Geauga Business Magazine

geaugaBusiness
Fall 2012
Leading
the
Herd
Hastings
Dairy Farm:
Grade-A Milk
Producers and
Tourism Destination
PLUS:
Agribusinesses Ripe for Geauga County pg 4
Learn New Skills and Business Savvy at Geauga WorkPlace pg 10
Prosser Photography Focuses on Technique, Precision pg 12
Publisher
Chris Yuhasz
Owner, Persistence of Vision, Inc.
Editor-in-Chief
Margie Wilber
Owner, Write 2 the Point
Contributing Writers
Margie Wilber
Ann Wishart
Paige Hosier Orvis
Denise Tomazic
Beth Hallisy
Contributing Editors
Anita Stocker
Design
Ellen Seguin
Write 2 the Point
1
Leading the herd
H a s t i n g s Da i ry Fa r m : G r a d e - a m i l k
p r o d u c e r s a n d t o u r i s m d e s t i n at i o n
4
Agribusinesses ripe for Geauga County
8
M i dd l e f i e l d G r e a t L a k e s O u t doo r S u p p l y
h i t s b u ll’ s - e y e w i t h c u s t o m e r s
0
1
L ea r n New S k ills a n d B u si n ess S avvy
at G e a u g a W o r k P l a c e
12
P r o s s e r Pho t o g r a p h y f o c u s e s o n
technique, precision
13
M i dd l e f i e l d l a u n c h e s n e w w e b s i t e
with a one-two punch
14
m a g n e t at t r a c t s at t e n t i o n o f g e a u g a
c o u n t y m a n u fa c t u r e r s
16
UH Geauga medical center
s e n i o r a d u lt a s s e s s m e n t
18
j u n c t i o n a u t o f a m i ly :
geauga business leaders since 1931
20
Geauga park distric ts
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2012
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Leading
the
Herd
Hastings
Dairy Farm:
Grade-A Milk
Producers
and Tourism
Destination
by M a rg i e Wi l b er, Wr i te 2 the Point
“Growing up
on a dairy
farm, you
certainly
learn
discipline
and a
commitment
to purpose.”
- Mike Johanns
A
s newlyweds, the love of cows, farming and
dairy production led Lad and Brenda Hastings
to Geauga County in search of land that would
accommodate a robust dairy farm. Eight years
later, Hastings Dairy Farm, located at 13181 Claridon
Troy Road in Burton, Ohio, is home to approximately
600 Holstein milk cows, dry cows and 65 calves (0-3
months). Their hard work, passion and tireless
dedication are reaping rewards.
“My dad, both grandfathers and great paternal
grandfather were dairy farmers in California,”
beams Brenda. “I have good memories growing
up. As a child and teenager, I participated in FFA
(Future Farmers of America) and 4-H. Almost
everyone I knew either lived on a dairy farm or
their families serviced farmers in Tulare.”
Lad and Brenda share similar roots. Lad’s father
and mother owned and operated a dairy farm
near central Ohio, while Brenda’s family dairy
farm heralds from Tulare, California.
Brenda went on to earn a BS degree in
agricultural business with a minor in speech
communication from California State University,
Fresno in 1992. She continued her education,
earning an MS degree in agricultural economics
from California Polytechnic State University
(CalPoly) in San Luis Obispo, California in 1994.
Owning their own dairy farm was always a dream
for the couple.
California is the biggest dairy producer in the U.S.
co n ti n u ed o n pa g e 2
Geauga Business
Fall 2012
1
Leading
the
Herd
Hastings Dairy Farm:
Grade-A Milk Producers
and Tourism Destination
co n ti n u ed f r om pa g e 1
“I see dairy farmers – and
Lad’s family dairy farm was located in Red
Haw, Ohio, near the Wayne/Ashland County
border. This farm has been in the family
for generations. Lad also continued his
education, earning a BS degree in Animal
Science from The Ohio State University in
1993 and an MBA from the University of
Phoenix in 2003.
When Lad and Brenda met at the World
Dairy Exposition in Wisconsin in 1995, the
connection was automatic.
“We always had a goal of owning a dairy farm,”
Brenda says. “Shortly after our marriage, we
began putting together a detailed plan for
the future that included our desired farm size,
potential bank loan needed, etc.”
This year marks the couple’s 15th wedding
anniversary.
In 2002, the birth of their first son, Garrett,
gave the impetus to investigate dairy farms
for sale in California and Ohio. Their desire
was to be near family.
“We found the right size in Geauga County;
formerly the Clearview Dairy Farm,” Brenda
says. The Hastings fell in love with the
area, excellent condition of the farm, and
welcoming agricultural community.
Today, Hastings Dairy Farm is committed
to providing excellent care of their animals,
being responsible stewards of the
environment, being good neighbors, and
2
producing a quality product for consumers to
enjoy. The Hastings employ nine who help
care for the animals and crops grown on 500
rented acres. Crops include corn, grass hay,
rye and sudan, used to feed the cows. Two
lagoons store manure until it is time to apply
this valuable nutrient to the fields.
Days remain busy on the Hastings farm. Cows
are milked three times a day in a double-12
herringbone milking parlor. Three, free-stall
barns comfortably house the mature cows.
There are fields to plow, crops to plant and
harvest, calves to deliver.
For city folks, here’s a little vocabulary lesson.
A male cow is a “bull.” Until a female cow has
delivered her first calf – typically around two
years of age – she is a “heifer,” and when she
earns the title, “cow.” More? A “springer” is a
heifer getting ready to calve; a “fresh cow” is a
cow that just calved.
When heifers are three to four months old,
they are moved to the Hastings’ heifer farm in
Ashtabula County and return when they are
getting ready to have their first calf.
Milk production on Hastings Dairy Farm is
measured in pounds rather than gallons. The
dairy averages 1.3 million pounds a month
(approximately 8.6 lbs in a gallon). All of the
Hastings’ Grade A milk is sold to Middlefield
Cheese, located at 15815 Nauvoo Road, in
Middlefield, Ohio – manufacturers of awardwinning Swiss cheese sold across the U.S.
A successful dairy farm requires excellent
care of the animals, Brenda insists. Their
cows are kept in temperature-controlled
barns. Fans and water mists keep the cows
cool in the summertime, while curtains and
an enclosure provide warmth in the winter.
Hastings’ cows are fed the best feed money
can buy, and fresh, filtered water is available
to them at all times.
She continues, “I see dairy farmers – and
people in agriculture in general – as the
original environmentalists. We are careful with
and respect the land, and we provide the best
for our animals.”
In the United States, 99 percent of all dairy
farms are family owned and operated.
Rigorous federal licensing requirements
ensure proper care of the animals as
well as healthy, safe milk production
practices. In addition, Ohio Department of
Agriculture dairy inspectors visit dairy farms
unannounced to perform inspections five to
six times a year on average. With a possible
score of 100, dairy producers must score 90
to achieve a Grade-A rating. If unsuccessful,
the milk is otherwise termed, “Manufactured
Grade,” and while there is nothing wrong
with the milk, it cannot be used to make
drinking milk.
