Crain's Cleveland Business

FOCUS | MIDDLE MARKET FORECAST: M&A activity should continue at rapid pace. PAGE 10

LENGTHY DELAY Tri-C plans to rebuild athletic programs ‘the right way.’ PAGE 2

CRAINSCLEVELAND.COM I MAY 10, 2021

UH, ValueHealth aim to deliver value with new surgery centers

VOSS SITE GETTING NEW LIFE

BY LYDIA COUTRÉ

MICHELLE JARBOE

In its new venture with ValueHealth, University Hospitals aims to offer bundled-payment models for certain procedures at a series of new ambulatory surgery centers in Northeast Ohio that the two are developing as part of UH’s value-based strategy.

So far, the two have announced centers in Lorain County and Medina, with plans for more in the region. The outpatient facilities will offer total joint replacement care and may expand to include other complementary multi-specialty surgical care such as ENT and pain management. In collaboration with ValueHealth — a Leawood, Kan.-based health care services company that operates Ambulatory Centers of Excellence — UH is working to provide many such procedures in a bundled model, offering a predictable price for payors and employers.

Apartments, offices and retail slated for Ohio City spot

BY MICHELLE JARBOE

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See VALUEHEALTH on Page 7

GELI hopes to address gaps in legal industry Pandemic has added to ‘daunting issues’ female lawyers face

BY JEREMY NOBILE

25t

See VOSS on Page 27

Former Voss properties Additional MRN holdings RTA development site

W.

A former manufacturing complex in Cleveland’s Ohio City neighborhood, only steps from the West Side Market, is being reimagined as apartments, offices and retail space.

That revival plan for the vacant Voss Industries buildings along West 25th Street is the first phase of a much larger potential project dreamed up by homegrown developer MRN Ltd. In late March, an MRN affiliate paid $7.5 million for the 4.2-acre Voss property, which

includes parking lots that could become construction sites.

The purchase adds to MRN’s already sizable footprint near West 25th Street and Lorain Avenue, in a fast-changing pocket of the city’s near West Side.

Brothers Ari and Jori Maron now own most of two blocks on the west side of West 25th, just south of Lorain. They control surface lots spanning hundreds of spaces on both sides of West 25th and West 26th streets.

“We know the cost of health care is continuing to go up and the challenges that come with reimbursement and hospital funding,” said Don Bisbee Dr. James Voos, chair of orthopedics for UH. “So our hospital leadership looked toward the future to see what’s the best way to continue to provide that incredibly high quality of care that we’re used to delivering in an academic health care system with the very high efficiency setting of ambulatory surgery centers.”

Beyond the ongoing growth driven by potential promise of lower-cost care, the ambulatory surgery center model has also gained traction in the past year during the pandemic. The postponement of

It didn’t take a global health crisis to point out what has been known for generations: The legal industry is collectively failing women.

Nonetheless, the pandemic has shone a brighter light on issues impacting working women, who, according to Pew Research Center, lost jobs at a greater rate than their male counterparts during this economic shock.

As for female lawyers, the COVID-19 outbreak created fresh disruptions that are thought to be adversely affecting not just worklife balance, but the ability for women to grow in their professions.

Circumstances vary, but according to the American Bar Association, women across the industry are coping with “daunting issues” ranging from increased stress to loss of income and feelings of isolation.

These issues are attributed in some part to gendered expectations and inadequate recognition of parenting needs.

See GELI on Page 28

NEWSPAPER

VOL. 42, NO. 18 l COPYRIGHT 2021 CRAIN COMMUNICATIONS INC. l ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

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SPORTS BUSINESS

Tri-C's lengthy sports delay is about rebuilding 'the right way'

BY KEVIN KLEPS

By the time the 2021-22 school year has concluded, Cuyahoga Community College will have gone more than two years without athletics.

The largest community college in Ohio doesn’t have any coaches on staff. Only about 30 athletes have stuck around since Tri-C, like institutions everywhere, shut down sports at the beginning of the pandemic.

A total reboot of athletics wasn’t planned, “but in the end that will be, for the most part, what we’re doing,” said Karen Miller, Tri-C’s provost and executive vice president of access, learning and success.

Last June, and again in October, Tri-C suspended its sports programs for 2020-21. On May 4, the college tacked on another year, postponing all athletic programs until the fall of 2022.

A Tri-C news release said that “as the number of vaccinated individuals increases and COVID-19 cases decline,” the school “looks forward to resuming” sports next year.

“It was a tough decision,” Miller, Tri-C’s provost, told Crain’s. “We know that people are very passionate about athletics. I’m one of those people, and it’s tough.”

On the same day Tri-C put a halt to

its fall and winter sports competitions last June, the school laid off about 7% of its workforce. Of the 264 employees who were let go, 196 were part-timers and many were in student-facing roles.

At the time, the institution was facing a projected $25 million shortfall for 2021.

Almost a year later, the top priority for recreation and athletics, according to Miller, is bringing back employees in support and student services, and getting campus rec centers ready to reopen in the fall. The centers host physical education, sports and exercise science classes, plus student engagement activities.

Another key focus is hiring a director of athletics, which will be a first for the 58-year-old institution. Tri-C previously has had directors of student life at each of its campuses.

Ideally, the new hire will have experience as an AD and be well-versed in compliance and Title IX, Miller said. The search will begin soon, and Tri-C hopes to have the AD in place by early fall, so he or she can begin to recruit coaches.

“We’re surely not abandoning athletics,” said Miller, who has worked at the school for 15 years. “It has nothing to do with our commitment to athletics. But we’re going to take the time to rebuild it the right way.”

‘Step back and get it right’ Tri-C fielded eight athletic teams — three men’s and five women’s — prior to the pandemic.

The programs had their share of recent successes.

The Triceratops’ women’s track and field team claimed its fifth consecutive National Junior College Athletic Association Region XII indoor title in 2020.

The women’s cross country squad placed 13th in the national meet in 2019 — the same year the softball team advanced to the NJCAA tournament for the third time in school history.

Also in 2019, Tri-C pitcher Brock Begue was an 11th-round selection by the Milwaukee Brewers in Major League Baseball’s First-Year Player Draft.

The school, Miller said, is “not looking to eliminate any sports.”

Instead, the Tri-C provost and VP said, the institution is attempting “to reinforce the leadership team and make sure we have the right support at every campus, in conjunction with an athletic director.”

Tri-C has three local counterparts in the Ohio Community College Athletic Conference. Two — Lakeland Community College and Bryant & Stratton College — are competing in sports this spring. The other, Lorain County Com-

By the time Cuyahoga Community College resumes athletics in the fall of 2022, the school’s baseball program will have lost three seasons to the pandemic. | CODY YORK

munity College, has suspended athletics through the 2020-21 school year.

Community colleges suffered the biggest enrollment hit, at 10% nationwide, of all higher education institutions last fall. Tri-C, in announcing its projected shortfall last year, estimated an enrollment hit of $10 million.

Sinclair Community College in Dayton, which also competes in the OCCAC, has suspended sports through 2022 and is studying the longterm viability of its athletic programs.

Of the 13 members listed on the OCCAC’s website, seven didn’t compete in athletics in 2020-21, and two — Cincinnati State and Mercyhurst North East (which is consolidating with Mercyhurst University) — no longer have active athletic programs.

Tri-C isn’t going that route, though

students and parents, Miller acknowledged, have been frustrated by the lengthy delay.

At full capacity, the school has 300 to 400 athletes, the Tri-C provost said.

The few who remain have had their scholarships honored, and the school has made sure they’re supported.

In the fall of 2022, after a pause of almost 30 months, the Triceratops should be back. The school is using the time “to step back and get it right,” Miller said.

“We looked at this as an opportunity to strengthen our athletic program, and I know that it’s tough for people to see that immediately,” she added.

Kevin Kleps: kkleps@crain.com, (216) 771-5256, @KevinKleps

IN THE NATION

2 | CRAIN’S CLEVELAND BUSINESS | MAY 10, 2021

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EMPLOYMENT

Tech nonprofit launching a new kind of jobs board Unify Jobs seeks a more equitable way to recruit employees

BY JAY MILLER

The young tech nonprofit Unify Labs is launching its first application.

Called Unify Jobs, the software is designed to better connect job seekers with businesses and organizations in ways that allow employers to diversify their workforce and that help job seekers build careers and create the support systems they need to succeed in the world of work.

In a Zoom call in late March, Stephen McHale, Sharon Sobol Jordan and James Hickey — respectively, founder, president and chairman of Unify Labs — described how they came together with the common goal of using technology to create a more equitable way for employers to identify candidates for entry-level and intermediate-level jobs whose promise may not be reflected in an application or resume, and for job seekers to find an employment situation that meets their needs.

“Our mantra is ‘value, not volume,’ to the employer, and, to the job seeker, it’s ‘where the right job finds you today,’ ” McHale said. “It’s kind of a little bit like the executive recruiter model, but brought down” to lower-job levels.

McHale said Unify Labs, which now employs 12 people, has spent several years and 35,000 work hours analyzing

the hiring process and talking to employers to come up with an approach that is designed to give job seekers the experience of being wanted, not just being run through a cattle call by employers who post their jobs on websites such as ZipRecruiter or Indeed. For instance, Unify Jobs is designed to channel job seekers without a car to jobs that can be reached on a bus, or to jobs that offer an important benefit. Its “Gear Up” program helps the candidate find out about things like child or elder care. It also offers “Level Up,” which helps employers and employees find the education and training needed for the employee to upgrade their skills and advance in the workplace.

The pilot, which was unveiled in late April, initially will help connect job seekers with three employers — the Cleveland Clinic, the Cleveland Indians and the Cleveland Metropolitan School District — all of which have executives on the Unify Labs board. The nonprofit’s leaders believe their program is such a significant departure from existing hiring applications that it has the potential to spread nationally.

“This was designed by employers for employers,” McHale said. “We’re serving both stakeholder groups: the job seeker and the employer. That’s the first fully integrated system that connects them directly.”

Sobol Jordan said the employers Unify Labs works with are interested initially in targeting Cleveland resi- McHale dents with jobs that require little or no prior experience and no degrees. The candidates ideally live near existing facilities.

And the program is structured to stay with employees, to help them build their skills and move up the ladder.

“Our solution helps job seekers and employers keep up, so that they can retain their teams and job seekers can stay with the company if they want to stay in the sector,” she said. “Or, if their occupation is being eliminated, they can find very quickly how their skills translate to other occupations and what they need to do to get there.”

The three emphasized that a key element of Unify Jobs is to help employers build a diversified workforce and to bring into the workforce people who, they believe, have potential but lack the traditional accomplishments to stand out in the hiring process.

“Our system is built to eliminate implicit bias, which the current systems are just loaded with,” Hickey said. “Today, the resume is built almost entirely around the education and work expe-

Sobol Jordan

Hickey

rience. Our targeted cohorts start with a deficit, and it’s hard to catch up. So when someone comes into Unify Jobs, there’s no resume requirement, so we have a very sophisticated system for creating a more complete picture of the job seeker.”

Jeffrey Patterson, CEO of the Cuyahoga Metropolitan Housing Authority (CMHA), which manages 10,000 units of public housing with 55,000 residents, has been involved in the Unify development process.

He sees Unify Jobs as potentially being valuable to his organization as an employer and to job-seeking CMHA residents. He also believes it has the potential for job seekers to “put their best foot forward.”

“We just can no longer just do all the processes the same way as they have been done in the past. We’ve got to find different way of doing this,” he said. “This is one of the new ways of doing it, and I’m hoping for success as it moves forward.”

Curtis Danburg, vice president of

communications and community impact for the Indians, said the team is using the Unify Jobs pilot to fill entry-level positions in its fan services department, which assists fans at the ballpark and on the phone.

“We’re committed to finding equitable hiring practices, and we’re excited about this opportunity,” he said.

Once the program is in full operation, job seekers will be identified as “fit” for certain kinds of jobs and invited to apply for jobs available by all employers connected with the program. Seekers, or entry-level employees, will be introduced to training or certification programs that can enable them to match up to jobs that allow them to move up.

Unify Labs began life in 2018 as the Unify Project, a nonprofit that would focus on “identifying the way to shared prosperity,” using sophisticated data gathering and artificial intelligence. After several years of research, the organization chose to focus on the hiring process.

It has been funded by McHale and Charlie Lougheed, now CEO of Axuall, a health care startup. The pair had built a company called Explorys, a health data analytics software company that they sold to IBM. The plan, though, is for Unify Jobs to be financially self-sustaining through employers.

Jay Miller: jmiller@crain.com, (216) 771-5362, @millerjh

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ny,” said Jess Wiedemer.

Hinkley brings new products to Hinkley just keeps growing and market two to three times a year.

A little more than a decade ago, evolving.

The 99-year-old company got its Hinkley moved from Lakewood to start making cast lanterns for the re- its current home in Avon Lake. Its gion. Today, it designs and distrib- distribution center and office space utes decorative lighting and ceiling in Avon Lake is 210,000 square feet, Jess Wiedemer said. Now, facing fans across North America.

