facility to service compressed natural gas and liquid natural gas trucks.The new facility, first of its kind in Ohio when it was dedicated in November, is a sign of the movement toward use of natural gas as a commercial transportation fuel.

East said that one of the deterrents to natural-gas conversion was the slow development of fueling stations, but major truckstop corporations, including Pilot Flying J, are building a crosscountry network of stations.

And an innovative strategy for development of fueling stations has been developed by Frito-Lay Pepsico. Its senior national fleet sustainability manager, Michael Birk, told the Utica Summit audience about his company’s Anchor Partner program. It seeks companies that can build natural gas fueling stations and are willing to build one in specific locations chosen by Frito-Lay. Though Frito-Lay does not invest in construction of the fueling station, it pledges five to seven years of a specific volume of purchasing to justify construc-

tion. Meanwhile the fueling station, open to the public, is there to encourage the conversion of other truck fleets to natural gas.

Birk said there is a “high probability” that the Anchor Partner program will result in construction of a natural gas fueling station in Canton by midyear 2014.

The Canton Frito-Lay plant has 48 truck tractors, 10 of them now running on CNG. Birk said he anticipates that 50 percent of the Canton tractors will run on CNG by next year.

Frito-Lay Pepsico aspires to be the “pre-eminent green company.”

The enthusiasm in the audience showed that business leaders in Canton and Stark County realize that shale energy is more than fuel. It can be the raw material of an economic development renaissance.

CantonINC EDUCATION

EDUCATION

BUILDING A BETTER

WORKFORCE

BY JESS BENNETT orkforce development is central to any region’s business growth. Having a strong, dedicated and educated workforce is an important deciding factor in the decision-making process for businesses when they look to expand or move into a region. And having an immense pool of young professionals is becoming the cost of entry to remaining competitive in the global business landscape.

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This issue, we asked each president from our six local colleges and universities to give us his or her candid thoughts on local educational achievement during the past year. Each has interesting insight on the future of education in Stark County and on the students that fill these institutions annually.

Canton and surrounding Stark County are committed to getting their young people into college.

Read on to learn how the six local colleges are ready to fill the need.

What is the greatest educational achievement made by your institution this year?

Our biggest educational achievement in 2013 was 10-year accreditation by the Higher Learning Commission (HLC). The HLC is a regional accrediting body CROWL and one of two commission members of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools that accredits degree-granting post-secondary educational institutions.

We also received HLC approval to offer a Bachelor

of Science in nursing (BSN) completion degree, which joined our existing associate degree programs in nursing and radiography. We launched the BSN completion program in August 2013 with 15 students.

The Aultman College advantage is that we have a single purpose: to educate professionals for the health care workplace. Our affiliation with Aultman Hospital gives students the opportunity to begin learning patient care in the first semester. Students are immersed in the health care environment from the moment they arrive on our campus. That exposure facilitates a smoother transition when they begin clinical training.

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Canton Regional Chamber of Commerce

AULTMAN COLLEGE OF NURSING â– PRESIDENT REBECCA CROWL

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EDUCATION CantonINC

candidate, who will identify and help design online courses.

Describe your average student; in other words, what does our future workforce look like?

The majority of our students attend Aultman College part time and live within a 60-mile radius of campus.

The average age is 28, median is 27 and mode is 23. Male students constitute 13 percent of our student body. All Aultman College students are pursuing degrees in nursing or radiography.

What is the biggest advancement in education in recent years (either locally or outside our region)?

The proliferation of online and distance education has made a significant impact at the collegiate level. We are responding by growing our delivery of

hybrid course offerings. We have invested in learning and implementing Quality Matters Standards, a national program with set standards that define expectations related to distance education. We have hired an instructional designer, a Ph.D.

Canton Regional Chamber of Commerce

KENT STATE UNIVERSITY AT STARK

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What’s next for education in Stark County?

Aultman College has an opportunity to respond to health care career needs that may be created by the Affordable Care Act. We are focusing on career preparation required for the strategic move to “population health,” a concept that focuses on health outcomes for a group of individuals.

DEAN WALTER F.WAGOR, PH. D.

What’s the greatest educational achievement made by your institution this year?

The greatest educational achievement made by Kent State University at Stark this WAGOR year is that while we continue to grow and add new degree options for our students, we have increased the number of our institution-based aid awards to students by 500 percent.

What is the biggest advancement in education in recent years (either locally or outside our region)?

For our students, I think the biggest advancement is online or distance education. Our students are able to use online classes to build a course schedule around their work and other life

activities; it allows students to choose courses offered at any one of Kent State University’s eight campuses, not just the one located near them; it allows more students to complete more of their degree without leaving their local community even though the

degree is “only offered at the Kent campus”; and it allows the development of totally online degrees to originate from any of the eight campuses and be completed in their entirety anyplace else within or without the university.

KENT STATE UNIVERSITY AT STARK, CONTINUED Describe your average student; in other words, what does our future workforce look like?

Our students range in age from 16 to 81, with the average age of 25. Women make up 60 percent of our student body. Our most popular majors are business, nursing and education. The majority of our students (about 60 percent) come from Stark County, with about 20 percent from Summit County and the remaining coming from the contiguous surrounding counties.

What’s next for education in Stark County?

Stark County has a strong and vibrant set of P-16 partnerships that have opened many doors for students, both direct from high school and returning adult, to pursue higher education in this community. These include early college programs, dual-enrollment programs, and college credit transfer and articulation agreements that support the earning of college credit and transfer of such credit. These have emphasized relationships between the high schools and institutions of higher education and between the two-year college and the area universities. We need to build upon this firm foundation. What should be next are relationships that support the development of shared programs, both academic and nonacademic, among the universities that will further cement Stark County’s position as an educational leader and innovator for the region and the state.

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MALONE UNIVERSITY DR. DAVID KING, PRESIDENT What is the greatest educational achievement made by your institution this year?

Our 2013 graduates!

KING One of the greatest privileges of the role of the president is to congratulate each graduate. Our desire is that our graduates are a living manifestation of our mission, our Foundational Principles and our Educational Goals. Hearing frequent stories of the numerous and diverse ways our alumni are flourishing in their vocations and in their communities is also a gratifying manifestation. Transforming the life of our student is our highest objective.

Seeing the many ways in which this occurs is our highest achievement.

