WINDOWS ON THE RIVER
TWENTY-EIGHTH ANNUAL
BUSINESS LEADERSHIP AWARDS
ROTARY CLUB OF CLEVELAND MEETING
1911 – 2024
NOW IN OUR SECOND CENTURY OF SERVICE ABOVE SELF
THURSDAY · MAY 9, 2024
HISTORY OF THE BUSINESS LEADERSHIP AWARDS PROGRAM
This is the twenty-eighth year of the Business Leadership Awards Program. It was founded in 1997 by Dr. Robert Minter, a former member of the Rotary Club of Cleveland and a former dean of the College of Business at Cleveland State University, and William A. Hite III, a past president of the Rotary Club of Cleveland (1996-97) and a past governor of Rotary District 6630 (1999-2000).
A native of Cleveland and a graduate of John Marshall High School, DR. ROBERT L. MINTER earned his bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Miami University and his Ph.D. in organizational communication and industrial relations from Purdue University.
Prior to joining the James J. Nance College of Business Administration (now the Monte Ahuja College of Business) at CSU as dean in 1995, he had served as dean at the University of Northern Iowa for five years (1990-1995). From 1985 to 1990, he was a professor and dean at the University of Michigan-Dearborn. From 1981 to 1985, he was a professor and dean at Central Connecticut State University. Dr. Minter had also held academic positions at the University of Denver and at Eastern Michigan University. He served for three years as an administrator of management and professional development at Detroit Edison Company.
In 1962, Bill joined the International Harvester Company at their Cleveland Motor Truck Central Accounting Office and, from 1962-1975, he held various accounting, sales-marketing, and management positions with the Agricultural, Industrial Equipment and Motor Truck divisions. In January 1976, Bill joined Meta Corporation, a Clevelandbased national consulting firm as a manager and senior consultant. He is a Certified Sales Executive, a life member of Pi Sigma Epsilon, and a Certified Management Coach.
Building on his previous management and consulting experience, Bill founded The Hite Organization, Inc. in 1978 and subsequently its subsidiaries W. A. Hite International, Inc. and Hite Management Consultants, Inc. where he served as chairman, president, and CEO. Bill and his associates focused primarily on turn-around problems, mergers and acquisitions, and human resource issues.
WILLIAM A. (BILL) HITE III is a Cleveland native. He attended the University of Maryland and Fenn College (now Cleveland State University). He graduated from the I. H. Industrial Institute and the Graduate School of Sales Management and Marketing at Syracuse University. He also studied at Heidelberg University in Germany while he was stationed in Europe for three years with the U.S. Army’s 40th Artillery Group.
Bill has held board and/or officer positions on a long list of business, civic, and professional organizations, including Horizon Financial, COSE (the Council of Smaller Enterprises), the Greater Cleveland Growth Association, the Center for Small Business of the U. S. Chamber of Commerce, and Junior Achievement of Greater Cleveland. He is a past president (1980-81) and life member of the Sales & Marketing Executives of Cleveland and a past managing director of Sales & Marketing Executives International.
SCHEDULE OF EVENTS
12:00 NOON
PROGRAM PRELIMINARIES AND WELCOME
Jessica Hanes, President, The Rotary Club of Cleveland
12:15 P.M.
BUSINESS LEADERSHIP AWARDS CEREMONY
Introduction to the Business Leadership Awards Program
Dr. Edward G. Thomas, Professor of Marketing Emeritus Monte Ahuja College of Business, Cleveland State University
Greetings from the Monte Ahuja College of Business, Dr. Melissa L. Gruys, Dean
QUALITY SERVICE LEADERSHIP AWARD
RECIPIENT: Oatey Company
CO-SPONSORED BY: Manufacturing Advocacy and Growth Network (MAGNET)
ENTREPRENEURIAL LEADERSHIP AWARD
RECIPIENT: Taylor Evans, President, Rust Belt Recruiting
CO-SPONSORED BY: The Council of Smaller Enterprises (COSE)
GLOBAL BUSINESS LEADERSHIP AWARD
RECIPIENT: PLIDCO (The Pipe Line Development Company)
CO-SPONSORED BY: Northeast Ohio International Business Network (IBN) and U.S. Commercial Service – Cleveland
BUSINESS & TECHNOLOGY INNOVATION LEADERSHIP AWARD
RECIPIENT: Destiny Burns, Founder & Owner, CLE Urban Winery
CO-SPONSORED BY: Center for Innovation & Entrepreneurship, Monte Ahuja College of Business, Cleveland State University
1:10 P.M.