“Our farm is a Grade-A facility,” exclaims Brenda.
There are currently 3,062 dairy farms in Ohio;
785 are manufactured-grade dairy farms, many
located in Holmes and Wayne counties.
Brenda and Lad Hastings on their Geauga County dairy farm.
rs – and people in agriculture in general – as the original environmentalists.”
“We have been here for eight years, so we
are really still a young business. This land is
new to us. We took on a large debt, while
most family farms are generational,” Brenda
says. “We wanted to invest in ourselves. Our
business does have its challenges. Dairy
farmers are ‘price takers,’ not ‘price makers.’ In
other words, we do not set our own price
for the milk since milk is a commodity. This
becomes very difficult when expenses exceed
revenue. This year, our costs are up due to
the high price of feed, primarily resulting from
demand for corn ethanol and the drought
across the Midwest.”
Brenda explains that, typically, 50 percent of
their monthly expense is feed. This year, the
cost of corn will consume nearly 60 percent
of their monthly budget. “Unfortunately, we
cannot charge more for our milk to offset our
feed costs.
“You have your ups and downs, and normally
over time, you do all right in dairy farming.
The trend in the dairy industry is farms are
getting larger. You need more cows to break
even,” she states, looking out upon the wellgroomed fields this warm, cloudless day.
Still, the multi-generational dairy farmers are
convinced it is the ideal way of life – both to
earn a living and raise their family. Their two
sons, Garrett, 9, and Jack, 7, help with chores,
which include tidying up the parlor and
meeting room in preparation for tours.
Geauga Business
Fall 2012
In 2011, Hastings Dairy Farm started an
agritourism venture, welcoming group
tours including bus tours, corporate
meetings and employee picnics, school and
day camps, Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts, 4H clubs,
senior citizens, Kiwanis and Rotary clubs,
and even children’s birthday parties.
“We encourage groups to consider having
a lunch or dinner catered at our farm using
local products, and we will provide a tour
and educational presentation,” suggests
Brenda. Visitors learn how milk is produced
from farm to table. One-hour tours take
visitors through the milking parlor to watch
the cows being milked, to the free-stall barn
to see where the cows live, and to the calf
area to interact with the calves. Tours can be
tailored to any grade level. In 2011, their first
year hosting visitors, Hastings welcomed 550
people. In 2012, they will host more than
1,000 visitors. Brenda hopes this part of their
business will continue to grow.
Hastings Dairy Farm is open to the public
for special events this fall. Join them
for Tractor Fun Day, from 1 to 6 p.m.
September 29; or Crazy About Cows, from 1
to 6 p.m. October 12. The cost of each event
is $5/person. See www.hastingsdairy.com
for details.
$5/person with a minimum cost of $50/
group, available 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday
through Sunday. Facility rental for events,
including a dairy tour, cost $7/person with
a minimum cost of $105/group. Children’s
birthday parties are available 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Monday through Sunday at a cost of $7/child,
or $84 minimum for three hours.
Brenda insists, “Making our farm available to
tour groups is a way we can connect with our
community. I want people to see what we
do on our farm; observe how our cows live,
smell and feel; and learn how milk quality and
technology has changed over the years.”
The ambitious farmer/mother also
documents the ins and outs of her family’s
dairy work on her blog, The Dairy Mom.
Each Tuesday, she posts photos and shares
personal accounts of life on the family farm.
Brenda also explains day-to-day decisions
tackled and answers consumer questions
on the blog.
The energetic dairy farmer concludes, “It
means a lot to us that we get to apply our
lifelong experiences and education to our
own farm. We’re proud to call ourselves
‘dairy farmers.’ We hope our two sons will be
interested in carrying on that tradition when
it’s time for them to take over.”
In addition to the special events, scheduled
group tours are available through October
31 and will resume in April. The tours cost
3
Agribusinesses
ripe for
geauga county
by Ann Wishart
Jake and Dawn Tretheway, owners of Maple Star Farm, Auburn Township
4
“Buy Geauga” is not just a call for
area residents to spend their hardearned dollars close to home.
Maple Star Farm
It is also a philosophy and practice
that draws Geauga County
With its long rows of vegetables – some
covered by portable greenhouse tunnels or
row covers – the Tretheway farm catches the
eye and the imagination. Venture a little closer,
and it will capture the taste buds, too.
businesses to partner with each other
at many levels, including one of the
most basic – food!
Family farms have never faded
from Geauga’s landscape, and
while full-scale agribusiness may
take hundreds of acres and dozens
of workers, small-scale vegetable
operations are making a comeback.
Just a few miles apart in Auburn Township, Maple
Star Farm and Sirna’s Farm & Market continue to
fill niches, blending their chosen lifestyles and
environments into businesses that sustain their
health and that of those they supply.
Jake and Dawn Tretheway, who own and
operate Maple Star Farm, have traveled far down
the certified-organic produce path, providing
five kinds of garlic, red thumb potatoes and
pea tendrils that thrill chefs and customers at
Chardon’s Bass Lake Inn, Welshfield Inn and
Washington Place, to name a few high-end
restaurants in the county.
Craig and Anne Sirna, who tend and own Sirna’s
Farm & Market, combine hydroponic gardening
methods with more traditional row cropping
to grow enough vegetables to sell at their farm
market on Route 44 and at seven community
farm markets each week around northeast Ohio.
Both operations participate in communitysupported agriculture (CSA) programs, in which
customers buy shares of the farm, Craig Sirna
explains. In return for their investment, customers
receive weekly boxes of produce according to the
season – from spicy radishes, mesclun lettuces
and snap peas in the early spring to pumpkins
and winter squash in the fall.
Sirnas Farm Market also partners with a local,
corporate, catering business. The farm supplies
tomatoes to d’marie inc. in Bainbridge, owned by
Mark Seufer and Dianna Dunleavy-Seufer and fast
becoming known for its product “Party in a Bag.”
The Tretheways, who are in their mid-50s,
are passionate about organic gardening.
The certification process took several years
of religiously following the USDA’s National
Organic Program regulations on their 36 acres
of family farm, Jake Tretheway says. They also
had to submit an $800 application fee and
undergo a thorough farm review by inspectors
that included testing soil and plant samples for
chemical residue.
The certification process was rigorous but,
thankfully, a one-time event. “Once certified,
you remain certified unless something comes
up, and they decertify you,” the farmer explains,
such as failing to pay the annual fee.
They have to sell a lot of tomatoes to cover that
fee, he adds with a chuckle.
As much as they love gardening, Jack and
Dawn Tretheway keep a sharp eye on the
bottom line when they decide what to grow
at their farm, which is found at the northeast
corner of Munn Road and Washington Street.
For example, their spiky rows of organic garlic
can gross $40,000 an acre. By comparison, in
a good year, field corn grosses $1,200 an acre.
That makes garlic smell even better – even on
the bottom of a shoe.
