canton inc. magazine 2012

CantonINC

Experienced Graduates of OSU Agricultural Technical Institute

• Plant Material Installation• Perennial Flower Beds• Brick & Stone Patios &

Walks• Retaining & Sea Walls• Lawn Installation• Planting Bed Maintenance• Ponds & Water Features• Mowing

Canton Inc. is an economic development publication produced through a collaborationof the Canton Regional Chamber ofCommerce and The Repository.

CANTON REGIONAL CHAMBER OF COMMERCE Dennis P. Saunier President & [email protected] (330) 456-7253Steven J. Katz Senior Vice [email protected](330) 458-2062Jessica A. BennettDirector of Marketing & [email protected](330) 458-2071Denise A. BurtonDirector of Sales & Membership [email protected](330) 458-2067Kathy D. Irwin Director ofAccounting [email protected](330) 456-7253David C. Kaminski Director ofEnergy & Public [email protected](330) 458-2059Michael P. Gill Director ofCanton Development Partnership [email protected](330) 458-2090John R. Kiste Executive Director ofCanton/Stark County Convention &Visitors’ Bureau [email protected](330) 458-2080Joanne K. Murray Director of Pro Football Hall of Fame Enshrinement [email protected](330) 458-2050Eric Smer Director of ystark!(330) [email protected] Wells Director ofLeadership Stark [email protected](330) 458-2094

8 CEO Message

10 Local attractions

14 Economics

17 Neighborhoods

24 Site selections

50 Area resources

52 Growing in Stark

57 Health care

60 City info

62 Education

26 Energy

33 Manufacturing

38 Transportation

41 Deep roots

47 Small business

66 Food

70 Stark resources

72 Development

resources

74 Final look

CONTENTS

CantonINCREPOSITORY/GATEHOUSE OHIO MEDIAKevin M. Kampman [email protected] T.White General [email protected] 330-580-8428Donald J. Detore Interim Executive [email protected] Ater Director of Marketing [email protected] Brown Niche Publications [email protected] Mackie Business Development [email protected] Weiss Associate graphics editor [email protected] Botos Photography [email protected]

CantonINC is published by GateHouseOhio Media. 500 Market Ave. S, Canton,OH 44702; 330-580-8300. CantonINCis protected by federal copyright law,which gives CantonINC exclusive rightsto reproduce or authorize reproduction of its materials.

Executive Committee,Canton Regional Chamber ofCommerce, Board of DirectorsChairman of the Board Rick L. Haines,AultCare; Sr.Vice Chairman KarenBrenneman, Hall, Kistler & Company LLP;ViceChairman Brian Belden,The Belden BrickCompany;Vice Chairman Philip D. Fracassa,The Timken Company;Vice Chairman KevinKampman,The Repository;Treasurer D.William Allen, Pro Football Hall of Fame;Immediate Past Chairman George W. Lemon,Technical Products Group (retired), Dennis P.Saunier, President and CEO, Canton RegionalChamber of Commerce; Steven J. Katz,Corporate Secretary, Canton Regional Chamberof Commerce

CONTRIBUTORSScott Brown, Bob Rossiter

220 Market Ave. N, CantonTues.-Fri. 9:30-5:30, Sat. 9:30-3:00

330.455.5555www.julzbyalan.com

• Certified Bench Jeweleron Staff

• Complete Jewelry Repairs& Restoration

• Pearl & Bead Restringing• Hand & Machine

Engraving• Complete Watch Repairs,Batteries, Crystals, Bands

• Expert Appraisals

AD INDEX2 Grabowski & Co.3 The Repository4 Classic Landscaping5 United Way6 Stark State College7 Jülz by Alan Rodriguez9 Canton Regional Chamber of Commerce12 Stark County District Library13 ArtsinStark15 Canton Symphony15 About magazine16 Aultman Hospital19 Rice’s Nursery20 Ramsburg Insurance21 Canton Palace Theatre21 Canton Charge22 CSE Credit Union24 SARTA 25 Sol Harris/Day Architecture25 Shearer’s Foods28 WKSU28 Black McCuskey Souers &Arbaugh29 Kenan Advantage Group29 The University Center31 University of Mount Union 31 NAI Spring32 Mercy Medical Center35 Premier Bank and Trust35 Hammontree & Assoc.36 Abbott Moving36 Canton/Stark County CVB37 Kent State University Stark39 Huntington Bank

40 ystark!/Leadership Stark County43 Fifth Third Bank43 Capestrain Jewelers44 Standard Plumbing & Heating45 Canton CommunityImprovement Corportation46 Hartville Marketplace46 BIA Stark49 Pro Football Hall of Fame49 Pete’s Grill and Pizza50 Bob & Pete’s Flooring50 Downtown Ford51 The Belden Brick Company54 Gasser Fine Jewelers55 Diebold56 Hughes Kitchens60 AllState-Dillenback60 Canton Aluminum61 AultCare64 Krugliak,Wilkins, Griffiths &Dougherty65 North Canton MedicalFoundation68 Beaver Excavating69 Furbay Electric70 Shannon English Marketing70 Brewster Cheese71 Stark Parks71 Atwood Boats72 Day Ketterer72 NEO Medical University73 Biery Cheese73 Plain Local Schools75 Malone University76 Chesapeake Energy

For information about how to advertise in this publication, please call Patrick Mackie, business development manager, at 330-580-8430 or email [email protected].

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CEO MESSAGE CantonINC

W elcome to the firstissue of Canton Inc., apublication dedicatedto showcasing Canton

and Stark County as a prime destina-tion for doing business.

Our region has the strongest ofbackbones in manufacturing, pairedwith a surge in new technologies.Our industries are diverse and ourspirit of entrepreneurship abundant.And so, the pages of Canton Inc. arefilled with snapshots of the true busi-ness dynamic in Canton — forward-thinking, steadfast companies withhardworking, talented people work-ing for them. If that sounds likewhere you'd like to do business, thenCanton Inc. is your invitation to join us.

Situated in Northeast Ohio, theHall of Fame City and surroundingcommunities comprise the strategicplace for your company to do busi-ness. Stark County has long prideditself on its industrial prowess, withsmall businesses and Fortune 500companies alike calling Cantonhome. With six outstanding collegesand universities in Stark County,we’re prepared to meet the needs ofinnovative companies who are seek-ing talented professionals now and inthe future. We’re innovative, andwe’re poised to welcome evengreater investments, expansions andgrowth of existing and new business-es this year.

Canton/Stark County faces anextraordinary year ahead. Canton hasrecently been branded The Utica

CapitalTM, as oil and gas explorationin the region’s Utica Shale depositscould affect every aspect of businessin Canton. And while oil and gas arecreating enormous excitement, StarkCounty already has established itselfas a center for energy in the develop-ment of wind power and fuel cells, aswell as in our nearly endless freshwater supply.

When you consider our region’slow cost of living, high home-pur-chasing power, world-class attractions,cultural access, innovative companiesand highly educated workforce,Canton/Stark County is a thriving center for business development.

We invite you to explore this publication, but more importantly, to explore our region for business relocation and growth.

Dennis P. SaunierPresident & CEO, Canton RegionalChamber of Commerce

Kevin M. KampmanPublisher, The Repository/GateHouse Ohio Media

A SHOWCASEFOR STARK COUNTY BUSINESSES

DENNIS SAUNIER AND KEVIN KAMPMAN

BY JOAN PORTER

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ATTRACTIONS CantonINC

Welcome

CANTON ARTS DISTRICT

The outdoor murals, painted trashcans and recycled sculptures welcome

visitors to Downtown Canton’s ArtsDistrict, an eclectic mix of studios,galleries, theaters and restaurants.

From photography to paintings,ornaments to pottery and jewelry towearables — if it's art, you will find ithere. Food, music, and movie festivals

are held in the arts district throughoutthe year. On the first Friday of each

month, venture downtown to enjoy anevening of art, live music, and street

performers.Visit www.cantonartsdistrict.com for more information.

Home to both national attractions and tucked-away treasures, Stark County abounds with options to suit every taste. From the well known Pro Football Hall of Fame to the thriving downtown arts district to the amazing parks and recreation — these pages hold just a sampling of all Stark County has to offer.

to Stark County

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CantonINC ATTRACTIONS

CANTONMEMORIAL CIVIC CENTERIf basketball is the name of your game,then be sure to get tickets to a homegame of The Canton Charge, an NBA D-League affiliate for the ClevelandCavaliers.The team plays at CantonMemorial Civic Center. The center alsohosts circuses, tournaments, expos, shows,dinners, auctions, graduations and highschool proms. For more information and a schedule of games and events, visitwww.cantonciviccenter.com.

HOOVERHISTORICALCENTERThis little gem of a museum in NorthCanton preserves the history of aneveryday common household appli-ance — the vacuum cleaner. But themuseum itself is far from common.Nestled within this Victorian Italianate-style farmhouse — the boyhood homeof Hoover Company founder William“Boss” Hoover — are vintage vacuums,advertisements, ladies’ fashions, homedécor and war memorabilia. Award-winning herb gardens add lovely scentsand color to the grounds.The HooverHistorical Center offers a variety ofprograms throughout the year, includ-ing games played by an 1860s baseballteam called the Hoover Sweepers,summertime story-telling and aChristmas open house. For more information, visit www.walsh.edu/hoover-historical-center.

The Pro Football Hall of Fame in Cantonis an awaiting paradise for sports fans.Check out the busts and informationalkiosks of the 267 NFL players who havebeen inducted into the HOF since itopened in 1963. From the Super Bowlgallery and treasured artifacts to themuseum store and interactive game areas,

it’s all football all the time at the Hall ofFame. The $27 million “Future 50” expan-sion and renovation project — the largestin the Hall’s history — is under way, with agrand opening scheduled for August 2013to coincide with the Hall of Fame’s 50thanniversary. Visit www.profootballhof.comfor more information.

WORLD WARHISTORY & ARTMUSEUMOriginal artwork by veterans ofWorld I and II set the stage for anassortment of exhibits that pre-serve and present the history ofthose armed conflicts. Among theexhibits at the World War History& Art Museum in Alliance aretrench art, war relics, air combat,Nazi propaganda, scale models, toysoldiers and women in the war. Formore information, visitwwham.com.

Be on the lookout for frogs, deer, raccoonsand red foxes as you hike, bike, ride horse-back or cross-country ski along the trailsin Quail Hollow State Park.There is a lotto see and learn throughout the three

major habitats in this 703-acre park and atits nature center filled with displays, liveanimals, and hands-on activities. Bring apicnic, fish in the stocked pond, ice-skate,visit the Carriage House Nature Center or

tour the historic 40-room H.B. StewartManor House and Herb Garden. Specialprograms are offered throughout the year. For more information, visit www.quailhollowpark.org

QUAIL HOLLOW STATE PARK

PRO FOOTBALL HALL OF FAME

ATTRACTIONS CantonINC

CANTON PALACETHEATREBuilt in 1926, the Canton Palace Theatre is a fine exampleof a community effort that has restored the theater to itsoriginal glory. Settle into a comfortable seat and savorthe ambiance of a Spanish courtyard on a midsummernight as the clouds float across the sky.While you waitfor your show to begin, listen to the strains of the theater's original Kilgen pipe organ.This multi-purposeentertainment venue is busy throughout the year withprofessional productions, ballets and films.Visit www.cantonpalacetheatre.org for more information.

CULTURAL CENTER FOR THE ARTSWhen it comes to the arts, Canton has it all. Enjoy your favorite arts all within one building — the Cultural Center for the Arts. Here youwill find performances by the Canton Ballet, Canton Symphony,Voices of Canton, Inc. and the Players Guild Theatre. And let’s not forget the Canton Museum of Art, with its permanent collection andchanging exhibits.This place is an art lover’s dream come true! To learn more about each of these organizations and their shows, visitwww.artsinstark.com and click on “Cultural Center.”

OHIO & ERIE CANALWAYFrom Lake Erie southward to the Tuscarawas River, you can experience110 miles of nature, culture, and history by traveling the Towpath Trail,riding the Cuyahoga Valley Scenic Railroad, or driving along America’sByway. In Stark County, you’ll find 48 trailheads to access 25 miles of theTowpath Trail, where you can bird, bike, hike, run and ride on horsebackalong the path where mules plodded as they pulled canal boats over100 years ago. Stop in Canal Fulton for a ride on the St. Helena III, acanal-era freight barge. Key visitor centers are in Canal Fulton and atSippo Lake.Visit www.ohioanderiecanalway.com for more information.