Now, Hinkley is about to embark strong consumer demand, it’s time on a significant warehouse expan- to expand.

In June, the company will begin sion, designed to help it increase inventory and get product to cus- adding a 130,000-square-foot addition. The majority of that will be for tomers faster.

Hinkley used to be known as Hin- warehouse and distribution space, kley Lighting, but the company sim- Jess Wiedemer said.

“We’re certainly fortunate to be in plified its branding beyond just lighting in 2020. The year prior, the the home improvement space, and company had acquired Regency that’s a category that’s seeing strong Ceiling Fans, expanding its product demand right now. So it’s accelerated our expansion plans,” he said. offering.

The lighting industry wasn’t one It’s run by the fourth generation of Wiedemers, with president Jess that had to shut down during Wiedemer and vice president and COVID-19, said Larry Lauck, execugeneral counsel Eric Wiedemer at tive vice president of the American the helm. Their father, Rick Wiede- Lighting Association in Dallas. That mer, had been CEO of the company was one hurdle the association’s prior to his unexpected death in the companies didn’t have to clear.

There are still some challenges. The summer of 2019.

Jess Wiedemer declined to share lighting industry is affected by varispecifics on sales or employee num- ous tariffs, he said. And while there bers for Hinkley, noting that em- is strong demand for new homes, supply hasn’t been able to keep up ployment was more than 100. as companies face shortages. But “WE’RE CERTAINLY FORTUNATE TO BE labor that is driving deIN THE HOME IMPROVEMENT SPACE.” mand for remodeling, Lauck said, in— Hinkley president Jess Wiedemer cluding a stronger focus on the outHinkley maintains a team of in- door space.

Overall, the association is “bullhouse designers and product managers to design its products, as well ish” on the market for the lighting as working with outside talent. Then industry, Lauck said.

People have been staying home a it takes its designs to contract manufacturers, many of whom are over- lot in the past year, and that has led seas, to actually create the products, to more remodeling, Jess Wiedemer Eric Wiedemer said. Some assembly said. There’s particularly strong deand post-production work does take mand in the outdoor living segment for products like outdoor chandeplace in Avon Lake.

“New product development has liers, he said.

“With more people nesting rather been the lifeblood for our compa-

than vacationing, they’re investing where they are,” Jess Wiedemer said.

In addition to the strong demand created in part by the pandemic, the ways it interfered with the supply chain are another factor.

For example, there have been transportation issues in recent months that slowed deliveries. Jess Wiedemer said the expansion will allow Hinkley to build up more inventory to “insulate us domestically from any major supply chain disruptions.”

All of Hinkley’s inventory is located at the Avon Lake site. But Jess Wiedemer said he could see the company adding distribution centers across North America in the future.

The company is growing in other ways, too. This fall, Hinkley will open a new permanent showroom at home furnishing industry trade show High Point Market in North Carolina, increasing the company’s brand exposure, a news release stated.

As Hinkley grows its warehousing space in Avon Lake, the company will also repurpose about 20,000 square feet to serve as a customer experience and research and development space, Jess Wiedemer said.

This will support “product development, engineering, and brand experience activities,” a news release stated.

“Through this new R&D space, our partners will be able to see and impact the products coming to market while enjoying a more connected and cohesive brand experience,” Eric Wiedemer said in the release.

In total, the expanded facility will be about 350,000 square feet. Construction is expected to be complete in the first quarter of 2022.

Rachel Abbey McCafferty: (216) 7715379, rmccafferty@crain.com

4 | CRAIN’S CLEVELAND BUSINESS | MAY 10, 2021

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EDUCATION

Vitamix, Baldwin Wallace connect for ‘learn and earn’ program

BY AMY MORONA

Baldwin Wallace University and blender manufacturer Vitamix are teaming up on a new “learn and earn” program. The collaboration is a step aimed at furthering the link between institution and industry in Northeast Ohio.

Last year, only 34% of the region’s workforce had a two- or four-year degree or credential. That’s far from the goal of 65% the state will reportedly need to hit by 2025.

Program participants will spend 30 hours a week working as assemblers, getting paid a starting salary listed at $14.52 an hour. Ten additional hours a week will be spent completing BW coursework on-site at Vitamix, working to earn a bachelor of applied business degree. That chunk of time is composed of two-hour unpaid breaks per day.

Vitamix is aiming to have a group of 15 people in its first class set to launch next month. That number wasn’t reached by accident. It represents the amount of employees typically working on a production line.

Heather Hennekes, Vitamix’s senior director of human resources, said there might be opportunities to move to a higher level of assembler over time, but the job will remain within the same department.

Participants will have a chance to see different aspects of the company during the program, though. Hennekes added there are opportunities for people to be candidates for other positions within the company postgrad. This initiative gives Vitamix a chance to boost its labor pool with “hardworking and loyal” people.

“This particular program is really meant to align with our production needs,” Hennekes said.

She said they’re actively recruiting, including by reaching out to high schools. The company’s president and CEO, Jodi Berg, had noted some young people across Northeast Ohio were having to make the choice between attending college or heading straight to the workforce.

Though the idea for the program sparked from a conversation between Berg and Baldwin Wallace University’s president before the pandemic, the observation Berg noted may have amplified during the past year. Enrollment of freshmen dropped 13% at campuses across the county last fall.

A LinkedIn recruiting post stated the education is “intended to be provided at minimal costs, pending participant eligibility.” The price individuals will actually end up paying hinges on how much financial aid is awarded through the completion of

the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, or FAFSA, form participants are expected to complete.

An example price breakdown listed paying about $200 plus books for out-of-pocket costs per semester, though that number could vary depending on the actual aid award.

And to keep that financial aid, people will need to enroll in a minimum of six credits per semester. That equates to about two courses per semester or one course during back-to-back “mini-mesters” within a semester.

Officials said some classes will happen at the same time in a cohort model, but there will also be flexibility given each person’s path. There’s the ability to specialize in one of four focus areas, including organizational leadership, human resources, health care and management. An applied project must be completed, too. The program was approved by the Ohio Department of Higher Education in March.

Course offerings include the survey of economics, advanced applications for information analysis, international business and marketing. Baldwin Wallace faculty will teach all of the courses. Some will be delivered in-person, others by distance learning.

Participants will have access to the services and programs all of the university’s enrolled students receive, said

Vitamix (shown before the pandemic) and Baldwin Wallace are teaming up for a program that will feature students working as assemblers. | DAMIAN EDUARDOS

provost Stephen Stahl, though the experience won’t be the same as those undergrads who live on the Berea campus. The university’s full-time enrollment clocked in at about 3,100 last fall.

“It will be BW classes to BW expectations,” Stahl said. “They'll work as hard as regular BW students, just perhaps a little bit differently.”

Stahl said the curriculum was developed in tandem with Vitamix and the company’s needs. That’s similar to the sentiment typically heard at community colleges. Those institutions have been leaders in this space, known for cultivating close relationships with businesses and responding to job needs.

The building trades have been the gold standard in the “learn and earn” arena, said Jane Oates, president of the nonprofit WorkingNation and a former U.S. Department of Labor official. Those opportunities offer flexibility, portability, and are industry recognized, she said.

“The three things that I think are really important whenever you're doing any of these programs,” she said.

Some employers, including giants like UPS and Starbucks, offer tuition

assistance for employees. When it comes to four-year campuses, places like Northeastern University and the University of Cincinnati are known for co-op programs.

While BW provost Stahl said they looked at other programs and studies when creating the program, he thinks this offering occupies a niche.

“There isn't a good analog anywhere else in the nation that I know of that fits this,” Stahl said.

Having an applied component to a liberal arts education has been part of BW’s identity since its founding, he said, adding that the university historically was a large provider of adult education until the Great Recession.

“One of the problems facing higher ed today, particularly private higher ed, is how do you keep a high quality education affordable,” he said “High quality education is high touch education. That's expensive. How do we maintain permission of accessibility when you can't keep raising tuition.”

This program, he said, is a model.

Amy Morona: amy.morona@crain. com, (216) 771-5229, @AmyMorona

SPONSORED CONTENT

Cloud-based solutions aid in managing data Businesses seek cost-efficient, flexible options for growing information storage needs

By ANNIE ZALESKI CRAIN’S CONTENT STUDIO-CLEVELAND

F

ew things have transformed the world more than data. In fact, experts believe roughly 2.5 quintillion bytes of data — that’s 18 zeroes — are produced daily.

“Data is just exploding,” said Dr. Youngjin Yoo, the Elizabeth M. and William C. Treuhaft Professor of Entrepreneurship and professor of information systems in the Department of Design & Innovation at the Weatherhead School of Management, Case Western Reserve University.

“The amount of data that is being produced and collected and stored throughout the economy, via social media, online transactions we do, the IoTs (Internet of Things) that we have, both in organizations at home or personal use — it is just explosively growing.”

Yoo stresses that making data a priority benefits companies in the long run, however.

“It reduces the amount of mistakes that IT resources can make as they’re trying to busily keep their environment up to date.”

- Joe VanPatten, VP - cloud consumption, Advizex

“I think it’s an understatement (that) companies are waking up to the fact that we could use this data to better target customers, better promote our products and better engage with customers,” he said.

Still, managing this data can be challenging. Not only do businesses have to incorporate analytics into their strategies, but identifying what data are even most important to analyze can be an obstacle.

storage capacity or server utilizations to handle the added load, or might have to wait a few days until a vendor can order or stock needed equipment.

On the flipside, companies run the risk of overbuying equipment and having more infrastructure than they need, which can impact the bottom line.

FINDING A SOLUTION IN THE CLOUD

Having an on-premises physical data infrastructure, such as servers and other IT equipment, also can be expensive to maintain, update over time and repair, when needed.

Many businesses are choosing to leverage cloud-based technology to help oversee and organize data. It’s estimated that 45% of companies as of 2019 are using the cloud to run at least some big data workloads, according to some reports.

Flexibility also can become an issue. If an unexpected project or surge in data arises, businesses may not have the

Using cloud computing to manage data has multiple advantages, starting with the ability to have more precise

solutions and adapt seamlessly to changing needs.

Joe VanPatten, vice president of cloud consumption at Advizex, an IT services provider headquartered in Independence, says his company has prioritized “consumption-based solutions.”

VanPatten, whose firm has partnered with HPE GreenLake for cloud-based solutions, said the goal is to “simplify and reduce the number of monthly payments” faced by customers.

“We talk to the customer about a solution where we can put something on the floor — storage, servers, network ports — and really only charge the customer for what they’re utilizing from month to month,” he says. “The payment from month to month can go up and down based on the customer’s utilization.”

Instead of having to call a vendor and ask for price quotes for additional servers or storage upgrades or additional equipment, customers also can just use what’s already there.

“The solution has growth and a buffer built into it,” VanPatten says. “So if a customer has something that comes up out of the blue, or has a project that has some sort of immediate need, and they need to utilize more hardware, they have it sitting on their data center floor ready to use.”

VanPatten notes that the HPE GreenLake solution comes with quarterly patching and updates, as well as a dedicated customer service manager.

As the growth in data becomes a consistent obstacle for modern businesses, many are finding that cloud-based services not only are streamlined and cost efficient but there are benefits to the support associated with the outside partner.

“It reduces the amount of mistakes that IT resources can make as they’re trying to busily keep their environment up to date,” VanPatten says. “It reduces the risk for the customer.”

This advertising-supported section/feature is produced by Crain’s Content Studio-Cleveland, the marketing storytelling arm of Crain’s Cleveland Business. The Crain’s Cleveland Business newsroom is not involved in creating Crain’s Content Studio content.

6 | CRAIN’S CLEVELAND BUSINESS | MAY 10, 2021

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PERSONAL VIEW

Invest in people, not in government

RICH WILLIAMS FOR CRAIN’S CLEVELAND BUSINESS

BY LEE WEINGART

EDITORIAL

In with the new

R

elief.

That’s our primary reaction to Cleveland Mayor Frank Jackson’s announcement last Thursday, May 6, that he will not seek a fifth term. It’s not because Jackson has been a bad mayor, exactly, though the trends in recent years have not been good. But the lack of vision that has always been a hallmark of Jackson’s mayoralty, combined with more recent lethargy and inattention to detail, would have made him particularly ill-suited to leading Cleveland into the post-pandemic era.

Jackson has talked, repeatedly, about how Cleveland can be a great city, but it’s not there yet. He’s right. It’s clear, though, that Jackson is not the person to lead it there, and his decision not to run again opens up the possibility for fresh thinking to help make the city more vibrant economically and more equitable socially. Cleveland will receive more than $540 million over the next two years in federal coronavirus relief money, which will offer significant opportunities — provided the city has creative leadership that’s listening to and working with citizens and business leaders.

