Here are some economic development preditions for 2006:

The County will continue to develop its new strategy outlined by the Blue Ribbon Task Force. The Task Force will become CuyahogaNext Advisors. Look for new initiatives -- innovation zones -- around Baldwin Wallace and the Euclid Avenue Corridor. We will also see productive negotiations between the County and other entities such as JumpStart, BioEnterprise, and the newly renamed CAMP.

Cleveland Next empowers individuals and teams to improve our region. We all have ideas that we are driven within ourselves to execute. Cleveland Next is a forum to help make it happen. The focus of Cleveland Next is action. Share one idea that you are committed to making happen and we will help you connect with other like minded people to make your vision a reality.

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Cities are competing for young knowledge workers. CEOs for Cities, has issued a new report that explores the issue. It's another example of how economic development is shifting from a focus on recruiting companies to a focus on recruiting people.

 

Anyone who has spent much time in Louisiana knows the Blue Dog of artist George Rodrigue. A friend of mine sent me a link to a website for a signed poster by Rodrigue raising money for the Red Cross Hurricane Katrina relief efforts. It's a classic image and worthy cause so I thought I'd pass it along. You can learn more and order the poster here.

the Cleveland Colectivo is a group of like-minded friends, neighbors, and colleagues who have joined together for the purpose of collective giving.

Our mission is to strengthen our community through collective investments that identify and nurture innovative projects. We pool our funds and share our energy to invest it back into projects that we see as worthwhile and exciting in Cleveland. Each member contributes to The Colectivo quarterly and together we choose projects to support. Every month we gather to discuss ideas, learn about area initiatives and organizations, network with a growing circle of members, and continue building The Colectivo.

We hope that if you have an idea to build a stronger community or want to invest in new ideas, that you will join us.

Dr. Kolp and Dr. Rea will speak about their new book "Integrity Is a Growth Market: Character-based Leadership." The book uses the seven classical philosophical virtues--courage, justice, prudence, temperance, faith, hope and love--to chart how character is developed and then applies these ideas to contemporary business leadership issues.

Alan Kolp is holder of the Moll Chair in Faith & Life and professor of religion at Baldwin-Wallace College. He earned degrees from Guilford College, Harvard Divinity School and a Ph.D. from Harvard University and has numerous publications in contemporary spirituality, including "Fresh Winds of the Spirit" and "Canopy of Light & Love." Kolp spent a year in Germany on a Fullbright scholarship and has taught in England.

Peter Rea is chair of the Business Division and associate professor of Business Administration at Baldwin-Wallace College. He earned degrees from Ohio University, Bowling Green and a Ph.D. from the University of Akron and has numerous publicationsd including a co-authored book with Dr. Harold Kerzner, "Strategic Planning: A Practical Guide." Rea has established partnerships with corporations and universities in Brazil, Japan, China and India.

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Rail transportation has been known for its ability to environmentally friendly.  Take a look at Ohio's current proposal for high-speed rail development.  In addition to this rail development

This is by no means a new topic, but one that I feel needs some REAL attention. If NEO wants to spur economic development and sustainability, it really needs to engage the students within the higher education institutions in the area. In my opinion, the message sent by society to most students is that they need to follow the routine paths in life to become successful members of society. They will read about economic sustainability in their textbooks, write lengthy essays and leave it at that - their focus is NOT on real economic sustainability as it is on passing that test, getting that grade and landing that job/graduate school program. And my question is: Why?

I don't think there is a more valuable resource on our planet than great ideas - the creativity and brainpower that generates innovative ideas is the ultimate source for the creation of new value. Revolutionary new ideas become intellectual property that can be patented, licensed business processes and models, Most models I have seen work to generate new IP through research funding and then work to find the sources of funding for prototyping, development, and testing of the IP generated necessary to commercialize it. So ideation does not become innovation until this process goes full cycle. What I would like to see are systems that share IP generated at one source with thinkers and researchers at other sources who can offer improvements and insights that better the original before it becomes commercialized in its initial, more primitive form.

