Most Recent Update: October 22, 2009
AtNetPlus RECOGNIZED
AtNetPlus has been awarded the Smart Business Employee Growth Award for the second consecutive year! The City of Stow congratulates AtNetPlus for their continued commitment to excellence, and the receipt of this prestigious award.
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SEASONS ROAD INTERCHANGE NEARS COMPLETION
photo courtesy of James Yeager
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SPECTRUM SURGICAL INSTRUMENTS RECOGNIZED
Spectrum Surgical Instruments Corporation has been awarded the Smart Business World Class Customer Service Award for the second consecutive year! Congratulations to Spectrum Surgical !
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STOW WELCOMES HIGHPOINT LAWN SERVICE
The City of Stow welcomes Highpoint Lawn Service as they consolidate their Akron area operations in Stow. Locally owned and operated, Highpoint has been in operation since 1979, and has six locations (Akron • Canton • Cleveland [East] • Rochester • Syracuse • Utica • Youngstown). Utilizing dry fertilizers that provide a slow, natural release of nutrients, Highpoint’s guaranteed service generates a healthy lawn that is safer for pets, children and families. For more information on Highpoint Lawn Service, please visit their website. We welcome Highpoint Lawn Service to Stow, and we look forward to their continued growth and prosperity.
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STOW WELCOMES JDC FAMILY OF COMPANIES
The City of Stow welcomes the JDC Family of Companies (The Law Offices of John D. Clunk Co. LLC) to their recently completed 40,000 sq.ft. building, located at 4500 Courthouse Drive next to the Stow Municipal Court. Mr. Clunk and his 170 employees represent a substantial economic expansion for the City of Stow, particularly during these very challenging economic times. We welcome the JDC Family of Companies to Stow, and we look forward to their continued growth and prosperity.
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SEASONS ROAD CONSTRUCTION
The long awaited State Route 8/Seasons Road interchange is now under construction. As a result, beginning Monday, May 4, Season Rd. will be closed until September 1 for reconstruction in the vicinity of the interchange’s east and west on/off ramps. The detour will be Wyoga Lake Rd. to Steels Corners Rd. to Hudson Dr.
Questions related to the construction should be directed to the Ohio Department of Transportation (ODOT) Public Information Office at: 330-786-2211. Additionally, ODOT has posted an excellent website http://www.stateroute8.info that describes all ten of the State Route 8 improvements. Please check this website often for updates regarding detours, traffic, progress reports and more.
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ETACTICS RECOGNIZED
The success of Etactics continues to be documented in Cascade Capital Corporation’s newsletter, Cascade Quarterly. Congratulations to Etactics on this recognition, and on being named 19th on the Case Western Reserve University’s Weatherhead 100, a list of the 100 fastest-growing companies in Northeast Ohio. Click here for more information.
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CASCADE CAPITAL CORPORATION BUSINESS GROWTH AWARD WINNERS
Congratulations to the three Stow companies that received a Cascade Capital Corporation Business Growth Award at the 14th annual Business Growth Awards dinner on October 2, 2008 at the Akron/Fairlawn Hilton:
Etactics Inc. recently moved into Stow at 4835 Darrow Road. Etactics provides cost effective EDI and print services that enhance the accuracy and delivery of many time sensitive documents, especially invoices. Etactics received the Sales Growth Award and was the Overall Success Story Co-Winner in the Technology Category.
AtNetPlus Inc. is located at 1000 Campus Drive, Suite 700 in the Hudson Drive Business Campus. AtNetPlus provides information technology services to small and medium sized companies that are IT dependent but have limited or no in-house IT resources.
Spectrum Surgical Instruments Corp. is a provider of surgical instruments and repair services to hospitals, surgery centers and veterinarians. Spectrum Surgical Instruments is located at 4575 Hudson Drive, and recently completed a major expansion of their facility.
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HEALTH CARE OPTIONS EXPANDING
On April 24 the mayors of Stow, Hudson and Cuyahoga Falls signed memorandums of understanding to join forces to entice a proposed new hospital to a site near the proposed Seasons Road interchange with State Route 8 in northern Summit County.