For Jackson, the decision will THE CITY IS FLAT-OUT bring to an end a 32-year career in public service that is worthy TERRIBLE WHEN IT of admiration and respect. This is hard work. It’s easy to score COMES TO cheap campaign points by deTRANSPARENCY OF riding “career politicians,” and while Jackson falls into that catOPERATIONS. egory, we don’t for a minute doubt his commitment to Cleveland and its residents. Back in 1988, as ideastream noted, Jackson chaired a community group in the city’s Central neighborhood and “pressed city leaders to do more to eliminate drugs, maintain public housing and protect Black and poor residents from displacement.” In Thursday’s announcement, you could hear the passion in his voice when he talked about the devastation of drugs and a “street culture that has no mercy.” In 1989, Jackson was elected to Cleveland City Council, launching a career that took him to the council presidency and then to the mayor’s office.

Back in 2017, when we endorsed Jackson for a fourth term,

we wrote, “While his record has some blemishes, Jackson has been a steady leader through difficult times, helping Cleveland maintain budget sanity and avoid the financial calamities that have affected Midwestern neighbors Chicago and Detroit.” While our overall thinking about the mayor has changed since then, we stand by that sentiment. Jackson led Cleveland through both the Great Recession and COVID; it’s no small accomplishment to have kept the fiscal house in order during those times.

There are other accomplishments. Jackson helped Cleveland land the 2016 Republican National Convention. Working with the state Legislature, he reorganized the city’s school system, which subsequently has seen big improvements in graduation rates. (There’s still a lot of work to be done, though.) Some city neighborhoods — particularly Ohio City, Tremont and Detroit Shoreway on the West Side, and University Circle to the east — have seen development thrive, though investment needs to spread more broadly.

Yet the mayor’s tenure obviously has gone on too long.

The city is flat-out terrible when it comes to transparency of operations. A recent WEWS investigation, for instance, found that taxpayers “spend nearly three-quarters of a million dollars for ‘public information officers’ who often fail to provide public records while blocking requests for interviews with Cleveland city officials.” Talk with any business owner/operator and you’ll hear about how difficult it is to work with the city on permits and other tasks. Last week on Twitter, in response to WEWS’ report, Dan Whalen of Harbor Bay Real Estate Advisors, developer of the mixed-use Intro project in Ohio City, wrote, “Yeah, I’m building a 9-figure project across from one of the city’s biggest assets and haven’t received call backs on some really important issues ... going on 12 weeks.

Good stuff.”

That experience for businesses is all too common, and totally unacceptable.

Jackson’s announcement had been anticipated for some time, and it’s reflected in the large number of candidates who already have said they’ll run to be Cleveland’s 58th mayor. We look forward to a vigorous debate on how to move the city forward.

Executive Editor: Elizabeth McIntyre (emcintyre@crain.com) Managing Editor: Scott Suttell (ssuttell@crain.com) Contact Crain’s: 216-522-1383 Read Crain’s online: crainscleveland.com

Cuyahoga County will receive $239.5 million in American Rescue Plan Act relief funding from the federal government over the next two years, with half that — nearly $120 million — coming in May. This funding provides an opportunity to invest in our people, social services organizations, small businesses and infrastructure. It is a much more worthwhile investment than using it to simply support Cuyahoga County’s bureaucracy, which was largely the case with the CARES Act funding last year.

Last year, the county spent more than Weingart is a $120 million of federal CARES Act relief former on itself — covering payroll, buying ve- Cuyahoga hicles and subsidizing the mon- County ey-draining Hilton Hotel and Conven- commissioner tion Center, among other things. Only a and is the only tiny fraction of these vital dollars went announced to help small businesses and restau- candidate at this rants. Even less went to social services time for agencies, which were busier than ever Cuyahoga County last year.

The American Rescue Plan Act is a executive in chance to reverse the bad decisions made 2022. by the county last year and to invest in our future. Here is what I propose: ` Invest $45 million in the health and well-being of our people. We can enhance COVID-19 mitigation efforts by directing $30 million for ongoing health needs related to the pandemic, including testing, personal protective equipment and vaccines. Additionally, The Lancet medical journal estimates that up to one-third of COVID-19 patients will develop a mental health disorder. We should increase county mental health funding by $15 million to help thousands of people and promote mental health parity. ` Invest $20 million in creating affordable housing opportunities. This funding would supercharge the work being done by nonprofit housing organizations like CHN Housing Partners to move people into affordable homes they will own and out of overcrowded public housing and rental properties where COVID-19 can spread much faster. ` Provide an additional $20 million to support front-line social services. I would commit up to $5 million to the Greater Cleveland Food Bank’s capital campaign to build its new facility and expand its services to address the root causes of hunger. The remaining $15 million would be provided to community social services centers, such as the Salvation Army, to support their work with vulnerable populations. ` Offer $35 million in property tax relief to our seniors.

We should invest $35 million to create a property tax credit program to give much-needed relief to senior citizens who are struggling to stay in their homes amid rising property tax and unforeseen expenditures from COVID-19. ` Support enhanced education opportunities with a $19.5 million investment. We know that education has been challenging throughout the pandemic. I would devote $15 million to pre-K programs in hard-hit first-ring suburbs like Euclid and Maple Heights to help families get their young children in quality pre-K programs. We should also increase the county’s funding for College Now by $4.5 million to help support more young people going to college.

Write us: Crain’s welcomes responses from readers. Letters should be as brief as possible and may be edited. Send letters to Crain’s Cleveland Business, 700 West St. Clair Ave., Suite 310, Cleveland, OH 44113, or by emailing ClevEdit@crain.com. Please include your complete name and city from which you are writing, and a telephone number for fact-checking purposes.

See WEINGART, on Page 29

Sound off: Send a Personal View for the opinion page to emcintyre@crain.com. Please include a telephone number for verification purposes.

8 | CRAIN’S CLEVELAND BUSINESS | MAY 10, 2021

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PERSONAL VIEW

More time, and guidance, is critical to success of No Surprises Act

BY KATE HUBBEN

Because the Biden administration has been silent about its plans for regulating the No Surprises Act — a significant and impactful part of the omnibus spending bill that was passed at the end of 2020 — health care providers and employer plan sponsors have been scrambling to meet the deadline of Jan. 1, 2022, when it will go into effect.

The No Surprises Act calls for the end of most surprise medical billing, the introduction of advanced explanations of benefits (EOBs), a comprehensive price transparency tool for consumers, full disclosure of all health insurance brokers’ compensation and a variety of other “surprises” that — when regulated — would appear to be a net win for consumers. However, it puts a massive financial burden on insurance carriers and employer plan sponsors that must create and/or fund the creation of a brand new infrastructure around these deliverables.

That massive financial burden could likely end up in our insurance premiums.

Some experts do suggest that consumerism and full transparency will ultimately reduce health care costs. In fact, the Congressional Budget Office said the No Surprises Act could reduce insurance premiums by 0.5% to 1%, which may be toothless since 18% of our gross domestic product is health care. But there are many forces at work around the issue of price transparency, and it may not fulfill all of its promises. The American Hospital Association sued the Trump administration in 2019 over a new rule by the Department of Health and Human Services to post the cost of mediprocedures. The THE NO SURPRISES ACT cal rule took effect on COULD REVOLUTIONIZE Jan. 1, 2021. In October 2020, the Centers HOW WE PURCHASE for Medicare and Medicaid Services HEALTH CARE. (CMS) introduced the Transparency in Coverage Rule, also called the November Rule, a regulation that closely mirrors the transparency provisions in the No Surprises Act, passed only a month later. Some would speculate that it was a defensive move by the Trump administration to introduce both a law and a CMS regulation that called for the same transparency measures just in case the Biden administration uses the Congressional Review Act to kill the November Rule.

The No Surprises Act could revolutionize how we purchase health care. Health economists noted that despite Americans’ behavior moving to a more consumer-driven model with high-deductible health plans, there was still the noticeable trend of hospital prices increasing faster than physician prices. For inpatient care, hospital prices grew 42%, while physician prices grew only 18% during

the same period. Additionally, hospital-based outpatient care grew 25%, while physician prices grew only 6%.

This provided the empirical data needed to drive the passage of the No Surprises Act. One of the most labor-intensive changes for health insurance carriers will be the advanced EOB requirement. Carriers will have to proHubben wrote vide consumers with a detailed this piece while EOB, with all costs clearly identified, working as an prior to a medical procedure. It will associate be similar to a quote that we get director for from a body shop or a contractor, Willis Towers but the estimated price for the medWatson. She ical procedure will be based on the currently is a vice president at actual coverage provided by the health plan in which the employee is NFP. For more enrolled. The hope is that our limp information, toward consumerism will become please contact more of a canter.

Jonathan Employee benefits brokers or Cantwell at consultants also will be required to jonathan. disclose all forms of compensation cantwell@ willistowerswat- they receive from carriers. Most large consulting firms are already son.com. mandated to disclose all income, including bonuses or market-derived income, but the small local brokers have not traditionally disclosed this information to clients. Moreover, bonus and override commissions are often omitted from Department of Labor 5500 filings. This is a win for consumers and presents an opportunity for the broker community to raise the bar.

Most important, starting in January 2022, it will be illegal to charge patients with out-of-network costs that a patient unknowingly procured during a procedure. For example, a patient can have a knee replacement surgery and receive out-of-network charges for the anesthesiologist that she did not choose, approve or even know was in the operating room. The No Surprises Act requires that carriers essentially treat these out-of-network costs as in-network. Moreover, it introduces the role of an arbitrator to be in place for health plans and providers to resolve these billing issues.

The No Surprises Act is designed to remove the cloak of secrecy in the health plan world and allow patients to feel more in control of purchasing their health care.

While these goals appear to be a positive move forward, until President Biden’s administration issues regulatory guidance or pushes out the Jan. 1, 2022, deadline to a more reasonable timeline, implementing the law could be complete chaos. And we have had enough chaos lately to last a lifetime.

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ON THE HUNT Local Home Instead offices look to boost their talent ranks in a tough market

MIDDLE MARKET

PAGE 12

WILL ONLY GET HOTTER

ISTOCK

SIZZLING M&A RECOVERY

Proposed capital gains hike should increase activity even more

BY JUDY STRINGER

B

efore President Joe Biden hinted at details of his capital gains increase, the rush of middle market M&A activity, which began in the back half of 2020, showed no signs of slowing.

Now that Biden has said he seeks to nearly double the tax rate on long-term capital gains for anyone making over $1 million per year, market insiders say they anticipate deal-making will go from intense to insane.

“What you’re going to see in quarter three and quarter four of this year is a deluge of M&A activity,” said T. Ted Motheral, chair of Cleveland-based Walter | Haverfield’s Business Services group, “because everyone wants to get in, under those hikes.”

Others agreed.

“Even if the [capital gains] increase is 50% of what Biden proposed, the net after-tax proceeds will likely be higher for business owners selling at slightly lower enterprise values this year versus waiting for valuations to rebound more fully and selling next year,”

explained T.J. Monico, managing director of KeyBanc Capital Markets Industrial Bank, the corporate and investment banking unit of Cleveland’s KeyCorp.

“That’s going to fuel an insane amount of activity.”

Biden’s proposal aside, market forces were already aligned for an impressive M&A year. Pent-up demand, as a result of the economic shutdown in early 2020, is one of the biggest deal drivers.

See M&A on Page 13

“WHAT YOU’RE GOING TO SEE IN QUARTER THREE AND QUARTER FOUR OF THIS YEAR IS A DELUGE OF M&A ACTIVITY, BECAUSE EVERYONE WANTS TO GET IN, UNDER THOSE HIKES.” T. Ted Motheral, chair of Cleveland-based Walter | Haverfield’s Business Services group

10 | CRAIN’S CLEVELAND BUSINESS | MAY 10, 2021

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FOCUS | MIDDLE MARKET

Eclectic portfolio keeps RoviSys growing during pandemic

The next decision you make could be

life altering.

Automation provider plans to hire 100 new workers in 2021

BY DOUGLAS J. GUTH

Since its inception 31 years ago, process automater RoviSys has worked within multiple industries to spread out risk. When the COVID-19 tsunami hit, the Aurora-based company already had built-in protection against the wave washing over so many industries.

In providing software and engineering services for manufacturing, process and building automation, RoviSys transitioned with long-term customers onto a wartime footing.

“There was a customer making specialty glass for vaccine vials and had to ramp up production,” said marketing director Dick Ciammaichella. “We had companies calling us that wanted five engineers tomorrow because they needed to double production on a product. Our customers had to find people quickly.”

RoviSys sustained growth over the first year of the virus crisis, garnering about $200 million in revenue to keep pace with its 18%-20% yearover-year gains. The company employs more than 900 people at offices in Aurora and at sites in Atlanta; Boston; Raleigh, N.C.; Los Angeles; Houston; Taiwan; Singapore; Belgium; and the Netherlands.

The automation provider is poised for further expansion into Southeast Asia in 2021. In December, RoviSys was ranked second out of 100 systems integrators by CFE Media, maintaining its position in the top five on that list for a third consecutive year.

“RoviSys continues a reputation of quality and continuity, and a commitment to delivering automation and information solutions with measurable results and clear return on investment,” stated a CFE Media news release from Dec. 16.

Cultivating a portfolio of industry giants including Glidden, Sherwin-Williams, DuPont, BP and Rockwell Automation, the company provides automation systems and products for the chemical, petrochemical, life science, consumer packaged goods, glass, metals, power and energy, data center, building management, water and wastewater, paper and wood, and oil and gas industries.