CLOSING REMARKS
Jessica Hanes, President, The Rotary Club of Cleveland
QUALITY SERVICE LEADERSHIP AWARD
The Quality Service Leadership Award goes to a firm that displays significant continuous improvement efforts in serving its customers. In reviewing the candidates for this award, MAGNET considered the following criteria:
• What was the company’s planning process for achieving continuous improvement efforts in customer satisfaction?
• What was the company’s process for determining requirements and expectations of customers and markets, including feedback on customer satisfaction?
• How did the company select, manage, and use information/data to support key company processes that improve company performance?
• What was the company’s actual performance and improvement in key business areas?
Founded in 1984, MAGNET: The Manufacturing Advocacy and Growth Network is an organization dedicated to helping manufacturers grow and compete in Northeast Ohio. As part of the Ohio Manufacturing Extension Partnership (MEP).
We also support, educate, and champion Northeast Ohio manufacturing with the goal of transforming our regional economy into a powerful, global player.
As MAGNET continues to offer companies holistic consulting services in talent pipeline, product development, commercialization, quality management, sales and marketing, and other areas, the organization has also formed partnerships with economic development and community organizations to better serve companies throughout the region, including Summit, Stark, Mahoning, and Richland counties.
In addition, MAGNET launched Early College Early Career, a new youth apprenticeship program aimed at getting young people into manufacturing by way of paid internships, career awareness, and community involvement. This initiative also seeks to fill the gap left behind by Baby Boomer retirements, which will leave over 3.5 million jobs vacant by the end of the decade.
For more information on MAGNET, consult the organization’s website at www.manufacturing success.org
QUALITY SERVICE LEADERSHIP AWARD
NEAL RESTIVO, CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER
TODD SMITH Director, Corporate Quality
Since its founding by L. R. Oatey in 1916, the Oatey Company has provided reliable, high-quality products for the residential and commercial plumbing industries, with a commitment to delivering quality, building trust, and improving lives. Today, Oatey operates a comprehensive manufacturing and distribution network to supply thousands of products for professional builders, contractors, engineers, and do-ityourself consumers around the world.
Oatey’s operations are guided by its core values of Collaboration, Integrity, Respect, Courage, Leadership, and Excellence. These principles ensure that Oatey is moving toward its Vision to be a company that is Strong, Engaged, Dynamic, and Inclusive.
As part of its purpose to improve lives, Oatey actively gives back to and supports the communities in which it operates. Because its products are essential to helping deliver clean water to people around the world, Oatey is thoughtful about its role in the global ecosystem, embracing social and environmental responsibility as part of doing business. The company is committed to delivering best-in class products that end users can count on to perform every time. Therefore, Oatey operates with a range of
robust quality management processes to ensure that it lives up to its high standards.
Oatey is the leading brand of solvent cements, roof flashings, washing machine outlet boxes, air admittance valves, plumbing chemicals, wax bowl rings, and hundreds of other plumbing specialty products. Oatey also sells products under the following brand names: Cherne, Dearborn, Harvey, Hercules, Keeney, and QuickDrain.
Headquartered in Cleveland, Oatey also has manufacturing and distribution facilities in the area. In addition, it has a regional office in Connecticut and manufacturing and/ or distribution facilities in New Hampshire, Georgia, Texas, Minnesota, Nebraska, Colorado, and Nevada. Internationally, it has a manufacturing facility in The Netherlands, a regional office and manufacturing and distribution facilities in China, a regional office and distribution facility in Mexico, and two regional offices and distribution and manufacturing facilities in Canada.
For more information about the Oatey Company, visit its website at www.oatey.com.
ENTREPRENURIAL LEADERSHIP AWARD
SMALL BUSINESS ARM OF THE CLEVELAND GREATER PARTNERSHIP
The Entrepreneurial Leadership Award is given to an individual small business owner who has not only been successful in advancing their own entrepreneurial endeavor for themselves and their employees, but has also dedicated their time and talent to helping other small business owners succeed. The COUNCIL OF SMALLER ENTERPRISES (COSE) uses the following guiding questions to identify the award recipient:
• How effectively has the entrepreneur guided the growth and development of his/her own company?
