CONSULTANT BETS ON BOOMERANGS

GETTING AKRON NATIVES TO COME BACK HOME BEST STRATEGY FOR FUTURE, SAYS REBECCA RYAN AFTER ONE-YEAR STUDY

SOURCE: By Jim Mackinnon, Beacon Journal business writer

Whodathunk that one way to counter the brain drain of young professionals from greater Akron would involve boomerangs?

Well, business consultant Rebecca Ryan for one.

Only these particular boomerangs aren't the flat, curved sticks that you throw into the wind and wait while they wing their way back.

Ryan's boomerangs walk, talk and think -- they are the young people who grew up here or went to school here and then moved away.

And in Ryan's way of thinking, their return is a key to greater Akron's economic prosperity.

Work to woo these people back with a "Come Home To Greater Akron" campaign, Ryan told an early morning audience Wednesday at the Akron-Summit County Public Library in downtown Akron.

A year ago, the Greater Akron Chamber hired the founder of Wisconsin-based Next Generation Consulting to find ways to help the region grow and thrive. Ryan presented her final recommendations to more than 150 chamber members and others in the new library's auditorium. Her 50-page report and top recommendations can be read at the chamber's Web site, www.greaterakronchamber.org.

"These recommendations are like laundry. There will always be more to do," Ryan said.

The Akron area needs to play to its strengths and market itself to mid-career, college-educated people, she said.

ALREADY ABOVE AVERAGE

Contrary to what many people living here now may think, the region scores above or at national averages in the indexes that matter to the mid-career Generation Xers, those born between 1961 and 1981, Ryan said. Her firm developed the seven indexes.

The combined area of Summit, Portage and Medina counties scored higher than the national average in:

+ After hours activities -- what's available after work or on weekends -- including live music, arts and culture, sports and recreation. That's the most important category to so-called Generation Xers.

+ Commitment to clean air, water quality and green space.

+ Education, continuing education and re-education opportunities.

The region scored at the national average in earning and employment options; commitment to diversity and participation; ability to easily move around the area; and lifestyle costs.

Ryan's research was based on information culled from focus groups, surveys, visits to the area and government data.

The so-called boomerangers are looking for a place to buy a home, settle and perhaps raise a family, Ryan said.

VACANCIES BY 2007

Meanwhile, employers in the region will need to hire 4,726 people by 2007 to fill projected vacancies, Ryan said.

National demographics show that when the 71 million-member Baby Boom generation finally retires, there are only 59 million Generation Xers available to succeed them, according to Ryan's report.

"Regions and states suffering from 'brain drain' have not necessarily failed outright to attract and keep talent," Ryan's report says. "Even the most innovative economic development policy cannot fully redress such a shortage."

Even so, it's up to the Greater Akron Chamber, local governments and others in the community to find ways to recruit the 30-something mid-careerists to fill those vacancies, she said.

"I've done my part. Now it's up to you," Ryan said.

Some of the mid-careerists already living in Akron said they hoped a full-time staff person will be hired to help the networking groups cater to young professionals. Ryan's recommendations include finding a paid staffer to help four Akron area groups: Young Professionals of Akron, ArtCetera, Torchbearers and the Jaycees. Otherwise, time constraints could cause the all-volunteer groups to fail, Ryan said.

Leah Anglin, an economic development specialist with the city and president of Young Professionals of Akron, listened to Ryan's presentation. Anglin welcomed the help, joking that she feels as if she has two full-time jobs.

TOP FIVE SUGGESTIONS

Ryan's report said implementing the highest priorities will cost an estimated $1.15 million, then require ongoing funding of $668,500.

The five most urgent priorities out of 18 are:

+ $85,000: Develop a web-based portal for all of Greater Akron's after-hours activities. A survey shows young professionals find lots to do here, but they also don't have one single source to go to for comprehensive information, particularly online.

+ $125,000: Design a compelling "Come Home to Akron" campaign.

+ $17,500: Throw "Come Home to Akron" events in three to five cities with the greatest concentration of Akron area alumni, building on alumni lists from the University of Akron and Kent State University.

+ $22,000: Host "Come Home to Akron" events at Thanksgiving, when many former residents return to be with family and friends.

+ $400,000: Connect every resident of Greater Akron to a public park, trail or recreation area.

The chamber intends to follow through on the recommendations it is best suited for, which are largely related to marketing the region, said its president, Dan Colantone. Others in the community, such as political leaders and educators, will have to do their part to act on Ryan's recommendations, he said.