Life science — a sector comprising biotech and pharmaceutical firms — constitutes over 30% of RoviSys’ annual business, said the company’s director of life sciences, Matt Knott.

The space became a bellwether for the company’s evolution during the mid-1990s, one that helped RoviSys open offices in regional hotspots such as Boston and Raleigh.

“Life science has been on a leading edge of growth from a geographical standpoint,” Knott said. “We were willing to go to the client and build office locations and teams to serve them. Talent gets attracted to those areas, so we’ve been able to grow our teams that way.”

Repeat business Founded in 1989 in Highland Heights, RoviSys moved in 1994 to its current Aurora headquarters. Over the years, the company shifted into

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the chemical arena, aiding DuPont, Dow and other industry leaders in resin and compound production.

Wastewater is another fast-burgeoning market, thanks to water treatment infrastructure going up on the coasts.

While the pandemic has slowed outreach to potential new clients, the relationships RoviSys built with current customers has more than kept the company afloat. Anecdotally, RoviSys might be tasked with a single controlled automation project that develops into a full automation system build-out.

“About 85% of our business comes through repeat customers,” Knott said. “We always want to serve a client beyond the scope of a project. Especially in life science, where companies are always looking to invest and upgrade technology. Oftentimes, we’ll work with a customer on a service offering then expand to provide other services.”

The Lake County Department of Utilities brought on RoviSys two years ago to modernize its telemetry, with a larger goal of updating water treatment facilities and automated control systems.

The department, which serves 34,000 households regionwide, also got backup from RoviSys in swapping out traditional landlines for cellular technology, said director of water Franco Noce.

“They worked with us to set up a secure and easy cellular system with adequate redundancies,” Noce said.

“It was impressive how easily they helped us move over (to cellular) while giving us different options like radio and internet cable. (Installation) went without a hitch.”

Noce also appreciated partnering with a knowledgeable team able to anticipate problems before they arise.

“RoviSys doesn’t seem to have the agenda of pushing a product on you

— they want you to weigh out the options and come to a decision that works for you. That’s refreshing in this business. They’re not trying to sell you a Cadillac with every purchase.”

For RoviSys, years of supporting customers nationwide eased potential pain points as the pandemic made remote work a household term.

“That helped a lot, because we already had ways to collaborate between offices,” said Ciammaichella.

“We could work with a customer in California with our whole team in Ohio.”

And demand isn’t slowing down, based on plans to onboard at least 100 new engineers and additional support staff before year’s end. In past hiring phases, RoviSys recruited engineering graduates from Ohio universities and beyond state borders, a trend that continued this year albeit over Zoom.

Last June, RoviSys was among four area companies granted a job-creation tax credit by the Ohio Tax Credit Authority, an initiative tabbed to generate more than 240 jobs in total. RoviSys was approved for an eight-year, 1.52% payroll tax credit in return for creating 88 new positions, a move also ensuring the enterprise keeps in place its existing 450 local jobs.

As a constantly growing operation, RoviSys officials are excited to expand their eclectic client portfolio even further.

“I’ve been here for 15 years — what attracted me to the company was the broad spectrum of customers we get to work with,” said Knott. “We’re not on the product side directly, but there’s a great deal of pride seeing a commercial for a drug, and knowing we were involved with its manufacturing.”

Contact Douglas J. Guth: clbfreelancer@crain.com

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MAY 10, 2021 | CRAIN’S CLEVELAND BUSINESS | 11

FOCUS | MIDDLE MARKET

Searching for talent in a tough market Demand stirring local Home Instead sites to increase staff by 20%

BY DOUGLAS J. GUTH

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The number of job vacancies in the in-home care industry is expected to reach 8 million by 2028, according to PHI. The eldercare and disability service organization defines in-home work as “personal care aides, home health aides and nursing assistants who provide assistance with daily activities in private homes, communities, nursing homes and other formal settings.”

Home Instead, a national in-home care provider with three offices in Northeast Ohio, falls under that category and has the talent gap to prove it. Although franchise owner Scott Radcliff has 375 caregivers under his banner, he’s seeking to increase his employment rolls by at least 20% before year’s end.

“Our challenge is attracting good, quality caregivers, which is a challenge across the industry,” said Radcliff, who owns and operates offices out of Oakwood Village, Brecksville and Pepper Pike. “Our motto was that we hire for skill, but now we’re hiring more for personality than training, because it’s such a hard job.”

Home Instead delivers nonmedical care to seniors over a service area that includes parts of Cuyahoga and Geauga counties. Caregivers assist charges with meal preparation, bathing, housekeeping and food shopping, also acting as companions in an era of social distancing.

“The loneliness and isolation piece is a big thing we’ve been seeing over the last year,” Radcliff said. “Lots of seniors we deal with are lonely and depressed, and we’re able to help them with that.”

Locally, Home Instead maintained 20% year-over-year growth in the three years prior to COVID. The company did lose clients at the start of the pandemic — largely due to anxiousness about having a stranger in the home — but demand has surged once more in line with easing concerns.

What’s lacking now is the supply of caregivers for a rapidly aging population. Per Census Bureau data, the number of older adults in the U.S. is projected to increase by 69% between 2020 and 2060 — from 56 million to 94.7 million.

“The number of people that need help is outpacing supply. It’s a simple numbers game,” said Radcliff.

A helping hand Home Instead has 1,100 offices in the U.S. and additional locations in 14 countries worldwide. Along with home care, the company offers supplemental services to eldercare facilities, where a caregiver may navigate a senior to the cafeteria or ensure they’re taking their medication throughout the day.

Some clients are undergoing cognitive decline alongside a host of physical ailments, so a job that can be an around-the-clock position takes a special kind of personality — not someone simply looking for a

Caregiver Donna Carlin and Home Instead client Jeanette Rue. | CONTRIBUTED

paycheck, Radcliff said. tor of talent solutions at Greater On the salary side, Home Instead Cleveland Partnership. pays its caregivers between $11.50 “As companies become more speand $16 an hour, depending on ex- cialized, skills are going to be a big perience. Candidates don’t neces- part in how they deliver value to cussarily require a deep care aide back- tomers,” he said. “The challenge ground, as the company provides across the board is convincing job in-house and state-tested nursing seekers that they can build a great catraining as well as a 30-day mentor- reer in an industry. Companies have ship program helmed by seasoned to educate job seekers that these are caregivers. careers, not just jobs.”

“We’ve hired people who have takCollaboration with industry peers en care of Mom, Dad or a family is one powerful way of building a member,” Radcliff said. “They don’t worker pipeline, Glavin added. Last need that formal experience, but if summer, major Northeast Ohio hosthey come in with the right reasons pitals linked up to create the Workfor wanting to provide care, we’ll cer- force Connect Healthcare Sector tainly consider them for employ- Partnership. ment.”

The initiative — comprising CleveThree nurses and an LPN oversee land Clinic, University Hospitals and training, which can include demen- other health systems — fosters optia care or assisting a bedbound pa- portunities for local residents to purtient. sue health care careers. Additionally, Home Instead accelerated its interviewing process over the “THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE THAT NEED past year, with an in-person job fair HELP IS OUTPACING SUPPLY. IT’S A scheduled for the end SIMPLE NUMBERS GAME.” of April at the Oak— Scott Radcliff, franchise owner, Home Instead wood office. Radcliff hoped to bring in 20 to 30 new caregivers in one day, part of program partners are working with a push to hire 100 aides by the end of area colleges and community-based 2021. job readiness programs to fill workWith need outstripping supply in- force needs. dustrywide, Home Instead has re“There are a lot of options and configured its engagement tactics. pathways to success,” Glavin said.

New employees are given a $1,000 “When you can build that ecosystem hiring bonus, while staff members and put some scale behind it, you’ll receive referral bonuses when bring- have multiple providers aligned with ing a caregiver into the fold. sector-based outcomes, and you can Home Instead also taps into spread that talent across many more churches and other senior-friendly employers.” organizations to recruit fresh talent.

Making a difference in the lives of A program called UnRetire Yourself, clients and families is Home Inmeanwhile, is aimed at individuals stead’s mission, one that requires an age 65 and older seeking fulfilling ongoing supply of skilled and devotwork during their golden years. ed job candidates.

“We want to make sure we bring in quality people — we’re not just hirPathways to success ing anyone off the street,” Radcliff COVID-19 continues to reshape said. “If you want to feel better about workplaces in industries including yourself by helping other people, in-home health care. Developing that’s what this profession provides.” new and innovative ways to find hires will be vital to the sector’s future suc- Contact Douglas J. Guth: cess, said Mike Glavin, senior direc- clbfreelancer@crain.com

12 | CRAIN’S CLEVELAND BUSINESS | MAY 10, 2021

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FOCUS | MIDDLE MARKET

M&A

COVID’s effects on middle market The National Center for the Middle Market surveyed middle market businesses in December and asked respondents, “What things do you think are more likely to happen as a result of the pandemic?”

From Page 10

Matt Nipper, a Cleveland-based banker who leads KeyBank’s Great Lakes region commercial division, said companies that did not suffer financial setbacks during the pandemic “have been just sitting on cash” for well over a year now.

“It’s a depreciating asset, so they are looking for ways to put that money to work. And by doing that, they are looking for acquisitions,” he said.

According to Monico, private equity firms are aggressively seeking targets as well, with huge sums of raised capital that “doesn’t do anything for them if they’re not investing it.”

In the meantime, Motheral said, many businesses whose valuations faltered in the thick of the pandemic have recovered or are on the path to recovery, creating a larger pool of attractive acquisition candidates.

These M&A advisers list other contributing factors, including low interest rates and readily available

National

Sell their business Nipper

Farren

ers, especially those in the baby boomer demographic, are rethinking how they want to spend their time.

“What we have seen is a big shift mentally among business owners,” said Nipper. “Many of them have come to the realization that they’ve done this for years and now having brought the company through COVID, it’s time to look at their options as far as exiting the business (and) turning their business assets into personal liquidity.”

‘Reserved’ optimism

Despite improving economic conditions and the white-hot M&A market, Ohio’s middle market leaders appear a bit less bullish on the immediate “IT’S ALMOST LIKE A BABY BOOMER outlook.

A December surBUBBLE THAT’S GOING THROUGH THE vey by the National MIDDLE MARKET.” Center for the Middle Market found — Doug Farren, managing director, National Center for the Middle Market that while respondents nationally financing, which encourage buying, project 4.1% revenue growth and and “the ripple effect” from federal 2.3% employment growth in 2021, stimulus and infrastructure spend- Ohio companies expect growth rates ing putting more money into corpo- of 0.4% and 0.9%, respectively. rate coffers.

Managing director Doug Farren Then there’s what some market said the center, which operates out of watchers call the “9/11 Effect.” Ohio State University’s Fisher ColComing off traumatic personal and lege of Business, received about 30 business challenges posed by responses from Ohio, half as many as COVID, a faction of company lead- it has in the past.

16% 4% 19%

Merge their business

13% 18%

New investor

12% 22%

Senior leadership change Transformative acquisition

Ohio

15% 20% 5% 30% 30%

Restructuring GRAPHIC SOURCE: NATIONAL CENTER FOR THE MIDDLE MARKET

Still, he said, the results provide some insight into Buckeye business leaders’ “more reserved” mindset.

Nationally, 20% of the survey respondents said that in the next 12 months they’re either “extremely likely” or “very likely” to expand through acquisition versus 12% in Ohio.

“On the flip side, in terms of selling or merging their business, 15% expected to do so nationally and only 3% in Ohio,” Farren said.

Anecdotally, Farren added, personal conversations with middle market players suggest even those national respondents are erring on the side of caution.

“Most of the M&A people I talked to say the last six months of 2020 were some of the busiest they’ve seen in their careers and much of that activity is with midsize compa-

nies,” he said.

Conferring with owners themselves, Farren and Motheral both cite a noticeable increase in the number of family-owned businesses that are ready to sell or bring on a private equity partner to fuel further growth.

“It’s almost like a baby boomer bubble that’s going through the middle market,” Farren said. “You’ve got founders or first-generation founders or CEOs that are ready to move on — maybe more so now because of COVID — and are looking more closely at what that exit might look like.”

Motheral anticipates “the biggest transfer of economics over the next 10 years” than in any other similar period in American history.

“That is the baby boomers either selling their companies or passing their companies down to their kids or

their kids’ kids,” he said. “And I don’t mean giving it to them, [but] selling it to them, often at fair market value.”

Going forward, Farren suggested “high asking prices” could stifle M&A movement somewhat. Monico contended, however, that much of the price activity is a result of private investors paying “higher prices for high quality” companies and the simple law of supply and demand will trump valuation concerns.

“There are just a lot of investment capital shifting to private equity funds away from other investment opportunities like the stock market,” he said. “And what you are left with is an oversupply of capital in the system and an undersupply of companies available for sale.”