Two additional examples also come quickly to mind; our Student Research Symposium and, yet another faculty member, Dr. Jack Ballard, named a Fulbright Scholar.

cantonrep.com/jobs

What is the biggest advancement in education in recent years (either locally or outside our region)?

The quick answer is technology.

The real answer is change. The economic and demographic turbulence of recent years has challenged our educational systems and institutions in new ways. This change becomes a constructive catalyst for advancement when we see as our challenge to embrace change in ways that also lead to strengthening the quality and the character of our “student experience,” our programs and our institutions. As we navigate the disruptions and advancements that grow out of this turbulent season our focus and greatest advancement must remain our “student experience.”

CantonINC EDUCATION

live well in an increasingly complex and challenging world — vocationally and as a citizen at large.

What’s next for education in Stark County?

Collaboration across sectors (i.e. K-12, higher education, public/private, etc.) and across institutions will increasingly be our hallmark. Stark County is in many ways ahead of the curve thanks to initiatives such as the Stark Education Partnership and the P-16 Committee, the Chamber’s Education Committee, the growth and proliferation of Early College programs, the changes being led in Canton City Schools, the improvements in high school graduation rates, etc. At the same time, the ever changing landscape and disruptions in education, the need to enrich quality and broaden access, and the need to maximize our use of resources across the K-16 continuum will call us to increased and new forms of collaboration. This is an exciting time and an exciting place to be.

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Canton Regional Chamber of Commerce

Describe your average student; in other words, what does our future workforce look like?

Increasingly our “average” student is less and less “typical.” Traditional age and adult, full time and part time, on ground and online among other characterizations have, for the most part, replaced the long-standing categories of traditional and nontraditional. That said, the majority of our students come from Stark County, the surrounding counties and northeastern Ohio. Our students’ vocational interests generally align with our four colleges and schools; the College of Arts, Sciences & Theology, the School of Business & Leadership, the School of Education and Human Development, and the School of Nursing and Health Sciences.

Equal to preparing our graduates for the workforce, when we recognize that today’s worker will change jobs and change fields far more often than their predecessors we also must prepare our graduates to think well, to manage change and transitions well, and to

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EDUCATION CantonINC

STARK STATE COLLEGE

Canton Regional Chamber of Commerce

What is the greatest educational achievement made by your institution this year?

It’s difficult to point to just one achievement, given the pace of innovation at Stark State, but I would say our greatest educational achievement is devel- JONES oping a serious focus on student success. Stark State is among a handful of community colleges in Florida, North Carolina and Ohio chosen by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation to participate in a student success initiative called Completion by Design (CbD). Through CbD, our faculty and staff have identified large-scale initiatives that will improve student success. We selected particular student success initiatives that impact the most students, and we already are seeing results.

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What is the biggest advancement in education in recent years (either locally or outside our region)?

I believe online education is a major advancement in education. Online learning enhances traditional classroom learning, provides anytime, anywhere access and is convenient for working students. Online education will continue to change the way students learn and will be a major force in ensuring that students of all ages, from all backgrounds, located across the world, have access to higher education.

Describe your average student; in other words, what does our future workforce look like?

The “typical” Stark State student is a 28-year-old female student who hails from Stark County and has a high school diploma. She works part time while attending school to major in nursing or another health science field, in which she’ll very likely be hired after gradua-

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DR. PARA JONES, PRESIDENT

tion.

Currently, 59 percent of our students come to us from Stark County; 27 percent from Summit County, a number that has steadily increased in recent years. The balance are from Tuscarawas, Portage, Wayne, Carroll and surrounding counties. Recently, I met a student who moved to Stark County from Cleveland for our Physical Therapy Assistant Program.

She is not unusual; many students relocate to Stark County to enroll in one of our many high-growth, high-demand applied technology degree programs.

I’m very proud of the strong learning environment our diversity affords our students. Approximately 60 percent are female, 40 percent male, 25 percent minorities, 21 percent attend full time and 79 percent attend part time. And, 46 percent are first-generation college students.

Our main campus and our satellite centers provide opportunities for everyone.

With 90 percent of SSC graduates living and working in the community, they’re staying put to contribute to the economic development of Stark and surrounding counties. Our top majors are nursing, human and social services, business management, automotive

technology, early childhood education, physical therapist assistant, associate of science, psychology and criminal justice. And, 85 percent of our graduates are employed upon graduation.

In addition, many of our students choose to further their education through our University Transfer Program, which provides seamless transfer to one of our partner universities such as The Ohio State University, Kent State University, The University of Akron, Malone, Walsh and more than 30 other universities. In many cases, our students can complete the bachelor’s degree online.

What’s next for education in Stark County?

I believe we will continue to see growing numbers of high school students in dual-enrollment classes, earning college credit while in high school to save money and shorten time-todegree. At Stark State, we are very proud to provide a full range of dual-enrollment classes to students throughout Stark County, as well as surrounding counties.

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Leading a Responsible Energy Future ™

At Chesapeake, we strive for continuous improvement in everything we do. We’re finding energy and producing it smarter and more efficiently while reducing our environmental footprint. We’re dedicated to supporting economic growth and giving back to Ohio communities. This is our commitment to leading a responsible energy future.

EDUCATION CantonINC

Canton Regional Chamber of Commerce

UNIVERSITY OF MOUNT UNION

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What is the greatest educational achievement made by your institution this year?

As part of our strategic initiative to develop a curriculum for the future, we continue to grow our undergraduate and graduate offerings with a focus on high-demand health GIESE care programs. We began this effort a few years back with the launch of a Physician Assistant Studies Program, our first graduate program in nearly a century. Now in its fifth year, this program has experienced great success, reaching enrollment targets each year and graduating gifted and compassionate physician assistants who are faring exceptionally well on certification exams and in the job market.

With this success as our foundation, we continue to make great progress with regard to our commitment to the health and medical sciences.

This year, we launched a new Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) Program and surpassed our first-year enrollment goals. This program, which has been approved by the Ohio Board of Nursing, the Ohio Board of Regents and the Higher Learning Commission, is particularly unique because it combines the university’s strong background in liberal arts with an extensive number of clinical practicum opportunities. The program consists of a rigorous curriculum that will prepare students to be leaders in the nursing profession.