"We are going to incorporate a boomerang strategy," Colantone said.

While Ryan has concluded her consulting work with Akron, she starts a similar project in Canton on Monday. Her business has also conducted less-intense focus groups in Cleveland.

"Akron is ahead of Cleveland in how they are engaging young professionals," Ryan said.

For example, the Greater Akron Chamber has four seats on its board for young professionals, while its Cleveland counterpart has yet to take that step, she said.

"Akron is kind of a beacon for the region," Ryan said.

===============

'BRAIN DRAIN' TOUCHES NERVE

YOUNG PROFESSIONALS RESPOND WITH PASSION TO LOSS OF N.E. OHIO TALENT

ILLUSTRATION: PHOTO: KEN LOVE / Akron Beacon Journal SOURCE: By David Giffels

One called it a "magic moment."

One called it a "perfect storm."

One called it "our most important regional issue."

I'm willing to call it the infancy of a revolution.

I say that in light of the response to a column I wrote Sunday about "brain drain." The loss of young, talented professionals from our region may be an issue for statisticians and demographers, but it is also intensely personal and sparked with urgency.

You responded passionately, in long e-mails and phone conversations that reflected apprehension, hope and cynicism. One 26-year-old who is considering a move to Columbus filled the time limit on my voice mail four times over.

I heard from Lauren Stith, a 22-year-old about to complete her degree in anthropology at the University of Akron, struggling with the decision over her next step. She's from here and wants to stay here. She's newly married; she and her husband own a home in Ellet; she's been active in local affairs. But she doesn't know if she can start a career here.

"I'm a part of this place," she said. "It's more than just a city to me. There is the potential for this place to be something special. But I feel like I'm kind of in a void."

And I heard from Dr. Gerald Rushin, 34 years old. He was calling from his new home in Fairfax County, Va., on a cell phone that still has a 330 area code.

Rushin grew up in Akron, graduated from Firestone High School, earned a degree in veterinary medicine from Michigan State and a law degree from the University of Akron. He was a keeper, and he's gone.

"I was sad to leave Akron," he said. "But, financially, where I wanted to go -- it wasn't there."

DOUBLE-EDGED SWORD

And I heard from people like me, who have made the decision to stay, but now want validation that we were right.

We are, as a reader named Bill Bakan described, dancing on the blade of a double-edged sword. The decision to leave can be just as difficult as the decision to stay. Quality of life and career opportunities are the chief factors.

Concern over the loss of young talent is not unique to Akron. But what is becoming clear to me is that Akron has a rare opportunity to address it.

Akron, a city of 217,000, is large enough to provide opportunities and small enough that individuals can make a difference. It's maneuverable. Ideas can become reality here more easily than in larger cities.

Tiffany Graham Edwards, a 29-year-old who works for United Way of Summit County, described Akron as "large enough that you're close to the big city, but you're also only a couple of degrees removed from the CEOs."

The possibilities are easier to see here, creating an environment where idealism can be rewarded.

Akron natives under 40 are the first generation to grow up without the structure of the Rubber Capital of the World. For them, this ongoing notion of "establishing a new civic identity" presents an opportunity for creativity, to make the town their own.

This could be a "magic moment." There is a burgeoning movement, coming from the right places, to establish a new foundation.

On Tuesday, a new group called Torchbearers elected its first officers. I met that day with Scott Read and Jefferson Satterfield, the co-founders. Torchbearers has a mission to identify and groom young leaders, and to establish a link between them and the area's established leadership.

Read, 35, and Satterfield, 43, have committed themselves to Akron, even though they've had opportunities elsewhere. Torchbearers is intended for them and others like them to take matters into their own hands. The response to the group's formation was nothing short of electric.

"When we stuck our toe in the water, the floodgates were open," Satterfield said.

The group is 16 strong. They intend to cap membership at about 50. The Torchbearers, with most members in their 30s, will reflect the city as seen through their generation's eyes.

AT THE COOL TABLE

On Wednesday, I spent the lunch hour under the sunshine at Cascade Plaza, at what is jokingly becoming known as the "cool table." A group of young downtown workers, none older than 30, have begun to meet there. Most are members of a networking group called Young Professionals of Akron. All have committed themselves to the city's future, and all have high expectations for a return on that investment.

I wanted to be there because I wanted to listen to them, but also because I share many of the same concerns. I understand the frustration and betrayal when talented friends leave town. I understand the awkwardness of being the youngest person at a board meeting. And I want to see more examples of younger people who are here because they want to be.

