Greater Akron

economic development guide imagesakron.com

Affluence and
Affordability
Residents savor
strong quality of life

Crystallizing
Research
Akron’s liquid crystal
cluster spurs job growth

Polymer
What’s
Pioneer
University leads national
Online  efforts in polymer research
Visit the many animals
at the Akron Zoo
in a quick video.

Sponsored by the Greater Akron chamber | 2011


 Workstyle
Greater Akron
economic development guide The Science of Akron 20
Akron’s Biomedical Corridor earns the city
global recognition, respect.

Entrepreneurial Engine 24
Global Business Accelerator
propels Akron economy.

Polymer Pioneer 28
University leads national efforts in polymer research.

Crystallizing Research 32
Akron’s liquid crystal cluster spurs job growth.

Traveling Light 40
Upgraded airport results in stress-free experience.

Affluence and Affordability 50

Residents savor strong quality of life.

28 Insight
Overview 11
Business Almanac 12
Business Climate 16
Energy/Technology 36
Education 42
Health 46
Economic Profile 55
42 12 Through the Lens 56

On the Cover A University of Akron biochemistry student uses

nanocrystals to research early cancer detection at the Center for
Biomaterials in Medicine at the National Polymer Innovation Center.
Photo by Brian McCord

All or part of this magazine is printed with soy ink on

50
recycled paper containing 10% post-consumer waste.

Please recycle this magazine

i m ag e sa k ro n . co m 5
 Greater Akron
economic development guide
201 1 Edition , volum e 3

Since 1950 Project Manager Emily McMackin

audience development director Lisa Battles
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Greater Akron Economic Development Guide is published
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Big city services,
low utility rates
or small town
charm?
Greater Akron
economic development guide
Digital Edition

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Greater akron
economic development Guide imagesakron.com

Affluence and
Affordability
Residents savor
strong quality of life

Crystallizing
Research
Akron’s liquid crystal
cluster spurs job growth • Ranked 2010’s #1 Northeast
Polymer Ohio Suburb by Cleveland Magazine
Pioneer
Lifestyle
What’s University leads national

• School system rated

Online efforts in polymer research
Visit the many animals
at the Akron Zoo
in a quick video.

SPOnSORed by the GReAteR AkROn ChAmbeR | 2011

Find out what it’s like to live here and what makes
the community such a special place to be. “Excellent with Distinction”
Read the magazine on
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on articles and link to to parks and open space
advertiser websites.
• Twinsburg Library ranked #1
News and Notes >>
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Our editors give you the • Strong, diverse business base
Inside Scoop on the latest including G.E. Energy, Rockwell
development and trends in International, Goodrich, Hitachi
the community.
USA, Pepsi-Cola, Verizon,
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Workstyle breeds success >> • Diverse housing opportunities
A spotlight on the region’s innovative companies Meet the people who set the
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• Location, location, location:
Dig Deeper >>
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Plug into the community with
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Twinsburg Government Center
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10075 Ravenna Rd. • Twinsburg, OH 44087
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 Overview

Greater Akron, On the ‘A’ List

As a Place To Live and Work
region’s business climate and superior quality of life promote new investment

The Greater Akron region,
comprised of Summit, Portage and
Medina counties, is rich in history,
commerce, industry and culture.
While the region built its commerce Fame, renowned art museums and a
on rubber and tire production,
it has transformed itself into a
world-class center for research and
development in a variety of high-tech
industries, including polymers and
liquid-crystal development.
In recent years, more than
$2.5 billion in private capital has
been invested in new plants and
plant expansions, a testament
that the region’s economic and
corporate climate is ideal for growing
businesses. Greater Akron is home
league sports in baseball, football and and ever-growing employment
basketball, hosts a major pro golf opportunities, it’s easy to see why
event and offers such cultural Greater Akron is the ideal place
treasures as the Rock and Roll Hall of to be for work, to live and to visit.
host of performing arts venues. You For more information, contact:
can tour local wineries, sample the
creations of internationally renowned Greater Akron Chamber
chefs, and soak up the vibrant and 1 Cascade Plaza, 17th Floor
varied nightlife that the region offers. Akron, OH 44308-1192
With its versatility, cosmopolitan Phone: (330) 376-5550
flair, low cost of living, outstanding Fax: (330) 379-3164
cultural access, history of innovation www.greaterakronchamber.org
480
Cuy

to more than 21,000 enterprises, Twinsburg

including more than 150 Fortune
aho

500 companies. In 2008 alone, Macedonia

P O R TA GE
ga R

Greater Akron generated $291

iver

million in corporate facility 80

Richfield Aurora
investments and 1,261 new jobs. Peninsula Hudson
For two consecutive years, Site Brunswick
44
Selection magazine ranked Akron 271 77 8
Cuyahoga Streetsboro
No. 2 among metros with populations
Falls Stow
of 200,000 to 1 million for new 59 Kent
business expansions and locations.
Medina Fairlawn Ravenna
A public- and private-sector Munroe Falls
71
partnership in October 2008 launched
the BioInnovation Institute to capitalize MEDINA Akron Tallmadge
Brimfield
on Greater Akron’s traditional 76
strengths in research, education 76
SUMMIT
and health care to create Norton
a nationally distinctive Rittman Wadworth 21
Barberton 77
center of excellence
for biomaterials
and medicine. 236 Green
Akron is in the Akron Clinton New Franklin
heart of Northeastern
Ohio, a 4 million-
population region
that is home to major

i m ag e sa k ro n . co m 11
 Almanac
Sleeping
in the Silo
For tourists tired of staying in the
same cookie-cutter hotels, Akron
offers a unique alternative: the
Quaker Square Inn, recently featured
on Forbes.com as one of the top
10 Most Unusual Hotels in America.
Located on The University of Akron
campus and housed within 36
towering grain silos – which once
held 1.5 million bushels of grain for
Quaker Oats Co. – the hotel gives
visitors a peek into an influential
industry of the city’s past. Historical
marketing memorabilia of local
cereal businesses decorate the
interior, and a museum chronicles
the evolution of the former factory,
which was shuttered in 1970 when
the company ceased its operations
in Akron, into a full-service hotel
listed on the National Register
of Historic Places.

Engineering Biomedical
Breakthroughs
Research could lead two University of Akron professors to a breakthrough
in the diagnosis and treatment of neurodegenerative diseases.
The National Science Foundation granted Dr. Yang Yun, an assistant
professor of biomedical engineering, and Dr. Jie Zheng, assistant
professor of chemical and biomolecular engineering, a total
of $850,000 for bioresearch that delves into the origins of
degenerative disorders, such as Alzheimer’s Disease, and
explores possibilities for gene therapy. Dr. Yun will investigate
the transport of DNA into a cell’s nucleus and whether it can
be engineered at the nanoscale level to control its size and
structure. Dr. Zheng will explore how proteins in the brain
contribute to degenerative disorders – research that can
be used to develop therapeutic strategies and inhibitors
against neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s,
Parkinson’s and Type 2 diabetes.

12 G r e a t e r A k ro n Eco n o m i c D e v e lop m e n t G u i d e
 Vintage
Time Machine
Love luxurious living art? Spend
an afternoon at the Kent State
University Museum and you’ll step
into a giant closet full of it. The
museum’s eight galleries feature
collections of fashion and decor
by the world’s greatest artists
and designers. From historical and
contemporary fashions to costumes
representing many of the world’s
cultures to American glass, fine
furniture, textiles, paintings and
other decorative arts, the museum
gives visitors a comprehensive
glimpse into the art of design. The
museum, which was founded with
a contribution of 4,000 costumes
and accessories and 1,000 pieces
of decorative art from dress
manufacturers Jerry Silverman
and Shannon Rodgers, showcases
what is considered one of the finest
period custom collections in the
country, totaling more than 40,000
pieces. The museum is open for
exhibitions, public programs
and private research.

i m ag e sa k ro n . co m 13
 Rock-Star Dining
Taking a line from her ‘80s hit, Talk of the Town,
Pretenders rocker and Akron native Chrissie Hynde
is making a name for herself in an arena outside of
music: vegan food. Hynde’s vegetarian and Italian-
Mediterranean hometown restaurant, VegiTerranean,
was named one of the eight best vegetarian restaurants
in the country by People for Ethical Treatment of
Animals (PETA). Best of all, the restaurant, which serves
a blend of Mediterranean and vegetarian cuisine in a
rock ‘n’ roll atmosphere, gives patrons a true taste of
Akron – all of the vegetables, fruits and grains served
come from local farms. Chef Scot Jones recently
released a vegan cookbook, and some of his recipes
have even made their way to talk show queen Oprah
Winfrey’s “21-Day Cleanse” menu. Visit VegiTerranean
in the Northside Lofts near downtown Akron or browse
the menu at www.thevegiterranean.com.