There is no doubt that there is a shortage of nurses, both regionally and nationally. We seek to fulfill this need with our BSN program, as this degree is now one of the fastest-growing options for those seeking to practice nursing. In fact, the American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN) recommends that the BSN

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DR. RICHARD F. GIESE, PRESIDENT

become the entry-level degree for professional nurses.

In addition, the Mount Union board of trustees and faculty have approved the addition of a Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) to the institution’s degree offerings. The university plans to launch the program in fall 2015 or 2016, pending the appropriate external approvals.

Physical therapy is an in-demand field as well. The U.S. Bureau of Labor

Statistics predicts that job growth in physical therapy will exceed 30 percent in the next 10 years, making it the 26th fastest-growing occupation. More than 56,000 new physical therapy jobs are expected within the next 10 years.

Physical therapy is also listed among the Buckeye Top Fifty: 2008-2018 among Ohio’s high-wage occupations in demand, and CNNMoney recently ranked physical therapy fourth on its list of best jobs in America.

CantonINC EDUCATION

We recently hired a founding director and will be presenting the program to the Ohio Board of Regents, Higher Learning Commission and the Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education.

Students enrolled in the BSN and PA programs at Mount Union, as well as future students of the potential DPT program, will benefit from a new science facility — Gallaher Hall, which is under construction on campus and scheduled to open in the fall of 2014. With a projected cost of $12.5 million, Gallaher Hall will include an operating simulation room, exam rooms, skill labs, a conference room, tiered and regular classrooms, expansion space, a courtyard and faculty offices. The facility will come in the form of a new building connected by a walkway to the south end of Bracy Hall, our natural sciences facility.

In addition, students studying in health care-related majors benefit from

our strong working relationships with Alliance Community Hospital, Aultman Hospital, Cleveland Clinic, Mercy Medical Center and the SPIRE Institute and others, which provide valuable clinical and medical education opportunities.

What is the biggest advancement in education in recent years (either locally or outside our region)?

In a word — technology. The electronic delivery of content — content that is free and accessible to everyone — is revolutionizing our world, and higher education is not immune from this swift and transforming change. By embracing this evolution, colleges and universities have an opportunity to be truly innovative, to modernize how we deliver a college education and to redefine the role of the faculty member in the educational process.

There’s no doubt that colleges and universities already have begun the tran-

sition. Many have become true experts in online content delivery while others have merely dipped their toes into the pool. The logistics of online content delivery have been mastered by many.

The technology is there. But the real challenge lies with ensuring a quality online learning experience. It’s no longer a matter of whether it can be done but rather how we ensure that it is done effectively.

Faculty members are critical to this process. Online content delivery calls for educators to serve in a different capacity. In such an educational setting, professors are no longer the purveyors of content but more like mentor coaches who share knowledge with regard to evaluating the quality of accessible content and defining the uses of such information. They are, essentially, the leaders who pull it all together and make possible the idea of quality online learning.

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With Malone University’s School of Business and Leadership.

Malone Management Program (MMP) Bachelor’s Degree Completion

Master of Business Administration (MBA)

Master of Arts in Organizational Leadership (MAOL)

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Describe your average student; in other words, what does our future workforce look like?

The University of Mount Union is a primarily residential institution, with 78 percent of students living on campus, and serves the educational needs of traditional college students typically aged 18 to 22. Our increasingly-diverse student community includes students from 30 states and 16 countries — 13 percent of whom are American students of color and 4 percent of whom are international students. From a gender standpoint, the student body is 50 percent men and 50 percent women.

Academically, our students are interested in an array of fields. Our top five majors include exercise science, early childhood education, psychology, biology and criminal justice. Our entering students’ average high school GPA is 3.2 and the mid-50 percent band on the ACT composite is 20-25, which is higher than the national average. The mid-50 percent band is the range of scores from the 25th to 75th percentiles.

About 98 percent of undergraduate students receive some form of financial aid, and more than 87 percent receive need-based aid. Our average aid package of $20,597 demonstrates Mount Union’s commitment to affordability. The university also offers nearly $26 million in grants and scholarships each year, ranging from $1,000 awards to competitive full-tuition scholarships.

Our students are focused on their futures after graduation and are actively involved in student organizations, athletics and wellness, leadership opportunities, internships and research as a means of enhancing their educational experiences. Their drive, in combination with our focus on providing a solid liberal arts foundation and hands-on, practical preparation, leads to success. In fact, among members of the 2012 graduating class, 98 percent of those self-reporting started a degree-required career or were accepted to graduate school, all in an average of 20 days after graduation.

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Canton Regional Chamber of Commerce

EDUCATION CantonINC

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What’s next for education in Stark County?

I believe that the environment is ripe for partnerships among the colleges and universities in Stark County. The tide is turning in the field of higher education, and we must find new and innovative ways to overcome challenges and meet the demands of today’s students in a manner that is of quality but also efficient.

In Stark County, we are fortunate to have a blend of higher education institutions whose emphases vary. If we continue to focus on viewing one another as collaborators instead of competitors, there is much we can do collectively. A number of institutions in the area are among the nine organizations joining together to form the Stark Entrepreneurship Alliance, which is designed to serve as a single point of entry for start-up, early-stage and small/medium-size companies seeking assistance in their formation, growth and sustained viability. Many additional opportunities for partnerships exist, and I believe there is a willingness to tackle a number of questions head on. How can we work together to avoid duplication in content delivery by creating shared courses that allow our students to enroll in classes they may not otherwise have the opportunity to take? Can we create effective articulation agreements that allow students to earn associate’s degrees from one institution and then seamlessly transfer into another to complete their four-year baccalaureate degrees? Is there opportunity for us to join together as think tanks to find solutions to issues in our area and battle brain drain in Stark County and the region? Really, the possibilities are endless.

WALSH UNIVERSITY ■ RICHARD JUSSEAUME, PRESIDENT What’s the greatest educational achievement made by your institution this year?

Introduction of six new majors, and four new master’s tracks, many in the sciences — an increase in undergraduates majoring in the sciences of 255 percent since 2005. As of now, JUSSEAUME 40 percent of our undergraduate population is majoring in a science-related field. The type of research we are doing at an undergraduate level, cancer research, cardiovascular health, water purity, is on par with some of the finest research institutions in the nation.

Establishment of the Byer’s School of Nursing to further advance our already-reputable nursing program What is the biggest advancement in education in recent years (either locally or outside our region)?

