On behalf of Corporate College and Cuyahoga Community College (Tri-C®), I want to personally congratulate the recipients of the seventh annual Corporate College Smart 50 Awards, presented by Smart Business.
We are privileged to partner with Smart Business and present the Corporate College Smart 50 Awards in celebration of Northeast Ohio’s top executives, and in recognition of their talent to effectively build and lead innovative and “smart” organizations. All of this year’s honorees have made a difference in their organizations and the region. Their positive impact on employment has reinvented Northeast Ohio as one of the up-and-coming business regions in the country.
These large, mid-sized and emerging companies’ leaders motivate and inspire people. They are passionate and focused. The executives we are celebrating today tackle unique business challenges and continue to lead their organizations toward success. Corporate College is honored to acknowledge this year’s nominees.
Corporate College is a division of Tri-C, a nationally recognized leader in higher education and member of the League for Innovation in the Community College. Corporate College is known for its best-in-class client solutions including training, consulting, and conference and hospitality services to the business community and its strategic partners.
During today’s challenging times, agility and perseverance are critical to an organization’s success. We provide safe and effective training, through virtual and on-site delivery methods, in categories essential to talent development. These include leadership, project management, diversity and inclusion, team building, Lean Six Sigma and more. Our goal is to keep your organization strong by providing innovative training that leads to improved productivity and performance.
Jody Wheaton, MS, SHRM-SCP, SPHR
Executive Director, Client Solutions and Programs
Corporate College, a Division of Cuyahoga Community College
216.987.5867
[email protected]
Honorees listed in alphabetical order by company.
Dr. Jorge Garcia-Zuazaga
Founder & president
Apex Dermatology
Dr. Jorge Garcia-Zuazaga founded Apex Dermatology in 2011 with one vision: to solve the problem of limited dermatology/skin cancer services in the community.
He was frustrated when people waited months to be seen and treated for skin conditions or skin cancers, and when people waited hours in the office to be seen. Since then, Apex has been laser focused on one purpose: Transforming lives through healthy skin.
At Apex, patients are guaranteed rapid access to their provider with same day or next day appointments, and all doctors run on time, which means little wait for the patient. Another big differentiator is the experience of the medical team. Dr. Garcia-Zuazaga has performed over 30,000 skin cancer surgeries, and all dermatologists are board-certified.
André Thornton
President & CEO
ASW Global LLC
André Thornton acquired ASW Global LLC in 2007 after ASW merged with Cleveland-based GPI Procurement Services.
Thornton sets the direction for the leading 3PL provider for local, national and multinational companies, directing operational aspects so they follow the strategic plans and policies of the organization. He has more than 20 years of experience in entrepreneurial ventures.
The company has experience operating more than 2.5 million square feet of dedicated and flexible warehouse space in North America. Today, ASW Global is a group of affiliated companies providing end-to-end solutions in a supply chain environment with three distinct specializations — supply chain services; ecommerce, merchandise and fulfillment solutions; and energy and utility industry solutions.
Dr. Claude Jones
President, CEO & chief medical officer
Care Alliance Health Center
Care Alliance Health Center is a nonprofit, 501(c)(3) federally qualified health center that last year served nearly 17,000 people in the Cleveland community. This included more than 1,800 children, 2,575 in the homeless population and 11,127 public housing residents. Additionally, it recorded more than 17,000 visits to its center for medical and behavioral health-related issues, and 76 percent of those visits were by minorities. Providing comprehensive primary care, pediatrics, prenatal and women’s health, dentistry and behavioral health and related services, it has been serving the Cleveland community for 35 years.
With COVID-19, The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention shows there is an inordinate burden of illness and death among racial and ethnic minority groups, creating an even greater need for Care Alliance.
Teresa Lindsey
President & COO
Channel Products
President and COO Teresa Lindsey has created a culture at Channel Products that allows development of individual strengths, even as the company achieves remarkable levels of teamwork and trust.
She develops human capital by ensuring healthy competition and meritocracy. She hires, equips and empowers employees, and then lets them do their jobs without micromanagement or interference.