Bringing Back
the Brand
Purell is coming back home. Akron soap maker
GOJO recently purchased the hand-sanitizer Cube Quandary Solved
brand it invented back from Johnson & Johnson, Kent State University mathematics professor Dr. Morley
which had acquired the popular brand to sell Davidson, along with a team of researchers, have cracked the
through retailers. With its legal stamp on the code to one of the nation’s biggest quandaries: the Rubik’s Cube.
brand once more, GOJO, which had continued The team, which also included a Google engineer, a German
to sell the product to hospitals, nursing homes math teacher and a Palo Alto programmer, unveiled research
and schools, will become the sole supplier of proving that every position of the cube can be solved in 20
Purell. Now that the product is back in the moves or less. Using computational cube research, the group
company’s hands, company leaders are already solved every position of the Rubik’s
dreaming up ways to innovate the germ-killing Cube, which numbered
hand cleaner for the consumer market. in the billions, and from
Stay tuned! several algorithms used to
solve the puzzle, narrowed
the sequence of steps
down to two dozen.

14 G r e a t e r A k ro n Eco n o m i c D e v e lop m e n t G u i d e
 Nation’s Best Burgers
Looking for the best hamburger in town?
How about the country? At Akron’s National
Hamburger Festival, dozens of cooks convene to
settle that question once and for all. The festival
pits local eateries against each other as they
prepare more than 50 varieties of burgers. The
event celebrates Akron’s bragging rights as one
of four cities that claim to be the birthplace of
the hamburger. Legend has it that the Akron-
bred Menches brothers were the first to serve
ground beef inside a bun in the 1880s. If you
can’t make the festival, visit Swensons Drive-In
for a burger dubbed the “best in the country”
by Gourmet magazine.

STEM School in the Spotlight

Students at Akron’s newest middle school, The National
Inventors Hall of Fame® School ... Center for STEM Learning,
got a surprise recently when CNN came to film a segment on
the school. CNN education contributor Steve Perry visited with
7th graders working on an invasive species project with the
Cuyahoga Valley National Park and interviewed teachers about
how they integrate creativity and problem-solving into their
science, technology, engineering and mathematics curriculum.
The cameo came just in time to spotlight the school’s move
into its new state-of-the-art building downtown. The school
gives 500 students in grades 5 through 8 the opportunity to
work on projects and programs with inventors and mentors.

Keeping the Light On

For more than 140 years, Root Candles in Medina, Ohio, has been lighting up the candle industry with its
innovative decorative and religious candles. The family-owned company, started by beekeeper Amos Ives Root
in 1869, is highly regarded by consumers across the country for its subtle fragrances and colorful palettes,
and produces 9 million pounds of candles a year. The secret to its longevity and success? Each candle is
handcrafted using techniques mastered through five generations of craftsmanship combined with the latest
in manufacturing technologies. The company’s newest
brand of all-natural beeswax candles, Legacy by Root,
pays homage to the roots
of the Medina enterprise.

i m ag e sa k ro n . co m 15
 16 G r e a t e r A k ro n Eco n o m i c D e v e lop m e n t G u i d e
 Business Climate
More Than
a Moniker
Once acclaimed as the world’s
rubber capital, Akron is becoming
known for its diverse industries
Story by Kevin Litwin
A
kron may be known as the
Rubber Capital of the World
and proudly so, but it is also
home to an array of diverse industries
and a talented creative class.
Of course, the rubber industry is still
important, as evidenced by Bridgestone
Americas recently announcing a $100
million investment to construct a new
technical center scheduled to open
in late 2011. The center will develop
innovations for the tire industry.
Additionally, Goodyear Tire & Rubber
Co. is building a 450,000-square-foot
world headquarters in Akron as
part of a $900 million development,
which will include office, retail and
residential space, and a revitalization
of the eastern Akron neighborhood
that surrounds it.
A worker inspects tires at a Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co. manufacturing plant in Akron.
“A little more than 15 percent of
the 300,000 employees in the Akron
region work in the rubber, plastics
and overall manufacturing industry,
so it obviously remains vital to our
local economy,” says Dan Colantone,
president and CEO of the Greater
Akron Chamber. “But industry
around here also includes health care,
food service, science, construction,
finance, real estate and transportation
warehousing. It is always good
to diversify, and the Greater
Akron workforce certainly
provides diversification.”
Hello, Call Centers
Along with robust polymer and
liquid crystal technology clusters, Akron
is also becoming a headquarters for
i m ag e sa k ro n . co m 17
 health care, with 15 percent of the
workforce employed in that sector.
Companies range from medical
device enterprises such as OrthoHelix,
Philips Medical and Hitachi to
biopharmaceutical firms such as
spinal imaging firm SpineMatrix
and Purell hand-sanitizer pioneer
GOJO. Meanwhile, call centers are
also becoming more prevalent, with
telemarketer InfoCision recently
adding 200 hires to its 1,000 employees.
“Our founder, Gary Taylor, grew up
right here in Akron and graduated from
The University of Akron, so he is a
homegrown entrepreneur,” says Steve
Brubaker, InfoCision chief of staff.
“Today, InfoCision has 200 clients,
many of which are Fortune 500
companies and national charities, and
we help them with fund-raising drives
by communicating with their donors
through telephone, mail and Web.”
ph o t o s b y B r i a n M c C o r d

Left: An employee checks the vacuum

venting system at Diamond Polymers,
a company that designs and supplies
thermoplastic materials and resins.
Above: Beads of polymer on display
at Diamond Polymers

18 G r e a t e r A k ro n Eco n o m i c D e v e lop m e n t G u i d e
 InfoCision has 4,200 employees,
with more than 1,000 in the Akron
area, where its headquarters is
located. It also runs a large operation
in Green in Summit County, as well
as offices throughout the state and
surrounding states. InfoCision, headquartered in Akron, specializes in telemarketing services for clients.

Communications Station
Meanwhile, PlusOne Communications
located its new information technology
resources center in a renovated
building in downtown Akron, and
plans to create 1,000 new jobs. AT&T
has also announced a $120 million
investment in Akron for a new
mobility data center – one of only
nine such centers nationwide.
In addition, Involta LLC of Cedar
Rapids, Iowa, has broken ground on
a data center in Akron that will house
computer systems, databases and
related IT components for a range of
companies and institutions. Involta’s
$20 million facility is scheduled to
open in late 2011.
Other Success Stories
Diamond Polymers designs and
supplies thermoplastic materials and
resins, and has expanded its product
line by adding Centrex after acquiring
it from competitor INEOS ABS of
Addyston, Ohio. Also, other plastics
and chemical companies such as
Omnova and A. Schulman Inc. are
looking to expand their global reach.
In fact, A. Schulman plans to take its
current annual resins and plastics
sales of $1.3 billion to $5 billion
within the decade.
“Akron offers a good quality of
life, a low-cost work environment
and a productive and available
workforce,” Colantone says.
“There is also a big push in our
schools toward STEM – science,
technology, engineering and math –
with a major effort to emphasize
those subjects in our next generation
of students and workforce.”

i m ag e sa k ro n . co m 19
 What’s Online 
For more innovation in the Greater
Akron region, visit imagesakron.com.

