small business - Crain`s Cleveland Business
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small business - Crain`s Cleveland Business
CCLB 06-09-08 A 13 CCLB 6/5/2008 1:36 PM Page 1 CRAIN’S CLEVELAND BUSINESS JUNE 9-15, 2008 13 SMALL BUSINESS INSIDE 16 TAX TIPS: IRS MAY PROVIDE MORE GUIDANCE ON DEDUCTIONS THE ART OF BARTER Trading of goods, services alive and well, though industry experts urge caution By JENNIFER KEIRN [email protected] I t should have been a happy ending to a small-business fairy tale. A landscaper needed photography for his upcoming wedding. A photographer had just built a new home and needed a lawn. The two small business owners agreed to barter their services, allowing them both to get something they needed without a cash outlay. But they didn’t quite live happily ever after. “It took three years after the wedding for me to get my lawn put in, and even then it was terrible,” said Brad Ronevich, owner of Euclid-based BCR Studios Inc. and the photographer in this tale. “I had to call him repeatedly and threaten to hold his wedding album until it got resolved.” In his 18 years in business, Mr. Ronevich has bartered his services for everything from information technology services and furniture for his studio to a deck and a furnace for his home, but he said experiences like this “made See BARTER Page 15 KRISTEN WILSON ILLUSTRATION S H O R T TA K E S SNAPSHOT ■ KEEPING AN EYE OUT: Demopoulos & Associates, a private investigation company in Lakewood, has opened a unit devoted to the investigation of mortgage fraud. The company, owned by Bonnie and Pete Demopoulos, currently has three full-time employees. Mr. Demopoulos said that depending on the workload in the mortgage fraud unit, two to three new employees could be hired by the end of summer. Demopoulos & Associates specializes in investigations for corporations, insurance companies and school districts. ■ LOOKIN’ GOOD: Jenniffer & Co. of Mentor recently expanded and remodeled to create a new spa area, which includes five pedicure stations in a 300-square-foot private room. The work at the salon, completed in May, transformed what had been the spa area into a sitting area with three private massage rooms. Jenniffer & Co. is owned by Jennifer Pealer and her brother Joe Sullens. ■ SIT BACK, RELAX: Bay Village native Pam Heschel now has three Migun Thermal Bed stores. Migun Huron and Migun Cleveland at the Galleria opened for business in February, offering a thermal massage system that uses heat and pressure mechanisms in an effort to relieve pain, increase circulation and flexibility. The stores also have an oxygen bar, foot massage, skin rejuvenator and beds for sale. Ms. Heschel previously had taken over ownership of Migun Westlake in August. ■ NEW KIDZ ON THE BLOCK: The Kamp 4 Kidz Child Care Center is slated to open this summer at the Heisley Pointe Shopping Center in Mentor. The center, which is owned by Trina and Edwin Smith and Cheryl Smith, will provide drop-in day care in addition to traditional day care services. The center will serve children from infancy to age 12, Monday through Saturday. Enrichment classes and a summer camp program also will be offered. JOB SEARCH ENGINES SPUTTER Looking online for a job? The pickings are slimmer than they were a year ago, information released last week suggests: 3.795 million 2.5 4.98 The number of online advertised job vacancies in May, a 13.2% drop from May 2007. Advertised vacancies posted online in May for every 100 people in the labor force. Advertised vacancies per 100 in Alaska, the nation’s highest rate. Source: The Conference Board MY CAUSE IS TO BE HEARD IN WASHINGTON D.C. WITHOUT LEAVING WILLOUGHBY. Your cause is our cause. That’s why we’ve fought for small businesses for over 35 years. Visit cose.org/grassroots or call (216) 592-2222 to receive our Grassroots newsletter. Join your cause. CCLB 06-09-08 A 14 CCLB 6/5/2008 1:38 PM Page 1 14 CRAIN’S CLEVELAND BUSINESS WWW.CRAINSCLEVELAND.COM JUNE 9-15, 2008 SMALL BUSINESS Executive Certificate in Financial Planning ATTEND AN INFORMATIONAL OPEN HOUSE FOR PROGRAM STARTING FALL 2008 WEDNESDAY, JUNE 18, 2008 TUESDAY, JULY 22, 2008 THURSDAY, AUGUST 7, 2008 5:00-7:00 PM AT JCU Before the rewards, two-state operations offer plenty of risks Want to help people achieve their life dreams and financial goals? Consider financial planning – it’s a profession with strong growth potential. Education is the first of four steps to CFP® certification. Complete our financial planning course and meet CFP® Board’s additional requirements of examination, experience and ethics to enhance your career opportunities even more. Those who have pulled it off urge detailed preparation for the long, arduous process It’s your future. Plan it. By SHARON SCHNALL [email protected] JOHN CARROLL UNIVERSITY THE JESUIT UNIVERSITY IN CLEVELAND M ark Snider wanted to work in a rapidly growing real estate market and eventually expand into other states. To that end, the owner of Bainbridge Township-based Tower Realty/The Winbury Group, founded in 1992, set up shop last December in Las Vegas. “I don’t know that I know the risks; to some extent we’re going into the unknown. We can’t calculate all of the events that will occur,” said Mr. Snider of his twostate operation. “That’s what it always is. Entrepreneurship is all calculated risk.” In addition to commercial building construction, Tower Realty/The Winbury Group manages about 180,000 square feet of commercial or residential property in Northeast Ohio and had 2007 gross sales of $1.75 million. To handle the work in Northeast Ohio and the new office, Mr. Snider now commutes more than 2,000 miles between residences in Ohio and Nevada and offices in Bainbridge Township and Las Vegas. But setting up a two-state operation means more than a long commute. A familiarity with the new area, proper planning and preparation all are essential, according to those who Program sponsored by the Department of Accountancy Contact: [email protected] or 216-397-3008 For Details 35 Years of Successful Careers! Contact Contact CVCC CVCC For: For: Customized Solutions & Corporate Training Adult Career Development Restaurant, Floral & Salon Services Business Meeting & Conference Facilities Need Skills? Ours WORK! Accredited Affordable Convenient Flexible 8001 Brecksville Rd. Brecksville, OH 44141 Tel: 440.746.8230 www.cvccworks.com C U Y A H O GA VA L L E Y CAREER CENTER ON THE WEB For tips on setting up a two-state operation, visit www.crains cleveland.com/states have been involved in similar business configurations. For Mr. Snider, it helped that he has two daughters residing and working in Las Vegas for other commercial real estate employers. Hiring a local real estate broker also assisted him in becoming familiar with the area, particularly with properties under consideration, and establishing client connections, he said. Randy Bambrough, a recipient of an executive doctor of management from Case Western Reserve University, said if the owner understands the nuances of how business is conducted at that intended location, “then they have a better chance of understanding the risks, up front.” Dr. Bambrough helped oversee new operations, both domestically and globally, for 14 years as a chief financial officer and controller with several Silicon Valley employers. He recently joined NextG Networks Inc., a San Jose, Calif., provider of wireless infrastructure solutions, as a chief financial officer. “If (business owners) haven’t done their homework, they won’t understand the issues they’re going to encounter on the other end,” Dr. Bambrough said. “Some people think they’ve done their homework but they haven’t; they’re busy on the home end.” Planning ahead Kris Putnam-Walkerly, president of Putnam Community Investment Consulting Inc., oversees offices in the Cleveland area and San Francisco. She did her homework before opening a Northeast Ohio office. “Spend twice as much time planning as you would normally think is required,” she said. Her company, founded in 1999, helps philanthropic foundations research, develop and evaluate grant-making programs and also serves corporate, government and nonprofit clients, she said. Ms. Putnam-Walkerly researched the feasibility of a return to her native Northeast Ohio as early as 2005, first evaluating neighborhoods and later making informational interviews with area organizations to understand market potential. In 2006, she “re-met” her class- mate and future husband at a Wooster High School reunion, and by January 2007, had officially opened her local headquarters. A wedding followed in August that year. Additionally, she closed her Oakland office and since December 2006 has avoided overhead associated with permanent California office space by using virtual office space — leased flexibly for specific days each month — in a downtown San Francisco high rise. She or one of her 12 subcontractors can work and meet with Bay-area clients, in an allocated space, as needed. “I was surprised at how much time it took: communicating the move, talking and meeting in person with clients, figuring out where the San Francisco office would be located,” she said. “I have a very vivid recollection of waking up at 3 or 4 in the morning, every morning, just to get it done.” Despite the changes, the business had a good start in Northeast Ohio, acquiring a local client, The Cleveland Foundation. It more than doubled sales to $807,000 in 2007. Doubled workload Setting up a second retail operation required a similar investment of time, more than originally anticipated for Anne and John MacWherter. In August 2007, the MacWherters opened Indiana Spirit of Fort Wayne, Ind., which sells college and professional sports apparel. Mr. MacWherter said he budgeted a 20% to 30% time increase for his additional workload. Since 2004, their first business, Uniquely Ohio of Hudson’s First & Main shopping district, has sold sports apparel along with art, food and gift items made by Ohio artisans. “On the surface, I thought, ‘I’m not adding new suppliers; it’s not going to be a big deal,’” Mr. MacWherter said of the second business that exclusively concentrates on sports apparel and accessories. “It’s not an incremental increase. It doubles the work.” Sales were $600,000 in 2007, with one-third generated by the second business. Indianapolis Colts, Indiana University and Chicago Bears inventory are the top sellers, joining best-selling Ohio State University apparel and accessories at the Hudson store. Having empowered and proprietary-minded staff at both locations enables management from a distance, the MacWherters said. And, it helps that three of their four Hudson employees are original hires. One or both of the MacWherters travel every other week to Fort Wayne, a city where they previously lived from 2002 to 2003. “Be sure you like the city, because you’ll be spending a lot of time there,” Ms. MacWherter advised. “Having some familiarity with the city is important, but liking it has really helped us.” ■ MY CAUSE IS TO MAKE SMALL BUSINESS THE LANDSLIDE WINNER ON ELECTION DAY. Your cause is our cause. Visit smallbizvotes.org to be an informed voter and understand the issues facing small business. Join your cause. CCLB 06-09-08 A 15 CCLB 6/5/2008 10:09 AM Page 1 JUNE 9-15, 2008 WWW.CRAINSCLEVELAND.COM CRAIN’S CLEVELAND BUSINESS 15 SMALL BUSINESS Barter: Formality key to successful agreements continued from PAGE 13 me much more cautious about how and if I barter.” That caution is warranted, said Tom McDowell, executive director of the Mentor-based National Association of Trade Exchanges, a barter industry organization. “Finding someone who has what you need and needs what you have can be a real nightmare,” said Mr. McDowell, who also owned and operated ATX The Barter Co., a Cleveland-based barter network, for 26 years. Companies like ATX — which was acquired by Bellevue, Wash.based trade exchange ITEX Corp. earlier this year — facilitate trading communities in which bartered goods and services earn members credits they can then spend with other businesses in the exchange. Throughout the world, barter is alive and well. The World Trade Organization estimates that nearly $9 billion in international trade is conducted on a non-cash basis. Done right and in moderation, said Mr. McDowell and other