CantonINC ATTRACTIONS

OHIO SOCIETYOF MILITARYHISTORYInvestigate all periods of Ohio’s militaryhistory by visiting the Ohio Society ofMilitary History Museum in Massillon. Olduniforms, historic documents, photographsand prestigious medals all honor the menand women who served in our country'sarmed forces. Go to www.ohiotraveler.comand click on Ohio Society of MilitaryHistory for more information.

STARK PARKSIf getting close to nature is what you like,then spend some time in any of the 8,200acres that make up the 13 parks belongingto Stark Parks.The park system throughoutStark County offers walking, bicycling andequestrian trails along with a variety ofevents, activitiesand educationalprograms at itscenters. Boating,fishing, geo-caching, letter-boxing, questingand orienteeringare all part ofthe park experi-ence. Additionalinformation maybe found atwww.starkparks.com.

WILLIAMMcKINLEYPRESIDENTIALLIBRARY ANDMUSEUMTake a step back in time at theWilliam McKinley PresidentialLibrary and Museum in Canton.Explore 200 years of the area’s his-tory, learn about the life and careerof Canton’s favorite son and 25thpresident of the United States,meander through the Street ofShops, stop at the model train lay-out and enjoy a variety of changingexhibits.The museum offers a treas-ure trove of information on presi-dential and local history. Next dooris the McKinley Monument,President McKinley’s final restingplace. More information may befound at www.mckinleymuseum.org.

NATIONAL FIRSTLADIES' LIBRARYThe First Ladies' Library is a uniqueresource and national archive locatedin the heart of Canton and devoted toeducating the public about the contri-butions of First Ladies and othernotable women in history.Visit onlineat www.firstladies.org.

INCOME AND COST OF LIVINGMedian household income:

$44,999Median home value:

$128,000 Median rent:

$622/MO.Cost of living:

15% LOWER than U.S. average

Average January low:

33degrees

Average July high:

82degrees

WEATHER

HOUSEHOLD INFOCanton population 73,007

Stark County population 375,586

Median resident age 40.3

Age 17 and under 23.3%

Age 18 to 24 8.7%

Age 25 to 44 24.5%

Age 45 to 64 27.8%

Age 65 and over 15.6%

EDUCATIONHigh School grad or higher:

87.8%Bachelor’s degree:

20.4%Graduate or professional degree:

6.5%

ECONOMICS CantonINC

ECONOMICSSTARK COUNTY

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WORKFORCETotal workforce: 192,511Average commute: 21 minutes

MAJOR INDUSTRIESEducation, health care and social assistance:

24.1%Manufacturing:

18.5%Retail trade:

11.7%Arts, entertainment, recreation,accommodation, food service:

9.0%Professional, scientific,management:

8.4%

MAJOR OCCUPATIONSManagement, business, science and arts occupations:

30.7%Sales and office occupations:

25.8%Production, transportation and material moving occupations:

16.8%MAJOREMPLOYERSAffinity Medical CenterAlliance Community HospitalAultman Hospital Canton City Schools Diebold, Inc.Fishers Foods Freshmark Inc.GE CapitalMercy Medical Center Nationwide InsuranceRepublic Engineered ProductsShearer's Foods Stark County Government Stark State College The Timken Company

SOURCES: U.S. Census Bureau,Ohio Department of Development,NOAA and the National WeatherService, United States Department of Labor (Bureau of Labor Statistics).

CantonINC ECONOMICS

HENRYTIMKEN

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A place where your business will flourish must also be a place where your people willflourish. Canton and the Stark County region enjoy one of the most affordable housingmarkets in the nation. From new, up-and-coming neighborhoods near activities forfamilies and singles to grand dame historic allotments, resplendent with architectural flourishes and wooded lawns, there’s truly something for everyone.

Urban-style loft apartments are on the rise in downtown areas, while quaint,charming starter homes dot neighborhoods in every corner of the county. Canton is acornucopia of realty options at every price range. The median home cost in StarkCounty is $128,000, and the median rent is $622 per month. With a cost of living 15 percent lower than the national average, hassle-free commutes and communitiespacked with history and amenities, Canton is the perfect destination for your businessto take root.

MOVE-INREADY

STARK COUNTYNEIGHBORHOODS:

Continued on page 18

BY JESS BENNETT

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NEIGHBORHOODS CantonINC

ALLIANCELocated in the eastern part of StarkCounty, Alliance is the official homeof the Ohio state flower — the scarletcarnation. Alliance celebrates with anannual Carnation Festival, packedwith 10 days of events that bringthousands of visitors to the CarnationCity. Alliance also is the home toGlamorgan Castle, Haines House,and The University of Mount Union— a Division III college with achampionship football team, strongeducational standards and a strongcommunity presence.

CANAL FULTONCanal Fulton is conveniently located innorthwest Stark County. This old canaltown is home to a historic district,

boasting more than 100 sites listed onthe National Historic Register. Climbaboard the St. Helena III, an authenticreproduction of a horse-drawn canalboat. Travel along an original sectionof the Ohio and Erie Canal by bike,hike or canoe on the Towpath Trail.Quaint shops and restaurants are abun-dant in this picturesque village.

CANTONCanton is experiencing an excitingdowntown renaissance, with a vastarray of art galleries, studios, restau-rants and attractions flourishing in abeautifully manicured downtown cor-ridor. The city offers more than 50unique neighborhoods, including gor-geous historic allotments as well asurban loft-style living in the centercity. The Hall of Fame City is hometo national attractions including thePro Football Hall of Fame, First

GLAMORGAN CASTLE,ALLIANCE

HISTORIC RIDGEWOODALLOTMENT, CANTON

Continued from page 17

CantonINC NEIGHBORHOODS

Ladies’ National Historic Site andMcKinley Presidential Library,Museum and Monument. The arts areeverywhere with the CantonSymphony, Canton Ballet, PlayersGuild Theatre and Canton Museum ofArt, to name just a few. CantonMemorial Civic Center also brings thearea national music acts, trade shows,sports events, and more.

Canton is full of history and heroes,and is the site of the founding of pro-fessional football. Each year, the ProFootball Hall of Fame EnshrinementFestival honors the legends of profootball, which includes conducting aworld-renowned festival celebratingthe annual enshrinement of footballplayers, coaches and contributors intothe Pro Football Hall of Fame.

The Enshrinement Festival activities,attended by nearly 700,000 people,annually produce an economic impactof more than $31 million for theCanton/Stark County area and $56 million for the state of Ohio.

EAST CANTON/OSNABURGTOWNSHIPThis area is located five miles east ofCanton along U.S. Route 30, and ishome to a historic golf course.Clearview Golf Course is on theNational Register of Historic Places.The course, located in OsnaburgTownship, was built in 1946 by WilliamPowell, who encountered racial discrim-ination on the golf course. After return-ing home from World War II, he decidedto build his own place to play, wherepeople of all colors would be welcomed.

LAKE TOWNSHIP:HARTVILLE,GREENTOWN AND UNIONTOWNNestled in the northern corner of Stark County is Lake Township andthe communities of Hartville,Greentown, Uniontown, Aultman and


HARHARTVILLE FLEA MARKETTVILLE FLEA MARKET,,HARHARTVILLETVILLE


Cairo. The area is brimming with unique shops, restaurants, boutiques, artgalleries and bed and breakfasts. Familyentertainment includes miniature golf,swimming, parks, trails and three scenicgolf courses. Enjoy wine tasting, home-made pies and a farm market. Thesplendor of simple pleasures is whatLake Township has to offer.

JACKSONTOWNSHIPJackson Township is the county’s retailcenter. Westfield Belden Village andThe Strip shopping areas comprisemore than 140 restaurants and an ever-expanding retail and commercial cen-ter. The park system consists of eightparks and approximately 300 acres.There are three private country clubsand three public courses in Jackson.The township is also the home to StarkState College and Kent StateUniversity at Stark, the largest regional

KSU campus, which boasts the state-of-the-art Kent State Professional andEducation Center.

LOUISVILLEA 10-minute drive northeast of Canton will bring you to the lovelycommunity of Louisville. Known as“Constitution Town USA,” Louisvillehosts a week of activities duringSeptember that center around ournation’s constitution. Featured duringthis festive time are a queen’s pageant,balloon lift-off, fireworks and parade.Louisville offers five city parks whereall types of recreational activities can be enjoyed.

MASSILLONMassillon, known for its epic sportstradition, retains the flavor of its pastas it enjoys economic resurgence. TheMassillon Museum displays art and achronology of the community, whilethe castle-like Five Oaks Mansionanchors historic Fourth Street, a neigh-borhood known for architectural gems

CONSTITUTION PARADE, LOUISVILLE


that span a century of designexcellence. Five Oaks and FourthStreet join Spring Hill HistoricHome on the National Register.The Legends of Massillon pro-vides 27 holes of first-rate publicgolfing. In addition, wooded hik-ing and biking trails intersect inthe community.

MINERVANestled in the Appalachianfoothills on the historic LincolnHighway, the village of Minervaoffers a unique, relaxing small-town atmosphere. A rich history— including the Lost FrenchGold Legend and original bricksections of the Lincoln Highway— awaits you. You’ll cherishdowntown Minerva, with itsbrick streets, quaint shops,cheesemakers, the Haas Museumand murals. Challenging golfcourses, parks and trails, plusgreat family and fine dining arealso available in the area.

NORTHCANTONThe original home of the HooverVacuum Cleaner offers an excellent environment for familyand for entertainment. Thebeautifully kept parks offer walk-ing paths, picnicking, skate-boarding and swimming in amagnificent public pool. Newallotments and long-time housingstaples alike abound in NorthCanton. Spend an evening of cul-ture at the Playhouse Theater,visiting the Hoover HistoricalCenter, or indulge in some greatfood any night of the week forbig entertainment value in asmall town.

more story page 22


NAVARRE,BREWSTER AND WILMOTDeemed the “Gateway to Ohio’sAmish Country,” the southwest tip ofStark County offers gently rollingfarmlands dotted with these quiet vil-lages. Navarre is the home of NicklesBread, and Brewster boasts the head-quarters of both Brewster Dairy andShearer’s potato chips. Wilmot ishome to the Amish Door Restaurant& Village and the Wilderness Center,consisting of 1,700 acres of land,streams and prairies. Though thesevillages may be small, more than halfa million people visit this area eachyear.

PERRY TOWNSHIPNestled between Canton andMassillon, Perry Township has a pop-ulation of more than 28,000. PerryTownship is home to Sippo Lake,Stark Parks offices and unincorporat-ed Richville. The township has seenmuch growth in the past several yearsthrough housing, commercial andindustrial sites, medical facilities andmunicipal structures. Though muchof the township has been developed,some agriculture still exists.