Contact Judy Stringer: clbfreelancer@crain.com

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MAY 10, 2021 | CRAIN’S CLEVELAND BUSINESS | 13

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IMAGINE TRYING TO ZOOM INTO YOUR 4TH GRADE CLASS FROM THE BACKSEAT OF YOUR MOM’S CAR. We don’t have to imagine this scenario because we witnessed it over and over again during the pandemic.

On any given day, residents rely on Cuyahoga County Public Library’s broadband connection for work, for school and for accessing critical benefits. When our buildings closed, residents logged more than 70,000 sessions on our WiFi network ... from our parking lots.

Cuyahoga County Public Library is committed to closing the digital divide through public broadband access and digital literacy training. We’ve been doing this work for years.

To learn more about our digital inclusion efforts, visit cuyahogalibrary.org/divide

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MBA GUIDE PLUS P

eople choose to pursue an MBA for different reasons. Some see the advanced degree as a way to climb the career ladder. Others are interested in shifting their professional focus and see the MBA as a way to upsize their skills and expertise. Many MBA students view a graduate degree as a way to increase their earning power.

Indeed, according to the National Association of Colleges and Employers, the average starting salary in 2021 for specific MBA graduates is projected to

be $87,966, which is up 11.3% from last year’s average of $79,043. MBA graduates also are the second-most in-demand major at the master’s degree level.

concentrations and types of degrees available from which to choose, plus the opportunity to customize the format of their education to suit their personal and professional needs.

A dynamic global economy depends on leaders who are well-prepared to steward their organization through innovation and growth. Northeast Ohio MBA programs meet this challenge.

This year’s 2021 MBA Guide Plus provides the latest information on advanced degrees or graduate certificate programs that equip tomorrow’s business leaders with the knowledge required to lead their organization in a dynamic global economy.

The next generation of leaders have a myriad of

INSIDE: 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12

Ashland University Baldwin Wallace University Case Western Reserve University Cleveland State University John Carroll University Kent State University Lake Erie College Malone University Notre Dame College The University of Akron Walsh University

This advertising-supported section/feature is produced by Crain’s Content Studio-Cleveland, the marketing storytelling arm of Crain’s Cleveland Business. The Crain’s Cleveland Business newsroom is not involved in creating Crain’s Content Studio content.

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ASHLAND UNIVERSITY

Dauch College of Business & Economics

Ashland • 419-289-5214 • mba@ashland.edu • mba.ashland.edu TYPES OF DEGREES AVAILABLE: Ashland University’s MBA Program offers flexible options designed to meet the needs of working professionals.

Students can enroll full time or part time in an online, in-person or hybrid class format. Ashland University offers

a unique, 1-Year International MBA Program of Saturday-only classes.

Students travel during two separate international study tours included in tuition. The program also offers virtual international study tours that equip students with global business skills

PROGRAM HIGHLIGHTS Ashland University’s 1-Year Online MBA Program is ranked No. 1 in Northeast Ohio and No. 100 nationally by U.S. News & World Report. The world-class program provides students the flexibility and opportunity to advance their career while continuing to work full time. Students are given all the tools needed to achieve a bright future: international study tours, nationally recognized certification opportunities and 11-plus specializations with the opportunity to create a custom specialization. On average, students receive a 46% salary increase upon graduation from Ashland University’s MBA Program. Ashland’s alumni network is 5,000-plus strong, with a 100% alumni satisfaction rate with their MBA education. In an effort to continuously improve programs and provide a world-class MBA, Ashland University’s MBA Program is working toward accreditation from AACSB.

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without actually traveling. The MBA program enables students to select from 11-plus specializations: Accounting, Business Analytics, Entrepreneurship, Financial Management, Global Management, Health Care Management & Leadership, Human Resource Management, Management Information Systems, Project Management, Sport Management or Supply Chain Management.

CLASS LOCATIONS: Students can complete all MBA requirements at Ashland University’s main campus, at one of the two off-campus locations in Cleveland or Columbus, or online remotely. The 1-year weekend option is only available in Cleveland and Columbus, either in-person or remotely.

ONLINE OPTIONS: Ashland University offers Online MBA Program options for full- or part-time students. The Online MBA can be completed in as little as one year, while part-time students typically complete the program within two years. Included with the 1-Year Online MBA Program is a portable Wi-Fi hotspot, for students to study anywhere and anytime.

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REQUIREMENTS FOR ADMISSION: Ashland University seeks wellrounded, academically prepared students. Applicants are required to provide both their academic and professional experiences for admission consideration. After reviewing all application files, students may qualify for a GMAT/GRE waiver. A business undergraduate major is not required.

Non-business backgrounds are encouraged to apply. Additional admission information can be obtained from the MBA Programs Office or online.

program options is $860 per credit hour for the 2021-2022 academic year. The accelerated 1-Year programs are priced at an all-inclusive tuition of $33,900.

ACCOLADES: Ashland University’s Online MBA in 2021 ranked No. 1 in Northeast Ohio and No. 4 in Ohio, according to U.S. News & World Report.

Fortune Rankings placed Ashland University’s Online MBA as No. 29 in the nation and No. 1 in Northeast Ohio.

CEO Magazine’s 2020 Global MBA Rankings placed Ashland University’s Online MBA as No. 35 in the world.

SCHOLARSHIP/FINANCIAL AID: Financial aid is available for all MBA Program options at Ashland University.

GENERAL TUITION/FEE INFORMATION: Tuition for the non-accelerated MBA

MBA.Ashland.edu

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UNIVERSITY School of Business

Berea • 440-260-4000 • business@bw.edu • bw.edu/mba TYPES OF DEGREES AVAILABLE: For more than 45 years, Baldwin Wallace University School of Business has been providing superior graduate business education through the MBA program. More than 7,000 Baldwin Wallace MBA graduates work and lead in Northeast Ohio. The MBA, with specialization options in Business Analytics, Healthcare Management, Human Resources, Management and Sport Management, is designed specifically for working professionals and is applicable across all industries and functions in business. Students generally complete the program within two to four years, depending upon the pace chosen. For students with diverse backgrounds in the health care industry — such as physicians, nurse managers, administrators, insurers and analysts — BW offers

a weekend Healthcare MBA program that integrates health care issues and applications with the foundations of a systems management MBA.

BW MBA students have significant professional experience and, with team-based projects in most courses, the result is a dynamic classroom.

Faculty are outstanding academicians and experienced business executives, uniquely enabling students to gain not only the depth of business knowledge and theory but, most importantly, methods that apply in the business world, enhancing leadership potential.

BW also offers a full-time One Year MBA

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WHAT’S NEW? BW’s MBA has been reshaped from a prescribed format to one that emphasizes individual customization and flexibility. Students now can tailor the program around their individual needs with year-round starts, adjustable course load, five specialization options and three options for attending classes: traditional in-person, live online or by watching a recording. For those who aren’t ready to commit to an MBA, BW’s stackable graduate certificates allow students to earn career-targeted micro-credentials that can apply to an MBA.

program for recent college graduates.

This program includes an international trip and an individualized year-long applied project that prepares students to launch to their intended career path.

CLASS LOCATIONS: Classes are offered in traditional in-person, live online and recorded online options. Students may intermix all three of these formats throughout the MBA based upon schedule and convenience. In-person classes are at the main campus in Berea.

Healthcare MBA classes are offered at Corporate College East and meet every other weekend (with no summer classes).

or GRE scores. Test scores are waived if applicants have another graduate degree or have an undergraduate GPA of 3.0 or higher.

SCHOLARSHIP/FINANCIAL AID: Federal financial aid, limited scholarships, a payment plan and a tuition reimbursement plan are available.

GENERAL TUITION/FEE INFORMATION: Tuition for the MBA program is $832 per credit hour. One-Year MBA students pay a flat tuition of $39,900, which is discounted to $29,400 for recent BW alumni.

REQUIREMENTS FOR ADMISSION: Applicants are encouraged to schedule an advising session (in-person or remotely). Candidates apply online and submit academic transcripts, letters of recommendation, a résumé and GMAT

A DEGREE THAT FITS YOUR LIFE

THE FLEXIBLE MBA n

Start when you’re ready.

Programs start every eight weeks.

Adjust your course load to your schedule. n Switch formats as you like. n

Classes are offered in-person, live online and recorded online.

n

Gain skills tailored to your career.

Specialize in business analytics, healthcare management, human resources, management or sport management.

Learn more at business.bw.edu Baldwin Wallace University School of Business 275 Eastland Road | Berea, Ohio 44017 | 440.260.4000 Baldwin Wallace does not discriminate on the basis of race, creed, age, disability, national origin, gender or sexual orientation in the administration of any policies or programs.

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CASE WESTERN RESERVE UNIVERSITY

Weatherhead School of Management

Cleveland • 216-368-6208 stephen.scheidt@case.edu • weatherhead.case.edu/degrees TYPES OF DEGREES AVAILABLE: Weatherhead offers nationally ranked full-time, part-time and Executive MBA programs, including an EMBA track for health care professionals in affiliation with Cleveland Clinic. The university also offers dual-degree master’s programs to enhance management

expertise and leadership potential in a variety of sectors. Each program provides a cohort experience to maximize learning outcomes and build lasting relationships. At Weatherhead, great emphasis is placed on developing leaders to advance business and society.

PROGRAM HIGHLIGHTS Weatherhead is home to many of the business concepts practiced around the world, including Appreciative Inquiry, Emotional Intelligence competencies, Manage by Designing and Intentional Change Theory. Students in the Weatherhead MBA programs develop a practical understanding of: • Blockchain • Artificial intelligence and machine learning • FinTech New program tracks this year include an Online MBA with a healthcare management track.

Learn. Lead.

Innovate.

Learn more at weatherhead.case.edu

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number of MBA students who were enrolled in 2020-21 CLASS LOCATIONS: Weatherhead School of Management is located at the Peter B. Lewis Building on Case Western Reserve University’s campus in Cleveland’s historic University Circle neighborhood. The university is close to many museums, cultural institutions, restaurants, religious organizations and academic centers, as well as Cleveland Clinic and University Hospitals.

ONLINE OPTIONS: Beginning in the fall of 2021, Weatherhead will offer a 100% online MBA with a healthcare management track designed for working professionals who want to develop evidence-based business management skills with a health care focus. The part-time MBA core courses offer a combination of on-campus and online content delivery. Classrooms are equipped with technology to deliver online instruction.

REQUIREMENTS FOR ADMISSION: Applicants should submit a completed online application form, two essays, a current résumé, transcripts and two references. For students entering in 2021, Weatherhead has made standardized test scores (GMAT, GRE) optional for this recruiting cycle.

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Cle Mo SCHOLARSHIP/FINANCIAL AID: Merit-based and travel scholarships are available for specific programs.

Please inquire about this year’s special scholarships for working professionals.

Financial aid is available through the Office of Financial Aid. GENERAL TUITION/FEE INFORMATION: Total tuition for the full-time MBA class entering in the fall of 2021 is $46,020 per year for the two-year program. The part-time MBA program total tuition is $72,000 (This is a three-year program).

Total tuition cost for the 48-credit hour Online MBA with a healthcare management track is $72,000.

The total cost for the Executive MBA 20-month program is $109,400, which includes tuition, books and supplies, all meals and refreshments during the class residencies, parking, an international study immersion in two

countries, two full-day experiential learning sessions and one-to-one executive coaching.

ACCOLADES: Distinguished alumni serve as executive leaders at organizations with national and global footprints, such as Amazon, Google, Federal Reserve Bank, Swagelok, McKinsey, Progressive, Deloitte, Boston Private Financial Holdings, Covia, KeyBank, Moen, Ernst & Young, Cleveland Clinic, Brand Muscle, Lyft, Goodyear and Delphi Technologies.

Weatherhead’s world-renowned faculty is engaged in research across the globe.

Invest in yourself and reimagine what’s possible with an MBA from Weatherhead School of Management at Case Western Reserve University.

At Weatherhead, we’re preparing the next generation of quantitative business leaders. Learn from world-renowned faculty who will help propel your career forward as you join our network of over 20,000 alumni worldwide.

#1

Top 20 Ranked in the U.S. (U.S. News)

Ranked in the U.S. (Forbes)

Executive MBA

Part-time MBA

Full-time MBA

Ranked in Ohio (The Economist)

#52

Become a better leader. Become a better you.

Now enrolling for fall 2021.

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CLEVELAND STATE UNIVERSITY

Cleveland State University Monte Ahuja College of Business

Cleveland • 216-282-7762 • graduatebusprograms@csuohio.edu business.csuohio.edu TYPES OF DEGREES AVAILABLE: The Monte Ahuja College of Business at Cleveland State University offers several MBA programs, specialized graduate business degrees and continuing education courses (non-degree programs). From its

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transformative, 19-month Executive MBA program to continuing education workshops and certification prep courses, to the Online BBA Degree Completion program that was recently recognized as a top 35 program in the nation by U.S. News & World Report, the college offers pathways to higher education to accommodate students’ work schedules and lifestyles.