The Tretheways apply the formula to all of their
planning and planting.
Small, sweet, fingerling potatoes – popular on
the gourmet’s plate or in the high-end grocery
store – can bring more than $10,000 an acre, he
says. They grow about 400 tomato plants; half
produce the ever-popular cherry tomatoes.
co n ti n u ed o n pa g e 6
Geauga Business
Fall 2012
5
Agribusinesses
ripe for
geauga county
“Now that the dust has settled, we need to cook up more products this
year,” Dianna says. “Whole Foods likes the Frappé Vino, so that is one
direction to go, working within the Whole Foods ‘all natural’ parameters.”
co n ti n u ed f r om pa g e 5
Their pea tendrils are used to decorate
expensive dishes at restaurants or to garnish
a hollowed-out, miniature pumpkin full of
custard, Dawn Tretheway adds.
Growing vegetables is labor intensive, so
the Tretheways were glad their part-time
help, Jill Zabrosky, a fourth-year biology
major at Kent State University, returned
this year to help out.
The CSA is a big part of their income.
They originally wanted to sell 25 shares
at $400 a share. In the end, 30 investors
were accepted.
“We started the CSA knowing we couldn’t
provide 100 percent of the produce,”
Dawn notes. “We cooperate with two
other organic farmers who produce
things we don’t grow.”
Sirna’s Farm and
Market
Craig Sirna is completely invested in the
8,000 tomato plants growing vigorously in
three different environments on the family
farm’s 13 acres.
He knows all of the varieties by name –
Mr. Stripey, Mortgage Lifter, Persimmon,
Brandywine and Zebra, to name a few
– and how to grow them with the
least-intensive labor while still
producing quality products.
A tour of Craig and Anne
Sirna’s all-natural vegetable
operation reveals an extensive
and successful relationship with
hydroponics for raising tomatoes,
cucumbers, ever-bearing
strawberries and green Roma
beans. Depending on his needs and
the season, the retired police officer
uses a couple of commercial systems or
one he developed himself to grow the
plants in nutrient-enriched water, their
roots stabilized in Perlite and vermiculite
growing mediums. By controlling the
greenhouse climate and pests, the Sirnas
can be confident of picture-book produce.
“They’re perfect tomatoes,” Craig insists.
The vines grow all season, up to 25 feet
long, in the greenhouse. With a steady
flow of water and nutrients, they produce
from early in the spring and sometimes
until Christmas. Craig says he has picked
his sweetest tomatoes in December.
The secret is to keep the system closed,
letting in as few bad bugs as possible,
Craig explains. He uses the same methods
as the organic-certified operations, such
as organic sprays and diatomaceous earth
to control diseases and some pests. Nonaggressive bumblebees from a Hive in a
Box, a Koppert Biological System, pollinate
the hydroponic plants. He also buys and
releases lace wings, nematodes, parasitic
wasps and lady bugs to keep aphids and
other common pests in check.
“When the pests are gone, (the good
bugs) move on,” Craig says. If they can
find a meal, they might hang around his
high-tunnel gardening plots, which he
describes as over-sized cold frames. The
rounded tunnels, tall enough to stand in,
have walls that stop several feet short of
the ground, allowing good ventilation.
Woven synthetic fabric covers the ground
in the greenhouse.
“I don’t like weeding,” Craig says. They roll
out the fabric, and Anne Sirna touches it
with a torch to make a planting hole.
Lettuce, Swiss chard, bok choy and peas,
all good farmers market items, thrive in
the controlled climate. Produce from the
field crops, including most of the tomato
Craig Sirna, owner of Sirna’s
Farm & Market, Bainbridge
Township
6
d’marie
plants, find their way to customers’ dinner
plates as well.
The Sirnas’ own farm produce stand opens
June 1 every year, on Route 44 south of
Route 422. Off-property farmers’ markets
open in April, and the hydroponics provide
early crops for those venues, Craig notes.
Other popular tomatoes include the most
inviting ground cherries, which grow like tiny
tomatillos in a husk.
“These sell by the pint,” Craig continues. “I just
say ‘Here, try one,’ and they buy. I’m big on
samples. When you get people to sample,
they get educated and they buy.”
Farm tours are his specialty, and he likes to
educate folks with some of what he learns by
researching his field and attending seminars
when he can.
“I’m not a hoarder – I share my knowledge,”
he says with a smile.
He credits Anne with choosing the best
varieties for the climate, production systems
and market. Their daughter Kristen works at
the farm market, and daughter Kaitlyn runs
the CSA.
The farm market built by the Sirnas sells
fresh vegetables as well as preserves, frozen
beef and pork, wine and various comestibles
visitors find hard to resist.
Craig Sirna is also a member of the Geauga
County Tourism Board and the Geauga
County Fair Board.
“I try to stay active. I love this county,” he
enthuses.
Geauga Business
Fall 2012
The Sirnas supply ingredients to d’marie
inc., where Mark and Dianna Seufer
produce hand-made flakey Triangles – a
cross between a chip and a cracker,
available in six flavors – for dipping in
their Vino & Spice all-natural herb blend.
The Seufers also created Frappé Vino, a
packaged, frozen-cocktail fusion to add to
a bottle of wine or liquor.
Put all three products together, and you
have a “Party in a Bag.”
The Party-in-a-Bag concept grew from
Dianna’s corporate catering career. Her
home-made Tuscan Triangles became so
popular at corporate lunches that in 2004,
the couple formed d’marie, revamped
the recipe to use all-natural ingredients,
and started doing everything a fledgling
business does to become airborne.
“We kept getting orders from wineries,”
Mark says. Their customers liked the
Triangles for palate cleansers when tasting
a variety of wines.
They developed the Frappé Vino in that
context and added a little wine to their
herbal spice dips, making a coordinated
combo they débuted in 2006 as Party in
a Bag at the Vintage Ohio event at Lake
Farmpark in Lake County.
The “all natural” label launched d’marie
into supplying some area outlets such
as Heinen’s grocery store and Cibo’s
Restaurant. Whole Foods Market picked
them up, taking their product national
and to New Zealand, Mark states.
which they renovated to their purposes.
At times when d’marie production doesn’t
command the kitchen space, the Seufers
plan to rent space to area caterers who
have outgrown their own kitchens and
have a business plan and existing market.
As demand and space has expanded,
so has their workforce. D’marie has 10
employees at the Bainbridge facility
and 20 salespeople scattered around
the country finding more markets for
d’marie. Their sales force stays in touch
electronically through email, texting, and
Skype when face-to-face communication
is necessary, Dianna explains.
Meanwhile, new ideas are a priority.
“Now that the dust has settled, we need
to cook up more products this year,”
Dianna says. “Whole Foods likes the
Frappé Vino, so that is one direction to
go, working within the Whole Foods ‘all
natural’ parameters.”
“Our end product is not certified organic,
but some of the ingredients are organic,”
Mark adds.