The memorandums of understanding pledges the communities to work together to create a Joint Economic Development Zone (JEDZ) with the hopes of attracting a 100-bed hospital that would generate approximately $100 million in new investment to the proposed JEDZ. The final decision on a site is not scheduled to be made for at least another 60 days.
The communities will share the cost of the development of the proposed site equally including the cost of the proposed interchange. They will also share the benefit derived from this proposed 80 to 140 acre “medical corridor”.
Stow Mayor Karen Fritschel called this partnership a “groundbreaking initiative” that could reach far beyond these agreements and into other communities.
ALSO
The Akron General Health & Wellness Center-North which has been open for less than a year has announced plans for expansion. The 100,000 square-foot site, which currently comprises a 24-hour emergency department and fitness center plans to add a 42,000 square-foot, four story addition to expand the facility’s offerings to include services for cardiology, neurology and vision, pulmonary testing, physicians offices, family medicine, an expansion of the sports performance center, a conference center, a laboratory expansion, a pharmacy, a restaurant and retailers. The new construction will cost $7.6 million and is expected to be completed in the spring of 2009.
The project is designed to create an “integrated medical campus”. The expansion was planned from the very beginning and has been made possible by the fact that the services in the current facility have been very successful.
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HUDSON DRIVE BUSINESS CAMPUS CONTINUES TO GROW
Albrecht Inc. plans to construct two, approximately 15,000 square-foot office buildings in the Hudson Drive Business Campus (HDBC). On March 13 Stow City Council approved Albrecht’s site plan. Construction is expected to begin in late spring or early summer.
Albrecht Vice-President Jack Juron said “We are investigating the possibility of building these as “green buildings” explaining that they hope to build them as environmentally friendly to their surroundings as possible. We have met with our architect to design them as green shell buildings and then we can build out each new tenant suite green subject to our tenant’s wishes”.
The HBDC, a 106 acre business park, is currently home to Noble Metal Processing-Ohio, Twin Sisters Productions, AtNet Plus, CoAdna Photonics, XL Systems and Wheaton & Sprague Engineering. TTR Shipping is scheduled to move into the campus later this spring.
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NEOTEC's RON DeBARR NAMED CHAIR OF NAFTZ GRANTEE COMMITTEE
KENT, OHIO, February 12, 2008 – Ron DeBarr, president and CEO of the Northeast Ohio Trade & Economic Consortium (NEOTEC), was recently named chairman of the Grantee Committee of the National Association of Foreign-Trade Zones (NAFTZ). NEOTEC, an economic development partnership of 10 Northeast Ohio counties, is the grantee of Foreign-Trade Zone (FTZ) 181 in Northeast Ohio, which covers multiple locations throughout the region. The NAFTZ is a nonprofit trade association that works to promote and improve foreign-trade zones and their use, respond to the competitive needs of zone users, and connect global businesses with local communities through the FTZ program.
The NAFTZ is pleased that someone as qualified and as dynamic as Ron DeBarr has agreed to lead this committee,” said Will Berry, Executive Director of the NAFTZ. “Already Ron has a couple of important new committee initiatives underway which will serve Grantees and advance the benefits of the FTZ program. We’re glad to have Ron involved in the leadership of the NAFTZ,” Berry said.
NEOTEC is a regional economic development partnership of 10 Northeast Ohio counties. FTZ 181 covers more than 6,000 acres at 35 sites throughout the 10-county NEOTEC region. In addition to FTZ 181, NEOTEC is administrator of the International Trade Assistance Center of Northeast Ohio, a program that provides export counseling to area manufacturers looking to grow their business through exports, and the Northeast Ohio Logistics Network, an organization of logistics and management professionals working to help improve regional market access.
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EXTENDED STAY HOTEL TO OPEN IN JULY
The city’s first extended-stay hotel is expected to open in late July in the Steels Corners Road/State Route 8 area.
Construction for the Staybridge Suites Hotel, an $8.7 million, 94-room facility, is well underway. The Staybridge will be located on Courthouse Boulevard near Damon’s restaurant.
Extended-stay hotels generally offer features such as kitchens for longer stays. The Staybridge will include two-room and one-room suites. The 65,000 square-foot hotel will include a meeting room, a board room, a business center and an indoor pool.