20 G r e a t e r A k ro n Eco n o m i c D e v e lop m e n t G u i d e
 The Science
of Akron
Akron’s Biomedical Corridor earns
the city global recognition, respect

Story by Melanie Hill

B
iomaterials is big business in Akron. Recognized
globally for innovation in polymers, materials
science and medical research, the city is taking
its position one step further with the development
of the Akron Biomedical Corridor.
Anchored by the Akron General Medical Center,
Summa Akron City Hospital and Akron Children’s
Hospital, the 600-acre development is expected
to create nearly 3,000 jobs within the next five years.
“The idea for the corridor was the result of a trade
mission trip to Israel, when representatives from area
hospitals and I discussed the strength we would have
working together,” says Akron Mayor Don Plusquellic,
who proposed the corridor concept in 2006. “I saw the
property between the hospitals and knew we could be
successful by filling in the gaps with medical companies.”
Austen BioInnovation Institute
At the heart of the corridor is the Austen BioInnovation
Institute in Akron (ABIA), tasked with using the city’s
materials science and medical expertise to create solutions
for people dealing with orthopaedic and wound-healing
The 600-acre development is
expected to create nearly 3,000
jobs within the next five years.
problems. The institute is the result of an alliance of
Akron Children’s Hospital, Akron General Health System,
Northeastern Ohio Universities Colleges of Medicine and
Pharmacy, Summa Health System, The University of Akron,
and The John S. and James L. Knight Foundation.
“This unique collaboration is leading the charge to
pioneer the next generation of life-enhancing and life-
saving innovation that will transform Akron into a model
for biomedical discovery and enterprise,” says Dr. Frank
Douglas, president and chief executive officer of ABIA.
The institute is comprised of four interrelated centers:
biomaterials, medical devices, health care simulation and

Dr. Darrell H. Reneker, professor of Polymer Science at the University of Akron, uses his hand to demonstrate electrospinning
of polymer nanofibers. P h o t o b y je f f A d k i n s

i m ag e sa k ro n . co m 21
 22 G r e a t e r A k ro n Eco n o m i c D e v e lop m e n t G u i d e
 education, and clinical trials and community health.
Each maintains a focus on accelerating biomedical
commercialization and improving access, education,
prevention, treatment and disease management.
In 2011, ABIA will move to a $10 million, 40,000-
square-foot facility at the corner of Main Street and
Perkins Avenue. Douglas says the hallmark of the facility
will be the ABIA Center for Simulation and Integrated
Health Care Education – a state-of-the-art health care
training facility that will offer novel team-based,
patient-centered simulation programs.
“The institute is uniquely positioned to meld the region’s
traditional strengths in research, education and world-class
health care,” says William H. Considine, chairman of ABIA
and president and CEO of Akron Children’s Hospital.
“Our vision of making Akron a leader in the biomaterials
field is absolutely attainable, given Akron’s intellectual,
educational, research and commercial strengths.”
A hub of innovation and opportunity
Innovation is nothing new to Akron. Doctors at Akron
Children’s Hospital were the first to utilize artificial skin
for burn victims, while The University of Akron’s College
of Polymer Science and Polymer Engineering continually
investigates new ways to utilize polymers in medicine.
It’s no surprise that, in 2010, Akron was designated
an Ohio Hub of Innovation and Opportunity. The city is
also one of only six places in the nation to win the U.S.
Commerce Department’s i6 Innovation Challenge to fund
efforts to accelerate innovation, entrepreneurship and
commercialization. Early-stage companies also receive
assistance from programs such as the Akron Global
Business Accelerator – a partnership of the City of Akron,
The Akron Development Corporation, The University
of Akron and the State of Ohio. The program provides
promising start-ups work space for offices, manufacturing,
assembling and laboratories.
“We want to provide incentives to encourage companies
to locate to the corridor,” says Bob Bowman, Akron deputy
mayor and chair of the Akron Development Corporation.
“Akron provides a unique opportunity for biomedical
companies, both global and domestic.”
Brian McCord

A polymer science student uses peptide-functionalized polymers

to mediate gold nanoparticle assembly on surfaces for biosensor
applications at the Austen BioInnovation Institute in Akron.

i m ag e sa k ro n . co m 23
 Entrepreneurial
Engine Global Business Accelerator
propels Akron economy

24 G r e a t e r A k ro n Eco n o m i c D e v e lop m e n t G u i d e
 Story by Betsy Williams • Photography by Jeff Adkins
T
he Akron Global Business
Accelerator (ABGA) is sparking
the region’s economic engine by
incorporating technology and foreign
investment, and launching successful
job-creating machines.
“Our overall objective is to create
high-paying, high-tech jobs and bring
substantial capital investment to the
City of Akron,” says Terry Martell,
director of operations and business
development. “Our Accelerator is
a program of the City of Akron.
Because of the sustainable support we’ve
received from our mayor since 1983,
we’ve been able to do a lot of things
other business incubators haven’t.”
Accelerator matches
key technologies
Initially started as an industrial-
based incubator, the Accelerator, which
has graduated 75 companies, changed
its name and focus three years ago to
concentrate on developing a job sector
that matches the key technologies
identified in a recent Battelle Institute
economic development study.
“The study outlined Ohio’s strengths
and how we should position ourselves
to prosper in a changing and
knowledge-based economy,” Martell
says. “We still have strong numbers
in the manufacture of metals and
polymers; we have worked to
incorporate those manufacturing
sectors into high-tech industries.”
Left: A compact flash Wi-Fi device developed by Summit Data Communications
at the Akron Global Business Accelerator
For example, medical devices
require advanced manufacturing and
sophisticated tools, whether it is a
diagnostic device or some type of life
sciences project. “We’re focusing on
those where we have an existing
manufacturing base because the
supply chain is already here, and we’re
finding new products and innovations
created by the tenants in our center,”
Martell says.
The Accelerator staff and its partners
offer meaningful resources, not the least
of which is the building itself: 200,000
square feet of improved office, manu­
facturing, assembly, wet labs and
conferencing facilities in a secured
building with 24/7 accessibility. Space
is provided at below-market rates to
help new entities get through those
first critical years.
“Our real value is our consultation
team,” says Dr. Anthony Margida,
director of entrepreneurial services.
“Our job here is to promote, facilitate
and accelerate these early-stage
companies from the idea to the
marketplace. We assist with business
planning, we use our networks to find
strategic partnerships, and we help
them put together investment pitches
that gain access to capital providers.
When a company becomes part of the
program, we become an ally of theirs.”
The result is an impressive
90 percent success rate.
Accelerator tenant
sees explosive growth
Among the 51 current tenants
is Summit Data Communications,
recently named the fastest-growing
computer hardware company in the
Midwest by Inc. magazine. The maker
of radio modules that enable wireless
medical equipment to communicate
with computers in hospitals, Summit
has seen a growth rate of 516 percent
over the last three years.
“AGBA has been our home since
2006,” says Summit CEO Ron Seide.
“The downtown location enables us to
utilize University of Akron resources,
and the center provides staff for training
and counseling, and shows us a wealth
of shared experiences they’ve had with
other entrepreneurial experiences here
in the building. They have been really
helpful to all the tenants. We’ll stay
as long as they’ll have us.”
Other tenants, like Israeli medical
device maker NI Medical, the second
Isreali company to move to Akron
since the city invested in a business
incubator outside of Tel Aviv, are
seeing success. NI Medical’s cardiac
diagnostic device, which uses
impedance technology to measure
heart health, is being used in a
major European Union-funded
clinical study aimed at helping
heart patients better diagnose
and manage their disease.
National Recognition
In 2010, the Greater Akron
Chamber received recognition
from the International Economic
Development Council for its
business retention program,
the Summit Business
Partnership. Since 2003, the
partnership has helped more
than 1,000 local companies
network with sales prospects
and other businesses and
identify financing options and
international opportunities.
The chamber plans to expand
the program to Medina and
Portage counties this year.
i m ag e sa k ro n . co m 25
 26 G r e a t e r A k ro n Eco n o m i c D e v e lop m e n t G u i d e
 An Anchor for Innovation
Akron boasts thriving business climate by retaining successful companies
Not only is Greater Akron a as a one-man shop in 1968, is relied on the Greater Akron
great place for start-up companies, the largest mail order automotive Chamber for help marketing its
its innovative spirit and program performance supplier worldwide. store to media outlets, advertising
assistance keep more than Throughout its growth and retail manager Nan Gelhard says.
21,000 companies thriving. With expansion, Summit Racing has – Betsy Williams
its blend of enjoyable living and
high-powered opportunity, Akron
is home to more than 150 Fortune
500 companies and provides an
anchor for businesses to flourish
in the long-term.
The Tokyo-based Audio-
Technica, which designs and
manufactures high-performance
microphones, headphones, noise-
canceling headphones and other
audio products used extensively
in the music industry, expanded
its business to Akron in 1972
and has since dominated the
U.S. market in its niche.
“This area provides us with
good access to our customers,
plus the ability to connect to major
airports for international travel,”
says Richard Sprungle, vice
president of operations. “Local
service providers such as freight
carriers, printers and electronic
component providers are
competitive and capable of
meeting the daily operational
requirements of our organization.”
A major strength of the
company is the dedicated
staff, Sprungle says. “The area
provides us with qualified and
passionate employees who
enjoy world-class health care,
outstanding recreational
opportunities and access
to arts and entertainment.”
Akron’s workforce and
community loyalty, along with
its strategic location, are key
reasons why Tallmadge-based
Summit Racing Equipment
has remained in the area.
The company, which began