experts, barter can help business owners earn needed goods and services without digging into cash reserves, while also expanding their customer base. properly claim their income from barter transactions, said David Lewis, a tax attorney with Buckingham, Doolittle and Burroughs LLP. “Whenever there’s an exchange of value, the parties must recognize income from that exchange,” Mr. Lewis said. “It’s a common assumption people make that if cash doesn’t change hands, it’s not a taxable transaction.” The contract should articulate not only value but timing of the agreement, Mr. Lewis said, with each party claiming income based on the value of the good or service in the year they received it. “If you get audited and the value of the agreement isn’t clearly laid out, then the IRS gets to decide the value of your services or goods,” Mr. Licata said. Barter transactions uncovered in an audit often will prompt a follow-up, said Mr. Lewis, so businesses put themselves at risk by not properly claiming barter income. Back at BCR Studios, Mr. Ronevich still barters, but cautiously since his lawn-wedding swap. He didn’t use a contract in that case because the landscaper was a friend of a friend, and he’s learned his lesson. “Be careful, use contracts and be up front in communicating with people,” he advised. “If something sounds too good to be true, it probably is.” ■ One versus many When cash flow is tight, that’s when Louis Licata hears the most questions about bartering. “I always tell them what the risks are,” said Mr. Licata, a small business attorney and president of Independence-based law firm Licata & Toerek. “It’s best to be transparent, have a contract and clearly lay out what the value of the exchange is.” Too many treat barter as an informal agreement, “and there’s nothing informal about a business arrangement,” said Mr. Licata. “Businesses find themselves in trouble … on matters of price and value, when one party thinks they’ve given more or hasn’t gotten as much as they should.” According to Mr. McDowell, the inherent challenges of one-to-one barter are boosting the popularity of organized trade exchange networks like his ATX, now ITEX. While membership in a trade exchange is typically free, the exchange charges a fee based on the value of any transaction occurring within the network. More than 400,000 businesses belong to one of the 400 North American trade exchanges, Mr. McDowell said, generating about $3.5 billion in annual sales. It’s common to find printers, restaurants and tradespeople in these exchanges, but he’s seen companies barter for funerals, college tuition, office leases and even medical procedures. “Anytime the economy gets tight, barter picks up,” he said. “It might increase an exchange’s membership about 20% and sales volume 20% to 50%.” Taxable transactions Another common mistake small business owners make is to not MY CAUSE IS TO KEEP MY GENEROSITY TO MY EMPLOYEES UNRESTRICTED. Your cause is our cause. To learn more about how the Mandatory Paid Sick Leave issue hurts small business, call (216) 592-2222 or visit smallbizvotes.org. Join your cause. CCLB 06-09-08 A 16 CCLB 6/5/2008 10:10 AM Page 1 16 CRAIN’S CLEVELAND BUSINESS WWW.CRAINSCLEVELAND.COM JUNE 9-15, 2008 SMALL BUSINESS GRANDOPENINGS small conference, creating presentations and proofreading. Phone 330-686-3185 Fax 810-958-0475 [email protected] LEGACY PLASTIC SURGEONS The first product for StreamLink Software, founded by Adam Roth, is BoardLink, which provides web-based board management. 300 Locust St., Suite 590 Akron 44302 www.legacyplasticsurgeons.com RUGGERO FATICA STREAMLINK SOFTWARE VIRTUAL RINGMASTER LLC 1900 Superior Ave., Suite 223 Cleveland 44114 www.streamlinksoftware.com P.O. Box 1884 Stow 44224 www.virtualringmaster.com Adam Roth, former chief operating officer at the West Side Ecumenical Ministry in Cleveland, has founded StreamLink Software, a provider of management systems for the nonprofit sector. StreamLink’s first software product, BoardLink, is web-based board management software, which aims to save staff time and increase communication among leadership volunteers. Pam Ryan, an administrative professional with over 20 years of experience, has launched Virtual Ringmaster LLC, a virtual assistance business. Virtual Ringmaster specializes in providing long-term administrative support to entrepreneurs and small business owners who want more time to focus on business and personal priorities. Services offered include customer service support, managing e-mail and postal correspondence, setting up appointments, making travel arrangements, coordinating a meeting or Phone 216-346-3902 Fax 216-803-0909 getstreamlinked@streamlink software.com Two Akron plastic surgeons, Drs. James Lehman and Devi Tantri, have opened a new practice with offices near Akron Children’s Hospital. Legacy Plastic Surgeons offers both cosmetic and reconstructive surgery, with a focus on pediatric plastic surgery. Dr. Lehman is a professor of plastic surgery at the Northeastern Ohio Universities College of Medicine and past president of the Ohio Valley Society of Plastic Surgeons, American Cleft Palate-Craniofacial Association and Cleft Palate Foundation. Dr. Tantri is board-certified in general surgery and plastic surgery and fellowship-trained in surgery of the hand. He serves as clinical assistant professor in plastic surgery at NEOUCOM. Phone 330-374-9100 Fax 330-374-9103 [email protected] To submit a new business for Grand Openings, e-mail sections editor Amy Ann Stoessel at [email protected] or call 216-771-5155. Proposed regulations clarify current, future deductions B usiness owners like to deduct business expenses in the year the expenses are incurred because current deductions increase current profitability. However, certain expenses that result in improvements to business property must be capitalized and may not be deducted immediately. The tax benefit of this type of expenditure is deferred to some point in the future. Over the years, the line between currently deductible business expenses and those expenses that must be capitalized has been a frequent point of contention between the IRS and business owners. Although the IRS issued proposed regulations on this issue in 2006, they were not popular with business owners and accountants due to their complexity and the perception they would lead to more frequent disputes between taxpayers and the IRS. The IRS recently has attempted to provide better guidance in this area by issuing new proposed regulations that replace the controversial proposed regulations issued in 2006. Although the new proposed regulations cannot be relied on until they are finalized, a review does suggest some planning opportunities. The new regulations do not change the general framework of the rule that generally a business may currently deduct all ordinary and necessary expenses paid or incurred during the taxable year in carrying on its trade or business. Typical examples of currently deductible business expenses include compensation paid to employees, travel expenses and repairs to property. On the other hand, certain expenditures made by a business are not currently deductible, but rather must be capitalized and deducted over the applicable life of the property. The business will not realize the tax benefit of the expenditure until some point in the future. Typical examples include the costs of buildings, improvements and other fixed assets. The new proposed regulations provide significant guidance on several categories of expenditures typically made by a business, including costs paid for materials and supplies and those related to repairs or improvements to property. Materials and supplies currently are deductible as a business expense only in the amount actually consumed and used during the year, while incidental materials and supplies — those materials and supplies that a business keeps on hand for which no record of consumption or inventories are maintained — may be deducted during the taxable year in which such materials or supplies were purchased. While the proposed regulations retain these general timing principles, they also provide additional rules that outline specific situations in which a business can take a deduction for expenditures related to CARLGRASSI TAX TIPS materials and supplies. For example, the regulations provide that a current deduction may be taken when a business makes an expenditure for tangible property that is used or consumed in its business operations and that either has an economic useful life of 12 months or less, or has an acquisition cost or production cost of $100 or less. In addition to the guidance on deductions for materials and supplies, the regulations provide a significant amount of guidance on expenditures made for improvements to tangible property. These costs are generally categorized as repairs, which are currently deductible, and improvements, which must be capitalized and depreciated over time. Under the proposed regulations, amounts paid with respect to property already owned by the taxpayer must be capitalized if the expenditures result in the betterment of the property, restoration of the property or adaptation of the property to a new or different use, all of which are defined in detail, with examples, in the proposed regulations. Perhaps most helpful to business owners, the proposed regulations provide a statutory safe harbor for routine maintenance expenditures. This means that so long as the business satisfies the safe harbor requirements, the costs of performing routine maintenance can be currently deducted as a business expense. Under the safe harbor, routine maintenance expenditures include amounts that are necessary to keep the property in its ordinarily efficient operating condition. The proposed regulations also provide examples of routine maintenance, including inspection, cleaning and testing of the property, and the replacement of parts of the property with comparable and commercially available and reasonable replacement parts. Even with the new guidance, the distinction between currently deductible business expenses and those that must be capitalized will continue to be debated. Although these proposed regulations will not be effective until they are finalized, now is a good time to evaluate your federal tax expense/capitalization policies to determine potential areas of tax savings. ■ Mr. Grassi is a member and president of McDonald Hopkins LLC. MY CAUSE IS TO HAVE ELECTRIC BILLS THAT HELP ME KEEP THE LIGHTS ON. Your cause is our cause. Participate in our Electric Aggregation Program. And visit cose.org/energy to learn more about our energy advocacy efforts. Join your cause. CCLB 06-09-08 A 17 CCLB 6/5/2008 10:10 AM Page 1 JUNE 9-15, 2008 CRAIN’S CLEVELAND BUSINESS 17 WWW.CRAINSCLEVELAND.COM SMALL BUSINESS WE ARE PLEASED TO ANNOUNCE THAT If executed properly, moving to new space can be a re-energizer I t’s not every day that you relocate your business. Though the task may seem daunting, it presents a special opportunity to boost your organization’s functionality by improving the physical properties of the space you occupy. The reasons that justify relocation are varied. Still, most would agree: You want your new space to reenergize your business, today and tomorrow; you want your employees to enjoy time spent within its walls; and you want that space to help them do their jobs better and more efficiently. Design by itself matters greatly. But often, it is the details — from precise cost estimating and accurate trade scheduling to careful integration of information technology components — that bring designs to life and enable your people to thrive. Today’s landlords remain challenged to attract and retain quality tenants, so opportunities exist to capitalize on favorable market conditions. Still, relocating to a new space is a complex task that requires vision, tenacity and a host of different skills. Sound planning and careful execution can help you save money, mitigate business interruptions and avoid headaches. Without these, though, the costs can really add up. Before embarking on a relocation, step back, take a bird’s-eye view of things and consider some strategies to help keep your project hasslefree from inception through completion. ■ Picture your business through an architect’s eyes. Take time