Business
Position: Chief Executive Officer
Name: James Jerome Bell
Company: James Jerome Bell, LLC
Tri-C Alumni
Bio: Studied Business Administration with a concentration in Small Business Management at Cuyahoga Community College.
Topics: Business Real Estate, Insurance Sales, Fundraising and community economic vitality.
Availability: In-person & Virtually, Weds/Thurs/Fri/Sat, Morning/Afternoon/Evening
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Position: Chief Executive Officer & Founder
Name: Nicole Pearch
Company: Party'n With Plants
Bio: Bachelor Degree in Business, 2018 Athena Young Professional Award recipient. Business owner with previous experience instructing college courses on entrepreneurship, marketing, and sales.
Topics: Entrepreneurship, turning an idea into a business, how to wear multiple hats, how to sell online with Etsy and Amazon, and owning a drop-shipping business.
Availability: In-person, Mon/Tues/Weds/Thurs/Fri/Sat, Morning/Afternoon
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Position: Chief Executive Officer & President
Name: Bob Gephart
Company: VizZle
Bio: CEO of local education technology company that develops web-based curriculum solutions for K-12 special education. 15 years experience working with start-ups and a number of board of directors. Finance and accounting background with strong strategic planning skills.
Topics: Entrepreneurship, Start-ups, Lean/Agile Development and Scrum Methodology
Availability: In-person, Mon/Tues/Weds, Morning/Afternoon/Evening
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Position: Chief Human Resource Officer
Name: Marty Guastella
Company: Oswald Companies
Bio: 25+ years executive-level human resource leadership. MBA in Human Resource Management & Labor Relations, BBA in Finance from Cleveland State University. SPHR and SHRM-SCP designations.
Topics: Most an HR-related subject; able to assist in job search & interview technique.
Availability: In-person & Virtually,
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Position: Director of Communications
Name: Carolyn Kovach
Company: City of Parma
Bio: Oversee media relations, crisis communications, web content, social media, publications, and community relations for the City of Parma. 20+ years of experience in communications and marketing. Previous experience as Marketing Manger at Tri-C West & BUC, Director of Communications at St. Ignatius High School, and Corporate Communications Editor for American Greetings.
An award-winning county reporter for a chain of community newspapers in South Palm Beach County, Fla., and as a trade press editor in the Cleveland trade publishing industry.
Topics: Media Relations, Storytelling via social media and traditional print media. Public production.
Availability: In-person, Fri/Sat, Afternoon/Evening
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Position: Employment Sourcing Specialist
Name: Kathleen McConnell
Company: Mercy Health Lorain
Bio: 30+ years HR experience, most recently in recruitment for both the service industry and healthcare. Ability to co-present with leaders from all healthcare fields.
Topics: The keys to presenting your best self when applying for a job and what employers are looking for. Co-present with leaders in nursing, respiratory therapy, paramedic, and radiology.
Availability: In-person, Mon/Tues/Weds/Thurs/Fri, Morning/Afternoon/Evening
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Position: Financial Advisor
Name: Nicky Sulandari
Company: Edward Jones
Bio: Career in investment industry began in early 2000. Previous employers include UBS, Merril Lynch, and JP Morgan Chase.
Topics: Experience in starting a career in investment, company culture, and the path to becoming a Financial Advisor.
Availability: In-person, Tues/Thurs, Morning/Afternoon/Evening
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Position: Human Resource Manager
Name: Lauren Hlavach
Company: IHG
Availability: In-person, Mon/Tues/Weds/Thurs/Fri, Morning/Afternoon
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Position: Human Resource Manager
Name: Marie Eslick
Company: Delaware North Sportservice
Bio: 30+ years as an HR professional, 25 years in hospitality with Delaware North, one of the largest, privately owned companies in the industry. Experience in key events, opening, and committees during tenure.
Certified SHRM, CP, and graduate of DeBry University with a Bachelor in Technical Management in Human Resources.
Topics: Human Resources, Operations Management, Procurement, and Hospitality Management.