• In what ways has the entrepreneur shared his/her experience and expertise with other small business owners or those that are considering starting their own business?
• How has the entrepreneur lived the mission of COSE: to support the growth and success of small business owners?
• How active has the entrepreneur been in working with professional organizations in his/her industry or profession to make a difference?
COSE was founded as a division of the Greater Cleveland Growth Association in 1972 by 13 small business owners who believed that small businesses could do better by working collectively to address the challenges that they face in starting, managing, growing and advocating for their businesses. More than fifty years later, now the small business division of the Greater Cleveland Partnership, COSE continues to focus on providing education, connections, navigation to the right solutions and resources and advocacy to support small business growth.
For more information on COSE, contact:
Council of Smaller Enterprises 1240 Huron Road East Cleveland, OH 44115
Phone: (216) 592-2222
Website: www.cose.org
THE
ENTREPRENEURIAL LEADERSHIP AWARD
TAYLOR EVANS President, Rust Belt Recruiting
Taylor Evans is the Founder and President of Rust Belt Recruiting, a leading manufacturing recruiting agency. A vocal and active advocate for the growth of a skilled, technical and professional workforce in our communities, his company is committed to serving as a catalyst for change within the Midwest and Great Lakes regions.
Founded in 2017, Rust Belt Recruiting is a specialized firm focused on the manufacturing industry. It provides direct hire search and staffing for positions ranging from skilled trades and engineering to management and other professional roles.
Through his leadership role in the company, Mr. Evans has found the perfect intersection of his passions: economic and social impact, work-force development and community revitalization. He focuses on company vision, community engagement and business development.
Mr. Evans says that civic engagement is at the core of his daily work and drives his professional decision making. He is actively involved as the Vice Chair and an Executive Committee member of COSE’s Board of Advisors and is the current chairman of the COSE Small Business Caucus. He is also an Executive Committee member of the Greater
Cleveland Partnership’s Board of Directors and a member of their Government Affairs Council. With Team NEO, the region’s economic development agency, he is a member of the Talent Development Council. On a national level he is an active member of the National Small Business Association’s (NSBA) Leadership Council.
As an advocate for small business and an expert on workforce development issues, Mr. Evans is a frequent speaker at civic and professional meetings and seminars. His signature topics are entrepreneurship, workforce strategy, manufacturing, skilled trades, urban revitalization, relationshipbased selling, and the mission-based workplace.
Taylor Evans resides in Bay Village with his wife, Jenna, and their four children, Camden, Mila, Chloe and Paige.
For more information on Taylor Evans and his company, contact:
Rust Belt Recruiting, 1340 Depot Street, Suite 100, Rocky River, OH 44116
Call 440-462-8811
Website: www.rustbeltrecruiting.com
GLOBAL BUSINESS LEADERSHIP AWARD
The Global Business Leadership Award is for a business that has demonstrated outstanding strategic marketing and business practices relative to developing its international business operations. For this award, IBN (THE NORTHEAST OHIO INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS NETWORK) and THE U.S. COMMERCIAL SERVICE—CLEVELAND considered the following criteria:
• What is the company’s international focus?
• How has the company organized its international marketing efforts?
• What growth has the company experienced in its international sales during the past few years?
IBN was organized in 2005 by a group of highly experienced business people with the specific purpose of helping each other and others involved in international business.
Its goal is to stimulate economic growth in Northeast Ohio. IBN does this by providing networking receptions offering programs on pertinent timely international business topics.
More specifically, IBN is designed to assist new and experienced business people by:
• Facilitating networking opportunities with people in international business.
• Attracting a younger and more diverse population into international business.
• Supporting existing international business activities.
• Educating people on international business practices and opportunities.
• Offering professional international trade education seminars.
The U.S. Commercial Service is part of the U.S. Department of Commerce’s International Trade Administration, which is the official export promotion agency of the U.S. government. Companies can find assistance locally in more than 100 U.S. Commercial Service offices nationwide and in more than 70 offices internationally. The U.S. Commercial Service – Cleveland is one of five offices associated with the U.S. Commercial Service Ohio. The other locations are in Akron, Cincinnati, Columbus, and Toledo.
