Marbles, many years ago, were not the dime a dozen toys they are now. Prior to 1884, toy marbles were all handmade. The high-cost of production drove up the price, making them inaccessible to most children.
Enter Samuel Dyke. This Akron entrepreneur invented a method of mass-producing marbles, which instantly drove down the price, democratizing the toy. What followed was the birth of an industry, right here in Akron, right in the center of downtown. Had Michael Cohill not complied with the Americans with Disabilities Act, however, we might not know what we do today about the once thriving marble industry centered in our city. You can read about the happy coincidence that revealed a forgotten industry and led to the establishment of The American Toy Marble Museum in this month’s Uniquely Akron/Canton.
A better tomorrow
“The future of any society depends on its ability to foster the healthy development of the next generation,” says Richard Graziano, president and CEO of The Village Network, and the subject of this month’s Building Stronger Communities.
While he’s talking about addressing the growing problem of child abuse, particularly in at-risk youth, the quote can be applied to the development of Akron as well as the businesses that call it home.
The city’s stakeholders are actively engaged in preparing Akron for the future, and courting employers and residents alike. The city has gotten more attention as a desirable place to live and work with the return of Ohio’s most recognized native son, LeBron James, but there’s still work to be done.
Columnist Christine Amer Mayer, who heads the GAR Foundation, writes this month that while she’s pleased with the progress happening in the greater Akron area, there’s cause for concern.
“Northeast Ohio has seen a growing chasm between the rich and the poor that threatens our continued growth,” she says.
She asks area businesses to be thoughtful about economic gains; otherwise one step forward becomes two steps back.
Best laid plans
This month we introduce columnist Dolf Kahle, CEO of Visual Marking Systems Inc., who discusses strategic planning, emphasizing the need for companies to widely publish their plan among employees.
Also talking about strategic planning is Mike Baach, president and CEO of The Philpott Rubber Co. He suggests companies are better off reducing their strategies to a single page.
“What use is the written plan in guiding the company if it’s buried in everyone’s files?,” he asks.
Identifying problems and creating a plan to address them is an obvious progression. Some problems are more daunting than others and sadly won’t be answered by the first people to uncover them. And sometimes, in setting out to look for the answers, we discover opportunities we never expected to find.