to reacquaint yourself with the fundamental nature of your organization and the role that good design can play in enhancing it. Think about how you operate in your current space. How might you operate differently in new space? ■ List the pros and cons of moving. What do you hope to accomplish? What would you give up? Ask yourself, what have I been living without? Does your current space hinder productivity? How? Talk to key managers and get their insights. ■ Bind your vision to your budget. Building in separate thermostats to control conference room temperatures could be nice, but the cost might cut into other priorities. Likewise, oak paneling and crown molding may perfectly complement your company’s image, but the features do you no good if they break your budget. Develop a comprehensive project budget, plug in actual costs and make tough decisions when necessary. The most obvious expenses include those for construction beyond the landlord’s tenant improvement allowance, as well as costs for furniture, cabling, moving, ROBERTBAJKO ADVISER security and architectural and engineering services. That said, buildout costs continue to rise, costs per square foot vary based on usable versus rentable square feet and hidden costs always will lurk beneath the surface. Therefore, ask for a full accounting as part of a strict estimate. Also, factor in considerations of future growth, as well as broader market changes within your business — spending wisely up front will help you avoid paying extra down the road. ■ Establish timelines and hold all parties responsible. Just as you shouldn’t be left to wonder how much your space really costs to build, there should be no question as to how long construction will take or how it will proceed. Remember: An existing landlord is by no means obligated to let tenants stay beyond the terms of a lease if their new space is not ready. Make sure then that your architect or space planner develops a precise planning and construction schedule that includes timing requirements for each element, and check regularly to see that he or she holds everyone accountable to their terms throughout the duration of your project. ■ Consider unique IT requirements. From offices and factories to government buildings and schools, IT infrastructures must be well integrated and entirely reliable. Plot out your requirements at the outset of a project, and consult with experts on ways to enhance IT functionality with new technologies and innovative design strategies. Also, consider your requirements during the move itself; if it occurs over more than one weekend, maintaining a second telephone/ data infrastructure will ensure that both sites operate during the transition. ■ Manage your move proactively. Relocating your employees can be stressful enough without having to schedule and track the activities of multiple contractors. Whether it’s hiring furniture installers and telephone/data/cabling contractors or supervising movers, establishing a single point of contact keeps the process running smoothly. ■ Finally, a word about sustainable design. As environmental awareness deepens within our culture, businesses have begun integrating green products and practices into the fabric of their daily operations. Though studies have yet to determine the long-term effects of all this, the fact remains: Many legitimate green products really do perform equally well, if not better, and cause less environmental damage than their non-green counterparts. Incorporating these into your business offers employees a potentially healthier space in which to perform their jobs, it unites them and your company through a collective sense of higher purpose, and it demonstrates a commitment to sustainability that grows more important to more consumers by the day. Even small steps, such as disposing or reselling used office furniture through certified green programs, yield positive environmental benefits and strengthen your image as a business that cares about the world in which it operates. ■ Robert J. Bajko is a principal with Cleveland-based Hengst Streff Bajko Architects + Engineers. SCOTT S. POLISH HAS JOINED WACHOVIA SECURITIES IN CHAGRIN FALLS Senior Vice President - Investments [email protected] 440-247-2198 www.spolish.wbsec.com 33 River Street Chagrin Falls, Ohio 44022 800-222-4633 Securities and Insurance Products: NOT INSURED BY FDIC OR ANY FEDERAL GOVERNMENT AGENCY • MAY LOSE VALUE • NOT A DEPOSIT OF OR GUARANTEED BY A BANK OR ANY BANK AFFILIATE Wachovia Securities, LLC, Member NYSE/SIPC is a registered broker dealer and a separate nonbank affiliate of Wachovia Corporation. ©2008 Wachovia Securities, LLC 88142 0208-79024 5/08 MY CAUSE IS TO REDUCE MY HEALTH INSURANCE PREMIUM. And my stress level. At COSE, your cause is our cause. Which is why our health plans are designed especially for small businesses. Call (216) 592-2266 to see how you could save 10% on your health plan in just 10 minutes. CCLB 06-09-08 A 18 CCLB 6/5/2008 3:39 PM Page 1 18 CRAIN’S CLEVELAND BUSINESS WWW.CRAINSCLEVELAND.COM JUNE 9-15, 2008 SMALL BUSINESS In slow economic times, Cleveland auctioneers perform beyond plan Revenue from Gray’s monthly events up by 800% By SCOT ALLYN [email protected] T wo entrepreneurs with backgrounds ranging from Cleveland’s west side to Kenya say the recessionary economy and weak dollar have worked to their advantage in taking their business beyond expectations. Gray’s Auctioneers, marking a year in business this month at 10717 Detroit Ave., has seen revenue from its monthly auctions of art, antiques and decorative items grow more than 800% from its first event last June to its May 17 auction, according to Serena Harragin, the company’s chief executive officer. The revenue growth is well ahead of the company’s business plan, Ms. Harragin said. From the June 2007 auction to last month’s event, revenue grew from $10,300 to $84,000, she said. Gray’s takes a percentage of the gavel price (25% on items below $2,000 ranging up to 10% on items above $5,000). Buyers are charged a premium of 18% to 22.5% of the gavel price, depending on whether they make the winning bid in person or online. “In our 11th month, we have reached the goal we had for our 19th month,” said Ms. Harragin, 48. “We thought we were ambitious to try for that goal in month 19, but to reach it in month 11 is really great.” A fourth full-time employee also was recently hired to join two part-time workers who share one full-time job. On auction day, they have between 10 and 15 people working, taking bids over the phone and Internet, registering bidders, taking payments and helping customers carry their newfound treasures to their vehicles. A recent report by the National Auctioneers Association suggests Gray’s experience is part of a larger trend. The live auction industry’s revenue grew 5.3% in 2007 to $270.7 billion. It was the fifth straight year of growth, up from $195.3 billion in 2002, a jump of 38.7%. “Public perception of auctions is changing and becoming the first choice for people who want to sell and buy real and personal property,” the report said. In 2007 alone, sales “There will always be Sotheby’s and Christie’s, but they’re going upmarket. The Internet allows the smaller houses to compete with bigger houses, by getting their items on search engines.” – Rod Funston president, Artfact.com FILE PHOTO/RUGGERO FATICA in the segment of art, antiques and collectibles grew by 20.1%, according to the report. Reaching near and far Ms. Harragin said Gray’s business has boomed thanks to the skill of her partner Deba Gray, company president and auctioneer, the low cost of doing business in Cleveland and the international reach they have via the Internet. The pair decided on Cleveland after researching upstate New York, where they were living, and the Fort Lauderdale area, where they also own a home. It was a homecoming for Ms. Gray, 41, who grew up in Lakewood and Rocky River, attended Magnificat High School and still has family in the area. She attended the Cleveland Institute of Art in the mid1980s, but left before earning a degree to work on a kibbutz in Israel. By the late 1980s, Ms. Gray was a gallery assistant at the former Wolf’s Auction Gallery on West Sixth Street in Cleveland, where she eventually became gallery manager and a licensed auctioneer. In 1995, she moved to Leslie Hindman Auctioneers in Chicago, where she worked as an auctioneer and director of marketplace sales. Sotheby’s purchased Leslie Hindman Auctioneers in the late 1990s, and Ms. Gray was soon promoted to assistant vice president, in charge of general opera- Serena Harragin (left), chief executive officer of Cleveland-based Gray’s Auctioneers, and Deba Gray, the company’s president and auctioneer, say they’ve achieved their goal for their 19th month in their 11th month. tions. In that capacity, she traveled to New York City, Colorado, Texas and throughout the Midwest to handle estates. “Working in the business, touching the art and talking to dealers was my education,” Ms. Gray said. “Every day I learned something new, and the hands-on learning continues.” In 2006, Ms. Harragin and Ms. Gray acquired a 13,000-square-foot building with a 15,000-square-foot parking lot on Detroit Avenue that had formerly housed a dealer of exotic European cars, including Alfa Romeos and Citroens. The exhibition space can range from 7,000 square feet to 9,000 square feet, depending on the size of the auction, Ms. Harragin said. Gray’s Auctioneers also puts its events on the Internet through Artfact.com, an auction database company used by dealers, auction houses and collectors of art and antiques. Rod Funston, Artfact president, said the Internet has been a boon to regional auction houses like Gray’s. “There will always be Sotheby’s and Christie’s, but they’re going upmarket,” Mr. Funston said. “The Internet allows the smaller houses to compete with bigger houses, by getting their items on search engines.” Even so, the face-to-face rela- Strengthen BUSINESS relationships & increase sales by entertaining prospective clients See Tiger Woods, Phil Mickelson, Stuart Appleby and all the best players in the world in a professional setting like none other. O N - CO U RS E E N T E R TA I N M E N T O P P O R T U N I T I E S : s!LL)NCLUSIVE(OSPITALITYSTARTINGAT s6)04ICKET0ACKAGESSTARTINGAT FOR MORE INFORMATION CALL DON PADGETT III OR MARVIN LAO AT 330-644-2299 oyster perpetual yacht-master OFFICIAL ROLEX JEWELER worldgolfchampionships.com ROLEX OYSTER PERPETUAL AND YACHT-MASTER ARE TRADEMARKS. tionships that smaller auction houses like Gray’s can offer consignors and buyers is an advantage, he said. “As a consignor, you want to trust the house,” he said. “And the strength of the regional auction house is to form relationships with sellers in their area. But Gray’s can also attract buyers from everywhere, through the Internet.” World’s on a shopping spree Ms. Gray said the slumping economy and low value of the U.S. dollar overseas have contributed to her company’s performance. “People need to sell stuff, and the dollar’s in decline,” she said. “The world’s going on a shopping spree.” Ms. Harragin, who honed her business skills as a producer of commercial ads after a childhood in Kenya as a third-generation African, agreed. “With the low value of the American dollar, it’s in the interest of foreign buyers to buy from us,” she said. “When they factor in the shipping costs, it’s still cheaper than buying from the UK, Poland, Vietnam and other places where our buyers live.” Bidders from 24 countries were registered for the May 17 auction, according to Ms. Gray. Ms. Harragin said 10 countries were represented among the winners, including the United Kingdom, Spain and Canada. Winning bids also came from the U.S., including New York, California and Texas. Of course, local collectors also get into the act at Gray’s. Art Lauterer of Lakewood, for one, made the winning bid of $4,400 for an earthenware figure of Harlequin about 2 feet high made by Cleveland artist Edris Eckhardt. Mr. Lauterer said he paid a fair price for the Eckhardt Harlequin, which he put in a place of prominence on his mantelpiece. “Eckhardt’s work is appreciating, so I was willing to pay what I did for it,” he said. Consignors from across the country have sought Gray’s services. The May 17 auction, for which more than 400 lots were called, featured items from Frank Ruddy, former U.S. ambassador to Equatorial Guinea and now an international lawyer in Rockville, Md. Mr. Ruddy’s collection included fine art, antiques, decorative items, rugs and furniture in his Manhattan apartment. ■ CCLB 06-09-08 A 19 CCLB 6/5/2008 10:09 AM Page 1 How fast can you deposit checks? 