Certainly with the emergence and integration of technology in the classroom, the ability to collaborate with other institutions across the country and the globe is revolutionizing higher education. We are currently working with colleges in Denver, Israel, Uganda, and more using skype and other means of technology to collaborate, and it’s giving our students,

especially our local students, a perspective they never would have had.

Describe your average student; in other words, what does our future workforce look like?

Thirty percent of our students are at or below the poverty line, mainly from Northeast Ohio but we also have students from 15 states and 31 different countries.

Students are more and more looking for a return on their investment. They want to graduate ready to enter the workforce.

The greatest asset they desire is marketability. And the key to that for Walsh students is global learning and internships. My desire is that every single Walsh student graduate with at least one global learning experience and one internship under his belt. According to the latest National Survey of Student Engagement, Walsh scores heads and tails above its peer institutions for students participating in global learning.

Twenty-five percent of our current seniors have participated in at least one. And I’d like that number to grow significantly.

What’s next for education in Stark County?

More collaboration. More integration of technology into the classroom. More focus on solving world issues.

CantonINC REAL ESTATE

REAL ESTATE

What’s trending in the market?

BY JESS BENNETT ith oil and gas activity in Canton, the Utica Capital, industries of all shapes and sizes are growing in Canton and the surrounding Stark County region.

The result is an increased demand in commercial, industrial and residential real estate.

Two of the region’s top development firms share their perspective on what’s been trending during the past year, exciting recent projects and the big picture on what’s to come for the community.

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BRYCE A. CUSTER Real estate adviser, oil and gas services ■ NAI Spring Commercial Realty

What trends did you observe in the market during the past year?

CUSTER What industry has been most influential to development?

The past year has been a transitional time for commercial real estate in the Stark County area. The game changer has been the exploration and horizontal drilling of the Utica Shale formation, which covers a significant portion of Stark and eastern Ohio counties.

The significant trend has been producers, of which Chesapeake Energy is the major player in our area, establishing offices, warehousing and yards.

Along with the producers were land acquisition companies, attorneys, consultants and engineering firms to

support the exploration of gas and oil.

Accompanying the producers are the midstream companies, which provide services to the producers. The midstream companies need warehousing and yards, typically 10,000-to-20,000square-foot warehouses on at least five acres of land. This has had a tremendous impact on the available properties on the market. Overall vacancy for industrial properties is down, with market rates beginning to rise. Stark County also is beginning to see significant investment and development as evidenced by Chesapeake in Louisville, Baker Hughes in Massillon and GE Oil & Gas at the Mills Park in Canton, to name a few.

The next trend is that of hotels, restaurants, retail and housing, both single family and multifamily. One of NAI Spring’s clients, Corporex Co. LLC, is planning four new hotels in the Stark County area this year.

CONTINUED ON PAGE 48

Canton Regional Chamber of Commerce

INDEVELOPMENT

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What is the most successful project you have begun or completed over the past year?

With all the activity in the area, we are planning to develop a retail project known as Century Park on the 68-acre â– Proposed site of parcel of land at Century Park. the northwest corner of Interstate 77 and Faircrest Street SW. This acreage is in the city of Canton. With the development of two new hotels on the northeast corner of I-77 and Faircrest, we see this area as ripe for development to serve the additional needs due to the growth of the oil and gas industry in southern Stark County. We are currently discussing development opportunities with a couple of major in-state and out-of-state developers.

This area has lain dormant in Stark County and the oil and gas production will breathe new life into this area, providing business locations and jobs to the area.

What is the development outlook for Stark County in 2014?

At NAI Spring Commercial Realty, we believe the outlook for 2014 and beyond remains positive. With new businesses and the expansion of existing businesses, the Stark County area will continue to see vacancy rates of industrial and office properties fall. Land for development will be in demand as new projects move to the area to capitalize on the continued growth of oil and gas-related businesses. Industrial facilities with additional acreage will continue to be in short supply. We also are optimistic that the downtown Canton area will continue to attract professional organizations. The new owners of the Huntington Plaza are investing significant funds to attract premier companies looking for class-A space downtown. This trend will continue, and the Stark County area will remain vibrant with expanding and new businesses.

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MILLS PARK OFFERS GREAT OPPORTUNITY

BY COLLYN FLOYD nce farm land, Mills Business Park is now a 141-acre business park primed for new businesses and jobs. The light industrial park, just one mile off I-77 on Faircrest Street SW in the city of Canton, is owned by the Canton Regional Chamber of Commerce Foundation and the DeHoff Family Foundation.

The property is ideally suited for high-tech research and design firms, distribution companies, businesses that specialize in light fabrication, and businesses connected to Utica Shale.

Already, four companies call Mills Business Park home: Medline Industries, Old Dominion Freight Line, Inc., GE Oil & Gas, and, most recently, I2r Power Cable Co. Securing placement of these businesses at Mills has required a public/private collaboration including the city of Canton, Stark Development Board, Canton Regional Chamber of Commerce, DeHoff Development Co., and numerous other entities.

“We’re proud of the continued growth at Mills Business Park. Each business we add represents the cooperative spirit of our region, and the exciting developments that take place when business and government work together,” said Dennis P. Saunier, president and CEO of the Canton Regional Chamber of Commerce.

“Each good business that invests at Mills Business Park translates to more good paying jobs. These companies, and future companies, will have a far-reaching impact on the greater Canton community in terms of raising the overall standard of living,” said Robert J. DeHoff, president of DeHoff Development Co. Mills was born out of the need for a top-notch industrial park within Canton city limits, giving existing businesses that require light industrial property room to expand. In addition, with shale development growing throughout the region, Mills provides a convenient hub for oil-and-gas-related businesses in Canton, the Utica Capital. In fact, GE Oil & Gas made Mills Business Park home in 2012.

For more information on the Mills site, contact Dan DeHoff at 330-499-8153 or Steve Katz, senior vice president of the Canton Regional Chamber of Commerce, at 330-458-2062.

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“The best contractors in Stark County belong to the Building Industry Association for many reasons…Integrity, Credibility, Education, Training, Networking. When you use a BIA Member on your new home or remodeling project you’re insuring that your home is built by industry leaders dedicated to safe, affordable housing built to the highest standards. Call us for a list of members.

330.499.5700 biastark.com

CantonINC REAL ESTATE

WHAT’S TRENDING

IN THE MARKET? CONTINUED FROM PAGE 48

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Building at the Marketplace at Washington Square.