PLAIN TOWNSHIPPlain isn’t an accurate description ofthis bustling township. It’s the largesttownship in the county based on pop-ulation (more than 50,000 total),combining the advantages of town-ship living with the convenience of

an urban area. The park system is asource of pride in this area, and wasrecently recognized as a top place torelax in Stark County. The communi-ty here comes together eachDecember for a tree-lighting ceremo-ny and family-friendly festivities.

from page 21

SIPPO LAKE,PERRY TOWNSHIP

CantonStark County

LAKE ERIE

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Dover

Akron

ClevelandClevelandCleveland

Columbus

PeninsulaPeninsulaPeninsula

NORTHEASTOHIO

BrecksvilleBrecksvilleBrecksville

New Philadelphia

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CantonINC NEIGHBORHOODS

NEARBY ATTRACTIONSIN NORTHEAST OHIO

GREATLAKESSCIENCECENTER

WARTHERMUSEUM

CLEVELAND INDIANS

AKRONZOO

Akron Art Museum . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24 milesAkron Zoo . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25 milesCleveland Browns Stadium . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61 milesCuyahoga Valley National Park, Brecksville . . . . . . 41 milesGreat Lakes Science Center, Cleveland . . . . . . . . 60 milesHale Farm and Village, Peninsula . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34 milesPlayhouse Square, Cleveland . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60 milesProgressive Field (home to Cleveland Indians) . . 60 milesQuicken Loans Arena, Cleveland . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60 milesRock & Roll Hall of Fame, Cleveland . . . . . . . . . . 60 milesStan Hywet Hall and Gardens,Akron . . . . . . . . . . 28 miles Trumpet in the Land, New Philadelphia . . . . . . . . 30 milesUniversity Circle Museums, Cleveland . . . . . . . . . 58 milesWarther Museum, Dover . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23 miles

AKCAN INDUSTRIAL PARKLocation: North Canton, OhioAcres available: 16Highway access: I-77Zoning: Light industrialRail access: NoDevelopment contact: Dan DeHoff,DeHoff Realty, (330) 499-8153

ALLIANCE COMMERCE PARKLocation: Alliance, OhioAcres available: 140Highway access: U.S. Route 62Zoning: Light/heavy industrialRail access: NoDevelopment contact: Jim Stout,Coastal Pet Products, (330) 821-2218

BECK PARKLocation: Louisville, OhioAcres available: 300Highway access: state Routes 44 and 153Zoning: Light industrialRail access: YesDevelopment contact: Tom Ault,City of Louisville, (330) 875-3321

EASTRIDGE COMMERCE PARKLocation: Canton, OhioAcres available: 80Highway access: U.S. Route 62Zoning: Light industrialRail access: NoDevelopment contact: Bob DeHoff,DeHoff Development, (330) 499-8153

ELM RIDGE INDUSTRIAL PARKLocation: Canal Fulton, OhioAcres available: 85Highway access: state Route 21 and I-77Zoning: Light industrialRail access: NoDevelopment contact: Ken Schalmo orFred E. Etheridge, Schalmo Properties Inc.,(330) 854-4591

FORD PROPERTYLocation: Canton, OhioAcres available: 85Highway access: U.S. Route 30

Zoning: Heavy industrialRail access: YesDevelopment contact: Fonda Williams,City of Canton, (330) 489-3258

HARTVILLE INDUSTRIAL PARKSLocation: Hartville, OhioAcres available: 40Highway access: state Routes 43 and 619Zoning: Light industrialRail access: Some potentialDevelopment contact: Mayor's office,Village of Hartville, (330) 877-9222

MASSILLON ENERGY &TECHNOLOGY PARKLocation: Massillon, OhioAcres available: 392 Highway access: I-77, state Route 21,and U.S. Routes 30 and 62Zoning: IndustrialRail access: YesDevelopment contact: David Hall, Currie-Hall Investment Co., (330) 650-0525 ext. 12

MILLER ILocation: Massillon, OhioAcres available: 350Highway access: state Route 21 and U.S. Route 30Zoning: Heavy IndustrialRail access: YesDevelopment contact: Bob Sanderson,Massillon Development Foundation and MillerFamily Trust, (330) 833-3148

MILLS BUSINESS PARKLocation: Canton, OhioAcres available: 110Highway access: I-77Zoning: Light IndustrialRail access: NoDevelopment contact: Dan DeHoff,Canton Commerce LLC, (330) 499-8153

NAVARRE PROSPECT PARKLocation: Navarre, OhioAcres available: 340Highway access: U.S. Route 30Zoning: Light IndustrialRail access: YesDevelopment contact: Perry Township,

INDUSTRIAL LAND AND BUSINESS PARKS

(330) 833-2141

NOVA EASTLocation: Massillon, OhioAcres available: 120Highway access: U.S. Route 30Zoning: Light IndustrialRail access: NoDevelopment contact: Jon Calazza,Beaver Excavating, (330) 966-8800

PORT JACKSONLocation: North Canton, OhioAcres available: 26.3Highway access: I-77Zoning: Light IndustrialRail access: NoDevelopment contact: Lisa Gould,Akron-Canton Airport, (330) 668-4000

RECORR PARKLocation: Massillon, OhioAcres available: 30Highway access: U.S. Route 30Zoning: Light IndustrialRail access: YesDevelopment contact: Bob Sanderson,Grief Brothers, (330) 833-3148

DID YOU KNOW?Canton, Ohio, ranked 16th-most afford-

able housing market in the United Statesat the end of 2011, according to HousingOpportunity Index data from theNational Association of Homebuilders.

Stark County is within 600 miles of60% of the entire U.S. population and50% of the Canadian population.

The City of Canton owns and oper-ates one of the largest undergroundfreshwater aquifers in the state ofOhio, putting a nearly endless amountof fresh water at your disposal forprocessing or manufacturing.

Stark County is outpacing both Ohioand the nation when it comes to stu-dents returning for a second year ofcollege. Eighty-five percent of all Stark’shigh school graduates who go directlyto college return for their sophomoreyear, viewed as a major step in degreepersistence and completion.

Canton is located at the intersectionof two major highway systems, 1-77and U.S. 30, offering freedom and con-venience for delivering products.

BY DAVID KAMINSKI

CantonINC ENERGY

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Have you heard about the Utica Shale? Since late in2010, nearly everybody in Canton has learned aboutthe Utica.

Lying about 7,000 feet below the surface ofEastern Ohio, it may hold as much as 5 billion bar-rels of oil and 15.7 trillion cubic feet of gas. Newdrilling technology permits oil and gas explorers toreach the vertical depth of the Utica and then extendthe drill pipe horizontally into the shale. This pro-vides access to thousands of feet of shale from onedrill site.

The biggest city in the heart of the Utica isCanton. It has the business, educational and trans-portation infrastructure to support the oil and gasindustry. That is why Chesapeake Energy, which hasspent $2 billion on energy leases in the Utica, hasabout 200 people at work in downtown Canton. And

it is why oil and gas service companies, engineeringfirms and well field supply companies have followedChesapeake to Canton and surrounding StarkCounty. It is hard to go anywhere in Canton thesedays without people talking about oil and gas and theenormous boost to the local economy that energyexploration could bring.

“Increasing operations here in the development ofthe Utica Shale will bring economic benefits forcities like Canton and the entire region. We will bemore than doubling our rig count in Ohio in 2012.There will be more local jobs both with Chesapeakeand ancillary businesses, and in turn more revenuefor local residents and municipalities. We are excitedabout what has happened so far and are optimisticabout the Utica Play,” says Keith Fuller, director ofcorporate development for Chesapeake in Canton.

ENERGIZINGTHE REGIONAn oil and gas boom, wind energyresearch and fuel cell technology hasmany eyes focused on Stark County

COVERSTORY:

continued on page 28

At the turn of the new year,Chesapeake had seven drill rigs inthe Utica Shale region of Ohio. Byyear's end, it projects 20 rigs. This isjust the start of what could be 30years of oil and gas exploration.

Chesapeake is the most visible oiland gas exploration company operat-ing in the Canton area, but it is not theonly company here that is preparingto explore the Utica Shale. Another isEnerVest, which has an office inHartville, just north of Canton. It is ahuge operator of shallower vertical oiland gas wells in Ohio. By acquiringthe holdings of several companiesover the years, it has 1,900 verticalwells in Stark County alone.

In an ideal position to take advan-tage of the Utica production is theMarathon Petroleum refinery inCanton, which is capable of receiv-ing refinery products from Uticawells by truck until gatheringpipelines can be constructed —another good fortune when it comesto Canton's location.

And there’s moreHowever, the exploration of the Utica

is not the only energy developmentoccurring in Canton and Stark County.

Canton also is home of TheTimken Co., a world leader in spe-cialty steel and bearings. Timken, inpartnership with Stark State College,the Stark County Port Authority andthe Stark Development Board, is


constructing an $11.8 million researchand development center to simulatefield tests for the enormous bearingsand seals needed to keep wind turbinesrunning. The research center is expect-ed to be completed in August 2012.

“We are very pleased to launch suchan important project for the wind ener-gy industry,” said Douglas Smith,Timken’s senior vice president of tech-nology and quality, at the groundbreak-ing for the research center. “... Beingable to simulate real-world conditionsat full-scale puts us in a unique posi-tion to rapidly assess and qualify newsolutions for the industry.”

And then there are megawatt-sizefuel cells under development byRolls-Royce Fuel Cell Systems at thefuel cell prototyping center on thecampus of Stark State College insuburban Jackson Township. The fuelcell system under development byRolls-Royce is big enough to powera shopping center or a neighborhood,and it can run on a variety of fuels,including natural gas, a fuel in abun-dance in the shale deposits under-ground in Ohio and Pennsylvania.

A 7,500-square-foot addition to thefuel-cell center at Stark State will becompleted by November 2012. Fundedprimarily through a grant by the SmallBusiness Administration, the new spacewill provide 6,500 square feet forresearch and design at Rolls-Royce and1,043 square feet for fuel cell systemslearning activities and a photovoltaiccertification program. An importantadvantage of the partnership betweenRolls-Royce Fuel Cell Systems andStark State College is the opportunityto offer an education in fuel-cell tech-nology to Stark State students.

Through exploration of the Utica,through production of componentsfor the wind industry and throughdevelopment of fuel cells, Cantonand Stark County are nurturing thefuture of energy in the United States.

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ENERGY CantonINC

OHIN

MI

WVKY

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NCTN

NY

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OH

MI

WVY

VA

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WV

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NOT TO SCALE

Verticalwellbore

Fresh water aquifer

Freshwaterwell

Concretecase

Utica Shale

RESIDENTALHOME

Well casingReleased gasflows into thewellFracture

Wellturnshorizontal

Wellcasing

Sand mixed intothe fluid keepsfractures open.

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AQUIFERCASINGAQUIFERCASING

Wells canextend aslong as3,000 feet.

REPOSITORY GRAPHICBY BOB KAST

Well depthvaries from7,000 to10,000 feet

Horizontal

wellbore

FRACTURING FLUIDThe shale is fractured byhigh pressure fluid that is injected into isolatedportions of the well.

SHALE FORMATION

Shale is a sedi-mentary rock

that is found inthe Earth’s crust

and often containslarge, untapped natu-

ral gas reserves.Names have been given

to types of shale.Marcellus and Utica shale

deposits are beneath partsof Ohio, New York,

Pennsylvania and WestVirginia. Research indicates

the formations could yieldlarge amounts of natural gas.

MARCELLUSSHALE

FRACTURINGPROCESSFRACTURINGPROCESS

UTICASHALE

HYDRAULIC FRACTURINGHow it worksHydraulic fracturing, combined withhorizontal drilling, is a process inwhich water, sand and chemicals are injected into the earthat high pressure to releasetrapped gas.

Horizontal wells startlike a conventional gas

well.The drilling extendsmuch deeper than a con-ventional well. Depths of7,000 to 10,000 feet arerequired to reach the gasdeposits in the Utica Shaleformation.

Well casing is cementedinto place to prevent

any fluids used in drilling andfracturing from contaminatingaquifers and other geologiczones.

After drilling verticallyto the depth that reaches

slightly above the shale, thedrill bit is turned horizontallyand pushed into the shale,sometimes as much as 3,000feet.

Small fractures arecreated in the targeted

area with perforating charges.Next, a fluid mixture of sand,water and chemicals is injectedinto the newly created fracturesat high pressure. Hydraulic frac-turing will further crack the rockand release gas trapped inside.The fracturing requires between3 million and 5 million gallons ofwater per well.

After capturing gas from thewell, drilling companies recover

portions of the fracturing fluid, whichis treated and/or recycled for futuredrilling projects.The well is preparedfor production. Energy companiesreturn to monitor and maintain the site.

1

Source: www.hydraulicfracturing.com,http://geology.com

Fracturingcrew

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1

MORE ONFRACKINGHydraulic fracturing involves forcing aliquid under pressure into rock tocreate tiny fissures that free uptrapped oil, gas and petroleum liquids.

Hydraulic fracturing is a key tech-nique in the exploration of deep shaleformations. Modern technology allowsoil companies to turn the drill bitfrom the vertical to horizontal toreach thousands of feet into the shalefrom one well.

