Welcome to the Future of Cleveland

Welcome to The Future of Cleveland! On April 22, 2009, invited by hosts CoolCleveland.com and Cleveland State University, a couple hundred people assembled in the 3rd floor game room of the newly renovated Fenn Tower on the campus of Cleveland State University for food, drinks and the opportunity to engage with each other, and with eight CSU executives-in-residence on their subject of expertise: Entrepreneurship & Science: Dr. Julian Earls, former director, NASA Glenn Research Center; Economic Development & Community Building: Steven Minter, former director, Cleveland Foundation; Politics, Public Service & Health Care: Grace Drake, former Ohio state senator; Innovative Education: Barbara Byrd-Bennett, former CEO, Cleveland Metropolitan School District; Business & Law: David W. Whitehead, former Vice President, FirstEnergy Corporation; and Public/Private Partnerships: Dr. Stuart Mandel, Asst. Dean for the Levin College of Urban Affairs.

Clevelanders noshed on hors d’oeuvres and enjoyed a few drinks, and then the fun started. We rang a bell, and  participants organized themselves into groups to speak with one of the six executives on their area of expertise. The only ground rule was to be constructive and positive, in the spirit of Cool Cleveland, and in the spirit of the Cleveland State University setting.  After 15 minutes, the bell rang again, and participants rotated, round robin-style to the next executive. After a third round, we asked each of the executives to read out the results of their three 15-minute discussions. Those results are found in the subsequent postings to this blog.

Read the comments, and add a few of your own. We’ll keep you informed of our progress and the possibility of a follow-up session.

Business & Law with David W. Whitehead

David W. Whitehead is former Vice President of FirstEnergy Corporation. His topic was Business & Law. Here is a summary of the issues participants discussed with Mr. Whitehead:

• Distributed Energy
• Need to have educated workforce
• What can we do to bring HQ’s back to Cleveland
• Use Water as Resource (more parks and rec.)
• More condensed population downtown
• Medical Mart Opportunity

Feel free to add your comments below:

Innovative Education with Dr. Barbara Byrd-Bennett

Dr. Barbara Byrd-Bennett is the former CEO of the Cleveland Metropolitan School District. Her topic was innovative education. Here is a summary of the issues participants discussed with Dr. Byrd-Bennett:

• Reexamine school year and school day
• Integration of unique education opportunities (ie yoga)
• Collaboration between CSU, City of Cleveland and Cleveland Schools
• Paid apprenticeships and opportunities
• Building Businesses
• Innovative Programs (ie Teach for America)
• Resolve via education our 21st Century Brain Drain
• Reinstating Civics and Social Responsibility

Politics & Health Care with Senator Grace Drake

Senator Grace Drake is a former Ohio state senator. Her topic was Politics, public service & health care. Here is a summary of the issues participants discussed with Senator Drake:

• Using Natural Resources and Infrastructure
• Give people reason to come downtown
• Ethnic Connection needs to expand back into downtown
• Current Strength: Cleveland Clinic, University Hospital and strength in city education
• Health Care is a strong industry in Cleveland in business sector and universities
• Reduction of taxes in certain areas
• Government, Arts are strong areas in Cleveland

Public/Private Partnerships with Dr. Stuart Mendel

Dr. Stuart Mendel is assistant dean for the Levin College of Urban Affairs at Cleveland State University, and co-director of the Center for Non-Profit Policy & Practice. His topic was public/private partnerships. Here is a summary of the issues participants discussed with Mr. Mendel:

• Important to share knowledge
• Greater collaboration between city gov’t and businesses
• Partnerships save money and increase education opportunities
• Plenty of opportunity for change in partnership models
• Good Example: Campaign for Immigrants
• Land Redevelopment through partnerships

Feel free to add your comments below:

Economic Development & Community Building with Steven Minter

Steven Minter is the former director of the Cleveland Foundation, and his topic was Economic Development and Community Building. Here is a summary of the issues participants discussed with Mr. Minter:

• Brushed aside medical mart
• Why not spend money for small businesses!
• Speed up demolition, land acquisition and have more green space
• Understand significance of arts and cultures role of economic development in Cleveland
• More promotion, marketing and selling of Cleveland as a place to live
• Youth in Cleveland is encouraging

Feel free to add your comments below:

Entrepreneurship & Science with Dr. Julian Earls

Dr. Julian Earls is the former director of NASA Glenn Research Center in Cleveland. His topic was entrepreneurship & science. Here is a summary of the issues participants discussed with Dr. Earls:

• Hydrogen Fuel Cell Bus station at Great Lakes Science Center
• Entrepreneurship and Science and Technology: CSU, University of Akron, etc. students working for the future :
• Lectures that develop business plans for future entrepreneurial ideas
• Connects business sector to Universities
• Co-Op/Internship Opportunity needs to be tapped into
• Future for Professional Development for Teachers (K-12 and beyond)

Feel free to add your comments below:

Future of Cleveland photos

View our photos of the Future of Cleveland event at Cleveland State University on Wednesday, April 22, 2009, and you’ll see a lot of concerned faces. But don’t let that fool you. Participants in the Future of Cleveland event were intently engaged in discussion with the executives-in-residence, listening, talking, discussing and offering their voices and their ideas for the future of the Cleveland region. Click here to view our photo gallery.

Hello Cleveland!

Welcome to The Future of Cleveland! On April 22, 2009, invited by hosts CoolCleveland.com and Cleveland State University, a couple hundred people assembled in the 3rd floor game room of the newly renovated Fenn Tower on the campus of Cleveland State University for food, drinks and the opportunity to engage with each other, and with eight CSU executives-in-residence on their subject of expertise: Entrepreneurship & Science: Dr. Julian Earls, former director, NASA Glenn Research Center; Economic Development & Community Building: Steven Minter, former director, Cleveland Foundation; Politics, Public Service & Health Care: Grace Drake, former Ohio state senator; Innovative Education: Barbara Byrd-Bennett, former CEO, Cleveland Metropolitan School District; Business & Law: David W. Whitehead, former Vice President, FirstEnergy Corporation; and Public/Private Partnerships: Dr. Stuart Mandel, Asst. Dean for the Levin College of Urban Affairs.

Clevelanders noshed on hors d’oeuvres and enjoyed a few drinks, and then the fun started. We rang a bell, and  participants organized themselves into groups to speak with one of the six executives on their area of expertise. The only ground rule was to be constructive and positive, in the spirit of Cool Cleveland, and in the spirit of the Cleveland State University setting.  After 15 minutes, the bell rang again, and participants rotated, round robin-style to the next executive. After a third round, we asked each of the executives to read out the results of their three 15-minute discussions. Those results are found in the subsequent postings to this blog.

Read the comments, and add a few of your own. We’ll keep you informed of our progress and the possibility of a follow-up session.