DAN DEHOFF Vice president ■ DeHoff Development Co.

What trends did you observe in the market during the past year?

Warehouse space was in DEHOFF high demand this year against the backdrop of multifamily units having near-zero vacancy. We believe the office market stayed the same or dropped off, which may be an indication of more people working from home.

What is the most successful project you have begun or completed during the past year?

We added a new building to the Marketplace at Washington Square, and it has been well-received by the overall real estate market and the community with the addition of Winking Lizard, Verizon Audio, Great Clips, and BAM Healthy Cuisine.

What industry has been most

influential to development?

The construction industry has been most influential to development business since most trades and materials have gone up in price while the market for the most part remains the same. With uncertainty at the government level and with industry inflation in the back of everybody’s minds, we believe the market has been pretty active this year because people wanted to get long term rate locks sooner rather than later — it got people moving.

What is the development outlook for Stark County in 2014?

We believe the development outlook for Stark County is pretty bright since we have Diebold restructuring with a positive outlook and Timken growing in employment against the backdrop of the Utica Shale market, which has added to a positive outlook.

CantonINC HEALTH CARE

AFFINITY MEDICAL CENTER ALLIANCE COMMUNITY HOSPITAL

AULTMAN HOSPITAL

MERCY MEDICAL CENTER

RAPID CHANGE Institutions meet the demands of an evolving industry

BY JOAN RENNER

merican medicine is changing rapidly.

“We’re moving in health care from this volume-based, provider-driven world, to a more consumer-based, value-driven model,” said Ed Roth, Aultman Health Foundation CEO. From new emergency rooms to a new cancer center to an employer clinic, Affinity Medical Center, Alliance Community Hospital, Mercy Medical Center and Aultman Hospital are changing to meet the challenge. Read on to find out how.

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Canton Regional Chamber of Commerce

HEALTH CARE’S

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HEALTH CARE CantonINC

AFFINITY MEDICAL CENTER At Affinity Medical Center, success has bred success.

Four years ago, Affinity began aggressively pursuing an open-heart surgery program, said CEO Ron Bierman.

Demand increased roughly 65 percent between January 2011 and today. The demand for orthopedic care also increased significantly, although more modestly.

In July, Affinity opened a new, expanded emergency department with 24 beds and three catheterization labs, a 50 percent increase in both.

In the last five months, business has increased about 6 percent, and the average time spent in the emergency room is three hours — a decrease of 30 to 40 minutes, said Bierman.

In the coming year, Affinity plans to add nine beds to the cardiac step-down unit, as well as three beds in the orthopedic unit.

Affinity also offers women’s services (excluding birth delivery), occupational health and in-patient senior mental health.

It is one of 12 teaching facilities affiliated with the Ohio University Heritage College of Osteopathic Medicine.

ABOUT AFFINITY MEDICAL CENTER Location: 875 Eighth St. NE, Massillon Years in Stark County: 103 CEO: Ron Bierman What makes it special: Affinity Medical Center is Stark County’s only for-profit hospital, with access to a network of 135 hospitals leased, operated or owned by Tennessee-based Community Health Systems.

Licensed beds: 266 Number of employees: 828 Satellites: Seven physician offices, a pain management center, and a therapy facility in Stark County; an additional therapy facility/fitness center in Orrville.

Accepts: All major insurance programs.

Affinity works with out-of-network patients through its Affinity Access program.

Website: www.affinitymedicalcenter.com

RON BIERMAN Title: CEO Years at Affinity: Six Years as CEO: More than 20, at seven hospitals “In the state of Ohio, I think the quality of medicine is absolutely incredible.When I look at the facilities in BIERMAN Cleveland, Akron, here, in Columbus, in Cincinnati:These are really top-quality hospitals.

“I think the people who live here are blessed: In a relatively small community, you’ve got choices of what is there for you in terms of doctors and hospitals, and the quality of care is top-notch.

“We’ve got Aultman and Mercy and Alliance, and we’re competing with them, and it raises the bar. People who live here are always going to be the beneficiary of that level of competition.”

CantonINC HEALTH CARE

ALLIANCE COMMUNITY HOSPITAL Alliance Community Hospital is partnering with Alliance-area employer MAC Trailer to provide a health clinic at the company’s Commerce Street NE location.

Opened this summer, the clinic is meant to augment the self-insured manufacturer’s existing health plan. The company’s roughly 1,000 employees have access to a physician’s assistant two days a week for the treatment of minor illnesses and nonworkrelated injuries. The physician’s assistant also provides health and wellness counseling.

The clinic is limited to employees at this time, but it might be expanded to the employees’ families in the future.

The effort stems naturally from the hospital’s Planetree philosophy, which emphasizes a patient-centered approach. Alliance has been affiliated with Planetree since 2002; the philosophy affects everything from visitation hours to treatment, to a recently added palliative care program.

Alliance plans to become a full Planetree member in 2014.

ABOUT ALLIANCE HOSPITAL Location: 200 E. State St., Alliance CEO: Stan Jonas

What makes it special: Alliance is Ohio’s only Planetree-affiliated hospital. Planetree is a patient-oriented philosophy.

Licensed beds: 204 (includes 68 skillednursing beds in affiliated nursing home and 10 beds in the center for rehabilitation) Number of employees: About 1,000 Accepts: All major insurance plans; will treat out-of-network patients.

Website: www.achosp.org

STAN JONAS Title: CEO Years at ACH: 16 Years as CEO: 16 “Alliance Community Hospital is blessed to have a dedicated medical community that cares for and supports those who are less fortunate.The tight-knit JONAS atmosphere makes this a wonderful place to work and serve the needs of those that trust us with their care.We are honored to share our Planetree philosophy with the numerous people we care for each and every day.”

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HEALTH CARE CantonINC

AULTMAN HOSPITAL Stark County’s largest medical care provider has grown, and plans to keep growing.

In September, Aultman Health Foundation added the North Canton Medical Foundation’s clinical practice, located behind the Aultman North building.

Renamed Aultman North Canton Medical Group, the 204-employee practice allows Aultman to offer a full-service campus at the Whipple Avenue NW facility.

Also this year, Aultman expanded its five-year collaboration with Akron Children’s Hospital, which will run Aultman’s inpatient pediatric unit.