i m ag e sa k ro n . co m 27
 28 G r e a t e r A k ro n Eco n o m i c D e v e lop m e n t G u i d e
 Polymer
Pioneer
University leads national
efforts in polymer research
Story by Kevin Litwin
O
ne of the most respected
scientific minds in the world
has been courted in the past
by several universities in America
and beyond. But Dr. Stephen Cheng
says he only wants to work at
The University of Akron.
The university’s dean of the College
of Polymer Science and Polymer
Engineering says he will always be
loyal to Akron thanks to something
that happened in the late 1980s. Cheng
was an assistant professor of polymer
science in 1987 at The University of
P h o t o C o ur t e s y o f t he U n i v er s i t y o f A k r o n Depar t m e n t o f E n g i n eer i n g
Akron and was promoted to dean
in 1988, during difficult national
economic times.
“To pay my dean’s salary, I found
out later that eight associate professors
took pay cuts so that I would accept
the top job in the polymer science
department,” Cheng says. “I have
never forgotten that kindness and
show of confidence, and look to
give back every day to help make
The University of Akron continue
Dr. Matthew Graham, left, and Dr. Stephen Cheng, dean of the College of Polymer
Science and Polymer Engineering at The University of Akron, study a conducting
polymer film, polythiophene. The university is a leader in polymer science.
to be the leader in polymer science
that it is today.”
More than 35,000 people are currently
employed in Akron in 400 polymer-
related enterprises, helping to position
the city among global leaders in
polymer research and engineering.
“It used to be that polymers were
only known for making rubber here
in Akron and then plastics, but
polymers in 2011 are used in
medicine, IT, energy, sustainability
and much more,” Cheng says.
Ten Incredible Labs
In October 2010, the department
opened a brand new National Polymer
Innovation Center (NPIC) on campus,
thereby allowing academic researchers
and industry partners to focus on
providing solutions to emerging
research challenges in a variety of
areas. Those areas include sectors
such as biomaterials synthesis,
biosensor and bio-device design,
photovoltaic cells and selectively
i m ag e sa k ro n . co m 29
 30 G r e a t e r A k ro n Eco n o m i c D e v e lop m e n t G u i d e
 permeable membranes.
The NPIC houses 10 laboratories
equipped with high-tech research
instrumentation and an advanced
bay area where polymer prototypes
can be fabricated.
“This center will evolve quickly
into a regional and national research
resource facility with unique
equipment and expertise in
polymer research,” Cheng says.
Healing Wounds,
Dissecting Nanoparticles
The Innovation Center is also home
to two other specific research entities
– the Center for Biomaterials in
Medicine and the Akron Functional
Material Center. The Center for
Biomaterials in Medicine focuses
on innovation in wound-healing
and orthopaedic research, while the
Akron Functional Material Center has
a mission of developing solutions for
industry challenges in complex fluids,
nanoparticles, adhesion, membranes,
biomaterials and automation.
“The Akron Functional Material
Center is structured around elevating
the technology level of research
discoveries and new polymeric materials
in the areas of biomaterials, energy
and sustainability,” says Dr. Matthew
Becker, University of Akron associate
professor of polymer science. “The
center is especially versatile because
it is part of an academic institution.
We have a large collection of resource-
level and research capabilities.”
More Brain Power
Cheng adds that a goal in 2011 and
beyond for the entire Department
of Polymer Science and Polymer
Engineering is to attract more
American students into the
curriculum. The department currently
has 80 full-time and seven part-time
graduate students, with 30 percent of
the full-time students hailing from
the United States while 70 percent
are from other parts of the world.
“Another department objective
is to always have 100 percent of our
graduates find challenging industrial
and governmental positions in
research, development and production
of polymers and composite materials,”
Cheng says. “If you are a graduate of
polymer science from The University
of Akron, you will always be
in demand.”

Left: Biochemistry student Anna Ganios works on optimizing multi-component hydrogels

for use in soft tissue regenerative medicine applications at the Center for Biomaterials
in Medicine at the National Polymer Innovation Center. ph o t o b y br i a n M c C o r d

Breakthrough in Diabetes Treatment

University of Akron polymers work advances bio-artificial pancreas technology
The University of Akron has (UA) long been renowned
for its advances in polymers innovation. Now work by
two UA researchers is bringing those advances into
the treatment of diabetes, a disease that affects
23.6 million adults and children in the United States.
UA researchers Dr. Joseph Kennedy, distinguished
professor of polymer science and chemistry, and Dr. Miko
Cakmak, professor of polymer engineering, collaborated
on a bio-artificial pancreas technology that could free
millions of diabetes patients from painful daily prick
testing and self-injections to maintain proper insulin
levels, in effect allowing them to function as though
they did not have the disease.
The innovation, under development by UA and
university spinout company KenCak LLC, utilizes a
biocompatible, polymer-coated nanofiber tube populated
with insulin-producing cells from a pig. The polymeric
device allows pig pancreatic islet cells, or PICs, to be
implanted under the skin at a location in the body where
the blood supply is large enough to deliver the needed
amount of insulin. The seven-centimeter polymer tubule
could be easily removed and replaced as often as
necessary to maintain proper blood sugar levels.
For their work, which includes several patents on
technology and process, Kennedy and Cakmak received
the 2009 NorTech Innovation Award in the biosciences
category from the Northeast Ohio Technology Association.
Other collaborators include Dr. George Newkome,
president of The University of Akron Research
Foundation; the Cleveland Clinic; and the Northeastern
Ohio Universities Colleges of Medicine and Pharmacy.
The University of Akron is a research leader, with more
than $48 million in sponsored research and 115 active
projects in 2009. U.S. News & World Report has ranked
UA’s polymer science and polymer engineering program
No. 2 in the nation.

i m ag e sa k ro n . co m 31
 Crystallizing
Research
Akron’s liquid crystal cluster spurs job growth

Story by Heather Johnston Johnson

Photography by Jeff Adkins

L
iquid crystal displays largely
began in Northeast Ohio, and
technology insiders are working
to boost the technology cluster that
surrounds them with more innovation.
LCDs and similar products are set
for wider marketability as more uses
for liquid crystals are discovered.
The research has economic implications
since flexible electronics, or electronic
devices printed on flexible plastic,
are an important growth area for
Ohio. The combination of emerging
technology and existing products
could bring around 1,000 jobs to the
state, according to a 2009 study on the
state’s technology industry conducted
by SRI International.
Technology Brings Jobs
Business leaders and university
researchers aren’t content to leave
product development times to chance.
They’re stepping up to form partner­
ships that will speed the phases between

Left: A chemist examines liquid crystals

at Kent State University’s Liquid Crystal
Institute. Right: Liquid crystals are
separated out of a solution in the
lab at the Liquid Crystal Institute.

32 G r e a t e r A k ro n Eco n o m i c D e v e lop m e n t G u i d e
 i m ag e sa k ro n . co m 33
 ideas and final product readiness.
Technology start-ups already offer
wider employment. For example,
Ohio’s high-tech industries added
19,198 jobs between 2004 and 2008,
during the same period all other Ohio
industries lost 7,247 jobs, according
to a study commissioned by NorTech.
Companies producing flexible displays
and electronics grew by 86.7 percent
during the same period.
Partnerships Speed Up
Product Development
Byron Clayton, vice president of
NorTech (a nonprofit dedicated to
promoting technological growth in the
region), says the cluster began growing
on its own when liquid crystal display
technology was introduced by Kent
State University. NorTech, along with
local researchers and entrepreneurs,
wants to jump-start the natural
evolution of the technology cluster
by encouraging collaboration.
The company is backing an effort
called FlexMatters, which joins Kent
State University, The University of Akron,
Case Western Reserve University and
regional tech companies. Launched in
2006, the initiative has a seven-year
goal to add 1,500 jobs, $75 million in
payroll and $100 million in capital
to Northeast Ohio’s economy.
“NorTech’s role is to convene
members together, and we completed
the road map so we have a shared
vision and drive for that vision,”
Clayton says.
Liquid Crystal Innovations
Oleg Lavrentovichm, director of
Kent State’s Liquid Crystal Institute,
says researchers at the university
continue to develop innovative
products. He says companies often
don’t have the equipment necessary
to develop goods on their own,

The campus of Kent State University, which is partnering with other universities and tech companies in the area to create more jobs
and boost Northeast Ohio’s economy. Right: A cholesteric liquid crystal sample to be studied at the Liquid Crystal Institute in Kent.