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Personal Banking • Business Banking • Investments • Mortgage Loans National City Bank, Member FDIC • ©2008, National City Corporation® NSDREMD8002N6.indd 1 4/8/08 10:08:06 AM CCLB 06-09-08 A 20 CCLB 20 6/5/2008 10:07 AM Page 1 CRAIN’S CLEVELAND BUSINESS WWW.CRAINSCLEVELAND.COM JUNE 9-15, 2008 LARGEST PRIVATELY HELD COMPANIES RANKED BY ESTIMATED 2007 REVENUES Company Address Rank Phone/Web site 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 ALERIS INTERNATIONAL INC. 25825 Science Park Drive, Suite 400, Beachwood 44122 (216) 910-3400/www.aleris.com MEDICAL MUTUAL OF OHIO 2060 E. Ninth St., Cleveland 44115 (216) 687-7000/www.medmutual.com GREAT LAKES CHEESE CO. 17825 Great Lakes Pkwy., Hiram 44234 (440) 834-2500/www.greatlakescheese.com WESTFIELD GROUP One Park Circle, Westfield Center 44251 (330) 887-0101/www.westfieldgrp.com JONES DAY (1) North Point, 901 Lakeside Ave., Cleveland 44114 (216) 586-3939/www.jonesday.com ASSOCIATED MATERIALS (2) 3773 State Road, Cuyahoga Falls 44223 (330) 929-1811/www.associatedmaterials.com MTD PRODUCTS INC. (2) 5965 Grafton Road, Valley City 44280 (330) 225-2600/www.mtdproducts.com SWAGELOK CO. 29500 Solon Road, Solon 44139 (440) 248-4600/www.swagelok.com MARC GLASSMAN INC. (2) (3) 5841 W. 130th St., Parma 44130 (216) 265-7700/www.marcs.com NESCO INC. (4) 6140 Parkland Blvd., Mayfield Heights 44124 (440) 461-6000/www.nescoresource.com THE CARTER LUMBER CO. 601 Tallmadge Road, Kent 44240 (330) 673-6100/www.carterlumber.com DISCOUNT DRUG MART INC. 211 Commerce Drive, Medina 44256 (330) 725-2340/www.discount-drugmart.com SQUIRE, SANDERS & DEMPSEY LLP 127 Public Square, Suite 4900, Cleveland 44114 (216) 479-8500/www.ssd.com MAJESTIC STEEL USA INC. 5300 Majestic Pkwy., Cleveland 44146 (440) 786-2666/www.majesticsteel.com OHIO CAT 3993 E. Royalton Road, Broadview Heights 44147 (440) 526-6200/www.ohiocat.com DAVEY TREE EXPERT CO. 1500 N. Mantua St., Kent 44240 (330) 673-9511/www.davey.com WASTEQUIP INC. 25800 Science Park Drive, Suite 140, Beachwood 44122 (216) 292-2554/www.wastequip.com TRANSTAR INDUSTRIES INC. 7350 Young Drive, Walton Hills 44146 (440) 232-5100/www.transtarindustries.com EDGEPARK MEDICAL SUPPLIES 1810 Summit Commerce Park, Twinsburg 44087 (330) 963-6996/www.edgepark.com FRED W. ALBRECHT GROCERY CO. 2700 Gilchrist Road, Akron 44305 (330) 733-2263/www.acmestores.com DARICE INC. (5) 13000 Darice Pkwy., Park 82, Strongsville 44149 (440) 238-9150/www.darice.com CLEVELAND CONSTRUCTION INC. 8620 Tyler Blvd., Mentor 44060 (440) 255-8000/www.clevelandconstruction.com TCP INC. 325 Campus Drive, Aurora 44203 (800) 324-1496/www.tcpi.com FAIRMOUNT MINERALS (4) 11833 Ravenna Road, Chardon 44024 (440) 285-3132/www.fairmountminerals.com BAKER HOSTETLER 1900 E. Ninth St., Suite 3200, Cleveland 44114 (216) 621-0200/www.bakerlaw.com BENDIX COMMERCIAL VEHICLE SYSTEMS LLC (4) 901 Cleveland St., Elyria 44035 (440) 329-9000/www.bendix.com COMMERCIAL ALLOYS CORP. 1831 E. Highland Road, Twinsburg 44087 (330) 405-5440/www.commercialalloys.com SAFEGUARD PROPERTIES LLC 650 Safeguard Plaza, Brooklyn Heights 44131 (216) 739-2900/www.safeguardproperties.com DAVE'S SUPERMARKETS 5300 Richmond Road, Bedford Heights 44146 (216) 763-3200/www.davesmarkets.com AUSTIN POWDER CO. (5) 25800 Science Park Drive, Suite 300, Cleveland 44122 (216) 464-2400/www.austinpowder2.com Estimated revenue (millions) 2007 2006 Number of local employees Year founded Type of business Top executive $5,989.9 $4,748.8 240 2004 Aluminum rolled products and extrusions, aluminum recycling and specification alloy production Steven J. Demetriou chairman, CEO $2,000.0 $2,000.0 1,900 1934 Health insurance Kent W. Clapp chairman, president, CEO $1,775.0 $1,350.0 550 1958 Manufactures, packages, distributes natural and processed cheese Gary Vanic president, CEO $1,594.0 $1,510.0 1,556 1848 Insurance, banking and related financial services Robert J. Joyce chairman, CEO $1,441.0 $1,310.0 463 1893 Legal services Stephen J. Brogan, managing partner Lyle G. Ganske, partner-in-charge, Cleveland $1,250.0 $1,170.0 525 1947 Manufactures exterior residential building products Thomas N. Chieffe president, CEO $1,190.0 $1,130.0 NA 1932 Manufactures outdoor power equipment Curtis E. Moll chairman, CEO $1,100.0 $1,100.0 3,300 1947 Designer and manufacturer of industrial fluid system components Arthur F. Anton president, CEO $1,060.0 $954.0 NA 1978 Deep discount general merchandise stores Marc Glassman chairman $760.0 $1,065.0 NA 1956 Holding company; engineering and manufacturing companies, technical staffing employment agency Robert Tomsich chairman, CEO $642.0 $689.0 630 1932 Building materials retailer Neil Sackett president, CEO $620.4 $602.5 2,950 1968 Retail drugstore, mail-order pharmacy Parviz Boodjeh CEO $530.0 $460.0 NA 1890 Global legal service provider David Goodman Cleveland managing partner $524.0 $518.0 200 1979 National distributor of prime galvanized steel Dennis Leebow coils and sheets president, CEO $519.0 $516.0 265 1945 Caterpillar engine and equipment distributor, Ohio, Northern Kentucky and Southeastern Indiana Kenneth E. Taylor president $506.1 $467.5 7,000 1880 Tree, shrub, lawn care, utility vegetation, grounds management, golf course maintenance, consulting services Karl J. Warnke president, CEO $487.0 $427.0 25 1989 Manufacturer of waste handling equipment Robert C. Rasmussen president and CEO $420.0 $257.0 200 1975 Manufactures, distributes automotive transmissions, transmission replacement parts, refinishing products, coatings Monte Ahuja chairman $411.7 $348.7 742 1928 Home delivery of medical supplies Ron M. Harrington president, CEO $385.0 $380.0 2,000 1891 Retail grocery and pharmacy stores Steve Albrecht president $365.0 $365.0 NA 1949 Wholesale and retail arts and crafts supplies Mike Catan president $320.3 $406.1 800 1980 Commercial building contractor Jon P. Small president $319.0 $154.0 220 1993 Manufactures, distributes compact fluorescent light bulbs, cold cathode, LED, linear lighting solutions Ellis Yan chairman, CEO $316.7 $316.7 NA 1986 Mining and processing of industrial minerals to various industries William E. Conway, chairman Charles D. Fowler, president, CEO $315.0 $300.0 425 1916 Legal services R. Steven Kestner, executive partner Alec Wightman, executive partner Hewitt B. Shaw, managing partner, Cleveland $269.6 NA 438 1930 Develop, supply active-safety technologies, air brake charging, control systems and components for commercial vehicles Joseph J. McAleese president, CEO $253.0 $201.0 101 1982 Handle specialty metals, provide logistics for Larry Musarra scrap removal as well as ingots, billets, deox president, COO cone and sows for conversion $222.4 $176.0 490 1990 Mortage field services company Robert Klein CEO $216.6 $136.6 1,450 1935 Supermarkets Daniel Saltzman president $208.0 -- 70 1833 Manufactures, distributes industrial explosives and blasting services David M. Gleason president, CEO See LIST Page 22 CCLB 06-09-08 A 21 CCLB 6/6/2008 3:45 PM Page 1 JUNE 9-15, 2008 CRAIN’S CLEVELAND BUSINESS WWW.CRAINSCLEVELAND.COM Convention: Hotels make up Tax: Politics, 2011 end are chief concerns lost traffic with changed focus continued from PAGE 3 continued from PAGE 1 If that approach means spending less time looking for conventions a few years off that involve 10 or 12 hotels, Mr. Brewer said, so be it. “We need to focus on what we can offer,” Mr. Brewer said, not on what the city might be able to offer. Positively Cleveland booked 125,000 convention room nights in 2007. That total was down 24% from 165,000 in 2006 and well off its stated goal of 225,000, which bureau spokeswoman Samantha Fryberger concedes was “ambitious” and reflected a longstanding priority that has since shifted. “We were continuing to follow an old business model of trying to get those big meetings to come here,” Ms. Fryberger said, noting that the bureau is about halfway toward reaching this year’s more modest goal of 200,000 convention room nights booked. The change plays in part to this reality: Only one-fourth of Positively Cleveland’s convention bookings involve the downtown convention center, while competing cities such as Columbus, Indianapolis, and Pittsburgh see their convention centers used in 60% to 70% of their bookings. Though many groups haven’t publicly announced their future events, Ms. Fryberger offered two examples of how the new approach is manifesting itself: A maintenance professional group will have its annual conference here in October, resulting in about 700 room nights, and a distributors’ group has booked 250 room nights for a trade show in November 2009. Positively Cleveland hasn’t discounted large groups completely. The bureau still works with large industrial shows at the I-X Center and offers the current downtown convention center to groups such as last month’s 2,000attendee Society of Tribologists and Lubrication Engineers. Hotel as convention venue With the local convention bureau altering its focus, some downtown hotels are taking matters into their own hands when it comes to lining up meeting business. “Because of (our) size and our footage, we have basically become our own convention center,” said Gary McGauley, general manager of the 491-room Renaissance Cleveland Hotel, which boasts the city’s biggest ballroom. Instead of being one piece of a multiple-hotel gathering that might have brought the Renaissance 200 room nights, the hotel is aiming to attract many smaller meetings that each might book 50 to 400 room nights. Mr. McGauley said the hotel’s own sales force and the national sales office of parent Marriott International Inc. more aggressively have sold not only the Renaissance’s facilities, but also its proximity to a sister property, the 400-room Marriott at Key Center, which boosts the size of the events it can target. The recent gatherings of the International Bridge, Tunnel and Turnpike Association and of drug company Sanofi-aventis, which each involved 1,000 rooms — the overflow of which went to other downtown hotels — are examples of successful bids for such business, Mr. McGauley said. Candice Kelly Casey, director of sales and marketing at the Embassy Suites Cleveland, said the hotel on East 12th Street is taking similar measures, though it typically isn’t identified as a convention property. Ms. Casey said the hotel has seen its occupancy decrease 11% in 2008, “which is attributed to fewer room nights needed for citywide conventions compared to last year.” As a result, there’s a new sales focus on finding “alternative markets that maybe we hadn’t strategically targeted before, like more diverse markets or youth groups,” Ms. Casey said. Missed opportunities Positively Cleveland’s latest annual report estimates the city in 2007 lost 270,000 convention room nights of potential meeting business that came to the table but opted not to come to Cleveland. About half those misses are related to the uncertain status of the proposed convention center, Mr. Brewer said. The lack of a new meeting hall is creating a roadblock to doing business with some potential clients. Take the 10,000-attendee American Wind Energy Association’s Wind Power convention in Houston last week. With more than 40 Northeast Ohio manufacturers with ties to the wind turbine industry, according to Positively Cleveland, the city would make an ideal host for the gathering, were it not for the ceiling limitations of the current convention center. “We know all about them and they know all about us,” Mr. Brewer said of groups the bureau is pursuing, “but until we get (the new center) done, they’ve said, ‘We we can’t pay attention too closely.’” ■ on the 2000 block of Euclid Avenue. The Strickland administration on March 22 halted a two-year test that began last July of the credits after approving just 37 of them; that’s because developers already had won OKs for enough projects to exhaust the $120 million the state believed the program would cost. All