The result is an environment where people are free to deploy their strengths and colleagues rely upon one another, allowing experts to lead where they have expertise. Continuous training and improvement also mark the culture, evidenced by more than five years of consecutive growth. Lindsey runs the company with a bias toward action, letting others win, enjoy credit and participate in building the next great revenue stream.
Joe Majewski
CEO
ChromaScape LLC
ChromaScape CEO Joe Majewski has more than 30 years of experience in business management and development, strategic planning, organizational development, sales management, operations and human relations.
His career has encompassed all areas of performance management, including conception and execution of strategic plans, capital investments and driving performance metrics. His corporate perspective to align strategies within the context of enterprise value allows him to optimize the enterprise portfolio for value creation initiatives.
ChromaScape, a specialty chemicals supplier, taps into the unlimited potential of pigments, colorants and additives by formulating raw materials into dyes and dispersions for customers to incorporate into their products and unique applications.
Len Komoroski
CEO
Cleveland Cavaliers & Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse
Len Komoroski — CEO of the Cleveland Cavaliers and Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse, which also includes the AHL Cleveland Monsters, the G League Canton Charge and 2KL Cavs Legion GC — joined the team as president in 2003. He immediately made a significant impact, including helping to develop one of the top cable television relationship in the NBA with Fox Sports Ohio, securing an entitlement for Cleveland Clinic Courts and being a key player in the acquisitions of the Monsters, Charge and Cavs Legion.
Komoroski also plays a core leadership role for business operations and business-related endeavors for Chairman Dan Gilbert’s Rock Family of Companies’ interests in Cleveland and helps to navigate and advance key strategic investments by Bedrock, the real estate arm of the FOC.
Brian Zimmerman
CEO
Cleveland Metroparks
Cleveland Metroparks is a nationally recognized park system and has been named the Best Park District in the Nation by the National Recreation and Park Association. The park system features 24,000 acres, 18 park reservations, eight golf courses, dining, retail and a nationally acclaimed zoo. Evidenced by approximately 18 million annual visits, the park district continues to enhance the quality of life for Northeast Ohioans.
CEO Brian Zimmerman has been instrumental in contributing to the revitalization of Cleveland by improving transportation and access to green space, improving the environment and attracting business and tourism. He has increased connectivity in the region through the strategic land acquisition of more than 2,500 acres and the addition of 40-plus miles of trails.
Sondra Miller
President & CEO
Cleveland Rape Crisis Center
Sondra Miller started at the Cleveland Rape Crisis Center (CRCC) in 2009 as a vice president and was promoted to president and CEO in 2013. Her ability to inspire and drive organizational change has transformed CRCC. Under her leadership, it has experienced unprecedented growth and expansion to become one of the largest independent rape crisis centers in the country. Her strategic guidance has accelerated its ability to create change and develop the future of care for rape and sexual abuse survivors.
Each year, CRCC has increased revenue and employee growth, attracted significant funding and encouraged survivors to access support through innovative technologies. Its mission is to support survivors of rape and sexual abuse, by promoting healing and prevention, as well as advocate for social change.
Lee Friedman
CEO
College Now Greater Cleveland
College Now Greater Cleveland’s impact can be felt in how it gives back to the community. College Now was started in 1967 to financially support students’ college journeys, a mission that continues today. When it realized students needed more than just money to reach education — they needed to learn about how to apply and reach college — College Now implemented an advising strategy that is still in place, in which advisers work in area high schools to create a culture of college knowledge in the community.
This strategy has enabled College Now to educate students throughout Northeast Ohio on the college-going process. It serves over 30,000 students each year and awards scholarship dollars to nearly 2,000 high school students and adult learners.
Elizabeth Barry
CEO
Delta Systems Inc.
As Delta Systems CEO, Elizabeth Barry guides the strategic vision of Delta Systems Inc., helping to chart the course for Delta’s future as the company and its customers continue to evolve. Weekly, Barry walks through administration and production areas, speaking with many employees, which gives her a macro perspective she wouldn’t otherwise gain. This level of understanding allows her to better work with the senior management team to translate the strategic vision. Under her guidance, Delta is entering a phase of evolution and growth that’s poised to drive the company into the future by way of skillful talent development, new product and service offerings, and proclaiming Delta System’s unique value proposition.
