Our guest this week is Dr. Sherry Cross, the Director of Adult Education & Assistant Principal at Youngstown City Schools. 

Dr. Cross has held a variety of positions in the education field and in this episode she walks us through her career journey and how she gained her expertise. She also shares with us what adult education looks like in today’s climate and how their program keeps pace with a variety of industries to fuel demand for skilled professionals. 

Other topics discussed include how manufacturing as an industry needs to keep schools informed to inspire the future workforce, how to deal with students in the age of rapidly advancing technology, as well as how K-12 education in general needs to evolve to reflect real-world demands.

Dr. Cross’ favorite restaurants in the Youngstown area are Margherita’s Grille and Barry Dyngles.

Connect with Dr. Sherry Cross on LinkedIn.

This week's guest is Carmen Gentile, Founder & Editor-at-Large of Postindustrial Media. This episode is a must-listen for anyone who is interested in the revitalization of Rust Belt communities.

In this episode, Carmen shares with us the story behind the inception of Postindustrial Media, a venture motivated by the shockwaves that the 2016 election started and driven by a mission to foster understanding of communities in the region. His unique perspective, informed by growing up in New Kensington, Pennsylvania, and his experiences as a war correspondent, provides valuable insights into the complex issues facing postindustrial communities today. From gun control and immigration to the re-invention of industrial jobs, Paul and Carmen engage in a thought-provoking conversation that uncovers the importance of community and resilience.

As a Pennsylvania native, Carmen’s top choice for cheesesteaks is Pat’s King of Steaks. 

Hear more from Carmen by connecting with him on LinkedIn or check out his book, Blindsided by the Taliban. 

This week we are joined by Josh Cramer, the Director of Education & Workforce Development at American Makes and the National Center of Defense Manufacturing & Machining (NCDMM).

As a long-time educator, we hear Josh’s insights on how the education industry has evolved, namely the expanded opportunities for non-traditional career paths. He also shares with us his passion for workforce development, the critical work and mission at NCDMM - America Makes, and the needs of our workforce.

As a resident of Western Pennsylvania, Josh’s food recommendation is The Red Caboose for the best hot dogs.

Connect with Josh Cramer on LinkedIn.

On this episode of the Rundown, we are joined by Jim Cavoli, President & COO of Swagelok. 

In this episode, we hear from Jim about his career journey with Swagelok over the years and how he approaches being a business leader. Jim and Paul also discuss manufacturing in Northeast Ohio, what Swagelok is doing to mentor careers in manufacturing, and Jim’s involvement as a board member for Global Cleveland and Greater Cleveland Partnership. 

Jim’s recommendations for authentic Italian are Valerio’s in Little Italy and Giovanni’s in Beachwood. 
Connect with Jim Cavoli on LinkedIn.

This week we are joined by Robert Guy for Episode 61! Robert is the Controller of WLS Stamping & Fabricating Co., a full-service short-run stamping and fabrication facility. They have two locations in the Cleveland area and have been partners with Rust Belt Recruiting since 2021.

Listen in as Robert shares his perspective on running a manufacturing operation, including finances, training their workforce, working with Rust Belt Recruiting, and more.

Robert’s Cleveland food recommendations include Amba and Salt+. Connect with Robert Guy on LinkedIn. 

On this episode of the Rundown, we are joined by Shannon Lee, Executive Director of Leadership Columbus. Leadership Columbus provides state-of-the-art education and training for emerging and existing leaders. 

In this episode, Paul and Shannon discuss what it means to be a leader, the nuances of leadership, and the resources that are available to prioritize learning how to be a successful leader. They also discuss the process Shannon underwent to write her book, Servant Leader Mindset. This book is designed to help people adopt the mindsets that create great organizations and teams that solve community problems and heal broken systems - all without sacrificing themselves. 

Shannon’s go-to food spots in Columbus are Kitchen Social, Jeff Ruby, East Market, and Budd Dairy Food Hall. 

Connect with Shannon Lee on LinkedIn to stay in the know on all things leadership in Central Ohio!

Our guest this week is Sandy Doyle-Ahern, President of EMH&T. EMH&T is a civil engineering firm based in New Albany, Ohio that offers a variety of services such as landscape architecture, infrastructure evaluation, urban design, and more.

In this episode, we learn about Sandy’s extensive career with EMH&T and how their service offerings have evolved. Paul and Sandy also discuss some key regional problems and opportunities that Central Ohio is facing such as affordable housing and rail service.

Sandy is also a member of numerous boards and organizations and she shares how her passion for community work led her to establish her own group known as ‘The Edge Sisters’.

Sandy’s favorite food spot in Columbus is True Food Kitchen.

Connect with Sandy Doyle-Ahern on LinkedIn.

On this episode we are joined by Sheri Chaney Jones, the CEO & Co-Founder of SureImpact. SureImpact is a software that enables day to day case management and data collection, while also enabling organizations to manage, measure, and communicate their unique social impact in the nonprofit sector.

In this episode, Sheri shares her lessons in entrepreneurship and her insights on how social change impact is modernizing. She also discusses her inspiration for starting SureImpact as well as her other ventures as a professor and an author. 

Sheri resides in Columbus and cites The Rusty Bucket as her go to spot. 
Connect with Sheri Chaney Jones on LinkedIn or visit sureimpact.com to learn more!

We have an exciting episode this week on the Rundown! Taylor Evans (Founder & Owner, Rust Belt Recruiting) takes over as host this week to help our listeners get to know his close friend and our host, Paul O’Connor.

This is a great episode to learn more about the host you hear each week. Listen in to learn about why they chose Episode 57 for this conversation, how Paul and Taylor became friends at OU and more about Paul’s background in podcasts and his career outside of podcasting. This conversation also includes Paul’s favorite parts about hosting the Rundown, discussions about Cleveland’s unique identity and lessons in entrepreneurship. 

Paul resides in Columbus so his local recommendations include Jackie O’s on Fourth (of course), Paulie Gee’s for the best pizza in Columbus and Stav’s Diner for your classic greasy spoon spot.
Connect with Paul O’Connor on LinkedIn.

This week we are joined by Kyle Triplett, Director of Aluminum at Olympic Steel!

In this episode Paul and Kyle discuss their experiences at Ohio University and how their student involvement influenced and enhanced their careers. Kyle tells us about his extensive career with Olympic Steel and how his role and the company has expanded over the years. Paul and Kyle also discuss the benefits of careers in the manufacturing industry and how many different opportunities there are as the workforce continues to evolve. 

For Kyle’s favorite food shoutouts, he mentions Brenen’s Coffee Cafe as an Athens favorite and Prosperity Social Club as a Cleveland favorite. 

Connect with Kyle Triplett on LinkedIn.