For more information about IBN, contact: The Northeast Ohio International Business Network PO Box 110824 Cleveland, OH 44111
Email: admin@neoibn.org
Website: www.neoibn.org
For more information about the U.S. Commercial Service – Cleveland, contact:
U.S. Commercial Service Cleveland 201 Superior Ave. East, Suite 130 Cleveland, OH 44114
Website: www.trade.gov/ohio-cleveland
GLOBAL BUSINESS LEADERSHIP AWARD
KIMBERLY A. SMITH, President
ERNIE LACKNER, Director of Sales and Marketing
PLIDCO® (The Pipe Line Development Company) is a family-owned business that was founded in Westlake, Ohio, in 1949 by Joseph B. and Berneice K. Smith. Their innovative idea was to make quality pipeline repair fittings that would avoid or minimize costly shut-downs, saving their customers time and money.
PLIDCO’s pipeline fittings have been used for high pressure emergency pipeline repairs and routine pipeline maintenance in a wide variety of applications, both onshore and subsea. Applications include oil, gas, water, chemical, steam, slurry and other piping systems. PLIDCO’s high-pressure fittings are designed and manufactured following the ASME/ANSI applicable codes. PLIDCO’s products are backed by the industry’s only 5-year limited warranty and an ISO 9001-certified quality program.
Through its network of distributors, PLIDCO has pipeline repair product experts around the world who can direct customers to the right products for their needs and provide expert advice on installation. The company’s website can be used to easily find a distributor.
PLIDCO’s active Research and Development
Department is always working on new and innovative solutions to aid the emergency pipe line repair and maintenance industry. As providers around the world make the shift to hydrogen and other alternative energy sources, PLIDCO is ready with a new range of products that meet U.S. quality standards for use on hydrogen pipelines.
PLIDCO was originally located in Westlake, Ohio, but, in November of 2020, the company announced that it would be moving its office and manufacturing facilities to a new, larger space in Strongsville, Ohio, to accommodate continued business growth and enhance customer service. The move to 11792 Alameda Drive in Strongsville was made in phases over the next several months.
At nearly 248,200 square feet, the new facility is more than 200% larger than PLIDCO’s former location—offering greater manufacturing capacity and a state-ofthe-art training and conference center for its worldwide customers, partners, and approximately 100 pipeline repair professionals in Northeast Ohio.
For more information about PLIDCO, visit its website at www.plidco.com
BUSINESS & TECHNOLOGY INNOVATION
The Business & Technology Innovation Leadership Award goes to an individual or a firm that displays significant achievement in promotion and use of innovative approaches in the business and technology environment of Northeast Ohio. In reviewing the candidates for this award, the CENTER FOR INNOVATION AND ENTREPRENEURSHIP considered the following criteria:
• In what ways has the person or company exhibited a commitment to business and technology innovation?
• In what ways has the person or company provided leadership in promoting or implementing entrepreneurship, business and technology innovation?
• In what ways has the person or company shared information on entrepreneurship, business and technology innovation with others in the business community?
The Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship, which is housed in the Monte Ahuja College of Business at Cleveland State University, offers opportunities for students, faculty, alumni and the Northeast Ohio business community to channel the innovative spirit of entrepreneurship into action, strengthening economic development for our region.
To aid the Center in achieving its mission, the Weston Ideation Lab, a dedicated, physical place where ideas are tested, validated and transformed into reality was established in 2019.
Designed as a collaborative, interdisciplinary learning laboratory, the Weston Ideation Lab fosters creative thinking, supports the exploration of entrepreneurial ideas, provides access to resources across the Cleveland State campus, and hosts academic courses, workshops, guest speakers and more.
Made possible by a gift from Weston, Inc., the Lab is the ideal location to house the Monte Ahuja College of Business’ Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship to serve all CSU students, faculty, staff, and alumni.
For more information on the Center, contact:
Cleveland State University Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship
Weston Ideation Lab 2121 Euclid Avenue, BU 308 Cleveland, OH 44115-2214
Phone: 216.687.4750
Email: westonilab@csuohio.edu
Website: www.business.csuohio.edu/ entrepreneurship
BUSINESS & TECHNOLOGY INNOVATION LEADERSHIP AWARD
DESTINY BURNS Founder and Owner, CLE Urban Winery
Destiny Burns is a native Clevelander. After graduating from high school, she enlisted in the US Navy as a Russian linguist to see the world. Twenty years later, she retired as a cryptologic officer and began a second career as a defense industry executive in Virginia. During this time she also found time to serve her community as a volunteer firefighter and EMT.