Next year, Aultman Hospital plans to start work on a new cancer care center, adding roughly 12,000 feet, said CEO Ed Roth. The existing cancer center also will be upgraded in the $20 million project, which is expected to last four years.

Money will be raised through the Shoppes at Aultman, a combination gift, medical supply and convenience store. The expanded 6,000-square-foot retail center opened in November.

Aultman is aiming to become a High Reliability Organization, training all employees and examining its practices and communications to improve patient safety, said Roth.

ABOUT AULTMAN HOSPITAL Location: 2600 Sixth St. SW, Canton Years in Stark County: 121 Aultman Health Foundation CEO: Ed Roth

What makes it special: Aultman Hospital is Stark County’s oldest and largest hospital — and the only one vertically integrated with an insurance provider (Aultcare) and colleges of nursing and radiography.

Licensed beds: 808 Number of employees: About 5,000 (includes hospital, colleges, insurance provider) Satellites: 18 facilities in three counties Accepts: AultCare insurance plans. NonAultCare patients can be admitted through Aultman’s “Yes,You Can” program.

Website: www.aultman.org

ED ROTH Title: CEO, Aultman Health Foundation Years at Aultman Health Foundation: 33 Years as CEO: 13 “We’re moving in health care from this volume-based, ROTH provider-driven world, to a more consumer-based, valuedriven model.We’re shifting from not managing sickness, but managing the health of a population over a period of time.”

CantonINC HEALTH CARE Licensed beds: 523 Number of employees: About 2,500 Satellites: Eight facilities in three counties, including main hospital Accepts: All major insurance plans. Mercy works with out-of-network patients through its “Your Choice” program.

Website: www.cantonmercy.org

MERCY MEDICAL CENTER Mercy Medical Center will soon begin phase two of its emergency department expansion and renovation.

The Catholic hospital, owned by the Sisters of Charity Health System, has completed improvements to the gateway to the hospital: a new waiting room, gift shop, retail pharmacy, uniform shop and Subway restaurant.

Work has begun on expanding the 33-bed emergency department to 48 beds, adding an X-ray facility, and building a new triage area.

In October, the hospital celebrated the one-year anniversary of Mercy St. Paul Square, in Canton’s underserved northeast end. The facility offers primary medical care for adults and children. The facility has offered dental services since February.

Mental health counseling is offered through Community Services of Stark County, an area nonprofit agency.

Mercy is adding physical, pediatric and

TOM CECCONI speech therapy services to its Jackson Township satellite facility. It is expanding its reach throughout Stark County, with a recently added primary care physician’s practice in Alliance.

ABOUT MERCY MEDICAL CENTER Location: 1320 Mercy Drive NW, Canton Years in Stark County: 104 CEO: Tom Cecconi What makes it special: Mercy Medical Center is Stark County’s only Catholic hospital, and the only one that offers a dental residency program.

Title: President and CEO Years at Mercy: 11 Years as CEO: 10 “As we continue to respond to the changes in health care in light of national reform, our focus will be on aligning CECCONI our clinical services to ensure use of best practices, and the highest standards of care, while conducting the services in the most efficient manner.With the completion of our emergency department renovation and expansion project in 2014, our ability to offer this community the quality, affordable and accessible care Mercy is renowned for will be greatly enhanced.”

BRINGING WORKERS, EMPLOYERS TOGETHER

BY DAVID KAMINSKI hen employers need to find workers, and workers need to find a new career, both groups can find valuable help at the Employment Source.

The one-stop workforce development agency, at 822 30th St. NW in Canton, is funded through the U.S. Department of Labor's Workforce Investment Act program. It is arguably the STEPHENS best WIA agency in Ohio.

The Employment Source has a “pretty good market penetration� among employers in the area, said Alice Stephens, who recently retired after a 28-year career in workforce development and who served since 2006 as executive director of the agency that serves both Stark and Tuscarawas counties. Ten to 12 new employers a month come to the Employment Source to post jobs and receive assistance in recruiting.

As for workers, any worker can find help there, from professionals with degrees and impressive experience, to new college graduates, to people skilled in trades and those seeking new skills and direction. For more information, visit www.eswork.com.

The Canton Regional Chamber and the Employment Source, along with a host of other nonprofit, education and government agencies, have formed the Business Resource Network. Its goal is to help existing businesses stay here and grow. The BRN does so by providing a single point of contact for information about grants and loans, worker training, exporting strategies and technology. More information can be found at www.thebrn.net.

Succeeding Stephens as executive director at the Employment Source is Jennifer Meek Eells, who was deputy director under Stephens.

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CONTACT INFO ALLIANCE Mayor: Alan C. Andreani / Alliance Area Chamber: www.AllianceOhioChamber.org / Alliance Area Development Foundation: www.AllianceADF.com / City of Alliance: www.CityofAlliance.com CANAL FULTON Mayor: Richard Harbaugh / City of Canal Fulton: www.CityofCanalFulton-oh.gov / Canal Fulton Chamber: www.DiscoverCanalFulton.com CANTON Mayor: William J. Healy II / City of Canton: www.Canton Ohio.gov / Canton Regional Chamber: www.CantonChamber.org HARTVILLE Mayor: Richard A. Currie / Village of Hartville: www.hartvilleoh.com JACKSON TWP. Board of Trustees President: James N.Walters / Jackson Township: www.jacksontwp .com / Jackson/Belden Chamber: www.JBCC.org LAKE TWP. Board of Trustees President: John Arnold / Lake Township: www.laketwpstarkco.com / Lake Township Chamber: www.lake chamber.com / Lake Township Development Foundation: www.LTDF. org LOUISVILLE Mayor: Patricia Fallot / City of Louisville: www.Louisville Ohio.com / Louisville Area Chamber: www. LouisvilleOHChamber.com MASSILLON Mayor: Kathy Catazaro-Perry / City of Massillon: www.MassillonOhio.com / Massillon Area Chamber: www.MassillonOH Chamber.com / Massillon Development Foundation: www.MassillonDevelopment.com MINERVA Mayor: James Waller / Village of Minerva: www.ci.minerva.oh.us / Minerva Chamber: www.Minerva Chamber.org NORTH CANTON Mayor: David J. Held / City of North Canton: www.NorthCantonOhio.com / North Canton Area Chamber of Commerce: www.NorthCantonChamber.org PLAIN TWP. Board of Trustees President: Louis Giavasis / Plain Township: www.PlainTownship.com / Plain Township Chamber: www.PlainTownship.com

EDUCATION, LEADERSHIP, WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT LEADERSHIP STARK COUNTY Leadership Stark County, a department of the Canton Regional Chamber of Commerce, engages and educates Stark County’s community leaders through a range of programs tailored to meet business and community needs. LSC works with community organizations to identify, prepare and position graduates for leadership within these organizations.

