CEOs You Should Know - Cleveland

Jason Johnson is a globally recognized subject matter expert in the International K-9 Community. As the Founder and CEO of Project K-9 Hero, Jason has dedicated his career to making sure retired Police K-9s and Military Working Dogs receive the medical care, rehabilitation, or rehoming that they deserve once their service to our country is complete. He is a former Field Canine Coordinator for the National Explosives Detection Canine Team Program with Department of Homeland Security, Lead Instructor and Course Developer at the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives National Canine Training Center, Kennel Master and K-9 Handler for the U.S. Department of State in Iraq and Afghanistan, Police Narcotics K-9 Handler and Trainer, and a U.S. Army Military Police Officer. Jason holds a Master’s Degree in Security Management, is a published author, and a executive producer of television and film.

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Simon Davies: Executive Director, Teen Cancer America
Now in its tenth year, Simon leads Teen Cancer America, the only national charity in the USA working directly with hospitals to advise, support and fund them in the development of specialized facilities and programs for adolescents and young adults with cancer. The charity is built on the successful model of Teenage Cancer Trust, UK where Simon was Chief Executive Officer for 13 years before launching Teen Cancer America in 2012. His early career was in the management of substantial social and health care services in the fields of Learning Disability and Mental Health. He has been awarded an honorary Doctorate in Education by the University of Coventry, UK for his service development work and the advancement of professional education in the field of Adolescent and Young Adult Cancer. Simon has developed an international reputation for success in bringing about change within traditionally structured health systems.

Brendan Anderson started his post-banking entrepreneurial career by acquiring Stam, Inc., which manufactures custom bent tubing before founding a private equity firm called ScaleCo where he has raised three funds and acquired 21 companies to date. The ScaleCo model includes investing in talented entrepreneurs, innovators, and managers to transform the businesses into long term sustainable growth companies.

In 2006, Mr. Anderson co-founded Evolution Capital Partners (ECP) to provide capital and management support to growing companies. ECP has invested over $100 million in 16 platform companies across three committed capital funds. In 2018, with the goal of building substantial support resources for the ECP portfolio companies, Mr. Anderson formed ScaleCo with the goal of hiring a team that is active daily in the companies. For more than 30 years, Mr. Anderson has been a student of emerging businesses. He serves as Chairman of the ScaleCo IC and focuses on deal sourcing, strategy, vision building, fundraising, and investor relations.

ScaleCo’s fourth fund consists of 3 partner companies; Innoplast (Garfield Heights, OH), PSP Metrics (Pittsburgh, PA), TPI Efficiency (Cleveland, OH), and Safety Controls Technology (Middleburg Heights, OH) with over 80 employees combined.

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Melissa D. Cole, DNP, RN, ANP-BC, CENP is currently the inaugural Director of Nursing & Strategic Healthcare Integration at John Carroll University (JCU). Ms. Cole is also Associate Faculty at JCU and will oversee the recently announced Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) program and the expansion of John Carroll’s academic healthcare portfolio. JCU is a 136-year-old Jesuit institution that was rated #4 best undergraduate teaching among Regional Universities in the Midwest and was ranked #1 in Ohio in the U.S. News & World Report.

Prior to coming to JCU, Ms. Cole served in a variety of leadership capacity at University Hospitals Health System (UHHS) beginning in 2016 as the Vice President for the Center for Emergency Medicine, where she was responsible for leading and developing strategic initiates across 13 emergency departments. In 2020, during the pandemic she was named Acting System Chief Nursing Executive and Clinical Operations Cheif, with responsibility for a wide range of clinical services including nursing. Most recently, in her role as Vice President (VP) of Integrated Delivery Operations, Ms. Cole was tasked with shaping the value-focused strategy to enhance clinical quality and ease of access for patients across the health system.

She earned a BSN (Ursuline College, 2003), an MSN (University of Tampa, 2012), and a DNP (Case Western Reserve University, 2022) and is a certified adult nurse practitioner and certified in executive nursing practice.

Ms. Cole has been a registered nurse for 20 years and has practiced as an Adult Nurse Practitioner in Emergency Medicine since 2012. She is known for her transformational leadership style with expertise in clinical operations, change management, innovation and process improvement. In 2016, she was awarded the excellence in management award for her work at Tampa General Hospital in her role as the Director of Emergency Services. Shortly after relocating back to Ohio and joining UHHS, she was nominated in 2017 for the YWCA Woman of the Year award.