34 G r e a t e r A k ro n Eco n o m i c D e v e lop m e n t G u i d e
 so they benefit from having the
university’s facilities.
“The need is two-fold. First, their
products represent the direct result of
intellectual property developed at the
universities. Second, the manpower of
these companies is largely researchers
and engineers educated at the
university,” Lavrentovichm says.
Kent State researchers currently work
on a broad array of new technology that
includes everything from a flexible
rubber laser to transformation optics
that may one day create effects in space
such as invisibility cloaking. A recent
discovery from Lavrentovichm’s team
found greater versatility of liquid
crystals, called the “electrophoresis
effect.” It could help biomedical
researchers separate different DNA
molecules or provide greater control
of the electronic ink used in devices
such as Amazon’s Kindle.
Quality Is Key to Liquid
Crystal Competition Kent State university’s Liquid crystal institute (LCI)
Albert Green, chief executive officer Founding: The LCI was formed in 1965 under the direction of Dr. Glenn
of Kent Displays, says competition with
H. Brown, who served as the director until he retired in 1983. The
other liquid crystal clusters makes inno­
Institute was named in Brown’s honor by the Kent State University
vation even more important for the
Board of Trustees in 1986.
region. The company recently
introduced the Boogie Board LCD
Funding: Major grants for the Institute have come from the
Writing Tablet, a paperless tablet that
National Institutes of Health, the National Science Foundation
can be used as an alternative to sketch­
books, memos, dry-erase boards and and U.S. defense agencies.
other writing and drawing mediums.
“The display industry is no different Location: The new Liquid Crystal and Materials Sciences building was
than many other technology industries completed in 1996. The three-story facility provides 65,000 gross
that operate on the premise of ‘better, square feet and includes classrooms, a 150-seat auditorium, 22,000
faster, cheaper,’” Green says. He wants square feet of research laboratories for more than 25 individual labs,
to ensure area companies stay ahead clean rooms (for creating prototype liquid crystal displays, and training
with quality products. “We must students and technicians in display manufacturing techniques),
develop the appropriate talent and offices, a display manufacturing line, and associated service and
make the requisite investment in support facilities.
infrastructure, facilities and programs.”
The manufacture and development University Partners: The National Science Foundation chose Kent
of the Boogie Board is just one example State University, Case Western Reserve University and The University
of how liquid crystal technology of Akron to serve as Ohio’s only Science and Technology Research
creates jobs in the area. Kent Displays Center in 1990. ALCOM, the Center for Advanced Liquid Crystalline
doubled its workforce in 2010 with a Optical Materials, is an interdisciplinary, national center for advanced
new manufacturing line that produces research and development of liquid crystal optoelectronic materials,
the tablet and the addition of many technology and consumer products.
business and technical jobs.

i m ag e sa k ro n . co m 35
 P h o t o C o ur t e s y o f t he U n i v er s i t y o f A k r o n

36 G r e a t e r A k ro n Eco n o m i c D e v e lop m e n t G u i d e
 Energy/Technology
Grant Helps Green
University of Akron tech grants boost city’s clean energy products
Story by Heather Johnston Johnson
U
niversity of Akron engineers
are using more than $2 million
in grant money to speed up
development of clean energy products
in Akron and offer cutting-edge
technology to area tech firms.
This intersection of university
research and start-up businesses
means significant growth for
Northeast Ohio’s economy, which is
seeing job creation from its technology
sector, according to a 2009 study
conducted by SRI International
on the state’s technology industry.
Engineering College Gets More
Than $2 Million in Grants
In the fall of 2010, UA’s College of
Engineering received $1.67 million in
Ohio Third Frontier funds from the
Wright Center for Sensor Systems
Engineering at Cleveland State
University. Coupled with $500,000
from BP to support the university’s
new Corrosion and Reliability
Students at The University of Akron’s new Corrosion and Reliability Engineering program design materials to preserve infrastructure.
Engineering program, and around
$300,000 from Austen BioInnovation
Institute in Akron and Lorain County
Community College, the grants
support work on sensors to improve
clean energy and other efforts to
reduce corrosion.
Battery-powered cars, cleaner-
burning coal and high-tech filters that
use sensors to target compounds are
just some of the main projects in the
works at the school.
Public/Private Partnerships
Boost Engineering Research
George Newkome, vice president
for research and dean of UA’s graduate
school, emphasizes the importance of
collaborations between the public and
private sectors. As a public university,
Akron is limited by funds. But with
private grants of around $20 million
over the last nine years and around
$50 to $100 million from all sources
to support research programs –
including companies using UA’s
research facilities and paying licensing
fees for products – the university has
been able to build research programs
and hire new faculty. Newkome says
the university’s research foundation
created more than 40 start-up
companies and approximately
300 patents over the past few years.
Faster Product Development
UA’s recent grants move product
completion timelines forward for
partnering companies such as EBO
Group, based in Sharon Center, and
Orbital Research, based in Cleveland.
Dr. Jose Alexis De Abreu-Garcia,
professor and chair of the UA
Electrical and Computer Engineering
Department, says the university’s
research support should help these
companies market their products
in a two- to three-year time frame.
The research also will create “about
110 new jobs in the area within the
i m ag e sa k ro n . co m 37
 ph o t o b y B r i a n M c C o r d
P h o t o s C o ur t e s y o f t he u n i v er s i t y o f a k r o n

38 G r e a t e r A k ro n Eco n o m i c D e v e lop m e n t G u i d e
 next three to six years,” he says.
Cleaner-Burning Coal
Dr. Steven Chuang, UA professor of
chemical and biomolecular engineering,
heads efforts focusing on carbon
dioxide sequestration, which removes
carbon dioxide from the atmosphere
and stores it, as well as coal-based fuel
cells that harness the energy potential
of the nation’s abundant coal supply
while filtering out some of the carbon
dioxide released into the environment.
The intense research helps local
companies such as Akron-based
FirstEnergy compress the time it
takes to incorporate new technology.
“It usually takes 20 to 30 years to
develop such technology, but after
only 10 years, we can move forward
to the pilot scale,” Chuang says.
Sensor Technology in Filters
Additional filter work spearheaded
by Dr. George Chase, UA professor of
chemical engineering and director of
the FirstEnergy Advanced Energy
Research Center, paves the way for
more products. Chase is researching
filtration technology that uses sensors
to target compounds in air or water.
The filters could be used to filter
blood or in gas masks to filter
toxins such as anthrax.
Electric and Hybrid Car
Research on electric and hybrid
vehicles are headed by Drs. De Abreau-
Garcia, Tom Hartley and Iqbal Husain,
UA professors of electrical and computer
engineering. UA is completing a new
facility to house the work, which
will allow researchers to test every
aspect of drivetrain performance
and other energy technologies.