At the end of the day, the average shopper
is looking for healthy products, so d’marie
eschews artificial sweeteners, coloring and
flavoring, Dianna notes. “A lot more people
seem to be in tune with that.”
For more information on these
Geauga County businesses, visit www.
maplestarfarm.com, www.sirnasfarm.com
and www.dmarieinc.com.
That demand fostered more demands,
such as a need for a larger workspace.
The Seufers found commercial space
on West Park Circle Drive in Bainbridge,
7
Middlefield
Great Lakes
Outdoor Supply
Hits Bull's-Eye
With Customers
G
reat Lakes Outdoor Supply in
Middlefield, Ohio is more than a place to
purchase firearms, ammunition and outdoor
gear. Owner Ralph Spidalieri – former police
officer, SWAT counter sniper, and outdoor
sports enthusiast – designed a store that
rivals such outdoor retail giants as Cabela’s
and L.L. Bean. Great Lakes Outdoor Supply’s
newest location is sure to attract tourists,
locals, and a steady flow of online traffic.
Spidalieri, 43, of Munson Township, served
with the Shaker Heights police force from
1993 to 2006. He then accepted a position
with the Geauga Sheriff’s Department, where
he worked until 2011.
It was the former police officer’s tactical
expertise, natural skill, and passion for the
outdoors that triggered his desire to enter
this line of retail business. Combine those
traits with innate business savvy, excellent
financial skills, and an old-fashioned
work ethic, and that explains how the
entrepreneur is hitting pay dirt.
“I currently own and operate stores in
three locations: Chesterland, Madison and
Middlefield,” Spidalieri says. “I spent the past
12 years growing my retail business at this
location, moving from Burton to Middlefield
8
by Margie Wilber, Write 2 the Point
in 2001. We built a clientele, gained their trust,
and know what they are looking to purchase.
My stores also cater to the local economy.”
Spidalieri chose to relocate his Middlefield
Village store to gain more retail space and
offer indoor amenities to better serve his
clientele.
To begin construction on the new store,
Spidalieri acquired a business loan through
Cortland Bank before contracting local
Amish craftsmen to design and build a
32,000-square-foot, timber structure to
house more than 20,000 square feet of retail
space. The former Middlefield Great Lakes
Outdoor Supply was only 5,000 square feet
with approximately 3,200 square feet of retail
space. Hundreds attended the store’s grand
opening on June 30.
The new store captures the natural essence
of the outdoors. Customers appreciate the
craftsmanship of the stunning timber walls,
wide-open cathedral ceiling and spacious
shelving. A “shooting gallery” entertains
spouses, children and guests while others
browse the aisles. Merchandise includes
firearms, archery, trapping, ammunition,
reloading, fishing, kayaks and canoes, ATVs,
water sports, and clothing.
Inside the store are two archery ranges, one
of which electronically scores the archer’s
precision and enables up to six friends to
compete at one time.
“We welcome young people to visit our store
and use the available equipment,” Spidalieri
says. Already, several youth groups and 4-H
groups have found Great Lakes Outdoor
Supply a fun alternative to video games and
television. “I’m concerned about our youth
and wanted to offer a venue for them that
was fun, safe and kept them out of trouble.”
Spidalieri particularly enjoys the company
of his daughter Nicole, 9, at the store, where
he is teaching her bookkeeping, product
pricing, and “instilling values of hard work
and dedication required for success, and
the importance of fiscal conservancy.” He
has given her full responsibility of managing
all of the window decal sales for all three
stores. Spidalieri feels blessed to have a
business that can afford this experience and
attachment with his daughter.
The Munson Township resident says he
expects this $1.8 million cost of the facility
will realize a gross return between $11
million and $15 million annually through online and retail sales.
Business owner Ralph Spidalieri at
Great Lakes Outdoor Supply.
A national direct-mail campaign is in full
swing. “We produce in-house fliers and
distribute them throughout Geauga County
as well as targeted cities throughout the U.S.
We have experienced tremendous success in
Green Bay, Wisconsin,” Spidalieri describes.
“I always had a passion
The 2,800-square-foot Chesterland and
14,000-square-foot Madison stores prove
to be exceptional retail locations as well.
According to Spidalieri, handguns for home
defense are the biggest sellers, followed by
rifles, bows and ammunition.
outdoors. This is the
The Middlefield store employs 19, including
three in the call center, 11 in retail sales, one
full-time and one half-time accountant, and
three managers. “I wanted to create a place
where my employees are happy and enjoy
coming to work,” says Spidalieri. “I want my
employees to feel a part of it.”
and love for the
closest thing I could do
to living it every day!”
Classes are another attraction for Great Lakes
Outdoor Supply.
“We offer CCW (Carrying a Concealed
Weapon) classes every other Saturday at $99
per class. These are very popular,” he adds.
“Sometimes, there are more women in the
class then men. I also own an outdoor range
called ‘Top Gun’ on Rt. 87, just east of Rt. 528.
It is state of the art.”
Approximately 56 law enforcement
departments train at that facility.
“When I was a sniper, it was hard to find
somewhere to shoot,” recalls the successful
business owner. He purchased the private
shooting range and turned it into a fullfledged training center.
“I always had a passion and love for the
outdoors. This is the closest thing I could do
to living it every day!” he exclaims.
Spidalieri continues, “I care about the Village
of Middlefield and this county. Geauga
County is a great place to raise a family and
provides excellent health care, good schools,
and everything you need is nearby. I am
an advocate for small business. I built my
businesses by delivering excellent customer
service. Big business has eliminated
customer service from the equation. Great
Lakes Outdoor Supply offers customer
service, a quality product and competitive
pricing. And unlike the big chains, someone
will be here to say, ‘Thank you.’”
Geauga Business
Fall 2012
9
Skills
Business
Savvy at
Geauga
WorkPlace
Learn New
&
by Denise Tomasic
Losing a job can leave even the most
focused person a bit shaken. Where
do you start and how can you expedite the
process of finding a job? How do you learn who is
hiring and how can you get connected with employers looking for talent? Geauga
WorkPlace is a one-stop resource for both job seekers and employers – helping
individuals define and enhance critical skills employers look for in today’s market.
10
Geauga WorkPlace, the workforce
development division of Geauga County Job
& Family Services, is located within Geauga
Job & Family Services, at 12480 Ravenwood
Drive in Chardon. It is a strong partner with
various sectors of economic and workforce
development within Geauga County.
Partnerships are key to providing relevant
resources and services. Some vital
WorkPlace partners include, Geauga
County Commissioners, GAPP Inc (Geauga,
Ashtabula, Portage Partnership), Auburn
Career Center, Geauga Growth Partnership,
Geauga County Community & Economic
Development, Senior Employment Services,
Bureau of Vocational Rehabilitation, Veterans’
Services , Workforce Investment Act, and the
Ohio Department of Job & Family Services.
CONNECTING
WORKERS
WITH EMPLOYERS
Geauga WorkPlace assists individuals seeking
employment and employers looking to
hire. Resume assistance, re-careering, reemployment, updating computer skills, and
available training options are the focus of
the transitional team in reference to the job
search process.