After 30 years of a vibrant career, most people would consider retirement, but not Destiny. She decided to move back to Cleveland to open an urban winery in her hometown. Today, Destiny is the founder and owner of CLE Urban Winery, a fun, inviting, upscale boutique winery.
The CLE Urban Winery produces, serves, and sells a wide variety of wines, all branded to honor and celebrate the city of Cleveland. CLE Urban Winery is a Federally Bonded Winery and sells their own hand-crafted wine exclusively. The company’s wine production facility, a signature Tasting Bar, and primary retail outlet are located in the Cedar-Lee District in Cleveland Heights, Ohio.
Destiny has successfully navigated through numerous careers and Cleveland is the fortunate recipient of CLE Urban Winery. The winery integrates innovative technology to provide hand-crafted wines.
Even with her incredibly busy work schedule as a small business owner, Destiny looked for ways to give back to her community and share her expertise with budding entrepreneurs. Destiny serves on the Monte Ahuja College of Business Weston Ideation Lab Advisory Board, and perhaps even more importantly, directly engages with our students and faculty as a mentor, presenter, and thought leader. Destiny is also a member and mentor with Entrepreneurs’ Organization (EO) and its Accelerator Program (EOA).
Always pushing the limits, Destiny also found time to publish a book in 2023, My Why and I: A Rebel’s Guide to a Why-Centered Lifestyle.
For more information about Destiny Burns and CLE Urban Winery, visit the company’s website at: https://cleurbanwinery.com/
