Smart Business Magazine, August 2018

46 Smart Business Cleveland August 2018 Y E A R S I N B U S I N E S S CELEBRATING 73 Y E A R S I N B U S I N E S S CELEBRATING 77 Y E A R S I N B U S I N E S S CELEBRATING 75 BusinessLONGEVITYAWARDS2018 BizLongevity Junior Achievement of Greater Cleveland has built a legacy by providing life defining experiences for students teachers community members and business leaders Its classroom lessons are designed to add octane to school curriculums and help shape a students future contribution in a global economy The three pillars of the organization are career readiness entrepreneurship and financial literacy All programs focus on one or more of these three essential economic elements Today Junior Achievement of Greater Clevelands influence reaches over 41000 students annually in classrooms across Cuyahoga Geauga Lake and Lorain counties When Junior Achievement of Greater Cleveland was established in 1941 Clevelands industrial economy was at full throttle The city was second only to Detroit among American cities in the percentage of workers employed in industrial jobs Junior Achievement USA founded 22 years earlier was creating satellites throughout the nation including Cleveland to supplement standard high school curriculums with after school programs that prepared students for those vocations Today these same programs have grown to empower students of all ages to explore the roles people play in the economy Led by President Joe Faulhaber program offerings have expanded dramatically to serve the organizations mission of educating and preparing kids for success in the world Apple Growth Partners has undergone several changes since it was founded in 1943 by an accounting student named Jay Heinick Different leaders service offerings and company names dot the firms timeline each telling a different part of the story that would shape the companys future Seventy five years later Apple Growth Partners has more than 100 accountants business advisers and other experts in place and continues to grow Chuck Mullen joined the company in 2008 after the merger of Apple Growth Partners and Brott Mardis Co Mullen first joined as a shareholder and became head of the tax department a year later In 2016 he was named chairman replacing Dave Gaino as the firms leader One of the keys to Apple Growth Partners enduring success is its ability develop its own leadership candidates In 2013 the firm created the Growth Acceleration Program to fill its leadership gaps Six internal candidates were provided with soft skills management and business development training which helped solidify the firms future leadership group Acquisitions are another part of the equation Apple Growth Partners focuses on who it is acquiring and not how many dollars it is adding toward its revenue goal in its M A strategy The Rogers Co was founded in 1945 by scenic artist Van Rogers a pioneer in the display industry For over 70 years Rogers Co has been an award winning designer and manufacturer of branded environments such as trade shows and any place where communicating brand is vital With a mission to remain experts in experiential marketing the company offers state of the art solutions lightweight fabrics LED lighting and an array of digital products Process improvement is vital to the continued success of Rogers Co and the company is continually investing in advanced software for its designers and engineers to add efficiencies to its exhibit processes The company led by President Rick Busby has an extensive rental inventory which can be combined with a clients existing properties or used alone Rogers Co s clients will attest that the company is expert at designing and building unique displays that dramatically highlight their products Very early on Rogers Co offered an online ordering and inventory system for clients portable displays and graphics In addition the company is capable of serving as the show general contractor for private events and proprietary trade shows Rogers Co has shown that it continues to stay true to its core values while evolving and expanding its support for its employees and clients FOUNDED 1943 Chuck Mullen Chairman FOUNDED 1945 Rick Busby President FOUNDED 1941 Joe Faulhaber President