Availability: In-person, Mon/Tues/Weds/Thurs/Fri/Sat, Morning/Afternoon/Evening
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Position: Human Resources
Name: Stephen Eich
Company: Keene Family of Companies
Bio: Bachelor's Degree in Business Administration and Associate Degree in Graphic Design. Work history with UPS, Sherwin Williams and Keene Family of Companies.
Topics: Human Resources
Availability: In-person, Mon/Tues/Weds/Thurs/Fri, Morning/Afternoon/Evening
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Position: Human Resources Director
Name: Kerry Fels
Company: Cleveland Marriott East
Bio: Bachelor's Degree in Public Relations with a minor in Marketing. Master's of Communication. Experience includes hospitality, customer service, and human resources.
Topics: Hospitality, Customer Service, and Human Resources
Availability: In-person, Mon/Tues/Weds/Thurs/Fri, Morning/Afternoon/Evening
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Position: Senior Human Resource Manager
Name: Sharon Cunningham
Company: Loan Protector Insurance Services
Bio: Sharon Cunningham joined Loan Protector as the Senior Human Resource Manager in 2018 and is responsible for the strategic development and management of Loan Protector’s rapidly growing workforce. She brings more than fifteen years’ experience predominantly in the legal and health care industries, including the firms of Baker Hostetler and Kahn & Associates law firms, as well as MP Biomedicals and The Cleveland Clinic.
Knowledgeable in all facets of HR, Sharon brings expertise in establishing HR departments from the ground up, strategically developing talent at high growth companies, as well as having an extensive track record in employee relations experience and driving employee engagement.
Sharon has her undergraduate degree in Business Administration from Baldwin Wallace University and her MBA with a focus on labor relations from Cleveland State University.
Topics: Human Resources
Availability: In-person, Tues/Weds/Fri, Morning/Afternoon
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Position: Job Development/Assistant Development
Name: Matthew Anderson
Company: Council for Economic Opportunity in Greater Cleveland
Bio: BA in Communication from Marywood University in Scranton, PA. 15+ years in community relations with work at the Cleveland Clinic, in local media, and with the City of Cleveland. Experience helping residents, garnering sponsorship, and creating overall development.
Topics: Communications, Community Development, Business Development, Philanthropy
Availability: In-person, Mon/Tues/Weds/Thurs/Sat, Afternoon
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Position: Marketing Director
Name: Faith Boone
Company: Effective Leadership Academy
Bio: Cleveland State University graduate. Previous work experience at Sun Newspapers covering 9 beats over 5 municipalities and 4 police departments. Experience at Cleveland.com helping launch hyperlocal pages, social media strategist and account executive for Stevens Strategic Communications, and continued social media and web producer work at News 5 Cleveland. Currently in a marketing director position at a non-profit that helps young people develop their leadership and soft skills.
Topics: Social Media, Journalism, Marketing, Advertising, Media Buying, Media Relations, Public Relations, Entrepreneurship, Freelance Writing, IT, Professional Development, and/or Leadership Training.
Availability: In-person & Virtually, Mon/Tues/Weds/Thurs, Morning/Afternoon
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Position: Officer
Name: Alin Catrina
Company: Dollar Bank
Bio: Cleveland State University graduate with 15+ years experience in banking. Experience in every aspect of branch banking from customer service to current role as an officer.
Topics: Developing staff into leaders, banking and finance, and staffing decision making.
Availability: In-person, Weds/Thurs, Morning/Afternoon
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Position: Owner/Chiropractor
Name: Bob Leonard
Company: Great Lakes Health and Wellness
Bio: Started Great Lakes Health and Wellness in 2004, business has grown to earn $650K per year. Loves speaking to students in both massage and marketing about what to expect in their careers and how to be an exceptional employee.
Topics: Growing a client base organically, how to be an exceptional employee and real-world expectations. Mastering online marketing.
Availability: In-person, Tues/Thurs/Fri, Morning/Afternoon/Evening
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Position: Owner/Creative Director, Designer
Name: Chelsea Kovar
Company: All of Her Design Studio
Bio: Chelsey Kovar, owner of All of Her Design Studio in Parma, is a national award winning graphic designer who studied visual communications at Tri-C. A firm believer that creative ideas can change the world, Chelsey works with clients across the spectrum on everything from brand identities to websites, advertising campaigns and anything in between.