The Staybridge will support corporate companies with their long-term stays, whether for training or sales and marketing. It is anticipated that the majority of guests will stay for three to five nights but there will be those who stay for 15 or more nights.
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STOW GETS FUNDS FOR WATERLINE PROJECT
On January 10, U.S. Representative Steven LaTourette presented Stow mayor Karen Fritschel with a check for $246,000.
The money will cover half the cost of the expenses for an Allen Road and McCauley Road water main loop.
Mayor Fritschel said she was thrilled to receive the check. “Not only is this going to improve water quality, It’s going to allow for more economic development in the northwest quadrant of the city”.
“Mayor Fritschel and her whole team have done a great job approaching us to see what’s available”, LaTourette said.
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CITY CENTER SITE TO INCLUDE FITNESS PATH
Fitness will become part of Stow’s City Center complex with the help of Akron General Health Systems.
A 1.5 mile trail that will include signs and “fitness tips” to encourage walkers will be added to the site using $157,000 in funds from Akron General to promote exercise.
Akron General President and CEO Alan Bleyer presented a check for the project to Stow Mayor Karen Fritschel on January 15, 2008.
“The recipe for success is a collaboration between the private sector and the public sector’, said Bleyer.
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CHAMBER OF COMMERCE RECOGNIZES LOCAL BUSINESSES
The Stow-Munroe Falls Chamber of Commerce honored faces both new and familiar during its fourth annual Community Business Awards ceremony on January 15, 2008.
The Stow companies recognized were:
- Presidents Award – Akron General Health Systems for opening their 94,000 square-foot, $34 million, Health and Wellness Center – North in Stow in 2007.
- Stow Mayor’s Award – Audio-Technica U.S. for their long term commitment to the City of Stow and for being an outstanding corporate citizen.
- Improved Business Award – Shoppe’s of Stow for their renovation of what was previously known as the Stow retail Plaza. Their efforts make this center look like a new facility.
- New Industrial Award – Wrayco Industries for their new 166,000 square-foot, $25 million, expansion of their existing manufacturing facility.
- New Office Award – Alpha freight systems for the construction of their 12,000 square-foot corporate headquarters/office which allowed for their future growth in Stow.
- Improved Service Award – Spectrum Surgical Instruments for their 6,800 square-foot expansion of their existing 8,700 square-foot facility.
- Improved Industrial Award – Akrochem for a 40,000 square-foot expansion of their existing 83,000 square-foot distribution center.
- Improved Hospitality Award – Rockne’s for their conversion from a Grinders Above and Beyond to Rockne’s.
- Recreational Improvement Award – Stow Safety Village, completed last year on Fishcreek Road is used for the Stow safety Town.
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STOW, HUDSON PLAN TO INSTALL PUMP STATION IN 2008
City officials hope a $1.5 million pump station on Seasons Road will help future development in the area.
According to City Engineer Bill Drew, the city is moving forward on its plans to construct the station, which will send sewage waste from the area to a sewage treatment plant.
The Army Corps of Engineers will cover $456,000 of the project and the Summit County Department of Environmental Services will pay $336,000. Hudson and Stow will split the remaining cost of $776,000. The county will maintain the pump station after it is completed.
Drew said the plant is expected to go out for bid in early 2008. Construction will take place in 2008. The pump station will service approximately 700 acres of industrially zoned land in the northwest quadrant of Stow and southwest quadrant of Hudson. The pump station will be near Allen Road in Hudson at the lowest point of Seasons Road.
This cooperative effort is not a first for the two communities. Previously they have worked together on the Seasons Road extension, the Route 91 and Norton Road intersection and the proposed Seasons Road interchange with State Route 8, scheduled to begin construction in 2009.
Drew said “The effective way is to work together. The project will help both Hudson and Stow develop the area. You can’t develop one side of the road and not the other”. Hudson City Council passed a resolution on Oct. 17 “pledging cooperation” with the City of Stow on the project. Hudson Communications Director Jody Roberts said “We’re eager to get it going”.