the projects that had filed for the credits would have cost the state $200 million in lost revenue. Rather than leave the developers in the lurch, the Strickland jobs bill restores the program. It gives developers with pending applications first crack at up to $90 million in credits and provides another $30 million for new ones if they are approved by 2011. David Kaufman said the brothers still are interested in pursuing the tax credit. “Absolutely, we’re going to try for it again,” he said. “We had given up on it.” Mr. Kaufman said the state credit for 25% of qualifying expenses on historic renovation projects goes far toward closing a $750,000 financing gap that kept the Kaufmans from starting construction. The state approved $5.4 million in building renovations at 2020 Euclid for the credits, but the brothers still were trying to win state approval for credits on a $2 million renovation of 2010 Euclid when, as David Kaufman put it, the “state pulled the rug out from us.” While the jobs bill recognizes the plight of developers who bought buildings and readied projects thinking the state would approve 200 credits through 2008, the outcome disappoints preservation architect Jonathan Sandvick of Cleveland, vice chair of the Heritage Ohio preservation group and chairman of Cleveland’s Historic Warehouse District Development Corp. He worries the state is missing a chance to become the leader in historic renovation and for rehabs to improve its dismal economy. “We will never go through the pilot program we envisioned,” Mr. Sandvick said. “If you look at the destiny of the state now, it stands to continue losing jobs and people. This has the opportunity to change the destiny of the state. We’re talking about economic revitalization in downtowns and inner cities throughout Ohio — where you need it.” Cleveland-based developer Michael Chesler, one of three developers suing the state for aborting the program and leaving him without the aid of the credit to renovate a condemned Civil War-era Akron house, said he’d drop the suit if his Cincinnati developer-colleagues agree to do so upon the governor signing the jobs bill. However, fundamental disputes over details of the program remain. Developers and preservationists wanted the state to make the credit permanent; it now ends in 2011 and would need a new state law to continue. They also wanted the state to stick with setting a number of projects that would be eligible for the credits and not impose a dollar cap on them, but got the cap instead. They also worry the state will allow more politics into the process by ending the first-come, firstserved approach that led developers and their minions to camp out last July in Columbus to gain a place in line for the credits. Lt. Gov. Lee Fisher, who also serves as Ohio’s development director, said he and his staff expect to prepare guidelines for the program after the governor signs the bill into law. Mr. Fisher likes the control he gained under the bill to consider the potential economic impact and regional balance of the credits. “I don’t want to have my hands tied by whether projects were first ■ in line or 10th,” he said. “Our passion for client service can lift your spirits, too.” Mark Stutman Managing Partner -Tax CFA Society of Cleveland Year-End Dinner The CFASC is pleased to welcome a very distinguished speaker to Cleveland... Jason Trennert is co-founder, managing partner, and chief investment strategist of New York-based Strategas Research Partners. Trennert’s presentation provides an overview of the forces shaping the economy and the financial markets and will include discussion on economic growth, inflation, valuation, investor sentiment, growth vs. value, large vs. small, and sector selection. Date & Time: 1 Location: 1 Cost: 1 1 1 Contact: Tuesday, June 24, 2008 6 p.m. Cocktails; 6:45-9 p.m. Dinner & Program Cleveland Metroparks Zoo (Primate, Cat & Aquatics building) 3900 Wildlife Way, Cleveland, OH 44109 Members/Candidates/Students - $55 (Each member may bring one guest at the member rate) Non-members/Non-candidates/Non-students - $65 Tables of 8 - $475 CFA Society of Cleveland 3637 Medina Road, Suite 110, Medina, OH 44256 216-696-8066 (phone) ~ 866-882-1193 (fax) [email protected] (e-mail) Please respond by Monday, June 16 Passion for serving our clients, technical expertise, and partner involvement have been the hallmark of Grant Thornton LLP in the U.S. for more than 80 years. Plus, you get the benefit of Grant Thornton International member firms in 112 countries around the world. Give Jim Sanfilippo, Cleveland office managing partner, a call at 216.858.3601 or e-mail [email protected], or contact one of our partners at www.GrantThornton.com. Find out how it feels to work with people who love what they do! 21 Audit • Tax • Advisory www.GrantThornton.com CCLB 06-09-08 A 22 CCLB 22 6/5/2008 10:08 AM Page 1 CRAIN’S CLEVELAND BUSINESS WWW.CRAINSCLEVELAND.COM JUNE 9-15, 2008 LARGEST PRIVATELY HELD COMPANIES RANKED BY ESTIMATED 2007 REVENUES Company Address Rank Phone/Web site 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 CLEVELAND BROWNS (6) 76 Lou Groza Blvd., Berea 44017 (440) 891-5000/www.clevelandbrowns.com FAMOUS ENTERPRISES INC. 109 N. Union St., Akron 44304 (330) 762-9621/www.famous-supply.com OATEY CO. 4700 W. 160th St., Cleveland 44135 (216) 267-7100/www.oatey.com THE MILLCRAFT PAPER CO. 6800 Grant Ave., Cleveland 44105 (216) 441-5500/www.millcraft.com THOMPSON HINE LLP 127 Public Square, Suite 3900, Cleveland 44114 (216) 566-5500/www.thompsonhine.com GARLAND INDUSTRIES INC. 3800 E. 91st St., Cleveland 44105 (216) 641-7500/www.garlandco.com MCPC INC. 21555 Drake Road, Cleveland 44149 (440) 268-4000/www.mcpc.com CLEVELAND INDIANS BASEBALL CO. (6) 2401 Ontario St., Cleveland 44115 (216) 420-4200/www.cleveland.indians.mlb.com ANTHONY & SYLVAN POOLS CORP. (5) 6690 Beta Drive, Mayfield Village 44143 (440) 720-3301/www.anthonysylvan.com ALFRED NICKLES BAKERY INC. (5) 26 N. Main St., Navarre 44662 (330) 879-5635/www.nicklesbakery.com INFOCISION MANAGEMENT CORP. 325 Springside Drive, Akron 44333 (330) 668-1400/www.infocision.com DONLEY'S INC. 5430 Warner Road, Cleveland 44125 (216) 524-6800/www.donleyinc.com THE RUHLIN CO. 6931 Ridge Road, Sharon Center 44274 (330) 239-2800/www.ruhlin.com STEP2 CO. LLC (5) 10010 Aurora-Hudson Road, Streetsboro 44241 (330) 656-0440/www.step2.com FORTNEY & WEYGANDT INC. 31269 Bradley Road, North Olmsted 44070 (440) 716-4000/www.fortneyweygandt.com CAVALIERS OPERATING CO. LLC (6) 46 1 Center Court, Cleveland 44115 (216) 420-2000/www.nba.com/cavaliers 47 HILITE INDUSTRIES INC. (4) 127 Public Square, #4100, Cleveland 44114 (216) 771-6700/www.hilite.com 48 49 50 51 52 53 54 55 56 57 58 59 60 DOTS INC. (4) 30801 Carter St., Solon 44139 (440) 349-7000/www.dots.com FAMILY HERITAGE LIFE INSURANCE CO. OF AMERICA 6001 E. Royalton Road, Suite 200, Broadview Heights 44147 (440) 922-5200/www.familyheritagelife.com APPLE AMERICAN GROUP (4) 6200 Oak Tree Blvd., Suite 250, Cleveland 44131 (216) 525-2775/www.appleamerican.com COMDOC INC. 3458 Massillon Road, Uniontown 44685 (330) 899-8000/www. comdocinc.com ATLANTIC TOOL & DIE CO. 19963 Progress Drive, Strongsville 44149 (440) 238-6931/www.atlantictool.com STATE INDUSTRIAL PRODUCTS CORP. (4) 3100 Hamilton Ave., Cleveland 44114 (216) 861-7114/www.stateindustrial.com COUNTRY PURE FOODS INC. (5) 681 W. Waterloo Road, Akron 44314 (330) 753-2293/www.countrypurefoods.com WOLFF BROS. SUPPLY INC. 6078 Wolff Road, Medina 44256 (330) 725-3451/www.wolffbros.com NACSCORP 528 E. Lorain St., Oberlin 44074 (440) 775-7777/www.nacscorp.com WACO SCAFFOLDING & EQUIPMENT 4545 Spring Road, Cleveland 44131 (216) 749-8900/www.wacoscaf.com GOJO INDUSTRIES INC. (5) 1 GoJo Plaza, Suite 500, Akron 44311 (330) 255-6000/www.gojo.com PANZICA CONSTRUCTION CO. (5) 739 Beta Drive, Mayfield Village 44143 (440) 442-4300/www.panzica.com R.W. SIDLEY INC. (4) 436 Casement Ave., Painesville 44077 440-352-9343/www.rwsidley.com Estimated revenue (millions) 2007 2006 Number of local employees Year founded Type of business Top executive $206.0 $206.0 NA 1946 Professional football team Randolph P. Lerner owner $205.0 $208.0 316 1933 Distributor of HVAC, plumbing, PVF, industrial, building products and training Marc Blaushild president, CEO $200.0 $200.0 500 1916 Manufactures plumbing products Gary A. Oatey chairman $196.0 $185.0 85 1920 Wholesale distribution and conversion of fine Katherine M. Mlakar paper and paper board chairman of the board $188.1 $171.9 386 1911 Legal services David J. Hooker, managing partner Michael L. Hardy, partner-in-charge, Cleveland $185.3 $171.4 92 1895 Manufactures roofing, flooring, coatings, sealants and maintenance systems for commercial, industrial, institutional buildings David Sokol president, COO $185.0 $172.0 320 2002 National value-added reseller and direct Michael Trebilcock marketer of information technology solutions CEO $181.0 $158.0 NA 1901 Professional baseball team $180.0 $180.0 NA 1992 D. Neidus Residential and commercial swimming pools Stuart chairman, CEO $176.2 NA NA 1909 Manufactures fresh and frozen bread David Gardner president $173.0 $154.0 2,082 1982 Teleservices company specializing in sales, customer care and nonprofit fundraising Gary Taylor, chairman Carl Albright, president, CEO $169.0 $108.0 225 1892 Design/builder, construction manager and general contractor, self-performs concrete construction Malcolm M. Donley president, CEO $163.5 $142.0 210 1915 Building, industrial and heavy civil construction and construction management James L. Ruhlin president, CEO $161.7 NA 534 1990 Manufactures plastic toys, lawn and garden products Scott Levin president, CEO $153.6 $122.9 210 1978 National account general contractor, serving Robert L. Fortney commercial, retail, hospitality, institutional president and multi-family markets $152.0 $115.0 NA 1970 Professional basketball team Daniel Gilbert owner $145.4 $145.4 267 1986 Manufactures precision automotive components Joseph W. Carreras chairman, CEO $136.7 $136.7 NA 1983 Women's clothing stores Robert A. Glick president, CEO $120.6 $102.5 97 1989 Provider of life and supplemental health insurance Howard L. Lewis president, CEO $119.3 $119.3 NA 2001 Casual dining Jim Gamelin senior vice president $116.0 $113.0 375 1955 Sales and service of document management systems, including copiers, printers, W. Riley Lochridge scanners, facsimile and multifunction chairman, CEO machines. $110.0 $100.0 NA 1937 Metal stampings Frank Mehwald chairman, CEO $104.2 $105.0 243 1911 Manufactures, distributes specialty chemicals, cleaning solutions, equipment, maintenance products Harold Uhrman CEO $104.0 NA NA 1995 Manufactures fruit drinks Raymond Lee CEO $103.0 $107.8 179 1965 Wholesale electrical, plumbing, HVAC, lighting and cabinetry Howard E. Wolff president, CEO $87.1 $83.1 84 1963 Distributor of books and general Kurt Schoen merchandise products to collegiate retailers president, COO $87.0 $93.0 90 1954 Sales, rental and erection of scaffolding Marty Coughlin president, CEO $83.3 $83.3 NA 1946 Inventor of Purell Instant Hand Sanitizer; manufactures skin care products Joseph Kanfer president, CEO $82.0 $82.0 NA 1956 General contractor, construction management, design/build Anthony M. Panzica president, CEO $81.4 $88.0 NA 1933 Construction materials Robert Buesher CEO, president Lawrence J. Dolan owner, CEO CCLB 06-09-08 A 23 CCLB 6/5/2008 10:08 AM Page 1 JUNE 9-15, 2008 Company Address Rank Phone/Web site 61 62 63 64 65 66 PATIO ENCLOSURES INC. 700 E. Highland Road, Macedonia 44056 (330) 468-0700/www.patioenclosuresinc.com EAST MANUFACTURING CORP. 1871 State Route 44, Randolph 44265 (330) 325-9921/www.eastmfg.com ADVIZEX TECHNOLOGIES LLC (4) 6480 Rockside Woods Blvd. S., Suite. 