 

Carol Cartwright, President of Kent State University. gave an engaging presentation on the importance of higher education before a diverse group of civic entrepreneurs and concerned citizens at the City Club Tuesday. Carol announced that she will be retiring soon, closing a chapter in a remarkable and distinguished career in higher education that has spanned over forty years. Carol began with a reminder that there are 170,000 college students in Northeast Ohio, representing 25 colleges and universities. Over 36,000 of these students are Kent State students collectively this highly educated population represents a $2.2 billion dollar economic force and it is clear that we need retain and attract college students and graduates. Though Ohio is slightly above average in High School Graduation rates the state needs 440,000 more college educated citizens to reach the national average- put another way, only 2 of 4 NEO residents have college degrees, while 4 of 10 people do nationally. Cartwright attributed this mainly to legacy of blue-collar jobs but it is clear, she indicated, that times and economics are drastically changing such that this can no longer be the prevailing paradigm. The shortage of college-educated citizens in Ohio is a serious issue that must be dealt with, either through attraction or retention, or both. Many agree there had been a dramatic change in need for college education, but the fear is paying for it - state support has been very low, and there has been a strong inverse correlation between state support and state tuition. Ohio ranks 43rd in the nation in taxpayer support for higher education with one of the highest average college tuition rates nationally. 

 

The Cuyahoga County Planning Commission will give a presentation of the Southern Bridge Alignment "Signature Bridge" plan to the Cleveland City Planning Commission on Friday, December 16.  The planning commission meeting will start at 9:00 am at Cleveland City Hall in Room 514.

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The NEO Excellence Roundtable is very pleased to host Kent State University President, Dr. Carol A. Cartwright, as our guest discussion leader at the December 13th, 2005 Roundtable at the City Club of Cleveland. The discussions will center around the role of education in the future of our region, leveraging Dr. Cartwright's unique experience leading one of the nation's largest university systems, among her many career achievements.

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Rollout of the "alternatives Report for the Cleveland Innerbelt - December 2005 (no deadline date available at this time).  A full report will be available via www.innerbelt.org, and at branches of the Cleveland Public Library, which will outline ODOT's Recommended Alternative.  ODOT will receive public comment on this report.

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Gift giving can take many manifestations, tangible and intantible. The most valuable are sometimes less obvious.  Children, for example, revel in things in which they can participate and activity can assume many guises.  Advertising pushes products or activities but what about unpromoted activites?  The internet offers both small and large entrepreneurs a level playing field by enabling them equal access to consumers.  Thus the internet becomes the zone for entrepreneurs and participation.  Search engines connect everyone to everything, creating great opportunity.  Think how this changes the way children and their parents "shop."  Two things are true: It will never be the same but how and what we "shop" for is still being defined as an extension of the old ways.  Consider this, the early auto-mobiles' design were simply motor-powered carriages.  The same holds for innovation today:  the great spurt in innovation is yet to come, and its arrival will be hastened as more people participate on the internet.  Search engines enable people to leverage their intellectual property by lowering the barriers to consumers' access to products and services.

Gift giving is the most widespread manifestation of the holiday season. The eternal question: What to give Johnny or Jane?  Mass merchandisers work hard at creating push for their products.  Tie-ins between movies and products, co-branding sports figures and products are examples of the sometimes creative approaches used.  What's too frequently missing from the mix are artisans' works sold through channels that don't promote themselves like mass merchandisers do. 

Minutes for Net Impact Meeting - AJ Rocco's Nov 29     7-9 PM

Attendees (10)

Akash Abraham

Katya Chistik

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Reality in New York City is ephemeral but a good indicator of the future - if you know what indicators to read.  And what does the future there foreshadow for the future of NEO?  Good questions and better yet, so are the answers.  What  are the thoughts of others reading this?  More later....

 

The November 22, 2005, NEO Excellence Roundtable focused on the future of the regional landscape and economy as impacted by the I-90 Innerbelt and bridge over the Cuyahoga River. Several dozen NEO leaders joined together at the City Club to discuss with Cuyahoga County Planning Commission Director Paul Alsenas a vision to redesign the Innerbelt and replace the current I-90 bridge with a world-class, high-design bridge to the south of the current structure, creating a new landmark for the region and an ideal gateway into our city for the future.

Over at BrewedFreshDaily there is a great discussion of Entrepreneurship and Venture Capital. Worth reading through the comments with the exception of one individual whom seems a tad bit warped..

Please post thoughts and comments regarding creating a can-do attitude for improving the economy in NEO