Helping employers recruit, train, and
retain top talent in Geauga County is
executed through the Business Services
Representative in partnership with the
WorkPlace transitional team.
As a proactive participant in the workforce
development arena, it has certainly been an
evolution process these past few years. In
2009, at the height of unemployment crisis
nationally, WorkPlace focused on helping job
seekers prepare for reentry into a stagnant
economy that could support few new hires.
The goal: teach individuals how to identify their
transferable skills, how to network , and how
to uncover the hidden job market to create
opportunities. Volunteering was a consistent
mantra as a way to broaden and sharpen skills
and, perhaps, connect to future employers.
This advice holds true today, but the
workforce landscape has dramatic shifted.
Now, the focus is targeting a demand-driven
market fueled by employers looking for top
Geauga Business
Fall 2012
talent and being confronted by a shortage,
particularly for skilled labor. In essence,
it has become a job-seekers market, and
companies need to work a harder to brand
their culture to potential employees. In the
process, business needs to look at what
they are doing to retain their existing talent,
explore compensation strategies, and dust
off and revise some key job descriptions.
The Geauga WorkPlace team has embraced
the new workforce direction in many ways
– most notably with outcomes being driven
more by the needs of business. This involves
a two -fold strategy: having a presence in
the business community with a listening ear
to assess employer’s needs; and redefining
the transitional team with an accelerated
link to talent and job-matching processes
for employers.
As with any organization, creativity uncovers
programs and partners that help you do
more. One such partnership is with the
Geauga County Department on Aging.
Retirees often looks to “reinvent their
retirement” by remaining engaged in the
community and workplace in some way.
Employers value their experience, trainability,
and mentoring skills for an upcoming labor
pool. Consequently, job postings are shared
with Geauga County Department on Aging, a
creative resource for talent.
The shortage of skilled labor forged unique
partnerships between Geauga WorkPlace,
Geauga Growth Partnership, and Auburn
Career Center, leading to the development
of a pilot program, “Pathways to Promise,”
for CNC machinists. Validated by employer
need, the program hopes to develop a
talent pipeline for local businesses.
Please call 440.285.1116 for more information
or to sign up for a workshop.
Additional free services: Advanced resume
session, individualized resume consultation,
interviewing workshop, offered by
transitional team members.
ABLE and GED classes are available with math
and writing assistance as well.
Veterans
• Veterans priority of service
•On-site veterans representative
Please call 440.285.1119 for more information.
Employers
•Resource for talent
• Access to hiring/training incentives
• Assistance with developing job
descriptions
•Layoff aversion/rapid response
•Source of timely information for business
•Resource for community and business
partnerships
Contact : Denise Tomazic, Business Services
Representative, for additional information at
440.285.1264 or tomazd@odjfs.state.oh.us
The evolution of Geauga WorkPlace,
strengthened by partnerships that engage
both business and community stakeholders,
has added a new dimension to workforce
development in Geauga County. The goal
of having “no wrong door for business” and
providing some viable resources for talent
is now becoming possible through these
shared partnerships. Ultimately, isn’t this
a win/win for us all as we move forward in
an ever-changing economy and become a
stronger Geauga County?
SERVICES AVAILABLE
At a glance, here are some of the services
provided by WorkPlace.
Job seekers
Free Workshops from 8 a.m. to 4:15 p.m.
in a state-of-the art career center
•Resume workshop
•Introduction to Computers
• Microsoft Word 2010
• Microsoft Excel 2010
•E-mail workshop
Now, the fo
cus is targeti
ng a
demand-driv
en market fu
eled
by employers
looking for to
p
talent and b
eing confron
ted
by a shortag
e, particularl
y for
skilled labor.
11
Prosser
Photography
focuses on
technique,
precision
by Margie Wilber, Write 2 the Point
A
s surgeon Maria Madden, M.D. utilizes
meticulous technique and precision
inside the operating rooms of University
Hospitals Geauga Medical Center, her
spouse of 13 years, Phil Prosser, focuses
on state-of-the-art technique and
precision of a different nature – inside
the Prosser Photography studio at 12371
Kinsman Road, Suite 109, in Newbury.
“I grew up around the craft,” recalls the
Munson resident. “My father, Phil Prosser,
who is 82, would return home from his
full-time position as an insurance salesman
and pick up his camera to photograph
team sports and weddings.
“I took my first formal photography class
in high school and loved it. I’ve always
appreciated the whole photographic
process – from tripping the shutter to
taking the image out of a fixer bath.”
As the saying goes, the rest is history.
While Prosser went on to earn a bachelor
of arts degree in English literature and
philosophy from Capital University
12
in Columbus, Ohio, his passion for
photography never diminished.
“I opened my first photography studio
in 1992. I didn’t have a brick-and-mortar
studio like I do now. I was a ‘trunker,’”
laughs the gregarious Prosser. “I worked
from my home and, often, out of the trunk
of my car.”
After they married, the couple moved
from Boardman to Geauga County, where
Dr. Madden established her medical
practice. In 2006, Prosser opened his
first photography studio in Burton before
moving to his current location in 2008.
The professional photographer has
witnessed a revolution in the photography
field as the trade moved away from
manual camera bodies, film, and darkroom
development to automatic, digital camera
bodies (though Phil insists he would never
shoot photos on any camera setting but
manual) and digital processing.
“I began working in the field with an
Olympus OM2 and Rollaflex 2 1/4
camera body with a Bessler enlarger in
the darkroom. I sold it all when digital
came on the scene,” chuckles Prosser,
reminiscing. The financial investment
proved worthwhile as the seasoned
photographer increased his portfolio to
include wedding, sports and product
photography along with individual
portraitures.
His inspirations include such diverse, worldrenowned photographers as Diane Arbus,
Monte Zucker, Edward Pierce and Dawn Blair.
Prosser describes that while many people
fancy themselves “photographers” – owning
high-end digital cameras and Photoshop
software – a true professional must know
how to manipulate camera speed, aperture
settings, white balance, and more to truly
capture the essence of a subject or tell a
vivid story, explains Prosser.
“I am very excited to offer green-screen
photography to my clients,” Prosser adds
enthusiastically. “With this technology, I can
make it look like the person is anywhere – at
a park, in a laboratory, at a warehouse, in
a church. I have married both disciplines
of studio photography and environmental
photography by using green screen.”
Prosser also works as an independent,
computer-systems engineer. His knowledge
facilitates his use of green-screen technology.
“No one in Geauga County does green
screen at this level, if at all,” insists the Class of
2004 Geauga Leadership graduate. “I have
perfected the process, which is key to making
this method viable.”
While the learning curve and investments
were steep, Prosser hopes for substantial
returns.
“Money is great, but what drives me is my
desire to make the absolutely perfect image
and satisfy my clients. Client satisfaction is a
guarantee at this studio. I like when people
like me, and I don’t when they don’t,” he
admits with a grin.