190, Independence 44131 (216) 901-1818/www.advizex.com COLUMBIA NATIONAL GROUP INC. (4) 6600 Grant Ave., Cleveland 44105 (216) 883-4972 JERGENS INC. (5) 15700 S. Waterloo Road, Cleveland 44110 (216) 486-2100/www.jergensinc.com VALLEY FORD TRUCK SALES INC. (5) 5715 Canal Road, Cleveland 44125 (216) 524-2400/www.valleyfordtruck.com CRAIN’S CLEVELAND BUSINESS WWW.CRAINSCLEVELAND.COM Estimated revenue (millions) 2007 2006 Number of local employees Year founded Type of business Top executive $80.0 $84.0 220 1966 Manufacturer, installer of sunrooms, solariums, Kenneth Sekley conservatories president, CEO $79.0 $115.0 330 1968 Manufactures trailer bodies; wholesale truck parts and accessories David J. Tate president $73.0 NA 75 1975 Information technology provider of e-services, mission critical, enterprise management solutions Alfred A. Traversi president, CEO $63.0 $63.0 NA 1926 Scrap and waste materials David Miller president $56.2 $49.5 120 1942 Special dies, tools, fixtures Jack H. Schron, Jr. president $52.0 -- NA 1964 New and used truck sales, leasing, service and Brian E. O'Donnell parts COO 67 YODER BROS. INC. (4) 115 Third St. S.E., Barberton 44203 (330) 745-2143/www.yoder.com $48.7 $48.7 NA 1920 Nursery and floriculture production William G. Rasbach president, CEO 68 AMERICAN SPRING WIRE CORP. (5) 26300 Miles Road, Bedford Heights 44146 (216) 292-4620/www.americanspringwire.com $47.1 -- NA 1968 Manufactures spring wire and strand cable Timothy W. Selhorst president, CEO $38.0 $110.0 78 1878 Consulting, architecture, engineering and B. Flanagan construction services for industrial, commercial Patrick president and government clients $35.0 NA NA 1952 Electrical construction Peter J. Corogin president, CEO $28.7 -- 60 1938 Contract chemical manufacturing, cleaning services to food processing industry Daniel N. Zelman CEO $27.9 $7.0 48 1956 General contractor, construction management, Dominic L. Ozanne project management president, CEO $23.6 NA 215 2003 Full-service law firm Curtiss L. Isler managing partner $15.7 $14.7 100 1983 Manufactures firefighting apparel Bill Burke president $15.0 NA 73 1995 Creators of Virtual Hold software Mark Williams president 69 70 71 72 73 74 75 THE AUSTIN CO. 6095 Parkland Blvd., Cleveland 44124 (440) 544-2600/www.theaustin.com LAKE ERIE ELECTRIC INC. (5) 25730 First St., Westlake 44145 (440) 835-5565/www.leeinc.com PARO SERVICES CORP. (5) 8679 Freeway Drive, Macedonia 44056 (330) 467-1300/www.royalchemical.com OZANNE CONSTRUCTION CO. 1635 E 25th St., Cleveland 44114 (216) 696-2876/www.ozanne.com TUCKER ELLIS & WEST LLP (4) 925 Euclid Ave., Suite 1150, Cleveland 44115 (216) 592-5000/www.tuckerellis.com FIRE-DEX LLC 780 S. Progress Drive, Medina 44256 (330) 723-0000/www.fire-dex.com VIRTUAL HOLD TECHNOLOGY LLC (4) 137 Heritage Woods Drive, Akron 44321 (800) 854-1815/www.virtualhold.com 23 Source: Information is supplied by the companies unless footnoted. Crain’s Cleveland Business does not independently verify the information and there is no guarantee these listings are complete or accurate. Information provided by outside sources may contain 2006 data. We welcome all responses to our lists and will include omitted information or clarifications in coming issues. Business lists and The Book of Lists are available to purchase at www.crainscleveland.com. (1) The Am Law 100, The American Lawyer, May, 2008. (2) From Forbes, The Largest Private Cos. List, 11-08-07. (3) From Chain Drug Review, May, 2006. (4) From Hoover’s Online. (5) From Business & Company Resource Center, Gale Cengage Learning. (6) From Forbes.com. RESEARCHED BY Deborah W. Hillyer and Kim Ratliff-Null OVERWHELMED BY OPTIONS FACING YOUR BUSINESS? Confused by which direction to take? Look to Roetzel & Andress for the legal guidance you need. Our more than 230 attorneys, practicing in over 40 areas of law, can provide sound legal counsel, regardless of your industry or the challenges your business faces. Our attorneys represent clients on local, regional, national and international issues and strive to offer high quality legal counsel that exceeds our clients’ expectations. Learn more about Roetzel & Andress at www.ralaw.com. PA R T N E R I N G F O R S U C C E S S 222 South Main Street l Akron, OH 44308 l 330.376.2700 One Cleveland Center, Ninth Floor l 1375 East Ninth St. l Cleveland, OH 44114 l 216.623.0150 A K RO N C I N C I N N AT I C L E V E L A N D CO LU M B U S F O R T M Y E R S N A P L E S O R L A N D O TA L L A H A S S E E TO L E D O WA S H I N G TO N , D .C . CCLB 06-09-08 A 24 CCLB 24 6/5/2008 1:31 PM Page 1 CRAIN’S CLEVELAND BUSINESS Don Schwaller - Classified Manager Phone: (216) 771-5172 Fax: (216) 694-4264 E-mail: [email protected] WWW.CRAINSCLEVELAND.COM JUNE 9-15, 2008 REAL ESTATE Copy Deadline: Wednesdays @ 2:00 p.m. All Ads Pre-Paid: Check or Credit Card INDUSTRIAL SPACE CRESCO real estate 216.520.1200 • www.crescorealestate.com INDUSTRIAL 87,441 SF - SE - sale/lease - power - sprinklered - 8 docks - upgraded office - parking - near Rt. 422 - I-271 - Armand Aghajanian HOPKINS AIRPORT AREA - 26,250 square feet divisible - great highway access to I-480 and I-71 - Below $4.00/sf gross - Kevin Kelly STREETSBORO - pristine condition industrial building - 20,510 sf on 5.18 acres - 2 docks - 1 drive-in - expandable - many upgrades - must see - Simon Caplan, SIOR or Eliot Kijewski IDEAL OPPORTUNITY - 20,000 sf on 3.16 acres for lease or sale - divisible to 10,000 sf tenant could remain - 1985 construction - oversize DI’s - 8” floors - heavy power - rubber roof - secured yard - suburban location - Joe Barna, SIOR 14,000 SF OFFICE/WAREHOUSE - great visibility & access - owner just lowered asking price and will provide free rent as incentive - Matt Beesley, SIOR or Bob Garber, SIOR I-71/W. 150th STREET - 10,700 sf with 3,000 sf office - 1 dock & 1 drive-in - Fred Christie, SIOR USER/INVESTOR OPPORTUNITY - highly visible commercial building - 4,331 sf on .64 acres - 1,831 sf former medical office available - 2,500 sf leased for 4 years - Bob Garber, SIOR STRONGSVILLE CONDO FOR SALE - 2,205 sf warehouse with 400 sf office - 1 drive-in door - 14’ clear - Pamela Bertovich OFFICE SPACE FOR SALE OR LEASE 440-934-0013 Brokers Welcome Avon location – near Interchange Rt. 2 & Rt. 611 Office 1,270SF, Manufacturing 10,300SF, Dock, Grade Door, 480V Fire Sprinkler, Concrete Parking, Masonry/Steel Construction $5.90/SF NNN Blended Rate; Sale $870,000 List your Industrial, commercial or Retail Space Here! Crain’s Cleveland Business’ classifieds will help you fill that space.. Contact Don Schwaller at 216.771-5172 [email protected] $5 Sq. Ft. 1st Floor Office Space* Located at interchange of Route 18 and I-71: 5164 Normandy Parkway Medina, OH INDEPENDENCE Developer selling its remaining interest in newly-constructed, age-restricted luxury residential condo complex, 19 units out of 34 total, selling in bulk, located in Canton, next to medical, shops, golfing and entertainment. Call: Mark Abood Available Immediately www. independencecorporatecenter .com 24865 Detroit Rd. Westlake HQ Concept-Professionally Furnished Office Suites One/Two person suites, Secretarial/ Receptionist Service (Optional). Cleveland/ Akron Markets. 330 342 1006 INVESTMENT PROPERTY 1,300 sq. ft. First Floor Location 3,500 sq. ft. Third Floor Location * For 1st year on multi-year contract Hudson/Fairlawn, Ohio OWNERSHIP OPPORTUNITY - Cleveland/I-90 eastern suburbs - 3 buildings totaling 90,000 sf - visible at I-90 - office/education/redevelopment - Rico Pietro THE UPSIDE OF ROCKSIDE - new office construction - spaces now available - 20,000 to 132,000 sf - fast, four way Transportation Blvd access to I-480 - Tom West, SIOR SUBLEASE OPPORTUNITY - Rockside Road Office Market - 2nd floor of Park Center III 11,143 sf service and training space - term runs through July 2010 - Patrick Reardon, SIOR OFFICE BUILDING CUYAHOGA FALLS - owner/investor opportunity - clean, updated space in excellent location near Route 8 - Tyler Newman, CCIM INVESTMENT OPPORTUNITY 216-674-0525 [email protected] (Broker/Owner) OFFICE 7100 E. Pleasant Valley Rd. Award Winning Building Offering Class A Office Space 2,300 sq. ft. - 5,000 sq. ft. available! Call Troy at Gerspacher Real Estate Group 330.722.5002 WESTSIDE LEASE - office/warehouse or all office from 150 to 3,200 sf on I-90 in Westlake - Ken Anderson FOR SALE SANDUSKY, OHIO - car and truck wash 101 - located on SR 101 - just south of the Rt. 2 exit ramp - 3 truck bays, 3 car bays (2 self serve, I automatic) - Joe Solkiewicz 102 RESIDENTIAL BUILDING LOTS IN SHEFFIELD LAKE - 26 developed (Elm St.) and 76 undeveloped (Oak St. and Parkview Dr.) - George Pofok, CCIM or Joe Barna, SIOR For sale $650,000 or lease up to 5,700 square feet. Includes 18 private offices, 2 conference rooms, 5 restrooms, large private reception area, 5 separate entrances including ramped entryway, large atrium area, full kitchen, 23 parking spaces incl. handicap + storage. Call Carolyn @ 440-759-9903 PRICE REDUCED! Chartwell Group/TCN Worldwide Tel: 216-839-2027 www.chartwellgroup.com Apartments / Condos Nursing Facilities Existing 14.8 acreage only, Zoned seniors use, 222 units Broadview Hts. (Cleve) Child care location near school Cleveland /Garfield 440-582-3009 LAND Industrial Sites Sell / Build to suit 2-20 acres, Avon 6 Acres, Sheffield 75 Acres, Sheffield Gerent’s Realty 440.949.2505 Luxury Property List your high-end real estate here for great high-end exposure. Discount rates available. Contact Don Schwaller (216) 771-5172 OFFICE/RETAIL SPACE EUCLID East 200th Street For daily on-line updates, sign up @ CrainsCleveland.com/Daily Commercial/Office/Retail. Remodeled 2,400 sq. ft. building. Newer Windows, Door, Heat, A/C, Parking lot, Garage. $147,500.No Brokers 216-738-4444 CLASSIFIED BUSINESS SERVICES SPORTS & ENTERTAINMENT BE PART OF THE BROWNS EXCITEMENT THIS FALL First level Founder's Suite location between the 30-35 yard lines. 20 tickets, 4 parking passes and 6 suite guest passes, per game. Food and beverage service is available. Available games: 8/7 @ 7:30 p.m. - New York Jets 11/2 @ 1:00 p.m. - Baltimore Ravens 9/14 @ 8:15 p.m. - Pittsburgh Steelers 11/23 @ 1:00 p.m. - Houston Texans 10/13 @ 8:30 p.m. - New York Giants 12/21 @ 1:00 p.m. - Cincinnati Bengals For more information contact Noreen at 440-519-8182 Cleveland-based firm with Suites INTERNET MARKETING SOLUTION Promote your business online. $600-$1000 monthly. Call BHP marketing, and start earning more online! 216 287 7062 FINANCIAL SERVICES CAPITAL AVAILABLE If you have an opportunity that requires funding but does not fit traditional banking parameters - contact us. We do not fund senior/mezzanine debt or working capital. We focus on special situations with investment size ranging from $500k to $10 million. Total committed capital of $100 million. We have an in-house legal team, can think "outside of the box" and act quickly. Please refer to www.etccapital.com or call 248560-0203 ext. 101 for more information. Indians/Browns/Cavs Lake Erie Monsters Arena Football Looking for partner(s) to share throughout the seasons. Interested parties should send contact info to: Attn: Suites, P.O. Box 451100, Westlake, Ohio 44145. Classified Ads WORK! DON’T FORGET: Crain’s Cleveland Business on-line @ CrainsCleveland.com For all the latest business news...online CCLB 06-09-08 A 25 CCLB 6/6/2008 3:46 PM Page 1 JUNE 9-15, 2008 CRAIN’S CLEVELAND BUSINESS WWW.CRAINSCLEVELAND.COM Centers: Portfolio split could be beneficial continued from PAGE 3 likely takers for such a substantial portfolio. However, he said individual buyers might be attracted to individual properties if Edens & Avant will sell any of them singly. Although the exit of Tops from Northeast Ohio means investors will scrutinize the centers more closely than in the past, Mr. Wiles said, “the appetite is still there for grocery-anchored centers.” Vacancy in the properties ranges from as little as 2% at Buckeye Plaza in Cleveland to 15% at both Shaker Towne Centre, a 74,000-squarefoot center in Shaker Heights, and Broadway Shoppes, a 129,000-square-foot shopping center in Cleveland’s Slavic Village neighborhood. Cleveland Councilman Tony Brancatelli, whose Ward 12 includes Slavic Village, said he believes the neighborhood’s oft-reported high number of foreclosed properties is less an issue for the center than worsening economic times. He said Edens & Avant dramatically improved the center during its ownership. Joyce Braverman, Shaker Heights planning director, attributed part of Shaker Town Center’s vacancy to the company dropping regionally based representation two years ago and leasing the center from Washington, D.C., as other centers nearby in the suburb are landing new tenants. ■ 25 EDENS & AVANT NORTHEAST OHIO PROPERTIES Center name Address Anchors Fairlawn Town Centre 2855 W. Market St., Fairlawn Target, Giant Eagle, Marc’s Shaker Towne Centre 