When 30 YPA members met a week ago at Piatto Restaurant, they broke into small groups to answer this question: What would it take to keep you in Akron?

Leah Anglin, a 29-year-old economic development specialist for the city of Akron, was in charge of taking notes. What struck her most is how common the themes were, even though the agenda was wide open:

More retail and housing downtown. Vibrant arts and culture. Better schools. Opportunities right out of college. Neighborhoods like Highland Square. Creating an identity that reflects who they are.

"We're choosing where we live first, and where we work second," Anglin said. "That's a huge shift in terms of attracting folks and attracting business."

YPA is a fairly new group. Very recently, a cross-pollination has begun among a handful of similar groups. With Torchbearers in the mix, a conversation has been growing. Something has been happening, just in the past couple of months, that seems to validate the sense of a "magic moment."

KEY TO CITY'S SUCCESS

In March, Rebecca Ryan, a consultant whose focus is on young professionals as the key to a city's success, spoke to the Greater Akron Chamber. Many YPA and Torchbearers members attended. They shot glances across the room, fired up by Ryan's message. That speech has become a rallying point, and not just among them.

David Plusquellic, a 30-year-old who works for FirstEnergy and is a YPA member, was sitting next to his father, Akron Mayor Don Plusquellic.

"My dad couldn't stop taking notes," he said.

Jeff Wilhite, Akron's deputy planning director, said Ryan is going to be back in Akron soon to conduct an intensive study on the issue of brain drain, and to help identify how the next generation of leadership can be given power before retirements create a void.

"This is an opportunity," Wilhite said, "but it has a heavy, heavy, heavy urgency to it."

Akron has arrived at a vital moment, and in many ways a dangerous one. It is begging to be redefined, and needs a rising generation to do that.

I will write more about this. We need the conversation to continue.

============

<

SHOWING GEN-XERS AKRON MARKS THE SPOT

$2 MILLION CHAMBER CAMPAIGN AIMS TO CREATE, RETAIN JOBS FOR YOUNGER WORKERS LURED TO AND KEPT IN TOWN

SOURCE: By Gloria Irwin Beacon Journal business writer. Beacon Journal business reporter Erika Smith contributed to this story.

When accounting major Nevin Nussbaum transferred to the University of Akron, he planned only to finish his undergraduate degree and then move on.

"I thought there'd be no way in hell that I'd ever stay in Akron when I first came here, and now I never want to leave," said the 29-year-old Gen Xer, who could have taken his degree nearly anywhere and found a job.

Instead, the Wayne County native has worked the past six years in downtown Akron as a certified public accountant with Cohen & Co.

"It's a great place," he said of Akron, quickly ticking off a list of social, sporting and entertainment offerings.

He's even helped start a networking group -- Young Professionals of Akron -- to help others find a corporate foothold in the region.

Co-worker and fellow Generation X member Alane Boffo also came to Akron just to go to college.

She didn't know where she'd go after college, but she didn't intend to return to Youngstown, her hometown.

"I just knew that it wasn't the place I wanted to spend the rest of my life, and I was looking for that place that I wanted to," the 31-year-old said.

Like Nussbaum, Boffo is still here.

"I fell in love with the area and it amazes me," said Boffo, who has worked since 1996 in the Main Place office building at Main and Mill streets.

She described as "just phenomenal" the renovation she's seen in downtown.

A city's ability to attract and keep young, talented people like Nussbaum and Boffo will become critical as the post-World War II baby boom generation retires in the next few years and businesses need a ready pool of workers to replace them. Most of those workers will be members of Generation X, roughly defined as people born between 1964 and 1984.

And that's where a new $2 million campaign started in March by the Greater Akron Chamber comes in.

The campaign has a tagline of "a game plan for winning in the global economy," and is intended to promote the region's positive aspects to businesses that in turn will either create or retain jobs for the next generation of workers. Half of the $2 million for the campaign has already been pledged.

Chairman Donald T. Misheff said the biggest challenge is to "right the perception about what Northeast Ohio has become."

The area's economy has lost manufacturing jobs, but "there are a lot of positives that can help us get through this," Misheff said. "We haven't been the greatest marketers of ourselves."

A video packed with lively scenes of downtown, recreation and entertainment sites, along with interviews of business leaders and politicians, has been produced for the campaign.