Clockwise from top: University of Akron

College of Engineering; A UA engineering
student designs a microbial corrosion test
cell; A UA polymer engineering Ph.D. student
applies powder coating to a steel plate,
which will be tested for corrosion resistance.

i m ag e sa k ro n . co m 39
 Transportation

Traveling Light
Akron-Canton Airport provides stress-free travel experience

Story by Betsy Williams

T
he Akron-Canton Airport (CAK) may be smaller
than others in the vicinity, but it offers big perks for
travelers who want to avoid the hassles and stress
of larger airports.
“Travel is stressful these days, and we offer a really
relaxing experience,” says Kristie Van Auken, senior vice
president and chief marketing and communications officer.
“We have shorter walks and shorter lines. It all just feels
better. People automatically take a deep breath and say,
‘Ah!,’ when they walk in. They feel relieved.”
From comfy lounge chairs and big-screen televisions
to well-equipped workstations and free Wi-Fi, the airport
is all about traveler comfort. But it’s also about value.
AirTran has the most CAK traffic
“We have the lowest average airfare of any airport in
Ohio, Indiana and Pennsylvania combined,” Van Auken
says, noting that CAK is ranked as the seventh most
affordable airport in the nation. “AirTran Airways moves
51 percent of our business out of our airport. Between
AirTran and Frontier, which serves western-bound
travelers, we carry the lowest fares.”
“AirTran Airways is proud to partner with the Akron-
Canton Airport to serve the people of Northeast Ohio with
our brand of low fares and high-quality service,” says Tad
Hutcheson, AirTran vice president of marketing and sales.
“We have grown our service at Akron-Canton over the
years, and the airport has always been a strong supporter
of any new service we add.”
Jeff Adkins

Other carriers based at CAK include Delta Connection,

United Express and US Airways Express. Business travelers
The Akron-Canton Airport attracts 1.5 million passengers a year can make daily round-trips to New York, Boston, Washington,
and offers the lowest average airfare of any airport in its vicinity. D.C., Atlanta and several destinations in Florida.

40 G r e a t e r A k ro n Eco n o m i c D e v e lop m e n t G u i d e
 P h o t o C o ur t e s y o f A k r o n - C a n t o n A i rp o r t

Transportation aSsets
Airports serving Akron:
CAK extends runway, adds flights Akron Canton Airport, www.akroncantonairport.com
While passenger traffic has declined at most airports Akron-Fulton International Airport
across the country, it continues to rise in Akron, doubling www.ci.akron.oh.us/airport/index.htm
over the past decade to about 1.5 million passengers. In
2010, the airport saw eight months of record-breaking Cleveland-Hopkins International Airport
numbers as new flights were added, and the airport www.clevelandairport.com
continued to implement its $110 million CAK 2018
Railroads:
expansion plan. In November 2010, officials commissioned CSX (former Baltimore & Ohio)
a $60 million runway extension project, enabling
passengers to fly non-stop to the West Coast, Canada and Wheeling & Lake Erie
Mexico. Also either on the planning board or in the process (former Akron, Canton & Youngstown)
of implementation: a new aircraft rescue and fire-fighting Akron Barberton Cluster
maintenance facility, a new customs and border patrol Cuyahoga Valley Scenic Railroad
building, and parking, ticketing and TSA screening Traffic: CSX, about 20 to 24 trains a day;
area expansions. W&LE and ABC about 10 trains a day
“The idea for us as a public asset is to continue to
make improvements so that the airport enhances the Interstates/Highways:
community,” Van Auken says. “With an airfield, we must I-277
meet several compliances, and the process takes time. I-76
It took 10 years from the moment we conceived of the I-77
runway extension to the time of completion. We always Ohio State Route 8
have to plan ahead.” Akron Innerbelt
The airport reaches out to its frequent-flier base
via social media, using Twitter and Facebook, earning Public Transportation:
it a position on Forbes magazine’s Top 10 Social Akron Metro Regional Transit Authority
Media Airports. www.akronmetro.org
With 47 direct airport employees and 1,000 people Stark Area Regional Transit Authority
employed on the entire campus, the airport boasts www.sartaonline.com
a $400 million economic impact on the Akron area.
“When you have an asset like this that’s thriving, it brings Portage Area Regional Transportation Authority
hope and breeds enthusiasm, and builds community pride,” www.partaonline.org
Van Auken says. “It’s been a boost, and it means something Greyhound Bus, www.greyhound.com
good is happening here.”

i m ag e sa k ro n . co m 41
 Education
Putting Innovation
to Work
Story by Kevin Litwin
T
he University of Akron recently
provided medical giant Boston
Scientific with a polymer that
improves the coating of stents and
pacemaker leads for heart patients.
Boston Scientific President Ray Elliott
says it is “the polymer discovery of
the generation.”
Such is everyday life at The University
of Akron, which is gaining ground over
better-known research institutions
when it comes to licensing and
The University of Akron has helped raise millions of dollars in funds to launch more than 40 start-up companies in the area.
42 G r e a t e r A k ro n Eco n o m i c D e v e lop m e n t G u i d e
Universities adept at launching
cutting-edge companies
commercializing technology. A recent
study by national consulting firm
Innovation Associates found that
smaller universities such as
The University of Akron were
often more productive at launching
start-up companies than traditional
superstar tech universities with
bigger R&D budgets.
“Our $50 million budget is small
compared the $500 million to $750
million in research grants that are
allocated annually to universities like
Stanford, MIT and Ohio State – but our
results are better invention-wise,” says
Kenneth Preston, University of Akron
associate vice president of research
and director of technology transfer.
Fabulous Foundation
Preston is also involved with
The University of Akron Research
Foundation, a private, nonprofit
entity that manages intellectual


i m ag e sa k ro n . co m
P h o t o s C o ur t e s y o f t he u n i v er s i t y o f a k r o n