The result is a core of motivated leaders with a lifelong commitment to community trusteeship. www. LeadershipStarkCounty.org, 330456-7253.

STARK CO. EDUCATIONAL SERVICE CENTER The Stark County Educational Service Center is committed to meeting Stark County school district needs by providing quality educational support and services for more than 60,000 diverse, wide-ranging students in Stark County. www.Stark CountyESC.org, 330-492-8136.

STARK EDUCATION PARTNERSHIP The Stark Education Partnership, Inc., is a nonprofit education reform support organization in Stark County, crossing the lines of 17 public school districts.The partnership collaborates with educators, business, community and civic leaders to create and respond to opportunities that will add substantial and measurable value to education. www.EDPartner.org, 330-452-0829.

YSTARK! ystark!, a department of the Canton Regional Chamber of Commerce, is Stark County’s dynamic young professional initiative.The organization works to attract, retain and engage young professionals, ultimately developing an involved and educated workforce for area businesses through programs, networking opportunities, and educational engagement. ystark! program highlights include the Twenty under 40! awards and the Fellowship Program with local businesses. www.ystark.org, 330-4567253.

CANTON/ STARK COUNTY BUSINESS AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT RESOURCES CANTON REGIONAL CHAMBER OF COMMERCE The Canton Regional Chamber of Commerce is a membership organization of nearly 1,600 institutions and individuals dedicated to the advancement of the economic, industrial, professional, cultural and civic welfare of Stark County. Since 1914, the Chamber has worked to advance business and develop community through partnerships, programs, services and events to achieve economic growth for Canton/Stark County. www.CantonChamber.org, 330-456-7253.

CANTON DEVELOPMENT PARTNERSHIP The Canton Development Partnership, a department of the Canton Regional Chamber of Commerce, is a coalition of area development organizations and city government that share an interest in downtown Canton’s continual improvement, revitalization, image and quality of life for its citizens. Partner organizations include Canton Regional Chamber, Downtown Canton Special Improvement District, Downtown Canton Land Bank, Canton Tomorrow, Inc., and city of Canton. www.DowntownCanton.com, 330-456-7253

BUILD ON OUR EXPERIENCE. Give us a call and you’ll experience the benHȴWs of working with an established company for every phase of construction, including design/ build expertise. As your local Butler Builder® we o΍HU a full-range of systems construction capabilities that combine eɝciency, functionality, and virtually endless possibilities.

Call 330-452-6500 or visit us at www.NormanEckinger.com © 2011 BlueScope Buildings North America, Inc. All rights reserved. Butler Manufacturing™ is a division of BlueScope Buildings North America, Inc.

CANTON/STARK COUNTY CONVENTION & VISITORS’ BUREAU The Canton/Stark County Convention & Visitors’ Bureau, a department of the Canton Regional Chamber of Commerce, is here to assist you in your travels to our area.Whether you are organizing a tour group, a convention or sporting event, we have professional staff members ready to assist in your planning.The CVB services the community by attracting tourists, convention and meeting planners and sporting events to the Stark County area and operating the Visitor Information Center. www.VisitCantonStark.com, 800-552-6051.

CITY OF CANTON Canton is home to well-known national landmarks such as the Pro Football Hall of Fame, the McKinley Presidential Library & Museum and national monument, and the National First Ladies’ Library and Research Center. Mayor William J. Healy II is aggressively pursuing new companies and businesses to the city. Canton has a wide variety of attributes that make the city a smart location for companies of all shapes, sizes and industries, and the city has programs that provide incentives for business location, relocation or expansion. www.CantonOhio.gov, 330-489-3283.

Stark County’s first choice for installation and service of commercial and industrial HVAC systems, piping and plumbing, and full-service boiler and chiller work.

For design-build work, installation or service, contact us at 330.453.9191 www.standardpandh.com

IDEACROSSING IdeaCrossing® is a free online resource that connects entrepreneurs in Northeast Ohio with the resources necessary to turn innovative ideas into thriving companies, and established businesses into growing ones. By connecting entrepreneurs with vital resources, as well as providing private online collaborative environments for their engagement, IdeaCrossing can help facilitate connections between entrepreneurs, investors, business mentors and service providers. www.ideacrossing.org/neohio/crc

SHALEDIRECTORIES.COM ShaleDirectories.com is an online directory that connects oil and gas industry operators, their employees and families with local business.

ShaleDirectories.com provides a comprehensive list of local businesses that can serve the E&P companies and oil-field service companies in the Marcellus and Utica Shale region. www.shaledirectories.com.

SHALEMART.COM Local source for Ohio shale and other related business directories. ShaleMart.com focuses on providing local resources for the shale and energy worker market. Users are the men and women employed in the shale job industry who need resources and are often new to the area. www.shalemart.com

STARK AREA REGIONAL TRANSIT AUTHORITY SARTA provides more than 2.4 million rides a year in Stark County through fixed route and Proline services. Its goal is to ensure that Stark County residents, including employees, students, seniors and disabled individuals, have access to a quality transportation system that is both reliable and affordable. www.SARTA Online.com, 330-47-SARTA.

EXCELLENCE IS STANDARD Standard Plumbing & Heating has worked on nearly every Stark County landmark and institution.

Standard Plumbing and Heating 435 Walnut Ave., SE, Canton, Ohio 44702

RESOURCES CantonINC

STARK COUNTY ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS

BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT

The Stark County Association of Realtors®, proudly serving the Realtors®, homebuyers, and home sellers of Stark County, Ohio, strives to enhance the ability and opportunity of its members to conduct their business successfully and ethically, and to promote the preservation of the right to own, use and transfer real property. www.StarkRealtors.com, 330-494-5630.

JOBSOHIO

STARK COUNTY BUILDING INDUSTRY ASSOCIATION The Building Industry Association of Stark County is a nonprofit trade association affiliated with the Ohio Home Builders Association and the National Association of Home Builders. Chartered in 1945, the BIA represents and promotes the interests and concerns of the building industry and the community.The organization provides Stark County consumers and businesses with a directory of member builders. www.BIAStark.com, 330-494-5700.