The Advance Greater Akron campaign is part of the chamber's five-year strategic plan, which focuses on six core strategies for economic development. And the chamber has identified some specific goals -- such as creation of 7,550 primary jobs -- it hopes to achieve.

Reaching that goal, in the chamber's philosophy, requires more attention to areas such as entrepreneurship.

That's why chamber president Dan Colantone was on hand Thursday night for an entrepreneur networking event put together by a Cleveland organization at Jillian's in downtown Akron.

The climate for supporting young, high-growth businesses definitely could be warmer, said Ray Leach, president and chief executive of JumpStart Inc. His organization helps entrepreneurs network and find funding.

"The Northeast Ohio region has performed very poorly in terms of entrepreneurship," he said.

Leach, who grew up in Akron and lived in Boston for several years, said Northeast Ohio must look to its smallest businesses if it wants younger people to stay. Behemoths like Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co. are no longer enough to support the local job market.

"For Northeast Ohio to become a leader again, we have to take really young companies and grow them into big companies," he said.

That takes capital, technical assistance and investment at the local level, Colantone said at the JumpStart event. The chamber is trying to connect those dots to create a pretty picture for entrepreneurship.

And something is happening. Whether it's the chamber's doing or something else is unclear, but Michael Bennett, of BlueBridge Networks, said there's definitely a new "buzz" about doing business in Northeast Ohio.

"It's only been around about a year," said Bennett, 33, a national sales director for the Cleveland startup. He lives in Cuyahoga Falls.

He insisted technology companies like BlueBridge and an adaptive work force will lead the region's renaissance.

But it can't be just one thing.

Luckily, Northeast Ohio already has it all, said Dan Aerni, 36, an account executive with Robert Half Technology.

The region is a draw for Generation Xers because it has professional and minor league sports teams, reasonably priced golf courses, islands nearby on Lake Erie and a decent cost of living.

"Eventually, people are going to get sick and tired of moving to states with warm weather," he said with a nod.

Gen Xer Troy Robinson gave up the warm weather for Akron.

He moved from Charlotte, N.C., to become vice president of resource development at United Way.

A Pittsburgh native and a 1994 graduate of Kent State University, Robinson wasn't put off by Northeast Ohio's winters.

"It's a great place to live, work and raise a family, truthfully," he said. "I think the lure and greatness of Akron is the people and what they're about."

He described Akron as being very comparable to Charlotte "but without the warm weather."

It's unrealistic, he said, to compare Akron with cities the size of Chicago, which can offer a much wider array of entertainment just by dint of having a much larger population base.

For a city of its size, though, Akron stacks up well, Robinson said.

Determining how Akron ranks with Generation X falls to consultants like Rebecca Ryan, whose company developed the "hot jobs -- cool cities" listing.

Ryan spoke to the Greater Akron Chamber's annual dinner in mid-March, and the organization is negotiating with her about a possible role in helping to determine what Akron can do for young people.

Ryan, founder of Next Generation Consulting, uses a seven-point "handprint" index to measure an area's effectiveness in attracting young workers.

Next Generation's list of the coolest cities includes Atlanta, Seattle, San Francisco, Chicago and smaller areas such as Nashville, Tenn.

Akron isn't included.

That's fine with Robinson, who thinks many of his generation flit from one trendy spot to another.

In his mind, one of the region's greatest assets is stability -- people who are committed to living here and making the best of the community.

"The perception has to change," Robinson said. "People in Akron have to start loving Akron."

GREATER AKRON CHAMBER'S SIX CENTRAL GOALS

The Greater Akron Chamber's six core strategies:

+ Business development -- Promote the benefits of the Greater Akron region in order to attract, retain, expand and create businesses. Generate $584 million in capital investment leading to the creation of 7,550 primary jobs in five years, which in turn trigger more than 13,000 secondary or service sector jobs.

+ Entrepreneurship -- Promote innovation, technology development and commercialization, new business formation, and new venture opportunities.

+ Work-force development -- Lead and coordinate activities to provide an educated and skilled labor force.

+ Advocacy -- Advocate at the local, state and federal levels for issues of importance to economic development.

+ Business services -- Provide benefits and services that give members an operational and financial competitive advantage.

+ Leadership -- Provide leadership to further economic progress in Northeast Ohio.

=====================

BREATHING NEW LIFE INTO DOWNTOWN DESIRED DEMOGRAPHIC ALREADY HERE - READY TO PARTY

HUNDREDS PACK OLD FACTORY TO SEE AKRON'S POTENTIAL IN ACTION

SECTION: METRO

SOURCE: By David Giffels

If you had tried to do this 10 years ago, there's a better than even chance it would have been a disaster.