MIDDLEFIELD
LAUNCHES
NEW
WEBSITE
WITH A
ONE-TWO
PUNCH
by Beth Hallisy
T
he Village of Middlefield launched its
new, “two-faced” website this summer, less
than four months after Mayor Ben Garlich
all but declared war on the area’s much-toolong economic slide.
“We will not use the global economic crisis
as an excuse for complacency,” says Garlich.
“We are determined to bring the Village of
Middlefield to new heights, and to do that
we simply must up our game.”
The redesigned site, www.middlefieldohio.
com, has a double purpose: No. 1, to
showcase the area’s rural beauty, unique
charm, and many attractions and services to
residents and future residents; and No. 2, to
make a compelling case to commercial and
industry sectors to build or move business
to Middlefield. The site is the first visible
outcome of Middlefield Means Business, a
three-year stimulus plan developed by Garlich
and the Village’s newly formed Economic
Development Committee. Businesses can
bypass the residential website by using www.
middlefieldmeansbusiness.com.
“We have to demonstrate to business
leaders that we will rally around them and
respond to their needs,” Garlich maintains.
“We have the shovel-ready land. We have
Geauga Business
Fall 2012
numerous tax incentives. We have a wealth
of natural resources, good transportation
and competitive utilities. And we have
an extremely high-performing, nonunion
workforce. There is no reason we shouldn’t
have manufacturing and other industries
forming a line at our door.”
The site is designed to be a one-stop resource
for anyone wanting to know anything about
the Village of Middlefield. It has both a
business section and a consumer section,
and features a searchable business directory
with benefits to both audiences. From the
directory, a user can link to any Middlefield
business to access a full description of the
company, along with contact information,
photographs and a map.
In the Middlefield Means Business section
of the site, commercial prospects can get
virtually all their questions answered. The
industry side of the site features content
relating to economic incentives, available
commercial property, the local workforce,
zoning, utilities, transportation, taxes, and
business partners and tools, as well as village
stats, maps and an opportunity to sign up for
Middlefields’s business e-letter.
In the Middlefield Ohio section, residents
and future residents can virtually explore
the village’s schools, churches, community
services, government and emergency
services, restaurants, and recreational facilities
and parks. Further, they can sign up for 911,
access school closing alerts, check out the
community calendar, look up movies, find local
newspapers, monitor the weather, sign up
for the community e-newsletter, access local
obituaries, confirm library and post office hours,
or offer up an idea in the suggestion box.
The site also offers a picturesque and
informative slideshow of Middlefield life and
a comprehensive search feature. Visitors also
are able to access the village’s Facebook,
LinkedIn and Twitter pages from the site.
The site is touch-enabled and loads quickly
on mobile phones and tablets. Also, the site
is SEO-optimized and uses the popular open
source Joomla! content management system
to ensure a successful user experience.
Founded in 1799, Middlefield Village
embraces its rural heritage, Midwestern
work ethic, easy lifestyle and welcoming
demeanor. The mayor invites anyone
interested in learning more about the Village
of Middlefield to contact him directly at
bgarlich@middlefieldohio.com or call tollfree 855.209.8469. It doesn’t get much more
up close and personal than that.
13
MAGNET
Attracts Attention of
Geauga County Manufacturers
Founded in 1984, the Manufacturing Advocacy
& Growth Network (MAGNET) is a nonprofit
organization dedicated to helping manufacturers
compete and grow, and its presence in Geauga
County may provide local manufacturing with a
well-needed boost.
MAGNET acts as a catalyst to help regional
development organizations invest wisely in the
manufacturing sector by supporting new product
development and entrepreneurial services
for small- and medium-size manufacturers. In
addition, MAGNET collaborates with a number of
regional partners to offer a variety of programs
related to improving the overall climate for
manufacturing in the region and state.
The mission of MAGNET,
the Manufacturing
Advocacy & Growth
Network, is to support,
educate and champion
manufacturing in
Ohio with the goal of
transforming the region’s
economy into a powerful,
global player.
MAGNET’s Board of Directors includes
representatives from some of the region’s largest
international companies, smaller manufacturers,
leading universities and regional economic
development organizations. The board guides
the efforts of MAGNET’s professional staff, which
includes advanced manufacturing consultants,
business development experts and highly
experienced product-design engineers.
While MAGNET receives some funding from
the state and federal government, much of the
services are fee-for-hire. The local organization
employs 32 who serve an 18-county region.
One goal is to gain a greater footing in
Geauga County.
What has attracted the attention of Geauga
County manufacturers is Magnet’s recently
released audit results over the past five years.
According to a press release by the organization,
MAGNET services to manufacturers produced a
five-year total of nearly $1 billion in economic
14
impact. The total documented economic impact
of $993 million took place between July 2006
and June 2011. The figures were collected
and confirmed from MAGNET clients by an
independent, third-party firm used by the U.S.
Department of Commerce for data collection.
“This third-party audit shows very successful
engagements by MAGNET with hundreds of
manufacturers of all sizes across all industry
groups during one of the most difficult economies
since the Great Depression,” says Dan Berry,
MAGNET President and Chief Executive Officer.
“We’re pleased that our efforts have produced
such tangible results for Ohio manufacturers.”
WHAT IS MAGNET?
MAGNET provides consulting services aimed
at helping companies achieve bottom-line
efficiencies through increased productivity and
process improvement programs while improving
top-line sales through a variety of new product
development and growth strategies.
Recently, MAGNET completed 796 projects for
398 manufacturers, helping those companies:
Achieve $655 million in increased or retained
sales
Attain $63 million in cost savings
Invest $195 million in their operations
Create or retain 6,142 manufacturing jobs.
•
•
•
•
MAGNET’s outreach services impact hundreds
of companies every year. The direct services
range from growth strategies and process
improvement projects to access to loans, grants
and educational events, including online courses.
According to Linda Barita, MAGNET Marketing
and Program Support Manager, MAGNET is
strengthening its ties to the region’s economic
development entities and industry
associations in light of the most difficult
economies in recent memory.
“By creating innovative programs and
facilitating the development of emerging
technology, northeast Ohio’s manufacturing
sector can grow, prosper, and compete
globally,” states Barita.
Barita, formerly employed at British
Petroleum (BP) and GrafTech International
prior to joining MAGNET, also provides
engineering project management and
business development services.
Located at 1768 E. 25th St., on the Cleveland
State University Campus, MAGNET programs
contribute to a shared vision that builds
bridges, linking industry, academia, talent
and great ideas.
“We are a resource. We want to help
manufacturers in Geauga County. What
are your problems? What is keeping you
up at night? Our goal is to make sure
manufacturing stays in the area,” Barita
explains. She says MAGNET has already
worked with a handful of manufacturing
companies in the past 25 years in the
Geauga County area.
“MAGNET is offering a benchmarking survey
to any manufacturer in Geauga County
free of charge to help them see where they
stand with their peers in their industry,” Barita
says. “This is a great tool that we are trying
to get companies to accomplish to help
them move forward and see where their
strengths and weaknesses fall. We have an
onsite business incubator to help start-up
companies as well.”
