2012 Innovation Sponsors

Lorain County Community College
Lorain County Community College is committed to employing innovation in the workplace at all levels. Employees take an active role in achieving Lorain County Community College’s vision of excellence in the four cornerstones of education, community, cultural development and economic development.
Lorain County Community College’s innovative educational programs, including a University Partnership program that allows LCCC to offer more than 40 bachelor’s and master’s degrees, are building the talent pipeline while its continuum of entrepreneurial support helps drive regional economic development and job creation. LCCC is home to the Great Lakes Innovation and Development Enterprise (GLIDE), a partnership between the Lorain County Commissioners, Lorain County and LCCC that coaches, teaches and mentors entrepreneurs. The LCCC Foundation’s Innovation Fund provides preseed funding to technology-based start-up companies and has awarded nearly $6 million to 84 companies. With a $1 million grant from the Kauffman Foundation, LCCC launched Innovation Fund America to replicate its Innovation Fund at community colleges across the nation, a first step in making community colleges a recognized front-door for entrepreneurial support. LCCC is also home to the Richard Desich SMART Commercialization Center for Microsystems, bringing additional capacity to Northeast Ohio by helping companies commercialize sensor/MEMS-based products. All of these innovative programs are complemented by LCCC’s Entrepreneurship Innovation Institute, which partners with organizations and entrepreneurs for education, support and access to technologies and workforce development opportunities.
For more information about LCCC, visit www.lorainccc.edu or call (800) 995-5222.
Weltman, Weinberg & Reis Co. LPA
Our innovative initiatives include three core areas of our business — people, products and performance. On the people side, our partnership supports multiple leadership mentoring programs. Each attorney is assigned a partner-mentor to guide them in career development, sharing best practices and excellence in writing, file processing, leadership and court demeanor. Our support staff also participates in leadership development programs through our in-house WWR University training programs, as well as group and custom one-on-one training. On the product side, our partners have identified new services and new practice areas for the firm, exploring unique approaches to the real estate default market, probate and commercial recovery, along with improving our expertise in upfront call center collections and litigation. And in the performance area, our technology team is designing and developing infrastructure improvements for our core data warehouse and workflow processes, along with advances in security protocols, cash management and invoicing both for customers and our internal business unit teams. These initiatives are necessary to preserve our place as the nation’s top debt recovery law firm, all designed to help us maintain and support a positive customer service experience every day.
For more information about Weltman, Weinberg & Reis Co. LPA, visit www.weltman.com or call Alan Weinberg, managing partner, at (216) 685-1100.
U.S. Bank
Innovation is vital to the future of U.S. Bank, and it is a corporate priority to innovate and invest in technology and operations systems that make it easy, fast and secure to do business with us. We invest in new ways to provide the information, products and delivery systems that our customers need — and to enhance our capabilities in the areas of regulatory compliance and risk management. We have fostered a culture of innovation and are committed to investments in technology both externally and internally. Our initiatives include solutions for consumers and small businesses, as well as for larger businesses and targeted business sectors here and internationally.
Barlow Research Associates Inc. honored U.S. Bank with a 2011 Monarch Innovation Award, recognizing our ScoreBoard online payments management tool, which helps small businesses make smarter decisions about the financial operations of their business.
For more information about U.S. Bank, visit www.usbank.com or call (216) 623-9228.
LaCentre Conference and Banquet Facility
LaCentre Conference and Banquet Facility has built a solid reputation as the premier venue for hosting full-service conferences, special events and business meetings. Our world-class facility has embraced elegance, high-tech communications and delectable culinary creations to assure your event is an absolute success.
LaCentre’s innovation extends to its technology, atmosphere, capability, flexibility, form and taste. Our dedicated and devoted staff provides clients with a positive and enriching experience with more than 25,000 square feet of meeting space to accommodate events of nearly any size.
For more information on LaCentre, visit www.lacentre.com or (440) 250-2000.
Colortone Staging & Rentals
Colortone Staging and Rentals is a nationally recognized, award-winning, live-event production company that is continually investing in state-of-the-art and cutting-edge technology. Our innovation comes from the creative use of these “tools” to solve our customers’ presentation challenges no matter what the budget.
From simple breakout rooms to arena-sized extravaganzas, our staff along with our national and international partnerships offer live-event audio, video, lighting and scenic services with the same quality and consistency no matter where you are
And with our highly accomplished and competent staff with more than 200 years of combined experience, you can expect an on-time, on-budget, stress-free event with no drama, no missed rehearsals and no missed cues.
For years we have been making CEOs shine a little bit brighter and helping them deliver their message intact, in focus and crystal clear to the very last row. We have presented their PowerPoints, unveiled their products, honored their award winners and streamed their presentations onto the Internet. Our ability to combine all of those initiatives while keeping the client’s goals, audience and message in mind cuts to the heart of Colortone’s servant culture.
For more information, visit www.colortone.com.
Ohio.net
Ohio.net is a full-service Internet technology provider that for more than 100 years has been an innovative leader on the cutting edge.
Ohio.net offers Voice over Internet Protocol and digital telephone services that reach throughout Ohio and to other customers in the United States. For the last eight years, this VoIP service has been a major area of growth in the telecommunications industry and has once again kept the company ahead of the curve. This Ohio digital phone service goes above and beyond a traditional phone company by offering private numbers, toll-free calling and expanded service areas all while saving companies money.
The company also has one of the largest service areas in Ohio and product offerings that range from high-speed access products to security and firewall-related services.
Owned by Doylestown Communications Inc., Ohio.net is part of a communications consortium that includes local phone service companies, a cable television company and other Internet providers. Ohio.net has leveraged this background and experience to stay ahead of the technology curve and make development decisions that result in steady growth. It has also been an innovator for more than a century.
For the latest information and upcoming events, visit www.ohio.net or call (888) 881-0805.