Ms. Cole is a proven leader, collaborator, and innovator in the healthcare industry with a focus on operational efficiency, employee engagement, and improved quality outcomes. She has presented at various conferences regarding the importance of nurse innovation and disruption as well as adoption of technology and care model redesign. She has published on remote patient monitoring, split-flow implementation and hospital at home outcomes.

Academically, Ms. Cole has served as clinical instructor at the Univeristy of Tampa, and is currently collaborative faculty member at Univeristy of South Florida and adjunct as Case Western Reserve Univeristy’s Frances Payne Bolton School of Nursing. She currently serves as Associate Faculty at JCU and presents nationally as keynote speaker and guest lecturer at Ursuline College.

Ms. Cole is passionate about the community she serves and is committed to breaking down barriers for women in leadership roles and the stigmas that is exist for the mental health and addiction population. She is currently on the board of directors at New Directions and Crossroads Health, which serves as the local mental health and drug rehabilitation centers throughout Northeast Ohio. Ms. Cole is a role model for others and enhance the patient services in her communities she serves.

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Now in its tenth year, Simon leads Teen Cancer America, the only national charity in the USA working directly with hospitals to advise, support and fund them in the development of specialized facilities and programs for adolescents and young adults with cancer.

The charity is built on the successful model of Teenage Cancer Trust, UK where Simon was Chief Executive Officer for 13 years before launching Teen Cancer America in 2012. His early career was in the management of substantial social and health care services in the fields of Learning Disability and Mental Health.

He has been awarded an honorary Doctorate in Education by the University of Coventry, UK for his service development work and the advancement of professional education in the field of Adolescent and Young Adult Cancer.

Simon has developed an international reputation for success in bringing about change within traditionally structured health systems.

Visit Teen Cancer America: https://teencanceramerica.org/

WTAM morning host Bill Wills talks with Taylor Marshall.

Taylor Marshall is the CEO of Andrews Moving & Storage, a leading United Van Lines agent that provides residential and commercial moving services, as well logistics and transportation management worldwide. Taylor is the third generation of ownership at Andrews and since becoming CEO, his experience and visionary leadership have solidified Andrews' core business and expanded the company's growth through the development of new market segments and services.

As a member of industry groups such as Worldwide ERC® and AMSA's ProMover® program, Taylor's expertise and insight make him a sought-after contributor for consumers and peer groups alike. He has contributed to Angie's List® "Ask the Expert", presented to the Great Lakes Relocation Council on controlling quality in the moving industry, and has served as a member of the Supplier Executive Advisory Board for Corporate United, which brings buyers and suppliers together through smarter indirect spend management.

In addition to his work life, Taylor is an active leader in the community, serving as an Elder on the Leadership Board for the Broadview Heights Friends Church, and as an Advisory Board Member for the Ben Curtis Family Foundation. He makes his home in Hudson, Ohio with his wife Angel and their four children.

Visit Andrews Moving & Storage: https://andrewsmoving.com/

Call Andrews Moving & Storage: 800-321-8680

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David Schick is the Director of Marketing and Communications for the Lake County Alcohol, Drug Addiction and Mental Health Services (ADAMHS) Board. He joined the Board in 2022, prior to his move to the Board, David held a communications position with another Lake County department. David is a City of Mentor resident and outside of work is always on a basketball court as a player, youth coach, or as a referee. David is currently a member of the Lake County Opiate Task Force and has locally served on the 2020 Census Board and Lake County Central Y Board.

Established by Ohio Statute, the Alcohol, Drug Addiction, and Mental Health Services (ADAMHS) Board is responsible for evaluating, planning, funding, and monitoring services to help Lake County residents who are dealing with a mental illness and/or addiction.

Visit Lake County Alcohol, Drug Addiction and Mental Health Services (ADAMHS) https://www.helpthatworks.us/

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Cliff A. Megerian, MD, is Chief Executive Officer of University Hospitals (UH), a comprehensive health system with annual revenues of $5.3 billion, 21 hospitals (including 5 joint ventures), more than 50 health centers and outpatient facilities, and over 200 physician offices located throughout 16 counties. He assumed this position in February 2021 and joined UH in 2002. He is also the Jane and Henry Meyer Chief Executive Officer Distinguished Chair.