Throw a big downtown party in a raw factory space, advertised mostly through word-of-mouth, and hope to pack the place.

Wed-nesday night it was a success. The event hosted by Akron's young professional groups at the Selle Generator Works Building drew hundreds of people from across the demographic spectrum, from suits to punks. They ate. They grooved. They networked. It was good.

The party was intended to introduce the public to the findings of consultant Rebecca Ryan, who has been studying Akron's potential as a magnet for young professionals. But instead of presenting the information viaPowerPoint, it did so through living examples.

Example: Several months ago, Ryan hypothetically asked the Greater Akron Chamber where the people with green hair were. Her point was that you have to understand the city's underground to understand how to attract the next generation.

Wednesday's answer: The people with green hair were walking away from the table where Rachel Flowers, owner of the Beauty Lounge, had just colored them with temporary dye.

Get it? The people with green hair are here. It was like an inside joke that everybody could share.

In Akron, success has to be taken in context. There are cities where this sort of thing happens on a regular basis. There are cities where it could never happen. Akron is somewhere in the middle. Which means it has come a long, long way.

Bill Gruber, program and music director for WAPS (91.3-FM), talked about this near the Selle parking lot, where his radio station hosted a live broadcast. He moved to the area in 1984, and remembers the days when you could roll a bowling ball down Main Street without fear of hitting anything valuable.

"There were some really dark days here," he said. "When I bought my condo downtown in '92, people thought I was nuts."

So for him -- someone who lives and works downtown -- the party was a validation.

"I see a real mix of folks in there," he said. "I saw a punkish looking guy and a prep and a pastor. The cross-pollination -- maybe they're here for a purpose."

The Selle Generator Works itself is part of Akron's ongoing transformation, a long-neglected historic building in the midst of renovation into a mixed-use facility. It served well to support one of Ryan's favorite quotes, from urban planner Jane Jacobs: "New ideas need old buildings."

Visitors on Wednesday learned that a brew pub, the Hoppin' Frog Brewery, will open there soon, complete with a beer garden.

For a few hours, the wide open space was packed with people. A local band, Roxxymoron, played at one end of the main room. A DJ spun music in between. A crew shot footage for a new Akron-themed TV show called Zipit.

Local businesses run by young professionals ringed the edges of the room. The Lime Spider, Crave and Jacob Good served food. RubberBuzz.com showed off the latest Akro-centric Web site.

In a city where this event might have seemed impossible not so long ago, it was a healthy sign.

Ryan, who is slowly extracting herself from here as she moves on to other projects, watched with a particular pride as the room filled with new and familiar faces.

Although she was hired by the Greater Akron Chamber, she has become a sort of guru/den mother to a core of young professional leaders -- the same group that organized Wednesday's event.

Ryan filmed with her digital camera so she could show her staff how well the party had gone. This kind of turnout should not be taken for granted, she said. It does not happen everywhere.

"Look at what happens when a community internalizes this (message) and projects it back to the community," she said.

Perhaps the best lesson of Ryan's study has been that Akron, when compared to similar cities, is in pretty good shape when it comes to our ability to attract young people. In a city with a legendary inferiority complex, to have statistical evidence that we are average -- or maybe even a little better than average -- shouldn't be overlooked.

Ten or so years ago, we had a vast overabundance of empty factory space, but no confidence that we could fill it with an after-work party.

Now, the balance seems to be swinging our way.

================

CREATIVE VISIONARY TO TAKE STAGE

SOURCE: By David Giffels

The next shot of adrenaline comes tonight.

As Akron continues to tackle the interlocked issues of "brain drain" and our postindustrial future, a golden boy of the new economy will take the stage at 7:30 tonight at E.J. Thomas Hall.

Richard Florida, author of the best-selling The Rise of the Creative Class, will talk about his vision for the next phase of American business and society, one based more on brain power than industrial might. Just as importantly, he will meet with the people in Akron who are trying to harness that power.

Florida's appearance comes at a crucial and exciting moment in the former rubber capital. For the past year, a movement has been under way to address new ideas for Akron's future.

The Greater Akron Chamber has been working with Rebecca Ryan's firm, Next Generation Consulting, to conduct a study of the area and help guide us toward better ways of attracting and retaining young talent. Next week, Ryan will present her early findings at a chamber board meeting, and her work will continue into next year.