BUSINESS LEADERSHIP AWARDS – PAST RECIPIENTS
WORKPLACE LEARNING & PERFORMANCE
LEADERSHIP AWARD - ATD
1997 Key Services Corp.- Key College
1998 Key Services Corp. - Call Center
1999 Ohio Savings Bank
2000 Moen Incorporated
2001 John Robert’s Hair Studio & Spa
2002 Philips Medical Systems
2003 Progressive Insurance
2004 Rockwell Automation
2005 Cleveland Clinic Health System
2006 Westfield Group
2007 Cleveland Catholic Charities
2008 Eaton Corporation
2009 Progressive Casualty Insurance
2010 Federal Reserve Bank-Cleveland
2011 Medical Mutual of Ohio
2012 American Greetings Corporation
2013 Aultman Hospital Foundation
2014 No award made
2015 Vitamix.- Blending 101 Program
2016 Dealer Tire LLC—DT Hero Program
2017 Applied Industrial Technologies
2021 Cardinal Health—at-Home Solutions
QUALITY
SERVICE LEADERSHIP AWARD - MAGNET
1997 Anderson International Corp.
1998 Radix Wire Company
1999 Cleveland Plastic Films
2000 W. P. Hickman Systems, Inc.
2001 Lincoln Electric Company
2002 Great Lakes Brewing Company
2003 Euclid Heat Treating Company
2004 Henkel Consumer Adhesives
2005 Harry London Candies, Inc.
2006 Schneller, Inc.
2007 GoJo Industries
2008 Aero Instruments
2009 SIFCO Forge Group
2010 Tremco Commercial Sealants
2011 Avtron Manufacturing, Inc.
2012 MobilityWorks
2013 Nova Films & Foils Inc.
2014 Heather B. Moore, Inc.
2015 Rambus, Inc.
2016 Tortilleria La Bamba
2017 LEFCO Worthington, LLC
2018 Randy’s Pickles, LLC
2019 Werner G. Smith, Inc.
2020 HGR Industrial Surplus
2021 DECA Manufacturing, Inc.
2022 The Shelby Company
2023 Zcath Manufacturing, Inc.
ENTREPRENEURIAL LEADERSHIP AWARD - COSE
1997 Jack Bares, The Milbar Company
1998 William M. Jones, Dynamotors, Inc.
1999 Ronald B. Cohen, Cohen & Company
2000 Michael B. Cristal, Consolidated Risk Management
2001 Raymond M. Arth, Phoenix Products Inc.
2002 Adele Ryan Malley, Malley’s Chocolates
2003 Fred M. Crosby, Crosby Furniture
2004 Robert C. Smith, Spero-Smith Investments
2005 Keith A. Ashmus, Esq, Frantz Ward LLP
2006 Kathryn E. Tatman, D’Amore Tatman Group
2007 Jeanne Coughlin, The Coughlin Group
2008 Jeanne Bluffstone, Bluffstone Public Relations
2009 Carol A. Staiger, Vantage Point Marketing
2010 Samuel A. Steinhouse, SPS Partners
2011 Timothy Reynolds, Tribute, Inc.
2012 James C. McSherry, McSherry & Co, LPA
2013 Marlene Herman, AAMCO Transmission
2014 Lisa Logan, Logan Clutch Corp.
2015 Roxanne Kaufman Elliott, ProLaureate Ltd
2016 Sharon L. Toerek, Toerek Law
2017 Rion Safier, Rion Safier Accounting, LLC
2018 Michael E. Stanek, Hunt Imaging LLC
2019 Bonnie Matthew, Food for Thought
2020 John G. Young, Speed Exterminating
2021 Kevin K. Johnson, NexGen Interactive
2022 Marvin Montgomery, The Sales Doctor
2023 Timothy M. Opsitnick, Technology Concepts & Design, Inc.
GLOBAL BUSINESS LEADERSHIP AWARD –
International Business Network
1997 Kichler Lighting Group
1998 Nordson Corporation
1999 Niagara Custombilt Mfg. Company
2000 Keithley Instruments, Inc.
2001 Manco, Inc.
2002 Myers Industries
2003 Fomo Products, Inc.
2004 Bioproducts, Incorporated
2005 Vita-Mix Corporation
2006 Superior Products, Inc.
2007 Robin Industries, Inc.
2008 Mayfran International, Inc.
2009 Snow Dragon®
2010 RAD-CON, Inc.
2011 Codonics, Inc.
2012 Flow Polymers, LLC
2013 The Lincoln Electric Company
2014 NOSHOK, Inc.
2015 Volk Optical, Inc.
2016 Technibus, Inc.
2017 Applied Medical Technology, Inc.
2018 Automated Packaging Systems, Inc.
2019 SIFCO ASC
2020 OverDrive
2021 B’laster Holdings LLC
2022 Grand Rock Co., Inc.
2023 Swagelok Company
COMMUNITY SERVICE LEADERSHIP AWARD –
Rotary Club of Cleveland (1992-2011)
1997 Applied Industrial Technologies
1998 Ameritech
1999 Deloitte & Touche LLP, Northeast Ohio
2000 GE Lighting–Nela Park
2001 Fifth Third Bank, Northeastern Ohio
2002 Lubrizol Corporation
2003 Eaton Corporation
2004 The Huntington National Bank
2005 Invacare Corporation
2006 Thompson Hine LLP
2007 Things Remembered
2008 First Federal of Lakewood
2009 Third Federal Savings & Loan
2010 Downtown Cleveland Alliance
2011 Swagelok Company
SUSTAINABLE
BUSINESS PRACTICES
LEADERSHIP AWARD –
Sustainable Business Center, Monte Ahuja College of Business (2012- 2018)