Working with local leaders and change-makers, she is a passionate civic leader, working to better her community through partnerships and collaborative efforts.
Topics: Advertising, Graphic Design, Production Design, Creative/Art Directing, Women in Business, Small Business, Networking.
Availability: In-person, Mon/Tues/Weds/Thurs/Fri/Sat, Morning/Afternoon/Evening
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Position: President
Name: Greg Thomas
Company: Leadership Excellence, Ltd.
Bio: Greg has a Master’s Degree in Leadership from Bellevue University (2001). Author of two leadership development books. 2013 graduate of Leadership Medina County.
Topics: Personal Leadership Development, Effective Communication Skills, Enhanced Productivity, Organizational Leadership, Time Management, Sales Strategies, Goal Development, and Life Coaching.
Availability: In-person & Virtually, Mon/Weds, Morning/Afternoon
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Position: Program Manager/Global Learning Executive Team
Name: Emilia Leone
Company: EY
Tri-C Alumni
Bio: Bachelor's of Science in Technical Education and employee at Tri-C 1982-1992. Currently program manager for global learning initiatives at EY. 24+ years experience in project management, instructional design, and curriculum design experience.
Topics: Adult Education Principles, Project Management, Instructional Design
Availability: In-person & Virtually, Mon/Tues/Weds/Thurs/Fri, Morning/Afternoon/Evening
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Position: Project Manager
Name: Jeffrey Booher
Company: Cuyahoga Community College
Bio: For over 15 years, Jeff Booher has held leadership roles in banking, marketing and academia. He currently serves as a Project Manager in the Innovation & Strategy department at Cuyahoga Community College, leading complex college-wide initiatives. While in banking and marketing, Jeff led several top-performing operations teams and developed expertise in lean management, team leadership, coaching and process improvement.
Jeff also is an engaged volunteer. In 2015, he was invited to speak at Case Western Reserve’s Music Day and is currently participating in Case Western Reserve’s International Friends program. Also, he participated on the Steering Committee to rebrand the Village of Bratenahl. Jeff is a regular guest on the Liz & Sandro’s Marketing podcast.
Jeff earned an undergraduate degree in music education from Youngstown State University and an MBA from Case Western Reserve University
Topics: Team Leadership, Changing Industries in Your Career, Project Management, Lean Management, Professional Development, Business Development.
Availability: In-person, Mon/Tues/Weds/Thurs/Fri/Sat, Morning/Afternoon
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Position: Realtor
Name: Roger Nair
Company: NEO Real Estate Team/Keller Williams
Bio: 30+ years in real estate, one of the founders and current team lead for the NEO Team.
Topics: Business Ownership, Commercial and Residential Real Estate
Availability: In-person, Mon/Tues/Weds/Thurs/Fri/Sat, Morning/Afternoon/Evening
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Position: Regional Recruiter
Name: Jennifer Lindsay
Company: Allied Universal Security
Bio: Has been with Allied Universal since graduating from Kent State University in 2010. Jennifer covers recruiting needs for approximately 50,000 hours per week out of the Cleveland Branch.
Topics: Security Services, Recruiting, Working with Community Organizations, Career Growth
Availability: In-person, Mon/Tues/Weds/Thurs/Fri, Morning/Afternoon/Evening
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Position: Regional Supply Manager
Name: Cristian Croitoru
Company: GARICK
Bio: Mr. Croitoru is a Regional Supply Manager at Garick, LLC and has been with the company since 2014. Mr. Croitoru is a Cuyahoga Community College Alumni that transferred to Cleveland State University to further his education and obtain his Bachelor's of Business Administration Degree in Human Resources in 2016 and his Master's of Business Administration Degree in 2018. Mr. Croitoru is an active mentor-employer in the internship and co-op program at Cuyahoga Community College.
