In the name of progress

While “the bigger the better” may not always be true, in this case it is.

You’ve probably noticed that SBN has been going through some changes lately. Last month, our format changed as we transformed ourselves to look and feel more like a traditional magazine. Our size shrank, and our newsprint pages were replaced with a glossy, thicker paper stock. If you didn’t notice your fingers were clean after reading the magazine, you may have noticed there was significantly more color throughout the pages.

This month, we’re continuing our evolution by combining what were two separate editions of SBN: Akron and Stark County. Now, we are providing our Akron- and Canton-area readers with editorial content that encompasses the entire region, with stories on companies from Medina County to Wayne County. We’ve made a commitment not to eliminate any of the local articles or sections you’re used to reading; we’re just offering you more in one magazine.

This month, you can find out which are the most successful companies in Stark County through our coverage of the Business Excellence Awards of Greater Canton. And you can read about one of the area’s most successful restaurateurs, Akron-based Ken Stewart, and find out why he’s expanding his business after years of success.

As the editor of both the Stark County and Akron editions of SBN for the past several years, I’ve always struggled with the decision of what articles to run in each edition. For example, over the past year or so, we have covered business practices at companies such as Smucker’s and Timken for our Stark County edition, and oftentimes not had the space to run those pieces in our Akron edition.

Now, you’ll have the opportunity to learn about these and other successful companies, even if they are located in Orrville (as Smucker’s is). If you’re like most growing companies, you know there are business opportunities well beyond your neighborhood.

We’re going to make sure you find out about them.