2012 David E. Nash, McMahon DeGulis LLP
2013 Terry V. Thiele, The Lubrizol Corp.
2014 Mike Neundorfer & Steve Ostanek, Neundorfer, Inc.
2015 Aparna Bole, M.D., UH Rainbow and Children’s Hospital
2016 William B. Doggett, Eaton Corporation
2017 Lisa Pim Peterson, Weber Murphy Fox
2018 Andrew Watterson, KeyBank
URBAN PLACEMAKING LEADERSHIP AWARD –
Paul J. Everson Real Estate Center, Monte Ahuja College of Business Cleveland State University (2018 only)
2018 Cleveland Neighborhood Progress
BUSINESS & TECHNOLOGY INNOVATION
LEADERSHIP AWARD –
Center for Innovation and Entrepreneutship, Monte Ahuja College of Business Cleveland State University (2019-Present)
2019 Charles Stack, Flashstarts
2020 David J. Fornari, Executive-in-Residence, CSU
2021 Martin O’Toole, Vice President, GOJO Industries
2022 James Kandrac, President and Founder UCG Technologies (1987), Contract Guardian, Inc. (2018)
2023 Ted Laufik, Senior Finance Professional
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
We wish to express appreciation to all the following people who made a contribution to the success of this program:
MAGNET
Bass Khoury, Director, Operations Excellence
Michael O’Donnell, Vice President, Operations
The Council of Smaller Enterprises
Megan Kim, Executive Director
Gina Messina, Executive Assistant
The Northeast Ohio International Business Network
John Senese, President
Susan Whitney, Office Director
U. S. Department of Commerce
U.S. Commercial Service—Cleveland
Todd Hiser, Director
U.S. Commercial Service – Northern Ohio
Monte Ahuja College of Business
Cleveland State University
Dr. Melissa L. Gruys, Dean
Mindy J. Arnold
Christine L. Mapus
Center for Innovation & Entrepreneurship
Cleveland State University
Colette Taddy Hart, Senior Director
Centers for Outreach & Engagement
The Rotary Club of Cleveland
Jessica Hanes, President
Sharon Lerch, Executive Director
THE CO-SPONSORS
MONTE AHUJA COLLEGE OF BUSINESS, CLEVELAND STATE UNIVERSITY
The Cornerstone of Northeast Ohio Business
Traditionally the first stone laid for a structure, a cornerstone is the reference point for which all other stones are laid. Our undergraduate programs, graduate programs, continuing education and lifelong learning opportunities and community outreach programs all work to build and support Northeast Ohio businesses.
As Cleveland’s only public university, we provide fundamental business knowledge that enables our diverse student population to build their careers, take them to the next level and positively impact the organizations they serve. We transform lives through the power of business education.
Our location in downtown Cleveland provides unique proximity and interaction with the business community. We support the Northeast Ohio business community by creating and advancing business-ready talent, impactful business knowledge and foundation-al community engagement.
The College holds accreditation in both business and account-ing from AACSB International (Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business). Less than 5% of the world’s business schools have earned this accreditation, widely considered a hallmark of excellence in business education.
Our Centers for Outreach and Engagement serve as advocates for Northeast Ohio businesses, organizations and individual. Regarded in high esteem for their strategic development and delivery of programs that address current needs and future challenges, the Centers help position organizations for success. To learn more, visit: https://business.csuohio.edu
THE ROTARY CLUB OF CLEVELAND
Founded in 1905, Rotary is an international association of more than 1.2 million business and professional leaders in over 200 countries who provide humanitarian service, promote high ethical standards, and help build goodwill and peace in the world. Rotary International conducts the world’s largest private scholarship program, people-to-people, business-to-business, and youth exchange programs and is a major force in the worldwide fight against polio and other childhood diseases.
The Rotary Club of Cleveland, founded in 1910 and chartered in 1911, is Number 18 among the over 33,000 clubs worldwide. In addition to sponsoring several programs in conjunction with the Cleveland Metropolitan School District, the Rotary Club of Cleveland is an active contributor and supporter of many local organizations and programs, including the Cleveland Foodbank, Inc., the Salvation Army, the Achievement Centers for Children, the Greater Cleveland Chapter of the American Red Cross, and College Now Greater Cleveland. The club’s Rapid Recovery Project, a 40-plus-year commitment to the beautification of the West 25th Street Rapid Site, led to the creation of Cleveland Metroparks’ Red Line Greenway, a 2.5 mile multi-use linear trail connecting eight communities on Cleveland’s near west side. The ribbon-cutting ceremony for the project was held on May 12, 2021.
Now in its second century of “Service Above Self,” the Rotary Club of Cleveland was the organizer and presenter of the Port of Cleveland 2010 and 2013 Tall Ships Festivals. A legacy of these festivals was our YESS (Youth Empowered to Succeed through Sailing) program, which provides sail training and leadership development skills to under-served youth. For more information, visit the club’s Facebook page or its website at www.rotaryclubofcleveland.com
BUSINESS LEADERSHIP AWARDS
THURSDAY · MAY 8 · 2025
FOR MORE INFORMATION, CONTACT:
Edward G. Thomas
Professor of Marketing Emeritus Monte Ahuja College of Business Cleveland State University 2121 Euclid Avenue Cleveland, OH 44115-2214
Phone: (216) 513-7946 Email: e.thomas@csuohio.edu
– OR –
Sharon Lerch
Executive Director
The Rotary Club of Cleveland 377 Lear Road, Suite 222 Avon Lake, OH 44012
Phone: (216) 556-8637
Email: rotarycle@gmail.com