Meanwhile, several groups of young professionals -- primarily TorchBearers, Young Professionals of Akron and ArtCetera -- have been engaged in addressing the city's future. They have done so with the encouragement and support of the city's established leadership. As Florida said in an interview this week, that kind of cooperation is crucial -- especially for a city with a lot of ground to cover.

Florida's work includes a "creativity index," ranking cities in order of their success at harnessing the creative class. The creative class -- people whose work involves solving problems and coming up with new ideas -- comprises, by Florida's count, more than 30 percent of America's work force.

Akron isn't included in the index (presumably it's clustered in the Cleveland ranking), but the region overall doesn't fare well. Among large cities in the region, Cleveland comes in at No. 118, Pittsburgh at No. 90, and Cincinnati at No. 68. Columbus ranks highest, at No. 38.

I'm still convinced that Akron is ahead of the game, especially in the way older and younger leaders have shown cooperation.

David Lieberth, Akron's deputy mayor, distributed copies of The Rise of the Creative Class to members of the city's administration and it was the topic of a retreat. Ryan, in her "cool communities" initiative, has taken to calling Mayor Don Plusquellic "turbo cool."

Leah Anglin, an economic development specialist for the city and vice president of Young Professionals of Akron, will introduce the program at E.J. Thomas.

"What I'm inspired by is that this dialogue continues," Anglin said. "(Florida) is narrating a story that is happening -- the shift from an old product-based economy to an innovative, information-based economy."

Florida, who holds a Ph.D. from Columbia University, has served on the faculty of several colleges, including M.I.T., Harvard and Carnegie Mellon. He is currently a professor in the School of Public Policy at George Mason University and a nonresident senior fellow at the Brookings Institution. His next book, The Flight of the Creative Class, is due next year.

He is a disciple of Jane Jacobs, whose 1961 book, The Death and Life of Great American Cities, is considered a classic of urban planning. His message mirrors her contention that cities with roiling diversity and thriving social networks -- coffee shops, entertainment districts and the like -- are the most successful.

Florida, amid deadline revisions on his new book and a busy lecture schedule, agreed to answer four questions via e-mail. (It's worth mentioning that such interview parameters are usually reserved for rock stars, not economists.)

Here's what he had to say.

Q: Akron shows a net loss of young professionals, but there is a core group of young people committed to staying here and improving the conditions. What advice would you give them?

A: Throw gas on all fires! By that I mean encourage grass-roots activities at every level. I asked Jane Jacobs, my mentor, why it is that certain cities thrive while other cities fail to thrive. I'm paraphrasing her answer here, but she told me that, "All cities have creative people and people who want to make their city more livable and dynamic. But some cities seem to have more 'Squelchers.' " Squelchers are people who say things like, "That would never work in Akron" or "That's not how we do things in Cleveland."

Jane says it's our job to expose the Squelchers for what they are . . . people who impede progress and transformation. It only takes a few dedicated people to begin a transformation.

Q: For a city like Akron with an industrial past, what will the middle class look like 20 years from now? How, in other words, can the creative class replace an old definition of middle-class life?

A: I think you've just asked the bazillion-dollar question! No one knows what the middle class will look like in 20 years or if there will even be a middle class as we all knew it. The biggest danger to our country and society right now is the income disparity generated by the growing creative-class work force. Our country is splitting into two sectors, with one sector making great salaries and doing interesting work and the other sector doing service jobs with little or no room for advancement. Manufacturing jobs, with the exception of high-end manufacturing, are all being off-shored.

The challenge for the creative class is, how do we creativize service-sector jobs so they become more value added and pay higher salaries and create more opportunity for those who hold them? If we can't develop a plan to do this, the continuation of the current trends is truly frightening to contemplate.

Q: Does a city the size of Akron have a better opportunity to adapt creatively than a larger city?

A: I think much of this comes down to leadership. If Akron has visionary leadership that can unify people around a central goal or set of beliefs about the future, it can certainly thrive. I think it's less an issue of size rather than an issue of political vision and the will to transform, to be open and to create a place that is welcoming to all kinds of individuals and families.

Q: How should Akron be marketing itself to the creative class?

A: The answer is less in marketing Akron to attract the creative class and more in utilizing all the creativity found in all the people in Akron today. The region that figures out how best to harness and utilize the creativity of the greatest number of its residents is going to have a tremendous edge over the cities that are refusing to change and think in new, creative and productive ways.