43
 “Akron Polymer Systems was started six years ago by two faculty members,
and today there are 15 former students with Ph.D.s who are employed there.”
properties for the university.
“For example, the independent
Research Foundation makes all
decisions regarding patents,
trademarks and copyrights, then the
university owns all of them,” he says.
“The foundation is a group of people
with much experience in the business
world, many with 30 years or more
with major corporations. We know
how to secure grants for research.”
Jake Lu prepares a chromophore
solution at Akron Polymer Systems.
44 G r e a t e r A k ro n Eco n o m i c D e v e lop m e n t G u i d e
A Company Full of Ph.D.s
The foundation also funds start-up
companies to help the region’s economy.
“Akron Polymer Systems was
started six years ago by two faculty
members, and today there are 15
former students with Ph.D.s who
are employed there,” Preston says.
To date, The University of Akron
and the Foundation have teamed
up to raise $50 million in private
Brian McCord
funding to launch more than
40 companies.
Crystal Clear
Meanwhile, innovation success is
also occurring at Kent State University.
One of Kent State’s key research
initiatives is its Liquid Crystal
Institute, which is internationally
renowned for advancements in liquid
crystal display technology for items
such as watches, cell phones and
electronic scoreboards.
“I started working at LCI in 1996,
and there have been 17 start-up
companies launched by the Institute
since then,” says Greg Wilson, Kent State
University associate vice president for
economic development and strategic
partnerships. “The start-up companies
include Kent Displays, which now has
75 employees.”
Wilson says several of the start-ups
are tenants at nearby Kent State
Centennial Research Park.
“All of the companies are on
the cutting-edge of research and
technology,” he says. “In fact, one
such company – Crystal Diagnostics –
is involved with beach-water testing
advancements and recently made
a major breakthrough.”
The Water’s Fine
Wilson says the breakthrough helps
communities that must close beaches
after bacteria are found in the water.
The traditional way to test water had
always been to collect culture samples
and let them sit for two days to see
what’s growing.
“But now, Crystal Diagnostics has
invented a rapid biosensor that can
tell what’s in the water in only 20
minutes,” he says. “If, for example,
Santa Monica in California had to
close its beaches for two days, it
would result in a huge hit to their
local economy. So Crystal Diagnostics
is working with the U.S. Environmental
Protection Agency in California
to introduce this incredible
biosensor innovation.”
 Like a Well-Oiled Machine
Akron’s CNC Training Center helps workers upgrade their skills
Lee Combs was tired of laying
off single-skilled workers and
struggling to find multi-skilled
ones, so the owner of SC
Manufacturing decided to
utilize floor space in his plant
to start a training school.
Today, Akron CNC Training
Center helps downsized
machinists in the metal fabrication
industry gain the math, problem-
solving and computer skills to run
state-of-the-art machinery. The
school is more affordable than
most trade schools, and 70 of the
students who finished the training
program in the first year have
already been hired – including
a few of the workers that Combs
laid off.
“This state-registered center
has a curriculum that takes only
four months to complete and only
costs a student $4,100,” says
Laurie Norval, the center’s director
and Combs’ daughter. “A lot
of unemployed or low-income
students can get tuition help, plus
we offer a payment plan. But the
bottom line is that $4,100 is very
reasonable to learn excellent skills
in modern machinery.”
Students learn about CNC
(computer numerically controlled)
machines, which are rapidly
replacing older production lathes.
“It’s like when desktop
computers replaced typewriters.
CNC machines are cleaner, safer
and more efficient, but technical quickly get to $20 to $25 an hour,”
skills are needed to program the she says. “Between Akron and
computers that run the machines,” Cleveland, there are about 700
Norval says. “That’s where Akron machine shops, with Cleveland
CNC Training Center comes in.” being second in the nation for
Norval adds that students who machining jobs, while Akron is
complete the four-month program ranked seventh. Manufacturing
find jobs quickly. is about to make a big comeback
“Typical starting pay is $12 to as the recession eases.”
$14 an hour, and many workers – Kevin Litwin
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i m ag e sa k ro n . co m 45
 46 G r e a t e r A k ro n Eco n o m i c D e v e lop m e n t G u i d e
 A Picture of Health
Akron hospitals provide first-class care
Story by Melanie Hill
N
eed a doctor? Not a problem in Akron, where three
nationally recognized hospitals provide first-class
care to residents of Northeast Ohio. Read on to learn
more about the quality of care at these facilities, and how
each hospital is innovating to raise the level of patient
safety and satisfaction even more.
Akron General Hospital System
Honored by National Research Corporation as one of
the nation’s top hospitals 14 years running, Akron General
Hospital System boasts regional referral centers in cardiology,
oncology, women’s health and orthopaedics. Electrophysiology
and vein and pacemaker clinics are just a few of the services
available to patients at Akron General Heart & Vascular Center.
Meanwhile, patients of the McDowell Cancer Center
receive access to clinical trials and top specialists. In 2010,
Akron General’s respiratory and digestive health programs
Left: Akron Children’s Hospital is Northeast Ohio’s largest pediatric health care system.
were recognized by U.S. News and World Report magazine
for outstanding care. The system has also partnered with
Ravenna, Ohio-based My LifePlan to deploy the company’s
MyChoice service in their emergency department and the
system’s three freestanding emergency departments.
“MyChoice is a secure, Web-based subscription medical
information service that provides medical first responders and
Akron General emergency department staff with secure access
to a patient’s medical information,” says Jim Gosky, director
of media and public relations for Akron General Hospital
System. “This saves time and, ultimately, can save lives.”
Akron Children’s Hospital
As the largest pediatric health care system in Northeast
Ohio, Akron Children’s Hospital (ACH) operates two
freestanding pediatric hospitals and services at nearly 80
locations across the region. ACH is also home to The Paul
i m ag e sa k ro n . co m 47
 48 G r e a t e r A k ro n Eco n o m i c D e v e lop m e n t G u i d e
 and Carol David Foundation Burn Institute – one of only
two pediatric hospitals nationwide to treat both pediatric
and adult burn patients. And children with all types of
cancers receive treatment at ACH’s Showers Family Center
for Childhood Cancer and Blood Disorders.
With a volume of more than 600,000 patients each year,
ACH has implemented a continuous improvement system
designed to raise efficiency by focusing on processes. Since
2008, the initiative has saved ACH more than $10 million and
10,000 hours in wait time for patients. It has also increased
the number of surgeries physicians have been able to perform.
“Our goal is to make process improvement part of our
culture,” says Mark Watson, president of the ACH Regional
Network. “If you eliminate waste and the pieces of a
process that are an issue, you improve patient experience.”
Summa Akron City Hospital
Summa Akron City Hospital was recently ranked among
the top 50 hospitals nationwide by HealthGrades, a leading
independent health care ratings organization. Operated by
Summa Health System, the hospital operates a 23-bed women’s
health unit and centers dedicated to women’s pelvic pain and
urology. Seniors also receive extra attention in Summa’s
nationally recognized Acute Care for Elders Unit, while
palliative care services are available to patients at different
stages of illness.
Summa Health System was recognized by Computer World
for using information technology to improve diagnosis and
treatment of strokes, and is utilizing a free health care app
called iTriage to allow mobile customers access to door-to-
doctor emergency room wait times, hospital locations, urgent
care centers, physician specialities and health information.
“Summa has taken leading-edge technology and applied
it to medicine, making critical advances in patient care,”
says Thomas J. Strauss, president and chief executive
officer of Summa Health System. “This means patients
have access to the latest in medical technology and data-
driven, evidence-based practices.”

Above right: Northeastern Ohio Universities Colleges of Medicine and Pharmacy is a major health asset for the region.

Akron’s Hospitals Add, Expand Services

New and enhanced health care offerings abound in the area
With recent expansions at many of
the hospitals in Akron, residents can
enjoy more quality health care than
ever before.
In 2010, Akron Children’s Hospital
opened a new unit in its emergency
department to serve patients with
mental and behavioral health issues,
which includes five patient rooms,
a nurses’ station, waiting room and
family relaxation area.
The hospital also has obtained
the 21-bed special care nursery at
Summa Akron City Hospital, which
opened Feb. 1, 2011, and Akron
Children’s Hospital Mahoning Valley
is building a new 14,000-square-foot
pediatric surgery department at
the hospital’s Beeghly campus
in Boardman.
Additionally, Akron General has
plans to construct a new Health and
Wellness Center in Green that would
offer a variety of services, including
a 24-hour emergency department,
radiology services, a lab, a breast
health center, sports medicine,
physical therapy and LifeStyles,
a medically based fitness program.
The 98,000-square-foot facility will
be modeled after Akron General’s
Health and Wellness Centers in
Bath and Stow, with an additional
42,000-square-foot medical
office building.
Also expanding is Summa Health
System, which has opened a
10,000-square-foot facility in Medina
that houses the first radiation
oncology program in central Medina
County, as well as Medina’s first
digital mammography suite. The
facility also includes Summa Health
System’s first outpatient surgery
center outside of Summit County.
Summa Health System is also
building two new full-service
emergency departments in Medina
and Green, and is expanding the
existing emergency departments at
Summa Akron City Hospital, Summa
Barberton Hospital and Summa
Wadsworth-Rittman Hospital.
– Jessica Walker

i m ag e sa k ro n . co m 49
 What’s Online 
For more of the Greater Akron region’s best qualities,
visit the Quality of Life section at imagesakron.com.

50 G r e a t e r A k ro n Eco n o m i c D e v e lop m e n t G u i d e
 Livability
Affluence and
Affordability
Greater Akron residents enjoy
a strong quality of life
Story by Kevin Litwin
S
earching for the right place
to put down roots? Look no
further than Akron. A recent
CNBC poll ranks Akron as one of the
best cities in the United States for
first-time home buyers. Akron was
also listed by Business Week magazine
as the eighth most affordable place
to buy a home in America.
The cost of living in the Greater
Akron region is well below the
national average, with homes priced
from $110,000 to $150,000 in most
areas around the city. The average
mortgage payment for local
homeowners in 2010 was
$570 a month.
“Upper-scale homes easily cross the
$1 million threshold, giving the region
a range of housing options to suit any
lifestyle,” says Caren Wallace of
Stouffer Realty.
The Old College Try
But housing isn’t the only good
deal here. Forbes magazine has
named Akron the fifth most
Jeff Adkins
The 33,000-acre Cuyahoga Valley National Park, ranked among the top 10 most popular
national parks in the country, is minutes from downtown Akron.
affordable college town, and The
University of Akron was recognized
by The Princeton Review as one of the
best universities in the entire Midwest.
In addition, a University Park Alliance
is currently collaborating with
government, private and nonprofit
organizations to further revitalize the
50-block area around the university.
Cultured Pearls
Akron city officials are also
proud of the arts and culture scene
throughout the community, with
sites such as the Akron Art Museum,
Akron Civic Theatre, Cuyahoga Valley
National Park and the Akron Zoo.
Annual events include the
All-American Soap Box Derby,
a WGC-Bridgestone Invitational golf
tournament at Firestone Country Club
and a National Hamburger Festival.
Akron has a first-class health
system in place, plus the city oversees
16 parks. Akron-Canton Airport
accommodates 100,000 passengers
each year, and the city is within close
i m ag e sa k ro n . co m 51
 proximity of major cities such as
Cleveland, Columbus and Pittsburgh.
“Akron also has a good highway
transportation system in place, with
short and easy work commutes during
the morning and evening hours,” says
Rick Rebadow, executive vice president
of the Greater Akron Chamber.
A Region Full of Amenities
Besides Akron, the Greater Akron
region that includes Summit, Portage
and Medina counties are home to 21
cities – Aurora, Barberton, Brimfield,
Brunswick, Cuyahoga Falls, Fairlawn,
Green, Hudson, Kent, Macedonia,
Medina, Munroe Falls, New Franklin,
Norton, Ravenna, Rittman, Stow,
Streetsboro, Tallmadge, Twinsburg
and Wadworth. Each of the cities has
its own amenities and are nice places to
work, live and play.
Kent, for example, is home to
Kent State University, and the city
is undergoing an initiative centered
on downtown revitalization thanks
to a $20 million grant from the U.S.
Department of Transportation. The
money will go toward a proposed Kent
Multimodal Transportation Center
that will include a bus transfer facility,
hotel and conference center, office
space and retail stores. The project is
scheduled to begin mid-2011 and will
create 260 construction jobs and
ultimately 700 permanent jobs.
“This is one of those once-in-a-
hundred-years legacy moments that you
can tell your grandchildren you were
here to see,” says Dave Ruller, Kent city
manager. “This money will be a game-
changer. All of the project aspirations
for downtown Kent just got catapulted
forward and should now be within
reach over the next two years.”
ph o t o s b y J e f f A d k i n s