MAGNET clients report an impressive return
on investment – to the tune of $56 for every
dollar invested. MAGNET services include:
Process Innovation
Product Design and Development
The Incubator at MAGNET
•
•
•
Geauga Business
Fall 2012
• Market Diversification
•Global Product Management
• Workforce Consulting
•Sustainable Manufacturing
PROCESS INNOVATION
To significantly reduce manufacturing and
operating costs, companies need to transform
their company’s culture. It’s the proven way to
obtain significant, sustainable results.
For nearly 30 years, MAGNET has helped
hundreds of manufacturers of all sizes in all
industry categories:
Increase capacity, productivity and
efficiency
Improve customer satisfaction, lead-time
and delivery performance
Improve quality, while reducing scrap and
rework costs
Lower shop floor and office labor costs
Create a continuous improvement culture
that energizes the entire staff.
•
•
•
•
•
Working hand-in-hand with a company’s
key personnel, MAGNET takes into account
the company’s unique needs, problems and
culture, explains Barita.
WORKFORCE CONSULTING
Manufacturing is all about people. Plant
facilities, equipment, robots, software,
computers – none of these can actually
“make” anything without people. And the
better trained those people are, the more
effectively they can improve a company’s
bottom line.
Every good manufacturing executive
knows to the penny the investment his or
her company has in its workforce. Just as it
makes economic sense to regularly maintain
and upgrade equipment, it makes perfect
economic sense to monitor workforce
performance – and invest in upgrades at
regular intervals.
The MAGNET workforce consulting team is
certified in adult learning and instructional
design. Consultants offer instruction on how
to hire and train people who are able to
innovate and internalize a company’s work
ethic and goals.
Additional custom workforce solutions
available from MAGNET include:
Job and task analysis
Hiring, recruitment and on-boarding
assistance
Structured on-the-job training
development Train-the-trainer workshops
Custom training design
Change integration into the workforce
•
•
•
•
•
•
“MAGNET also offers ‘Mornings with
MAGNET.’ These programs capture a
topic we want to get out to our local
manufacturers,” says Barita. “For instance,
Ohio Tax laws are changing. We offered
programs in which accountants and
attorneys explained these changes. The
programs are typically free and open to any
employee within a manufacturing company.
Often the topic drives attendance.
“I love Geauga County,” she continues.
“It is a great manufacturing area, and I
look forward to connecting with other
companies in the area. We would like to
be able to service Geauga County more.
We had a ‘Morning at MAGNET’ at the Red
Maple Inn a year ago, and we hope to do
another event in Geauga soon. I invite
Geauga County manufacturers to call me
for a free assessment or situation analysis.”
For more information on MAGNET, please
call Linda Barita at 216.391.7766 or visit
www.manufacturingsuccess.org.
15
Geauga Medical Center
Senior
Adult
Assessment
It’s something every aging adult
– and their loved ones – should
consider. Find out how University
Hospital Geauga Medical Center
is keeping care close to home by
offering a uniquely personal Senior
Adult Assessment Program.
How are your parents?
”That question is often asked of a person whose
mother and father are elderly. University Hospital
Geauga Medical Center can help to answer it.
Partnering with the Geauga County Department on
Aging, UH Geauga Medical Center offers a unique
and comprehensive Senior Adult Assessment
Program that aims to assist seniors, their families
and their primary care physicians to identify
special health care needs and provide optimal,
individualized solutions.“
16
their loved ones—
should consider. Find
out how University
Hospital Geauga
Medical Center
an outpatient assessment program
is It’s
keeping
care
that
takes a head-to-toe
look to see how a
person is doing,” explains Cheryl Hollowell,
a licensed
worker and
close
to social
home
bycoordinator
of the program. “We can look into possible
health problems, confusion or memory
loss or uncertainty about one’s ability to
live independently.”
offering a uniquely
personal Senior Adult
The 45- to
60-minute
assessment
starts with a
physical exam
and medical
review with Dr.
Kosnosky.“
During a routine
office visit with
your doctor
by Benja
The University Hospital Geauga Medical Center’s
it usually isn’t
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Geauga Business
Fall 2012
17
Junction
Auto family:
Geauga
Business
Leaders
Since 1931
The Junction Auto Family, one of Geauga
County’s oldest and largest businesses,
truly personifies community involvement.
This fourth-generation, family-owned
business is a highly successful, awardwinning enterprise that is marked by
supporting Geauga County.
18
Clifford Babcock and his father-in-law Tracy
Spencer opened the Junction Tavern at the
junction of US 322 and Ohio 44 in 1927. The
prohibition-era restaurant and gas station
was a popular county destination. Four
years later, they opened a Dodge Plymouth
dealership next door named Junction Tavern
Auto Sales. Cliff’s wife Dorothy recalled
many worrisome nights because they had
committed to sell 12 cars a year.
:
Over the last 81 years, they dropped Tavern
from the name, and the business has
grown to sell Chrysler, Dodge, Ram and
Jeep vehicles and built another dealership
next door, Junction Buick GMC where they
sell any make used cars and trucks. The
12-car goal has increased to around 21,000
car sales a year.
Today, Junction Auto is a full-service
dealership with new and used sales,
leasing, certified service, parts and
accessories, and collision repair. With
Dodge BusinessLink and GMC Commercial
Center, they stand ready to handle all their
customers’ business needs.
Clifford’s son Warren Babcock entered the
family business in 1947 until his retirement in
1992, and current owner Ed Babcock started
full time in 1975.
Geauga Business
Fall 2012
Junction Auto has over 100 employees and
is one of Geauga County’s largest sales tax
generators.
Junction’s community outreach includes
supporting many groups including Little
League, Geauga County Fair, Chagrin
Valley Little Theater and Geauga Lyric
Guild, 4-H, United Way, Bluecoats, Geauga
County Job & Family Services, local school
athletics and theater, Kent State Geauga,
police, fire and many more.
Beyond donations, the Babcock family has
always been personally involved in the
community. Tracy Spencer helped write
one of the first zoning laws in the state for
Munson Township; Clifford Babcock was a
Claridon Township trustee for many years
and also served on the Chardon School
Board. Warren Babcock was instrumental
in starting the Geauga Mental Health
Board and Claridon Little League and was
active with Boy Scouts, YMCA, the Red
Feather Agency among others. Ed Babcock
is currently active with Womensafe, Boy
Scouts, Chardon Fireworks Fund, the
Chardon Healing Fund and serves on both
the Ohio Auto and Greater Cleveland Auto
Dealers’ boards.
Junction Auto constantly strives to blend
their 81-year tradition of old-fashioned,
friendly service with the high-tech internet
world of today. Outside experts recognize
their ability to do this well by honoring them
with General Motors’ Mark of Excellence,
Chrysler’s Award for Excellence, Leadership
Geauga’s Emerald Leader Award, and the
Ohio nominee for Time Magazine’s Dealer of
the Year Award. Junction Auto was recently
named as one of the Top 100 Places to Work
in Northeast Ohio by The Plain Dealer.