But hydraulic fracturing is not newto Canton or Stark County, Ohio. Oilexploration companies drilling verticalwells at much shallower depths thanthe average 7,000-foot depth of theUtica, have been hydraulically fractur-ing the earth to bring up oil and gasfor about 60 years. Oil and gas wellsdot the landscape around Canton andStark County.

What’s different in this new oil playis, principally, the scale of modernexploration and the potential wealththat would be shared with locallandowners and host communities.One would not have to be in the oiland gas business to be affected posi-tively by a booming economy fueledby low-cost energy.

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CantonINC MANUFACTURING

BY JOAN PORTER

The landscape for doing business has changed pretty dramati-cally in the last several years.

Customer demand for new products, advancements in tech-nology, improved communications, worldwide competition, aglobal market — all these things have contributed to the rapid-ly changing playing field for businesses. To remain competi-tive in today’s manufacturing world, companies must adapt —and they must adapt quickly.

Four cutting-edge companies in Stark County have beendoing exactly that.

KOCH KNIGHTKoch Knight in East Canton began in the early 1900s as theMaurice A. Knight Company, making acid-resistant ceramic.In 1981, Koch Engineering Company, Inc. purchased parts ofthe Knight Company and today, Koch Knight LLC is a leadinginnovator in corrosion-proof materials and environmental heattransfer equipment.

NOTYOUR

MANUFACTURINGANYMORE

GRANDFATHER'S


MORGANENGINEERING

HYDRODEC

RTI ALLOYS

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MANUFACTURING CantonINC

The company continues to hold itsown in a mature market.

Within the last 10 years, KochKnight has introduced more than 40new products and has two more prod-ucts on the drawing board, withrelease expected within a year. Inaddition, Koch Knight is currentlyimplementing lean manufacturing, abusiness philosophy that focuses onreducing costs while preserving valuefor the customer by changing the waypeople do their jobs.

Customer demands have kicked the

company into high gear. Customerswant not only high quality productsbut also new products. And they wantthem delivered more quickly thanever before. Koch Knight hasresponded to its customers’ needs anddemands and has been able to keepup the pace.

ABOUT KOCH KNIGHTPresident: Michael GraeffLocation: 5385 Orchard View Dr., SE,CantonProduct or service: Leader in acidproof systems for large industrial

customers. Also sells ceramic and plasticpacking for pollution control equipment.Number of employees: 75 in CantonYears in Stark County: 15About Stark: “We like Stark County forits availability of high quality shop labor aswell as access to major truck routes. Forour employees, we like the lower cost ofliving, family-oriented environment, greatschools and Midwestern values.”

-Michael Graeff

HYDRODECNORTH AMERICAHydrodec’s roots may only go back afew years, but the business is firmlyplanted in environmentally sustain-able chemical processing that leavesa small carbon footprint.

The process for removing cancer-causing PCBs from used transformeroil and returning the oil to a re-use-able condition was developed inAustralia after eight years ofresearch. The end result was PCB-free transformer oil that could berefined an infinite number of times,allowing power companies to reducetheir use of new oil supplies. Oncethe technology was patented,Hydrodec, a London-based company,was formed in 2001 and now hasplants in both Australia and Cantonwith plans well underway to expandinto Japan.

In keeping with its focus on sus-tainability, Hydrodec North Americahas brought new life to a brownfieldarea in Canton, where the companyhas been operating for four years,transforming what once was consid-ered a waste product into a renewableproduct with a never-ending lifecycle.

ABOUT HYDRODEC NORTH AMERICACEO: Ian Smale, general managerGlobal Operations: Michael PitcherLocation: 2021 Steinway Blvd., SE,

CantonProduct or service: Collects and re-manufactures specialty mineral oil products for reuse and provides environmentally sustainable petrochemicalmaterials management.Number of employees: 26 in CantonYears in Stark County: 4About Stark: “We like Canton for itsexcellent shopping, quaint neighborhoods,reasonable cost of living, access to talentand proximity to the Eastern U.S.”

-Michael Pitcher

MORGANENGINEERINGSERVICES, INC.Morgan Engineering dates back to1868 when a young Welsh immigrantnamed Thomas R. Morgan set upshop in Pittsburgh to manufacturesteam hammers and other specialmachinery.

After three years, when the compa-ny outgrew its space, Morgan movedthe business to Alliance. Known as“The Hammer Shop,” the companysoon expanded its product line toinclude a variety of heavy equipmentand an assortment of cranes, whichgained the company notoriety in thelate 1800’s.

Today, Morgan Engineering isknown worldwide as the leadingdesigner of overhead traveling cranesfor aluminum companies, steel mills,electric power plants, refuse facili-ties, container handling and generalindustry use. In addition, they alsomanufacture transfer cars, ladles,scrap buckets and presses.

Throughout its existence, MorganEngineering has kept up with thetimes by modernizing its equipmentand plant as well as developing newproducts and redesigning old ones.

It has incorporated today’s technol-ogy into its engineering services aswell as into its equipment. Today,after 141 years in Alliance, the

KOCH KNIGHT

company continues to improve its products and processes to meet the changing needs of itscustomers.

ABOUT MORGANENGINEERINGSERVICES, INC.President and CEO: Mark L. FedorLocation: 1049 South Mahoning Ave.,AllianceProduct or service: Material handling equipment for the metals and mining industry. Primary productsare electric overhead traveling cranesand industrial automation/robotics integration including all Level 1 andLevel 2 hardware and software development for all metals and miningequipment.Number of employees: 110 full-and part-time employeesYears in Stark County: 141About Stark: “The hardworking, ded-icated people of Stark County whounconditionally care about the qualityof their work are the biggest asset tobusinesses of all sizes in the county.Stark County businesses have kepttheir synergies together through all theeconomic turmoil and that’s why todaywe see the resurgence of manufactur-ing in the hardest working county inAmerica.We are proud to be in StarkCounty and we are proud to be 100percent manufactured in Alliance, Ohio,USA.”

-Mark L. Fedor

RTI ALLOYSRTI International Metals, founded in 1950, is one of theworld’s largest producers of titanium with a global presence in the United States, Canada,Europe and Asia. Through itsnumerous subsidiaries, RTIInternational manufactures anddistributes an assortment of titanium products to the aerospace, defense, energy,


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medical and performance sportindustries. Its worldwide facilitieshelp RTI to better serve its cus-tomers.

As a subsidiary of RTIInternational, RTI Alloys has beenproducing titanium ingots inCanton for the past 15 years. Theingots then go to the Niles plantwhere they are fabricated intosheets and plates before being senton to be made into finished shapes.

Titanium may not be new to theaerospace and medical industries.It has been used in both for thepast 60 years, but increased use oftitanium products and new appli-cations are always being devel-oped. And it was just 20 years agothat RTI International entered theenergy market. With continuedgrowth in existing fields and theexploration of new markets, thetitanium business will continue togrow as new applications for this“space age” material are devel-oped.

ABOUT RTI ALLOYSCEO: Dawne Hickton of RTIInternational MetalsPlant Manager: Shane ProbstLocation: 1935 Warner Rd. SE,CantonProduct or service: Produces titani-um ingots and sends them to RTI Nilesto forge into smaller shapes and roll outinto plates and sheets to be sold toother companies for use in aerospace,industrial and other applications for cus-tomers around the world.Number of employees: 70Years in Stark County: 15About Stark: “Stark County’s laborpool is a major asset for doing businessin Stark County.There are a lot ofskilled individuals.The county has adiverse workforce with diverse back-grounds.”

-Shane Probst


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TRANSPORTATION CantonINC

Canton’s rail network canhandle anything you puton the tracks. TheWheeling & Lake Erie

Railway is a regional railroad thatconnects to Norfolk Southern, CNand CSX. It is the largest provider ofrail transportation in Canton andStark County, operating more than80 miles of track.

“Wheeling & Lake Erie movesover 21,000 carloads per year to orfrom customers in the county,” saidJonathan Chastek, manager of eco-nomic and industrial development forW&LE. It can offer customers up totwice-daily service depending ontheir shipping volume.

If you need to fly to the rest of thecountry from Canton, you’re in luck.We have the Akron-Canton RegionalAirport.

“When considering the perfectbusiness location, airport access iscritical,” said airport President andCEO Rick McQueen. “Not only isCAK conveniently located, we offerthe lowest average fare in a four-state region and a relaxing airportexperience. Your road warriors willthank you for making such a smartlocation choice.”

CAK set another record in 2011 by

serving 1.6 million passengers, and itis the 14th most affordable air marketin the United States. It offers non-stop service by Southwest/AirTran,Frontier, Delta, US and United

Express to Boston, New York,Philadelphia, Washington, D.C.,Charlotte, Orlando, Tampa, FortMyers, Atlanta, Denver, Chicago,Milwaukee and Detroit.

CincinnatiCincinnatiCincinnati

Columbus

Dayton

Canton

Stark

LAKE ERIE

OH

IO R

IVER

OHIO RIVER

CSX Transportation, Inc.Norfolk SouthernWheeling and Lake Erie RailwayOhio Cenral Rail System

Independent lineAmtrak service with CSXT and NS Indiana and Ohio rail system

Airport

Highway

77

30

76

90

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71

ClevelandClevelandCleveland

WellsvilleWellsvilleWellsville

By rail, air, highway or waterway? It’s easy to get where you need to go from Canton

BY DAVID KAMINSKI

HOW DO YOU DO BUSINESS?

CantonINC TRANSPORTAION

WHAT’S YOUR DESTINATION?FROM CANTON:New York City 445 milesWashington, DC 338 milesRichmond,VA. 427 milesLouisville, KY 333 milesIndianapolis, IN 301milesChicago, IL 389 milesMilwaukee,WI 476 milesDetroit, MI 213Toronto, ONT. 339 miles

If your business travels by high-way, Canton is the intersection ofInterstate 77 and U.S. Route 30. It iseasily connected with Interstates 76,71 and 80 (which is the OhioTurnpike). In the first decade of the

21st Century, Interstate 77, throughthe heart of Canton, underwent amassive expansion from four to sixlanes to accommodate the city’s per-sonal and commercial traffic.

And if you ship on the water, the

Ohio River intermodal port atWellsville is 52 miles away. It’s yourbarge connection to the ports ofMobile, Ala., and New Orleans.

You can get anywhere fromCanton, by any means you choose.

YOUNG PROFESSIONALSENGAGED IN STARK COUNTY

We’re here to develop a young, involved

and educated workforce for area businesses.

We want these businesses - our partners -

to know that we’re out there, working to attract

and retain diverse young professionals to this

area. For businesses in Stark County, ystark!

means just one thing: unlimited access to a

pool of the sharpest, most engaged YPs around.

A DEPARTMENT OF THE CANTONREGIONAL CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

www.ystark.org

LEADERSHIP PROGRAM FOR BUSINESS PROFESSIONALS

FOR MORE INFO ABOUT LEADERSHIP STARK COUNTY,VISIT

LEADERSHIPSTARKCOUNTY.ORG222 Market Avenue N • Canton, Ohio 44702 • (330)458.2094

Leadership Stark County has been buildingcommunity trusteeship. Through our programs, we are developing a core of motivated leaders to serve Stark County in the coming years -

BY JOAN RENNER

Many roads lead to Stark County.The Timken Company moved hereseeking access to Pittsburgh’s steeland Detroit’s automobile market.Belden Brick grew out of the clay-rich soil that fed its kilns. Each ofthe following six companies tookdifferent routes, but each has putdown deep roots, invested in StarkCounty and continued to flourish.

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CantonINC DEEP ROOTS

DEEPROOTS,

BRIGHTFUTURES Continued on page 42

THE TIMKEN COMPANY

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DEEP ROOTS CantonINC


THE TIMKENCOMPANYThe Timken Company moved from St. Louis to Canton in 1901.For the first 100 years of business,the company was known for itstapered roller bearings. That ischanging. In the last 10 years, thecompany has entered new marketssuch as wind energy, mining andpower transmission. It has alsoexpanded its market in China andchanged its steel offerings. Sales last year hit a record $5.2 billion. Of the 21,000 people Timkenemploys worldwide, 4,700 areemployed in Stark County. InFebruary, Timken announced a $225million upgrade to Canton’s FaircrestSteel plant. The upgrade is expectedto increase alloy steel bar capacity by25 percent.

