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Energy upgrades for Summit, Stark
Job openings plunged by one-quarter last year
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First Bell - On Education:
No City of Akron basketball tonight
Pets:
Pet telethon re-airs
The Heldenfiles:
Chipmunks "Squeakquel" on DVD/BD March 30
Akron Zips:
Zips favored on road against MAC West leader
Tribe Matters:
Blogmail response on Hafner
Cleveland Browns:
Stallworth's contract terminated
Balanced Ledger:
QB in Browns future: another mock draft
Kent State Sports:
KSU Notes – February 9
Cleveland Cavaliers:
NBA Power Rankings from Around the Internet
Buckeye Blogging:
Buckeyes grab 18 players on signing day
Varsity Letters:
Five local gridders to play in Big33
All Da King's Men:
Palin At The Tea Party Convention
Blog of Mass Destruction:
Republican Pre-Conditions
Akron Law Café:
Law, Love and Chocolate
Car Chase:
Collector Car Hobby Loses One of the Best—Jim Roll
Let's Talk Real Estate:
Decisions Decisions: Credit Cards or Your Mortgage?
Ohio Travels with Betty:
Loucile is looking for a Lake Erie getaway in June for three kids, ages 1, 3, and 5.
Sound Check:
Talk of the Town – Top entertainment picks for the weekend
HRLite House:
OFCCP Report
Akron Gamer:
Makers of 'Castle Crashers' unveil 'BattleBlock Theater'
See Jane Style:
Do IT this week: Layering
Chamber cites success, introduces campaign
By Marilyn Miller
Akron Beaacon Journal
Published on Thursday, Mar 20, 2008
The Greater Akron Chamber's 2008 meeting started out Wednesday evening with rhythm and voice before a crowd of about 800.
The University of Akron's marching band led chamber leaders to the podium at the John S. Knight Center, the Akron police and fire department's color guard presented flags and local recording artist Rachel Roberts sang the national anthem.
The theme of the 101st meeting was Advance Akron. Our Region. Our Future. It is also the theme of the next phase of a marketing campaign that Akron's leaders are working on.
Dan Colantone, president and chief executive, said the chamber is the largest organization representing the voice of business in the region.
''President John F. Kennedy once said, 'Change is the law of life, and those who look only to the past or present are certain to miss the future.' ''
Colantone said 2007 was a terrific year for the region, with several major announcements.
• Marketing services company InfoCision committed to a $21 million expansion of its headquarters, resulting in the potential of 700 additional jobs.
•FirstEnergy, the fifth-largest investor-owned utility in the nation, announced plans for a $30 million high performance ''green'' building, demonstrating a long-term commitment to the area.
• Sterling Jewelers, the largest specialty retail jeweler in the country with more than 1,300 stores in all 50 states, committed to a 30-year plan to keep its headquarters in Akron.
• Goodyear agreed to a new world and North American headquarters in Akron, keeping about 2,900 employees here.
''Today, one of our greatest opportunities is in the development of emerging business, growing midmarket privately held companies such as GOJO and InfoCision, which grew from ideas that were nurtured by innovative entrepreneurs and flourished in Akron's favorable business climate,'' Colantone said.
He mentioned the development of Akron's global business accelerator, an incubator that houses 35 companies with 155 employees. He also noted the growth of biomedical companies in the area.
The incoming chamber chairman is Tom Strauss, Summa Health System's president and chief executive.
In 2007, Tom Tulodzieski, president of KeyBank, served in the position.
Tulodzieski said that over the past two years, he worked with a group of area leaders who were ''innovative and progressive.''
He credited the chamber's leadership for not waiting until the five-year plan created in 2003 was complete, but instead attempting to seize economic development momentum with the new Advance Akron campaign.
''We have had a tremendous impact on generating wealth in our region — in 2007, 25 companies were assisted with their location and expansion investments totaling $135 million, creating and retaining 5,000 jobs,'' he said.
Marilyn Miller can be reached at 330-996-3098 or 800-777-7232 or mmiller@thebeaconjournal.com.
The Greater Akron Chamber's 2008 meeting started out Wednesday evening with rhythm and voice before a crowd of about 800.
Get the full article here.
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