GRADUATE ACADEMIC DEGREE PROGRAMS INCLUDE: Executive MBA, Online Accelerated MBA, Healthcare Administration MBA, Full- or Part-time MBA (online and in-person), Master of Accountancy, Master of Labor Relations and Human Resources, Master of Information Systems and the JD/MBA program offered in partnership with the Cleveland-Marshall College of Law at Cleveland State.

ulty

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PROGRAM HIGHLIGHTS

The size of the program varies by degree or continuing education program In addition to traditional academic business degree programs, Cleveland State University offers graduate certificates in Business Analytics, Entrepreneurship, Healthcare Management, Marketing Analytics and Organizational Change.

Continuing education through the Professional Development Center includes customized corporate training programs for organizations; nondegree certificates in leadership, digital marketing and grant writing; workshopstyle courses in topics from accounting, budgeting, and management and marketing. Industry certification prep programs help students earn industry credentials such as Project Management Professional, SHRMCP and SHRM-SCP, Certified Global Business Professional (CGBP), Six Sigma Green and Black Belt and more.

CLASS LOCATIONS: Cleveland State University offers classes both in person at our downtown Cleveland campus, conveniently located next to Playhouse Square and online.

REQUIREMENTS FOR ADMISSION: Requirements for admission vary from program to program. The graduate academic degree programs currently

Both business management and accounting have AACSB accreditation.

Learn more at: business.csuohio.edu/about/aacsb-accreditation. The Executive MBA program is considered a premier graduate degree program.

Cohorts are admitted once a year in the fall, and entrance to the program requires five to 10 years of management experience. The graduate and undergraduate academic degree programs and continuing education programs will continue to offer a variety of in-person, online and hybrid experiences post-pandemic. In addition to the graduate programs, The Monte Ahuja College of Business offers programs for working adults seeking to complete their undergraduate degree. Learn more at: business.csuohio.edu/ finish-what-you-started. offer a GMAT/GRE waiver. Official transcripts are required as is an application for all academic degree programs. Continuing education programs are offered as open enrollment.

To explore the academic programs, please visit: business.csuohio.edu/ academics To explore continuing education, please visit: business.csuohio.edu/ professional-development-center To explore additional graduate degree options beyond the college of business, please visit: grad.engagecsu. com/academics

(apply by June 1) as well as graduate assistantships. Financial aid and a variety of payment plans are offered through the main financial aid office.

GENERAL TUITION/FEE INFORMATION: Tuition and fees can be found at: csuohio.edu/treasury-services/tuitionand-fees.

ACCOLADES: All business programs are accredited by the AACSB, the hallmark of quality in management education worldwide. Our unique location and connections to industry and services for small businesses reinforce and support our position as the cornerstone of Northeast Ohio business.

SCHOLARSHIP/FINANCIAL AID: The Monte Ahuja College of Business offers scholarships for graduate students

JA MONTE AHU ESS IN S U f B o E G COLLE

TAKE CONTROL

OF YOUR CAREER At CLEVELAND STATE UNIVERSITY, we have an MBA, GRADUATE DEGREE program or CONTINUING EDUCATION class to fit your schedule, lifestyle and experience level. Our dedicated graduate business advisors will work with you to choose the program that best helps YOU achieve your career aspirations.

Visit BUSINESS.CSUOHIO.EDU to learn more.

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JOHN CARROLL Boler College of Business University Heights • 216-397-1970 gradbusiness@jcu.edu • boler.jcu.edu

in service with and for others, and to exemplify professional excellence, a strong work ethic and superior decision-making. This is the Boler difference and the reason more than 700 alumni are presidents or CEOs of companies. Boler offers a Professional MBA (part time), an Emerging Leader MBA (full or part

PROGRAM HIGHLIGHTS The MBA program features full-time, part-time and remote options. The MBA can be completed in 12 months through the Online and Emerging Leader MBA programs. Concentrations are available in Marketing, Finance, Management, Economics and Accounting. The MBA program is AACSB accredited, which is a distinction held by only 5% of business colleges worldwide. Students have access to CEOs and executives and become part of a prominent alumni network. This program is regionally centered, nationally recognized and has global engagement. The application is free.

No GMAT/GRE is required for admission. Merit scholarships are available.

Employer tuition awards also may be available.

time) as well as an Online MBA (full or part time).The Professional MBA is a two-year cohort program for experienced professionals that features live projects, courses team-taught by faculty and leading industry executives, a leadership sequence and exposure to CEOs from Cleveland and around the world.The Emerging Leader MBA is designed for recent undergraduates and may be completed in 12 months or two to three years, depending on courses taken at the undergraduate level.The Online MBA contains all the rigor of the other MBA programs, but is not location specific and may be completed in one to three years.

CLASS LOCATIONS: Most classes for the Professional and Emerging Leader MBA programs are held in the evenings on the beautiful campus of Boler College of Business at John Carroll University in University Heights. Classes for the Online MBA are remote.

ONLINE OPTIONS: In addition to the Online MBA, remote options for some classes are available in the other MBA programs.

REQUIREMENTS FOR ADMISSION: Applicants must complete the

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free online application. A personal statement, letter of recommendation, résumé/CV, official transcripts, and an undergraduate degree from an accredited institution with a minimum GPA of 2.8 are required.

Admission to the Professional MBA also requires two or more years of full-time professional work experience. The GMAT/GRE is not required for admission but may be used for scholarship consideration.

application. Federal financial aid is available and employer tuition reimbursement is accepted.

GENERAL TUITION/FEE INFORMATION: The tuition rate is $974 per credit hour.

The credit hour requirements of the MBA program range from 33 to 45, depending on the number of business foundation courses completed at the undergraduate level. The base tuition of the MBA program is $32,142.

SCHOLARSHIP/FINANCIAL AID: Applicants are automatically considered for merit scholarships.

Graduate assistantships are available on a competitive basis via a separate

CHOOSE RESPONSIBLE LEADERSHIP. CHOOSE TO LIVE INSPIRED.

CHOOSE BOLER.

Full-time, part-time, online MBA options.

One to three-year completion tracks.

Application deadlines: April 1, August 1, December 1 Visit: boler.jcu.edu

COLLEGE OF BUSINESS

The Boler College of Business at John Carroll University is educating and cultivating the next generation of inspired business leaders.

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UNIVERSITY TYPES OF DEGREES AVAILABLE: For more than 85 years, John Carroll University has been a leader in business education. The Boler College of Business at John Carroll University is educating and cultivating the next generation of inspired business leaders. Students are prepared to lead with an ethical foundation, to excel

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College of Business Administration Kent • 330-672-2282 gradbus@kent.edu • kent.edu/business/masters

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number of MBA students who were enrolled in 2020-21 TYPES OF DEGREES AVAILABLE: The Kent State College of Business Administration offers Executive, Fulltime and Online MBA options.

CLASS LOCATIONS: The Executive MBA meets once monthly on the Kent campus and is supplemented with online content. The Full-time MBA meets on the Kent campus, and the Online MBA is completed fully online.

ONLINE OPTIONS: Online MBA students have the flexibility to work while earning their degree by taking one or more courses at a time, or students may pursue the degree full time. If taken full time, the degree can be completed in as few as 12 months.

With five start dates available, Online MBA students can enter in fall, spring or summer. To ensure the Online MBA program offers an innovative online learning experience, the college engages expert instructional designers to support faculty with course development. Course activities emphasize real-world problem solving and the use of reflective critical thinking, with numerous opportunities for student-student and studentfaculty engagement. Online MBA

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PROGRAM HIGHLIGHTS The Kent State University College of Business Administration is AACSB accredited, substantiating the quality of Kent State graduate programs.

Delivered fully online with no set class times, the Online MBA program provides a flexible option for professionals who are ready to invest in preparation for the next step in their careers. All required courses have achieved Quality Matters (QM) Certification, and the program has achieved QM Online Program Design Certification, which together ensure a superior online learning experience. Faculty members teaching in the Online MBA program are frequently sought out as experts in their fields. students are offered professional development tools and the full support of the college’s dedicated Career Services Office.

REQUIREMENTS FOR ADMISSION: An application, résumé, letters of recommendation, transcripts, GMAT or GRE scores (can be waived by exception), and a statement of goals and objectives are required for admission.

SCHOLARSHIP/FINANCIAL AID: A limited number of scholarships are available for the Online MBA program, Full-time MBA and Executive MBA programs. There is no separate application. Admitted students are automatically considered with their program application and will be contacted, if selected.

Business Analytics is ranked No. 25 in the nation by U.S. News & World Report in 2021. The Online MBA program is ranked No. 26 by The Princeton Review in 2021, No. 1 in Ohio by MBA Central in 2019, and No. 46 in the QS global ranking in 2020.

Kent State MBA programs all were ranked in 2020 by CEO Magazine, with the EMBA program ranked No. 51 globally, the Online MBA ranked No. 54 globally, and the Full-time MBA ranked Tier One globally. All Online MBA core courses are Quality Matters certified, and the Online MBA program is the only Online MBA in the nation to earn QM Program Design Certification.

ACCOLADES: The Online MBA program with a concentration in

COMMITTED TO QUALITY kent.edu/business/onlinemba

Only Online MBA with QM Program Design Certification in the Nation

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LAKE ERIE COLLEGE School of Business

Painesville • 1-855-GO-STORM mba@lec.edu • lec.edu/parkermba TYPES OF DEGREES AVAILABLE: The degrees available include a traditional or Online MBA, with optional concentrations in Healthcare Administration, Information Technology Management and Health Informatics.

The 4+1 MBA Program also is available to students.

CLASS LOCATIONS: Lakeland Community College Holden University Center or the Lorain County Community College University Center.

ONLINE OPTIONS: The MBA can be achieved 100% online.

PROGRAM HIGHLIGHTS In a continued effort to accommodate the need for the latest technology, flexibility and convenience of educational opportunities, the Lake Erie College Parker MBA program is offered at two convenient locations. In addition, the MBA program is also available as a 100% online option with no required face-to-face meetings or commitments.

The Lake Erie College MBA program was established in 1981 and has since graduated more than 1,300 business and nonprofit leaders. Whether you choose convenient evening classes, an accelerated pace, a fully online track, or a combination of these options, Lake Erie College makes it easy to customize your schedule and earn your MBA on your terms.

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number of MBA students who were enrolled in 2020-21 REQUIREMENTS FOR ADMISSION: Requirements include the completion of the MBA Graduate application and a bachelor’s degree from an accredited four-year college or university with an undergraduate cumulative grade point average of 2.75 on a 4.0 scale. Interested students also must submit official undergraduate transcripts and any graduate work completed (send directly to the Office of Admission from degree-granting institution at admission@lec.edu). Current or previous professional work experience is required. Applicants also must send a résumé to admission@lec. edu outlining the work experience and education that has prepared the student to begin graduate study in business administration.

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2. Describe your view or philosophy on the role that ethics play in the workplace.

GENERAL TUITION/FEE INFORMATION: $730 per credit hour (including fees).

Additionally, applicants also must submit a personal statement of up to 500 words that addresses one of the following questions:

Although generally not required, applicants may supplement their undergraduate record with official scores on the GMAT (Graduate Management Admissions Test) or GRE (Graduate Admission Exam).

ACCOLADES: Lake Erie College is an accredited member of the IACBE.

1. Describe a time in your professional or personal life in which you were particularly creative or innovative in solving a problem or creating something new.

SCHOLARSHIP/FINANCIAL AID OPTIONS: Federal student loans, private educational loans and college work study employment are available.

earn your mba,

your way.

In demand: Healthcare administration MBA WITH A CONCENTRATION

IN HEALTHCARE ADMINISTRATION New challenges and innovative technologies are changing how healthcare managers lead. Designed to meet new and emerging market demands, Lake Erie College currently offers an MBA concentration in Healthcare Administration. Learn the U.S. health care delivery system, health informatics, legal and ethical issues, and effective management specific to the healthcare industry. Enjoy small classes, personalized instruction and customizable scheduling with in-person and online options.

classes available 100% online!

PAINESVILLE, OHIO 44077 | 1.855.GO.STORM | LEC.EDU

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MALONE

School of Business and Leadership Canton • 330-471-8242 gps@malone.edu • malone.edu/mba

TYPES OF DEGREES AVAILABLE: Today’s dynamic economy needs professionals who understand business on a comprehensive level and can use their abilities to move companies forward. Malone’s MBA cultivates graduates to thrive in ever-changing

PROGRAM HIGHLIGHTS

number of MBA students who were enrolled in 2020-21

UNIVERSITY environments by offering unique specializations to choose from: Social Enterprise, Innovation and Entrepreneurship: For small business owners, entrepreneurs and those who are passionate about the impact of non-

profit organizations on communities, this track will prepare students to lead in innovative and meaningful ways.

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ION: s).

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May 10, 2021 S9

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40

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OHIO MBA GUIDE PLUS

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PUBLIC

THE UNIVERSITY OF AKRON

156

number of MBA students who were enrolled in 2020-21

College of Business

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175

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number of students who are enrolled in spring 2021

UNIVERSITY

the marketplace and develop strategic customer-focused approaches to current and emerging business trends.

DeVille School of Business

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3/9/21 2:43 PM

5/5/2021 8:22:21 AM

VOSS

RTA, which hopes to secure federal funding for swifter, upgraded bus service along West 25th, is finishing a transit-oriented development plan for a roughly 3-mile stretch of the street.