ABOUTTHE TIMKENCOMPANYCEO: James W. Griffith,President and CEOLocation: 1835Dueber Ave. SW,CantonProduct or service:Tapered roller bearings,steel alloys, gear boxes, components forwind energy, mining, and power transmis-sion industries. Founded in St. Louis in1899, moved to Stark County in 1901.2011 sales: $5.2 billion.Number of employees: 21,000 total;4,700 in Stark CountyYears in Stark County: 111About Stark: “While the 21,000 peopleof Timken work from 30 countries to beclose to customers, Canton has been ourhome for more than a century.We areproud to both live and work here in StarkCounty, which has been a great partner inprogress with a terrific pool of talent.”

-James Griffith

GREGORYINDUSTRIES In 2011, a line in a transportation billwould have banned federally-fundedprojects from using guard rails produced by continuous galvanizing— the process used by GregoryIndustries. The company reached outto Ohio’s U.S. Senators — SherrodBrown and Rob Portman. Portmanintroduced an amendment to removethe provision, and it was taken out of the bill. Gregory Industries specializes in proprietary manufactured products, continuous-galvanized sheet coal and coatings,fence products, guard rails, safetycables and metalworking services.The company originated in Brooklyn,New York, but moved to StarkCounty in 1957 to capitalize onOhio’s steel industry. Two plantsemploy 125 people.

ABOUT GREGORYINDUSTRIESCEO: Steve Gregory, President and CEOLocation: 4100 13th St SW, Canton

Product or service:Makes continuous-gal-vanized steel coil, guardrails and safety cables,strut and fence prod-ucts.Thomas GregoryGalvanizing Worksfounded in Brooklyn in1896; moved to StarkCounty in 1957.Number of employees: 125Years in Stark County: 55About Stark: “We moved our businessfrom New York to Canton 55 years agoand have been pleased with the move.A combination of a business friendly political environment, a great work forceand superior health care for ouremployees has helped our companyprosper and grow.”

-Steve Gregory

DIEBOLDDiebold moved to Canton in 1872.Today, the company employs roughly16,000 people. Diebold makes andservices ATM machines and canmanage entire networks of ATMs,said company spokesman MikeJacobsen. It provides both individualsite security and integrated system

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GREGORY

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security for multiple sites. In 2009, Diebold competitor NCR announced it was movingfrom Dayton to Georgia, lured bya generous tax incentive package.Placed at a competitive disadvantage, Diebold announcedits own move — two miles fromits current world headquarters.Roughly 1,500 of its 1,900 localemployees will work in the newbuilding in Green; the companyexpects $100 million in state andlocal incentives for the $105 mil-lion project.

ABOUTDIEBOLDCEO: Thomas W. Swidarski, Presidentand CEOLocation: 5995Mayfair Rd., NorthCantonProduct or service: Makes andservices ATMS.Provides security forindividual and multi-ple sites. Founded in1859 when Germanimmigrant Carl Diebold bought intothe Cincinnati safe building company C.Baumann and Company. Moved toStark County in 1872.Number of employees: 16,000 total,1,900 in Stark County area Years in Stark County: 140About Stark: “The Stark Countyregion has provided a valuable businessenvironment since Diebold locatedhere in 1872. Now, with nearly 2,000Diebold associates working in the areaand supporting local families, schoolsand communities, we look forward toopening a new chapter in our historyin the region with the opening of ournew global headquarters in the comingyears.”

-Thomas W. Swidarski

SWIDARSKI


DEEP ROOTS CantonINC

BELDEN BRICKBelden Brick operates six plants innearby Tuscarawas County withadministrative offices in Canton. Itoperates four plants through its out-of-state subsidiary, Redland Brick,and two distributorships. Totalemployment comes to about 800.Raw materials, a good work forceand low cost of living keep the com-pany in the area, said President andCEO Robert Belden. Last year,Belden Brick produced just underhalf of its 250 million standard brickequivalent-capacity. Still, it was upabout 3 percent from 2010, sparkingoptimism for this year. Mineral andgas rights the company holds in twocounties also spark optimism. Thecompany is discussing how to benefitfrom the recent Utica Shale explo-ration, Belden said.

ABOUTBELDENBRICKCEO: Robert Belden,President and CEOLocation: 700Tuscarawas St.W,CantonProduct or service:The largest family-ownedand managed brick company in the UnitedStates. Makes and distributes bricks, with a250 million standard brick equivalentcapacity. Founded (as Diebold Fire BrickCompany) in 1885.Number of employees: 800 total, 500 inStark County areaYears in Stark County: 127About Stark: “We have done businesshere in Stark County for 127 years. It isour home and we have enjoyed great sup-port from this community and we hopewe have made a positive contribution inreturn. Certainly, we are proud of the

part our products have made in helping tocreate durable, beautiful buildings in whichall of us live, work, and play.”

-Robert Belden

MARATHONPETROLEUMMarathon Petroleum is also dis-cussing what to do about Utica. TheOhio-based company’s Canton refin-ery has already built a temporarytruck rack to accommodate the bar-rels coming in from Utica, saidspokesman Shane Pochard. Still,Utica accounts for a small percentageof the oil refined in Canton. “It's toosoon to tell” whether to increase pro-duction beyond the 78,000 barrel-a-day capacity of the Canton refinery,division manager Kevin Bogard said.Still, Bogard is optimistic, both forMarathon’s 350 local employees, and

BELDEN

CantonINC DEEP ROOTS

the entire region. “The job opportunitythat’s going to be in this area, theamount of skilled labor that’s going tobe needed to come into this area, it’sjust a very exciting time,” he said.

ABOUTMARATHONPETROLEUMCEO: Kevin Bogard, division managerLocation: 3801 23rd St. SW, CantonProduct or service: A wide range ofcrude oils from light sweet to heavy sour.Gasoline, diesel, asphalt, heavy fuel oil,propane, and sulfur. Crude distillation,catalytic cracking, catalytic polymerization,hydrotreating, reforming, alkylation, and sulfur recovery.Refining capacity: Total company capacity 1.2 million barrels a day;Canton plant has 78,000 barrel capacity.Number of employees: 350 in StarkCounty

Years in Stark County: 81 (Local refinery built in1931, was acquired byAshland Inc. in 1948when Ashland mergedwith Allied Oil company; Ashland Inc.formed joint venturewith Marathon in 2005,which dissolved in2008; in 2011,Marathon Petroleum sep-arated from Marathon Oil.)About Stark:“From 22 years of Marathon, I've lived inIllinois three times, Kentucky, Detroit,Houston ... Canton is one of our favorites;it’s a small enough town to get around,and not fight all the people that you haveto in Houston, but it’s big enough that youhave all the things that you want to do.”

-Kevin Bogard

H-P PRODUCTSH-P Products was founded in 1945 tomake gas conversion burners for coalfurnaces in households. Today, thecompany makes engineered tubebends for the automotive, constructionand agricultural industries at twoLouisville plants. Residential centralvacuum systems, bearing brand namessuch as Dirt Devil and VACUFLO,are produced at the company’sJackson Township plant. Companyspokeswoman Pam Corneliussen saidroughly 35 to 40 percent of newhomes in the United States have thesesystems installed — and that the sys-tems are even more common inCanada. Employment at the threeplants and corporate headquarterstotals 375 people, said Corneliussen.

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ABOUT H-P PRODUCTSCEO: Allen Green, President and CEOLocation: 512 W.Gorgas St., LouisvilleProduct or serv-ice: Makes engi-neered tube bendsand residential cen-tral vacuum systems.Number ofemployees: 375Years in StarkCounty: 67About Stark: “The secret to ourgrowth and success has been a diversi-fied product line, flexible manufacturingcapabilities, quality products and servic-es, and the ability to rapidly respond tomarket changes and customerdemands. However, none of this wouldbe possible without our greatestasset…our people. Stark County offersa vast pool of hard-working, talentedindividuals, many who have been edu-cated by one of our excellent schoolsystems or local universities. Many ofour suppliers, and some customers, arealso from Stark County or Ohio based,meaning easier communications, moreon-time deliveries and less transporta-tion costs. On a more personal note,Stark County is a great place to raise afamily, since it has affordable housing,reputable hospitals and health care programs, a growing airport, and lots ofrecreation and entertainment programsand venues.”

-Allen Green

GREEN


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CantonINC SMALL BUSINESS

Two rules for successful smallbusinesses: Find a niche andadapt, adapt, adapt. Five localbusinesses have followed thatpath to success.

Stark Industrial, founded byRaymond Wilkof in 1959, wentfrom distributing power trans-missions to distributing cuttingtools and custom-made parts.

When their main supplierstopped making custom parts,Stark Industrial started manufac-turing, which makes up about 90percent of the business today,said company Vice President SamWilkof.

Fred Olivieri Construction,founded the same year, focusedon gas station construction inthe 1960s.

When the mall came to BeldenVillage in the early ’70s, the company started building storesand restaurants in and aroundmalls. One chain outlet job led toothers.

“Amazingly, the little BeldenVillage area in Jackson (Township),Ohio is pretty much in all theUnited States,” said companypresident Dean Olivieri.

ABOVE: SolmetTechnologies originallyfocused on metallurgi-cal sampling. Now the business includesmachining, open dieforging and evenhand-forging by acompany blacksmith.AT LEFT:The Fred OlivieriConstructionCompany originallyfocused on gas stationconstruction, butfound a niche in chainoutlet development.


BY JOAN RENNER

SMALL BUSINESSES:The engine of athriving economy

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SMALL BUSINESS CantonINC

Today, the company does businessin 30 states, has a branch in Texasand owns a cabinet shop, Mr. O’sCustom Millwork and Store Fixtures.

The engineering company Jim andTim Seifert opened in 1985 has splitinto three companies: SeifertEngineering, Seifert Technologies,which deals with information tech-nology, and Seifert Associates, astaffing firm. The firms operate inMassillon, North Canton andNashville, Tenn. and employ roughly 120 people.

Hammontree and Associates is con-tinuing to adapt at the moment: Thecivil engineering and land surveyingfirm still does plenty of work witharea governments in road, bridge andbuilding construction. ButHammontree and its subsidiary,Morris Knowles & Associates, ofPennsylvania, see growing businessfrom the Utica and Marcellus shaleformations in Ohio and Pennsylvania.

“It’s kind of like a gold rush,” saidpresident and CEO Charles F.Hammontree. The company has had

two record years in a row, he said.“We’re on pace to beat them thisyear.”

Solmet Technologies is also benefit-ing from the gas and oil exploration.

“It’s a big, big deal,” said SolmetPresident Joseph Halter.

The company Halter founded origi-nally did metallurgical sampling.Today, Solmet also offers machining,open die forging and even hand-forg-ing by a company blacksmith.

Employment at Solmet has nearlytripled in three years. Halter is look-ing for a nearby company to heat-treat the shafts his company makesfor gas exploration. The Texas andLouisiana plants he relies on arebacked up two to three months, hesaid.

“We’d like to take more control ofour own destiny,” he said.

The leaders of these companiespraised Stark County’s health care,schools, colleges and universities,sense of community and skilled workforce.

“We work all over the country, Ican say this, this is still one of thebest places to work,” Olivieri said.

ABOUT HAMMONTREE AND ASSOCIATESCEO: Charles F.Hammontree,chairman and CEOLocation: 5233Stoneham Rd.,North CantonProduct or service: Civil engineering andland surveying.Number of employees: 76Years in Stark County: 46About Stark:“Ohio can contribute greatly (to oil andgas exploration and use) in not onlyuncovering and discovering the resource,but developing it into plastics and manufacturing and exporting.”

-Charles Hammontree

HALL OF FAME BRIDGE,HAMMONTREE AND ASSOCIATES


ABOUT SEIFERT COMPANIESCEO: Tim Seifert,president andowner, SeifertTechnologies; ownerSeifert Technologiesand Seifert &AssociatesProduct or service: Threeseparate companiesprovide engineering, information tech-nology and staffing services.Number of employees: About 120Years in Stark County: 27About Stark: “ There is no shortageof hard working, dedicated people livingright here in our area. I believe our firmhas taken full advantage of that.”