Canton Regional Chamber of Commerce

STARK COMMUNITY FOUNDATION

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Stark Community Foundation has been the community's trusted partner in giving for nearly 600 individuals, families, businesses and communities that have created funds to impact the lives of others through the most effective philanthropy possible. Since 1963, the foundation has granted more than $111 million to nonprofit organizations.

Stark Community Foundation ranks in the top 10 percent of community foundations in the United States today. www.StarkCF.org, 330-454-3426

STARK ENTREPRENEURSHIP ALLIANCE The Stark Entrepreneurship Alliance is a virtual network to assist startup, early-stage and small/medium-size companies in the Stark County area. Their goal is to be a single point of entry for companies seeking assistance in their formation, growth and sustained viability. www.starkentalliance.com, 330.543.7637

JobsOhio is a private, nonprofit corporation designed to lead Ohio’s job-creation efforts by singularly focusing on attracting and retaining jobs, with an emphasis on strategic industry sectors. JobsOhio is your ambassador. www.JobsOhio.com, 614-224-6446.

MAGNET MAGNET, the Manufacturing Advocacy and Growth Network, supports, educates and champions manufacturing, with the goal of transforming the region’s economy into a powerful, global player.The organization helps manufacturers adopt innovative techniques, increase productivity and global access. www.magnetwork.org, 800- 669-2267.

BUSINESS RESOURCE NETWORK The Business Resource Network aggregates resources to bring Stark,Tuscarawas and surrounding county businesses specialized services, funding through grants and loans and staffing options any company can access and use to do business better. www.thebrn.net, 855-669-4726.

SCORE SCORE is a nonprofit association dedicated to helping small businesses get off the ground, grow and achieve their goals through education and mentorship. www.CantonRegional.

SCORE.org, 330-244-3280.

SBDC The Small Business Development Center at Kent State University at Stark is a fully funded nonprofit organization devoted to helping small businesses grow and individuals start new small businesses through training programs and consultation sessions. www.CantonSBDC.org, 330-244-3290.

MINORITY BUSINESS The Stark County Minority Business Association fosters development and growth of minority-owned businesses. www.TheABCDinc.com, 330-455-6385.

EMPLOYMENT SOURCE The Employment Source is northeastern Ohio’s premier workforce development and training center, connecting job seekers with employers by providing numerous resources. www.ESwork.com, 330-433-9675.

REGIONAL ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT FUND FOR FUTURE The Fund for Our Economic Future is a collaboration of philanthropic organizations and individuals that have united to strengthen the economic competitiveness of Northeast Ohio through grantmaking, research and civic engagement. www. FutureFundNEO.org, 216-456-9800.

JUMPSTART, INC. Jumpstart provides intensive assistance and service to Northeast Ohio entrepreneurs, and selectively invests in the highest potential companies. www.JumpstartInc.org, 216-363-3400.

TRADE CONSORTIUM The Northeast Ohio Trade & Economic Consortium is a multicounty regional economic development partnership that works collaboratively in the region with the goal of attracting capital investment and jobs to Northeast Ohio through the administration of Foreign-Trade Zone 181. www.NEOTEC.org, 330-672-4080.

OHIO DEVELOPMENT SERVICES AGENCY Working with partners across business, state and local governments, academia, and the nonprofit sector, the Ohio Development Services Agency works to attract, create, grow and retain businesses through competitive incentives and targeted investments. www.Development.Ohio.gov, 800-848-1300.

TEAMNEO TeamNEO serves companies and site consultants by acting as the single point of entry into the 16-county Cleveland Plus region, and then works with counties and communities to ensure seamless attraction into Northeast Ohio. www.Cleveland PlusBusiness.com, 216-363-5400.

STARK COUNTY HUMAN RESOURCES ASSOCIATION Whether you are new to the human resources field or have years of experience, Stark County Human Resources Association is a local starting point for networking, information, professional development and continued support of excellence in human resources.The organization, founded in 1944, is an affiliate of the Society for Human Resource Management. Stark.SHRM.org, 330-451-8670.

W I R E RO P E CA B L E , L I F T I N G S L I N GS, A N D AC C ES S O R I ES

STARK COUNTY PORT AUTHORITY The Stark County Port Authority helps to provide the Greater Stark County area with an economic development tool for new capital investment, job creation and retention.The organization helps create and preserve jobs through a wide variety of financing, real estate and foreign trade zone programs. www.StarkCoOhio.com, 330-453-5900.

STARK COUNTY SAFETY COUNCIL The Canton Regional Chamber, with support from the Ohio Bureau of Workers’ Compensation, administers Stark County Safety Council, one of the top councils of more than 80 in the state of Ohio.

The safety council provides a forum for safety and health information, education and networking in Stark County, through leadership, innovation, facilitation, programs and support. www.StarkCounty SafetyCouncil.org, 330-456-7253.

STARK DEVELOPMENT BOARD The Stark Development Board is a private, nonprofit corporation created to help local companies grow and expand. In addition, it actively seeks to attract new business investments to Stark County, one of the most economically viable areas in Northeast Ohio, as well as to advocate for workforce development. www.StarkCoOhio.com, 330-453-5900

STARK REGIONAL PLANNING COMMISSION Stark County Regional Planning Commission improves the quality of life in Stark County and its communities through an effective regional forum characterized by communication, collaboration, facilitation and planning assistance.The organization includes metropolitan planning, community development and engineering departments. www.Co.Stark.OH.us, 330-451-7389.

TECHNOLOGY ACCELERATOR ALLIANCE Housed on the campus of the University of Mount Union,TA2 looks to incubate companies to that of successful enterprises while connecting students to the real-world environment of startup, early-stage, and successful business operations.TA2 accommodates both physical and virtual companies along the startup and early-stage business development process. www.techalliance2.com, 330-829-6804

www.wilkofindustrial.com

330-455-5051 314 Cherry Ave SE • Canton, OH 44702

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Silhouetted against the ceiling panels, pigeons line rafters of a large storage room on the fourth floor of the old Hoover Co. building in North Canton.

Canton Regional Chamber of Commerce

PHOTO BY JULIE BOTOS

PARTING SHOT CantonINC