MRN’s makeover of the 240,000-square-foot Voss complex will eliminate a substantial dead zone, said Tom McNair, executive director of Ohio City Inc., a nonprofit community development corporation.

“There is a ton of activity that is starting to take place in this part of the neighborhood,” he said. “I think it’s going to give us the opportunity to start connecting pieces of the fabric that have been kind of frayed at the edges for quite some time.”

MRN’s plans include “a significant amount” of housing, Maron said, though it’s too early to say how many apartments and how much retail and office space will fit into the twoto four-story buildings. California-based MVE + Partners and local architect Daniel Sirk are sketching out designs for the project.

“Hopefully by end of summer we’ll have our drawings done and we’ll start swinging hammers,” said Maron, who predicted that renovations might take 18 months.

MRN expects to preserve much of the complex, where the oldest building dates to the 19th century. But Maron said the project will involve selective demolition to create pedestrian passageways through the block.

He described those paths as “laneways,” intimate spaces that, in other cities, are lined with boutiques, bars, outdoor seating and art.

stretching south along West 25th, the tenants include local shops, eateries and the Cleveland Hostel.

From Page 1 Ari Maron said he and his brother And MRN is in talks with the have been studying the Voss comGreater Cleveland Regional Transit plex for a few years. Voss, which Authority about developing a nearby makes clamps, couplings and other 1.3-acre site along the new Red Line parts for the aerospace industry, anGreenway trail, at Columbus Road nounced in March 2019 that it was moving to Berea. and Abbey Avenue.

Two months later, a company tied “We feel like this neighborhood south of Lorain is probably going to to former Voss executives sold the be the hottest neighborhood in the Ohio City property for just shy of $4.8 state of Ohio,” said Ari Maron, point- million, public records show. The ing to major investments including buyer was an affiliate of Bixby Bridge Intro, a nearly 300-unit apartment Capital LLC, a Chicago-area investbuilding that’s rising across from the ment firm.

David Rotenberg, a Bixby princiWest Side Market.

MRN, the developer behind East pal, declined to comment on the Fourth Street downtown and Up- company’s decision to sell the Voss town in University Circle, gained a complex to MRN after holding it for foothold in Ohio City in 2008. That’s only two years.

“It was a good deal for everybody, when the Maron family bought the nine-story United Bank Building, at and the Marons are the right buyers for that, given their strategic vision for the “WE FEEL LIKE THIS NEIGHBORHOOD area,” said Terry a vice chairSOUTH OF LORAIN IS PROBABLY GOING Coyne, man with the NewTO BE THE HOTTEST NEIGHBORHOOD mark real estate brokerage who IN THE STATE OF OHIO.” represented Bixby in — MRN Ltd. partner Ari Maron the sale.

Maron ascribed the West 25th and Lorain, and surround- 57% jump in the property’s price to heightened interest in the district. ing properties.

“It’s just become a booming Now restored, the United Bank Building holds offices, apartments neighborhood,” he said.

Apartment buildings are rising and street-level retail. A restaurant called Bartleby is slated to fill the or- along major corridors in all direcnate banking lobby on the ground tions, while townhouses and sinfloor, where Crop Bistro recently gle-family homes are popping up on nearby Duck Island, an enclave shut its doors.

In MRN’s smaller buildings, where Ohio City and Tremont meet.

“There was originally a northsouth alley in the middle of the complex, and that was, over time, eliminated and built on,” said Rick Sicha of PlaceMark Collaborative, a Lakewood consulting firm researching the history of the site.

PlaceMark is working with MRN to list the property on the National Register of Historic Places, which will allow the developer to access federal tax credits for historic preservation.

The eastern half of the block already sits in a local landmark district, making the project eligible for state historic tax credits. MRN aims to seek state credits later this year, through a fiercely competitive application process.

The former Voss property also is located in an Opportunity Zone, a federally designated area where investors who place their capital gains into projects can take advantage of short-term tax deferral and longer-term tax savings.

Maron wouldn’t discuss the anticipated cost of the redevelopment project or elaborate on other funding sources, public or private, that MRN is pursuing. And he said it’s premature to talk about new construction on the surface lots.

“We’re going to start with the existing buildings and renovate those, and then we’ll start to see over time if we’re able to build on the parking lots,” he said.

It’s unclear what MRN aspires to develop on the nearby RTA land, which sits southeast of a Rapid train station and across the railroad tracks from a parking lot that was part of the Voss deal.

Consultants working with the transit agency have studied the skinny, sloping site for a 200-unit apartment project. They’ve analyzed both a straightforward sale of the property and a long-term lease deal in which RTA would continue to own the land, which is tax-exempt.

The agency solicited proposals from developers in late 2018 and selected Carnegie Management & Development Corp. of Westlake to pursue a mixed-use project. Carnegie backed out last year, though. Then MRN, the runner-up, stepped in.

“Our intent is to get it to a real project that can actually be built, and obviously we didn’t get that with the first team,” said Michael Schipper, RTA’s deputy general manager for engineering and project management.

Schipper said the parties recently agreed upon the details of a non-binding letter of intent, which is likely to be presented to RTA's board of trustees for a vote on May 25.

Maron said that any development of the land will require master planning and significant community input.

“I think it’s really important that Duck Island connect to West 25th Street, and I think that these projects collectively give us the opportunity to do that,” he said of the Voss and RTA sites. “How that happens, we don’t know yet. … But the tracks have to be bridged — literally or figuratively, I’m not sure — so that we can create a seamless neighborhood.”

Michelle Jarboe: michelle.jarboe@ crain.com, (216) 771-5437, @mjarboe

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AKRON

Akron Innovation Campus buildings hit the market University research group is selling location that offers Class B space

BY DAN SHINGLER

leases for $14 per square foot, said Susan Lines, a vice president with A major office complex between CBRE in Akron who is the buildings’ downtown Akron and the University leasing agent.

The buildings are Class B primariof Akron is for sale.

The Akron Innovation Campus, ly due to their age, being built in located at 411 and 441 Wolf Ledges 1970 and 1980, Dunford said, but Parkway, was put on the market on both are in good condition thanks to April 14 by its owner, the University investments in them by UARF. “The research foundation has of Akron Research Foundation (UARF), said real estate agent Jamie spent just over a million on upDunford of CBRE in Cleveland. grades in the last five to seven years,” “Combined, it’s just over 65,000 Dunford said. “They both have new rentable square feet,” Dunford said roofs and HVAC systems, so the sysof the two-building, L-shaped com- tems and the bones of the buildings are in great shape.” plex he’s now working to sell.

UARF has owned the buildings No price has been set for the buildings, but Dunford said any rea- since 2007, said UARF general counsel and project manager Elyse Ball. sonable offers will be considered.

“The buildings are primarily used The buildings are 35,700 square feet and 29,7000 square feet in size for general office space with a wide and currently at 57% occupancy, range of different types of tenants: attorneys, accounting firms, call said Dunford.

“It’s Class B (office space), but centers and public service organizawith some pretty rare opportuni- tions,” Ball said in an email. “We ties,” he said. “It’s a value-add prop- have startup companies that rent individual rooms within our UARF office suite, IT’S CLASS B (OFFICE SPACE), BUT and a few startups that rent office suites of WITH SOME PRETTY RARE their own. It’s basicalOPPORTUNITIES.” ly a mix of tenants at this point.”

— CBRE real estate agent Jamie Dunford Ball said UARF is selling the buildings erty where a buyer could do some as part of a broader effort to offload interior improvements and raise its real estate holdings.

“UARF and our board of directors rents and get new tenants, or it’s a great opportunity for an owner oc- made the strategic decision to get out of the real estate space about a cupant.”

Space in the buildings currently year ago,” Ball said. “UARF conducts

GELI

From Page 1

This is where an initiative under the banner of GELI — which stands for Gender Equity in the Legal Industry — comes into play.

GELI is a unique coalition of law firms, attorneys and other legal professionals — predominantly in Northeast and central Ohio at this point — whose ultimate goal is to support the advancement of women in a field that has long struggled with gender and racial equity.

GELI’s hallmark offering is a number of forums designed to get both men and women in the legal profession to talk candidly about women’s issues in particular, which can range in topics from maintaining work-life balance and mentoring, to supporting career advancement and improving compensation.

GELI has held three digital forums and is setting up its next, which is slated for noon to 1:30 p.m.

June 9. It’s titled “Gaining a Different Perspective: Successful Female Business Leaders Talk Gender Equity in Their Professional Industries.”

With the spirit of collaboration behind it, GELI doesn’t have a specific leader.

But its organizers include Christina Niro of Cleveland-based Frantz Ward, who chairs the firm’s wom-

Niro

Keim

en’s initiative, and Mallory Monhemius of Columbus-based Vorys, Sater, Seymour and Pease. Supporting groups and members of GELI in this market include the Cleveland Metropolitan Bar Association and at least nine area law firms.

The intent of the forums is not to “tackle issues that have been beaten to death before,” Niro said, but to “tackle harder issues in a safe space and with a smaller group.”

“The mission of GELI is to bring private law firms together for collaborative, non-adversarial discussions to hash out and what’s working and what’s not working at firms, and how we can collectively advance women, which ultimately benefits us all,” Niro said.

Both men and women are encouraged to participate in the GELI forums. That dynamic has already yielded some interesting conversations.

Monhemius said a male equity partner at one firm shared his reluc-

a wide range of activities, and participating in management of the buildings was distracting from the core work we do assisting innovators and entrepreneurs in Greater Akron. Last year, we sold the building we owned at 495 Wolf Ledges Parkway. After that, we put the buildings at 411 and 441 Wolf Ledges on the market.”

The buildings are likely to remain office space, too, as they’re not great candidates for conversions that would make them residential buildings, Dunford said.

“It’s most likely going to stay as an office or an owner-occupied building,” said Dunford, who said the interest he’s seen so far has been about evenly split between buyers who would use the buildings for themselves and those who would seek to lease them out.

The Akron Innovation Campus has two buildings with 65,000 square feet of space that went on the market in mid-April. | MARIJA LEMON

But big office buildings are not easy to sell in the current market — downtown Akron’s Huntington Tower, for example, has now been on the market for more than two years.

The Cleveland office of the real estate firm JLL’s most recent report on Akron’s office market, for the first quarter of this year, doesn’t paint a particularly rosy picture.

With the subhead: “Akron’s office market slow to recover from a tough 2020, activity remains stagnant,” the

report notes that “Akron’s office leasing activity continues at low levels with very little deal volume under way. The effects from the pandemic are still very apparent.”

That’s led to an increase in office space vacancy of 2.5% to a current rate of 19.5%, the report adds, with a sublease market that continues to grow and add to available inventory.

Companies still confronting a workfrom-home environment are seeking to mitigate their own real estate costs by subleasing their space, JLL found, putting an extra 30,000 square feet of office space on the market in the first quarter of this year.

Others agree. Jerry Fiume, managing director of SVN Summit Commercial Real Estate Group in Fairlawn, said the market is simply suffering from the lack of certainty employers face when it comes to how their future workplaces will look, which makes it tough to sell office buildings.

“I think any office building in the

central business district area of Akron is going to be tough to sell given what’s happened with the COVID and post-COVID situations,” Fiume said. “There’s uncertainty in terms of how the workforce is going to work, and I don’t know if traditional space is going to be the model of the future.”

That said, the UARF buildings do have one feature many others in and around downtown Akron lack: onsite parking.

“The buildings have nice office suites with individual offices and conference rooms. There is free parking out front, good access to the major highways that run through Akron, and proximity to downtown and to UA’s campus,” Ball said. “Our team really likes that it is easy for the innovators and entrepreneurs we meet with to get to our offices and park right out front.”

tance to take the full amount of parental leave allowed following the arrival of his newborn. He was afraid of how doing so might be perceived by his firm.

Monhemius This points to a nuanced issue women more often tend to face: the notion that taking time off, even in terms of parental leave, might reflect poorly on someone’s work ethic, which could hinder their chances of moving up the corporate ladder. This puts women, who often shoulder more at-home duties, at a possible disadvantage compared to their male colleagues.

The message in the forum was that men and women should equally take their full parental leave permitted.

Frantz Ward managing partner Christopher Keim has sat in all but one of Cleveland GELI forums so far. Some talks about work-life balance, he said, were enlightening.

He feels his firm is flexible with matters of work-life balance, yet he finds listening to conversations among people from various firms to be important. This is something he might not otherwise be exposed to as firms tend to silo off from one another — at least those in the

same markets. He laments how there is no similar forum for managing partners to discuss the same things in the region.

“People are fearful of giving information to the competition,” Keim said. “So that’s a great thing about GELI. People blew right past that issue and said we need to acknowledge these gender issues and talk about what we can collectively do to understand and address them.”

One managing partner, who asked to speak on background, said they felt their parental leave policies were progressive until they heard about what other firms were doing, which brought some perspective to the matter.

They also said they came to better appreciate the “sense of frustration among female attorneys,” who said they don’t see visible paths to equity partnership.