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AMWELD BUILDING PRODUCTS TO MOVE TO STOW
Amweld Building Products, a division of Ark II, LLC, has announced plans to relocate its manufacturing operations and corporate offices to new locations. Currently the company has manufacturing operations in Niles and Garrettsville, Ohio.
The company will move its corporate offices, distribution and some light manufacturing for custom jobs to 4670 Allen Road in Stow. The company expects to offer salaried positions at the Stow facility to 45 employees. They also hope to offer positions to some hourly employees, pending negotiations with their union. The Allen Road facility will provide the company with approximately 54,000 square feet of manufacturing and warehouse space and 11,000 square feet of office space.
The company made this decision with the goal of preserving some jobs in Northeast Ohio. The move of the majority of their manufacturing, to a single facility in Monterrey, Mexico, was something they had not been able to accomplish because they were unable to negotiate a lease on either Ohio facility and the move will allow them to remain competitive in the marketplace
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NATIONAL COLLEGE BEGINS FALL TERM
With the fall term set to begin, National College staff members are putting the finishing touches on their newest 23,000 square-foot, $1.6 million campus in Stow.
National College expects to have 200 students enrolled by year two and that number could grow to 700 or more in year three and beyond.
The campus initially will offer associate degree programs in: administrative; business administration in management or accounting; computer applications technology; health information technology; medical assisting; pharmacy technician; surgical technology; and information systems engineering.
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THIRD TENANT FOR STOW COMMERCE CENTER
The Geis Companies have announced plans to construct a 62,412 square-foot industrial building on 5.2 acres of land in the Stow Commerce Center. Construction is expected to begin later this month and should be completed by October. This industrial park currently has two businesses located there: Mickey Thompson Performance Tires & Wheels and Wrayco Industries.
Consolidated Plastics is the proposed tenant for the building. The location of their operation in this building will create 20+ full-time jobs generating approximately $1.25 million in annual payroll.
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AKRON GENERAL HEALTH & WELLNESS CENTER - NORTH OPENS
The $34.7 million Akron General Health & Wellness Center – North opened June 7. According to Doug Ribley, Director of Wellness and Administration for Akron General, the LifeStyles part of the 96,403 square-foot facility opened that day.
The emergency department is expected to open July 1.
The LifeStyles portion of the facility includes a range of cardiovascular equipment, strength equipment, a free weight area, a gymnasium and two group exercise studios. There is an aquatics area, with a six-lane pool, a warm water therapeutic pool and a mid-temperature leisure pool.
The one-story facility includes a fitness center, which offers a medically supervised exercise and membership program. Staff includes athletic trainers, personal trainers, exercise physiologists, nutritionists and wellness experts.
Ribley said the facility has a sports enhancement center, with programs designed to help adults and children improve in a variety of sports. This center also has a section with exercise equipment designed for children.
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STOW CREATES COMMUNITY IMPROVEMENT CORPORATION (CIC)
At their March 22 meeting, Stow City Council approved spending to provide funding for the CIC. The funds will be provided through the city’s lodging tax fund. The initial amount will be $100,000 and the legislation calls for the setting aside of 50 percent of the tax’s annual revenue for the CIC in upcoming years.
It is envisioned that the CIC will be able to offer grants and loans to businesses. It could function as the economic development agency for the city. It also could administer financial programs as well as having marketing duties for the attraction of new businesses. It will make the city able to be more responsive to different economic development activities.
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SBA HONORS TOP STOW EXECUTIVE
Gary Gibb, Chief Executive Officer of Wrayco Industries, Inc. has been named the Ohio Small Businessperson of the year by the U. S. Small Business Administration. He will be honored in April at the SBA annual awards luncheon.
A $4 million “504” loan from the SBA has aided Wrayco’s $22.7 million expansion of its steel fabricating company. As part of the expansion Wrayco intends to add 90 new employees.
Robert Filipiak, Executive Director of Cascade Capital Corp. in Akron, who nominated Mr. Gibb, credits Gibb with leading Wrayco in product innovation, in doubling its revenue and in showing “courage in undertaking Wrayco’s current multimillion dollar capital investment and his commitment to creating good-paying jobs”.