16601 Chagrin Blvd., Shaker Heights Heinen’s, CVS 10604 Lorain Ave., Cleveland Giant Eagle, A.J. Wright 11301 Buckeye Road, Cleveland Giant Eagle, Family Dollar 1795 Snow Road, Parma Giant Eagle Columbia-Detroit Center 1502 Columbia Road, Westlake Rego’s Fresh Market, KeyBank Broadway Shoppes 6801 Broadway Ave., Cleveland Aldi 8555 Market St., Mentor Tops Market (empty) 1585 Mentor Ave., Painesville Tops Market (empty) Westown Square Buckeye Plaza Snow View Plaza Mentor Center Painesville Center SOURCE: EDENS & AVANT CLASSIFIED Crain’s Executive Recruiter SALES EXECUTIVES NEEDED An international company in Solon seeks four sales account executives to sell in a fast-paced environment. See the job description below. ACCOUNT EXECUTIVES Brokers & Financial Planners Cedar Brook Financial Partners LLC, one of Cleveland’s largest and fastest growing independent comprehensive financial planning and wealth management firms, seeks to add a few experienced professionals who have enjoyed a successful track record of building client relationships. We offer our wealth advisors the complete support of both a financial planning department and an insurance services division, ready access to our chief investment officer, an on-site compliance officer, a group benefits division, a retirement plans division and on-site MIS support. By providing these critical support services and cutting out the middle man, we free our wealth advisors to focus on gathering new clients and building deeper relationships with existing clients, thereby providing you more opportunities to enhance your compensation by keeping more of the revenue you earn. One of the driving factors of our success to date has been our culture of collaboration among advisors, as contrasted with the traditional silo approach prevalent in the industry. Our clients benefit as do advisors. If you are an independent financial advisor and feel overwhelmed by the increasing complexities of running your practice, or if you are part of a large corporate environment and feel that your entrepreneurial spirit is being stifled by corporate mandates, please contact Jeffrey Biggar, Chief Operating Officer, for a confidential exploratory discussion that could change your lifestyle and/or your clients’. Please call 440-6839310 or e-mail at [email protected]. Our website is www:cedarbrookfinancial.com. Securities offered through Securities America, Inc., member FINRA/SIPC, www.finra.org/www.sipc.org. Advisory services offered through Securities America Advisors, Inc., an SEC Registered Investment Advisor. Cedar Brook Financial Partners LLC and Securities America are unaffiliated. Candidates must have at least 5 years of outstanding sales performance experience. Documentation proving candidate was in the top 5-10% of their company’s sales force is required. Must be an aggressive and polished deal maker, and have a bachelor’s degree. We are looking for the “best of the best.” Excellent earnings, benefits and potential for growth. Some travel required. First year potential of $120K; second year potential of $250K. CONTROLLER NEEDED A controller is needed to oversee the finances of an independently held company in Solon. See the job description below. CONTROLLER Candidate directs the financial affairs of the organization and prepares financial analyses of operations, including interim and final financial statements with supporting schedules, for the guidance of management. The Controller is responsible for the company's financial plans and policies, its accounting practices, the conduct of its relationships with lending institutions and the financial community, the maintenance of its fiscal records, and the preparation of financial reports. The position involves supervision over general accounting, property accounting, internal auditing, cost accounting, and budgetary controls. Qualified candidates are invited to send their cover letter and resume to: [email protected] (Postion title MUST apprear in the subject line of your e mail in order to be submitted) Associate Editor Waste News is seeking an Associate Editor for its Akron office. Primary responsibilities for this position include editing stories as well as the design and layout of pages. It also includes management of the Web site, special projects and departments. This position may involve some writing, but that is not a primary responsibility. Experience with story editing as well as design and layout of pages is a must. It's preferred that candidates possess Web site management experience. If interested in this position please visit www.crain.com to apply. We thank you for your interest in Crain Communications. Crain Communications is an Equal Opportunity Employer. POSITION WANTED CFO POSITION WANTED President and CEO The Arthritis Foundation seeks a forward-thinking executive to lead its Cleveland Chapter. This exciting opportunity will give a proven professional with diversified fundraising skills the chance to build on the Chapter’s financial, program and organizational strengths. In this position, you’ll be responsible for major development priorities including corporate relations, annual giving program, special events and cultivating and soliciting major gifts. We’ll count on you to use your excellent communication skills to recruit and work with top-level corporate and community leaders and to lead and motivate staff teams. To qualify, you must have a bachelor’s degree with at least 7 years’ experience. Operational, management, budgeting and strategic planning skills required. We offer competitive salary and benefits. To apply, send a cover letter with salary requirements and resume by e-mail to: chapterresumes@ arthritis.org Equal Opportunity Employer A Better Way to Recruit Crain’s Cleveland Business EXECUTIVE RECRUITER To Post Your Open Positions Call 216.771.5172 ___ All Positions Available ads will appear on Crain’s Website Due to growth, a Cleveland-based, commercial real estate development company with a diverse portfolio that includes lifestyle and mixed use developments located throughout the Midwest has two immediate opportunities: DEVELOPMENT MANAGER - The successful candidate will report directly to the senior officers of the company and will lead all aspects of site planning, zoning, permitting, entitlements and construction document preparation. Minimum of five years experience with proven ability to manage third party contractors, meet deadlines, budgets and work independently. Educational background in Architecture, Engineering or Construction Management is preferred. Working knowledge of Microsoft Office and travel is required. LEASING MANAGER – The successful candidate will report directly to the senior officers of the company and will lead all aspects of merchandising, prospecting, negotiations and tenant build out. Minimum of five years experience in commercial real estate leasing with proven ability to meet deadlines and work independently. Preference will be given to candidates who have relevant experience with retail leasing. Working knowledge of Microsoft Office and travel is required. Private company specialist. 25 year veteran with all of the academic credentials and professional accomplishments and contacts you are looking for. SHARP - RESULTS - TEAM PLAYER - LEADER Where to find your professional! Confidential box numbers available @ $35 per ad. Please submit your cover letter with salary requirements and resume to: [email protected] [email protected] CALL DON SCHWALLER AT 216.771.5172 (Position title MUST be in the subject line) CCLB 06-09-08 A 26 CCLB 26 6/6/2008 4:50 PM Page 1 CRAIN’S CLEVELAND BUSINESS WWW.CRAINSCLEVELAND.COM JUNE 9-15, 2008 THEINSIDER THEWEEK JUNE 2 - 8 The big story: Continental Airlines Inc. told employees that it plans to cut its work force by 3,000 workers and trim its flights by 8.3% by the end of this year to reduce expenses in the face of rising fuel costs. The company would not be more specific about the cuts until it has talked to its employees over the next week. Cleveland airports director Ricky Smith said city-run Cleveland Hopkins International Airport will examine operations to reduce costs in light of the Continental announcement. Continental, as the largest carrier at Hopkins, ultimately pays a large portion of the airport’s operating costs. The Houston-based airline has more than 5,000 employees in the Cleveland area. Intel inside: TOA Technologies Inc., a logistics software company in Beachwood, received a $13 million investment from investors led by Intel Capital, the global investment arm of computer chip maker Intel Corp. of Santa Clara, Calif. The investment includes money from existing TOA investors Draper Triangle Ventures of Pittsburgh and Early Stage Partners of Cleveland, as well as private investors. TOA develops software that gives customers a more precise estimate of when technicians or delivery people will show up at their homes. Proceeds from the investment will be used “to accelerate business growth in new geographies and vertical markets and fuel continued technological innovation,” said Yuval Brisker, president and CEO of TOA. Shifting gears: The Lordstown plant of General Motors Corp. is emerging as a winner as the big automaker realigns its production operations to adjust to consumer demands for more fuel-efficient vehicles. GM plans to add a third shift in September to its plants in Lordstown and Orion, Mich., which are building what the automaker called “hot-selling Chevy and Pontiac cars.” However, it will be closing four plants that produce medium-duty trucks. Those plants include the operation in Moraine, Ohio, near Cincinnati. Production in Moraine will conclude at the end of the 2010 model run, if not sooner. This deal has to be good: J.M. Smucker Co. struck another deal with Procter & Gamble Co., this time exchanging a big piece of the jellymaker for P&G’s Folgers coffee business. Orrville-based Smucker signed a definitive agreement to acquire Folgers in an all-stock transaction valued at $3.3 billion, including the assumption of an estimated $350 million of Folgers debt. As part of the ISTOCKPHOTO transaction, Smucker will issue a one-time special dividend of $5 a share to Smucker shareholders prior to the merger, calling the payout “a clear indication of the strength of the combined business.” Smucker’s previous deal with P&G involved the 2002 acquisition by Smucker of P&G’s Jif peanut butter and Crisco shortening businesses. Less-great expectations: Hit by what it called “the unprecedented downturn in the U.S. housing market and rapidly rising raw material cost increases,” Sherwin-Williams Co. revised sharply downward its earnings expectations for all of 2008. The paintmaker says it now anticipates diluted earnings per share for 2008 will be in the range of $3.60 to $4.10 per share. That’s down markedly from its previous range of $4.70 to $4.85 per share. Sherwin-Williams earned $4.70 a share in 2007. The company expects sales for all of 2008 will be slightly lower than in 2007. To keep up with local business news as it happens, visit www.crainscleveland.com. REPORTERS’ NOTEBOOK BEHIND THE NEWS WITH CRAIN’S WRITERS You, too, can buy this stock cheap, just like the big guys ■ Longtime shareholders of National City Corp. who were upset that they didn’t get to buy the company’s stock for $5 a share when the troubled financial concern received its $7 billion capital infusion a few weeks back had their chance to do so last Friday, June 6. The stock of National City was trading below $5 a share that morning after The Wall Street Journal reported that the company’s banking unit, beset by a rising number of bad loans, had entered into a “memorandum of understanding” with federal regulators, effectively putting the bank on probation. The confidential agreement with the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency was entered into over the past month, The Journal reported. The newspaper said such agreements give banks an opportunity to work with federal regulators “to address serious financial problems without triggering alarm among depositors.” The report caused the price of National City’s stock to open last Friday at $5.01, down from its Thursday close of $5.35. It would trade for good parts of the day below the $5 mark and closed at $4.95. Investors led by private equity