“I heard that,” the managing partner said. “And it hit home a lot.”

Beyond simply being the equitably proper thing to do, responding to women’s needs and enabling their advancement could pay meaningful dividends.

Companies increasingly are looking for diversity among law firms — not just in a practice group that might work on their matters at hand, but for the firm itself.

According to The American Law-

yer, some Big Law firms have lost work to smaller, minority- or women-owned outfits as clients become frustrated with the glacial pace of improvement in diversity among their legal services providers.

Supporting and advancing women is just one piece of that puzzle, and there’s unquestionably room for improvement.

According to the National Association of Women Lawyers and the ABA, in 2018 women comprised just 19.5% of equity partners and 30.5% of nonequity partners in the nation’s 200 largest firms. That’s only a 3% increase in female equity partners compared to 12 years prior.

According to Crain’s research, among all in-market attorneys in 76 firms included in the 2020 Crain’s Law Firms list, 71% are men and 29% are women. Among local partners at those firms, 79% are men and just 21% are women.

“This is big,” Monhemius said.

“People aren’t going to hire us if we are not actually fixing these issues in law firms.”

Anyone looking for more information about GELI, upcoming forums and details about how to register for the June 9 event can contact Monhemius via email at mamonhemius@vorys.com.

Slow market

Dan Shingler: dshingler@crain.com, (216) 771-5290, @DanShingler

Jeremy Nobile: jnobile@crain.com, (216) 771-5362, @JeremyNobile

28 | CRAIN’S CLEVELAND BUSINESS | MAY 10, 2021

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THE WEEK MARKED DOWN: Northeast Ohio’s largest retail center, SouthPark Mall, has been sold for $57.7 million — a price that reflects the broader plight of the shopping mall sector. Public records available last week show that the Strongsville property changed hands on April 28. The buyer was a company tied to Kize Capital LP, a New York-based hedge fund. Some major mall owners are winnowing their portfolios, unloading properties that were declining in value even before the coronavirus pandemic and lockdowns drove more Americans to shop online. Reappraisals triggered by the crisis last year showed that mall values were down 60% or more, according to Trepp, a data provider that tracks properties that carry commercial mortgage-backed securities debt.

For tax purposes, the Cuyahoga County Fiscal Office says SouthPark is worth just over $159 million. A decade ago, regulatory filings put the mall’s value at more than $260 million.

DRAFT WINNERS: The NFL draft gave downtown Cleveland hotels a much-needed pick-me-up, lifting occupancy to 85% on the first night of the festivities. That statistic comes from STR, a lodging data company that evaluated local hotels’ performance from Wednesday, April 28, through Saturday, May 1. The nationally televised draft events started Thursday, April 29, on the downtown waterfront near FirstEnergy Stadium.

That Thursday was the best day for nearby hoteliers since mid-November 2019, when the Cleveland Browns hosted the Pittsburgh Steelers. Revenue per available room — a key industry metric — crept above $200. “An in-person event the size of the draft, which was one of the largest (events) in North America since the beginning of the pandemic, is a beacon for hotels struggling through the earliest stages of recovery,” said Carter Wilson, STR’s senior vice president of consulting.

STR’s analysis spanned 26 hotels stretching from downtown Cleveland east to University Circle. The average

daily rate at the properties peaked at $244.58 on the opening day of the draft and ended the week at $211.45.

ON THE MOVE: A downtown Cleveland law firm is hopscotching across the central business district, leaving the Tower City complex for the top floors of a tower a half-mile away. McCarthy Lebit Crystal & Liffman Co. LPA signed a 27,000-square-foot lease at 1111 Superior, the former Eaton Center building at Superior Avenue and East 12th Street. The move is scheduled for late summer. “We are very excited to start a new chapter of the firm’s history in one of the most recognizable buildings in downtown Cleveland,” said Rob Glickman, the firm’s managing principal, in a statement. “Not only will we have plenty of space to accommodate the growth plans we have for the firm, but our clients and staff will benefit from the building’s unique and breathtaking lakefront views and modern conveniences. It’s definitely going to be different for us.” The firm, which employs 65 people including 39 lawyers and paralegals, is currently tucked into the 18th floor of the Midland Building, part of the historic Landmark Office Towers at the rear of Tower City. The future of that hulking office property, owned by the Sherwin-Williams Co., isn’t clear.

FLIGHT PLAN: One Sky Flight LLC, which is part of Directional Aviation Capital, the Richmond Heights private investment firm that has a portfolio of business aviation companies, has acquired a United Kingdom-based helicopter travel provider. It did not disclose how much it paid for the U.K. company, Halo Aviation. One Sky said the Halo Aviation deal follows the acquisition earlier this year of Associated Aircraft Group, a provider of executive Sikorsky helicopter service in the northeastern United States. The One Sky umbrella under Directional Aviation includes luxury fractional jet provider Flexjet and jet card company Sentient Jet, plus their sister companies, FXAIR and PrivateFly, on-demand jet charter providers in both the

Signs promoting the NFL draft popped up across Cleveland in late April, in selfie-ready spots like North Coast Harbor. | WIL LINDSEY

WEINGART

From Page 8

` Invest $40 million in small businesses and entrepreneurs. We must invest in entrepreneurs and small businesses to help rebuild our economy. Of this funding, $10 million should be for a county-funded microloan and microgrant program for urban entrepreneurship in order to

grow more resilient businesses in the city and first-ring suburbs. The remaining $30 million would go to small businesses struggling to reopen or survive post-pandemic. ` Strengthen our infrastructure with $60 million. Finally, we must ensure our community is more resilient by spending $60 million on critical infrastructure. I would commit $20 million in funding to extend broadband inter-

C R AinI N ’ S April, CLEV ELAN B U SYork-based I N E S S | hedge SEPT E M B| E R 3 - 9 , 2 018 SouthPark Mall in Strongsville changed hands late selling toDa New fund.

COSTAR

PA G E 2 9

|

U.S. and Europe. One Sky said the acquisitions of Halo Aviation and Associated Aircraft Group position the businesses “to become leaders in vertical flight, further expanding their offerings and global operations.”

TAKING CHARGE: John Carroll University will have a new leader next month. University president Michael D. Johnson on June 1 will be succeeded by JCU’s executive vice president, Alan Miciak, officials said on Monday, May 3. Miciak, also the former dean of the Boler College of Business, will become the university’s 26th president.

The university outlined a goal of ensuring “the continued long-term prosperity of John Carroll University and ongoing great student outcomes.”

Miciak attended Kent State University for his bachelor’s and doctoral programs. He also earned an MBA from the University of Toledo. He has worked at Duquesne University, Saint Mary’s University and the University of Calgary.

QUITE A RIDE: Northern Ohio auto dealers will be hard-pressed to match April for an increase in year-over-year sales. The Greater Cleveland Automobile Dealers’ Association on Tuesday, May 4, reported that franchised new vehicle dealers in 21 counties sold 25,667 new vehicles in April, an increase of 90.5% from 13,471 in April 2020, when the pandemic severely curtailed economic activity. For the year to date, sales are up 23.6%, to 86,609 at the end of April, compared with 70,080 a year ago. “Last year’s numbers reflect a steep slide in overall sales, which were down significantly due to economic uncertainty from the COVID-19 pandemic,” said Louis A. Vitantonio, president of the association. net access in our first-ring suburbs.

The pandemic taught us the necessity of internet access for business and school. I would dedicate the remaining $40 million to sewer and water upgrades to ward off the spread of waterborne diseases.

The common theme above is investing in people, not in government and its possessions. This is a bold plan for investment in our county’s future and long-term health.

Alan Miciak will become John Carroll’s next president June 1. |

JOHN CARROLL UNIVERSITY

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ADVERTISING / MARKETING

ARCHITECTURE

Hasenstab Architects, Inc. Hasenstab Architects is proud to welcome John Collett, AIA, NCARB, EDAC. John brings more than 15 years of experience in architecture, including project management, planning, and design for a wide variety of healthcare projects for local and national clients. He is also a member of the ACE Mentor Program of Cleveland, a program that introduces careers in the architectural, engineering and construction industries to high school students.

ARCHITECTURE

Hasenstab Architects, Inc. Hasenstab Architects is proud to announce Marcy Janus has joined the firm’s accounting department.

She will be responsible for accounts payable, payroll, and general office management.

Marcy has more than 20 years of human resources and accounting experience for various companies in northeast Ohio.

To place your listing, visit www.crainscleveland.com/people-on-the-move or, for more information, contact Debora Stein at 917.226.5470 / dstein@crain.com

CONSULTING

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Centric Consulting congratulates Diane Weidrick on her promotion to People & Change practice lead for Northeast Ohio. Diane is also a Senior Consultant who brings over 25 years of experience leading organizations and teams through changes in a career that spans roles in industry and consulting.

She brings extensive capabilities in Organizational Change Management, Organization Design, and Leadership & Team Effectiveness. Diane is a member of the Organization Design Forum, the Association of Change Management Professionals, the Project Management Institute, and Northeast Ohio HR Leadership Group. In addition, she is an Executive Board member of the Art Therapy Studio non-profit.

For more information, visit centriccleveland.com.

Centric Consulting is pleased to announce that Colin Skopinski has taken a new role as the Modern Software Delivery practice lead for Northeast Ohio. In addition, Colin is a Senior Architect specializing on software development engagements with a focus on leveraging current technologies to deliver innovative solutions. Colin has earned a BS in Applied Sciences from Miami University and an MBA in Finance from The University of Akron. For more information, visit centriccleveland.com.

Centric Consulting, a business and technology consulting firm, welcomes Ellie Petro as Centric Cleveland’s new Operations Manager. Prior to joining Centric’s Management team, Ellie served as a Senior Consultant with a focus on delivery, change management, and project management. In her new role, she will oversee the operational, financial and business systems, processes and infrastructure of the Cleveland business unit, workforce planning and strategy.

Unison Risk Advisors and Oswald Companies

CONSTRUCTION

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Rudolph Libbe Group

Centric Consulting

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Brittany Meyer is the civil group leader for Rudolph Libbe Group’s North Ridgeville office where she is responsible for guiding RLG’s civil team in estimating and managing projects. In her 15 years of construction industry experience, she has managed a large number of industrial and commercial projects. Meyer has a bachelor’s degree in construction engineering technology from the University of Toledo and is a Design/Build Institute of America certified Associate Design-Build Professional.

Centric Consulting, a business and technology consulting firm, is pleased to announce the promotion of Abigail Stauffenger to Senior Consultant. Abigail specializes in business process improvement and project management. Prior to joining Centric, Abigail held positions with KPMG and The Hackett Group. She is a volunteer in the League of Women Voters, and received a BS in Management Information Systems from Ohio University.

For more information, visit centriccleveland.com.

Centric Consulting is pleased to announce the promotion of Matt Adler to Senior Consultant. Matt joined Centric in 2019 where he has specialized in Continuous Improvement, Business Process Management and Process Automation across various industries. Prior to Centric, Matt earned a BBA in Operations Management and a master’s degree in Information Systems Management from Loyola University Chicago. For more information, visit centriccleveland.com.

Bonezzi Switzer Polito & Hupp Co. L.P.A.

Oswald Companies has named Deborah Cooper to the position of Chief Human Resources Officer. Cooper joins the 128-year-old risk management & insurance brokerage firm as a member of the executive team. She assumes responsibility of HR operations for Unison Risk Advisors, which includes oversight of all Oswald and RCM&D companies. With over 20 years’ experience building and transforming organizations, Cooper is recognized as a change agent with expertise linking strategy & talent to drive results.

NEW GIG?

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C O N TA C T

shark&minnow is honored to celebrate the promotion of Brian Andrew Jasinski to Chief Design Officer.

Jasinski, with more than 20 years of experience in media arts and as a member of the executive leadership team, leads the design practice at the strategy and design consultancy. In addition to his commercial design work, he is a wellrespected fine artist and the graphic designer and illustrator behind Grey Cardigan. Jasinski is also a proud member of the Lakewood Arts Festival Board of Directors.

PEOPLE ON THE MOVE

PRODUCTS

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BSPH Co. L.P.A. is pleased to announce Jacob P. Nicholas, Associate, has joined the firm. Jacob dedicates most of his practice to general civil litigation and general liability insurance defense. He graduated from The University of Akron School of Law and was admitted to the Ohio Bar in 2017. Prior to working for BSPH, Mr. Nicholas was an Associate for a firm in Akron practicing a variety of insurance and liability issues. For more information, visit www. bsphlaw.com.

INDUSTRY ACHIEVERS ADVANCING THEIR CAREERS Recognize them in Crain’s

ARCHITECTURE

Hasenstab Architects, Inc. Hasenstab Architects is proud to welcome Landon Underwood to our team. A recent graduate of Ball State University, Landon brings three years of internship experience having worked on a variety of healthcare, higher education, and laboratory projects. He will assist our design team in program development, production support, and design detailing.

30 | CRAIN’S CLEVELAND BUSINESS | MAY 10, 2021

For listing opportunities, contact Debora Stein at dstein@crain.com or submit directly to

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