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COURT WILL MOVE TO STOW IN 2009
Just days before he left office, former Governor Bob Taft signed legislation “to abolish the Cuyahoga Falls Municipal Court and to create the Stow Municipal Court as its replacement effective January 1, 2009”.
The vision of what the court could be if the judges could build it from the ground up has been six years in the making according to Judge Kim Hoover. Hoover and Judge Lisa Coates accepted an offer to move to Stow last year, after Cuyahoga Falls Mayor Donald Robart made it clear there would be no new court facility constructed in the Falls.
The two-story building will be located just northwest of the state Route 8 and Steels Corners Road interchange. With 36,000 square feet of court space and a 6,000 square-foot basement for storage, it is nearly triple the size of the current court. A learning facility for use by the court and the community will be built as a second phase of the project. Ten to 12 employees including a third judge will be added to the new facility.
The current building employs 40 to 50 people.
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BLAZE TECHNICAL EXPANDING
Blaze Technical Services, a company specializing in the manufacture of temperature sensors used in the racing, food and pharmaceutical industries plans to expand their operations by moving to a larger building in Stow.
Company President Ralph Hickman said the business will move from its current location on Hampshire Road to an existing building on Commerce Drive. He says the current 5,000 square-foot facility can no longer accommodate the business.
The 27,000 square-foot Commerce Drive building will accommodate the company’s current operation and allow the business to expand over the next several years. The company will initially use 17,000 square feet and lease out the remaining portion of the building. The company currently employs 25 people and an additional 5 to 10 will be added in the future.
Hickman said he is happy the company will remain in Stow, noting the community’s “economic atmosphere is congenial”. He says the city has been helpful in the business’ efforts to find a new facility ever since they became aware of the company’s plans for expansion.
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FIRM CONTRACTED TO BRING FOREIGN BUSINESS TO STOW
At their meeting on Thursday, July 28th, Stow City Council approved a contract with SGI Global Business Advisors, LLC to assist the city in enticing overseas companies to expand in Stow. Attracting foreign business investment to Stow is one of the goals of the city’s economic development strategic plan adopted in June.
Together, SGI and the city will select a foreign country(s) that have synergistic industry sectors with Stow and organize a fact finding pre-mission to explore opportunities for business cooperation and co-location.
SGI will also assist the city officials in understanding the basic cultural and business practices and needs of overseas companies and executives looking to do business in the US; and advise on how to work with them. They will also assist in putting into place the infrastructure necessary to do business with overseas companies.
SGI has successfully organized and implemented over 9 major trade missions to and from Israel and to and from the UK, including the recent 31 member Akron Business Delegation to Israel which is already bringing major investments. They were also involved in the establishment of the Twinsburg Twins Research Center.
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CITY ASSISTS IN COMPANY PURCHASE
On April 19th Lakeland Mold of Brainerd MN completed the purchase of Wheeler Boyce Co. Both companies supply cast and aluminum molds for the rotational mold industry. John Newhouse, President of Lakeland Mold said “We’ll be operating Wheeler Boyce as a division of Lakeland Mold. All the work will be done here, and the employees will stay here. Wheeler Boyce is a well regarded name in the industry. When we were competitors we highly regarded them. When the offer became available, it allowed us to extend our center.”
When the possibility of the sale was identified, the City facilitated a meeting of service providers to support the purchase process. Some of the providers' support was more appropriate at a later date but two attendees at the meeting helped immediately. Cascade Capital, an SBA lender provided assistance in the form of a 166 loan and the Greater Akron Chamber of Commerce was able to arrange a presentation before the Akron Development Fund who provided the final piece of gap financing.
Wheeler Boyce has been in business in Stow since 1975. They currently have 58 employees at their 120,000 square-foot manufacturing facility. Newhouse said “there is a lot of expansion capacity here. We plan on expanding the business here and adding more employees. We certainly hope it’s within a year, but we do not have a timeline.”
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As a result of a recently approved Federal Highway Bill, the Seasons Road Interchange Project has just secured $1.2 million. At the same time, Senator George Voinovich earmarked another $2.8 million for this project, bringing the total federal dollars to $4.0 million.
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