firm Corsair Capital agreed in April to put $7 billion into National City; in exchange, they were able to buy National City’s stock at $5 a share. The inability of individual shareholders who had owned the stock for decades to get in on that deal caused grumbling at the company’s annual meeting April 29, and forced National City CEO Peter WHAT’S NEW Raskind to explain, “It was simply a matter of speed.” Now the market has taken care of that issue. — Mark Dodosh transmission and axle oil, Mr. Pirozzola said. “Our sales people were blown away,” he said. — Chuck Soder It takes a village to build a company Can you get a version that plays on Wii? ■ Lubrizol Corp.’s newest sales tool looks like it belongs in an arcade. The Wickliffe specialty chemical company’s Driveline division for the past eight months has been using a customized driving simulator to help its sales force and its customers feel exactly what kind of automobile problems its oil additives are meant to solve. Those who sit in the driver seat use a steering wheel to maneuver their on-screen car around a three-dimensional race track that looks like it was lifted from a PlayStation game — except for the Lubrizol name on walls and banners all over the course. The seat, meanwhile, shakes drivers in different ways depending on what setting they choose. One setting causes the seat to rock when the automatic transmission changes gears, and another makes it feel like the imaginary vehicle is going over rumble strips once it passes 40 mph. Arizona-based InMotion Simulation LLC built the simulator with Lubrizol’s help for less than $50,000, said project marketing manager Paul Pirozzola. It has been popular among both customers and the sales team, who now are quicker to understand and get excited about the additives they sell for ■ Tyler Village is huge, but its tenants don’t have to be. Graystone Properties Inc. is remodeling 21,000 square feet within the former home of Tyler Elevator Products to provide offices for startup technology companies, said David Fleming, leasing agent for the Cleveland developer. The space will be on the second, third and fourth floors of building 31, which had been the elevator company’s administrative offices. The first floor eventually will have a coffee bar, a conference room, a fax machine and a copier. The offices, which should be finished within three months, are better suited to startups than most space within the 1.2 million-square-foot industrial complex, which is filled mainly by large, open spaces. “You start off with us, and you’re going to have room to grow once your business grows,” Mr. Fleming said. Graystone has been working to attract tech companies to the Superior Avenue plant for about two years. The developer hopes the startups benefit from the presence of more established businesses and a group of entrepreneurs called the Founders Café that meets monthly on the first floor. — Chuck Soder STOCKS 10 BEST PERFORMERS COMPANY: Diversified Fall Protection Inc., Cleveland PRODUCT: Quick-Safe Truck Tarping System Diversified Fall Protection says its new system allows truck drivers to tarp loads without getting on top of the truck or load itself, reducing the chance of an injury. The remote controlled operation “allows the driver to stay safely on the ground while the tarping system does all the work,” Diversified Fall Protection says. “There is no heavy lifting to get the tarps on top of the load or straining to get the tarp pulled over the load.” Diversified Fall Protection says the system cuts tarping time in half and gets drivers back on the road quicker, saving them time and money. The company, founded in 1994, makes fall-arrest and fall-restraint systems, as well as personal protective equipment, for a variety of industries. For information, visit www.fallprotect.com. Send new product information to managing editor Scott Suttell at [email protected]. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. COMPANY CLOSE 6/6 WEEK’S % CHANGE 52-WK HIGH 52-WK LOW Associated Estates Realty (AEC) Steris Corp. (STE) Chart Industries Inc. (GTLS) Jo-Ann Stores Inc. (JAS) Invacare Corp. (IVC) Olympic Steel Inc. (ZEUS) Ferro Corp. (FOE) Omnova Solutions Inc. (OMN) Nordson Corp. (NDSN) American Greetings Corp. (AM) 13.02 32.84 45.25 23.97 18.92 66.76 19.86 3.68 73.07 18.88 11.09 8.56 8.02 6.49 4.07 2.74 2.58 1.94 1.70 1.18 16.20 33.09 45.58 32.09 27.75 68.76 999.99 6.50 74.96 29.10 8.05 20.71 21.71 9.03 16.13 21.79 13.52 2.84 42.30 16.95 COMPANY CLOSE 6/6 WEEK’S % CHANGE 52-WK HIGH 52-WK LOW DataTrak International (DATA) National City Corp. (NCC) TransDigm Group (TDG) Sifco Industries Inc. (SIF) KeyCorp (KEY) Sherwin-Williams Co. (SHW) Goodyear Tire & Rubber (GT) Brush Engineered Materials (BW) Parker Hannifin Corp. (PH) LNB Bancorp Inc. (LNBB) 0.50 4.95 37.23 11.00 17.30 50.19 23.11 30.58 78.17 10.27 -18.76 -15.24 -14.61 -13.45 -11.15 -10.61 -9.05 -8.47 -7.68 -6.64 5.07 34.62 51.60 26.26 37.09 73.96 36.90 58.74 86.91 15.84 0.26 4.75 33.74 9.80 17.24 49.91 22.27 23.77 58.10 9.65 CLOSE 6/6 WK’S VOL. (in thousands) 52-WK HIGH 52-WK LOW 34.62 37.09 25.16 36.90 32.09 73.96 999.99 104.12 86.91 60.20 4.75 17.24 15.00 22.27 9.03 49.91 56.39 66.27 58.10 32.20 10 WEAKEST PERFORMERS 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 10 MOST ACTIVE COMPANY 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. National City Corp. (NCC) KeyCorp (KEY) Progressive Corp. (PGR) Goodyear Tire & Rubber (GT) Jo-Ann Stores Inc. (JAS) Sherwin-Williams Co. (SHW) Cleveland-Cliffs Inc. (CLF) Eaton Corp. (ETN) Parker Hannifin Corp. (PH) Developers Diversified (DDR) Source: FinancialContent Inc. 4.95 17.30 20.08 23.11 23.97 50.19 104.35 93.37 78.17 39.38 77,626 25,060 21,981 19,626 17,692 16,498 12,133 9,908 9,193 4,987 CCLB 06-09-08 A 27 CCLB 6/5/2008 10:08 AM Page 1 CCLB 06-09-08 A 28 CCLB 6/5/2008 10:20 AM Page 1 BMW 2008 328xi Sedan bmwusa.com 1-800-334-4BMW A Lease As Attractive As the Quattroporte Itself. The Ultimate Driving Machine® Horsepower and fuel efficiency, married at last. • xDrive, intelligent all-wheel-drive • 25 mpg hwy** SPECIAL LEASE AND FINANCE OPPORTUNITIES ON ALL REMAINING 2008 QUATTROPORTES Only one automobile can truly lay claim to what Car and Driver calls “The enthusiast’s luxury NOW THROUGH 6/15/08 sedan” — the 2008 Quattroporte. It’s the only sedan in the world with a Ferrari-engineered 400 hp ing what evo magazine describes as “the best handling super-sedan on the planet.” And, now $1,499 through June 15, all of the Quattroporte’s world-beating performance, style and exclusivity can be QUATTROPORTE yours for as little as $1,499.26 per month. Visit your local authorized Maserati dealer today to learn 39-Month Lease / 10,000 Miles Per Year $9,894.26 Due at Lease Signing V8 engine, supercar braking that bests all other luxury sedans, and a rearward weight bias deliver- * It may seem counterintuitive, but BMW developed an engine that improved both. A magnesium and aluminum engine block reduces weight, while Valvetronic technology manages valve timing and lift, allowing the engine to breathe more easily. In the 328xi, this means the inline six-cylinder, 230-HP engine provides a blissful union of fuel efficiency and performance. 399*/month for 36 months $ ON A NEW 2008 why the Maserati Quattroporte is the ultimate performance sedan. maseratiamerica.com/lease Special Leasing or 3.9% Financing Available from BMW Financial Services, LLC BMW Ultimate Service™ *ON APPROVED CREDIT. Available only at participating authorized Maserati Dealers through June 15, 2008 to qualified lessees with approved credit through Maserati Financial Services. Delivery by June 15, 2008 required. Subject to availability, quantities are limited. Required dealer contribution could affect price. Dealer prices will vary and affect lessee cost. Actual lease price determined by your authorized Maserati Dealer. Payments will also vary based on length of lease and options selected. Payment shown based on a 39-month closed-end lease for a new 2008 model year Quattroporte Automatic with MSRP of $126,310.00 (shown in picture with optional wheels). Total cash due at signing is $9,894.26, including capitalized cost reduction of $7,500.00, first month’s payment of $1,499.26 and $895.00 acquisition fee. No security deposit required. Total amount of monthly payments is $58,471.14. Purchase option at lease end for $58,593.00 plus taxes. Lessee is responsible for insurance, maintenance, repairs, $.60 per mile over 10,000 miles per year, excess wear and a $495.00 termination fee. Title, taxes, registration and dealer fees are extra. See your participating local authorized Maserati Dealer for details. ©2008 Maserati North America. All rights reserved. Maserati and the Trident logo are registered trademarks of Maserati SpA. Maserati urges you to obey all posted speed limits. MASERATI OF CLEVELAND Pay nothing. 4 years/50,000 miles. The most comprehensive maintenance plan (including wear and tear items) in its class.*** Brake Pads: $0 Brake Rotors: $0 Engine Belts: $0 Oil Changes: $0 Wiper Blade Inserts: $0 Scheduled Inspection: $0 BMW CLEVELAND • 6135 KRUSE DR. • SOLON • 1-866-210-6710 www.BMWCleveland.com * Lessee resp. for maint. and excess wear & tear. Total inception due at signing includes $400 ref. sec. dep. 36 mo. closed end lease with 10,000 mi/yr; 20 cents, thereafter. $399 1st pymt. + $400 ref. sec. dep. + $2,500 down payment = $3,299 due at lease signing. Ttl pymts. $14,364. Ttl. cost $16,684. ELPO: $21,741.50. Offer ends 6/30/08. Price includes all costs to be paid by the consumer, except for licensing, reg. fees & taxes. Not resp. for typos. Pictures are for illustrative purposes only. **EPA-estimated figures only. Your actual mileage will vary. *** All BMWs come with BMW Maintenance and Warranty standard for 4 years or 50,000 miles, whichever occurs first. Roadside Assistance comes standard for 4 years. BMW Assist comes standard for 4 years on every MY 2008 5 Series, MY 2007 6 Series and 7 Series vehicle and is available as part of the premium package on every MY 2007 3 Series, Z4, X3 and X5. ©2007 BMW of North America, LLC. The BMW name, model names and logo are registered trademarks. 6137 KRUSE DR. • SOLON • 1-866-210-6707 www.maseratiofcleveland.com Even motionless, it promises. S17A_QP_8x10.875.indd 1 6/4/08 2:45:01 PM 2008 RANGE ROVER SPORT 2007 Jaguar XK Convertible The grand-touring vehicles of the past cast a legendary romance over long-distance trips. With a unique combination of high-performance driving dynamics, refined styling and Land Rover capabilities. A grand tour of your own begins with a test drive at Land Rover Solon. 575 LEASES STARTING AT $ 24 MOS. Complimentary Scheduled Maintenance Included! 4 Years/50,000 Miles! LAND ROVER SOLON 6137 KRUSE DR.• SOLON • 1-866-210-6707 www.landroversolon.com * 24 month lease. Total due at signing $5,870 (Customer loyalty $2,000) includes 1st payment, $4,995 in Cap reduction, $595 acquisition fee. Tax, title and registration fees extra. Customer responsible for excess wear and tear. 10,500 miles per year. 20¢ per mile over. M.S.R.P. $60,700. Other Range Rover Sport’s available at similar savings. Stock # L01532. Expires 6/15/08. Introducing the breathtaking XK convertible, Jaguar´s latest, most muscled athletes. Shouldered and powerful as always, but sleeker now with aluminum bodyshell drawn taut across the chassis, these dramatic sports machines are purposefully trimmed and tuned for heart-pounding performance. Exhaust song, power, control and comfort await notice with bold assurance. Inside or out, coupe or convertible, there´s not an ounce of excess. But there is anticipation...because on the road, the XK commands. 999 LEASES $ STARTING AT 36 MOS. JAGUAR CLEVELAND 6137 KRUSE DR., SOLON • (440) 542-0601 www.jaguarcleveland.com DESIGNED FOR THE EXTRAORDINARY * 36 month lease. Total due at signing $6,294 includes 1st payment, $4,495 in Cap reduction, $695 acquisition fee. Tax, title and registration fees extra. Includes all rebates and incentives. Customer responsible for excess wear and tear. 12,000 miles per year. 18¢ per mile over. M.S.R.P. $83,375. Others available at similar savings. Picture for illustration purpose only. Stock # J01586. Expires 6/15/08. davis automotive group inc. 6135 Kruse Dr. • Solon • (440) 542-0600 • www.DavisAutomotive.com