Top to bottom: Akron Civic Theatre;

Volunteer Bob Dill discusses Komar
& Melamid’s painting, Akron’s Most
Wanted, with a group of students at
the Akron Art Museum.

52 G r e a t e r A k ro n Eco n o m i c D e v e lop m e n t G u i d e
 Entertainment Abounds
akron Cultural and recreational options are numerous
Busy bodies are a common
sight in the Akron area, thanks
to several cultural and recreational
destinations that people can
enjoy. A few of these include:
Akron Art Museum
Akron Art Museum blends an
old 1899 post office with a new
$35 million addition.
“The building is stunning.
The lobby is stunning. Events
and exhibits are exciting just
because they’re in this space,”
says Jessie Raynor, director
of the Akron Area Arts Alliance.
Akron Zoological Park
The popular zoo houses more
than 700 animals that include
penguins, leopards, tigers, jaguars
and Komodo dragons. The 50-acre
Akron Zoological Park draws
more than 150,000 visitors
a year and is open daily from
11 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Cuyahoga Valley
National Park
Ohio’s only national park is just a
few miles from the heart of Akron’s
downtown district. Cuyahoga Valley
has more than 33,000 acres and
draws nearly 2.5 million visitors
a year – ranking it among the top
10 most popular national parks
in the country.
Akron Civic Theatre
This attraction was constructed
in 1929 and underwent a $22.6
million restoration that was
completed in 2002. The Akron Civic
Theatre hosts live entertainment
and events that include ballet, jazz
concerts, rock performances and
touring Broadway shows.
Akron Symphony Orchestra
The Akron Symphony Orchestra
performs at EJ Thomas Hall and
the Akron Civic Theatre, and
has been a cultural mainstay
in Northeast Ohio for more
than 60 years. The Akron Youth
Orchestra and Akron Symphony
Chorus are also under the
symphony’s umbrella.
Sports Galore
Akron residents are within a
short drive of Cleveland, where the
Browns, Indians and Cavaliers play.
Meanwhile, The University of Akron
Zips have 15 sports teams, including
football, soccer, men’s and women’s
basketball, and even a rifle team.
Akron is also home to the All-
American Soap Box Derby, as
well as the Akron Aeros Double-A
baseball affiliate of the Cleveland
Indians, plus championship golf
courses that include Firestone
Country Club.
– Kevin Litwin
i m ag e sa k ro n . co m 53
 582 654 2156 7 25
37 564 98 7125 19
5000 96 525 3 775 150
851 9500 45 2750
fortune 500 companies with
greater akron operations

10500 1 65 2000 92 Learn fun and interesting facts

120 8525 8 465 78

about the Greater Akron region in the
By the Numbers video at imagesakron.com.

54 G r e a t e r A k ro n Eco n o m i c D e v e lop m e n t G u i d e
 economic profile
Business snapshot
The Greater Akron region hosts 21,000 businesses, including more than
150 Fortune 500 companies, creating an exciting and lively business climate.
Comprised of three counties – Medina, Portage and Summit – the area is
Median Household proudly known for success in the polymer, liquid crystal and biomedical
Income industries, to name a few.

$49,528 Major Employment

Sectors
Employment
(Wage & Salary)
Summit County
Manufacturing: 15.7%

$65,621
Health care
& social assistance: 14.8%
$266,100
Summit County
Medina County Retail trade: 13.6%

$88,100
Accommodation

$52,725
& food services: 9%
Admin, support, waste mgt,
Medina County
remediation services: 5.9%
Portage County

$82,800
Wholesale trade: 5.7%
Cost of Living Professional, scientific
& technical services: 5.4%
Portage County
Composite: 99 Management of companies
Grocery items: 103 & enterprises: 5.2%
Housing: 97.5
Sources
Construction: 5.1%
Utilities: 104.5
Finance & insurance: 4.1% www.census.gov
Transportation: 106.8 www.greaterakronchamber.org
Health care: 88.3 Transportation
& warehousing: 3.7%
Misc. goods/services: 95.6
Information: 1.8%
U.S. average: 100
Educational services: 1.4%
Source: The Council for Community Arts, entertainment
and Economic Research (C2ER) & recreation: 1.3%

What’s Online 
For more in-depth demographic, statistical and community information
on the Greater Akron region, go to imagesakron.com and click
on Demographics.

visit our
advertisers
Akron Children’s Hospital Church Agency Dominion Metro Regional Transit Authority
www.akronchildrens.org www.churchagency.com www.dom.com www.akronmetro.org

Akron General Health System City of Cuyahoga Falls FedEx Custom Critical NEOUCOM
www.akrongeneral.org www.cityofcf.com www.customcritical.fedex.com www.neoucom.edu

Albrecht Incorporated City of Green First Merit Bank Sheraton Suites Akron –
www.cityofgreen.org Cuyahoga Falls
www.albrechtinc.com www.firstmerit.com www.sheratonakron.com
City of Twinsburg
Brouse McDowell www.mytwinsburg.com Huntington National Bank Summa Health System
www.brouse.com www.huntington.com www.summahealth.org
County of Summit
CB Richard Ellis Developmental Disabilities Board Kent State University University of Akron
www.cbre.com/robert.cooper www.summitdd.org www.kent.edu www.uakron.edu

i m ag e sa k ro n . co m 55
 Through the Lens

Get the Story Behind the Photo

Now that you’ve experienced the Greater Akron region through our photos, see it through
the eyes of our photographers. Visit imagesakron.com to view our exclusive photographers’ blog
documenting what all went in to capturing those perfect moments.

From Our Photo Blog:

Greater Akron Economic
Development Guide
With more than 400 polymer-related
enterprises employing more than
35,000 people, it’s no wonder the
state of Ohio has designated Akron
a “Hub of Innovation and Opportunity.”
The University of Akron and Kent State
University offer renowned polymer and
liquid crystal research centers to help
make Greater Akron a global leader
in polymer research and engineering.
Kent State University has discovered
many key advances in liquid crystal
technology, including the development
of electric field-controlled liquid
crystal displays and polymer-liquid
crystal composites.

Posted by Brian McCord

More Online 
See more favorite photos and
read the stories behind the
shots at imagesakron.com.

Beads of polymer Center for Biomaterials

at Diamond Polymers in Medicine

56 G r e a t e r A k ro n Eco n o m i c D e v e lop m e n t G u i d e
 Ad Index
4 Akron Childrens Hospital 27 County of Summit
Developmental
C4 Akron General Disabilities Board
Health System
C2 Dominion
45 Albrecht Incorporated
19 FedEx Custom Critical
53 Brouse McDowell
7 First Merit Bank
26 CB Richard Ellis
54 Huntington National Bank
6 Church Agency
2 Kent State University
8 City of Cuyahoga Falls
c3 Metro Regional
26 City of Green Transit Authority

9 City of Twinsburg 39 NEOUCOM

Ad Index (cont.)
10 Sheraton Suites
Akron – Cuyahoga Falls

48 Summa Health System

1 University of Akron