In December 2019, Dr. Megerian was appointed the system’s President, where he led the organization through an unprecedented pandemic. Prior to that, he served as President, University Hospitals Physician Network, Physician Services and System Institutes. In these positions, he was charged with managing the clinical integration strategies, policies and practice guidelines for more than 2,500 UH employed physicians as well as the operations and infrastructure for UH system institutes. These clinical care institutes bring highly trained subspecialists together from multiple disciplines to collaborate on the best treatment for patients – promoting uniform, standard care protocols and the sharing of best practices.

Additionally, he raised physician productivity to its highest level and significantly increased physician engagement and research funding. UH’s physician network includes the full-time academic medical practice at UH Cleveland Medical Center and UH’s community-based, multi-specialty physician network throughout Northeast Ohio.

Dr. Megerian is also a Professor in the Department of Otolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery at Case Western Reserve University (CWRU) School of Medicine, where he was Chair from 2012 – 2018 and held the Julius McCall Professorship at CWRU, as well as the Richard and Patricia Pogue endowed Chair in Auditory Surgery and Hearing Sciences at UH. He also serves as an Adjunct Professor of Surgery at Northeast Ohio Medical University.

Prior to UH, he served on the physician staffs of the Louis Stokes Cleveland Veteran Affairs Medical Center and MetroHealth System Medical Center. At the University of Massachusetts Medical Center, Dr. Megerian was the Director of Otology and Neurotology, as well as the Director of Residency Training, the Medical Director, Cochlear Implantation Program, and the Co-Director, Center for Skull Base Diseases. He also served on the medical staff of Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary and Boston Medical Center.

Dr. Megerian’s clinical career has been devoted to the management of hearing loss, chronic ear disease, cholesteatoma, otosclerosis, vertigo, and other otology and neurotology issues. As a surgeon, Dr. Megerian co-founded UH’s Cochlear implant program and he and his team have performed over 1,500 cochlear implant surgeries, making it one of the largest programs in the country.

He is also an expert in the diagnosis and treatment of acoustic neuroma. He has published over 130 peer-reviewed manuscripts and abstracts and has served as visiting professor at numerous medical schools and institutions throughout the world.

His research interests in the pathogenesis of Meniere’s disease have been funded by a number of agencies including the NIH and DRF. He previously served as a consultant to the FDA in the regulation of Ear, Nose and Throat Devices. He is co-author of a textbook in its second publishing, “Surgery of the Cerebellopontine Angle.”

Dr. Megerian is a graduate of the University of Michigan Medical School and completed a residency in otolaryngology-head and neck surgery at University Hospitals of Cleveland and CWRU. He completed a research and clinical fellowship in otology and neurotology at Harvard Medical School, Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary. He also completed a certificate program in healthcare management at Weatherhead School of Business at CWRU.

Dr. Megerian serves on the American Hospital Association’s Health...

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Dr. Charles Modlin, M.D., MBA, serves as the Inaugural Medical Director of the Office of Inclusion, Diversity & Equity (IDE) at MetroHealth where he provides operational and thought leadership, perspective and vision on the multi-dimensional matters of diversity and health equity through the lens of a clinician. His role is key to the development of programs to promote and strengthen an inclusive and diverse culture and promote health equity for all. He also practices clinical urology at MetroHealth.

Dr. Modlin is formerly a 27-year veteran and member of Cleveland Clinic’s Surgical Staff, Associate Professor of Surgery, and is a Kidney Transplant Surgeon & Urologist and served on Cleveland Clinic’s Board of Governors, Board of Directors and Board of Trustees and served as the elected President of the Medical Staff of Cleveland Clinic. He founded Cleveland Clinic’s Minority Men’s Health Center (MMHC) and in 2003 established Cleveland Clinic’s famed Annual Minority Men’s Health Fair (which as of 2022 he established at MetroHealth) that has provided free health screenings, health examinations and health education to thousands of predominantly African American males for the early detection of disease to enhance and save lives. In 2011, he was named by The Atlanta Post as one of the Top 21 Black Doctors in America. Dr. Modlin was the First African American Staff Urologist in the History of Cleveland Clinic AND the First and Only ever Black Transplant Surgeon in the History of Cleveland Clinic.