-Tim Seifert

ABOUT FRED OLIVIERICONSTRUCTIONCEO: Dean Olivieri, presidentLocation: 6315 Promway Ave. NW,North CantonProduct or service: Constructs andfits stores and restaurants within andaround malls. Also owns Mr. O’sCustom Millwork and Store Fixturescabinet shop. Clients range fromDisney Stores to Victoria's Secret,

SEIFERT

HAMMONTREE

ABOUT STARKINDUSTRIALCEO: RaymondWilkof, PresidentLocation: 5103Stoneham Rd.,North CantonProduct or serv-ice: Manufacturescustom precisionparts, cutting toolsand dead centers;distributes cutting tools and precisionmeasuring tools. Large focus in aerospaceand environmental control sectors.Number of employees: 33Founded: 1959Years in Stark County: 53About Stark: “We’ve been very suc-cessful here in Canton, and there’s really noother place I’d want to be.”

-Sam Wilkof, vice president

ABOUT SOLMETTECHNOLOGIESCEO: JosephHalter, Presidentand CEOLocation: 2716Shepler ChurchAve. SW, CantonProduct or serv-ice: Metallurgicalsampling machining,open die forging, hand-forging and non-destructive testing (NDT) inspection.Number of employees: 60Years in Stark County: 27About Stark: “There’s a great workethic here ... there’s a lot of really goodworkers here.” -Joseph Halter

IHOP to Benihana.Number ofemployees: About70 in the cabinetshop; about 70 inthe constructioncompany.Years in StarkCounty: 53About Stark: “It’s a great place to live,great place to raise a family.”

-Dean Olivieri

Enjoy High Quality Food in a Pub Setting!

401 Cherry Ave., Downtown Canton330.452.7383Catering Available!

OLIVIERI

SAM WILKOF, VP

HALTER

REGIONALECONOMICDEVELOPMENTFUND FOR FUTUREThe Fund for Our Economic Future is acollaboration of philanthropic organiza-tions and individuals that have united tostrengthen the economic competitivenessof Northeast Ohio through grantmaking,research and civic engagement. www.FutureFundNEO.org, 216-456-9800.

JUMPSTART, INC.Jumpstart provides intensive assistance andservice to Northeast Ohio entrepreneurs,and selectively invests in the highest poten-tial companies. www.JumpstartInc.org, 216-363-3400.

TRADE CONSORTIUMThe Northeast Ohio Trade & EconomicConsortium is a multicounty regional eco-nomic development partnership thatworks collaboratively in the region withthe goal of attracting capital investmentand jobs to Northeast Ohio through theadministration of Foreign-Trade Zone 181.www.NEOTEC.org, 330-672-4080.

DEPT. OF DEVELOPMENTWorking with partners across business, stateand local governments, academia, and thenonprofit sector, the Ohio Department ofDevelopment works to attract, create, growand retain businesses through competitiveincentives and targeted investments.www.Development.Ohio.gov, 800-848-1300.

STARK FOUNDATIONSince 1963, Stark Community Foundationhas connected the generosity of donorswith community need by making grants toorganizations working to improve StarkCounty.Together with its donors, theFoundation has granted more than $106million to nonprofit organizations.www.StarkCF.org, 330-454-3426.

TEAMNEOTeamNEO serves companies and siteconsultants by acting as the single point ofentry into the 16-county Cleveland Plusregion, and then works with counties andcommunities to ensure seamless attractioninto Northeast Ohio. www.ClevelandPlusBusiness.com, 216-363-5400.

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GROWING IN STARK CantonINC

One company plans to more than doubleits employees locally to 1,200 by theend of the year, while another recentlymoved in with a staff of 65. A third

company has roots going back decades and continuesto see amazing growth — and a fourth opened a dis-tribution center here after business continued toclimb in this market. All four companies, regardlessof size or history, have found Stark County a goodplace to settle and grow.

VXI GLOBAL SOLUTIONSVXI Global Solutions offers a full range of call cen-ter services, including sales, customer service, andtechnical support in roughly 40 languages.

The company, which has 9,000 employees, firstopened an office in Youngstown because manage-ment was impressed with several new hires from the region.

“We really liked doing business in Ohio. We feltlike we got tremendous support from the local com-munity as well as the state,” said Nick Covelli, sen-ior vice president of global sales.

An available AT&T building, coupled with CantonMayor William J. Healy II’s efforts, landed the officein Canton, Covelli said.

VXI opened its Canton facility in August with 500employees. By the end of this year, the companyplans to have 1,200 employees providing customer

GROWINGin Stark County

”“The Canton labor market has just been ideal.

-Greg Ouimet, regional vice president,VXI

VXI GLOBAL SOLUTIONS

BY JOAN RENNER

CantonINC GROWING IN STARK

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care, general marketing and technicalsupport.

VXI looks for employees withtechnical and computer skills as wellas sales and customer service experi-ence.

“The Canton labor market has justbeen ideal,” said Greg Ouimet,regional vice president. “We’ve des-ignated Canton as our regional office.We've purchased the facility. We planon being here a long time.”

ABOUT VXI GLOBAL SOLUTIONSCEO: Eva WangLocation: 401Cleveland Ave. NW,CantonProduct or service:Full service call centeroperation providingsales, technical supportand customer servicein 40 languages to sever-al countries. It also has an array of businessservices, ranging from data entry to lead

generation and development software forcall center needs.Number of employees: 600 in StarkCounty now, with an additional 600 pro-jected for the end of the year.Years in Stark County: 1

OLD DOMINIONFREIGHT LINEFor years, Old Dominion FreightLine has served the Canton areathrough its Cleveland service center.As business in the Canton marketgrew, the company decided to open adedicated, 70-door distribution facili-ty at Mills Industrial Park.

“We received wonderful coopera-tion from everyone in Canton,” saidODFL spokesman Chip Overbey.

ODFL provides less-than-truckservice — a shipment for a specificcustomer that does not take up theentire trailer space. Area trucks pickup several shipments in one day andbring it back to a distribution center.There, shipments with varying desti-nations are unpacked from the trucks

and regrouped according to commondestinations.

The company is based inThomasville, N.C., and employs12,000 with 40 employed at theCanton Center. Canton is ODFL’sfirst facility with a Leadership inEnergy and Environmental Design(LEED) certification.

ABOUT OLD DOMINIONFREIGHT LINECEO: David Congdon,President and CEO Location: 3970Commerce St. SW,CantonProduct orservice: Less-than-truckload carrier,operating in 48 states.Number ofemployees: 40 inStark CountyYears in Stark County: 1


OLD DOMINION FREIGHT LINEOLD DOMINION FREIGHT LINE

WANG

CONGDON

”

“GROWING IN STARK CantonINC

KENAN ADVANTAGEGROUPKenan Advantage Group originated inStark County. Through mergers andacquisitions, it has grown to becomethe largest tank-truck hauler in NorthAmerica. Kenan employs 7,000 peo-ple, about 450 of them in the region,said spokeswoman Patty Harcourt.

“We have more than 125 terminalsand more than 200 satellite loca-tions,” Harcourt said.

About 75 to 85 percent of whatKenan Advantage hauls is fuel,Harcourt said. In addition, it carrieschemicals, food-grade products andindustrial gases.

In 2008, Kenan moved its corporateoffice and logistics center to a sitemore than triple the size of the original.

Continued from page 53 We’ve stayed in Stark County,Ohio because ofthe people. With a long history ofmanufacturingsuccess, thisregion has devel-oped a culture of hard working,highly skilledindividuals whoare committed tothe success of theircommunity.

-Dennis Nash,CEO, Kenan Advantage Group

(pictured at left)

CantonINC GROWING IN STARK

The company invested heavily instate-of-the art equipment and tech-nology, including proprietary soft-ware that allows customers to trackdeliveries in real time.

“(Ohio) Gov. Kasich, when hecame through our facility, indicatedthis isn’t a trucking company; this isa technology company with trucks,”Harcourt said.

With subsidiaries as far flung asPennsylvania, California, Texas andWisconsin, the company could havemoved out of state. But Harcourt said the local colleges and skilled workforce made staying a good decision.

The Stark Development board, county commissioners and local chambers of commerce also deserve credit, she said. “We felt very wanted.”

ABOUT KENANADVANTAGECEO: Dennis NashLocation: 4366 Mt. Pleasant St NW,North CantonProduct or service: Tank truck hauler,hauling primarily fuel products, chemicals,industrial gases and food-grade products.Number of employees: About 450 inthe Stark County regionYears in Stark County: 21

MEDLINEINDUSTRIESMedline Industries, an Illinois-basedproducer and distributer of medicalsupplies, started looking for a newdistribution center when its lease inColumbus ran out.

Population statistics, interest fromarea clients and support of area govern-ment and business organizations led it toCanton, where it became the first tenant

of Mills Industrial Park, a 143-acre sitein the southwest corner of the city.

Medline bought the 18.9-acre site in2010, committing to the $13.7 milliontransfer center. The site, whichemploys 65 people, distributes suchproducts as wound care items, surgicalgloves, walkers and wheelchairs with-in a radius of several hundred miles.

“We have an outstanding team, weown the center, it’s somewhere weplan to be for a very long time,” saidBill Abbington, Medline president ofoperations.

ABOUT MEDLINEINDUSTRIESLocation: 3800 Commerce St SW, CantonProduct or service: Manufacturer anddistributor of medical supplies.Number of employees: 65 in StarkCountyYears in Stark County: 1

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CantonINC HEALTH CARE

With four hospitals in Stark County and a pedi-atric hospital nearby, residents here have access tohigh-level prenatal care, in-patient hospice andnearly everything in between.

“For the size of our county to have the sort ofmedical facilities it has is incredible,” said localemployer Sam Wilkof. “If you don’t have healthy

workers, it doesn’t matter what you do.”In the following pages, you’ll learn more about

Aultman Hospital, Mercy Medical Center,Affinity Medical Center and Alliance CommunityHospital.

HEALTH CARE:Caring for Stark

BY JOAN RENNER


ALLIANCE COMMUNITY HOSPITALLIANCE COMMUNITY HOSPITALAL

AFFINITY MEDICAL CENTERAFFINITY MEDICAL CENTER MERCY MEDICAL CENTERMERCY MEDICAL CENTER

AAULULTMANTMAN HOSPITHOSPITALAL

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HEALTH CARE CantonINC

Aultman Hospital is Stark County’slargest hospital — and the county’slargest employer.

Aultman predominantly serves mem-bers of its AultCare insurance program,although the hospital has a program forout-of-network patients as well.

Major programs at the hospitalinclude cancer, heart, emergency,orthopedic, neurosurgery and stroke,critical care and women and children.

Aultman and its satellite facilitiesserve patients in a five-county area,providing physical, occupational andaquatic therapy, dialysis, pre-employ-ment physicals and the county’s firstin-patient hospice center.

Aultman College teaches nursingand radiology, but the hospital alsoeducates patients. Lung and breastcancer patients can discuss theirhealth with a “patient navigator”throughout treatment. Anyone canuse the Sharon Lane HealthInformation Center. Support groupshelp people lose weight, stop smok-

ing, adapt a vegan lifestyle — evenconnect with grandchildren overFacebook.

“When we talk about health, it'snot just the physical health of thecommunity,” said Aultman spoke-woman Jen Kessel.

ABOUT AULTMAN Where: 2600 6th St. SW, CantonYears in Stark County: 120

CEO: Ed RothWhat makes it special: AultmanHospital is Stark County’soldest and largest hospi-tal — and the only onethat vertically integratesan insurance provider, ahospital and colleges ofnursing and radiology.

Aultman also offers Stark’s only in-patienthospice care center.Licensed beds: 808Employs: About 5,000 (includes hospital,colleges, insurance provider)Satellites: 18 facilities in three counties.Accepts: AultCare insurance plans. Non-AultCare patients can be admitted throughAultman’s “Yes,You Can” program.Website: www.aultman.org

AULTMAN HOSPITAL

ROTH

Affinity Medical Center of Massillonis Stark County’s only for-profit hos-pital, and the only one not locallyowned. Spokeswoman Susan Kooshtouts the benefits of belonging to the133-hospital network operated byCommunity Health Systems ofNashville, Tenn.

“It's phenomenal. We can pull onany of our colleagues or corporatepartners … to find services that havebeen beneficial.”

