THE BUS STARTS HERE

Sam Erickson spends her days planning RTA’s routes while biking a few of her own to and from work

By Lauren Sable Freiman

Some want an RTA bus to come down their street. Some want the RTA bus to stop going down their street. In a city of nearly 400,000 people, there is no shortage of opinion on the city’s public transportation schedules. As Greater Cleveland Regional Transit Authority’s senior planner, Sam Erickson is the lady who works to make public transportation

A WALK TO REMEMBER

Twenty years on, MS society president still leading fight against the disease

By Douglas J. Guth

The National Multiple Sclerosis Society’s Ohio Buckeye chapter has gone through numerous rebrandings and strategy shifts since Janet Kramer joined the organization as its president 20 years ago. However, the vision of a world free of the debilitating disease remains as clear as ever it was.
“We would like to put ourselves out of business,” Kramer, who oversees all chapter a

CENTER STAGE

University Hospitals, Philips Healthcare align as charter tenant of global center for health innovation

By Nina Polien Light

When it opens this fall, the long-awaited Global Center for Health Innovation will showcase emerging medical technology, host medical conventions, and offer continuing education courses in a variety of healthcare disciplines. Formerly known as the Medical Mart, the Global Center is part of a $465-million, taxpayer-funded convention complex that local officia

CAREER REWRITE

Following stints in local news and consulting, Loree Vick now shares UH’s medical miracles

By Nina Polien Light

Every 10 days Loree Vick decides whether to share portions of her Amish Friendship Bread starter dough with others or bake loaves herself. Regardless of the answer, she always nurtures a bit of the sweet dough for another cycle.

“I have been keeping the dough alive for 23 years now and baking and baking and baking,” she says.

The dough has taken many shapes, but

PLAY THAT 'FUNKY' MURAL

Riot Creative Imaging provides Kent State some comic relief

By Stephanie Davis

Although there is nothing amusing about remaining competitive as a visual communications provider in Northeast Ohio, Riot Creative Imaging certainly knows how to have a good time with its displays. One of the company’s latest success stories involves bringing the “funnies” to life inside Kent State University’s student lounge, The Nest.

Having already created wall art for KSU, inclu

SERVICE FIRST

Focus on going extra yard plays well for Rotary Club

By Douglas J. Guth

2012 was the year the Rotary Club of Cleveland entered what it called its “second century of service.” The venerable international networking organization’s Cleveland chapter, founded in 1911, saw last year as a time of renewed focus in helping both local businesspeople and the surrounding community.

Chapter past president Gerald Jarzabek considers the group’s mission to be unique, as most of its

wellness inside/out | encouraging healthy habits leads to a happy and loyal staff

By Nina Polien Light

Successful entrepreneurs know that an innovative product or service, solid business plan, and dependable financing are necessary to launch a company. In today’s fast-paced and challenging world, however, many owners are discovering that it takes more than business acumen to sustain and grow a venture.

“We value our employees and their wellness so much that the (financial) investment we m

learning u | new nursing school opens shop in health-tech corridor

By Lauren Caggiano

Today many hospitals are struggling with the impact of nurse shortages. It comes down to simple math: there simply aren’t enough students to replace the nurses who will retire.

Recruiting and retaining current nurses is one approach to the dilemma. But the for-profit Chamberlain College of Nursing has responded to the concern in a different way: educating today’s students who will become tomorrow’s nur

in touch with | lucene wisniewski, co-founder, cleveland center for eating disorders

Clinical psychologists Lucene Wisniewski and Mark Warren opened the Cleveland Center for Eating Disorders in June of 2006. Since then the Beachwood-based outpatient treatment center has used individualized programs to treat children, teens, and adults. Wisniewski is also an adjunct assistant professor of psychology at Case Western Reserve University.

Q: Seventy percent of our 20,000 readers are women. Is it sa

in the green | disabled employees help buckeye industries eliminate medical waste

By Pamela J. Willits

In an effort to reduce waste, the Cleveland Clinic’s Green Team established a recycling program in its operating rooms to separate recyclable plastics from non-recyclable items.

As the Clinic and University Hospitals alike began gearing up their recycling initiatives, Tom Lewins, executive director of New Avenues to Independence, realized that Buckeye Industries was the missing link in the

etrends | family tragedy prompts patient advocate to hit the air

By Nina Polien Light

While Pat Rullo’s mother lay in the recovery room following shoulder-replacement surgery, she suffered a heart attack that remained undiagnosed for nine hours. Throughout the next four months of hospitalization, Rullo served as her mother’s eyes, ears, and voice.

“She survived but was compromised and moved in with us for awhile,” Rullo says of the 2008 incident. “Throughout the hospital stay, I wit

dollar sense | drug-testing firm helps employers minimize risk

By Lauren Caggiano
Photo by Thomas Skernivitz

The business model is simple: drug-test anyone, anywhere, at any time.

USA Mobile Drug Testing of Cleveland has simplified the process of employee drug testing, cutting down on overhead and making the process more efficient. According to the parent company’s website, USA Mobile Drug Testing goes beyond the administration of drug tests. Instead, clients benefit from programs tailored