Dr. Modlin graduated from Northwestern University and Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, completed a six-year residency in Urologic Surgery at New York University, a three-year fellowship in kidney transplantation surgery at Cleveland Clinic and joined the Cleveland Clinic Staff in 1996. He has completed organizational leadership development training certification at the Harvard Business School.

Dr. Modlin is a noted national leader for the elimination of health disparities and promotion of health equity. Honors include Appointment to the Ohio Commission on Minority Health by two Ohio Governors, Northwestern University Presidential Alumni Medal, the Inaugural 2009 Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine Distinguished Humanitarianism in Medicine Award, 2007 MLK Greater Cleveland Partnership Community Service Award, Call & Post 100 Top Influential Leaders, numerous Cleveland Magazine Best Doctors recognitions, recognition in the Inaugural Edition of Who’s Who in Black Cleveland as One of Cleveland’s Most Interesting, and the prestigious 2015 Black Professional Association Black Professional of the Year recognition, The Soul of Philanthropy Award in 2021, among many other recognitions and awards. Governor Mike DeWine in March 2020 appointed Dr. Modlin to serve on the Ohio Governor’s Minority Covid-19 Strike Force (MSF) where he chaired the Education, Communications & Outreach Subcommittee.

Dr. Modlin has also dedicated his life to mentoring the younger generation who aspire to achieve their goals in life. As such, he is a published author of a success navigation and mentorship book, entitled “It Isn’t Difficult To Do It IF You Know How To Do It”, in which he provides practical and advanced advice, wisdom, guidance and life and career navigation success guidance based upon his lived experiences in order to help facilitate the younger generation in successfully navigating their success journeys.

Though the health fair is geared toward men and minority health concerns, MetroHealth welcomes anyone to attend. For more information, please visit https://www.metrohealth.org/mmhf

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Ethan Holmes founded Holmes Mouthwatering in 2008 at the age of 15 after being inspired by his grandfather's applesauce recipe and deciding to innovate his own line of products. While studying business at Hiram college, he launched the business in 2014 making small batches at a time on campus, eventually growing to his first major retailer: Heinen’s in 2015, Giant Eagle in 2016, and Whole Foods Market and Kroger in 2107, selling at a total of 300 locations.

To date, they have processed 500,000 pounds of apples from local orchards and made 250,000 units in-house for consumers across the U.S. selling primarily in the Midwest and online, achieving lifetime sales of $400,000.

In addition to making and selling applesauce, they created a community program called the Holmes Entrepreneur Initiative teaching youth entrepreneurship through programming, internships, and workshops around applesauce. His brand was chosen for the Chobani Incubator in 2020, The SKU Coca-Cola Accelerator in 2022, and raised $700k from angel investors and grant funding since their start.

After 7 years in business and many lessons later, he is now in the final stages of launching a rebranded, improved, and innovative line: 3.2 oz pouches of applesauce. The 1st pouched applesauce on the market with chunks of real fruit!

It took him $100,000 and over a year to finalize the packaging with global branding agency Moxie Sozo and nearly 2 years to find the right contract manufacturing partner to recreate their formulas and maintain a premium quality and competitive price point.

He had an opportunity to visit their new contract manufacturer in Chile in July to visit their plant and was happy to see they manufacture for prominent U.S. retailers, such as Kroger, Aldi, Walmart, Safeway, and more. Producing over 50MM+ applesauce pouches annually, giving his products a 20% gross margin increase and an option for price breaks as they scale.

He signed a 3-year contract with the manufacturer for 360,000 pouches or 60,000 sellable units to be made by the end of the year and delivered to the U.S. Q1 2023.

So far, they have commitments from the following: Target, Giant Eagle, Walmart, Heinen's, Whole Foods Market and food service accounts (concessions, foodbanks), and are expecting an additional 500 doors acquired throughout the remainder of the year (Sprouts, Wegman's, Marc's, Fresh Market, etc).

Visit Holmes Mouthwatering here: https://holmesmouthwatering.com/

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