Affinity opened a new heart centerin 2009, and a new orthopedic andspine center in 2010. In 2011, itadded Da Vinci Si, a state-of-the-artrobotic surgery system. This year, itis expanding its emergency depart-ment from 16 treatment rooms to 24.

Other specialties include pain man-agement, women’s services, occupa-tional health and in-patient seniormental health. Affinity is a teachingfacility for Ohio University HeritageCollege of Osteopathic Medicine.

Affinity is the only county hospitalthat does not offer birth delivery; itoffers limited pediatric services.

ABOUT AFFINITY Where: 875 Eighth St. NE, MassillonYears in Stark County: 102

CEO: Ron BiermanWhat makes it special: AffinityMedical Center is StarkCounty’s only for-profithospital, with access toa network of 133 hos-pitals.Licensed beds: 266Employs: 769

Satellites: Seven physician offices in Stark County.Accepts: All major insurance programs;Affinity works with out-of-networkpatients through its Affinity Access program.Website: www.affinitymedicalcenter.com

AFFINITYMEDICAL CENTER

BIERMAN

AULTMAN HOSPITAL

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CantonINC HEALTH CARE

Mercy Medical Center of Canton is aCatholic hospital owned by theSisters of Charity of St. Augustine.

Mercy’s nationally recognizedemergency chest pain center featuresa heart catheterization lab right in theemergency department.

“We are among the best in thenation in terms of what is calleddoor-to-balloon angioplasty,” saidspokeswoman Lynne Dragomier.

In addition to heart care, Mercy’sspecialties include emergency, cancerand stroke care, vascular emergency,robotic surgery and its 39-bedregional rehabilitation center.

Mercy also operates a dental resi-dency program and clinic. In additionto routine dentistry — open to theinsured and uninsured alike — theclinic caters to the special needs ofsenior, disabled and pediatric patientsand has dentists on call for dentalemergencies.

One of Mercy’s satellite healthcenters combines hospital, school,YMCA and library facilities on acommon campus in Lake Township.

ABOUT MERCY Where: 1320 Mercy Dr. NW, CantonYears in Stark County: 104

CEO: Tom CecconiWhat makes it special: Mercy Medical Center is Stark County’s onlyCatholic hospital, andthe only one thatoffers a dental residen-cy program.Licensed Beds: 523

Employs: About 2,500Satellites: Eight facilities in three counties.Accepts: All major insurance plans. Mercyworks with out-of-network patientsthrough its “Your Choice” program.Website: www.cantonmercy.org

MERCY MEDICALCENTER

CECCONI

Alliance Community Hospital, builtin 2006, is the only Planetree hospitalin Ohio. Planetree is a patient-cen-tered philosophy of treatment.

Bedside hand massages, aromather-apy and prayer shawls made by vol-unteers and blessed by a chaplain, aresome examples of what spokesmanPatricia Kimerer calls Alliance’s“integrative therapy.”

Patients have a right to see theirchart when they wish; visitation isrestricted only when medical necessi-ty or the patient dictates it.

Kimerer said the idea “is to treatpeople as much as if they were athome as we can.”

The acute care center, with anurgent care center in Louisville,offers general surgery, orthopedics,wound care, maternity services, some

cancer treatment and extensive thera-py programs. The nursing homeoffers short- and long-term care.

ABOUT ALLIANCEWhere: 200 East State St., AllianceYears operating in Stark County: 112

CEO: Stan JonasWhat makes it special: Alliance isOhio’s only Planetreehospital. Planetree is a patient-oriented philosophy.Licensed beds: 259(includes 78 skillednursing beds in

affiliated nursing home and assisted living center).Employs: About 1,000Accepts: All major insurance plans, willtreat out-of-network patients.Website: www.achosp.org

ALLIANCE COMMUNITY HOSPITAL

MERCYMEDICALCENTER

JONAS

Canton Aluminum offers a wide variety of patio enclosures,sunrooms, screen rooms, patio covers, awnings, windows, siding,replacement and storm doors! Our reputation has been built on qualitycraftsmanship and integrity with our own factory trained crew. We can offer0% interest options to help to make your dream home a reality.

Call us today for a free in-home estimate! (330) 456-0021 or 1-800-826-6303 • www.cantonaluminum.com

ALLIANCE Mayor: Alan C.Andreani / Alliance Area Chamber:www.AllianceOhioChamber.org /Alliance Area DevelopmentFoundation: www.AllianceADF.com /City of Alliance: www.CityofAlliance.com

CANAL FULTON Mayor:Richard Harbaugh / City of Alliance:www.CityofCanalFulton-oh.gov / CanalFulton Chamber: www.DiscoverCanalFulton.com

CANTON Mayor: William J.Healy II / City of Canton: www.CantonOhio.gov / Canton RegionalChamber: www.CantonChamber.org

JACKSON TWP. Board ofTrustees President: James N.Walters / Jackson Township: www.jacksontwp.com / Jackson/Belden Chamber:ww.JBCC.org

LAKE TWP. Board of TrusteesPresident: John Arnold / LakeTownship: www.laketwpstarkco.com /Lake Township Chamber: www.lakechamber.com / Lake Township Develop-ment Foundation: www.LTDF. org

LOUISVILLE Mayor: Patricia Fallot/ City of Louisville: www.LouisvilleOhio.com / Louisville Area Chamber: www.LouisvilleOHChamber.com MASSILLON Mayor: KathyCatazaro-Perry / City of Massillon:www.MassillonOhio.com / MassillonArea Chamber: www.MassillonOHChamber.com / MassillonDevelopment Foundation:www.MassillonDevelopment.com

MINERVA Mayor: James Waller /Village of Minerva: www.ci.minerva.oh.us/ Minerva Chamber: www.MinervaChamber.org

NORTH CANTON Mayor:David J. Held / City of North Canton:www.NorthCantonOhio.com / NorthCanton Area Chamber ofCommerce: www.NorthCantonChamber.org

PLAIN TWP. Board of TrusteesPresident: Scott Haws / PlainTownship: www.PlainTownship.com /Plain Township Chamber:www.PlainTownship.com

CONTACT INFO

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EDUCATION CantonINC

Education is a priority in Stark

Canton and surrounding Stark County are com-mitted to getting their young people into col-lege, and six local colleges are ready to filltheir needs.

College preparation starts with high school graduation.Of 18 public high schools, 14 have graduation rates at orabove 90 percent. Seventeen of 18 exceed the state andnational average. Three private, religious-based high

schools exceed a 95 percent graduation rate.A growing number of Stark County high schoolers earn

college credit through advanced placement courses and adual-credit program in which adjunct professors teach col-lege-level courses in high school for simultaneous highschool and college credit.


MALONE UNIVERSITY Located in Canton, Malone educates 2,300 students in a variety of bachelor’s and master’s degree pro-grams. It is affiliated with the Evangelical Friends Church.

County boasts strong high school and early collegecurriculums, abounding options for higher education

BY DAVID KAMINSKI

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CantonINC EDUCATION

STARK STATE COLLEGE The main campusin Jackson Township and several satellite campuses— including one in downtown Canton — offersassociate’s degrees, certificate training and con-tract training for area employers. Enrollment forcredit exceeds 15,300.

AULTMAN COLLEGE Associate’s degrees in nursing are offered currently to315 students. An associate’s degree in radiography is being developed. It is on thecampus of Aultman Hospital and Aultman Health Foundation in Canton.

UNIVERSITY OF MOUNT UNIONLocated in Alliance, northeast of Canton, MountUnion has about 2,260 undergraduate and graduate students. It recently launched a bachelor’s in engineering program. Mount Unionis affiliated with the United Methodist Church.

KENT STATE UNIVERSITY AT STARK The campus in Jackson Townshipoffers selected bachelor’s and master’s degree programs as well as wide-ranging professional and workforce development programs.The campus serves morethan 11,000 students each year.

WALSH UNIVERSITY A Catholic university of nearly 3,000 students inNorth Canton,Walsh offers bachelor’s and master’s programs, and it is developinga center for research and education in teacher preparation that it hopes to link toscholars around the world.

Then there is Early CollegeHigh School in Canton, wherestudents over four years can earntheir high school diploma and anassociate’s degree from StarkState College.

These programs have inspiredentire families. In manyinstances, parents are returningto college as their children earncollege credit while in highschool. As a result, Canton andStark County have outpacedOhio and the nation in thegrowth of associate’s and bache-lor’s degrees.

“When we have an idea, we’rerelentless aboutit. We just keepat it,” said Dr.AdrienneO’Neill, presi-dent of theStark EducationPartnership, aprivately fund-ed research andcoordination body that helps thecounty think about educationalprogress from preschool throughundergraduate degree.

These high school graduateswith college credits can go to college without leaving home.

In Stark County alone, threeliberal arts universities, Walsh,Malone and Mount Union, offera variety of bachelor’s and mas-ter’s degree programs.

Stark State in 2010 was thefastest growing two-year collegein the nation. Kent StateUniversity at Stark is the largestregional campus in the KentState system, and AultmanCollege of Nursing and HealthSciences offers two-year health-related degrees.

O’NEILL

from page 62

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FOOD CantonINC

Companies in the regioncan produce 230 millionpounds of snacks, 400million pounds of

processed meats, 110 million poundsof Swiss cheese — and 10 millionpounds of chocolate.

What more could anyone want?Shearer’s Foods began with a used

kettle and some potatoes. In 1979,the Shearer family started selling

their kettle-cooked chips through thesnack food distributorship theybought five years earlier.

The privately held, family-runcompany now operates snack foodplants in Brewster, Massillon, Texas,Virginia and Oregon to produce pret-zels, chips, cheese curls and othersnacks. It manufactures for privateand branded labels. Shearer’s has1,850 employees — 1,100 of them in

northeast Ohio. Fresh Mark produces ham, bacon

and hot dogs for the company’sSugardale and Superior brands, aswell as for private brands. The compa-ny makes some beef and turkey prod-ucts, but pork is its main ingredient.

“If you’ve eaten bacon in a restau-rant, you’ve probably eaten our prod-ucts,” said Marketing DirectorKristin Clemmer.

FEEDINGAMERICA:Several foods produced locally

SHEARER’S FOODS

BY JOAN RENNER

CantonINC FOOD

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BREWSTER CHEESEBREWSTER CHEESE

FRESH MARKFRESH MARK

HARRHARRYY LONDONLONDON

The company employs 2,000 at itsthree plants.

Biery Cheese, founded in 1929,has expanded eight times in the lasteight years. The company, whichpackages cheese and distributes itthrough its sister trucking company,Apollo Sky, has doubled both work-forces to about 400 in the last twoyears.

Executive Vice President Ben Bieryattributes thegrowth to mar-keting, new pack-aging and newflavors in theprocessed cheesethey produce.

“Our work-force is just phe-nomenal; when

you walk in every day and you seesmiles on people’s faces, it really is adelight to see,” he said.

Brewster Dairy produces roughly30 percent of the Swiss cheese soldin America, almost all of it for pri-vate labels. Formed in 1965, thecompany remains loyal to its StarkCounty roots, even as it has acquiredfacilities in Idaho and Illinois.

Brewster Dairy employs between180 and 200 people in its Brewsterfacility, and roughly 155 people out-side Ohio.

Ninety-year-old Harry London isstill going strong. The chocolate facto-ry is the sole chocolate producer for itsparent company, 1-800-FLOWERS.

Harry London produces chocolatesfor its eponymous brand, as well asfor Fannie May and Fanny Farmer,said Bob Happel, vice president ofbusiness development.

Employment at the plant rangesfrom about 200 to 500, depending onthe season, Happel said.

Stark County is well situated forfood distribution: It is within deliv-ery distance to the majority of the

BIERY

FOOD CantonINC

U.S. population, and well-connected by good highways.

“There's a lot of room tosell snacks between here andany coast,” said MelissaShearer, vice president ofcommunications at Shearer’s.

But Stark County’s realstrength is the skilled, edu-cated and deeply rootedworkforce.

