All of this year’s Smart 50 honorees have made a difference in their organizations and in the region. Their positive impact on employment has reinvented the Northeast Ohio landscape into one of the most up-and-coming business regions in the country.

In its 92 years, American Textile Co. hasn’t made a single acquisition. The third generation of this family business, Lance and Blake Ruttenberg, explain how this organic growth has come through product development and innovation.

The most important dealmaking lessons Frank C. Sullivan has learned in his career have come from his father, Thomas, who was involved in more than 100 transactions during his career at RPM International Inc. Through all the years, dealmaking has been an integral part of the company’s growth strategy.

As the dust settles on the Rocky Brands corporate management shake-up, the company has renewed focus and a fourth-generation Brooks at the helm.