Topics: Inventory Management, Soil and Mulch Manufacturing, Business Management, Customer Service, Intern Hiring, Supply Chain and Logistics
Availability: In-person, Thurs/Fri, Morning/Afternoon
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Position: Regional Talent Manager
Name: Cedric Gaddis
Company: Team NEO
Bio: As a human resources professional with expertise in the retail and energy industries, Cedric leads Team NEO’s talent acquisition and delivery strategy for new and expanding businesses in Northeast Ohio. Cedric serves as a connector between businesses and other regional entities, proactively working to address the region’s talent needs. He also helps deliver talent-related solutions for economic development projects.
Prior to joining Team NEO, Cedric served as the Director of Human Resources for Quasar Energy Group, a renewable energy and organics management firm located in Independence, Ohio. He has also worked for JC Penny and Target Corporation.
Cedric holds his MBA in Human Resources from Baldwin Wallace University, BS in Business Administration from Nazareth College and is a SHRM Certified Professional.
Topics: Talent Acquisition
Availability: In-person, Tues/Weds/Thurs/Fri, Morning/Afternoon
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Position: Senior Creative Recruiter
Name: Erini Anthopoulos
Company: The Creative Group
Bio: With a background in advertising, Erini has been a Sr. Recruiter with The Creative Group for over three years connecting talent with new opportunities in design, marketing & content focused positions.
Topics: Placing highly skilled professionals with a variety of firms and connecting skilled creative talent with the best projects and full-time jobs.
Availability: In-person, Mon/Tues, Morning/Afternoon/Evening
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Position: SEO Content and Web Copy Consultant
Name: Amandah Blackwell
Company: Savvy-Writer
Bio: Amandah Blackwell, the founder of Savvy-Writer.com, is a creative leader who brings years of experience in copywriting, content writing and strategy, digital marketing, SEO, and business communications.
Topics: Digital Marketing, Content Marketing, SEO, Email Marketing, Social Media, Publishing, Business Communications, and Freelance Writing
Availability: In-person & Virtually, Mon/Tues/Weds/Thurs/Fri/Sat, Morning/Afternoon/Evening
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Position: Staff Manager
Name: Terry Toth
Company: Western & Southern Financial Group
Bio: Terry has been involved in the financial services industry since 1987 with sales, training, sales manager, and regional facilitation roles. Quite the diverse background and has seen the industry from many viewpoints, she would love to share insight into onboarding and being successful in changing the lives of clients and having a powerful impact in communities.
Topics: Industry onboarding, Expectations of Financial Advisors, Finding Opportunity for Advancement, Keys to Success, and Involvement in Communities.
Availability: In-person, Tues/Weds/Thurs, Afternoon
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Position: Talent Supply Chain Engagement Senior Team Lead
Name: Kari Zeman
Company: Amazon
Bio: Kari graduated from Miami University in 2011 with a Bachelor of Science in Business, and a major in Marketing. She started her career with Robert Half where she spent 6+ years in the third-party staffing industry, handling job placements specific to accounting and finance functions. Overseeing their accountemps division and mainly focused on new business development, account management, and management/leadership of up to 4 employees. Recently transitioned to Amazon to lead a team that handles high volume staffing for all of the Greater Cleveland facilities while also focusing on community engagement activities and growing partnerships within the area.
Topics: Career Development and Job Readiness, Management/Leadership, Sales/Customer Service, Time Management, etc.
Availability: In-person, Mon/Tues/Weds/Thurs/Fri/Sat, Morning/Afternoon/Evening
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Position: University Relations Manager
Name: Marty Lewis
Company: Quicken Loans
Tri-C Alumni
Bio: Marty received both an Associate of Arts and an Associate of Science through Tri-C before transferring to The Ohio State University where he earned my Communication (BA) with a Business Minor. Marty has worked in many client-facing roles in the food and service industry while earning an education and has always enjoyed working with people.
He began his career at Quicken Loans in 2015 just 10 days after his college graduation ceremony. He passed the federal licensing exam and worked to acquire licensing in 23 different states. He has since transitioned into recruitment and now works on maintaining the relationship between Quicken Loans and the Colleges and Universities all throughout the state of Ohio.
Topics: Mortgage Industry, Financial Services, Influence and Persuasion, and Professional Development
Availability: In-person, Mon/Tues/Weds/Thurs/Fri/Sat, Morning/Afternoon/Evening