“In the food service indus-try, it’s not like making nutsand bolts, you have thepotential of harming people,”said Mike Walpole, nationalsales manager of BrewsterDairy. “It’s very, very impor-tant that you have the rightpeople in place.”

continued from page 67

BREWSTER DAIRYWhere: 800 S Wabash, BrewsterYears in Stark County: 47 (*47 years asBrewster Dairy. Prior to that, it was StarkCounty Milk Producers. It was bought byJohn Leeman and renamed Brewster Dairyin 1965.)Makes: Swiss cheese and cheese byproducts, such as protein for energydrinks and lactose powder for baby formula.Facilities in: Brewster, Ohio; Rupert, Idahoand Stockton, Illinois.Employs: About 350 in all three plants.Can produce: Up to 110 million pounds ofSwiss cheese a year.Website: www.brewstercheese.com

FRESH MARKWhere: 1888 Southway Street SE, MassillonYears in Stark County: 92Makes: Bacon, ham and hot dogs, primarily

from pork produced off-site, for retail andrestaurant markets. Also makes some beefand turkey products.Facilities in: Solon, Massillon and Canton,OhioEmploys: 2,000Can produce: 400 million pounds ofprocessed meat a year ; produces roughly500,000 pounds of bacon a day.Website: www.freshmark.com

SHEARER'S FOODSWhere: 692 N Wabash Ave., BrewsterYears in Stark County: 33Makes: Pretzels, potato chips, cheese curls,tortilla chips and other snacks for bothShearer’s brands and private labels.Facilities in: Ohio,Texas,Virginia andOregonCan produce: 230 million pounds ofsnacks a yearWebsite: www.shearers.com

CantonINC FOOD

SUPERIOR DAIRYWhere: 4719 Navarre Rd. SW,CantonMakes: Milk products, ice cream,orange juice, fruit drinks, chip dip Website:www.facebook.com/pages/Superior-Dairy

MID'S PASTA SAUCEWhere: 620 N. Main St., NavarreMakes: Pasta and pizza saucesWebsite: www.mids.cc

HEINZ FROZEN FOODSWhere: 1301 Oberlin Ave. SW,MassillonMakes: Frozen foodsWebsite: www.heinz.com

CASE FARMSWhere: 1925 30th St. NECanton, OH 44705Makes: ChickenWebsite: www.casefarms.com

FRITO-LAY INC.Where: 4030 16th Street SW,CantonMakes: Pretzels and snacksWebsite: www.fritolay.com

NICKLES BAKERYWhere: 26 N. Main St., NavarreMakes: Breads, rolls, cakes anddonutsWebsite: www.nicklesbakery.com

HARRY LONDONWhere: 5353 Lauby Road, North CantonYears in Stark County: 90Makes: Chocolates under the Harry London,Fannie May and Fanny Farmer labels, all ofwhich are owned by 1-800-FLOWERS.Employs: Between 200 and 500, dependingon the season.Can produce: Up to 10 million pounds ofchocolate a year.Website: www.harrylondon.com

BIERY CHEESEWhere: 6544 Paris Ave NE, LouisvilleYears in Stark County: 83Makes: Processes, packages and distributescheeses.Employs: About 400 Sister company: Biery’s Apollo Sky truckingarm gives the company the flexibility to deliveraccording to retailers’ needs.Website: www.bierycheese.com

ADDITIONAL FOOD PRODUCERS IN STARK

CANTON REGIONALCHAMBER OF COMMERCEThe Canton Regional Chamber of Commerce isa membership organization of nearly 1,600 insti-tutions and individuals dedicated to the advance-ment of the economic, industrial, professional,cultural and civic welfare of Stark County. Since1914, the Chamber has worked to advance busi-ness and develop community through partner-ships, programs, services and events to achieveeconomic growth for Canton/Stark County.www.CantonChamber.org, 330-456-7253.

CANTON DEVELOPMENTPARTNERSHIP The Canton Development Partnership is a coali-tion of area development organizations and citygovernment that share an interest in downtownCanton’s continual improvement, revitalization,image and quality of life for its citizens. Partnerorganizations include: Canton Regional Chamber,Downtown Canton Special ImprovementDistrict, Downtown Canton Land Bank, CantonTomorrow, Inc., and City of Canton.www.DowntownCanton.com, 330-456-7253.

CANTON/STARK COUNTYCONVENTION ANDVISITORS’ BUREAUThe Canton/Stark County Convention andVisitors’ Bureau, a department of the CantonRegional Chamber of Commerce, is here toassist you in your travels to our area.Whetheryou are organizing a tour group, a convention orsporting event, we have professional staff mem-bers ready to assist in your planning.The CVBservices the community by attracting tourists,convention and meeting planners and sportingevents to the Stark County area and operatingthe Tourist and Visitor Information Centers.www.VisitCantonStark.com, 800-552-6051.

CITY OF CANTONCanton is home to well known national land-marks such as the Pro Football Hall of Fame, theWilliam McKinley Presidential Library and NationalMonument, and the National First Ladies’ Libraryand Research Center. Mayor William J. Healy II isaggressively pursuing new companies and busi-nesses to the city. Canton has a wide variety ofattributes that make the city a smart location forcompanies of all shapes, sizes and industries, and

the city has programs that provide incentives forbusiness location, relocation or expansion.www.CantonOhio.gov, 330-489-3283.

STARK AREA REGIONALTRANSIT AUTHORITYSARTA provides more than 2.4 million rides ayear in Stark County through Fixed Routeand Proline services. Its goal is to ensure thatStark County residents including employees,students, seniors and disabled individuals haveaccess to a quality transportation system thatis both reliable and affordable. www.SARTAOnline.com, 330-47-SARTA.

STARK COUNTY ASSOC. OF REALTORSThe Stark County Association of Realtors®,proudly serving the Realtors®, homebuyers,and home sellers of Stark County, Ohio, strivesto enhance the ability and opportunity of itsmembers to conduct their business successfullyand ethically, and to promote the preservationof the right to own, use and transfer real prop-erty. www.StarkRealtors.com, 330-494-5630.

STARK COUNTYBUILDING INDUSTRYASSOCIATIONThe Building Industry Association of StarkCounty is a nonprofit trade association affiliatedwith the Ohio Home Builders Association andthe National Association of Home Builders.Chartered in 1945, the BIA represents andpromotes the interests and concerns of thebuilding industry and the community.Theorganization provides Stark County consumersand businesses with a directory of memberbuilders. www.BIAStark .com, 330-494-5700.

STARK COUNTY HUMAN RESOURCESASSOCIATIONWhether you are new to the HumanResources field or have many years of experi-ence, Stark County Human ResourcesAssociation is a local starting point for net-working, information, professional develop-ment and continued support of excellence inHuman Resources.The organization, foundedin 1944, is an affiliate of the Society forHuman Resource Management. Stark.SHRM.org, 330-451-8670.

CANTON/STARK COUNTY BUSINESS AND ECONOMICDEVELOPMENT RESOURCES

800 S.Wabash Ave. in Brewster330-767-3492

BrewsterCheese.com

STARK COUNTY PORT AUTHORITYThe Stark County Port Authorityhelps to provide the Greater StarkCounty area with an economic devel-opment tool for new capital invest-ment, job creation and retention.Theorganization helps create and pre-serve jobs through a wide variety offinancing, real estate and foreign tradezone programs. www.StarkCoOhio.com, 330-453-5900.

STARK COUNTY SAFETY COUNCILThe Canton Regional Chamber, withsupport from the Ohio Bureau ofWorkers’ Compensation, administersStark County Safety Council, one thetop councils out of more than 80 inOhio.The Safety Council provides aforum for safety and health informa-tion, education and networking inStark County, through leadership,innovation, facilitation, programs andsupport. www.StarkCountySafetyCouncil.org, 330-456-7253.

STARKDEVELOPMENTBOARDThe Stark Development Board is a private, nonprofit corporation createdto help local companies grow andexpand. In addition, it actively seeks toattract new business investments toStark County, one of the most eco-nomically viable areas in NortheastOhio, as well as to advocate forworkforce development.www.StarkCoOhio.com, 330-453-5900.

STARK REGIONALPLANNINGCOMMISSIONThe Stark County Regional PlanningCommission improves the quality oflife in Stark County and its communi-ties through an effective regionalforum characterized by communica-tion, collaboration, facilitation andplanning assistance.The organizationincludes metropolitan planning, com-munity development and engineeringdepartments. www.Co.Stark.OH.us,330-451-7389.

BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT JOBSOHIOJobsOhio is a private, nonprofit corporationdesigned to lead Ohio’s job-creation effortsby singularly focusing on attracting andretaining jobs, with an emphasis on strategicindustry sectors. JobsOhio is your ambassa-dor. www.Jobs-Ohio.com, 614-224-6446.

MAGNETMAGNET, the Manufacturing Advocacy andGrowth Network, supports, educates andchampions manufacturing, with the goal oftransforming the region’s economy into apowerful, global player.The organization helpsmanufacturers adopt innovative techniques,increase productivity and global access.www.magnetwork.org, 800- 669-2267.

BUSINESS NETWORKThe Regional Business Network aggre-gates resources to bring Stark,Tuscarawasand surrounding county businesses spe-cialized services, funding through grantsand loans, and staffing that options anycompany can access and use to do busi-ness better. www.RegionalBusinessNetwork.org, 855-669-4726.

SCORESCORE is a nonprofit association dedicatedto helping small businesses get off theground, grow and achieve their goals througheducation and mentorship. www.CantonRegional.SCORE.org, 330- 244-3280.

SMALL BUSINESS The Small Business Development Center atKent State University at Stark is a fullyfunded nonprofit organization devoted tohelping small businesses grow and individu-als start new small businesses throughtraining programs and consultation sessions.www.CantonSBDC.org, 330-244-3290.

MINORITY BUSINESS The Stark County Minority BusinessAssociation fosters development andgrowth of minority-owned businesses.www.TheABCDinc.com, 330-455-6385.

EMPLOYMENT SOURCEThe Employment Source is northeasternOhio’s premier workforce development andtraining center, connecting job seekers withemployers by providing numerousresources. www.ESwork.com, 330-433-9675.

EDUCATION,LEADERSHIP,WORKFORCEDEVELOPMENTLEADERSHIP STARK COUNTYLeadership Stark County, a department ofthe Canton Regional Chamber ofCommerce, engages and educates StarkCounty’s community leaders through arange of programs tailored to meet businessand community needs. LSC works withcommunity organizations to identify, prepareand position graduates for leadership withinthese organizations.The result is a core ofmotivated leaders with a lifelong commit-ment to community trusteeship. www.LeadershipStarkCounty.org, 330-456-7253.

STARK CO.EDUCATIONAL SERVICE CENTERThe Stark County Educational ServiceCenter is committed to meeting StarkCounty school district needs by providingquality educational support and servicesfor more than 60,000 diverse, wide-rang-ing students in Stark County.www.StarkCountyESC.org, 330-492-8136.

STARK EDUCATIONPARTNERSHIPThe Stark Education Partnership, Inc., is anon-profit education reform support organi-zation in Stark County, crossing the lines of17 public school districts.The partnershipcollaborates with educators, business, com-munity and civic leaders to create andrespond to opportunities that will add sub-stantial and measurable value to education.www.EDPartner.org, 330-452-0829.

YSTARK!ystark!, a department of the Canton RegionalChamber of Commerce, is Stark County’sdynamic young professional initiative.Theorganization works to attract, retain andengage young professionals, ultimately devel-oping an involved and educated workforcefor area businesses through programs, net-working opportunities, educational engage-ment. yStark! program highlights include the“Twenty under 40” awards, the FellowshipProgram with local businesses and CantonEntrepreneur Launch grants. www.ystark.org,330-456-7253.

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PARTING SHOT CantonINC

Photo by Bob Rossiter

RAINBOW OVER THE COURTHOUSE ANGELS On the National Register of Historic Places, the Stark County Courthousesits in the heart of downtown Canton. Referred to locally as the “courthouse angels,” these robed figures stand at the very top ofthe building, and are representations of commerce, justice, agriculture and industry.The courthouse was built in 1895 and hasundergone major renovations over the years to maintain its original splendor.

canton inc. magazine 2012

Documents

irwin director ofaccounting

eric smer director of

chairman george

vice chairman karenbrenneman

executive committee

saunier president

katz senior vice

detore interim executive