Ed Babcock stresses that, “This is not just
where we do business, this is where we live.
This is our community. My grandfather
always said, ‘Take care of your customers and
your employees.’ We have always tried to be
the best dealership we can be.”
Geauga Business Magazine salutes the
Junction Auto Family for their 81 years of
growth and success and thanks them for being
such a strong supporter of Geauga County!
For more information on the Junction Auto
Family, visit www.JunctionAutoFamily.com.
19
MirAnia Photography
Observatory Park:
Opening a New Frontier
By Paige Hosier Orvis
Tucked away on Clay Street in
rural Montville Township, amidst
farm fields, is Geauga’s newest
crown jewel, which has the
potential to expand eco-tourism
and take education to a whole new
level. You can’t see the facilities
from the road, but once you follow
the half-mile-long driveway to your
destination, what comes into view
gives the essence of going “back to
the future.”
Observatory Park, which opened this spring,
has already taken a huge leap in advancing
impact on visitors, as well as providing a benefit
to the Geauga business community.
Nestled within 1,100 acres of meadow, forest,
wetlands and the headwaters of the Cuyahoga
River is the Robert McCullough Science Center,
named for a Park District commissioner who
served 38 years. Across the park’s plaza is
the Oberle Observatory, complete with a
sophisticated Newtonian reflector telescope
built by local amateur astronomer Norman
Oberle. These two buildings, designed by
Harris/Day Architecture, have numerous green
features and follow unique curved lines to
replicate the design of a central plaza and
nearby Planetary Trail.
And these are only a couple of the attractions
offered here.
EDUCATION
To emphasize education and how cultures
have been shaped by the sun, the stars and the
changing of the seasons, Park District officials
recruited a cadre of professionals to serve as
advisors during the planning stages of this
property.
Education and science professionals from
Case Western Reserve University, Kent State
University, Great Lakes Science Center,
Cleveland Museum of Natural History, Chagrin
Valley Astronomical Society and a number of
local school districts were heavily involved in its
conceptualization
and development.
“The vision is
great for this,
as it is for all of
our parks,” said
Executive Director
Tom Curtin. “We
regularly rely on
the wisdom of
our Board of Park
Commissioners,
the support of
Geauga Park
District Foundation trustees, and for a unique
project like this, the collaboration of other
professionals has been priceless.”
One key focus of the business plan for
Observatory Park was to develop facility and
education goals that would enhance the
science curricula offered specifically to our
Geauga schools. To that end, the Park District
formed an advisory committee consisting of 11
science teachers from six Geauga schools who
would help develop an education plan based
upon Ohio Academic Standards.
The mission to develop such goals was
motivated, in part, by the reality that students
in the United States are lagging behind other
countries in science and technical knowledge.
“Businesses today are requiring a much more
diverse set of skill sets than they were 15 years
ago, as technology has moved forward in
“Manufacturing businesses require skill set
upgrades in all facets of their processes from
the manufacturing floor all the way through
the shipping docks, as the competitive market
place is in fact a global playing field.” he said.
“Observatory Park is truly an educational
asset that assists in building a key part of the
foundation needed, while creating an avenue
for families and educators to stimulate interests
in the earth sciences for our youth.”
For the broader public, Observatory Park also
provides a day and nighttime venue that
encourages visitors to explore the relationship
between Earth, sky and space. The science
center and observatory house state-of-theart equipment: a planetarium for indoor
demonstrations of the solar system, telescopes
that can be used to view both day and night
skies, and live feeds from onsite weather
and seismic stations that are connected to
national networks. On nearby trails, visitors
can then take an educational journey through
interpretive signage that teaches about
weather and the planets.
The Geauga Park District Foundation, a 501
C3 organization that supports the mission of
Geauga Park District, feels so strongly about the
value of a hands-on educational experience, it
even offers field trip scholarships for Geauga
schools that cannot afford to transport their
students into the parks.
Jim Marquardt
such a rapid pace,” said John Steigerwald, Vice
President of Etna Products, Inc. (Bainbridge) and
Vice Chairman of Geauga Growth Partnership,
Inc., an organization whose mission is to
maintain and grow the economic base within
Geauga County.
Association as one of only 10 International Dark
Sky Parks in the world (and the only such park
in Ohio). Observatory Park was able to obtain
Silver Tier status of this extraordinary designation
because of its location in Montville Township,
long recognized by astronomers to be one of
the few areas in the region not compromised
by light pollution. This alone has garnered
recognition around the globe -- not to mention
a few phone calls from across the pond.
ECO-TOURISM
Since the park’s grand opening in June, Geauga
Park District has scheduled a regular slate of
open houses, planetarium shows and special
night sky viewings that have attracted great
numbers of casual visitors. In just the first two
months it has been open, attendance has
surpassed 3,250 visitors. Director of Geauga
County Tourism Lynda Nemeth is particularly
excited about the potential of Observatory Park
to drive tourism traffic into our community, and
into other Geauga County businesses.
“Geauga Park District is an amazing asset, and
Observatory Park is so distinctive, it is already
generating new interest in the area,” said
INTERNATIONAL RECOGNITION
During a dedication ceremony in 2011, Geauga
Park District’s Observatory Park received official
recognition by the International Dark Sky
Observatory
Park’s Open Hours
Open daily 6 AM -11 PM
Night Sky Viewing
Every Friday & Saturday (through end of 2012), 6-11 PM
Enjoy self-guided night sky viewing, as weather permits, with a
naturalist on hand.
Observatory Park Building Open Hours
Every Sunday (through end of 2012), 1-7:30 PM
Guide yourself through the Robert McCullough Science Center and
its meteorite display, and see the Oberle telescope up close. Also
Sundays, The Sky Tonight Planetarium Show is at 2 PM.
For more information on booking the Robert McCullough Science Center for your
next event, contact Denise at 440-279-0894 or dwolfe@geaugaparkdistrict.org
Nemeth. “From a tourism perspective, the
impact of having such a unique venue will not
only draw people to the park, but to the county
as a whole, giving added opportunity for
economic growth to local lodging, restaurants
and retail businesses.”
OBSERVATORY PARK AS A DESTINATION
Anita Stocker, director of Geauga County
Community and Economic Development, is
equally enthused about the impact of this
new park. “It is absolutely wonderful, and what
an asset to have right in Montville. There is
nothing like it,” said Stocker. “It is so far removed
from our every day, it is guaranteed to surprise.
It would be a great place to have a meeting.”
Whether serving as a stopover for a tour bus, an
indoor/outdoor classroom for Geauga students,
a Sunday outing for families, or a meeting
place for an executive planning committee,
Observatory Park is a destination unmatched
in the region. In his 2009 Columbus Dispatch
article, Kevin Mayhood predicted
Observatory Park will become a “mecca
for astronomy in Ohio.” But beyond
astronomy, it’s just
another great park.
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