Smart Business Magazine, December 2018

40 Smart Business Cleveland December 2018 2018Pill r Award for Community Service S tate Industrial Products has been a familyowned business for over a century The leaders of the company have always been heavily involved in community service initiatives and CEO Seth Uhrman is no exception He takes a hands on approach and rolls up his sleeves to deliver food baskets cut lawns or even spend a couple hours in jail for a good cause The company seeks to convey a message that it isnt just writing checks to charities It is striving to take a more active role in interacting with civic leaders and the people they serve Over the past five years State Industrial Products has become a major supporter of the Make A Wish Foundation and was honored in May for donating more than 100000 to help grant wishes to children with critical illnesses The fundraising endeavors have been creative enough to garner media attention but more importantly have brought employees and the local community closer together For example in 2015 employees orchestrated an elaborate raid involving the mayor of Mayfield Heights and local police officers Eight top executives were arrested and jailed with bail set for 5000 Within the two hour window they were given to raise the money and secure their release they had brought in more than 10000 in donations for Make A Wish In 2016 the company transformed its offices into a superhero city to support a local childs wish for a game room Employees organized and participated in the reveal party dressing up in costume delivering surprise gifts and generally going above and beyond to make it a memorable event for everyone involved State Industrial Products Seth Uhrman CEO P I L L A R AWA R D H O N O R E E I t all started with a simple Relay for Life event held in the summer of 2010 and has evolved into so much more In the eight years since employees at The Garland Co Inc led by President David Sokol have used their Spirit Week initiative to raise more than 400000 for charities in Northeast Ohio and across the country Over time its also become a way for employees to support each other during their own moments of need The first opportunity came in 2012 when the wife of California based Garland sales rep Miles Taylor was diagnosed with Stage IV lung cancer at the age of 28 Not long after that one of Garlands own board members was also diagnosed with lung cancer Feeling helpless but wanting to show as much support as he could Garland decided its Spirit Week charity in 2013 would be the Bonnie J Addario Lung Cancer Foundation an organization that supports lung cancer research and advocacy and was providing help support and comfort to the Taylors through their long and difficult journey Sadly just three years later two more Garland family members received cancer diagnoses Heather Vogt a graphic designer and videographer in the companys marketing department for nearly two decades was diagnosed with breast cancer and the wife of Garlands general manager Scott Craft was diagnosed with a rare bile duct cancer that required a liver transplant Garlands employees rallied behind their colleagues and raised the largest Spirit Week donation ever 80573 for the Ohio Cancer Research fund a nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting aggressive cancer research The Garland Co Inc David Sokol president P I L L A R AWA R D H O N O R E E